Best Practice Areas for Solo Attorneys: A Guide Deciding to go solo is one thing. But the next step—choosing which legal practice area to focus on—is another challenge entirely. What are the best practice areas for solo attorneys? Should you follow your passion … or follow the money? (21 views)
How to Open a Second Office for Your Law Firm Expanding your law firm by opening multiple offices can provide various advantages and opportunities for growth. It is essential to gain clarity on the specific reasons driving your decision to open a second office. Understanding these motivations will guide your process and ensure that the expansion aligns with your firm's goals and strategic objectives. (46 views)
Mastering Junior Associate Excellence: Strategies for Setting Yourself Apart As a junior associate, developing strategies to help you stand out from the crowd and achieve excellence in your role is crucial. This article will explore key strategies and actionable tips to set yourself apart as a junior associate, enhance your performance, and pave the way for career advancement. (45 views)
Barber Ranen Spinoff Attracts 110 Lawyers from Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith According to one of the founders of a newly-formed spinoff firm, approximately 110 lawyers from U.S. law firm Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith have signed agreements to leave the firm and join the spinoff. The new firm, Barber Ranen, may eventually see up to 140 lawyers join, with around 60 Lewis Brisbois lawyers becoming partners. The firm will be led by John Barber,... (1298 views)
Law Firm Nelson Mullins Hires Team of Litigators from Benesch, Launches New Office in Chicago On Wednesday, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, a law firm based in Columbia, South Carolina, announced the recruitment of a group of litigators from Benesch. This team includes four partners, namely Justin Barker, Dawn Beery, Scott McMillin, and Matt Nirider, who will establish a new office for Nelson Mullins in Chicago. McMillin will take on the role of office head in... (50 views)
Ropes & Gray Confirms Performance Evaluations as the Reason for Job Cuts According to a recent statement from Ropes & Gray, a leading global law firm, any job cuts result from performance evaluations. This statement was issued in response to speculation on social media platforms such as Reddit and Fishbowl regarding potential associate layoffs at the firm. Ropes & Gray stated that their quarterly performance management process is a regular part... (248 views)
Goodwin Procter Announces Change in Leadership After Turbulent Period Goodwin Procter, a large law firm, has announced a change in leadership after a turbulent period. Despite experiencing significant revenue growth of approximately 30% due to a hiring frenzy in 2021, the firm's profitability suffered in the latter half of 2022 due to the tech sector's implosion. A slowdown in mergers and acquisitions further complicated matters, and the... (36 views)
Silicon Valley Law Firm Gunderson Dettmer Reduces Workforce by 10% Following the recent stealth layoffs at Kirkland, there were speculations about when the subsequent releases would occur. As it turns out, Gunderson Dettmer, a prominent Silicon Valley company, is reducing its workforce by about 10%. This will affect various employees, including lawyers, paralegals, and other staff members across its U.S. offices. The company has also... (20 views)
Achieving Success as a Legal Staff Member: Habits of Highly Effective Legal Support Staff Members Legal support staff members play a crucial role in the success of law firms and legal departments. They provide essential support to attorneys and help ensure that cases run smoothly. To succeed in this role, legal support staff members need to develop certain habits and skills to help them perform their duties effectively. This article will discuss the habits of highly... (63 views)
Fenwick & West Faces Class-Action Lawsuit for Aiding FTX Founder’s Fraud Fenwick & West, the law firm representing failed crypto exchange FTX, is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that it aided founder Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud. According to the suit, Fenwick is accused of helping to develop procedures designed to conceal FTX's noncompliance with regulatory obligations. The law firm is also the subject of a federal subpoena, which has yet... (535 views)
Legal Staff Job Descriptions: Crafting Effective Job Descriptions for Legal Support Staff The legal industry is one of the world's most dynamic and competitive sectors. The legal support staff is essential in helping legal firms provide quality services to their clients. However, recruiting and retaining the right legal support staff can be a challenge. Crafting effective job descriptions for legal support staff is essential to attract the best candidates and... (104 views)
Reed Smith Appoints First Female Global Managing Partner Reed Smith, one of the world's most successful law firms, has appointed Casey Ryan as its new global managing partner, making her the first woman to hold the role in the firm's history. Ryan, who graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1996, began her career as a summer associate with Reed Smith almost 30 years ago. She has held several leadership positions,... (8 views)
Perkins Coie Implements Cost-Saving Measures, Increases Billable Hours, and Lays Off Staff Freshly reported is that Perkins Coie, a law firm that earned $1,155,565,000 in gross revenue in 2021 and ranked 42nd on the Am Law 100, has recently informed its associates of an increase in billable hours required to obtain their full bonus. Additionally, the firm has now implemented another cost-saving measure, which involves laying off 58 business professionals across... (1888 views)
Paul Hastings Outpaces Competitors Despite Economic Challenges Despite the economic slowdown and cost-cutting measures by major law firms, Paul Hastings saw an increase in profits last year. Chairman Frank Lopez, who took over in October, stated that the firm is poised to surpass its record-breaking 2021 financial results. Paul Hastings experienced a surge in demand for legal services in 2021, resulting in $1.57 billion in gross... (20 views)
6 Secrets How to Get Hired Laterally in A Prestigious Law Firm This article provides advice for those looking to make a lateral move to a more prestigious law firm. It outlines six steps that can help increase an applicant's chances of success: selling oneself during the interview, demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment, being aware of the law firm's culture, following rules and regulations, showing a willingness to be managed, and... (43 views)
Promoting an Ownership Mentality in Law Firms: Why Lawyers Lack it and How to Address it "An ownership mentality" in a law firm refers to the mindset and attitude of partners who take responsibility for the success and growth of the firm, treating it as if it were their own business. However, many lawyers may not have this mentality due to a lack of training in business management and a focus on their legal craft. To promote an ownership mentality among... (16 views)
Succeeding in a Judicial Clerkship Summary: The application process can be daunting, but if you take it one step at a time and focus on putting your best foot forward, you'll end up exactly where you want to be - with a great job offer in hand. And once you have that job offer, the hard work isn't over yet. Be sure to take some time to celebrate your accomplishment, but then get ready for the next... (25 views)
Examining the Factors That Make the California Bar Exam So Difficult The California bar exam covers a wide range of legal subjects and tests the ability to apply this knowledge to complex legal problems The high pass rate required in California can make the exam more challenging The exam includes an emphasis on legal writing and problem-solving skills Despite the difficulty of the California bar exam, it is possible to successfully... (2896 views)
Exploring the Reasons Behind Quitting Law School Quitting law school can be a difficult decision to make, and there can be many reasons behind it Some students may find that the demands of law school are more than they can handle, either due to the intensity of the coursework or personal issues Others may realize that they are not interested in pursuing a career in law or do not enjoy the subject matter Some... (164 views)
Navigating the Challenges of Returning to Law School as an Older Attorney Returning to law school as an older attorney can present a number of challenges One challenge may be balancing the demands of law school with other responsibilities, such as work and family commitments Another challenge may be adjusting to the academic environment after a significant period of time away from school Older students may also face ageism or... (27 views)
What Does An Affordable Housing Attorney Do? An affordable housing attorney works to ensure that low-income individuals and families have access to safe, affordable housing This can include representing clients in legal disputes related to housing discrimination, evictions, and other issues An affordable housing attorney may also work to advocate for policy changes or development projects that increase the... (211 views)
How Paralegals Can Get a Job by Building Their Paralegal Network A paralegal career is all about networking. By nature, paralegals are people-oriented and like to build relationships. This makes them ideal networkers. The ability to network effectively is a critical skill for paralegals seeking a job. (90 views)
The Road to Partnership: How Many Years Does It Take to Advance in a Law Firm? Summary: Becoming a partner at a law firm is a significant achievement that requires a combination of hard work, dedication, and the ability to deliver high-quality work consistently. It typically takes several years of experience and proven success to be considered for partnership at a law firm. The process of becoming a partner begins with a period of training and... (1914 views)
What Does a Staff Attorney Do? A staff attorney is a legal professional who is employed by a law firm, government agency, non-profit organization, or other entity to provide legal services to the organization or its clients. The role of a staff attorney is an important one, as they are responsible for advising clients, representing the organization in legal proceedings, and handling a variety of legal... (32 views)
How To Keep a Job in a Large Law Firm Big law firms are extremely competitive. Only the best attorneys can get into major law firms, and there is always a queue of new people waiting for someone to make a mistake and replace them. And while everyone makes mistakes, they can cost you your career in the legal profession. In this article, you can find the most common mistakes that can ruin your big law career and... (1178 views)
Why Attorneys Need Legal Placement Professionals and Not Legal Recruiters Many legal professionals believe that if they want to find their dream job, using the services of legal recruiters is the way to go to have a successful job search. When I was still practicing law and wanted to find a great placement, I thought the same thing. However, I got quickly disappointed after contacting a few recruiters and seeing the quality of their work and... (233 views)
How To Ace a Law Firm Interview as a Law Student Every year, most law students currently in a law school have a wonderful chance of experiencing the law firm job interview process on their own in the comfort of their school. Law firms visit law schools to interview law students in short 20-minute interviews that can decide the further course of the students' careers. Some of them will be able to secure summer... (248 views)
What To Do After Losing a Law Firm Job in 2024 Losing a job is something almost every attorney goes through at least once in their legal career. It can feel terrible and like the end of the world when it happens. However, there is no use in crying about it or feeling hurt once it happens. Instead, you have to do everything to put yourself in the best possible position and take certain steps that will get you there. (2189 views)
Law Firm Economics: How Law Firms Earn Money A law firm is a business like any other, and as such, it needs to earn money to function. Unfortunately, many lawyers have no idea how their law firm's economic model looks and how it makes money. Understanding law firm economics and the economic culture in their firm is vital for attorneys to advance in their legal careers and succeed. This article looks at how are... (580 views)
How To Give Notice to Your Law Firm Getting the call that you got the dream job you really wanted for some time is an extremely rewarding and exciting experience. However, it is often followed by dread - you have to first tell your current employer that you are leaving. You might feel uncomfortable having to do so and like you are doing something bad. But do not despair! You should feel hopeful about your... (478 views)