Wake Up Call: #MeToo Lawyers Win Big, but Clients Don’t Collect

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

• Gloria Allred and Lisa Bloom secured multimillion-dollar sexual-harassment verdicts against businessman Alki David, but their clients have struggled to collect the money. Both lawyers have promoted the headline-grabbing verdicts in their marketing, even as clients have yet to see meaningful payouts. The lengthy and expensive collection process has siphoned off much of what’s been recovered, with trial lawyers, enforcement attorneys, and litigation funders taking large cuts. (The Wall Street Journal)
• Former second gentleman Doug Emhoff will join the University of Southern California Gould School of Law as a faculty member in July. Emhoff, who earned his law degree from USC, will continue as a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, despite previously criticizing the firm’s settlement with the Trump administration. (Los Angeles Times)
• Courtenay Griffiths KC, one of the UK’s first Black barristers to be appointed Queen’s Counsel, died at 69. Born in Jamaica and called to the bar in 1980, Griffiths became known for his advocacy in high-profile cases, including the PC Keith Blakelock murder trial and the defense of Liberian president Charles Taylor at The Hague. (The Guardian)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Bryce Kaufman joined Simpson Thacher & Bartlett as a partner in its banking and credit practice in Houston. He joins from Latham & Watkins.
• Jonathan Levine joined Winston & Strawn as a partner in its restructuring practice in New York.
• Patrick Michael joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder in its intellectual property litigation practice in San Francisco. He joins from Hogan Lovells.
• Phyllis Harris joined the American Cancer Society as chief legal and risk officer. She joins from Amazon.
• Robert Shapiro joined Dechert as a partner in its financial services practice group in Washington. He joins from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Mariana Baron joined Fisher Phillips as a partner in its immigration and international employment practice groups in Portland, Maine.
• Matthew Ferraro joined Crowell & Moring as a partner in its privacy and cybersecurity group. He joins from the Department of Homeland Security.