Anthropic Names New GC as Big Law Pushes Deeper Into AI
Anthropic has appointed Elena Leichty as general counsel, succeeding Jeffrey Bleich, who will transition to international special envoy. Leichty joined Anthropic three years ago after five years as corporate legal counsel at Google and previously worked at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. The leadership change comes as Anthropic expands its government and legal-tech efforts, including hiring former California Supreme Court Justice Tino Cuéllar as chief global affairs officer and former Akiva AI CEO Robert Mahari as legal lead for its flagship software.
MARKET MOVEMENTS
White & Case LLP Adds Ex-Kirkland Real Estate, Mergers & Acquisitions Pro, Joseph Sultan In Miami
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has tapped a Goodwin Procter partner, William "Willy" Jay, with extensive appellate experience to lead itsU.S. Supreme Court practice
King & Spaldinghas deepened its construction and energy litigation offerings with a Dallas-based counsel from Reed Smith LLP, Eugenie Rogers
Jones Walker LLP announced Monday that it has brought on five attorneys from a shuttering boutique law firm to bolster its office in Lafayette, Louisiana,Thomas G. Smart and Steven C. Lanza, David M. Fink, Mark B. Oliver and Douglas W. Truxillo
FIRM SPOTLIGHT - MAYER BROWN LLP
Mayer Brown is a leading global law firm with more than 1,800 lawyers and a strong reputation in corporate, finance, appellate, and financial services work. Founded in Chicago in 1879 through an unlikely partnership between Levy Mayer and Adolf Kraus, the firm has grown into an international powerhouse. It is particularly recognized for its Supreme Court and appellate practice, as well as its work with major financial institutions. Beyond its legal expertise, Mayer Brown emphasizes professional development through individualized and group coaching focused on career growth, communication, mentorship, and work-life transitions.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Wells Fargo pointed out that lawyer compensation increased 8.9% in the first half of 2026 but slowed from the 10.5% growth experienced this time last year.
Fast fashion retailer SHEIN has tapped Big Law firms including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates and Latham & Watkins to advise on its IPO. SHEIN Global Holdings is seeking to raise up to HK$13.9 billion ($1.8 billion) in Hong Kong after regulatory scrutiny derailed earlier US and London listing attempts.
Probabilistic AI School (ProbAI) still hallucinates at rates as high as 69% to 88%. As a result, 39% of lawyers cite a lack of trust in AI results as a key barrier to adoption, while only 6% of clients say their vendors currently deliver AI-enabled quality.BigLaw firms saw “rare” demand growth and double-digit revenue gains in the first half of 2026, according to Citi. Demand rose 4.2%, well above the historical 1.5%–2% range, helping drive an 11.7% increase in revenue from the same period in 2025.
Newcode Raises Funding to Expand AI Legal Platform in U.S.
Newcode.ai, a Norway-based legal tech startup, is expanding in the U.S. after raising a Series A round, bringing its total 2026 funding to $20 million. Its AI-powered legal operating system helps law firms centralize workflows, manage legal intelligence and connect with other AI tools and data sources. The company serves more than 60 law firms and government agencies across Europe and the U.S., with revenue more than tripling over the past year. Newcode.ai plans to use the funding to expand its U.S. presence and invest in customer support, product development and go-to-market operations.
Legal Experts Stress Human Judgment in AI Adoption
Experts at ILTACON 2026 emphasized that while AI can improve legal work, lawyers must maintain human judgment and oversight. Panelists warned against “vibe lawyering,” where attorneys rely too heavily on AI to make legal decisions, and stressed the importance of reviewing AI-generated work for errors. They also highlighted the need for firms to strategically select and train employees on AI tools, measure ROI and experiment safely to understand their limitations.
