Emma Cueto

The proposed tie-up of Midwest-based Frost Brown Todd LLP and Northeast middle-market peer Gibbons PC is being praised as a smart combination in an increasingly competitive middle market where consolidation pressures are driving an increase in merger activity.

As law firms become the latest sector to attract interest from private equity investors, the legal world may be more resistant to some of the effects of private equity money seen in areas like healthcare, but differences between the industries means the impact on the legal market remains unclear.

Plaintiffs firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP strenuously denied claims that it should be sanctioned for filing since-dropped product liability cases, responding to a judge's show cause order by saying it spent hundreds of hours researching the legal theories it pursued before filing the cases and devoted substantial time and resources to them.

Midsize Boston firm Rubin and Rudman LLP, which has rebranded as Rubin Rudman, is pursuing a growth strategy focused on doubling down on its existing strengths in areas such as trusts and estates, an approach that industry observers say is a good fit for the Boston market.

Midsize Boston firm Rubin and Rudman LLP, which has rebranded as Rubin Rudman, is pursuing a growth strategy focused on doubling down on its existing strengths in areas such as trusts and estates, an approach that industry observers say is a good fit for the Boston market.

Midsize Boston firm Rubin and Rudman LLP, which has rebranded as Rubin Rudman, is pursuing a growth strategy focused on doubling down on its existing strengths in areas such as trusts and estates, an approach that industry observers say is a good fit for the Boston market.

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP has moved to nix a suit by California firm Keesal Young & Logan, saying its recruitment of 10 former Keesal Young attorneys was entirely above board and that the noncompete clauses in Keesal Young's partnership agreement were not allowed under California law.

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP has moved to nix a suit by California firm Keesal Young & Logan, saying its recruitment of 10 former Keesal Young attorneys was entirely above board and that the noncompete clauses in Keesal Young's partnership agreement were not allowed under California law.

The corporate entities formerly known as JCPenney on Thursday asked a Texas federal court to greenlight a $1.4 million settlement with Jackson Walker PC in a dispute concerning the romance of a partner with a bankruptcy judge, the latest and largest of several settlements to seek approval in recent months.

The corporate entities formerly known as JCPenney on Thursday asked a Texas federal court to greenlight a $1.4 million settlement with Jackson Walker PC in a dispute concerning the romance of a partner with a bankruptcy judge, the latest and largest of several settlements to seek approval in recent months.