Andrew J. Merson

'New C-suite roles must be integrated, not balkanized'  Many points raised in Forbes's recent article on Big Law hiring resonate with the findings in our Q3 Technology & Transformation Executive Hiring Analysis. We’re seeing a clear upward trend in hiring at the C-level as law firms drive transformation to stay competitive. We’re in the final stages of completing our report, If you’d like a copy, please register via the link in the comments.

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The EEOC released 2017-2018 summary pay data from EEO-1 Component 2 submissions to allow companies to compare their compensation with industry and geographic benchmarks. This data collection was controversial due to the burden imposed on firms and unclear benefits. Valentin Estevez and Doug Owens used the EEOC's methodology to create similar pay data summaries using the American Community Survey (ACS), a well-known and publicly available representative survey of the US population. Notably, they found that the gender pay distributions from both sources are strikingly similar, casting doubt on the usefulness of collecting Component 2 data given the burden it imposes on companies. Pay equity is a complex and detail-intensive issue, and high-level pay gap calculations, such as those constructed from Component 2 data or the ACS survey, can yield misleading findings. #CRALaborEmployment economists have conducted thousands of proactive pay equity and employment practices audits to ensure compliance with the universe of ever-changing employment regulations and mitigate litigation and reputational risks effectively. Click here to download the infographic: https://crai.news/b72

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The US Supreme Court just made a significant decision regarding lateral job transfers and discrimination under Title VII. This could impact your workplace policies and procedures. Read more about the implications of this ruling in our recent blog post. https://lnkd.in/gsciR4Kk #caemplaw #cdflaborlaw #discrimiation #courtdecsions #titlevII

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Hear from Sara Kim and Kafeel Azher on what you can expect to learn during Cooley's next HR Network webinar, which will review recent court cases regarding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, trends and actions affecting DEI initiatives in the workplace, and ways to develop successful DEI programs for organizations in the US and the UK. 📆 Register to learn more from Joshua Mates, Selin Akkan and Ann Bevitt on October 15 here: https://bit.ly/3U2Lrxp #CooleyHRNetwork #DEI #employmentlaw

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I shared my thoughts last week with the The American Lawyer team on the trend of senior in-house practitioners joining biglaw firms as partners. A few additional thoughts: 1) One factor driving these moves is the increased regulatory climate. There are a number of in-house counsel who are highly experienced in areas like privacy and antitrust. Hiring these practitioners allows firms to put together and market a strong bench of regulatory specialists with industry specific expertise. 2) Another trend that may be influencing this is the fact that the competition for clients is increasing. We are moving further away from the model of institutional clients. Many companies now instruct multiple firms depending on specific areas of expertise. Biglaw firms are therefore strategically targeting senior in-house counsel to unlock additional revenue streams with an existing client e.g. a firm may be instructed on a company's M&A work but make a strategic hire in order to also get instructed on antitrust matters. 3) The article focuses on tech. However, we have observed this trend across a number of sectors such as the energy & infrastructure space. Link to the article: https://lnkd.in/eRafeaNP Follow me for more #biglaw market commentary, intel and roles.

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"Earlier this month, the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) released its annual analysis of U.S. law school employment outcomes External link opens in new browser window which includes a detailed breakdown of employment gaps based on race and ethnicity." (LSAC) https://lnkd.in/eYGxCjNC #diversityinlaw #legaldiversity #blacklawyers #equity #DEI #legalindustry

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NYC Employers: check out our latest Labor + Employment alert and make sure to follow Davis+Gilbert PERKS for more employment law updates.

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Vault released it's rankings for best Law Firms in NYC. Below are the Top 10. If you're looking to make a move to or from one of these firms or just explore the lateral market, now is a great time with a ton of need across the board. I've placed 20 Candidates in the last year with plenty more having received offers. DM me and we can set up a time to chat. #legal #recruiter #biglaw #lawjobs #lawfirmjobs #lawfirm #legalrecruiting #lawyers #careeropportunities #amlaw #amlaw100 #amlaw200 #attorney #lawyer #biglawjobs #legaljobs #dclawjobs #dcbiglaw #biglaw #lawjobs #lawfirm #legalrecruiting #lawyers #careeropportunities #salary #interview #vault #rankings https://lnkd.in/dmQajqfx

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👀 In 2023, the LRIS handled nearly 600 employment-related referral requests, ranging from matters of employment discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour, and more. The San Francisco Attorney Magazine piece below demonstrates the changing landscape in employment law, specifically recent developments impacting California's Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA). Read more from Dean Royer on the background of PAGA and the recent California Supreme Court ruling, and if you are an attorney focusing in employment law, we welcome you to reach out to learn more about our labor panel! #employmentlaw #labor #wageandhour #PAGA https://lnkd.in/gzSfn9ue

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VLP Partners Doreen Trujillo, Kurt Mulville and David Thibodeau submitted a comment to the USPTO regarding proposed new fees/increases. Read Doreen's blog post to learn more.   #USPTO #comment #blogpost

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Will legal recruiting become more cutthroat? Recruiters might gain mobility from the FTC's recent rule banning the use of noncompete agreements, thus increasing competition. Former NALSC: the National Association of Legal Search Consultants President Dan Binstock, partner with Garrison in Washington, D.C., notes, however, that noncompete clauses aren’t the only means legal search firms have to protect their business. Some employ contractual provisions that prevent the use and disclosure of confidential information as well as the solicitation of candidates and clients of their previous recruiting firm. But a recruiter’s network of candidates and law firms are central to their work, which makes it difficult to switch recruiting firms without breaching a nonsolicitation agreement. So those nonsolicitation agreements also could be interpreted as covered by the FTC’s ban if they restrict the employee’s ability to freely change jobs. Will this change in the law impact the supportive, collaborative atmosphere now enjoyed by the NALSC Community? See the debate at https://buff.ly/4aTVKu1 #nalsc #nalsccommunity #legalrecruiting #lawjobs #legaljobs

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Join Fisher Phillips attorneys Arit Butani and Jang Im for an insightful webinar, "Navigating U.S. Employment: Alternatives for Those Not Selected in the H-1B Lottery," on June 20. Learn more and register here: https://bit.ly/4c7Eces. #immigration #webinar #workplacelaw #employmentlaw

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Big moves in Philly... If you're also looking to make a move or just explore the lateral market, DM me and we can set up a time to chat. I've placed 20 Candidates in the last year with plenty more having received offers. #legal #recruiter #biglaw #lawjobs #lawfirmjobs #lawfirm #legalrecruiting #lawyers #amlaw #amlaw100 #amlaw200 #attorney #lawyer #biglawjobs #legaljobs #biglaw #lawjobs #lawfirm #legalrecruiting #lawyers #careeropportunities #salary #interview #offer #hollandandknight #polsinelli

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s proposal to phase out subminimum wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act has prompted speculation about the agency's authority and the potential political implications. Clark Hill Law Member Rafael Nendel-Flores shared his insights with Law360, raising a key question about the rule’s future: "Does DOL have the authority to do what it’s proposing to do, or are the courts going to rule that this has to be done via congressional legislation? The text of the statute does give them some discretion." Rafael Nendel-Flores helps employers navigate complex employment challenges, from litigation to compliance. Learn more about his experience here: https://bit.ly/4f34SOg #labor #employmentlaw #DOL

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We are proud to announce that submissions are welcome for Georgetown Law Technology Review's annual writing competition. The author(s) of the first place paper will be awarded $2,000; the author(s) of the second place paper will be awarded $500. The first place author(s) also may have the opportunity to be published in Volume 9 of our journal. Read below--or use this link: https://lnkd.in/etY2nyNB --for more details on the topic and how to submit by June 3, 2024. This year’s topic is Emerging Biotechnologies and Their Relationships to Personal Freedoms. Biotechnology has played an evermore increasing part in our lives, from the biometric data collected in our smartwatch to the vaccine we took during the pandemic. But as these innovations can be utilized to solve global health crises, find early signs of disease, or even alert authorities to urgent health issues, they can also intersect with the rights of privacy, speech, and reproduction. Consider how some women, with the overturning of Roe, worried that their private data would be used to target those who sought abortions. Or consider how doctors in many states are barred from recommending certain treatments to those in the LGBTQ+ community–medical advances and the law are invariably intertwined. Requirements: - Papers should be 3000-5000 words long (not including footnotes) and be submitted in Times New Roman size 12 font, single spaced. Footnotes must conform to the 20th edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. Papers must be in English. - Papers will be accepted from students enrolled at any ABA-accredited law school in the United States during the 2024-2025 academic year. The paper must be the author’s own work, although students may incorporate feedback received as part of an academic course or supervised writing project. The paper must not have been published or committed for publication in another journal; the Georgetown Law Technology Review must have the first right of publication for any winning essay. - Please submit papers via email to [email protected]. Submissions are due on June 3, 2024. Please reach out to for any questions!

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I was interested to see the results of The American Lawyer's Midlevel Associates Survey. Surveys are always engaging and sort of provocative- after all, some firms win and some lose. Surveys can also be sort of flat, though, if they lack proper context. This article by Dan Roe provides that context. It is a spot on and insightful view into the minds and experiences of these midlevel associates. Dan's perspective can also be helpful to partners and firm leaders in thinking about how to keep these midlevel associates happy.

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Explore the recent Eleventh Circuit decision that clarifies "sex-plus" discrimination. Authors Cortlin Bond, Anne Yuengert, and Will Manuel discuss the nuances of this case and its implications for understanding discrimination against subclasses of sex. Discover key insights and practical takeaways in their latest post on Labor & Employment Insights. [https://lnkd.in/eFTXKhvx]

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🚨 Join us on November 7th for NYC SHRM's Legal & Legislative Conference! 🚨 Highlights include: 🗳️ US Immigration & Election Impact with Alexis Axelrad from Barst 👩‍⚖️ Effective Management with Michael Jakowsky & Laura Victorelli from Jackson Lewis P.C. ⚖️ Federal/State/Local Updates with Shannon D. Azzaro & Ryan C. Chapoteau from Jackson Lewis P.C. Enjoy breakfast while gaining insights on critical legal updates and interactive discussions! Which session are you most excited about? Let us know! #NYCSHRM #HRUpdates #LegalCompliance #ElectionImpact

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