Law schools may soon have more information about the educational and economic challenges applicants have faced on their path to a law degree. The Law School Admission Council is developing a new “environmental context” metric based on factors such as institutional student spending, graduation rates, and the percentage of undergraduates who received federal need-based Pell Grants. Read more.
The project comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision curtailing the consideration of race in college admissions, though council research director Elizabeth Bodamer said the council approached The College Board, which develops the SAT, about it years earlier but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
From the legal industry:
The ABA endorsed alternative attorney licensing pathways that don’t involve the bar exam … The State Bar of California shelved its plans to develop its own bar exam … Baker McKenzie dropped its lawsuit against the IRS seeking to force it to publicly disclose more information over partnership tax crackdown … Attorney Sidney Powell said she will pay sanctions totaling about $152,000 over a lawsuit that claimed widespread voting fraud cost Donald Trump the 2020 election in Michigan … And Alison Frankel has a column on how WarnerMedia is seeking to disqualify Zimmerman Reed from representing claimants in a mass arbitration campaign against the entertainment conglomerate, accusing the law firm’s managing partner of committing serious ethical breaches.
Moves:
In New York …
Matthew Mao rejoined Cleary Gottlieb as a debt finance partner from Fanatics where he was senior vice president of legal … Latham picked up partner Douglas Heitner from real estate investment trust Safehold, where he was chief legal officer … Alston & Bird added litigation partner Scott Schirick. He was previously at Pryor Cashman … DLA Piper hired Venera Ziegler as an investment funds partner from Torys.
In Washington, D.C. …
Arnold & Porter hired Eva Temkin as a partner in its life sciences and healthcare regulatory practice from Paul Hastings … Akin picked up Kevin Brady, a former U.S. House Ways and Means Committee chairman, as a senior policy consultant … Latham brought on a pair of healthcare and life sciences partners Jennifer Bragg and Bill McConagha from Skadden.
In Los Angeles …
Womble Bond Dickinson added patent partner Young Seok Koo from Ladas & Parry.
In Silicon Valley …
Andrew Harper joined Goodwin as a partner to its technology practice from Sidley.
In Boston …
Cooley brought on James Schneider as a partner in its emerging companies and venture capital practice. He most recently served as deputy general counsel for RA Capital Management.
In Providence, Rhode Island …
Littler added partner Gregory Tumolo from Lewis Brisbois, where he was co-chair of the employment advice and counseling practice.
In Denver …
Venable opened an office with eight lawyers from Sherman & Howard. Trial attorney partner James Sawtelle will lead the new office.
In Pittsburgh …
K&L Gates hired corporate and M&A partner Daniel Fayock. He previously held in-house posts, including chief legal officer at aerospace supplier Arconic.
In Nashville …
Loeb & Loeb brought on music and entertainment partner Monika Tashman from Manatt.
In Houston …
BakerHostetler added Greg Dillard as a litigation and energy partner, and leader of a new catastrophic accident response team from Baker Botts.
In Dallas …
Locke Lord hired Isreal Miller as a partner, who is joining the firm’s private wealth practice group. He was previously at Atwood & McCall.
In Miami …
Squire Patton Boggs hired financial services partner Emil Infante from ERI Global Solutions.
In New Orleans …
Tax partner Caroline Lafourcade joined Liskow in the firm’s business transactions practice from Gordon Arata.
And more …
Baker Donelson brought on partners Alexandra Moylan and Michael Halaiko, who focus on health law and privacy matters, in Baltimore and D.C. from Nelson Mullins … Norton Rose hired intellectual property partners Adam Rehm in Dallas and Rhiannon D’Agostin in Denver from Polsinelli … Venable picked up commercial litigation partner Brian Koosed in the firm’s D.C. and New York offices from K&L Gates.
