Global M&A activity remained slow in the second quarter, with deal volume sitting at its lowest levels in three years, according to the latest M&A Trends & Insight for Lawyers report from Thomson Reuters Business Law Advisor – M&A. U.S. and UK M&A activity, however, bucked the global trend, with volume up 14 percent and …
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Reference Attorney Blog discussion at AALL
The West Reference Attorney Blog is a popular read for attorneys, legal researchers and other legal professionals. It has research tips, legal news, recent cases, and much more. At the AALL 105th Annual Meeting & Conference, we’ve been talking with law librarians about how they use the West Reference Attorney blog. Heidi Bloedow, vice president …
- July 23, 2012
- Scott Augustin
Westlaw CaseLogistix 5.4 launched, enhanced integration with Westlaw Case Notebook
Managing litigation quickly and efficiently requires effective managing of information. Cases involve many different types of information that need to be organized, analyzed and shared with other team members. The latest version of the Westlaw CaseLogistix eDiscovery platform provides enhanced integration with Westlaw Case Notebook. Previous versions allowed key e-discovery documents to be sent into West Case Notebook. Now, documents …
- July 18, 2012
- Scott Augustin
Law firm mergers up in 2012
Law firm mergers in the first half of 2012 were up compared with the same period last year, according to the latest Hildebrandt Institute MergerWatch Report. The Hildebrandt Institute tracked five completed mergers that involved U.S. firms in the second quarter of the year. This brings the total for the first half of 2012 to 25, …
- July 3, 2012
- Scott Augustin
Peer Monitor Index rises in first quarter – demand up slightly, but expenses rising as well
The Hildebrandt Institute’s Peer Monitor Index (PMI) rebounded 6 points to 55 in the first quarter – reversing two consecutive quarterly declines. Demand growth was back on a positive track. However, the good news was dampened by expense growth, which continues to accelerate, reducing firm profitability. After a weak finish to 2011, demand for legal services was …
- April 27, 2012
- Scott Augustin
Law firms mergers up in Q1
The trends towards industry consolidation continues. The Hildebrandt Institute’s MergerWatch Report showed 20 completed law firm mergers that involved U.S. firms in the first quarter of 2012. That represents a 43 percent increase over the first quarter of 2011, which saw only 14 completed mergers and is in stark contrast to the four completed mergers in the …
- April 3, 2012
- Scott Augustin
Most Americans opposed to walking away from a mortgage
Most Americans are opposed to the notion of homeowners simply walking away from their mortgage, says a new FindLaw survey. Also called a “strategic default,” some homeowners are choosing to voluntarily stop making their monthly mortgage payments, often because they cannot make the required monthly payments because of unemployment or other circumstances, or because the …
- April 7, 2011
- Scott Augustin
WestlawNext named New Product of the Year by AALL
The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) announced that it has named WestlawNext™ as its New Product of the Year for 2011. As you can imagine, we’re delighted. In the news release announcing the award, Mike Dahn, chief marketing and product development officer, Westlaw U.S. (and a former law librarian, himself), said: “The WestlawNext team is honored to be …
- March 31, 2011
- Scott Augustin
State of the US legal industry: Peer Monitor Index rises in fourth quarter
Has the US legal market turned the corner? Demand for legal services rose for the first time in more than two years, according to the latest Peer Monitor Index report from Hildebrandt Baker Robbins. PMI rose three points in the fourth quarter of 2010 to a reading of 55. The PMI has now resumed the gradual upward …
- February 18, 2011
- Scott Augustin