LJN Newsletters

Automate Onboarding & Offboarding Processes for Smoother Transitions Questions about the role of AI in the legal market continue to dominate current headlines, but firm consolidation remains a big part of the transformation the industry is undergoing. And yes, technology and automation are playing key parts in this. As firms merge or acquire others to expand their capabilities and client base, a streamlined approach to attorney onboarding and offboarding has become essential.

Firms promote associates to partner and then expect them to "act" like a partner. Acting like a partner is an unclear declaration and can cover a wide range of expectations. One of the most important expectations for these newly minted partners is for them to have an ownership mindset. The mindset of a business owner is not something that comes naturally, nor is it in any way developed through the associate years.

In the past year, following the Crypto Winter, there has been an explosion of activity by United States regulators and enforcers. Crypto companies, for their part, have complained that it is not clear what digital assets, if any, are securities, and that they have not been given clear regulatory rules of the road.

Several big law firms have plans to shrink their Washington, DC, offices soon, continuing the legal industry trend of smaller and more efficient offices in the wake of the pandemic and hybrid work arrangements.

In recent years, as extensive pre-bankruptcy planning has evolved, bankruptcy filings frequently involve affiliates of larger companies, engineered with a structuring of liabilities in mind. The question of whether these targeted filings are for a legitimate bankruptcy purpose or should be dismissed has been the subject of significant high-profile litigation.

Despite great strides toward better-for-the-world operating procedures, companies might be surprised to learn that they're likely overlooking one area of their business that heavily contributes to its overall carbon footprint — data storage. That's right: storing your company's data generates emissions. And with the continuous increase in data volumes, the impact will likely only grow.

For those using Microsoft 365, AI tools are rapidly becoming a reality, as Microsoft has introduced and announced several applications with AI-driven components, including Microsoft Viva, Microsoft Teams Premium, and Microsoft Copilot.

By enabling defendants to shield themselves from mass tort liability, the "Texas Two-Step" is a new obstacle for plaintiffs pursuing mass tort cases against manufacturers of dangerous products.