THE CHEETAH BRIEF – 27th Edition
In the past year, King & Spalding saw significant lateral movement, adding 59 partners across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East—mainly in litigation and corporate—while losing 71, many to rivals or high-profile government and in-house roles. Notable arrivals included former federal officials like Robert Hur and Judge Paul Watford, while prominent exits included Rod Rosenstein to Baker McKenzie, Randy Mastro to New York City’s mayor’s office, and Ethan Davis to Meta. They focused its recruiting on Washington, D.C., New York, and London, with departures concentrated in the same cities. These shifts highlight both the firm’s aggressive growth strategy and the competitive pressures of today’s lateral market.
MARKET MOVEMENTS
Greenberg Traurig boosts health care practice with partner hire, Amy W. Schrader
Amid real estate lateral spree, Morrison Cohen adds K&L Gates partner, Aaron Taishoff
Securities litigation attorney, Aric Wu, joins BakerHostetler New York from Cooley
Perkins Coie recruits California deputy solicitor general, Josh Patashnik, in San Diego
FIRM SPOTLIGHT - KING & SPALDING LLP
King & Spalding, founded in 1885 in Atlanta, has grown from its Southern roots into a global powerhouse with 24 offices across 10 countries. The firm built its reputation early through work with the railroad industry and long-standing relationships with clients like Coca-Cola, later expanding into New York, Washington, D.C., and Houston before continuing worldwide. Today, it operates across eight major practice groups, serving industries from energy and financial services to healthcare and technology. The firm is especially renowned for its international disputes, government investigations, and litigation practices, earning repeated recognition from Law360, Chambers, Vault, and Global Arbitration Review. Its transactional teams have managed billions in high-value deals, including finance, M&A, construction, and infrastructure projects. King & Spalding also emphasizes collaboration and culture, encouraging attorneys to build relationships across offices.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
The ABA has approved 14 law schools to admit up to 100% of students without an LSAT or other admissions test, marking a shift in legal education policy.
Worked rates increased 7.4% year over year in the second quarter and first-half billing rates increased 9.4% from 2024 to 2025, with the highest increase (10.4%) by quartile coming in the Am Law 1-50.
Law.com reported this month that hybrid work arrangements still dominate across the Am Law 200, and that remote-first policies can be found at just 0.6% of the firms responding to a Savillis study.
Even as general counsel become key strategic players in private equity-backed companies, most say they’re ready to leave. In fact, 60% of GCs at portfolio companies plan to seek new jobs this year, despite 58% saying they feel secure where they are.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Top Musk’s X Corp. Reaches Severance Settlement Firms Losing Potential Revenue to Billing and Collection Inefficiencies
Elon Musk’s X Corp. has reached a tentative settlement with former Twitter employees who claimed they were owed $500 million in severance after Musk’s 2022 takeover and mass layoffs. The deal, disclosed in a court filing, would resolve a California class action led by former executives Courtney McMillian and Ronald Cooper, who argued Twitter’s 2019 severance plan promised far more than the one month of pay most workers received. A federal judge dismissed the case in 2024, but the employees appealed to the 9th Circuit, which has now paused hearings while the settlement is finalized. Financial details were not revealed, and other severance-related lawsuits remain ongoing in Delaware and California.
Law Firms Navigate Profitability Metrics
Law firms are increasingly turning to profitability metrics to manage rising lawyer compensation costs, but implementing them remains challenging due to cultural concerns, differing approaches, and the risk of partner dissatisfaction. Consultants note that while profitability analysis can provide a clearer picture of a lawyer’s or practice’s true value, firms typically use it cautiously to avoid backlash. Miscommunication or abrupt changes can drive high-performing partners to leave, while firms that engage lawyers in the process see more success. Some, like Dickinson Wright, are refining their models to develop clearer benchmarks, though leaders caution against relying too heavily on a single measure. Many firms remain on a “profit journey,” experimenting with new systems to balance business efficiency with cultural stability.
