Wake Up Call: Federal Judge Clerks Describe Toxic Workplaces

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

• Young federal law clerks say they face intense, often unhealthy, power dynamics with the judges they work for. Clerks described being pressured into late-night social events, excessive drinking, and even personal errands, fearing that refusal could damage their careers. Some reported more serious misconduct, like harassment, bullying, and discrimination, but rarely filed formal complaints due to fear of retaliation. (NPR)
  
• A group of prominent antitrust lawyers filed an amicus brief urging a federal judge to be cautious when imposing remedies against Google’s online search monopoly—but many of them have close ties to Big Tech. Though the brief claimed neutrality, several coauthors, including former Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission officials, have represented or worked with Google, Apple, and other tech giants. (New York Post)
  
• Dick Beattie, a trailblazing mergers and acquisitions lawyer who helped shape the private equity industry, died at 86. As senior chairman of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Beattie was instrumental in turning the firm into a private equity powerhouse, representing KKR in landmark deals like the $25 billion takeover of RJR Nabisco. (The Wall Street Journal)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Rick Nowak rejoined Mayer Brown as a partner in its litigation and dispute resolution practice in Chicago. He joins from Fidelity Investments.
• Jeff Oldham joined Jackson Walker as chair of its appellate practice and partner in Austin and Houston.
• Jonathan Thomas joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder in its intellectual property and technology practice in New York. He joins from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton.
• David Fournier, Allison Glasunow, and Kourtney Mueller Merrill joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton as partners in its intellectual property practice group and life sciences industry team. They join from Perkins Coie.
• Alexander Flynn-Tabloff joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges as a partner in its employment practice group in Boston. He joins from Goodwin Procter.
• Christopher Zochowski and Bradley Noojin joined Paul Hastings as partners in its private equity practice in New York. They join from A&O Shearman.
• Jon Daryanani joined Squire Patton Boggs as a partner in its global labor and employment practice in Los Angeles. He joins from Perkins Coie.
• Ciaran Williams joined Squire Patton Boggs as a partner in its litigation practice in London. He joins from Vinson & Elkins.
• James Duffy IV joined Bracewell as a partner in its international arbitration practice in New York. He joins from Reed Smith.
• Brook Andrews joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough as a partner in its litigation group in Columbia, S.C. He joins from serving as the acting United States attorney for the District of South Carolina.
• Bob Stupar rejoined Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton as a partner in its real estate finance and capital markets team in Atlanta. He joins from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.
• Andrew Skowronski joined McGuireWoods as a partner in its employee benefits practice group in New York. He joins from Katten Muchin Rosenman.
• Tessa Vorhaben joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as a partner in its global insurance services practice in New Orleans. She joins from Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz.
• Elizabeth La Rocca joined Frost Brown Todd as a partner in its labor and employment practice in Dallas.
• Michael Kurzer joined Vedder Price as a shareholder in its intellectual property practice group in New York. He joins from Vinson & Elkins.
• James Holt joined Fisher Phillips as a partner in its labor and employment practice in Pittsburgh.