Private Jets, Canceled Meetings: Law Firms Are Dodging Virus

Attorneys and law firms have taken measures to avoid coronavirus infection that include forgoing handshakes for fist bumps and opting for private charter planes instead of flying commercial.

Pandemic Fears: Firms have decided to conduct meetings via teleconference or cancel get-togethers completely to lower infection risk. But for those who still want face time with colleagues or clients, jetting there may be the only option.

Flying Away: “Some of them have told us that they’re switching to private flights for their team as a precaution for themselves personally, but also for their firms as a whole,” said Justin Crabbe, CEO of Jettly, a private jet charter network. “The entire law firm can’t be under quarantine or sick with the virus.”

Elizabeth Olson has the story.

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DAILY BRIEF

Law Firms

Firm Nets $1.56 Million Fee in Retaliation Suit Against Columbia
Sanford Heisler Sharp LLP was awarded $1.56 million in attorneys’ fees from the Southern District of New York Friday for successfully representing a Columbia University Business School professor in a retaliation suit.

Ethics

New York Lawyer Suspended for Sherman Act Conspiracy
An attorney who conspired with others to submit “non-competitive and collusive bids at public auctions for tax liens to suppress and eliminate competition in the bidding process in various New Jersey municipalities” was suspended by a New York appeals court.

Judiciary

Ninth Circuit Cancels En Banc Hearings in Response to COVID-19
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has canceled en banc hearings and all non-case related meetings scheduled for next week amid coronavirus concerns.

Coronavirus Shuts Federal Courtrooms in Washington State
The spread of coronavirus cases in the state of Washington prompted its top federal judge to shut down courtrooms in Seattle and Tacoma.

Judiciary ‘Falls Short’ on #MeToo Protections, Lawmakers Say
A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers rebuked the federal judiciary for “systemic problems” with its processes for reporting and addressing judicial misconduct.

Delaware’s Chancery Increasing Dial-In Court Due to Coronavirus
Delaware’s Court of Chancery will start holding hearings by telephone whenever “practicable and efficient to do so” in response to concerns over the coronavirus.

Also in the News

Take a Look at Some Top In-House Lawyer Pay Packages for 2019
Hewlett-Packard Co. is no more, but the top lawyers for its two successor companies remain close, at least when it comes to their total compensation in 2019.

SEC Enforcement Targets May Get Leeway Over Virus, Peiken Says
Firms under investigation by the SEC may be given some leeway on subpoena responses and other deadlines due to the coronavirus outbreak, one of the agency’s top enforcement officials said.

WAKE-UP CALL

Quinn Goes Remote in NY After Partner’s Positive Virus Test
In today’s column, Dechert is suing a Pennsylvania agency that is opposing the firm’s plan to move its Philadelphia HQ to a tax-incentive opportunity zone; Baker & Hostetler started a San Francisco office led by a former white collar co-chair lifted from Winston & Strawn; McDermott Will & Emery posted revenue growth for the second-straight year; and a look at million-dollar pay packages earned last year by top lawyers at big publicly traded companies.

PRACTITIONER INSIGHTS

INSIGHT: Recession Worries Call for Law Firm Self-Assessments
Law firms need to examine their processes and make adjustments in order to be indispensable to clients during a recession, writes Deborah B. Farone, founder of Farone Advisors LLC. Key steps include deploying attorneys to do the right types of work, creating a strategic plan to place the proper resources in to key practices, and using smart technology to remove redundant work and improve workflow.

INSIGHT: Defenses for CBD Companies Sued for False Labeling, Advertising
Companies selling CBD products should be proactive and evaluate their labeling and advertising materials to ensure accuracy, Stinson LLP partner Zane Gilmer writes. He examines potential defenses for CBD companies faced with a false labeling or advertising lawsuit.

INSIGHT: Intellectual Property Rights in the Age of the Streaming Wars
Accurately and fairly tracking the rights to intellectual property is one of the primary legal challenges of the entertainment media industry in the age of internet streaming services. Ed Klaris, CEO of KlarisIP, says entertainment companies need to adopt new approaches to IP rights management in order to thrive.

INSIGHT: When Academic, Health-Care Institutions Should Hire Overseas Counsel
Many American universities and hospitals have overseas operations, despite concerns from U.S. agencies and the Senate about foreign influence on U.S. education and research. Clint D. Hermes, with Bass, Berry & Sims, looks at when it’s best to hire local counsel and offers tips for limiting the situations requiring it.

LEGAL OPERATIONS SURVEY

Bloomberg Law’s second annual Legal Operations survey is live. Click here to provide confidential insights and perspectives into legal processes and operations, legal technology adoption, and other important topics.

WORKFLOWS

Michael Best announced the addition of RWR Legal into its Austin, Texas, office operations, effective immediately | Miller Canfield elected Scott Eldridge to serve as one of its five Managing Directors, joining Thomas Colis, Danielle Mason Anderson, Joseph Fazio and Amy Johnston; the firm also promoted eight attorneys to principalship | Rutan & Tucker has elected Mark B. Frazier as Managing Partner of the firm effective March 1, succeeding William F. Meehan | Reed Smith said that energy transactions partners Gary C. Johnson (Houston) and Edward G. Rogan (San Francisco) have both relocated to the Austin, Texas, office | Venable announced that Jennifer J. Bruton, a partner in its Real Estate practice group and administrative partner of the Washington office, will succeed Stephanie L. DeLong as chair of the women’s initiative, known as Women Attorneys at Venable (WAVe) | Dentons has appointed Inga Masjule as Chief Talent Officer of Dentons US; she will join the global talent leadership team in New York | Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s Philadelphia office added a products-liability group of four partners and two associates; the group had previously practiced together at Dechert | Polsinelli added four new shareholders and one counsel to its Financial Services Litigation practice; they are Brendan I. Herbert (Miami), Aaron Wagner (Seattle), Marc D. Cabrera (Dallas), and Gwendolyn (Wendy) J. Godfrey (Atlanta) as shareholders, and Robert H. King (New York City) as counsel | Porter Wright promoted six associates to Senior Associate | Phelps Dunbar has promoted Ivan Rodriguez to Managing Partner of the Houston office | Husch Blackwell launched a new office in Salt Lake City after adding David Rudd as a partner | DLA Piper announced that partner Matt Schwartz has been named head of the firm’s Growth Lending practice.

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