Wake Up Call: Top Democrats Push for Letitia James as NYC Mayor

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

• New York State Attorney General Letitia James is being eyed by the state’s top Democrats for a special election run for mayor if current Mayor Eric Adams leaves before the end of his term. While James said she’s focusing on her role as attorney general, she hasn’t shut down rumors of a mayoral run, either. (New York Post)
• The Florida Bar has activated its disciplinary hotline in the wake of Hurricane Helene to address resident concerns over potential professional misconduct and unlawful solicitation by lawyers in the storm’s aftermath. (The Florida Bar)
• George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School is facing a loss of $38.3 million by fiscal year 2025. Preliminary figures show fall enrollment increasing 18.4% from 2023 to 116 students, however, the headcount is down 27% from 2022 and is still less than half of the 259 students that were enrolled in fall 2021. (Higher Ed Dive)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Pim van Leersum joined Jones Day as a partner in its financial markets practice in Amsterdam.
• Joseph Glatt joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison as a partner in its corporate department. He joins from Apollo Global Management.
• Dr. J. Jekkie Kim joined WilmerHale as a life sciences partner in Palo Alto, Calif.
• John Bender joined K&L Gates as partner in its litigation and dispute resolution practice in Seattle.
• Kelly Hagedorn has joined Alston & Bird as a partner in its privacy, cyber and data strategy team in London.
• Jonathan Meyer rejoined Sheppard Mullin as a partner in its governmental practice. He joins from the Department of Homeland Security.
• Derek Cohen joined Baker Botts as partner in its litigation department in New York. He joins from Walden Macht Haran & Williams.
• Harris Kay joined Jenner & Block in its financial litigation practice in Chicago.
• Retired Lieutenant General Stuart Risch joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon as a partner in its business litigation practice.
• Alison Ballard joined Buchalter as a shareholder in its litigation practice group in Atlanta.
• Alex Bafi joined Hughes Hubbard & Reed as a partner in its securities and capital markets group in Paris.
• Joyce Cowan joined Massumi + Consoli as a partner. She joins from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.
• Michael Aluko joined Norton Rose Fulbright as a partner in its financial services and regulation practice in New York.