Wake Up Call: Utah Considers Licensing Without Taking the Bar

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

• The Utah Supreme Court released a proposal that would allow graduates of accredited law schools to practice in the state without taking the bar exam if they complete 240 hours of practice under the supervision of an experienced attorney, along with other requirements. If adopted, Utah would join states like Oregon, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire in allowing alternative pathways to licensure. (Reuters)
• Mayer Brown has closed its Mexico City office, less than a decade after it opened in the city. The move impacts more than a dozen lawyers, including partners Francisco García Naranjo, Jan Boker Regens, and Raul Fernández Briseño. The trio has launched an independent firm alongside senior associate Francisco Javier Garibay Güémez. (Global Legal Post)
• Former Judge Paul Lamson was charged with making a terroristic threat at his polling place in Fowler, NY, after he made “remarks such as burning the place down and returning with a firearm” when he was offered a provisional ballot. Lamson was offered the provisional ballot because he didn’t re-register to vote after a felony bribery plea in 2017. (ABA Journal)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Kelly Welsh joined Discover as its interim chief legal officer, general counsel, and head of corporate and public affairs.
• Jay Schleppenbach joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon as a partner in its government investigations and white collar practice in Chicago. Previously he was an assistant Illinois attorney general.
• Maximilien Pucci-Sisti Maisonrouge joined Katten Muchin Rosenman as a partner in its private credit practice in New York.
• David Aaronson joined O’Melveny & Myers as a partner in its energy industry group in Houston. He joins from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.