Wake Up Call: Florida Law Schools See Rebound After Declines

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• Florida law schools are seeing a rise in applications for the 2025-2026 year after a period of declining interest at its flagship schools like the University of Florida and Florida State University. Applications are up 17.2% from last year, still short of the 23% rise seen nationally. (Law.com)
• Slaughter and May elected Davis Johnson as the firm’s next managing partner, effective Aug. 1. He succeeds Deborah Finkler, who is retiring from the partnership. Johnson joined the firm in 1991 and focuses his practice on public and private mergers and acquisitions. (Slaughter and May)
• Michael Babbitt, a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, died this week. Babbitt joined Willkie’s Chicago office at its founding about four years ago. His work included navigating patent, trademark, and copyright law as well as serving as the pro bono coordinator for Willkie Chicago. In addition to his role at Willkie, he was a member of the PTAB Bar Association’s board of directors and a sponsor in the USPTO Legal Experience and Advancement Program. (Willkie)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Mahnvir Singh joined Troutman Pepper Locke as a partner in its bankruptcy and restructuring practice group in London. He joins from Gateley.
• Jane Rheem joined Sidley Austin as chief data and artificial intelligence officer. She joins from Zurich North America.
• David Kelly joined the National Basketball Players Association as managing director and general counsel. He joins from the Golden State Warriors, where he served as chief legal officer.
• Felix Kushnir joined Fox Rothschild as a partner in its corporate department in Washington. He joins from Shulman Rogers.
• Mark Carter joined Buchalter as a shareholder in its litigation practice group in Atlanta.
• Dean Conway joined Carlton Fields as a shareholder in its national securities litigation and enforcement practice in Washington. He joins from the Securities and Exchange Commission, where he was assistant chief litigation counsel.
• Fred Bourn III joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings as a partner in its litigation practice group in Jackson, Miss. He joins from Butler Snow.
• Lori Baggett was appointed chief legal officer and senior vice president of PODS Enterprises.
• Milton Springut joined Herrick as a partner in its intellectual property practice. He joins from Moses & Singer.
• Aaron Grant and Christopher Drewry joined McCarter & English as partners in Indianapolis. Grant joins from Lewis Wagner. Drewry joins from Drewry Simmons Vornehm.
• Jennifer Nodes rejoined Jackson Lewis as a principal in Minneapolis.
• Priya Sopori joined Nixon Peabody as a partner in its complex disputes practice in Los Angeles.
• Richard O’Leary, Matthew Rice, and Joanne Rogers joined Armstrong Teasdale as partners in its litigation practice group in New York. They join from Troutman Pepper Locke.