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Trump’s attacks on some of America’s most famous law firms has set in motion a chain of events that has thrown the world of BigLaw into chaos.

In episode three of The Lawyer Podcast's mini-series on Trump v BigLaw, Christian, Catrin and Richard assess what the crisis means for the junior members of the legal profession. The team speaks with Rachel Cohen, whose resignation on a point of principle from Skadden and subsequent advocacy has made her something of a leader among the associate community, as well as Georgetown student Caleb Frye, who gives the lowdown of the state of play on campus.

And they discuss what comes next and whether the saga has changed BigLaw forever…

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Trump’s attacks on some of America’s most famous law firms has set in motion a chain of events that has thrown the world of BigLaw into chaos.

On this second episode of our podcast mini-series, Catrin, Christian and Richard look at how firm managements are responding to Trump’s targeting.

The team speaks to former Ashurst senior partner Charlie Geffen and former Weight Watchers and Kenneth Cole General Counsel Michael Colosi for their views.

They also debate whether law firms like A&O Shearman and Paul Weiss were right to enter into deals with the administration, how other firms were ready to poach their lawyers, what it says about the state of the profession, and the response of UK firms in the US.

In our final episode later this week, The Lawyer Podcast explores the response of junior and future lawyers.

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Trump’s attacks on some of America’s most famous law firms has set in motion a chain of events that has thrown the world of BigLaw into chaos.

Across the course of three episodes, The Lawyer Podcast will be talking to figures across the political and legal spectrum on both sides of the Atlantic, from Trump supporters to liberal academics, senior partners to students, associates to judges, to understand the crisis facing BigLaw… and what comes next.

In this first episode, we will take a look at what is behind the moves, and why so many people have a problem with them.

The Lawyer Podcast team speak to former UK Supreme Court Justice Lord Sumption, Harvard law professor Jody Freeman, senior legal fellow at the Trump-sympathetic Heritage Foundation GianCarlo Canaparo, and Professor John Greil, a clinical professor of law in the Law and Religion Clinic at the University of Texas.

In our second episode, released early next week, we will dive into the view from partners and clients, before finishing the series by looking towards the next generation of lawyers, and what long-term effects the crisis might have.

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Law firm listings are out of fashion, but private equity interest in firms has never been higher. 

With more deals already struck this year, The Lawyer Podcast crew sets out the state of PE investment in firms, debates the benefits and challenges of PE involvement, explores the experience of DWF, and ponders what the future will bring.

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Dynamic. Modern. Exciting. From Revolut to Bloom & Wild, Darktrace to Fever, startups are increasingly the place to be in the UK - and that is the case for lawyers too.

So as the potential avenues for a career in law grow and grow, Catrin Griffiths and Christian Smith are joined on The Lawyer Podcast by Tech Editor Lucie Cruz – and some special guests –  to discuss what it takes to be a lawyer at a startup.

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Poland’s GDP per capita could surpass Japan’s next year and may exceed the UK’s by the end of the decade.

Such statistics help explain why the Eastern European nation is seeing an influx of international business - and legal work.

Addleshaw Goddard is to take over Linklaters’ office in Warsaw in April, Clyde & Co is keenly poaching from Dentons, while Wolf Theiss and Schoenherr are also on the hunt for talent.

So what is driving this change, why does Addleshaws want in while Linklaters wants out, and what could that signal for the rest of the magic circle?

Check out the new episode of The Lawyer Podcast with Catrin, Christian, Alex and Michal to find out.

You can read more about the Central and Eastern European legal market in The Lawyer’s new Central and Eastern Europe: Opportunities and challenges for growth report here.

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£20m is a number most recently associated with top private equity partners, but that’s the amount a team from Willkie Farr & Gallagher has been paid for its work on the iconic Merricks v Mastercard litigation.

Now as the case wraps up, Catrin and Christian are joined by deputy litigation editor Annabel Tinson to discuss the story behind the case and its controversial settlement, and ask: what will its legacy be?

Is the class action regime working fairly, or are the critics right and it’s just a scheme to enrich the lawyers and litigation funders? And who will make the Netflix series?

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As Donald Trump and his allies put corporate ESG on both sides of the Atlantic in their crosshairs, is now the time for law firms to stand up and prove that their sustainability programmes are not just all for lip service?

To mark the launch of The Lawyer’s Sustainability Hub, the podcast team discuss the future of law firm sustainability, which firms need to up their game, why the Slaughters’ partner dining room is progressive, and why Linklaters (or “Stinklaters”) actually deserves credit for what it is doing on the environment.

The Sustainability hub is here to help you discover how your law firm is reducing its impact, benchmark one firm’s progress against its peers, uncover what more is needed to drive meaningful change across the industry, and much more.

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Losing more than a dozen partners in a year isn’t good for any firm, but it’s particularly bad if you are a top of the market type practice like Latham & Watkins.

But after such a stumble in London and across Europe last year, which saw the firm recalibrate its partner remuneration and bonus structure to hold on to top talent, the time has come to ask: should Lathamites be worried, or is a little turbulence all part of life for a global elite firm?

Join Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith, Matt Byrne and Rachel Moloney as they discuss Latham’s place in the emerging global elite market.

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The Lawyer Podcast is back with for 2025!

Every January for the past 15 years, The Lawyer has published its Top 20 Cases to look out for in the coming year. Each year’s list boasts of the skill and depth of the legal market, and the high drama of the English courts.

So what makes this year different, and what can it tell us about the current state of law, business and politics? Well to kick off the New Year, Catrin and Christian are joined by senior litigation reporter Annabel Tinson to discuss the lessons from this year’s top cases.