Wake Up Call: Georgia Lawyers Get Lessons in Hollywood Acting

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

• Some Georgia lawyers are paying $5,000 each to attend the JurisPerfect Performance Lab, a four-day workshop where Hollywood veteran Judson Vaughn teaches them how to win over juries. Lessons, hosted at Alston & Bird’s midtown Atlanta office, teach participants how to use charisma, body language, and emotional appeal rather than logic alone. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Law firms now account for 16% of all office square footage leased year-to-date in Boston—marking an eight-year high and the third consecutive year of growth for the sector. Nutter McClennen & Fish, ArentFox Schiff, Manning Gross & Massenburg, Sidley Austin, and Manatt Phelps & Phillips leased the most space last year, particularly in Boston’s Back Bay, Financial District, and Seaport neighborhoods. (Boston Real Estate Times)
• A federal grand jury in Washington declined to indict former Covington & Burling associate Paul Anthony Bryant on charges of assaulting and threatening federal officers. Bryant allegedly told National Guard troops stationed in Washington, DC that “these are our streets” and “I’ll kill you.” (Newsweek)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Shannon Zollo, Joshua French, and Meghan Kelly joined Morgan Lewis as partners in its M&A and private equity practices in Boston. They join from Nutter, McClennen & Fish.
• Cataldo Piccarreta, Giorgia Lugli, and Luca Maranetto joined Ropes & Gray as partners in its private equity group in Milan.
• Michelle Huntsman joined Holland & Knight as a partner in its healthcare transactions practice group in Houston. She joins from King & Spalding.
• Jason Monahan joined Honigman as a partner in the corporate department in Detroit. He joins from General Dynamics.
• Richard Asfar joined Adams & Reese as a partner in its construction practice in Tampa. He joins from Almazan Law.
• Erica Mecler Caron joined Frost Brown Todd as a partner in its product, tort and insurance litigation practice group in Columbus. She joins from Liberty Mutual.
• Benjamin Keime rejoined Armstrong Teasdale as a partner in its litigation practice in Miami. He joins from Waserstein & Nunez.
• Marianna Tothova joined K&L Gates as a partner in its asset management and investment fund practice in London. She joins from Dechert.
• Jenny Yu joined Epstein Becker Green as a member in its employment, labor and workforce management practice in Los Angeles. She joins from Lewis Brisbois.
• R. Kader Crawford joined Katten as a partner in its private credit practice in Charlotte. He joins from Winston & Strawn.
• Alexis Gregorian joined Bradley as a partner in its government enforcement and investigations practice group in Atlanta. She joins from the Justice Department.