NEW YORK (August 9, 2010) – The National Law Journal’s Survey of Law Firm Economics, 2010 Edition reveals that, in an effort to lower costs, participating U.S. law firms cut staffing ratios for associates, paralegals and support staff to one of the lowest levels seen since the 1980’s. The average ratio of associates to partners decreased 8.2 percent, the average ratio of paralegals to all lawyers dropped 15.4 percent and the average ratio of support staff to all lawyers decreased 9.3 percent. The National Law Journal will publish a special section on the key results of the survey in its August 30 issue and on its website at www.nlj.com.

The survey, based on 2009 data, was conducted by ALM Legal Intelligence and reports on annual financial performance; compensation; billing rates and hours; and other data, related primarily to small and mid-sized law firms (2 – 150 lawyers.) 

Among the survey’s other findings:

• Revenue per lawyer decreased 0.2 percent from $413,086 to $412,220
• Expense per lawyer decreased 4.6 percent from $167,256 to $159,521
• Average billing rates for senior partners increased 3.2 percent from $346 to $357, while the average 5th year associate billing rate for increased 0.5 percent from $218 to $219
• Average billable hours for senior partners decreased 1.7 percent from 1,656 to 1,628, while average billable hours for 5th year Associates increased 0.6 percent from 1,801 to 1,811
• Median total compensation for senior partners decreased 1.7  percent from $328,260 to $322,813
• For the third year in a row, starting salaries for new graduates remained unchanged at $85,000

“This year’s Survey of Law Firm Economics shows just how deeply the recession has affected smaller and midsized law firms around the country. For the first time ever, we’re seeing year-over-year declines in revenue per lawyer, expenses per lawyer, and compensation for senior

partners,” said David Brown, editor in chief of The National Law Journal.

The National Law Journal’s Survey of Law Firm Economics is one of the most complete set of economic statistics and financial data available about the legal profession.  This year’s survey contains information from 10,913 lawyers including 3,712 associates, 6,236 partners/shareholders (equity and non-equity), 608 active counsels, and 357 staff lawyers working in 187 U.S. law firms.  In its 38th year, the survey is an invaluable benchmarking tool for managers of law firms.

Data is presented nationally, by firm size, by geographic location, by practice area specialty, by population area size, by year admitted to bar and by years of experience.  This year’s survey also includes gender analysis for rates, hours and compensation for the first time.

A companion study, the Small Law Firm Economic Survey, 2010 Edition, specifically for law firms with 20 or fewer lawyers, will be available this fall.  Additional information on both surveys can be obtained by contacting Kevin Iredell at (212) 457-9500/ kiredell@alm.com, or calling 1-(888) 770-5647.

ALM Legal Intelligence offers detailed business information for and about the legal industry, focused on the top U.S. and international law firms. The division’s online research Web service, www.almlegalintelligence.com, provides subscribers with direct, on-demand access to ALM LI’s extensive database of surveys, rankings and lists related to law firms and the legal industry.  ALM Legal Intelligence is a division of ALM.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com.

ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC or affiliated entities.

Contact:

Lee Feldman, Peters & Feldman for ALM

Phone: (203) 341-8922

E-mail: lfeldman@alm.com

NEW YORK (August 4, 2010) – ALM’s The American Lawyer and Law Technology News have been selected as winners in the 32nd Annual National Azbee “Awards of Excellence” competition, conducted by the American Society of Business Publication Editors. In addition, Corporate Counsel, Focus Europe, Law Technology News, The American Lawyer and The National Law Journal were selected as winners of multiple awards in the Azbee Northeast Regional competition.

The American Lawyer received a national silver award in the “Organization Profile” category for “Don’t Bet Against the House” (May 2009), by writer Andrew Longstreth, which analyzed the story behind the growing success of Boies, Schiller & Flexner, which has propelled the 12-year-old firm, led by David Boies, onto the Am Law 100 rankings of the largest law firms in the U.S.  The publication also won a national silver medal for its redesign under the leadership of art director Joan Ferrell.

Law Technology News won a national silver design medal in the “Tabloid Cover” category for its October 2009 issue, by art director Shane DeLeers.

Corporate Counsel won a regional silver medal in the “News Analysis/Investigative” category for “Was He Listening” (November, 2009) by Sue Reisinger.  Focus Europe won a regional bronze award in “Original Research” for “Playing 3-D Chess” (Summer, 2009.)

Law Technology News won four Northeast Regional awards for: “How To Article” for “First, Make A List” by John Roman Jr. (Gold); “Regular Contributed Column” for “Ball in your Court: What Lies Beneath? & All Wet” by Craig Ball (Gold); “Feature Series” for “Ball in Your Court: Hear That Rumble’ & Fields of Gold” by Craig Ball (Silver) and “Regular Department” for “Green Law”  (Silver.)

The American Lawyer was selected for three Northeast Regional awards for: “Individual Profile” for “The Crack-Up” by Alison Frankel (Gold); “Special Section” for “Dealmakers of the Year” (Bronze); and “Individual Profile” for “Showstopper” by Susan Beck (Bronze.)

The National Law Journal won a Northeast Regional gold medal in the “Special Section” category for its “NLJ 250” section and a Northeast Regional silver medal in the “Individual Profile” category for “Paul Clement Gets Real” by Tony Mauro. 

Founded in 1964, the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) is the professional association for full-time and freelance editors and writers employed in the business, trade and specialty press.  ASBPE is widely known for its annual Awards of Excellence competition, which recognizes the best in editorial, design, and online achievement.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com.

ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC or affiliated entities.

Contact:

Lee Feldman, Peters & Feldman for ALM

Phone: (203) 341-8922

E-mail: lfeldman@alm.com

NEW YORK (July 21, 2010) – ALM, parent company of VerdictSearch, the nation’s leading source of verdict and settlement news and research, today announced the acquisition of Verdict Research Group, Inc. (VRG), a privately held company headquartered in Kentucky. VRG data and publications, including The Connecticut Verdict Reporter, Carolina Verdict Reporter (covering North and South Carolina), The Georgia Trial Reporter, The Massachusetts Verdict Reporter, Metro Verdicts Monthly (covering DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia), The Michigan Trial Reporter, The Ohio Trial Reporter, The Rhode Island Verdict Reporter and The Virginia Verdict Reporter will be integrated into VerdictSearch, expanding its reach to more than 16 states and the District of Columbia. VerdictSearch’s online proprietary database of detailed information on more than 200,000 verdicts and settlements is used by attorneys, risk managers and insurance experts across the country to value claims, assess risk, evaluate opposing counsel, and identify and cross-examine expert witnesses. For more information, visit http://www.verdictsearch.com

Founded in 1988, VRG independently reports on civil jury verdict cases, with a database of 60,000 verdicts from the jurisdictions it covers.  VerdictSearch currently provides coverage of verdicts and settlements, included detailed injury and damages information, for states and regions including California, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas.

“This acquisition significantly extends our position as a leader in the verdict research business and underlines the importance of data-driven, substantive law services to ALM’s future,” said William Pollak, president and CEO of ALM.

“The addition of VRG will allow us to further expand our growing national coverage, and allow us to develop new products for litigators,” added Ron Spinner, publisher, VerdictSearch.  “In addition, this will also enhance our ability to offer state and national verdict trending analyses and to develop customized research for our clients.”
The VerdictSearch online database, www.VerdictSearch.com, provides 24×7 access to detailed case reports from around the nation, with hundreds of new cases added each month.  The website offers full-text search or search by 15 different parameters, including injury, case type, name, jurisdiction, date or plaintiff’s criteria.

VerdictSearch offers customized research services, delivering expedited results for clients via phone and e-mail.  VerdictSearch’s professional staff specializes in identifying relevant verdicts and settlements for unique cases, responding to more than 13,000 requests each year.

VerdictSearch also provides statistical trial trend analysis to leading law firms and insurance companies, and offers a variety of national, regional and specialty print publications, in areas including employment law, medical malpractice and products liability.  For information on print publications, visit http://www.verdictsearch.com/index.jsp?do=print_publications.  For more information on VerdictSearch products and services, visit www.VerdictSearch.com.    VerdictSearch is a division of ALM.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com.

ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC or affiliated entities.

Contact:

Lee Feldman, Peters & Feldman for ALM

Phone: (203) 341-8922

E-mail: lfeldman@alm.com

NEW YORK (July 20, 2010) – Corporate Counsel, the nation’s leading publication for general counsel and in-house attorneys, reported today that the top in-house lawyers at the nation’s largest corporations are finally feeling the impact of the recession in their compensation packages, particularly in the area of discretionary bonuses. The magazine’s 16th annual survey of the 100 best-paid chief legal officers in the U.S., published today, reveals that the average total cash bonus for the group—combining discretionary awards with nonequity incentive compensation—dropped 18 percent, to $947,781. But other forms of compensation for these elite GCs rose—the average salary increased 3.8 percent, to almost $620,000, and stock awards grew 5.6 percent. Complete survey results are available in the August issue of Corporate Counsel and on the Web at www.corpcounsel.com.

The top spot in the survey went to Russell Deyo of Johnson & Johnson, with $6.2 million in total take-home compensation.  The GC of the consumer products giant received the largest cash bonus in the group ($3.6 million).

The bulk of the 100 lawyers on the list received bonuses in the mid-to-high six figures.  This may appear lavish, but it marks a 37.1 percent drop in traditional cash bonuses, and a 10 percent drop in its newer variant, nonequity incentive compensation (bonuses tied to specific financial metrics, like profits or revenue). Just 23 GCs received traditional bonuses, down from 33 in last year’s survey. And one general counsel—John Finneran, Jr., of Capital One—received all of his $2.3 million compensation in salary, and none from a bonus.

“The nation’s chief legal officers were mostly immune from previous downturns, but this recession was different,” said Anthony Paonita, editor in chief of Corporate Counsel.  “And now, heightened pay scrutiny means that the old lures of in-house legal work—handsome bonuses and tons of valuable stock—may be gone for good.”
A total of 14 GCs made $2 million or more by cashing out stock awards and options. Donald de Brier of Occidental Petroleum Corp. realized $13.4 million; Charles Tanabe, GC at Liberty Media Corporation, $10.7 million. In all, 79 of the 100 GCs supplemented their take-home via securities transactions.

Corporate Counsel has ranked the nation’s 100 best-paid GCs since 1994.  GCs are ranked based on publicly available cash compensation data drawn from examination of proxy statements for all Fortune 500 companies.  Survey data includes cash and bonus packages, as well as the value realized on stock cash-outs. The list also provides GC equity, including restricted stock grants and option awards.

The award-winning Corporate Counsel is published by ALM and is available on the Web at www.corpcounsel.com.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com.

ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC or affiliated entities.

Contact:

Lee Feldman, Peters & Feldman for ALM

Phone: (203) 341-8922

E-mail: lfeldman@alm.com

NEW YORK (July 12, 2010) – The National Law Journal today named 20 firms from across the U.S. to its 2010 “Midsize Hot List.” The listing recognizes firms with between 50 and 150 attorneys who have demonstrated what it takes to get ahead as a midsize law firm in a legal services market increasingly dominated by large-firm competition. The “Midsize Hot List” includes law firms from major markets on both coasts and also from smaller markets including Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Portland, Maine. The complete report is available in today’s issue of The National Law Journal and on www.nlj.com.

While lower hourly rates remain the greatest advantage that midsize firms offer, the firms included on this year’s list have also demonstrated the ability to snag big clients by delivering specialized services, in areas ranging from antitrust and media law to oil and gas law, and to hold on to smaller clients through bread-and-butter practices.

The special report includes thumbnails of 18 firms and offers profiles spotlighting the unique achievements of two firms — Minneapolis-based Bowman and Brooke and Shartsis Friese of San Francisco.  Awardees were selected by the editors of The National Law Journal, based upon reporting over the past year.

“This year’s Midsize Hot List shows the agility of law firms with 50 to 150 attorneys in ducking the recession’s blows — or at least bouncing back more quickly than many big-firm competitors,” said David Brown, The National Law Journal’s editor in chief.

The “Midsize Hot List” firms for 2010 are:

Arnstein & Lehr, Chicago
Axinn, Veltrop &  Harkrider, Hartford, Conn.
Bowman and Brooke, Minneapolis
BuckleySandler, Washington, D.C.
Carter  Ledyard & Milburn, New York
Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz, Wilmington, Del.
Dow  Lohnes, Washington, D.C.
Farella Braun + Martel, San Francisco
Goldberg Segalla, Buffalo, N.Y.
Hollingsworth, Washington, D.C.
Kaufman & Canoles, Hampton, Va.
Liskow &  Lewis, New Orleans
McKool Smith, Houston
Mitchell Silberberg &  Knupp, Los Angeles
Oblon Spivak McClelland Maier & Neustadt, Alexandria, Va.
Pierce  Atwood, Portland, Maine
Porter Hedges, Houston
Shartsis Friese, San Francisco
Whyte  Hirschboeck Dudek, Milwaukee
Zuckerman Spaeder, Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1978, The National Law Journal has the largest paid circulation of any weekly publication serving the legal community. The NLJ is published by ALM.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com.

ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC or affiliated entities.

Contact:

Lee Feldman, Peters & Feldman for ALM

Phone: (203) 341-8922

E-mail: lfeldman@alm.com

NEW YORK (July 1, 2010) – A panel of distinguished Supreme Court advocates, each of whom argued one or more cases in 2009-2010, will analyze the impact of the recent high court term at a special event, “Sizing Up the Supreme Court” hosted by The National Law Journal. The symposium will take place from 3:00-5:00 PM on Wednesday, July 7 at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. The panel discussion will be moderated by Supreme Court correspondent Tony Mauro and will be followed by a networking wine-and-cheese reception. Click here for more details and to register for the event.

The panelists for the event will be:

•    Michael Carvin, partner, Jones Day, who argued Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board for the fund.

•    Deputy Solicitor General Michael Dreeben, who argued for the government in Skilling and the other two companion cases on the issue.

•    Amanda Leiter, associate professor, Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law, who argued Kucana v. Holder, and clerked for Justice John Paul Stevens.

•    Sri Srinivasan, partner, O’Melveny & Myers, who argued and won in the “honest services” fraud case of Skilling v. United States.

“We’ve just been through an historic term at the Supreme Court, and our goal with this event is to give our audience a real flavor of what it was like to prepare for arguments and to stand before the justices to argue cases,” said David Brown, editor in chief of The National Law Journal.
For more information on the event, contact Ken Gary at kgary@alm.com or (202) 828-0363.

Founded in 1978, The National Law Journal has the largest paid circulation of any weekly publication serving the legal community.  The National Law Journal’s new “Supreme Court Insider” e-newsletter features reporting and analysis  from Tony Mauro and Marcia Coyle, two of the most veteran Supreme Court reporters in America.  The weekly e-newsletter is one of the only independent publications focused on The Supreme Court, unaffiliated with any law firm, law school, or partisan or advocacy organization.  To register for a free trial subscription, go to www.nlj.com/scinsider/reg. The National Law Journal is published by ALM.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com.

ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC or affiliated entities.

Contact:

Lee Feldman, Peters & Feldman for ALM

Phone: (203) 341-8922

E-mail: lfeldman@alm.com

NEW YORK (July 1, 2010) – The July issue of The American Lawyer reports that the double-digit growth of Am Law 200 pro bono hours since 2005 has come to an end. The publication’s annual survey results, released today, reveal that total pro bono hours increased last year in the Am Law 200 to a new record of 5.7 million. But the 2 percent increase was down significantly from last year’s 15 percent gain. And, the percentage of lawyers who donated more than 20 hours last year actually dipped slightly, to 47.5 percent. Also in this issue, Munger, Tolles & Olson has again topped The American Lawyer’s “A-List” ranking of the most elite firms in the U.S., but drops in pro bono and associate satisfaction rankings drove four firms off the 20-member A-List, which identifies Am Law firms that set the standard for their peers. For these and other stories, visit www.americanlawyer.com

Average pro bono hours per lawyer for the Am Law 200 rose slightly to almost 61.5 hours.  The ten firms with the greatest per-capita pro bono commitment averaged almost 147 hours per lawyer.  This group was led again by Jenner & Block, which averaged more than 161 pro bono hours per lawyer in 2009, with 84 percent of the firm’s attorneys contributing 20 pro bono hours or more last year.  Even after the one percent year-over-year drop in the percentage of lawyers who donated more than 20 hours, the participation rate of lawyers is still 27 percent better than it was in 2005.  For this year’s rankings and the one- and five-year pro bono growth charts, go to www.americanlawyer.com/probono.

“The great pro bono surge of the last five years, one that featured double digit annual increases, has ended. The question is whether the Am Law 100 and 200 firms have hit a pause or a plateau. There’s great pro bono work being done—and there’s room for more,” said Aric Press, editor in chief of The American Lawyer.

The shake-ups in this year’s A-List were significant: Four firms fell off the list, four joined, and six of the 13 firms that changed ranks from 2009 moved by six or more places. Munger, Tolles, headquartered in Los Angeles, held on to the top spot on the A-List for the third year in a row. New York–based Hughes Hubbard & Reed placed second for the second year in a row.

Two of the four firms joining the list this year, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (#10) and Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner (#19), are first-time A-Listers. The other two—Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (#8) and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett (#16)— are A-List veterans.

This was the first A-List that incorporated associate satisfaction results following the wave of layoffs in early 2009.  Deep declines in associate satisfaction contributed to the exit of four firms from last year’s A-List roster: Howrey, Irell & Manella, Kirkland & Ellis, and Sullivan & Cromwell. But Debevoise & Plimpton’s commitment to lockstep pay and communication with associates earned it a 44 percent increase in its associate satisfaction, helping propel the New York firm to number three on the 2010 A-List.

A-List rankings are based on four weighted factors: revenue per lawyer, pro bono commitment, diversity among lawyers, and associate satisfaction.

Follow The American Lawyer on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AmLawDaily. To subscribe or request back copies of The American Lawyer, please call (800) 755-2773 or (212) 545-5990 outside the U.S.  A digital edition of the magazine can also be purchased online.  The American Lawyer is published in print and online by ALM.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com.

ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC or affiliated entities.

Contact:

Lee Feldman, Peters & Feldman for ALM

Phone: (203) 341-8922

E-mail: lfeldman@alm.com

NEW YORK (June 30, 2010) – Pro Bono Net, a leader in innovative programs that increase access to justice, is pleased to announce that William L. Pollak, President and CEO of ALM, has been elected Chair of its Board of Directors.

Pro Bono Net is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to justice.  Through innovative technology programs, including www.probono.net and www.lawhelp.org, it empowers nonprofit legal advocates to make a stronger impact; increases volunteer participation; and provides assistance directly to the public.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news, research and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. Pollak has served as ALM’s President, CEO and a member of the board of directors since the company’s formation in 1998. He also currently serves as Vice-Chair of American Business Media, the industry trade association that represents the B-to-B media industry.  Prior to joining ALM, Pollak held senior executive positions at The New York Times.

“Bill’s talents and experience, knowledge of the legal market and commitment to the cause of access to justice make him uniquely qualified to lead Pro Bono Net’s board as we seek to build on our successes and grow to scale.” said Mark O’Brien, Pro Bono Net’s Executive Director.

“I am tremendously excited by the opportunity to chair Pro Bono Net’s talented board and to work toward supporting the organization’s search for innovative solutions that meet the needs of both providers and those seeking legal assistance” said Pollak.

Pollak has been a member of Pro Bono Net’s board since December 2000 and served as the organization’s Treasurer since 2007.  He succeeds the organization’s founding chair, Michael Cooper of Sullivan & Cromwell, who will remain a member of the board.  Other Board officers include Michael Mills, Senior Adviser at Kraft & Kennedy; David Heiner, Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft; and Edward Walters, CEO of Fastcase.

About Pro Bono Net
Pro Bono Net is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to justice through innovative uses of technology and increased volunteer lawyer participation.  Pro Bono Net uses innovative web-based platforms—www.probono.net, www.lawhelp.org and www.lawhelpinteractive.org —to recruit and support volunteer lawyers and provide direct information and tools for self representation to low-income communities.   Pro Bono Net has also developed Pro Bono Manager, pro bono practice management software that helps AmLaw 200 law firms increase pro bono participation, manage pro bono caseloads more efficiently and raise internal and external awareness of pro bono efforts.  For more information, please visit www.probono.net.

Contact:

Pam Weisz, Pro Bono Net

Phone:  (212) 760-2554 x485

Email:  pweisz@probono.net

NEW YORK (June 29, 2010) – ALM Legal Intelligence, a leading source of business intelligence for the legal profession, today announced the release of the “2010 Law Technology News Technology Vendor Satisfaction Survey,” providing data on product usage and satisfaction across 25 key technology categories. Survey results are based on responses from a nationwide sample of more than 500 participating senior individuals involved in recommending or purchasing legal technology products for law firms. The study was conducted during the first quarter of 2010. For further information on the survey, visit www.almlegalintelligence.com.

The survey found that “customer service responsiveness” was ranked as the #1 evaluation factor cited by respondents when choosing products and vendors, followed by “ease of integration into the firm’s workflow” and “features and functions.” Training and availability of product literature ranked much lower on the importance scale relative to the other listed factors.

“This survey, the only one of its kind in the industry, was developed based on feedback from IT and information services professionals across the legal market,” said Kevin Iredell, vice president, ALM Legal Intelligence.  “The study meets a unique need for objective review of technology and services, and we look forward to expanding the number of products and services included for evaluation in the future.”

The survey offers comparative product and vendor ratings for technology/product categories including:

• Online legal research
• Document management systems
• Time and billing software (by firm size)
• Docketing and calendar management
• Case management
• Litigation support
• Trial presentation software
• Collaboration tools
• Electronic Discovery
• Client relationship management systems

Products rated in the survey include CaseMap, CaseVault, CompuLaw Vision, iBlaze, iManage Worksite, LexisNexis, Martindale-Hubbell Connected, Tabs3 & PracticeMaster, Westlaw, WorkShare Professional and WORLDOX.

The average firm size of the respondents was 161 attorneys, with $163 million in gross revenues.  To find out more or to purchase a copy of the survey, visit www.almlegalintelligence.com.

ALM Legal Intelligence offers detailed business information for and about the legal industry, focused on the top U.S. and international law firms. The division’s online research Web service, www.almlegalintelligence.com, provides subscribers with direct, on-demand access to ALM LI’s extensive database of surveys, rankings and lists related to law firms and the legal industry. The site also includes an online store where non-subscribers can, on an individual basis, purchase and download preformatted individual law firm reports, research reports and selected current-year survey data.  ALM Legal Intelligence is a division of ALM.

ALM, an integrated media company, is a leading provider of specialized business news and information, focused primarily on the legal and commercial real estate sectors. ALM’s market-leading brands include The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum. Headquartered in New York City, ALM was formed in 1997. For more information, visit www.alm.com.

ALM, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, GlobeSt.com, Insight Conferences, Law.com, Law Journal Press, LegalTech, The National Law Journal and Real Estate Forum are trademarks or registered trademarks of ALM Media Properties, LLC or affiliated entities.

Contact:

Lee Feldman, Peters & Feldman for ALM

Phone: (203) 341-8922

E-mail: lfeldman@alm.com

NEW YORK (June 28, 2010) – The National Law Journal today named its 2010 list of “Washington’s Most Influential Women Lawyers.” The listing recognizes women who set the legal agenda in the nation’s capital and includes 33 lawyers from private firms, government, and advocacy and trade groups. They range from the two women on the Supreme Court (and one more who’s likely to be) to the heads of practice groups and offices at D.C. firms to civil rights activists. The complete report is available in today’s issue of The National Law Journal and on www.nlj.com.

Awardees were selected by the editors of The National Law Journal, based upon reporting over the past year and nominations from peers in the D.C. legal community.  They will be honored, along with the legal “Champions” and “Visionaries” named previously this year, at a gala dinner Sept 30 at The Willard in Washington, D.C.

“In Washington, these are women whose power and legal acumen commands the respect of their peers regardless of gender,” said David Brown, editor in chief of The National Law Journal.

This year’s honorees are:
Nan Aron, president, Alliance for Justice
Charlene Barshefsky, partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr
Elise Bean, Democratic staff director and chief counsel, U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
Beth Brinkmann, deputy assistant attorney general, Civil Division appellate staff
Robin Conrad, executive vice president, National Chamber Litigation Center
Marianna Dyson, chair, Miller & Chevalier
Deborah Feinstein, partner, Arnold & Porter
Alice Fisher, partner, Latham & Watkins
Deborah Garza, partner, Covington & Burling
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, justice, U.S. Supreme Court
Jamie Gorelick, partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr
Marcia Greenberger, co-president, National Women’s Law Center
Elena Kagan, solicitor general, Solicitor General’s Office
Carolyn Lamm, partner, White & Case and president, American Bar Association
Debra Lee, chairman and CEO, BET Holdings Inc.
Linda Lipsen, chief executive officer, American Association for Justice
Marcia Madsen, partner, Mayer Brown
Laura Miller, partner, Nixon Peabody
Patricia Millett, partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Heather Podesta, founder, Heather Podesta + Partners
Mary Ellen Powers, Washington partner in charge, Jones Day
Jane Sullivan Roberts, managing director, Major, Lindsey & Africa
Lisa Rickard, president, Institute for Legal Reform, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Kathryn Ruemmler, deputy counsel to the president, White House Counsel’s Office
Judith Sandalow, executive director, Children’s Law Center
Linda Singer, partner, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
Melanie Sloan, executive director, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Sonia Sotomayor, justice, U.S. Supreme Court
Grace Speights, Washington managing partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Cheryl Tritt, partner, Wilkinson Barker Knauer
Christine Varney, assistant attorney general, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Helgi Walker, partner, Wiley Rein
Beth Wilkinson, partner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
For additional information on the September 30 awards dinner, contact Lisa Sharpe at (212) 457-7840 or lsharpe@alm.com or visit http://www.contactalm.com/ltawards/.

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