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K&L Gates, Bell Boyd Consider Merger

The American Lawyer

K&L Gates and Chicago's Bell, Boyd & Lloyd announced Thursday they are discussing a possible merger. The merger -- if approved, it's expected to occur in the first three months of 2009 -- would create a 2,000-lawyer firm with 30 offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Reed Smith Lays Off 115 Staff in United States

The Legal Intelligencer

Layoffs announced Wednesday by Reed Smith, including 115 U.S. staff positions and an anticipated 11 U.K. associates, look to be the largest one-time cut of staff of any firm nationally. Global managing partner Gregory B. Jordan said he expects it will be the last round of organized cuts.

Annual Survey Shows Law Firm Leaders Wary but Confident

The American Lawyer

What will next year look like at the biggest law firms? For the first time since The American Lawyer began surveying firm leaders in 2003, their answer is: We're not sure. More than half the respondents reported feeling uncertain about the year ahead, up from a quarter a year ago.

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LEGAL BLOG NEWS

Callous Lawsuit of the Day

Here is a lawsuit sure to tug at the heartstrings of even the most callous among us, writes Robert Ambrogi. In the latest of its battery of lawsuits targeting illegal music downloads, the RIAA has won a default judgment against a young Pittsburgh woman who is disabled and in need of a transplant. The RIAA claims she downloaded 10 songs.

-Legal Blog Watch

In Patent Fights, It's Good to Be the King

A plucky Berkeley, Calif., solo who's been trying to convince at least one court that it isn't fair that the state of California can sue for patent infringement, but not be sued for the same, may be at the end of the road.

-Legal Pad

Harriet Miers Named in New York Times Editorial

Ensconced as a partner back at her old firm, now called Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell, former White House counsel Harriet Miers couldn't have welcomed Wednesday's New York Times editorial calling for her to testify in the U.S. Attorneys scandal.

-Tex Parte

FEATURES

Law Firms Consider Overhaul of Associate Bonus Structures

The Legal Intelligencer

A shift may be coming in the way associate bonuses are structured as firms use the downturn as a reason to overhaul associate compensation packages. Leaders at several firms say that models for next year may be more closely examined, and some predict lower bonuses for this year.

Will Clients Go for Your E-Billing Fix?

Legal Tech Newsletter

To avoid electronic billing woes that can plague law firms, Choate Hall & Stewart sought a system that would automate bill creation, upload bills to clients' e-billing apps and allow invoice tracking. The firm chose software as a service eBillingHub -- with interesting results.

Prudent Practices in a Bad Economy

Texas Lawyer

While it is impossible to predict what regulatory fruit the economic crisis will bear, there are governance principles that corporate boards should apply as prudent practices even before a new administration moves to Washington, say attorneys David Gail, Mary Korby and Michael Saslaw.

Updated Special Report: Crisis on Wall Street

Incisive Media

Fannie, Freddie, Lehman, AIG: As Wall Street's woes continue, Law.com presents ongoing coverage of the financial meltdown from across the globe, with updates on what it means for law firms and lawyers. See if your law firm is on The Layoff List.