The American Lawyer

Kirkland and Wachtell Lead First Half M&A Tables, Amid 50% Leap in Worldwide Deal Activity

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:45:19 EST

]]>Several firms made major leaps, or falls, in the global M&A rankings for the first half of 2026.

Partner Pay Clawbacks Are on the Rise in Big Law

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:26:08 EST

]]>Firms are increasingly asking partners to repay multi-million-dollar sums as they depart for competitors, a policy some argue is legally unenforceable.

Sidley Makes 29th London Lateral Hire in 3 Years with DLA Partner

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:59:42 EST

]]>The firm follows on quickly from its Clifford Chance double-hire.

Perkins Coie's HR Department Became Gatekeepers for Partner Conduct Complaints, Current and Former Employees Say

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:59:59 EST

]]>A Law.com investigation into Perkins Coie's human resources department—sparked by one firm lawyer's public airing of frustrations with its procedures—highlights several instances of attorneys and staff bringing complaints to HR's attention about alleged partner misconduct, to little or no avail.

Domestic Firms Reclaim Top Spots in UK M&A Rankings for First Half of 2026

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:31:25 EST

]]>Clifford Chance, Slaughter and May, Linklaters and Freshfields led the rankings as U.K. deal value climbed 111% year-on-year to $332.4 billion, driven by several large-cap transactions and a rebound in cross-border activity.

AI-Proof Work: How One Big Law Firm's Trial School Trains Associates

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:58:11 EST

]]>Over 50 associates, partners, counsel and administrative staff from Arnold & Porter came together in the firm's D.C. office for their annual trial school last week.

‘How is it Not a Conflict?' Debate Surrounds Kirkland's Billion-Dollar Investment Fund

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:19:07 EST

]]>A Law.com investigation reveals a growing divide over whether U.S. law firms' in-house investment funds create alignment with private equity clients—or unresolvable conflicts that risk undermining lawyers' independence.

Clifford Chance 19-Lawyer Paris Funds Team Joins Gibson Dunn

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:14:02 EST

]]>Gibson Dunn first announced the arrival of the team, including four partners, in April, but with the group joining the firm today, it disclosed that an additional 12 associates have also moved across.

Debevoise Hires Wilmer Trade Secrets Co-Chair in San Francisco

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:59:59 EST

]]>Peter Furci, presiding partner at Debevoise, pointed to rising demand for expertise in this area, amid a broader increase in trade secrets and commercial disputes across industries, often on compressed timelines and headed toward trial.

Orrick Lands 6-Lawyer Fintech Team From Greenberg Traurig in Miami

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Lisa Lanham arrives as head of Orrick's fintech licensing practice, in the firm's biggest set of additions in Miami since launching in the city last July.

Latham Recruits Skadden Exec Comp Co-Head Amid Practice Hiring Surge

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Erica Schohn is the third partner addition in Latham's executive compensation, employment & benefits practice over the last six weeks.

No More World Tours: Rapid Pace of Hiring Disrupts Firm Processes

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:45:39 EST

]]>The old Cleary Gottlieb-style ritual of having incoming recruits meet every partner is becoming impractical in the modern era.

Up, Down or Holding Steady: How Second Hundred NY Law Firms Fared

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>New York-founded firms in the Am Law 200's Second Hundred overall saw revenue growth in 2025, but there were outliers in both directions.

Sullivan & Cromwell Adds Capital Markets Partner from Paul Hastings in Hong Kong

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:30:52 EST

]]>Paul Hastings has been losing corporate partners in Greater China over the past two years.

Jones Day Files Suit Over Tax Refund Dispute

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 18:01:16 EST

]]>The Danish tax authority had threatened to sue Jones Day for $47 million to recoup losses from an international tax refund scheme.

Paul Weiss Adds Corporate Litigator in Wilmington

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 18:01:13 EST

]]>Prior to joining Paul Weiss, Blake Rohrbacher spent the entirety of his legal career at Richards Layton & Finger.

An Inside Look Into Hecker Fink's Testing of Perplexity AI

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:32:47 EST

]]>A Hecker Fink co-founder discusses his exploration of legal tech integrations and litigation use cases for Perplexity AI—which recently launched a new agentic AI tool for legal work—and how it stacks up against other AI offerings on the market.

White & Case, IT Worker End Lawsuit Over Naked Photos

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:07:19 EST

]]>An anonymous IT worker who sued the firm after he was allegedly photographed while naked and unconscious at a firm retreat has agreed to drop his lawsuit against White & Case.

How the Deal Got Done: Winston Taylor Completes Historic Transatlantic Combination

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:59:59 EST

]]>Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing's U.K.-led business have officially launched as Winston Taylor, a transatlantic law firm with more than 1,400 lawyers and estimated annual revenues of approximately $1.75 billion. Dominick DeChiara, chief strategy officer of Winston Taylor, offers this perspective on "How the Deal Got Done."

Football Takes the Trophy of Most Litigious Sport, Data Shows

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:06:52 EST

]]>The U.K.'s most popular sport is also the most popular in the country's High Court, data shows.

Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Is 'Ready to Roll'

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>On the verge of a historic merger with Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, Hogan Lovells CEO Miguel Zaldivar said both legacy firms turned in strong performances during the first half of 2026 and the combined firm will be off to a strong start.

Clifford Chance Sued by 2 Former Partners Over Compensation Clawbacks

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:48:10 EST

]]>Former equity partners Clifford Cone and Michael Sabin departed the firm for Sidley Austin this past January and are asked to repay a combined $5.8 million.

Kirkland Lures Antitrust Boutique Founder in 2-Partner Move

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:56:14 EST

]]>Harkrider was a founding partner at Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider. Minerva has been at the boutique since March 2020.

Deal Watch: Cravath, Latham, Sidley, S&C Lead the Latest Deals; Also, Dealmakers Eye Second-Half M&A Concerns

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:29:50 EST

]]>Big deals continue to be plentiful. But can the deal market withstand cracks in consumer confidence?

Reed Smith Teams Up With Cornell University to Train Partners on AI

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:04:11 EST

]]>The Reed Smith AI Leadership Program, led by Cornell faculty, will address how the firm's partners can bolster AI-related management strategy.

Growing Revenue Without Diluting PEP? Rethinking Partnership Through a Human Capital Lens

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>One of the most common frustrations I hear from nonequity partners is not compensation, but uncertainty, Ann Offomata writes.

Proskauer Seeks to Highlight 'Client Focus' With Rebrand

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>Since Timothy Mungovan became chair at the end of 2024, the firm has already overhauled its leadership team and increased head count.

Winston Taylor Grapples With Legacy UK Pay Divide After Merger

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:29:53 EST

]]>The firm is also choosing between Harvey and Legora after the merger went live nearly a month ago.

Diversity, Equity and Accountability. Happy Birthday, America

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 23:10:48 EST

]]>As the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of its founding, The Global Lawyer examines narratives that define nations—and law firms, and asks whether they will continue to live up to their ideals.

Ashurst Perkins Coie Merger Goes Live

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 18:59:59 EST

]]>The newly combined firm is the latest in a series of transatlantic mergers.

Alston & Bird's 'Growth Trajectory' in NYC Leads Firm to Abandon 25-Year Home for Iconic Manhattan Office Tower

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:05:24 EST

]]>“We just recently celebrated our 25th anniversary as Alston & Bird in New York—in that space at 90 Park [Avenue] for the entirety of that time, said New York partner in charge James Sullivan, .

Midwest-Founded Firms Announce New Office Leaders Across the Globe

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:23:34 EST

]]>A handful of law firms announced new office managing partners this month with goals of deepening ties in certain markets, further integrating their teams and looking to the “next generation of lawyers.

A&O Shearman Sees Latest Exit as Global Fund Finance Co-Head Joins Weil Gotshal

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:44:58 EST

]]>The firm has seen 17 partner departures so far this year, according to Law.com Compass data.

Linklaters Loses German Funds Partner to McDermott

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:41:52 EST

]]>McDermott boosted its finance team with a second lateral hire this year but also lost a Munich corporate partner to Bird & Bird as European firms compete aggressively for top talent.

Bonuses Aren't Just More Flexible. For Some Firms, They're Also 'Less Personal'

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>There are psychological and emotional benefits to firms increasingly leaning on and looking to pay partners via bonuses.

Willkie's Saks Chapter 11 Team Featured Rare All-Women Restructuring Core

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>Though not a conscious effort, the all-women core team was the result of an environment that allows women at all levels to succeed, U.S. restructuring co-chair Debra Sinclair said.

Winston IP Litigation Duo Follows Former Colleagues to King & Spalding

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:10:56 EST

]]>With the recent addition of two Chicago IP litigators, King & Spalding has hired a total of 17 partners from Winston this year.

Robinson Bradshaw Shareholder to Keep Practicing While Serving as Charlotte Mayor

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:28:00 EST

]]>Rob Harrington will maintain his business litigation practice with the midsize firm, where he's worked for 27 years and led its litigation department for a decade.

North Carolina's Litigation Funding Ban Could Spur Other States to Similar Action

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:11:26 EST

]]>With near unanimous support in both chambers of the legislature, North Carolina has become the first U.S. state to essentially ban third-party litigation funding. Other states have taken less stances by requiring disclosure of funding agreements but not instituting outright prohibitions on the practice.

Gunderson Dettmer to Deepen Perplexity AI Use Following Computer for Counsel Launch

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:10:38 EST

]]>More than a year into adopting Perplexity AI firmwide, Gunderson Dettmer plans to use the company's new Computer for Counsel to dig deeper into transactional use cases.

More Litigation Boutiques Hustle to Offer Associate Pay Bumps

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:03:29 EST

]]>Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes and Dunn Isaacson Rhee have chosen to match Milbank's 2026 associate salary raises; while Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone has said it will exceed that scale.

Law Firm Disrupted: The World Cup Is Everywhere, Including These Firm Client Lists

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:57:35 EST

]]>We dive into FIFA's outside counsel roster, where Paul Weiss has an outsized position.

Hogan Lovells Global M&A Head Joins Davis Polk in Run Up to Cadwalader Merger

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:07:48 EST

]]>Bill Curtin had been at Hogan Lovells since 1996, and previously was the head of operations in the firm's Paris office, led the London office's European corporate group and served on the global board as member responsible for the Americas.

Canadian Law Firms See Rising Demand As North American Free Trade Deal Hangs in the Balance

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:45:09 EST

]]>Partners predict the Trump administration is unlikely to renew the USMCA by the July 1 review deadline.

The AI Supercar and the Legal Industry

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:10:59 EST

]]>For generations, law firms occupied the driver's seat because they controlled access to expertise. AI does not eliminate expertise. But it does redistribute access.

Feedback Is All Around You: Learn How to Process It

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:33:45 EST

]]>The feedback that arrives without announcement is, in many cases, the most candid you will ever receive, James Mann and Yusuf Zakir write.

Sprayregen set to join Paul Weiss

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 07:33:39 EST

]]>Sprayregen has spent the last three years as vice chairman of strategy and growth at US financial services company Hilco Global. Before that, he spent 32 years at Kirkland.

Partners Investing in PE funds is Widespread, Investigation Finds

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:12:12 EST

]]>A swathe of the largest U.S.-based law firms discreetly operate in-house investment managers that allow their partners to invest in private equity, though none is prepared to speak publicly about it.

King & Spalding Helped Bring the World Cup to Atlanta, Continuing a Legacy in Big Ticket Local Events

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:17:24 EST

]]>“Anything legal we touched and we led. It's been incredibly fun, incredibly rewarding, and King & Spalding couldn't be prouder to be a part of it, said legal team leader Justin King.

Kennedys Lands 12-Lawyer Litigation Team From Tyson & Mendes in Northeast

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:10:12 EST

]]>The four partners in the group include two office managing partners from Tyson & Mendes.

Kirkland & Ellis Completes Miami Move to 830 Brickell

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:05:36 EST

]]>After signing a lease in 2022, the firm relocated into its new space last month, joining Am Law 50 peers Sidley Austin and Baker McKenzie in the 55-story tower.

Titles Change, Roles Shift for Law Firm Diversity Professionals

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:59:59 EST

]]>Openings for standalone DEI roles remain scant as some firms look to integrate DEI professionals into other departments.

The Arrow Stays Up—Just Barely—on Minority Representation in Big Law

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:59:59 EST

]]>According to Talent Report data, nearly every underrepresented group gained representation in 2025, albeit at a slower rate than the past decade.

Inside Kirkland's Billion-Dollar Investment Fund

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 08:58:21 EST

]]>A Law.com investigation reveals how Kirkland & Ellis has quietly built a major in-house investment operation, channeling partner cash into private equity deals alongside its clients for decades.

'They Needed a Texas Lawyer': Gibson Dunn's Journey to Landing the SpaceX IPO

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:38:27 EST

]]>“Gibson Dunn was selected for the deal because we were unique in our ability to execute on it, said capital markets co-chair and Houston office co-leader Hillary Holmes.

Kirkland Taps Quinn Emanuel Appellate Co-Chair to Lead Supreme Court Practice

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 06:59:59 EST

]]>Christopher Michel, former co-chair of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan's national appellate practice, will lead Kirkland's Supreme Court and appellate practice.

Ropes & Gray, Winston Taylor and Holland & Knight Add DC Partners, Crowell & Moring Hires Cadwalader CIO

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 06:59:59 EST

]]>Over a dozen law firms have announced partner or counsel hires in Washington, D.C., so far this month.

How Foley Hoag Became the 'Anti-Trump' Big Law Firm

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:20:32 EST

]]>"When things started in January of 2025, we were already there, said the firm's managing partner. “It's just that the circumstances changed to help us take advantage of it."

Quinn Emanuel Promotes New York Partner to Appellate Practice Co-Leader

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:09:32 EST

]]>New York-based partner Ellyde Thompson has been with Quinn Emanuel for nearly 16 years.

Brown Rudnick's Revenue Surpassed $300M, Profits Saw Double-Digit Increases in 2025

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:42:22 EST

]]>Brown Rudnick passed the $300 million threshold last year, as its gross revenue climbed more than 9% to $308.95 million in 2025.

How Are AI-Equipped Associates Spending Their Time?

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 07:17:34 EST

]]>Everyone seems to agree that AI gets rid of rote work. But what that means for recruitment, development, and the actual work being done seems to be up for debate.

Weil Takes London Finance Partner From Sidley

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:05:22 EST

]]>The firm is looking to build out its capital solutions offering.

Winston Partners Continue to Depart in Texas

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:00:59 EST

]]>While well more than a dozen partners have jumped from Winston & Strawn's Texas offices to other firms this year, the departures may not be directly linked to the firm's recent merger with U.K. firm Taylor Wessing.

Ashurst Reports 11% Revenue Boost Just Weeks Ahead of Perkins Coie Merger

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 04:34:36 EST

]]>It is the firm's last financial results before its merger with U.S. firm Perkins Coie goes live.