Wake Up Call: Gender Pay Gap at Australian Law Firms Is Closing

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

• The gender pay gap in Australian law firms is narrowing, according to data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. Many firms reported progress in reducing the gap but said structural factors, such as the concentration of women in lower-paying support roles, continue to influence overall figures. Some firms, like Ashurst and Herbert Smith Freehills, have made significant gains in the area, while others, like White & Case and Baker McKenzie, still report larger gaps. (Law.com)
• Casey Anthony launched a new career as a legal advocate, more than a decade after her controversial acquittal from Florida’s charges that she killed her only child. Claiming experience in the legal field since 2011, she promoted her advocacy work on TikTok, directing followers to her Substack, where she plans to discuss legal issues and offer resources. Anthony describes her focus as supporting the LGBTQ community and women’s rights, stating her goal is to give people “a voice” and tools to navigate legal challenges. (The Guardian)
• Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman is refusing to testify before a state disciplinary board investigating alleged violations of attorney conduct rules related to his taxpayer-funded review of the 2020 presidential election. Gableman, who was hired to investigate the election, led a controversial probe that cost taxpayers over $2.3 million but uncovered no evidence of significant fraud. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Jill Steinberg rejoined Ballard Spahr as a partner in its litigation department and white collar defense and investigations group in Atlanta and Washington. She joins after serving as the US Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
• Zachary Cunha joined Nixon Peabody as a partner in its government investigations and white-collar defense practice. He joins after serving as US Attorney for the District of Rhode Island.
• Alamdar Hamdani joined Bracewell as a partner in its government enforcement and investigations practice in Houston. He joins after serving as the US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.
• David Stone, Karla Hughes, and Adrian Dykes joined White & Case as partners in its global intellectual property practice in London. They join from A&O Shearman.
• Jonathan Polkes, Stacy Nettleton, and Adam Banks joined White & Case as partners in its litigation practice in New York.
• Rahul Rao joined White & Case as a partner in its global antitrust practice in Washington. He joins from the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition.
• Patrick Pearsall joined Gibson Dunn as a partner in its international arbitration practice group in Washington.
• Jeff Schrepfer joined Clifford Chance as a partner in its corporate practice in Tokyo.
• Elliott Smith joined Perkins Coie as a partner in its corporate and securities practice in New York. He joins from White & Case.
• Veronica Glick rejoined Mayer Brown as a partner in its global cybersecurity and data privacy practice and national security practice in Chicago. She joins from the State Department.
• Kathy O’Neill joined Fried Frank as a partner in its global antitrust and competition department in Washington. She joins from Cooley.
• Vinita Sithapathy joined Linklaters as a partner in its mergers and acquisitions practice in New York. She joins from Mayer Brown.
• Anjali Motgi joined Jenner & Block as a partner in its litigation department in Washington. She joins from the Justice Department.