Milbank, which last month raised salaries for its associate lawyers only to be eclipsed by rival Cravath, said it will now match Cravath’s higher seniority-based compensation scale. Cravath’s Nov. 28 increases set off a wave of matching announcements, beginning the same day with Paul Hastings and McDermott Will & Emery.
Legal industry analysts are predicting a stronger year for law firms in 2024 than in 2023, when revenue and profit growth have been modest. Major law firms plan to expand their bankruptcy and litigation teams and will face challenges such as attracting lawyer talent and navigating the spread of generative artificial intelligence, according to a report.
More from the legal industry …
A group of law firms signed a new pledge to extend diversity in their efforts to include attorneys with disabilities … The federal judiciary reduced its 2024 budget request by nearly $184 million but would still face funding gaps under pending bills in Congress … Two practice leaders at virtual law firm FisherBroyles have departed and plan to launch a new firm that could include up to 140 of the firm’s current lawyers … The bar pass rate for 18 California law schools not accredited by the ABA is 21% … The U.S. Senate confirmed Irma Carrillo Ramirez as the first Latina judge to serve on the 5th Circuit … Law firm Anderson Kill sought to disqualify a lawyer representing its former CFO in an employment lawsuit … Ulmer & Berne and Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale are planning to merge … Golden Gate University School of Law will discontinue its J.D. program amid accreditation woes … For every 10,000 Americans living in poverty, fewer than three civil legal aid attorneys are available to provide free legal help.
Moves:
In New York …
Partners Peter Rooney and James Fang joined Cahill’s M&A and corporate advisory practice from Stroock … McCarter & English picked up IP partner Jeffrey Mann, also from Stroock … McCarter & English hired partner Robert Demchak in its real estate practice in Indianapolis and New York. He most recently worked at real estate company Washington Prime Group.
In Washington, D.C. …
K&L Gates added Varu Chilakamarri and Michael Culhane Harper from the DOJ .. Another DOJ official, Allan Medina, joined Goodwin’s healthcare and white-collar defense and government investigations practices … Brown Rudnick brought on tax partner Peter Farrell from Baker Botts … Mintz picked up healthcare partner Rachel Alexander from Wiley Rein.
In Los Angeles …
Corporate partner Josh Birenbaum rejoined Kirkland from Allen & Overy … Tax lawyer Jennifer Morgan returned to Winston & Strawn after a stint at Hogan Lovells as a partner in the firm’s transactions department … Partner Andrea Lucan from Allen & Overy joined Sidley’s energy, transportation and infrastructure group … Epstein Becker picked up employment partner Kimberly Carter from Kelley Drye … Sheppard Mullin added a pair of real estate partners from Stroock … Nelson Mullins expanded its product liability practice with the addition of two partners, an of counsel and an associate in Los Angeles and three partners in Dallas.
In Silicon Valley …
Real estate partner Vivek Chavan returned to Greenberg Traurig after four years at DLA Piper.
In Dallas …
Partner Mary London Fuller joined Frost Brown Todd’s product, tort and insurance practice group from Sheehy, Ware, Pappas & Grubbs.
In Chicago …
Dykema added Christopher Cahill as a senior counsel in the firm’s corporate and finance practice from Aegis Law.
In Seattle …
Ogletree Deakins added partner Sherry Talton, who represents employers in disputes, from Jackson Lewis.
In Minneapolis …
Greenberg Traurig hired Lorie Skjerven Gilde, the former chief justice of Minnesota’s highest court as a shareholder.
In Indianapolis …
Barnes & Thornburg added Thomas Hutchinson from Krieg DeVault as a partner in its healthcare and corporate departments.
In Denver …
Greenberg Traurig brought on partners Erin Eiselein and Anna-Liisa Mullis, and counsel Ishra Solieman from Brownstein Hyatt, in its healthcare and FDA practice.
In Berlin …
Ogletree Deakins picked up employment law partner Martin Römermann and associate Stephan Makowka from SKW-Schwarz.
In London …
Willkie found a new co-chair for its European restructuring group in partner Simon Baskerville from Latham … Tech M&A-focused partner Chris Grey, who worked most recently at Clifford Chance, will join Ashurst’s corporate practice early next year.
And finally …
White-collar defense lawyer Gil Soffer is set to become Katten’s chairman next year … Loeb & Loeb elected two of its partners, Mitchell Nussbaum and Arash Khalili, to lead the firm as co-chairs … Holland & Hart elected 23 attorneys to partner effective Jan. 1.
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