Connecticut Pulse

In-House Female Attys Say They Prefer Work Culture, Balance

By Sue Reisinger

In a first-of-its-kind survey by the National Association of Women Lawyers, in-house female attorneys report finding their work-life balance, work substance and workplace culture superior to that of law firms.

Why AI May Be The Secret Weapon For Starting A Law Firm

By Rachel Rippetoe

The secret ingredient to opening a solo practice or small firm might be artificial intelligence, Chris Stock, a vice president at legal tech company Clio, said at the New York City Bar's Small Law Symposium last week.

Ozy Media CEO Turns To 2nd Circ. Over Judge's Investments

By Jack Karp

The "atypical" conflict and threat to public confidence in the judiciary created by a New York federal judge's financial investments warrant the Second Circuit stepping in to undo former Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson's fraud and identity theft convictions sooner rather than later, Watson told the appellate court on Monday.

'Sub-Par' Work By Data Breach Class Attys Earns Lower Fee

By Craig Clough

A Connecticut federal judge awarded $340,000 on Monday to class counsel in a data breach lawsuit against Merritt Healthcare Advisors but criticized their request for $381,250 as out of line with reasonable rates and said some of their work in the case was "sub-par."

Where Women Are And Are Not Getting Ahead In Law

By Aebra Coe

Women now make up the majority of law school graduates, law firm associates and lawyers in the federal government and will likely soon make up the majority of law school faculty, according to a report from the American Bar Association out Monday, however the proportion of women in certain positions of power within the profession continues to lag.

Healthcare Atty Leaves GC Role To Lead Legal At GeneDx

By Adrian Cruz

Connecticut-based genetic testing company GeneDx announced Monday that an experienced in-house healthcare attorney who most recently worked as general counsel at Zoetis was named its chief legal officer and corporate secretary.

What To Know About Digital Marketing Before Starting A Firm

By Rachel Rippetoe

At the New York City Bar's Small Law Symposium on Thursday, lawyers and a digital marketing expert broke down what attorneys looking to launch a law firm should be thinking about before launching a digital marketing campaign.

Conn. Atty Resolves $80K Labor Dept. Reimbursement Suit

By Brian Steele

A personal injury attorney in Connecticut said Friday she has "resolved" a lawsuit brought by the federal government that demanded she pay $80,000 to reimburse the U.S. Department of Labor for workers' compensation payments to two of her clients.

Law360 Pulse Spotlight On Mid-Law Work

By Emma Cueto

Wiley Rein's work on a $5 billion telecommunications deal and Brownstein Hyatt's representation of a debt-collection trade group lead this edition of Law360 Pulse's Spotlight On Mid-Law Work, recapping the top matters for Mid-Law firms from Nov. 1 to 15.

Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Tracey Read

Covington & Burling LLP leads this week's list of Law360 legal lions for helping Mark Zuckerberg beat multidistrict litigation claims alleging Meta concealed social media's risks to young users.

Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

By Anna Sanders

This was another action-packed week for the legal industry as President-elect Donald Trump announced key appointments and Milbank kicked off BigLaw bonus season. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

Conn. Atty Must Pay $282K Default In Estate's Home Sale Suit

By Aaron Keller

A Connecticut attorney must pay a $282,000 default judgment for distributing real estate proceeds to at least one "unknown party" and writing a bad check to a trust beneficiary after a $1.2 million home sale, a state trial court judge has ruled.

Conn. Judges Should Earn $222K, Chief Justice Says

By Christine DeRosa

Chief Justice Raheem L. Mullins of the Connecticut Supreme Court has told the state's Commission on Judicial Compensation that the salary for a Connecticut Superior Court judge should increase to nearly $222,000 next year, citing issues with retention, recruitment and declining morale.

Attys Want To Drop Baby's Dad As Client In Conn. Death Suit

By Brian Steele

The father of the victim at the center of a product liability lawsuit against Target Corp. and a baby lounger manufacturer has stopped communicating with counsel and apparently wants nothing more to do with the case, his attorneys told a Connecticut federal judge in seeking to drop him as a client.

4 Law Firm Leaders On Why They're Dead Set Against Merging

By Aebra Coe

As the number of U.S. law firm combination announcements this year ticks up over 90 with the newly announced merger between Herbert Smith Freehills and Kramer Levin, these four leaders tell Law360 Pulse they have no interest in entertaining such talks.

Connecticut Banking Dept. Can Fine Legal Funder, Judge Says

By Brian Steele

The Connecticut Department of Banking has jurisdiction over a legal funding company under the state's Small Loan Act, a state judge ruled in dismissing an administrative appeal linked to a $25,000 fine that the regulator imposed.

Paralegal Says She's Owed For Work On Stuart Scott Estate

By James Boyle

A former paralegal at the disbanded Hartford, Connecticut-based firm Rome McGuigan PC claims in a recently filed suit that she is owed $50,000 for work she performed while the firm represented the estate of legendary ESPN anchor Stuart Scott.

How Freeman Mathis Maintains Its '1 Office, 1 Firm' Culture

By Lynn LaRowe

Atlanta-based Freeman Mathis & Gary LLP recently expanded its roster to include more than 400 lawyers across 21 states, but its managing partner said the firm remains committed to a “one office, one firm” philosophy.

What's Next For Court Reform In This New Political Climate?

By Cara Bayles

Advocates are not holding out hope for bills that would firm up a code of ethics for the U.S. Supreme Court, impose term limits on justices or give judiciary employees antidiscrimination job protections, saying Republican control of the federal government will likely stall any progress that's been made with court reform efforts.

Judge Notes 'Serious Issue' In Fired Firm Worker's Appeal

By Brian Steele

The outcome of a fired Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC legal assistant's appeal of her loss in a disability discrimination suit may hinge on whether there is a genuine dispute about the demands of the job, a Connecticut judge signaled Tuesday. The judge noted a "substantial" disagreement about whether the position was supposed to be a hybrid of remote and in-person.

In-House Counsel Less Wary Of Making BigLaw Jump

By Xiumei Dong

While most in-house counsel aren't actively looking to shift to private practice, a survey out Tuesday found there may be an increasing openness to that career lane shift if certain conditions — such as better salaries, work-life balance, and firm culture — are met.

Palin, NYT Set For April Retrial In Defamation Case

By Cara Salvatore

Sarah Palin's retrial against The New York Times over defamation claims will start April 14, a New York federal judge ruled Tuesday after calling the parties' requests for a July date "out of the question."

Law360 Names Attys Who Moved Up The Firm Ranks In Q3

A promotion to partner or election to practice group chair means a slew of new responsibilities and also lots of well-deserved recognition. Law360 reveals the list of attorneys whose commitment to legal excellence earned them highly coveted spots in the law firm leadership ranks. Find out if your old legal friends — or rivals — moved up in the third quarter of the year.

Trump's NY Case Paused As DA Weighs Impact Of Election

By Frank G. Runyeon

A New York state judge agreed to a joint motion to freeze the proceedings in Donald Trump's hush money case following his electoral victory last week, allowing the Manhattan district attorney time to brief the court on "appropriate steps going forward."

BigLaw Bonus Season Starts With A Move By Milbank

By Aebra Coe

Milbank LLP announced Monday that it will hand its associates year-end bonuses ranging from $15,000 to $115,000 depending on seniority, numbers that nearly align with bonuses the firm and its peers handed out last year.