Small Law

  • Ex-County Exec Wants Firm Kicked Off NJ Discrimination Suit

    A former New Jersey county health director who claims his termination was retaliatory wants the firm representing the county disqualified, arguing Testa Heck Testa & White PA is conflicted due to interactions he had with two of the firm's attorneys before and during his termination meeting.

  • taking-money.jpg

    California Atty Accused In $282M Theft Put On Inactive Status

    A California lawyer who's accused of stealing as much as $282 million from debt relief clients has been placed on involuntary inactive status, and bar discipline authorities say he deserves to lose his license permanently.

  • Houston Atty Allegedly Misled Client About Past Malpractice

    A man is suing the lawyer who was representing him in an employment case because the attorney didn't disclose his "extensive" history of legal malpractice, telling a Texas state court that the attorney broke his fiduciary duties by not revealing his past misdeeds.

  • iStock-2059037365.jpg

    The 2024 Diversity Snapshot: What You Need To Know

    Law firms' ongoing initiatives to address diversity challenges have driven another year of progress, with the representation of minority attorneys continuing to improve across the board, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. Here's our data dive into minority representation at law firms in 2023.

  • iStock-1445715295.jpg

    The 2024 Diversity Snapshot: Representation in the Ranks

    Attorneys of color now represent 27.6% of nonpartners at law firms, a new high-water mark for the industry. But progress has lagged higher up. Here's a more detailed look at the representation of minority attorneys at the associate and partner levels.

  • iStock-2147703896.jpg

    The 2024 Diversity Snapshot: How Firms Stack Up

    Data from Law360 Pulse's law firm survey reveals that while firms are continuing to diversify their attorney ranks, progress has slowed. Just 15.6% of firms top the benchmarks for the 2024 Diversity Snapshot ranking — a lower percentage than last year. Here’s the latest look at how diversity in law firms' headcounts compares with what it could be based on the potential marketplace of new hires.

  • iStock-1010835894.jpg

    These Firms Have The Most Diverse Equity Partnerships

    Law360’s law firm survey shows that firms' efforts to diversify their equity partner ranks are lagging. But some have embraced a broader talent pool at the equity partner level. Here are the ones that stood out.

  • Disbarred_California_Lawyer_09587.jpg

    Girardi Seeks 2-Month Delay For Client Theft Trial, To October

    Disgraced lawyer Tom Girardi's defense attorneys want to push back his closely watched wire fraud trial to October from its current August start date, claiming they've been "misled" by "sharp-elbowed" federal prosecutors who have unexpectedly sought to expand the scope of their case against Girardi in recent weeks.

  • thumbnail_Cazares_Steve.jpg

    Theranos Ex-Exec's Lead Atty Joins Boutique Firm In LA

    A former BigLaw attorney who was lead defense counsel for Theranos' former president Ramesh Balwani has joined Los Angeles boutique Foundation Law Group LLP to lead its white collar practice, the firm announced Monday.

  • iStock-639467826.jpg

    Many Attorneys Of Color Are Feeling Used

    Many lawyers of color say they are included in their law firm's client pitches but are not assigned to the resulting work, pointing to some firms' "window dressing" approach to diversity and inclusion, according to a report reviewed by Law360 Pulse that will be released publicly on Tuesday.

  • iStock-1459946459.jpg

    Firms Fall Short On Occupancy Goals Amid Downsizing Trend

    U.S. law firms have been working to reduce the amount of office space allocated per attorney. Despite these efforts, a recent report by the real estate services company Savills Inc. found that the average square footage per attorney still remains higher than the occupancy ratios most firms aim for.

  • Ex-Client Says Nurick Law Founder Refuted Found Fee Clause

    A former Nurick Law Group LLC client said the court shouldn't reverse its decision to keep his malpractice suit against the firm in the Garden State after the discovery of a crucial document, arguing the firm's founder testified the document is not a valid agreement.

  • 'Busy' Solo Atty Chided For Blown Deadline In Pa. Bias Case

    A Pennsylvania federal judge gave an earful to an attorney representing a Drexel University administrator suing the school for disability discrimination after the case was dismissed without prejudice over the attorney's missed deadlines.

  • Ramey Says 'Any Competent' Atty Wouldn't Seek Sanctions Yet

    Ramey LLP, counsel for mobile payment company AuthWallet LLC, has urged a Texas federal judge to reject a bank's attempt to sanction the company's attorney, saying the request is premature since the case doesn't have a prevailing party yet.

  • VW Lawyers Win Fees From 'Sloppy' Texas Patent Atty

    A federal judge in Houston has said a lawyer behind over 700 patent lawsuits over the past three years is personally liable to pay Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner LLP's fees over his "sloppy" and "offensive" case against Volkswagen.

  • iStock-917034454.jpg

    How DC Pay Transparency Law May Or May Not Impact Firms

    As Washington, D.C., joins a national movement to require job postings to include pay ranges and to ban employers from asking for salary histories, recruiters predict an uneven effect in the district's legal market.

  • More Attys Leave Suit Over WWE Fan's Fla. Fireworks Injuries

    A boutique law firm that describes itself on its website as a "one stop shop" for the fireworks industry has stopped representing World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. in a fan suit alleging injuries from a fireworks display at a WWE event, saying the attorney-client relationship "has deteriorated."

  • Litigation Funding 'Abuses' Targeted By Federal Lawmakers

    Federal lawmakers are seeking to put the reins on third-party investors bankrolling litigation, with Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., introducing legislation that would require disclosure of third-party financing deals in civil lawsuits, and Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., asking Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday to have the Judicial Conference review the practice.

  • Voir Dire: Law360 Pulse's Weekly Quiz

    The legal industry had another action-packed week as attorneys took on new roles and law firms reshaped practices following the holiday. Test your legal news savvy here with Law360 Pulse's weekly quiz.

  • iStock-1346156711.jpg

    Judge Nixes Fraud Suit, Slams Atty's Fox Rothschild Remarks

    A New Jersey federal judge threw out a fraud and malpractice suit brought against Fox Rothschild by two men who said the firm was "knowingly and willfully robbing their immigration clients" and warned their attorney over prior comments he made to Law360 regarding the case.

  • iStock-1213867549.jpg

    AI, Debt Keep Legal Tech Funding Afloat In 2024

    Funding for legal technology companies totaled $2.422 billion in the first half of 2024, nearly matching the $2.443 billion in capital raised during the same period in 2023, a positive sign for the sector after years of declining investments.

  • img.png

    Inside The ABA Campaign To Count Lawyers With Disabilities

    Robert Dinerstein, chair of the American Bar Association's Commission on Disability Rights, joined Law360 Pulse for an in-depth conversation about the organization's #BeCounted campaign

  • Conn. Justices Say Law Firm's Ex Parte Sanctions Were Error

    The law firm Brignole Bush & Lewis LLC cannot be sanctioned for engaging in ex parte talks with an expert witness previously disclosed by Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., the opposing party in a car accident case, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

  • Top NC Legal Industry Legislation Of 2024: A Midyear Report

    North Carolina lawmakers have instituted a streamlined process for state business court filings and are eying controls on attorney fees for debt collection lawsuits. Another closely watched measure eases the discipline process for attorneys with the expansion of records access and the ability to expunge certain ethics transgressions.

  • Atty's Suit Against Aircraft Cos., Blank Rome Attys Survives

    A federal judge ruled in favor of a lawyer who alleges that aircraft companies and attorneys with Blank Rome LLP brought a baseless lawsuit against her in retaliation for switching from corporate defense to the plaintiffs bar, denying a motion to dismiss and allowing her lawsuit to continue.

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

Expert Analysis

  • DoNotPay Cases Underscore Hurdles For AI-Fueled Legal Help Author Photo

    Recent legal challenges against DoNotPay’s "robot lawyer” application highlight pressing questions about the degree to which artificial intelligence can be used for legal tasks while remaining on the right side of both consumer protection laws and prohibitions against the unauthorized practice of law, says Kristen Niven at Frankfurt Kurnit.

  • For The Future Of Legal Practice, Let's Learn From The Past Author Photo

    At some level, every practicing lawyer is experiencing the ever-increasing speed of change — and while some practice management processes have gotten more efficient, other things about the legal profession were better before supposed improvements were made, says Jay Silberblatt, president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

  • Why All Law Firms Should Foster Psychological Capital Author Photo

    Law firms will be able to reap great long-term benefits if they adopt strategies to nurture four critical components of their employees' psychological wellness and performance — hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism, says Dennis Stolle at the American Psychological Association.

  • A GC's Guide To Litigation, Inspired By Sun Tzu's 'Art Of War' Author Photo

    With caseloads and spending increasing, in-house counsel might find themselves called to opine on the risks and benefits of litigation more often, and they should look at five Sun Tzu maxims from the ancient Chinese classic "The Art of War" to inform their approach to any suit, says Jeff Golimowski at Womble Bond.

  • Mentorship Is Key To Diversity In The Legal Industry Author Photo

    Not only can effective mentorship have a profound impact on women and people of color entering the legal field, but it also benefits mentors and the legal profession as a whole, creating a true win-win situation for all involved, says Natasha Cortes at Grossman Roth.

  • ChatGPT Is A Cool Trick, But AI Won't Replace Lawyers Author Photo

    Generative AI applications like ChatGPT are unlikely to ever replace attorneys for a variety of practical reasons — but given their practice-enhancing capabilities, lawyers who fail to leverage these tools may be rendered obsolete, says Eran Kahana at Maslon.

  • Pro Bono Work Is Valuable In IP And Continued Learning Author Photo

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent elimination of a rule that partially counted pro bono work toward continuing legal education highlights the importance of volunteer work in intellectual property practice and its ties to CLE, and puts a valuable tool for hands-on attorney education in the hands of the states, say Lisa Holubar and Ariel Katz at Irwin.

  • Increasing Public Access To Legal Services: A Practical Plan Author Photo

    Recommendations recently issued by a special committee of the Florida Bar represent a realistic, pragmatic approach to increasing the accessibility and affordability of legal services, at a time when the disconnect between the legal profession and the public at large has widened considerably, says Gary Lesser, president of the Florida Bar.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: How Do I Relay Shortcomings To Associates? Author Photo

    Michael Cohen at Duane Morris discusses the best ways to articulate how an associate is not meeting expectations, and why documentation of performance management is crucial for their growth and protecting the firm from discrimination suits.

  • 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.

  • 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.

×

Law360

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

Rankings

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