Morgan & Morgan’s $1B AI Bet, BigLaw Pay Growth & Litigation Funding Push
Morgan & Morgan, P.A. has been using its proprietary AI platform, MX2, for several years and plans to invest at least $1 billion in AI and technology over the next decade. Used by roughly 5,000 monthly users, MX2 supports litigation tasks including trial preparation, document generation, medical record analysis and case research.
The firm says its litigation-focused approach and extensive AI training for attorneys and staff help improve efficiency while reducing errors. The firm believes its litigation expertise gives MX2 a distinct advantage over AI tools primarily designed for contracts and prelitigation work. Morgan & Morgan, P.A. also plans to make MX2 available to other law firms on an invite-only basis by the end of 2027.
MARKET MOVEMENTS
The former deputy director of litigation for the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, David Dahlquist, has returned to Winston Taylor Benelux
Anna Dodson, an attorney who built her debt finance practice for more than 26 years at Goodwin has recently joined Foley Hoag LLP's Boston office
Two former partners at Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Levin Law, P.A., Mike Burshteyn and Jacob Polin, have launched a new boutique focusing on artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and cybersecurity in the San Francisco Bay area
K&L Gates announced Monday that it recently added six attorneys from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to bolster its corporate, intellectual property, litigation, and labor and employment practices: Theresa Lee, Jenny Liu, Zandir Morton, David Tsai, Julie Par, and Frank Xue
FIRM SPOTLIGHT - BOIES SCHILLER FLEXNER LLP
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, founded in 1997, is a prominent litigation-focused law firm with offices across the U.S., U.K., and Italy. Known for handling high-stakes, complex matters for major clients, its practice spans areas including antitrust, appellate, commercial, cybersecurity, intellectual property, securities, sports law, and white-collar defense. The firm has also handled major Supreme Court cases and is recognized for its deep bench of appellate and Supreme Court clerks. Founded by David Boies after his departure from Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, the firm has maintained a nontraditional approach to its workplace and compensation structure, including open-office environments and performance-based bonuses tied to factors such as billable hours, business generation, and contingency work.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
A new Association of Corporate Counsel survey found that median base salaries for general counsel and chief legal officers at larger companies are 90% higher than at smaller organizations. Division and subsidiary GCs also saw base salary rise 22% and total cash compensation increase 20% since 2023, while legal operations director pay remained largely flat.
Accelerated BigLaw recruiting timelines may be putting first-generation law students at a disadvantage. Only 42.6% of first-generation graduates knew about the earlier timelines before starting law school, compared with 47.5% of continuing-generation students, while nearly 16% of first-gen students did not learn about them until an October 2025 survey. The stakes are high, with firms making offers to 97% of summer associates.
Saul Ewing LLP has opened a five-lawyer office in Atlanta, its 19th office nationwide. The firm now has more than 450 attorneys and cited over $500 million in transactions completed with Georgia-based Nysa Capital over the past 13 years as evidence of existing client demand in the market.
Companies Push for Litigation Funding Disclosure
More than 200 major companies, including Johnson & Johnson, 3M and Uber, are urging U.S. courts to require disclosure of third-party litigation funding in federal cases. The companies argue that revealing funders and funding agreements would improve transparency and help courts manage potential financial conflicts. The push comes ahead of an October meeting of the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules, which has been studying litigation funding since 2024. The companies also argue that inconsistent disclosure requirements across courts create confusion and encourage forum shopping.
AI Use Hits 96% Among Summer Associates
A new Law360 Pulse survey of 486 summer associates found that AI use and compensation have reached new highs in BigLaw summer programs. Ninety-six percent of respondents used AI during their summer program, up from 80% last year, while 87% said their firms encouraged its use. At the same time, typical summer associate pay rose to $42,000, with top stipends exceeding $57,000. Most respondents viewed AI positively or with mixed feelings, and 90% said their summer experience reinforced their interest in private practice. Legal research and analysis was the most common use of AI, with 97% of AI users applying it for that purpose.
