California Pulse


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    Biotech Biz's GC Departs; In-House Atty To Fill Post For Now

    Biotech company Illumina Inc. has announced the departure of its general counsel and the appointment of an in-house attorney to serve in the post on an interim basis as the business searches for a successor.

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    Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

    Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP and Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP led this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions after a Delaware federal jury decided on Sept. 27 that Amazon Web Services infringed two computer network patents that were once owned by Boeing, telling the tech giant to pay $30.5 million in damages.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    The legal industry kicked off the first week of October with several partner promotions, lateral moves, law firm closures and mergers. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

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    Greenberg Traurig Adds WeWork Employment Law Head In SF

    Greenberg Traurig LLP is boosting its West Coast team, bringing in WeWork's former global head of employment law as a shareholder in its San Francisco office.

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    Outgoing JAMS CEO On Raising Profile, Revenues Of ADR Biz

    Law360 Pulse caught up with Chris Poole to discuss his tenure as CEO of JAMS and why he stepped down after 17 years at the helm of the alternative dispute resolution service.

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    12 Lawyers Who Are The Future Of The Supreme Court Bar

    One attorney hasn't lost a single U.S. Supreme Court case she's argued, or even a single justice's vote. One attorney is perhaps "the preeminent SCOTUS advocate." And one may soon become U.S. solicitor general, despite acknowledging there are "judges out there who don't like me." All three are among a dozen lawyers in the vanguard of the Supreme Court bar's next generation, poised to follow in the footsteps of the bar's current icons.

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    Pierson Ferdinand Adds Reed Smith Patent & AI Atty In Calif.

    Pierson Ferdinand LLP is expanding its California intellectual property team, bringing in a Reed Smith patent expert with expertise in artificial intelligence as a partner in its Silicon Valley office.

  • Judicial Picks From 3 States Remain Hearing-Less

    With a dwindling number of days left on the Senate's 2024 calendar, Democrats are pushing to confirm more judges so President Joe Biden can meet or exceed former President Donald Trump's record.

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    A Deep Dive Into In-House Counsel Pay

    The total compensation packages for in-house counsel at different levels of the corporate ladder can vary widely, with especially large variations seen in bonus amounts and long-term incentives, according to a new Law360 Pulse report.

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    To Go, Or Not To Go, To A Firm Directly From Law School

    Most legal professionals historically have emphasized the need for young attorneys to gain firm experience immediately after law school. However, that thought is shifting, as more junior lawyers graduate and go directly to a corporate legal team — movement that could eventually take hold as the in-house legal department continues to rise in prominence within businesses.

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    Here's How To Negotiate The Best Pay Packages For GCs

    Not all general counsel can pull in a pay package that places them near the top 10 highest-paid in-house lawyers. But every top legal officer can use some pro tips on how to negotiate the best deal possible. Law360 Pulse asked several executive compensation experts to share their advice.

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    In-House Tech Leaders On Joining Forces At Gibson Dunn

    Keith Enright, Google's former chief privacy officer who recently joined Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP to co-lead its tech and innovation industry group alongside S. Ashlie Beringer and Jane Horvath, has worked in-house to help corporations navigate data privacy issues for most of his legal career. Enright and Beringer recently spoke with Law360 Pulse about combining their in-house backgrounds, their goals for their practices and more.

  • Venable Assistant Sues Firm For Denying Medical WFH Status

    A Venable LLP administrative assistant has sued her employer in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing the firm of denying her medically necessary work from home request in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act by forcing her into unpaid administrative leave.

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    Which GCs Sold Stock In Sept.? Coinbase, Alphabet And More

    While the world of cryptocurrency has been a mixed bag for many investors, it has been very good to Paul Grewal, the chief legal officer of crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc.

  • Kirkland Accuses Ex-IP Atty Of Delaying Bias Suit Discovery

    Kirkland & Ellis LLP told a California federal magistrate judge Wednesday that a former Kirkland intellectual property associate has delayed discovery production in her discrimination lawsuit against the firm, arguing that her discovery responses cite an erroneous legal standard, are non-committal and are "not even close to being proper."

  • Calif. AI Election Law Blocked As 'Blunt Tool' Stifling Speech

    A California federal judge Wednesday blocked a recently enacted state law cracking down on election-related deepfakes, acknowledging the risks posed by artificial intelligence, but agreeing with a conservative content creator that the law is an overly broad "blunt tool that hinders humorous expression and unconstitutionally stifles" the free exchange of ideas.

  • FisherBroyles Hit With Malpractice Suit Over Stem Cell Case

    A Southern California stem cell treatment center hit FisherBroyles LLP with a $10 million malpractice suit in state court over the law firm's work defending it in a patent infringement case that settled, claiming the defense was so incompetently handled that it had to hire WilmerHale as the case approached trial.

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    Reed Smith Enviro Ace Remembered As Kind Mentor

    Todd Maiden, a longtime environmental attorney in Reed Smith LLP's San Francisco office who died last month, was deeply passionate about preserving the environment and enjoyed mentoring young associates. He leaves behind a legacy as the "kindest and gentlest of souls," his former colleagues said.

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    Over 360 Firms Gain Mansfield Certification In Record Cohort

    Diversity Lab on Wednesday announced the names of the record number of law firms that earned Mansfield Certification for the 2023 to 2024 period.

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    A Deep Dive Into Top GC Pay

    Law360 Pulse looked beyond bare financials to see how business sectors, law firms and schools could influence the pay of top-earning GCs in S&P 500 companies. Here’s what we found.

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    These Are The Legal Chiefs Who Command Top Dollar

    With the increasingly dynamic role of the top corporate lawyer playing out across sectors — as well as stock awards that far outpace the amounts they see in their salaries and bonuses — the pay packages for most general counsel and chief legal officers continue to stay strong.

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    Everything You Need To Know About GC Pay

    Want to know which legal chief is earning the most at an S&P 500 company? How compensation compares across business sectors? Explore the ins and outs of general counsel compensation with our interactive graphic.

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    Troutman Pepper Names 18 Partners Ahead Of Merger

    With a megamerger with Locke Lord LLP in the works for January, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP has announced the elevation to partner of 18 firm attorneys who hail from various offices around the country and a range of practice groups.

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    Dickinson Wright Opens San Diego Office

    Dickinson Wright PLLC is expanding its West Coast presence, opening an office in San Diego that will largely focus on life sciences, patent and intellectual property matters.

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    Lathrop GPM-Hopkins Carley Merger Grows Calif. Footprint

    Lathrop GPM LLP and Silicon Valley firm Hopkins Carley have officially joined forces after announcing their planned combination in August, which includes a pair of new West Coast offices, the firm said Tuesday.

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Expert Analysis

  • Law Firm Tips For Evaluating AI And Machine Learning Tools Author Photo

    Many legal technology vendors now sell artificial intelligence and machine learning tools at a premium price tag, but law firms must take the time to properly evaluate them as not all offerings generate process efficiencies or even use the technologies advertised, says Steven Magnuson at Ballard Spahr.

  • A Call For Personal Accountability On Diversity And Inclusion Author Photo

    While chief legal officers are increasingly involved in creating corporate diversity, inclusion and anti-bigotry policies, all lawyers have a responsibility to be discrimination busters and bias interrupters regardless of the title they hold, says Veta T. Richardson at the Association of Corporate Counsel.

  • Learning How To Code Can Unleash New Potential In Lawyers Author Photo

    Every lawyer can begin incorporating aspects of software development in their day-to-day practice with little to no changes in their existing tools or workflow, and legal organizations that take steps to encourage this exploration of programming can transform into tech incubators, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Supporting Associates Amid Pandemic's Mental Health Toll Author Photo

    As junior associates increasingly report burnout, work-life conflict and loneliness during the pandemic, law firms should take tangible actions to reduce the stigma around seeking help, and to model desired well-being behaviors from the top down, say Stacey Whiteley at the New York State Bar Association and Robin Belleau at Kirkland.

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    Ask A Mentor: Should My Law Firm Take On An Apprentice? Author Photo

    Mentoring a law student who is preparing for the bar exam without attending law school is an arduous process that is not for everyone, but there are also several benefits for law firms hosting apprenticeship programs, says Jessica Jackson, the lawyer guiding Kim Kardashian West's legal education.

  • The Importance Of Client Engagement In Law Firm Innovation Author Photo

    As clients increasingly want law firms to serve as innovation platforms, firms must understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach — the key is a nimble innovation function focused on listening and knowledge sharing, says Mark Brennan at Hogan Lovells.

  • The Unique Challenges Facing Women-Owned Law Firms Author Photo

    In addition to establishing their brand from scratch, women who start their own law firms must overcome inherent bias against female lawyers and convince prospective clients to put aside big-firm preferences, says Joel Stern at the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms.

  • The Pursuit Of Wellness In BigLaw: Lessons From My Journey Author Photo

    Jane Jeong at Cooley shares how grueling BigLaw schedules and her own perfectionism emotionally bankrupted her, and why attorneys struggling with burnout should consider making small changes to everyday habits.

  • Why We Must Recruit And Advance More Black Prosecutors Author Photo

    Black Americans make up a disproportionate percentage of the incarcerated population but are underrepresented among elected prosecutors, so the legal community — from law schools to prosecutor offices — must commit to addressing these disappointing demographics, says Erika Gilliam-Booker at the National Black Prosecutors Association.

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    Ask A Mentor: How Can Associates Deal With Overload? Author Photo

    Young lawyers overwhelmed with a crushing workload must tackle the problem on two fronts — learning how to say no, and understanding how to break down projects into manageable parts, says Jay Harrington at Harrington Communications.

  • A Scientific Path For Improving Diversity At Law Firms Author Photo

    Law firms could combine industrial organizational psychology and machine learning to study prospective hires' analytical thinking, stress response and similar attributes — which could lead to recruiting from a more diverse candidate pool, say Ali Shahidi and Bess Sully at Sheppard Mullin.

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    Ask A Mentor: How Can Associates Seek More Assignments? Author Photo

    In the first installment of Law360 Pulse's career advice guest column, Meela Gill at Weil offers insights on how associates can ask for meaningful work opportunities at their firms without sounding like they are begging. 

  • Legal Sector Regulatory Reform Is Key To Closing Justice Gap Author Photo

    In order to improve access to justice for those who cannot afford a lawyer, states should consider regulatory innovations, such as allowing new forms of law firm ownership and permitting nonlawyers to provide certain legal services, says Patricia Lee Refo, president of the American Bar Association.

  • How Attys Can Guard Against Rising Settle-And-Sue Claims Author Photo

    Certain precautions can help lawyers avoid post-settlement malpractice claims and create a solid evidentiary defense, as settle-and-sue lawsuits rise amid pandemic-induced dispute settlements, say Bethany Kristovich and Jeremy Beecher at Munger Tolles.

  • What I Learned As A Virtual Summer Associate Author Photo

    It is necessary in a virtual law firm summer program to think twice about asking questions you may be able to answer on your own, but this independence and other aspects of a remote internship may help to instill habits that would be useful for future full-time associates, says law student Kelley Sheehan, who interned at Patterson & Sheridan this summer.

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