Law firms reined in their summer associate hiring this year, with a nearly 2% decline in offers extended to second-year law students hoping to land a temporary job this summer, data from National Association for Law Placement showed. This year's tepid hiring is a red flag for the law school class of 2024, which is 12% larger than the class from which 2022's summer associate cohort was hired. Read more.
The hiring retreat comes amid a broader slowdown for many law firms as demand has decreased for transactional practices. A handful of firms have laid off lawyers since the fall, and early signs show law firm profits were down last year from historic highs.
Law firm news …
Keker, Van Nest & Peters named Laurie Carr Mims managing partner. Jenner & Block named Lindsay Harrington managing partner of its D.C. office. She is the first woman to hold the role. Foley & Lardner appointed Kimberly Klinsport as managing partner of its Los Angeles office. Steptoe & Johnson said its revenue increased by 3% to $434.6 million in 2022. Quarles & Brady expanded to Colorado, combining with a small Denver IP firm. Baker Botts elected 12 new partners.
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A Colombian court hosted its first legal trial in the metaverse. Also, a former Napoli Shkolnik lawyer sued the firm for racial discrimination and said it had filed a lawsuit falsely accusing her of "quiet quitting" in retaliation for her asserting bias claims. A Texas judge threw out disciplinary charges filed last year against pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell. And the bar exam pass rate dropped for first-time takers in 2022.
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