Who Owns the AI Advantage? Plus: Big Law’s Latest Moves
The University of Chicago Law School is introducing a new AI policy that bans laptops, tablets, and phones in all first-year required courses to encourage deeper learning and critical thinking through distraction-free, device-free classrooms. While AI will be restricted for certain writing assignments, students will still be encouraged to use it as a tool for research, revision, and study, with greater integration in upper-level courses, clinics, and electives. The policy aims to balance the development of foundational legal reasoning with practical AI skills, reflecting the growing role of artificial intelligence in legal education and practice.
MARKET MOVEMENTS
Weil private equity partner, Robert Rizzo, heads to McDermott Will & Schulte to co-head PE practice
Paul Hastings kicks off new sports practice with Ravens general counsel, Brandon Etheridge
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP adds insurance trio, Dennis Manfredi, Joseph Cosentino, and Benjamin Kralstein, from Clifford Chance and Mayer Brown
Sidley Austin LLP hires Latham lawyer, Marissa Gluck, amid surge of finance practice laterals
FIRM SPOTLIGHT - WHITE & CASE LLP
White & Case LLP is a global law firm founded in New York in 1901 that has grown into one of the world's leading international legal practices, with 43 offices across 29 countries. Renowned for pioneering the international law firm model, the firm advises multinational corporations, financial institutions, governments, and startups on complex cross-border matters spanning M&A, finance, arbitration, restructuring, antitrust, and technology. Its global platform, broad industry expertise, and strong emphasis on innovation and international collaboration provide clients with seamless legal support across jurisdictions while offering lawyers opportunities to work on high-profile global matters.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Across the 18 U.S. markets examined, Am Law 200 external partner hiring outpaced internal partner promotions by 42% between 2024 and 2025 (hires: 4,961; promotions: 3,494). This imbalance shows that, collectively, firms are adding more partners through external recruitment than through internal promotion, indicating that Am Law 200 demand for partner‑level capacity is running ahead of what internal pipelines alone can supply.
Overall, this past week had at least seven announced M&A deals that were valued at more than $1 billion, including two mega deals valued at more than $5 billion. The market also saw at least six new IPOs and four debt offerings over $500 million in the past week, according to Law.com Radar.
Hundreds of law firms say they are increasingly losing clients and cite problems delivering their legal services as the top reason for the attrition, according to a report released Thursday. A survey of more than 800 law firm leaders across North America and the UK found that 95% reported rising client attrition, with the largest group, 33%, pointing the finger at service delivery issues, according to a report by legal business intelligence company BigHand.
According to the 2026 Report on the State of the U.S. Legal Market, published by the Thomson Reuters Institute and the Center on Ethics and the Legal Profession at Georgetown Law, the average firm posted 13% profit growth, demand reached its strongest level since the 2008 financial crisis and "worked rates" (the standard rates charged on hours worked, before write-downs and collection losses) grew a record 7.3%.
Who Gets Access to Big Law’s AI?
As law firms deepen partnerships with AI companies, they are taking different approaches to proprietary AI tools, some keeping them exclusive, while others are making them available to clients and startups. Firms like Cooley LLP and Debevoise & Plimpton have launched AI-powered platforms that help users analyze legal documents, streamline research, and access firm expertise, viewing these tools as a way to strengthen client relationships, scale legal services, and generate new revenue. Meanwhile, firms such as Kirkland & Ellis have opted for exclusivity, reflecting an ongoing debate over whether sharing AI capabilities enhances client value or risks reducing demand for traditional legal services.
Fourth Circuit Pushes Back on “Extreme” Sanction Against Big Law Partner
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturned a contempt order against Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP partner Pressly Millen, ruling that a temporary ban on his ability to practice law in the Western District of North Carolina was an “extreme” and punitive sanction rather than a remedial measure. The court found that opposing counsel failed to show Millen’s actions caused harm and determined the lower court had abused its discretion. While the appeals court left a separate $400,000 contempt sanction against Millen’s client, DMARC Advisor BV, in place for now, it upheld restrictions against the company in an ongoing intellectual property dispute with dmarcian, finding that foreign companies cannot use their overseas status to avoid U.S. trademark and trade secret laws when targeting American markets.
