Daniel Baskerville

How did the Kirkland partner video get leaked is the question we’re asking ourselves. Some are recalling the infamous ‘Claire Swire email’ which involved a Norton Rose lawyer from way back at the dawn of time in 2000 and the one too from a CC lawyer back in 2003. *All articles and videos can be found in the comments section. Clifford Chance Adopts US-Style Bonus System for Associates: Clifford Chance has revamped its bonus system for UK associates to align more closely with those offered by US firms, according to The Lawyer . The new system, introduced last month, rewards associates more when they are in higher demand, with bonuses linked to the number of hours billed. This US-style focus on billables marks a departure from the ‘no target-hours culture’ prevalent at many UK firms. Clyde & Co Boosts Revenue by 10%: Clyde & Co has reported strong financial results for the past year, with revenue growing by 10% to £845 million. Profit per equity partner (PEP) increased by 4% to £739,000. The firm attributed its growth to success across various practice areas, emphasizing its "sector-focused, geographically hedged" model. Over the year, Clyde & Co added 32 new partners through lateral hires and internal promotions. Kirkland & Ellis Partner Video Goes Viral in the City: A video leaked to RollOnFriday shows two Kirkland & Ellis partners in London mocking a fellow partner during a work call, culminating in him knocking over a bottle of whisky. The footage, recorded in Kirkland's London office in the Gherkin, is circulating among City lawyers. In the video, the partner gives the middle finger to the person filming but nearly drops a bottle of Macallan whisky before catching it. Reactions in the comments are mixed. One top comment expressed sympathy, saying, "can't believe anyone leaked this… poor guy," while another suggested, "I'd be sacking this bunch of jokers. You know this is just the tip of the iceberg." Partner's 4,000 Hours Help Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Hit $200 Million Mark: Sullivan & Cromwell’s fees for the ongoing bankruptcy of cryptocurrency exchange FTX have reached $200 million, largely thanks to the efforts of a single partner. Litigation partner Brian Glueckstein has averaged 11 hours a day, five days a week, for 18 months, billing more than 4,000 hours at a rate of $2,375 per hour, amounting to $9.5 million. Sullivan & Cromwell lawyers have collectively billed over 168,000 hours on the matter so far, reports Reuters. CC: Non-Billable

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On June 24, 2024, the Chinese Supreme People's Court officially issued the Judicial Interpretation of Antitrust Civil Litigation (the “New SPC Interpretation”). The SPC Interpretation represents a significant move from both procedural and substantive perspectives in antitrust civil litigation as it comprehensively revises and refines the rules for the first time since the last interpretation was issued in 2012. In this article, prepared by our partners Michael Han and Giant Hu, our counsels Doris Xue Dong and Lingbo WEI and our associates Teresa WANG and Arthur WONG, we highlight ten key trends in and impacts on antitrust civil litigation that businesses can expect following the implementation of the New SPC Interpretation. 

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Litigation partner Adrienne Ward and counsel Katherine (Kat) Mateo, J.D. Stanford Law School authored an article in Bloomberg Law (subscription required) titled “Small and Mid-Sized Firms Can Effectively Deploy DEI Initiatives.” The article discusses diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the workplace, and how a focus on DEI can advance the career goals for attorneys and associates in small and mid-sized law firms. Adrienne and Kat explain how right-sizing the approach and gaining buy-in from attorneys at all levels of seniority can help produce strong cultural fits and longevity across the firm. According to the US Census County Business Patterns Report, there are more than 80 times the number of small and midsized law firms than big law firms, and these smaller firms are where many diverse attorneys work. Adrienne and Kat advise how to support these smaller firms with diversity committees, transparent communication, and clear value alignment that centers DEI. “Running a rich and successful program requires buy-in from attorneys at all levels of seniority. When a firm can capture this buy-in, small and midsize firms can effectively deploy DEI initiatives and may even be better suited than big firms to advance such efforts. To help orient the firm’s initiatives, it’s recommended to institute a diversity committee—regardless of size—that is open to all,” they note.  https://lnkd.in/ePMJz84C #OlshanLaw #BloombergLaw #DEI

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Today the California Supreme Court overruled prior precedent on arbitration waiver. This ruling has significant implications for practitioners.   Renouncing the St. Agnes multi-factor test for arbitration waiver, which included a prejudice component, the Supreme Court in Quach v. Commerce Club, Inc., S275121, held that the loss of the right to arbitrate must be determined by application of generally applicable contract defenses. In so holding, the Court noted such defenses may include forfeiture, estoppel, laches, or timeliness, in addition to waiver, and that the St. Agnes waiver test had improperly included concepts from several distinct defenses.   Going forward, “a court should be careful to consider only those factors that are relevant to the specific state-law defense the party resisting arbitration has raised.” The Court determined that because Quach had raised the defense of waiver, it need only analyze whether the traditional test for contractual waiver was met. Practitioners resisting a motion to compel arbitration should now be careful to choose the correct contract defense because they will be held to the specific defense asserted. Practitioners compelling arbitration can no longer rely on a lack of prejudice to the other side and should move to compel at the earliest opportunity. The full opinion can be found here: https://lnkd.in/g6WMDEDh

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Attorneys responding to Bloomberg Law's recent Workload & Hours Survey reported taking nine days off, on average, during the second half of 2023, but over three-quarters of respondents said that they actually worked on about half (or more) of their days off. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #wellnessintheworkplace #wellnessatwork #legalindustry #legalpractice #lawcareers #legalcareers #legalprofession

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On August 24, 2023, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued its decision in the Kirschner v. JPMorgan litigation saga and on February 20, 2024, the US Supreme Court denied the Kirschner petition for a writ of certiorari. This signaled the presumptive end for the “loans as securities” argument that Kirschner, a bankruptcy trustee in connection with Millennium Health, had pursued in various courts for nearly seven years.   Loan market participants are now able to breathe a sigh of relief and continue with business as usual, taking comfort that "term loan Bs" are not to be treated as securities, as had been the judicially endorsed market view for decades. Scott M. Zemser, Arthur Rublin and Ben C. discuss the background the litigation—in particular the Second Circuit court’s August 2023 decision, in their recent article published by Legal 500. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gsYKetfD #securities #finance #litigation

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“As legal writers, we have a lot to think about: What can large language models do for us, what writing-related risks do they introduce and how can we minimize those risks?” In this month’s Legal Writer column, University of Oregon School of Law professor Rebekah Hanley weighs the risks and benefits of using generative AI in your practice – and gives practical advice on how to use it effectively. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gEfhhxZA

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#ICYMI: "Times Up? Not So Fast: Supreme Court Rules Damages Are Not Limited to Three Year Look Back Where Copyright Act Claim is Timely under “Discovery Rule” NEW #GenovaBurns Complex Commercial Litigation blog authored by Partner Lawrence Bluestone, Esq. and Gina Maturi, J.D. (pending admission). #CopyrightLaw #IntellectualProperty #CopyrightInfringement #NowYouKnow #ComplexCommercialLitigation https://lnkd.in/g9CBPpxd

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From Inspiration to Advocacy: My passion for law was sparked early, but it’s my drive to create real change that led me to specialize in securities and antitrust law. At Grabar Law Office, we are dedicated to fighting corporate injustices and protecting your rights. We tackle complex cases involving securities fraud, antitrust violations, and more—ensuring that businesses and individuals get the representation they deserve. Interested in how our expertise can make a difference for you?Learn more about the work we do at Grabar Law Office and how we can advocate for your rights. Visit www.grabarlaw.com or contact us to discuss your case. Joshua H. Grabar, Esq. Grabar Law Office One Liberty Place, 1650 Market Street, Suite 3600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Tel: 267-507-6085 Email: [email protected] #SecuritiesLaw #AntitrustLaw #classaction #PersonalInjury #grabarlawoffice #BusinessLaw #CorporateAccountability #corporategovernance #shareholder #shareholderrights #shareholderderivative

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To read Ben’s note, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gT4F9XPV "I chose to write about this topic to help litigators understand how courts are interpreting the jurisdictional and procedural rules affecting the ability to remove civil actions to federal court."

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Andrew Maloney reports: Kirkland & Ellis has again reached the 200 mark in its latest round of partner promotions, though the total is slightly less than last year's size, making it the first time the class has decreased year-over-year in at least the last eight years. The highest-grossing firm in the world announced Tuesday that it was promoting exactly 200 attorneys to partner, effective Tuesday. That's down slightly from last year's total of 205, representing about a 2.4% drop. Kirkland announced 193 partners in 2022, 151 new partners in 2021, 145 in 2020, 141 in 2019, 122 in 2018, 97 in 2017 and 81 in 2016. For the new partner class this year, New York and California are the top locations, even with Kirkland having Chicago roots. (The firm continues to be the largest law firm in New York by attorney head count.) The firm announced 44 partners in New York, 38 in California (Los Angeles and the Bay Area), 34 in Texas, 26 in Chicago and 25 in London, among other locations. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/gKTpapmH

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Want to sound erudite? Begin your next memo or brief with: "The Federal Circuit’s decision that the PTO is not subject to notice-and-comment requirements when issuing rules pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 2(b)(2) conflicts with this Court’s interpretive precedents applying the anti-superfluity cannon." What's this really about? Whether you have to tell the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) your home address if you apply for a trademark as an individual and your physical office address as a business. I have bumped into this issue directly in the past year. Even if the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, I expect there is a low likelihood that the PTO will change its requirements even if it is required to take notice and comment before the rulemaking because the PTO need only show that its rule is not arbitrary and capricious. The PTO will argue that checking domicile helps prevent fraud and that's a good enough (non-arbitrary and non-capricious) reason. So what's the solution for those who want to protect their physical address from the PTO? A giant trademark owning entity that licenses the trademarks out to the "real" trademark owners. It will be just like MERS for mortgages. You read it here first....

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💪 Pumped for our Anh Nguyen to present our acclaimed "State Trial Court Research + Analytics - Tips & Best Practices!" #Webinar to the San Francisco Law Library, next week, on May 16! Come join us!! ­ This Zoom session will cover the following: 🚀 Judges - How to research (and pull #analytics) on state trial court judges. 🚀 Opposing Counsel - How to research your opposing counsels' other state trial court cases. 🚀 Brief Bank - How to use 200M filed trial court docs (via Trellis Law) as a giant "brief bank." 🚀 Alerts - How to set alerts on clients, attorneys, cases, etc. 1 hour of FREE Participatory California #MCLE credit. Advanced registration required. Hope to catch you there! ✅ Save your spot today: https://lnkd.in/gkZsjhZZ cc. Aaron P. Diane Rodriguez Courtney Nguyen Andrea Woods Richard Schulke #LegalTech #Education #TrellisLaw #SanFranciscoLawLibrary

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Yesterday, the American Bar Association (ABA) took a significant step forward in addressing the role of artificial intelligence in the legal profession. On July 29, 2024, the ABA released Formal Opinion 512, providing thoughtful and comprehensive ethics guidance on the use of “Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools” in legal practice. This important opinion represents a pivotal moment in the U.S. legal landscape, signaling a growing recognition of generative AI as a valuable and beneficial technology for the practice of law. A Shift in Perspective The ABA’s new guidance marks an important shift in how the legal profession views generative AI. While not explicitly mandating its use, the opinion certainly suggests that understanding and potentially utilizing generative AI tools is becoming increasingly important for competent legal practice. This perspective aligns with the evolving nature of legal technology competence, drawing parallels to how use of email, computerized legal research, and eDiscovery have become standard skills in the lawyer’s arsenal of tool use. Recognizing the Benefits Formal Opinion 512 acknowledges the potential of generative AI to enhance both the efficiency and quality of legal services. By highlighting these benefits, the ABA is effectively encouraging lawyers to explore and consider how these tools might improve their practice and better serve their clients. This recognition is a clear indication that the legal profession is moving towards embracing innovative technologies rather than viewing them primarily with skepticism. Balancing Innovation and Ethics While the opinion is forward-thinking in its approach to generative AI, it appropriately emphasizes the importance of responsible use. The guidance carefully outlines how existing ethical rules apply to this new technology, ensuring that the core values of the legal profession are maintained even as new tools are adopted. This balanced approach demonstrates the ABA’s commitment to fostering innovation while upholding the highest standards of professional conduct. I outline some of the specific ethical considerations, and put this in a broader context, in my blog post on this new Opinion, here: https://lnkd.in/g8GWaFKK

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Professor Camesha Little, B.S.W., J.D. paper, "Think, Reflect, Refine: Shaping the Modern Law Student," will be published in a forthcoming issue of the University of the District of Columbia Law Review. This Article critically examines the limitations of current pedagogical practices, particularly the persistent reliance on traditional methodologies such as the case method, which can engender a hostile and exclusionary learning environment—especially for students from historically underrepresented identities. The Article advocates for the integration of reflective thinking and writing as pedagogical strategies to assist law students in navigating complex emotional landscapes, enhancing critical reasoning skills, and fostering professional growth. By embedding these reflective practices within doctrinal courses, the Article advances how imperative reflective thinking and writing practices are to creating a more inclusive, empathetic, and supportive academic environment, thus preparing students to emerge as competent, emotionally intelligent legal professionals capable of thriving in the modern era.

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🌟 The Pantheon Legal Group: Inspired by Justice Across Cultures 🌟 Our name, Pantheon, stems from the ancient Greek word for "many gods," reflecting the diverse global traditions of law, order, and justice. ⚖️ 🔎 Logo Highlights: [] Scales of Justice: Representing Lady Justice (Justitia/Themis), symbol of fairness and wisdom. [] Feather: A nod to Ma’at, the Egyptian goddess of truth and balance. [] Norse Rune: Honoring Forseti, Norse god of justice. [] Babylonian Sigil: Symbolizing Marduk, Mesopotamian god of law. At Pantheon Legal Group, we channel the spirit of justice from every culture to deliver exceptional representation for our clients. 💼✨ #JusticeForAll #PantheonLegal #GlobalTraditions #LegalExcellence

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