DLA Piper Votes to Dissolve Verein
DLA Piper announced it will dissolve its Swiss verein structure and replace it with a single global limited‑liability partnership that sits above the existing US and International LLPs. The new entity will be led by Frank Ryan as global chair and co‑CEO alongside Charles Severs as co‑CEO, with a broader leadership team to drive unified strategy. The firm, now 4,800 lawyers across 80 offices and $4.6 bn in revenue, says the change will boost its ability to take on complex work, attract top talent and invest in technology. The restructuring takes effect on May 1 2026 and is designed to be seamless for clients.
Gibson Dunn Hits Sullivan & Cromwell for Four-Partner Appellate Litigation Team Led by Jeffrey Wall
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired a four‑partner appellate litigation team from Sullivan & Cromwell, led by former acting solicitor general Jeffrey Wall. The group—Wall, Morgan Ratner, Judson Littleton and Yaira Dubin—has argued more than 45 U.S. Supreme Court cases...
Monckton Chambers Adds Honorary Silk From Italian Firm LMS in London
Professor Renato Nazzini KC (Hon), a dual‑qualified solicitor and Italian advocate, will join Monckton Chambers at the end of April after a 14‑year tenure at LMS. Nazzini brings extensive antitrust, arbitration and international dispute‑resolution experience across sectors such as construction,...
Addleshaw Goddard Makes up 17 Partners
Addleshaw Goddard announced the promotion of 17 lawyers to partner, a modest rise from 15 last year. The cohort spans the UK, Europe and the Middle East, with only three women among the new partners. The firm now employs over 3,200...
US General Counsel Compensation Edges up as Gender Pay Gap Widens – Study
U.S. general counsel saw a 3.5% median salary rise in 2026, lifting average total compensation to $525,500. The gender pay gap widened, with male GCs earning $545,000 versus $500,000 for females—a 7.4% disparity. Top‑quartile GCs at large public firms command...
Littelfuse Hires Former Hilton GC as Next Chief Legal Officer
Littelfuse, the Chicago‑based maker of electrical‑safety components, has hired Anne‑Marie D’Angelo, former general counsel of Hilton, as chief legal officer effective May 1, replacing long‑time CLO Ryan Stafford. D’Angelo brings over 20 years of in‑house legal leadership across hospitality, brewing, utilities...
Legora Acquires Swedish AI Legal Research Start-Up Qura
Legora has completed the acquisition of Swedish AI legal‑research start‑up Qura, adding its 10‑person team and proprietary semantic search engine to Legora’s platform. The deal follows Legora’s recent $550 million Series D round that valued the company at $5.5 billion and its earlier...
Kirkland Recruits Wachtell’s Restructuring and Finance Head in New York
Kirkland & Ellis has recruited Joshua Feltman, the former head of finance and restructuring at Wachtell Lipton, as a debt‑finance partner in New York, offering a guaranteed $80 million compensation package over three years. Feltman, a Wachtell veteran who led major...
Earth Day 2026: IBA Legal Guide Series Highlights Commercial Impact of Nature-Related Risks
The International Bar Association has introduced the Nature‑Intelligent Legal Services series, a three‑part guide aimed at helping lawyers assess and embed nature‑related risks and opportunities into client advice. The toolkit, developed with the IBA’s Environment, Health and Safety Law Committee...
Osborne Clarke Announces Leaner UK Partner Promotions Round
Osborne Clarke has promoted six lawyers to partner in its latest UK round, maintaining a 50% gender balance. The promotion count fell from ten the previous year, reflecting a more selective approach. The new partners span disputes, corporate, banking, finance,...
Law Commission Considers Expansion of Class Action Regime in England and Wales to Consumer Claims
The Law Commission of England and Wales, backed by the Department for Business and Trade, has launched a project to explore a dedicated consumer class‑action regime. The review will assess extending class actions beyond the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s limited scope...
Weil Hits Latham, White & Case for Senior Antitrust Duo as German Buildout Continues
Weil has added two senior antitrust partners in Munich—Ingo Brinker from White & Case and Niklas Brueggemann from Latham & Watkins—bringing its German partner count to 13. The hires complement a broader German expansion that includes a new tax practice...
UK Banking Giant Barclays Appoints WilmerHale Finance Chair as Next Global GC
Barclays announced that WilmerHale partner Stephanie Avakian will become its global general counsel, succeeding Stephen Shapiro in July. Avakian, a former SEC enforcement director and chair of WilmerHale’s securities and financial services department, brings extensive regulatory and litigation experience. Shapiro,...
Garrigues Merges with BSVV to Strengthen Chile Presence
Spanish law firm Garrigues announced a merger with Chilean boutique Barros Silva Varela & Vigil (BSVV), creating a combined Chilean practice of 130 lawyers and 24 partners. The deal, pending partner approval, adds BSVV’s 11 partners and its 50‑lawyer, 21‑practice...
HSF Kramer Promotes 25 Partners in First Post-Merger Round
HSF Kramer announced the promotion of 25 lawyers to partner in its first round since the June merger that created the 2,700‑lawyer firm. The new partners span all regions, with London leading at seven promotions and notable additions in Sydney,...
US Jet-Maker, Undersea Robotics and Bitcoin Mining Innovators Appoint Legal Heads
US innovators Nauticus Robotics, Hermeus and Elektron Energy each named new top legal executives this week. Nauticus hired Michael Ferrier, formerly of Berry Corporation, as general counsel. Hermeus appointed Kim Nakamaru, previously GC at Relativity Space, to steer its aerospace legal...
Taylor Wessing’s UK and Benelux Arms Announce Partner Promotions Ahead of Winston & Strawn Merger
Taylor Wessing’s UK and Benelux practices have announced four partner promotions ahead of their merger with US firm Winston & Strawn. The promoted lawyers—based in London, Dubai and Eindhoven—will become partners in the new Winston Taylor entity that launches next month. The combined...
‘A Fancy Deck and a Round of Funding Doesn’t Make a Law Firm’
AI-native legaltech startups are drawing sizable venture capital by promising AI‑driven efficiency and lower costs for corporate legal departments. Norm Law, backed by more than $140 million from investors such as Blackstone and Bain Capital, employs 40 attorneys alongside engineers to...
‘We’re Massive Video Game Fans’: Technology Lawyer Trio Launch IP, AI Boutique in Washington DC
Technology lawyers Ross Dannenberg, Scott Kelly and Kirk Sigmon have launched KellDan Law, a Washington, D.C. boutique that concentrates on intellectual property, artificial intelligence and broader technology issues. The firm will advise on patent strategy, AI governance, licensing and emerging‑technology...
Vast Majority of US Class Action Cases Never Go to Trial – Lex Machina Report
Lex Machina’s 2026 Class Action Litigation Report shows that roughly 95% of U.S. class actions settle or end procedurally before reaching trial. Between 2023 and 2025, only 109 of 2,333 certified cases proceeded to trial, while 1,788 settled and 1,264 were...
City Solicitor Groups Announce Funding Support for LawCare in Three-Year Partnership
The City of London Law Society (CLLS) and the City of London Solicitors’ Company (CLSC) have forged a three‑year partnership with mental‑health charity LawCare, pledging a combined £45,000 (approximately $57,600) to bolster wellbeing initiatives. CLLS will contribute £10,000 ($12,800) annually...
Supply Chain Disputes Top List of Automotive Litigation Risks in 2026 – Study
A Dykema study finds 61% of automotive firms view supply‑chain disputes as the leading litigation risk for 2026, driven by tariff‑related pricing and cost‑recovery fights. Autonomous vehicle and ADAS product liability ranks second at 47%, while data‑privacy, cybersecurity and EV‑battery...
Fieldfisher Disputes Co-Head Elected President of London Solicitors Litigation Association
Fieldfisher’s co‑head of dispute resolution, John McElroy, has been elected president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association (LSLA) for a two‑year term, succeeding Nikki Edwards. The LSLA highlighted that AI adoption, sanctions regimes and a surge in civil‑fraud claims are reshaping litigation...
‘AI Is No Longer a Side Project’ - How European Firms Are Moving From AI Pilots to Full-Scale Adoption
European law firms are moving beyond generative‑AI pilots toward firm‑wide, repeatable deployments, according to a Global Legal Post report with LexisNexis. Senior partners are establishing governance, prompt libraries and AI agents to embed AI into document review, research and contract...
Swedish Home Appliance Giant Electrolux Taps SAS for Next General Counsel
Electrolux Group announced the appointment of Anna Almen as its new General Counsel, succeeding Ulrika Elfving. Almen joins from Scandinavian airline SAS, where she served as Chief Legal Officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience in complex, regulated, international...
Freshfields Makes up 47 in Bumper Partner Promotions Round
Freshfields announced a record‑size promotion round, elevating 47 lawyers to partnership – 22 more than the previous year. The global transactions practice accounted for 30 of the new partners, underscoring the firm’s deal‑making emphasis. Promotions spanned all five practice groups,...
‘The Real Challenge Is Managing Risk at the Speed of Innovation’: Expereo GC Sujata Kukreja
Expereo general counsel Sujata Kukreja describes a lean, T‑shaped legal team that manages enterprise risk across APAC, Europe and the Americas while embedding AI, ESG and revenue‑generation initiatives. She highlights AI adoption to automate 30% of routine tasks and a...
The Chancery Lane Project Launches Tech Platform to Support Climate-Aligned Legal Contracting
The Chancery Lane Project (TCLP) has launched TCLP Labs, an AI‑powered digital platform that equips lawyers with tools to draft and review climate‑aligned contracts. The suite includes a Science Based Targets Initiative tracker and a Claude‑based contract skill that flags...
Arbor Law Appoints First Managing Partner
Arbor Law, the London‑based boutique legal consultancy, has appointed Sahar Farooqi as its first managing partner. Farooqi, a former chief transformation officer and well‑known legal affairs commentator, will steer the firm’s growth strategy, client expansion, and operational scaling. The firm,...
Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader Partners Approve $3.6bn Transatlantic Merger
Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft have approved a $3.6 bn transatlantic merger that will launch on 1 July as Hogan Lovells Cadwalader. The combined firm will rank as the world’s fifth‑largest law firm by revenue, employing roughly 3,100 lawyers across the Americas,...
Selling Wellness in the UK Under the Advertising Standards Authority’s Rules
The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is tightening enforcement of wellness advertising, using an AI‑driven monitoring system that flagged 94 % of the ads it later amended or withdrew in 2024. Brands must substantiate every claim, avoid medicinal language for non‑MHRA‑registered...
IP Firm Becomes UK Top 10 Trademark Filer Before UKIPO with Boutique Acquisition
London‑based boutique IP firm Brandsmiths has bought the UK business of specialist practice Sipara, propelling it into the top ten UK trademark filers at the UK Intellectual Property Office. The deal adds Sipara’s directors Rebecca Kaye and Robert Furneaux, four...
Your Most Important Business Development Tool Is Right in Front of You
Law firms are recognizing their websites as the primary business‑development engine, not merely a marketing brochure. Vinson & Elkins recently relaunched its site through a cross‑functional effort, treating the redesign as a strategic infrastructure project. The firm benchmarked against technology and...
De Gaulle Fleurance Elevates Four Lawyers to Partner in Paris and Abu Dhabi
De Gaulle Fleurance announced the promotion of four lawyers to partner status across its Paris office and Abu Dhabi platform, bolstering capabilities in disputes, international arbitration, intellectual property, AI, and corporate finance. The new partners—Lionel Attal, Esperanza Barrón Baratech, Charlotte Hébert‑Salomon and Racha Wylde—bring deep sector experience...
Eversheds Sutherland’s International Arm Makes up 25 Partners
Eversheds Sutherland International promoted 25 lawyers to partner, with 16 based in the UK and a heavy emphasis on corporate finance and litigation. Women account for only 40% of the new partners, a drop from the previous four years when...
Barnes & Thornburg Secures Eight-Partner Insurance Recovery Team From Lowenstein
Barnes & Thornburg has recruited a 12‑lawyer team, including eight partners, from Lowenstein Sandler, bolstering its insurance recovery practice on the East Coast. The group will operate out of the firm’s New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta offices and is led...
The Language of Dupes: When Comparisons Become Deceptive
Dupe culture, propelled by Gen Z and Instagram, offers affordable look‑alikes that mimic luxury aesthetics, with platforms like Dupeshop using AI to match alternatives to buyer personality. The trend has moved beyond simple copycat products to a legal battleground where brands...
GCs Advised to Consider AI Insurance to Cover Against Rise in AI-Related Risks
General counsel are being urged to purchase dedicated AI insurance as AI‑related incidents surge. The AI Incident Database recorded a 47% year‑on‑year rise in harms by mid‑July, and Gartner’s survey shows 29% of firms suffered attacks on generative‑AI infrastructure. Traditional...
Hollywood Star Jude Law Hired by Legora to Front Its New Global Brand Campaign
Legal AI platform Legora has hired Hollywood star Jude Law to front a new global brand campaign titled “Law just got more attractive.” The multi‑channel rollout targets the UK, US and Nordics and follows a $550 million Series D round, the acquisition...
Biotech Company Prothena Promotes Deputy GC to Legal Head
Prothena, the Dublin‑based late‑stage biotech specializing in protein‑dysregulation neurodegenerative therapies, announced that deputy general counsel Michael Isaacs will assume the role of General Counsel in June, succeeding Michael Malecek. Isaacs, who joined the firm in 2020 and was promoted to...
‘A Natural Fit’: Perkins Coie, Ashurst Partners Greenlight $2.8bn Merger
Ashurst and Perkins Coie have formally approved a $2.8 bn merger that will create a top‑20 global law firm. The combined entity, Ashurst Perkins Coie, will bring together more than 3,000 lawyers across 50+ offices and focus on technology, energy, infrastructure...
High Court Q1 Claims Volume Hits Record Levels
Litigation activity in England's High Court surged in Q1, with 2,192 claims filed – the highest opening‑quarter total since before 2019. The Commercial Court drove much of the growth, posting a 71% year‑on‑year increase and a 44% rise from the...
America First Credit Union Hires First CLO From Global Credit Union
America First Credit Union announced the appointment of Jessica Graham as its first chief legal officer, a newly created role that consolidates legal, regulatory compliance, and risk management responsibilities. Graham arrives from Global Credit Union, where she served as chief...
Global Businesses Increasingly Concerned About Geopolitical Impact on Supply Chains – Study
A new Allianz Trade Global Survey shows 65% of exporters now rank geopolitics as their primary business risk, up from 54% a year earlier. Supply‑chain complexity costs have surged to $4.7 trillion, more than double the 2017 figure, driven largely by...
Charles Russell Speechlys Elevates Nine to Partnership in Latest Promotions Round
Charles Russell Speechlys promoted nine lawyers to partner in its 2026 promotion round, a modest decline from the twelve elevated last year. Women accounted for six of the new partners, maintaining a two‑thirds gender balance. The promotions span the UK,...
Fladgate Breaks £100m Revenue Barrier for First Time as Turnover Doubles in Five Years
Fladgate, a Top‑100 UK law firm, announced revenue of over £102 million (≈ $129 million) for FY 2025/26, a 16% increase and the first time it has breached the £100 million mark. Turnover has doubled from £51.7 million (≈ $65.7 million) in 2020/21, reflecting rapid growth in its...
The Da Vinci Dilemma: Where Do Elite Lawyers Add Value in an AI World?
The article argues that AI is accelerating the breakup of legal work into standardized, repeatable components, forcing elite law firms to rethink the partner role. Senior lawyers will add value primarily through judgment, risk‑bearing, and client assurance rather than billable...
Reed Smith Boosts Boston Office with Disputes Team Hire From K&L Gates
Reed Smith has bolstered its newly opened Boston office by hiring a disputes team from K&L Gates, including three partners—Jennifer Nagle, Robert Sparkes, and Kathleen Parker—and two associates, plus partner Loly Tor in Princeton. The hires raise the Boston attorney...
Singapore Fintech Finmo Hires Ex-PayPal, eBay Lawyer as First GC
Finmo, a Singapore‑based treasury‑management software provider, has hired Matt Poblocki as its inaugural general counsel to support regulatory expansion. Poblocki joins from Binance, where he led the Australia‑New Zealand business, and brings prior senior legal roles at PayPal, eBay, Carousell and...
Trio of Firms Guide Pershing Square’s €55bn Bid for Universal Music
Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital is pursuing a non‑binding €55 billion (~$60 billion) offer to acquire Universal Music, the world’s largest label. The bid, led by a trio of advisers—Sullivan & Cromwell, White & Case and Dutch firm Stibbe—will merge Universal with Pershing’s blank‑check vehicle...