Pennsylvania Pulse


  • Tunheim_060.20x24.jpg

    Approach The Bench: Judge Tunheim Advises Other Jurists

    For more than a decade, U.S. District Judge John Tunheim has counseled judges from other countries on quandaries jurists face internationally, from artificial intelligence to court administration to judicial independence.

  • iStock-2150105933.jpg

    Are Law Firms Losing Money On Generative AI?

    How to leverage generative artificial intelligence to enhance the bottom line is still a question mark for the vast majority of law firms, with many making massive investments in the technology without much of a plan for how to monetize it, law firm consultants say.

  • Jake Oresick.jpg

    Ex-Houston Harbaugh Atty Jumps To Tucker Arensberg

    Midsize firm Tucker Arensberg PC expanded its litigation services in Pittsburgh this week with the addition of an attorney who moved his practice after nearly four years with Houston Harbaugh PC.

  • 'Malicious' Intent Testimony Nixed From Blank Rome Suit

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Monday prohibited certain expert witnesses from opining on the alleged "malicious" intent an aircraft parts maker, represented by Blank Rome LLP, had when suing a onetime defense attorney who defected to the plaintiffs bar.

  • iStock-1861290853.jpg

    The Top In-House Hires Of November

    Legal department moves in the last month included high-profile announcements at CSX Corp., Cohen & Steers Inc. and Pershing Square Holdings Ltd., including two general counsel joining boards of directors. Here, Law360 Pulse looks at some of the top in-house appointments from November.

  • Attorney Disbarred In NJ For Stealing $170K From Father

    The New Jersey Supreme Court has disbarred a Pennsylvania attorney following her conviction in Pennsylvania for stealing nearly $170,000 from her father, according to a recently filed order.

  • iStock-1305964678.jpg

    Mid-Law Firm Seward & Kissel Matching Milbank Bonus Scale

    Seward & Kissel LLP, a Mid-Law firm with offices in New York and Washington, D.C., has joined the bonus bandwagon for associates by matching the year-end and special cash rewards set by Milbank LLP, according to media reports.

  • iStock-1306230734.jpg

    Mayer Brown, Gibson Dunn Match Milbank Bonuses

    Mayer Brown LLP and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP joined a chorus of other BigLaw firms in doling out extra cash for associates, matching the year-end and special bonuses set by Milbank LLP, according to media reports.

  • iStock-2181590686.jpg

    More Law Firm Business Staffs See Discretionary Bonuses

    Law firms' administrators and staff have reported more discretionary bonuses, longer parental leave, increasing work-from-home policies and an overall decline in turnover rates, according to the latest annual report produced by the Association of Legal Administrators.

  • Nicole M. Ehrhart.png

    Marshall Dennehey Grows Health Care Team In Harrisburg

    Marshall Dennehey PC continued to grow its medical malpractice services in Pennsylvania with the recent addition of a litigator to its Harrisburg office, who returns to the firm after leaving in 2021 to go in-house with the state government.

  • 2_up_cozen.png

    Cozen O'Connor Doubles Down On New York Growth

    In about four years, Cozen O’Connor's New York office has grown from about 80 lawyers to more than 140 — with possible plans to expand into a third floor at 3 World Trade Center.

  • What Do You Know About BigLaw's Associate Bonus Plans?

    BigLaw has ushered in another busy bonus season as law firms announce extra compensation for associates. Test your legal news savvy with a special Law360 Pulse quiz on what firms have announced so far.

  • iStock-1272094988.jpg

    BigLaw's Special Bonuses Are A Hedge Against Uncertainty

    When Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP matched Milbank's 2024 bonuses with its own, the storied New York firm did not hand associates a single lump sum with the total amount, but instead chose to separate out year-end bonuses from special bonuses.

  • Wharton - group photo.jpg

    Dechert Associates Bridge Business Acumen Gap At Wharton

    Dechert LLP associates from the United States and Europe recently took part in an intensive, three-day program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Here, Law360 Pulse speaks to Dechert’s co-chair and a firm associate on how the program helped bridge the gap between legal expertise and business acumen.

  • james-steigerwald.jpg

    Culture The Focus For Duane Morris' Philly Managing Partner

    For the last 26 years, Duane Morris LLP partner James Steigerwald has seen the benefits of his firm's collaborative and collegial culture up close, and he fully intends to keep that culture alive as the first managing partner of the firm's Philadelphia office.

  • iStock-1302592869.jpg

    2024 Associate Bonus and 2025 Salary Tracker

    UPDATED December 20, 2024 | As the year draws to a close, an increasing number of large and other elite law firms are falling in line with a bonus scale set by market leader Milbank LLP, which in many cases puts more money in the pockets of law firm associates than ever before.

  • iStock-1519333375.jpg

    Bonus Season Heats Up As More Firms Match Milbank's Scale

    The 2024 associate bonus season is heating up, with more law firms matching Milbank LLP's year-end and special bonuses and U.K. firms extending the same offering to their U.S.-based attorneys, according to firm memos shared with Law360 Pulse and media reports.

  • Legal Services Corp. Awards $5.9M In Tech Grants In 22 States

    Continuing a program first launched in 2000, the Legal Services Corp. is awarding $5.9 million in Technology Initiative Grants to organizations using tech to help deliver legal services across 22 states, the group announced Tuesday.

  • 1822_webprofile.jpeg

    Freeman Mathis Cyber Pro Jumps To Constangy In Philly

    An attorney specializing in data privacy and security has moved his practice to Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP after nearly two years with Freeman Mathis & Gary LLP.

  • iStock-1202411979.jpg

    BigLaw's Rate Hike Strategy Continues To Pay Off

    A few years ago, when large law firm billing rates started to rise at an unprecedented pace, I remember many commentators said it couldn't last for long and that it was only a matter of time before client pushback would begin to swing the pendulum back in the other direction.

  • iStock-1140541767.jpg

    Law Firm Leasing Surpasses Pre-COVID Rate So Far In 2024

    The rate at which U.S. law firms are signing major office leases — those at or above 20,000 square feet — has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, according to new data released by Savills on Monday, showing that while activity is up, firms are divided on whether to expand, downsize or maintain their square footage.

  • Atty Sanctioned Over Depo Misconduct In Blank Rome Suit

    An attorney's alleged personal attacks against opposing counsel, refusal to answer questions and wrongful invoking of attorney-client privilege for certain documents led a Philadelphia federal court to order sanctions against her in an order published Monday.

  • bonus_5.jpg

    Akin Announces Associate Bonuses, 2025 Salary Scale

    Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP told Law360 Pulse on Monday it will pay associates and counsel year-end bonuses of between $15,000 and $115,000 and special bonuses of between $6,000 and $25,000, based on seniority, in February.

  • kevin-m-buttery.png

    Pierson Ferdinand Adds Philly Litigator From Gordon Rees

    Pierson Ferdinand LLP expanded its litigation team in Philadelphia with the addition of an attorney having expertise in representing nursing home and assisted living facilities, the firm announced Monday.

  • Senior Dem Asks Schumer For Votes On Circuit Court Picks

    Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Friday pushed back against a deal Democrats and Republicans cut earlier this week that obligates Democrats to forgo votes on four appellate picks.

Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Pennsylvania Pulse archive.

Expert Analysis

  • 10 Principles For Effective Partner Reward Systems Author Photo

    Several forces are reshaping partners’ expectations about profit-sharing, and as compensation structures evolve in response, firms should keep certain fundamentals in mind to build a successful partner reward system, say Michael Roch at MHPR Advisors and Ray D'Cruz at Performance Leader.

  • Why Interdisciplinarity Is Key To Designing The Future Of Law Author Photo

    The legal profession faces challenges that urgently demand new solutions, and lawyers and firms can address this by leaning on other industries that have more experience practicing, teaching and incorporating innovation into their core business and service models, says Jennifer Leonard at the University of Pennsylvania.

  • Incorporating ADA Guidance Into Lawyer Wellness Movement Author Photo

    The Americans with Disabilities Act and rules of professional conduct may help the legal profession promote lawyer well-being by focusing on mental conditions' actual impact, rather than on associated stereotypes, says Alex Long at the University of Tennessee College of Law.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: How Can New Partners Generate Business? Author Photo

    Christine Wong at MoFo discusses how newly elected partners can prioritize business development by creating a strategic plan with the firm's marketing team and strengthening relationships with professional and personal networks.

  • 9 Writing Tips From The Justices' Opinions Last Term Author Photo

    Hidden in the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinions from the last term are each justice’s talents for crafting choice turns of phrase, highlighting best practices for attorneys to jump-start their own writing, says Ross Guberman at BriefCatch.

  • What Web3 Means For Lawyers' Ethical Duties Author Photo

    As law firms embrace Web3 technologies by accepting cryptocurrency as payment for legal fees, investing in metaverse departments and more, lawyers should remember their ethical duties to warn clients of the benefits and risks of technology in a murky regulatory environment, says Heidi Frostestad Kuehl at Northern Illinois University College of Law.

  • NY's Cybersecurity CLE Rule Is A Sign Of Changing Times Author Photo

    New York's recently announced requirement that lawyers complete cybersecurity training as part of their continuing legal education is a reminder that securing client information is more complicated in an increasingly digital world, and that expectations around attorneys' technology competence are changing, says Jason Schwent at Clark Hill.

  • Opinion

    Law Firms Stressing Work-Life Balance Are Missing The Mark Author Photo

    Law firms struggling to attract and retain lawyers are institutionalizing work-life balance through hybrid work models, but such balance is elusive in a client services and tech-dependent world, underscoring the need for firms to instead aim for attorney empowerment and true balance within — not outside — the workplace, says Joe Pack at Pack Law.

  • A Law Student's Guide To Thriving As A Summer Associate Author Photo

    Summer associates are expected to establish a favorable reputation and develop genuine relationships in a few short weeks, but several time management, attitude and communication principles can help them make the most of their time and secure an offer for a full-time position, says Joseph Marciano, who was a 2022 summer associate at Reed Smith.

  • Burnout Prevention Requires Effort From Attys And Firms Author Photo

    To avoid physical and emotional exhaustion, attorneys must respect their own and their colleagues' personal and professional boundaries, but law firms must also play a role in discouraging burnout culture — especially if they are struggling with attorney retention, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • How I Owned My Power As An Asian American Woman In Law Author Photo

    Gibson Dunn's Debra Yang shares the bumps in her journey to becoming the first female Asian American U.S. attorney, a state judge and a senior partner in BigLaw, and how other women can face their self-doubts and blaze their own trails to success amid systemic obstacles.

  • Successful In-House Alt Legal Services Start With 4 Questions Author Photo

    Law firms that are considering creating an in-house alternative legal service provider should focus not on recapturing revenue otherwise lost to outside vendors, but instead consider how a captive ALSP will better fulfill the needs of their clients and partners, say Beatrice Seravello and Brad Blickstein at Baretz & Brunelle.

  • 3 Reasons To Embrace Jargon In Legal Marketing Content Author Photo

    Ignore what you've been told about jargon — adding insider industry terms to your firm's marketing and business development content can persuade potential clients that you have the specialized knowledge they can trust, says Wayne Pollock at Law Firm Editorial Service.

  • Future Lawyers Expect DEI Commitments Beyond Recruiting Author Photo

    To attract future lawyers from diverse backgrounds, firms must think beyond recruiting efforts, because law students are looking for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that invest in employee professional development and engage with students year-round, says Lauren Jackson at Howard University School of Law.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: How Can Law Students Build Real-World Skills? Author Photo

    Allison Coffin at Akin Gump discusses how summer associates going back to school can continue to develop real-world lawyering skills by leveraging the numerous law school resources that support professional development both inside and outside the classroom.

×

Law360

Law360 Law360 UK Law360 Tax Authority Law360 Employment Authority Law360 Insurance Authority Law360 Real Estate Authority Law360 Healthcare Authority Law360 Bankruptcy Authority

Rankings

NEWLeaderboard Analytics Social Impact Leaders Prestige Leaders Pulse Leaderboard Women in Law Report Law360 400 Diversity Snapshot Rising Stars Summer Associates

National Sections

Modern Lawyer Courts Daily Litigation In-House Mid-Law Legal Tech Small Law Insights

Regional Sections

California Pulse Connecticut Pulse DC Pulse Delaware Pulse Florida Pulse Georgia Pulse New Jersey Pulse New York Pulse Pennsylvania Pulse Texas Pulse

Site Menu

Subscribe Advanced Search About Contact