Posts from ‘February, 2009’

What should you do when confronted with possible disclosure of confidential metadata? Conversely, what should you do if you learn that confidential metadata has been disclosed? Browning Marean, a partner at DLA Piper, delves into recent e-discovery cases that may offer insight.

The D.C. Circuit’s ruling in is a cautionary tale for e-discovery counsel that highlights the importance of understanding the issues and the potential scope of EDD before entering into any type of agreement governing the future conduct of discovery in the case.

Hammonds is set to cut about 10 percent of its partnership, making it the latest top 50 U.K. law firm to react to the current economic conditions. The firm is in the process of cutting up to 20 partners from its fixed share and equity ranks. A handful of partners will also be affected by a de-equitization program being rolled out at the same time in an attempt to deal with underperformance, especially at the top of the partnership.

Australia’s Slater & Gordon, the world’s first publicly traded law firm, has reported a 22.4 percent increase in net profit for the six months leading up to Dec. 31. The 160-lawyer firm reported profits of $8.46 million, up from $6.9 million for the previous six-month period. S&G’s revenue increased 35 percent to $50.5 million over the same time frame. The firm is reported to be looking at acquisition opportunities and expects earnings to rise into the second half of 2009.

In the constant competition for new clients, small plaintiffs firms are relying on pay-per-click marketing campaigns to increase their odds. Business models vary, with some firms using pay-per-click ads regularly, and other firms preferring more traditional marketing methods. What’s more, there’s disagreement over the effectiveness of pay-per-click campaigns. Some plaintiffs lawyers say they help boost targeted traffic to firm Web sites, but many say that pay-per-click can be time-consuming and expensive.

Author Anne Lamott says,”‘No’ is a complete sentence.” When you’re a junior associate facing a demanding partner at a law firm, though, saying it seems more like the path to a death sentence. How can you “be a team player,” yet protect your vital interests in your own health and well-being? Do you dare say “no” during an economic recession, when you see other lawyers getting laid off? Consultant Debra L. Bruce provides five strategies for taking care of your needs while still taking care of business.

The prospects have improved for a small increase in federal judges’ paychecks — but maybe only for the near term. House members voted this week on a $410 billion spending plan that includes a cost-of-living adjustment for the federal judiciary for the 2009 calendar year. According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the proposal would give judges a 2.8 percent increase retroactive to January. But judges probably shouldn’t expect much next year, if another House vote is any indication.

Lowenstein Sandler laid off about 8 percent of its attorneys on Thursday. The Roseland, N.J.-based law firm let go of 21 lawyers and 32 staff employees and reduced its incoming associate class size by three spots. Managing partner Gary M. Wingens said that in addition to a slowdown in clients’ business activity, the firm has seen attrition slow “dramatically.” A firm spokesman said the cuts were spread across various practice areas and affected offices in New Jersey and New York.

A fight, now unfolding before the EEOC, offers a rare look at the tensions that can arise in a legal department around race and gender and the way that a department responds. One of Yahoo’s lawyers — a black woman named Eulonda Skyles — claims her bosses discriminated against her after she came back from a 2005 maternity leave. Although an internal investigation found the charges “meritless,” Yahoo subsequently made changes to its legal department that appear to address some of the issues raised by Skyles.