The American Lawyer

Kirkland Pressed For Details by Democratic Lawmakers Over Trump Deal

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:13:36 EST

]]>Kirkland & Ellis has been singled out for refusing to cooperate with congressional investigations into Trump's deals with nine Big Law firms.

Kirkland Promotes 196 to Partnership

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:38:04 EST

]]>The cohort of lawyers entering the partnership is the smallest since 2022.

Fully Human Lawyer: The Succession Conversation Firms Avoid

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:59:59 EST

]]>Law firms often avoid succession planning despite its importance, fearing that discussing retirement with rainmakers might prompt them to leave and take clients with them. However, structured succession plans that gradually shift credit while maintaining compensation and status can retain both senior talent and rising attorneys, preventing costly...

Read the whole entry... »

Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Will Combine Buy and Build in New AI Strategy

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 06:59:59 EST

]]>The leader of the global firm anticipates the new technology will soon transform its approach to pricing.

Jones Day, Wilmer Among Top Paid Law Firms for Republicans and Democrats Heading Into Midterms

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>In a shift, the DNC has been sending more work to boutique law firms so far this year, as opposed to Big Law firms it has relationships with.

How Morrison & Foerster Is Training its Next Generation of Associates

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:33:05 EST

]]>Despite a downturn in class size this year, the firm anticipates it will see more first-years enter its workforce in 2027.

Womble Grows in Boston, NYC With 5-Attorney Financial Services Litigation Group From K&L Gates

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:21:21 EST

]]>K&L Gates is losing its second group in Boston this year, after cutting nonattorney staff firmwide.

After Insider Trading Charge, Ex-Big Law Attorney Asks Court to Subpoena Former Law Firms

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:49:01 EST

]]>Nicolo Nourafchan was accused of misappropriating material non-public information from Sidley, Latham and Goodwin in an April indictment.

Law Firm Disrupted: Why Some Big Law Leaders Outlast Corporate CEOs by Years

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:34:49 EST

]]>Law.com chatted with several Am Law 200 leaders, who are either winding down or have ended their tenures after at least a dozen years, to discuss the benefits of playing the long game.

White & Case Ushers in Largest Partner Class in 5 Years, Emphasizing US Growth

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:02:26 EST

]]>The latest class of new partners is also the largest U.S.-based class (19) since 2022. The firm's promotions highlight its heavy U.S. presence as well as its focus on the intersection of tech, project finance and private capital.

Calls For AI Oversight Are Intensifying. What Is Big Law's Role?

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 07:05:28 EST

]]>AI developers have become some of Big Law's most lucrative clients. So what, if anything, is the role of Am Law 100 firms in the increasingly high-profile topic of AI oversight and safety?

'Cambrian Explosion': Freshfields Partners Discuss Spinning Out AI Business, Market Reacts

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 06:36:22 EST

]]>Market figures react to the news, reported by the FT, that the firm is considering carving out Freshfields Lab, its AI unit.

In 'Red-Hot' Lateral Market, Mayer Brown Continues Partner Hiring Surge

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Recruiting again from Sheppard Mullin, Mayer Brown hired two life sciences partners and several associates.

How Law Firms Are Strategizing for Consumption-Based AI Pricing

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:11:23 EST

]]>With legal tech companies potentially switching from seat-based to consumption-based pricing, firms are beginning to think about how to keep the cost of AI down.

Ogletree Deakins Boosts Core Labor & Employment Practices With 8-Lawyer Fisher Phillips Team

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:46:45 EST

]]>Six shareholders are joining in the international firm's strategic growth areas of Denver and Houston.

9-Figure Lawsuit Alleges DLA Piper Committed Malpractice in Soccer Deals

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:30:28 EST

]]>Sports investor John Textor alleges DLA Piper was representing him when it made changes to documents that cost him tens of millions.

Paul Weiss, Columbia Law School Launch Collaborative Gen AI Initiative

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:59:59 EST

]]>Columbia Law School, with support from Paul Weiss, has launched an initiative to integrate responsible generative AI use into legal education through new curricula, research and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Continues NY Growth With Fund Finance Hire From Banking Giant

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:59:59 EST

]]>In the months since the Hogan Lovells Cadwalader merger has gone into effect, the combined firm has added a total of 12 partners with more in the pipeline, according to global head of finance Wes Misson.

Jenner Expands Investigations Practice With DOJ Lawyer in San Francisco

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:59:59 EST

]]>Helen Gilbert returns to Jenner after roughly 17 years with the federal government.

Associates Are On the Front Lines of AI Use. For Those Opting In, Promise Trumps Fear

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>A number of associates who are rolling up their sleeves told Law.com that legal AI has been a benefit to their work—a counterpoint to Law.com data revealing that many midlevels view technology replacing humans as the biggest threat to their jobs.

Mayer Brown Expands NYC Footprint to Fuel Growth Strategy

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>“We have room to continue growing, although the trajectory suggests we'll need to keep thinking about additional expansion in the future," said office managing partner Allison Aviki.

How the Big Four Pivoted After Their Untimely Challenge to Big Law

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 05:29:19 EST

]]>Once poised to disrupt the legal world, Big Four legal leaders explain how they have course-corrected to focus in on the distinct strengths of their platforms.

Former Big Law Chiefs Find Second Act as Consultants to the Industry

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:36:29 EST

]]>While firms are growing like never before, law firm consulting remains more of a cottage industry. "The consulting world is not massive," said one industry observer.

Big Law Beefs Up on Litigators in Texas, Seeking to Balance Out Transactional-Heavy Rosters

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:18:39 EST

]]>The move into beefing up the disputes side of the practice mix swings away from the focus on transactions practices that swelled in the Covid-19 recovery years.

Latham, Reed Smith Among Firms Facing Exits This Week

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 06:15:47 EST

]]>Two partners have left Reed Smith's London office this week, with three senior lawyers also expected to depart from Latham in New York.

Debevoise Recruits DOJ Acting Director of Antitrust Litigation

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>The firm highlighted George “Chip Nierlich's experience in both the private and public arenas as a primary driver for the hire.

Skadden Lands 5-Attorney Mass Torts Team From DLA Piper

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>The arrivals in Chicago come several months after the firm added product liability litigator Brian O'Donoghue to the same office.

Clifford Chance to Split With Singapore Alliance Partner Cavenagh Law After 14 Years

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 05:14:12 EST

]]>Exclusive: The U.K. firm's separation from its Singapore alliance partner comes amid a regulatory review of foreign law firm arrangements.

AI Utilization Is 'Skyrocketing,' but Law Firms Aren't Sweating Consumption Pricing

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>"I wouldn't say it's concerning, said Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer chief AI officer Ilona Logvinova. “There are a number of unknowns that can be comforting or less comforting.

Willkie Adds JP Morgan In-House Lawyer as Partner in Chicago

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 16:48:39 EST

]]>Willkie, Farr & Gallagher has grown to more than 140 lawyers in Chicago, with roughly 60 of them focused on litigation.

As AI Data Centers Expand, Legal Is Getting Pulled Into the Business Earlier

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:04:31 EST

]]>Garrett Rosen of Larson Maddox says regulatory uncertainty around data center development is not slowing legal hiring, it is increasing demand for lawyers who understand energy, permitting, policy, real estate and infrastructure.

Haynes and Boone Launches San Diego Office to Serve Life Sciences, Tech Clients

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:43:36 EST

]]>Three Haynes and Boone lawyers already working in the Southern California market are now practicing from the new San Diego office.

A New Strategic Framework in the AI Era: Mapping Future Business Models of Law

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:16:26 EST

]]>Pathways: The Future of the Business of Law 2040—developed in partnership by Law.com, the TLTF Fund, Harvey and leaders across the industry—pressure-tested the legal industry business model and developed a map that allows organizations to have more agency over the future they want to see.

Taft Planning to Double Head Count Within Five Years in New Atlanta Office

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:21:21 EST

]]>The Am Law 100 firm's new Buckhead office is 23% smaller than the one Taft and legacy firm Morris Manning & Martin occupied for four decades.

Simpson Thacher's PE Power Play: Partner Hires Signal War for Talent

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:31:54 EST

]]>Overall, Simpson Thacher has hired at least 33 partners this year who work with private equity clients or handle PE-related work, 17 of whom are based in New York.

Weil Hires Freshfields PE Partner in London Amid Upheaval at Both Firms

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 19:49:17 EST

]]>Both firms have seen a recent wave of partner exits in London and beyond.

PE Investment Won't Halt Big Law's Descent Into Short Termism

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 18:49:58 EST

]]>Pressure to make big, often risky, hires, alongside the pressure to invest, is more intense than ever, leading firms to avoid significant questions over their long term health, something which PE investment is unlikely to resolve, writes the Global Lawyer.

The Hybrid Work Gap: Senior Associates Want Flexibility, but Question Its Cost

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:31:16 EST

]]>Hybrid or remote arrangements are what this workforce wants. The competitive advantage will now belong to firms that make it operationally credible

Make Money From AI Tools? How Some Law Firms Can Make It Happen

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:26:56 EST

]]>Big Law firms generally have three ways to reap commercial benefits from AI right now, though all of them are still “pretty nascent," consultants say.

Law Firm Disrupted: Merger Denials Follow a Predictable 'Playbook'

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:30:33 EST

]]>"We are not in merger conversations, but we are always evaluating strategic opportunities to best serve our clients" is a typical statement before a firm announces a merger.

Cooley Teams Up With Google to Co-Develop Agentic AI Redaction Tool

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:54:55 EST

]]>The tool, built on Gemini Enterprise, is one of several AI projects Cooley has in the works, and it is one in a flurry of recent Big Law/Big Tech partnerships.

100 Days In: CEO of Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Miguel Zaldivar Reflects on His Cold Call, What's to Come

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:51:56 EST

]]>Zaldivar planted the seeds of his relationship with Cadwalader years before the merger was effective, with a cold call to firm chair Patrick Quinn in November 2024.

Why ArentFox Schiff Shut Down Its Chatbot: 'Not a Hard Decision for Us'

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:32:13 EST

]]>AFSChat introduced the firm's employees to LLM-based tools but had been surpassed in capability by third-party options, which eventually met the firm's strict criteria.

Momentum for Litigation Funding Transparency Efforts Continues as Ohio Law Takes Effect

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:50:07 EST

]]>A new Ohio law went into effect on Tuesday that completely bans any foreign investment in third-party litigation funding agreements. The law also contains enhanced disclosure requirements and transparency measures.

Will Your Firm Survive More Than One Generation After a Legal MSO Deal?

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 23:59:59 EST

]]>Getting a magnificent deal for yourself while eliminating the economic aspirations of your successors is roughly equivalent to selling the family farm and leaving the grandchildren a very attractive brochure about corn, Frederick Shelton and Ayven Dodd write.

How Election Results Could Reshape M&A, AI and Energy Practices

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>A new Cleary Gottlieb report concludes that a full chamber change could both expedite, and then slow, dealmaking due to the potential for increased antitrust legislation.

Clifford Chance Revamps Top Private Equity Roles to Spotlight Global Focus

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:22:51 EST

]]>The move comes as the firm develops its global private capital brand in the highly competitive space.

DLA Piper Hires O'Melveny IP Litigation Duo

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>Partners Sean Trainor and Robert Shaffer now hold leadership roles in DLA Piper IP groups.

3 Deals in 2 Days: Inside One Mayer Brown Partner's Busiest 48 Hours Ever

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>Jonathan Dhanawade, head of private capital solutions at Mayer Brown, just got through "one of those crazy weeks" when when he led deal teams on three transactions that closed within 48 hours.

Slow Growth and Individualism: Behind Weil's London Exodus

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 04:45:05 EST

]]>Following a wave of high-profile partner departures from the firm's base in the U.K. capital, backed by the key data, Law.com spoke with several sources to understand what is driving the exodus and what it could mean for Weil's future.

Debevoise to Shift AI Platform Costs, as Big Law Seeks Pricing Model Beyond Billable Hour

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:16:46 EST

]]>The New York-based firm uses a subscription model to charge clients for access to its STAAR artificial intelligence advisory platform, but it is evaluating how best to price the service outside the traditional billable hour.

Lawyer Burnout Has Finally Been Quantified. The Implications Are Troubling

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 10:46:43 EST

]]>The pattern we are seeing among lawyers may represent a frontloading of career morbidity, Patrick Krill writes.

Profits From AI Remain 'Stubbornly Out of Reach' For Big Law

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 07:19:36 EST

]]>"One of the things we keep hearing from managing partners is: 'How do we make a profit on this?'" said one consultant.

Foley Hoag Adds IP, Venture Capital Depth in Trio of Denver Hires

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 06:59:59 EST

]]>The firm continues to grow in Denver after arriving in the Mile High City in 2023.

Clifford Chance Hits Hogan Lovells Cadwalader for New York Private Capital Partner

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 06:01:53 EST

]]>The hire brings the firm's private capital lateral additions to 10 this year.

Goodwin Promotes 43 to Partnership

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 05:20:41 EST

]]>Despite the decline in the firm's total headcount, this year's partner promotion round is slightly higher than last year's.

Polsinelli Names New Restructuring Chair in Expansion-Focused Practice Rebrand

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>The firm's middle market restructuring practice is increasingly targeting work from private credit funds as well as special counsel roles in major Chapter 11s, practice chair David Karp said.