The American Lawyer

How Ex-Kirkland Lawyers Are Shaking Up Big Law Consulting, Comms and Recruiting

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:59:19 EST

]]>“We're turning the entire law firm consulting and communications and recruiting industries on their head, said Jon Henes. “Those are three things that law firms need to actually succeed in today's world, but nobody puts those together. We're the first.

Lowenstein Sandler's Insurance Recovery Group Decamps for Barnes & Thornburg

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:02:48 EST

]]>As Barnes & Thornburg picks up Lowenstein Sandler's insurance recovery practice, Lowenstein is pivoting to representing insurance carriers with a new insurance litigation and advisory group.

Ropes' Revenue Surges 9% Amid Growth in Asset Management, Real Estate

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>For the first time, Law.com is reporting a portion of Ropes' partnership as nonequity, based on Am Law 100's methodology.

Clifford Chance Claims Last-Minute M&A Crown as Mega Deals Fuel Busy Start to Year

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:56:52 EST

]]>Data from the London Stock Exchange Group reveals that total deal values jumped significantly on the same period last year, even as overall deal counts softened.

Taft Adds Industrial Real Estate Expert From Alston & Bird as First Lateral Partner Since Opening of Atlanta Office

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:00:44 EST

]]>Rick Pilch joins the growing firm with a practice focusing on large-scale leasing for distribution and warehouse facilities.

Nonequity Expansion Goes Hand-in-Hand with Lateral Additions

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:40:16 EST

]]>Lateral talent raids and exits among Am Law 50 firms have been more poignant in 2026, with nearly every day a Big Law firm announcing the addition of a practice group leader or rainmaker from a competitor firm.

Jackson Lewis Hires New Chief Operating Officer from K&L Gates

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:21:11 EST

]]>Gavin Gray spent about six years as the chief operating officer at K&L Gates. Before that, he served as North American regional operating officer for Baker McKenzie.

Gibson Dunn Partner Taking SEC Enforcement Chief Role

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:25:34 EST

]]>David Woodcock led the agency's Fort Worth office for four years and went on to serve as a partner at two Am Law 50 firms and as an assistant general counsel at Exxon Mobil.

Smith Gambrell & Russell's 'Big-Ticket' Matters, Full Integration of Merger Leads to 2025 Gains

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:13:24 EST

]]>Profits ticked down immediately after the firm's 2023 combination with Chicago's Freeborn & Peters, but those growing pains are in the past.

White & Case Recruits 2 M&A Partners, Including Reed Smith Practice Chair

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:18:06 EST

]]>The global head of mergers and acquisitions at Reed Smith has moved to White & Case amid a lateral hiring tear for its M&A practice.

Kirkland Counters Paul Hastings' London Gains With Rare German Partner Hire

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:37:44 EST

]]>Kirkland has hired debt financing partner J Melchior Raiser from Paul Hastings in Munich—reversing a pattern in London that had benefited its rival in the past year.

Wilmer's $35M Fees to Face Review After Billionaire Dispute

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:37:13 EST

]]>London's High Court found the firm had failed to give its client adequate costs information.

Sidley's Revenue Grows By 9%, as PEP Soars 16%, Amid Focus on Laterals and Balanced Portfolio

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Sidley's partnership system will change this year, with the firm creating what it says will be its own nonequity tier for the first time. Starting in June, income partners will not have equity in the firm, but associates will be eligible for income partner status a year earlier.

Day Pitney Taps Real Estate Leader as Next Managing Partner

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:28:23 EST

]]>Michael P. Byrne—based in Stamford, Connecticut—succeeds Gregory A. Hayes. He arrives following a "record year" for the firm.

Gibson Dunn Posts 18% Revenue Increase to $4.2B

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:19:58 EST

]]>Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher cracked the $4-billion revenue mark in 2025, a year that saw the firm continue to reap the rewards of its diversified practice areas, global reach and “destination practices, said chair and managing partner Barbara Becker.

Mistakes to Avoid Before Entering a Legal MSO Transaction

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:47:44 EST

]]>The firms that succeed in this environment are not necessarily the largest, the oldest, or the most decorated, Frederick Shelton and Ayven Dodd write.

Husch Blackwell, Missouri AG Say They're Not to Blame for VC Fund's 'Decisions' That Could Cost It Millions

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:17:17 EST

]]>The Am Law 100 firm and its former chair are among a group of Big Law firms and lawyers that allegedly gave bad advice to a VC fund's management about its founder's eligibility to raise money.

Renewed Activity in Technology Sector Boosts Fenwick & West's Profits 19%

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:52:31 EST

]]>The firm's profits per equity partner were up about 15% year-over-year in 2025.

6-Lawyer Team Departs K&L Gates for Reed Smith in Boston

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:52:15 EST

]]>The four partners and two associates join Reed Smith less than a month after the firm opened its new Boston office.

Buchanan Boosts Net Income by 23%, Citing Demand and Rate Increases

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:17:28 EST

]]>The Pittsburgh-founded firm, which celebrated its 175-year anniversary in 2025, saw more modest gross revenue and head count growth even as profitability soared.

Skadden Execs Turned Legal Tech Advisers Talk Navigating Client Tech Demands

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:01:04 EST

]]>Harris Tilevitz recently stepped away from his role as Skadden's chief AI and technology officer to advise Harvey. He and former Skadden CEO Eric Friedman—now an adviser to Ironclad and Litera—discussed how law firms can balance security and innovation.

Perkins Coie Re-enters China With Shenzhen Office Amid Ashurst Merger Push

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:20:11 EST

]]>New launch follows Beijing and Shanghai exits as the firm reshapes its Asia strategy and pursues a global tie-up with Ashurst.

Ex-Troutman Pepper Associate Agrees to Settle Discrimination Claims With Firm

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:53:11 EST

]]>Former associate Gita Sankano sued Troutman Pepper in January 2024, accusing the firm of firing her after she flagged racist behavior by several partners.

Spencer Fane to Merge With Southwest Law Firm, As Part of Broader Talent Strategy

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:59:59 EST

]]>Pat Whalen said this merger, and the combinations his firm has done previously, are a result of what's going on across the industry: clients and talent looking for larger firms that can handle a higher volume of increasingly complex work across more locations.

'Accounting Was the Precursor': The Private Equity View on Why Law Is the Next Big Target

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:01:49 EST

]]>Law.com sat down with the U.K. private equity firm August Equity to find out why it has invested in law and what it is hoping to achieve next.

Corporate Work, High-Profile Litigation Pushes Nelson Mullins Over $1B Revenue Threshold in 2025

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Nelson Mullins has tripled its revenue in 10 years amid M&A success, representing defendants in Roundup and talcum powder class actions.

Weil Partner With Power, Renewables Experience Moves to Gibson Dunn in Houston

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>Weil, Gotshal & Manges partner Omar Samji of Houston, who focuses on the power and renewable energy sectors, has rejoined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, which is adding to its energy and infrastructure team in Houston.

King & Spalding Adds Third Winston & Strawn Partner Team in 3 Months

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:29:58 EST

]]>Jeff Cole and Brian Jansen have followed 12 litigation partners who moved in February and March to King & Spalding.

Jones Day Hacking Reflects Constant Threat of Phishing Attempts Against Big Law

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:53:11 EST

]]>The law firm's cyberattack exposed 10 of its clients' data, the firm confirmed in a statement, and the attack appears to have come from a hacker group that targets law firms.

Foley Grows Revenue by Nearly 14%, PEP by 27%, in a 'Year When It All Came Together'

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:30:05 EST

]]>Strategic lateral hiring and a focus on cross-selling across the firm led to double-digit increases in revenue and profits at Foley & Lardner in 2025.

Simpson Adds Trio of M&A Partners, in Latest Signal of Talent War in Sports Practices

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:55:09 EST

]]>Sports transactional practices in Big Law have seen a flurry of moves, as competition heats up for the top partners with relationships with private equity leaders, asset managers, owners, teams and organizations.

Encrypted GC Survey Offers Rare Window Into How Trump EOs Have Warped Outside Counsel Selection

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:09:28 EST

]]>"The government says the harms are speculative because the orders haven't been fully enforced, but our members didn't need enforcement to change their behavior, because the risk alone was enough, and that's the key issue here," said 10x Genomics chief legal officer Eric Whitaker, one of the founders of General Counsels United.

Many New York Elites See Financial Surges, But Gains Were Uneven

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:22:03 EST

]]>The growth metrics spanned the full bell curve, and there were outliers in each direction, as the transactional market last year was unpredictable in the first half, and some countercyclical practices didn't perform as expected.

The World's Most Misunderstood Legal Market Is Making Moves. It's Time to Pay Attention

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:29:59 EST

]]>The legal markets of the Asia Pacific are seeing seismic shifts. International firms that don't take note will lose out—again, the Global Lawyer writes.

China's Legal Elite: Redefining the Top Tier in a Fragmenting Market

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:14:59 EST

]]>After spending months closely analyzing the transformation of China's legal market and the performance of China's top law firms, Law.com International has identified six firms that stand out as The China Elite ( ).

Associate Mistakes, Compensation Part of Opening Arguments in DLA Piper Pregnancy Bias Trial

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:46:11 EST

]]>DLA Piper and the former associate alleging pregnancy bias led to her termination gave opening statements to a federal jury Monday in New York as the trial for those bias claims began.

Deal Watch: These Law Firms Jumped to the Top of Q1 M&A League Tables

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:34:29 EST

]]>Big deals, and fewer of them, was the story of Q1.

Kirkland Adds First Transactional Partner in Philadelphia

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:12:55 EST

]]>Stephanie Haas' arrival from Dechert confirms the firm's intention to beef up its transactional work in the firm's Philadelphia office, which opened in early 2025.

Conflict Lawsuits Against Am Law 200 Firms Emerge in Law.com Radar Roundup

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:53:37 EST

]]>Big Law firms last month faced a flurry of lawsuits alleging conflict problems, malpractice, financial fraud and employee discrimination. Plus, see who's suing for unpaid legal fees.

Sidley Lures Cravath Co-Head of VC and Growth Equity

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:28:02 EST

]]>Bennett is positioned to help Sidley "capture the next wave of IPOs and growth-company relationships while driving meaningful cross-practice collaboration across the firm," noted Sidley's Sam Gandhi.

Read the Doc: 800-Member GC Group Supports Law Firms Hit by EOs

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:39:04 EST

]]>General Counsels United, which formed last year in revolt against President Donald Trump's executive orders targeting Big Law firms, wrote in an amicus brief Friday that the orders have had a chilling effect on what members of the legal community say and do and have created an "ethical and legal minefield for general counsels."

Morgan Lewis Adds Hunton Andrews Litigation Trio

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:59:59 EST

]]>Regan was a practice group leader of Hunton's corporate and securities litigation and government investigations practices.

Simpson's Revenue and Profits Surge, Amid Rapid Partnership Expansion

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Even after the firm's equity ranks surged in 2025, Simpson is planning for more equity partner expansion this year and next, said the firm's chair, which will help balance out growth in the associate and nonequity partner ranks.

25 Law Firms That Beat Europe's M&A Turbulence in Q1 2026

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:59:59 EST

]]>Despite global economic turbulence and geopolitical uncertainty, Slaughter & May led European M&A in Q1 2026 with $47 billion in deals, while Italian firm Gianni & Origoni and Switzerland's Lenz & Staehelin also performed strongly in Q1.

Few Big Law Firms Join More Than 800 in Amicus Brief for EO-Hit Firms

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:26:32 EST

]]>At least seven Am Law 200 firms signed the over 800-firm amicus in support of Perkins, Wilmer, Susman and Jenner in the D.C. Circuit appeals case

Orrick Grows Net Income 21% Amid Sustained Demand in Finance, Energy Work

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:21:33 EST

]]>The firm's net income rose to $561.2 million in 2025, driven by strong demand for finance, funds, intellectual property, and energy and infrastructure, among other key practices.

Nationwide Expansion at Buchalter Led to 22% Spike in Revenue

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:49:13 EST

]]>Buchalter surpassed the $1 million mark in profits per equity partner in 2025, reflecting a 14.8% increase compared to the year prior.

Clifford Chance Hits Orrick for 2 Paris Private Capital Partners, Including Its Europe Head

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:55:27 EST

]]>With the moves, Clifford Chance has expanded its private capital, energy and infrastructure practices, while Orrick has lost a member of its management committee.

Debevoise Traverses 'Headwinds' to Hit 9% Revenue Growth, 12.5% PEP Hike

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:21:52 EST

]]>Presiding partner Peter Furci said the firm's nonequity tier, which is still nascent, is doing what it was designed to do, noting the firm will have "more in the coming year."

Tech Hotbeds Bested Other Metros in 2025 Partner Movement

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:06:56 EST

]]>A new report found a faster pace of lateral movement in cities like San Francisco, Seattle and Boston that were profiting from trends like generative AI and GLP drug development.

19 House Dems File Amicus to Support Law Firms in EO Appeal

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:20:04 EST

]]>All Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee signed their name to an amicus brief, arguing that the executive orders against four law firms undermined "our constitutional separation of powers."

National Law Firms See Promise in Delaware, Spurred by Changing Demand for Bankruptcy Work

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:47:18 EST

]]>Three Am Law Second Hundred and midsize firms have all opened Wilmington offices since the start of 2026 with the help of lateral bankruptcy partners, while several other large firms have added on partners to pre-existing bases in the state.

Fried Frank, Riding PE M&A and Real Estate Work, Sees 7% Revenue Growth to $1.22B

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>"Our sense was the real estate market generally wasn't active, but for us, we were up 18%,” said chair Kenneth Rosh, referring to revenue in its real estate practices.

Simpson Thacher Launches Singapore Office, Relocates Senior Partners, Hires from Baker McKenzie, Latham

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:59:59 EST

]]>Simpson Thacher is taking a second stab at Singapore as private equity activity deepens on the ground and regional market dynamics shift.

14 More Taylor Duma Attorneys Find New Homes at 2 Firms After Tuesday Closure

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:17:54 EST

]]>Five more attorneys moved to Offit Kurman, while nine others joined Atlanta regional firm Ardis Law. Both firms have former Taylor Duma leaders at the head of their Atlanta operations.

Simpson Thacher Antitrust Co-Head Leaves to Start Boutique With Spouse From DOJ

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:25:37 EST

]]>The former Simpson partner is launching the boutique with his wife, former U.S. Department of Justice investigatory counsel Ann Marie Terzaken.

Post-Pandemic Contraction Gives Way To Law Firm Real Estate Expansion

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:36:34 EST

]]>The legal industry appears to be both stabilizing its hybrid work model while also steadily pushing toward stronger in-office engagement, according to a new report from commercial real estate brokerage CBRE.

Munger Tolles Sees Dip in Revenue, Profits Amid Increased Focus on Pro Bono Work

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:19:44 EST

]]>The relatively flat year follows record financial performance in 2024, when Munger saw revenue and net income jump by more than 20% and PEP by nearly 40%.

Demand and Head Count Growth Drove Cozen O'Connor's Double-Digit Financial Gains in 2025

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:45:32 EST

]]>The firm's strategy is guided by investing in talent and technology, and firm chairman and CEO Michael Heller emphasized the importance of long-term growth rather than short-term performance spikes.

ABA Suit Over Trump Intimidation of Law Firms, Lawyers Can Proceed, Judge Says

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:00:31 EST

]]>Judge Ali says that the ABA's complaint "details at length the chilling effect the alleged policy has had on firms and lawyers."

19 Taylor Duma Attorneys Land at 2 Am Law Second Hundred Firms

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>A 14-lawyer IP team is heading to Smith, Gambrell & Russell, while five other lawyers have moved to Fennemore Craig.

Foley Hoag Launches First Amendment Practice With Trio From Greenberg Traurig

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>“Protecting a free and independent press is more necessary than ever, and few do it as effectively as Michael, Kelly, and Christina, said Foley Hoag managing partner Hathaway Russell.

As Big Law Firms Become More Profitable, Client Volume Can Shrink

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:13:27 EST

]]>A preliminary analysis of Am Law 200 firm data shows that the number of clients that firms billed last year fell. At the same time, more revenue was concentrated among their top clients.

Sullivan & Cromwell On The Long Road To Victory For Argentina

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 19:02:14 EST

]]>The overturn on appeal of a $16-billion-plus award comes as the South American country makes significant inroads to stabilize Latin America's third largest economy.

Clients' AFA Requests Are on the Rise. But Many Revert to Hourly Billing

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:30:45 EST

]]>Not every firm currently is well placed to use alternative fee arrangements to drive profitability, one market watcher observed.

Wilson Sonsini Sees Double-Digit Financial Gains Driven by AI-Heavy Corporate, Litigation Work

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:23:16 EST

]]>“I think growth for 2026 is going to look a lot like the growth we had in 2025, managing partner Douglas Clark said.

Growing Revenue and Profits by Double Digits in 2025, Stinson Applied Lessons from 2021

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:23:08 EST

]]>The firm saw slight decreases in its equity and nonequity tiers, but Stinson grew its associate ranks by about 13% in an effort to fortify its bench strength.