The push to bring lawyers back to the office at least four days a week is spreading. Last week Vinston & Elkins became the latest firm to ask its lawyers to work at the office at least four days a week, starting Sept. 11. Earlier this summer, New York-founded law firms Davis Polk, Skadden and Weil each said that their lawyers would be expected in the office Monday through Thursday starting after Labor Day, and Boston-founded Ropes & Gray late last month adopted a similar policy. Still, most firms are holding off – at least for now – on requiring four days in-office, instead continuing to offer greater flexibility.
More from the legal industry …
A prominent 5th Circuit judge said the Federal Circuit circumvented the “usual process” in its probe of Judge Pauline Newman’s mental fitness … Attorney regulators in Michigan dropped disciplinary charges against attorneys Emily Newman and Stefanie Lambert Junttila, who tried to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory in the state … Hunter Biden’s top lawyer Christopher Clark is seeking to withdraw from representing the president’s son … Fox Corp’s chief legal officer Viet Dinh will step down by the end of 2023, in another major exit following Dominion Voting Systems’ settlement … Wigdor, which represented three women who claimed Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black raped them, has been sued by the billionaire again … Gibson Dunn’s fee request was slashed in a securities case after a judge found the hourly rates of lawyers were “unreasonable” … The ABA may soon require law schools to adopt free speech policies … More than half of the aspiring lawyers registered for this month’s LSAT opted to complete it remotely, but hundreds of examinees faced significant delays while trying to take the test … And, long-serving 2nd Circuit Judge Rosemary Pooler passed away last week at the age of 85.
Moves:
- In New York …
Morgan Lewis brought on its sixth partner from Stroock. Freshfields hired partner Gayle Klein from Schulte Roth & Zabel, where she co-led the litigation group. Alston & Bird added three commercial litigation partners from Hogan Lovells. Laurian Cristea, who was previously chief legal officer at Cboe Digital, joined Barnes & Thornburg’s New York and Raleigh offices as a partner in the corporate department.
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In Washington, D.C. …
King & Spalding hired former FTC official Sean Royall from Sidley Austin, where he co-led the antitrust and consumer protection practice. Vinson & Elkins added Monique Watson, a former senior FERC official, as a partner in its energy regulatory practice. Tax attorney Don Lonczak joined Pillsbury’s global energy transition team as a partner from Bracewell. Fox Rothschild added trial lawyer Michelle West as counsel from a boutique government contracts and construction firm.
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In Houston …
Energy industry dealmaker Cody Carper joined Weil as a partner from Skadden.
- In Los Angeles …
ArentFox Schiff added a trio of partners to its labor and employment practice from Sheppard Mullin. Brian Schall joined Barnes & Thornburg as a partner in the firm’s entertainment, media and sports practice group from Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin.
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And finally …
One of Shearman & Sterling’s C-suite leaders joined Sheppard Mullin as Shearman looks to cement a planned merger with London-founded Allen & Overy later this year.
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The crypto industry appears to be undeterred by a ruling last month that casts doubt on a sweeping theory that could squelch efforts by the SEC to police crypto issuers and exchanges. Alison Frankel looks at a spate of recent briefs in the SEC’s case against crypto exchange Coinbase that contend the SEC’s crypto enforcement campaign runs afoul of the Supreme Court’s major questions doctrine – even though a Manhattan federal judge ruled otherwise last month. Read more.
Check out other recent pieces from all our columnists: Alison Frankel, Jenna Greene and Hassan Kanu
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Additional writing by Tanvi Shenoy, R Rohit, Maya Nandhini and Kuheli Biswas.
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