David Lat

3 weeks ago | news.bloomberglaw.com | David Lat

On the surface, large law firms look stronger than they’ve ever been. The nation’s 100 largest firms collectively generated a record $158 billion in gross revenue last year. Kirkland & Ellis became the first law firm in history to break the $8 billion mark in revenue—and posted profits per equity partner of $9.25 million.

3 weeks ago | davidlat.substack.com | David Lat

This week’s Judicial Notice is sponsored byLexSelect helps lawyers work 12x faster by eliminating tedious, low-value tasks and freeing up time for high-value, billable work. It seamlessly extracts and cites text from any PDF—including transcripts, affidavits, contracts, and expert reports—cutting up to 50 hours of manual work per trial down to just 4. Save time, reduce errors, and stay focused on what matters: advocating your case and serving your clients.

3 weeks ago | breakingdefense.com | Carley Welch |David Lat |Elie Mystal

As her signature “Open DAGIR” initiative seeks to bring in smaller, innovative software firms, “we’ve got to be a lot more explicit” in contracting language to protect their intellectual property and data rights, said Chief Digital & AI Officer Radha Plumb. By   Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

4 weeks ago | davidlat.substack.com | David Lat

It isn’t easy being a criminal-defense attorney. Your clients are counting on you, often with their liberty on the line. You work your heart out for them. And in the end, at least once your client has been charged, the odds are high that they’ll end up convicted—whether through pleading guilty or losing at trial. In the federal system, fewer than one percent of defendants get acquitted.

1 month ago | davidlat.substack.com | David Lat

The prospect of massive new tariffs is sending shock waves through the global economy. Financial markets are gyrating wildly. The legal profession is under attack, with Biglaw as a top target. Lawyers and judges have an important role to play in standing up for the rule of law. Our efforts are especially useful when they’re focused on our own workplaces and communities, where we have the greatest ability to make a difference.