LA Legal Market 2025

“Things Have Ground to a Halt”

Uncertainty…The Trade War… Disruption of the Supply Chain

Threaten to Affect Law Firm Bottom Line Adversely

These warning signs are freezing activity including appetite for growth. This forecast challenges the growth plans companies and firms budgeted for 2025. How should we proceed for the rest of 2025 with the business climate frozen?

Focus on Financial Discipline and Profitability

Trends in profitability analysis and laser focus on strategy are more important than ever. Which practice groups should you prioritize in today’s uncertain market? The state of the market and state of the real estate market discussions focus on the plethora of key issues on the minds of managing partners, chairs and law firm leaders today including lateral talent and M&A.

Special Feature: Why AI Is Transformative

Firms of all sizes can and are benefitting from AI initiatives. Our panel will explain how AI is changing delivery of legal services through collaboration with clients on AI projects and in firm-centric projects like E-discovery. Learn about Generative AI tools, how clients are using AI tools and third-party applications. How is technology project management helping firms use AI effectively in collaboration with clients and as a tool for internal use within the firm? Learn from the compelling use cases we will feature.

All-Star Faculty of Law Firm Partners, Advisors

Francisco Arias

General Counsel, Head of Business & Legal Affairs,

FIFTH SEASON,

Los Angeles

Adam J. Bass

President and Chief Executive Officer,

Buchalter,

Los Angeles

Philippa Bond

Partner,

Kirkland & Ellis LLP,

Los Angeles

Dan Clivner

Managing Partner of the Greater Los Angeles Offices, Sidley Austin LLP,

Los Angeles

Thomas Chou

Managing Partner, Los Angeles,

Morrison Foerster,

Los Angeles

Mark E. Foster

Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, American Healthcare REIT,

Irvine, CA

Nicola T. Hanna

Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP,

Los Angeles

Dan Hatch

Partner,

Hatch Henderson Fivel LLC, Los Angeles

Sascha Henry

Partner, Sheppard Mullin,

Los Angeles

Jackie K. Park

Co-US Managing Partner,

DLA Piper LLP (US), Los Angeles

John-Paul Motley

Partner in Charge, Los Angeles,

Cooley LLP, Los Angeles

Josh Pollick

Managing Partner, Santa Monica office,

Co-leader of Global Technology Companies Group, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP,

Santa Monica

Daniel Prince

Partner, Chair of the Litigation Department

Los Angeles, Paul Hastings, LLP,

Los Angeles

James M. Rishwain, Jr.

Chair Emeritus, Los Angeles

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP,

Los Angeles

Maria C. Rodriguez

Partner, McDermott Will & Emery LLP,

Los Angeles

Jason D. Russell

Partner, Head of Los Angeles office,

Skadden, Los Angeles

Nicole A-J. Lang

Executive Vice President,

Paramount Pictures,

Los Angeles

Michele Ward

Director Of Recruiting,

Baker & Hostetler LLP,

Los Angeles

Perrie Weiner

Partner in Charge, Los Angeles,

Baker & McKenzie LLP,

Los Angeles

Bart H. Williams

Partner, Proskauer Rose LLP, Los Angeles

Jeffrey C. Welch,

Executive Vice President,

CBRE, Los Angeles

Joel A. Wirchin

Managing Director, Professional Services

RR Donnelley, New York

—PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS—

9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. PDT

State of the LA Legal Market
- Steady year over year growth until 2025. Coping with business downturn
- Reactions to business and economic downturn: hiring freeze, layoffs
- Talent: laterals, groups and M&A
- New office openings
- Hot practice areas
State of the LA Real Estate Market
- State of the LA Legal Market; compare and contrast activity in Downtown, Century City, Santa Monica, Westside and Orange County
- What firms want now in their purpose-built space
- Workplace design
- Working differently
What Clients Want—And Expect: How to Collaborate Effectively with Them
- Client expectations vs. law firm reality
- Interacting with firm legal and business teams
- Record high billing rates
- Who on the firm business side is “in the room” with representatives of clients?
- AI policies for law department, for company brands
- External collaboration with companies/clients; internal examples working with law department team
AI and Firm Strategy—What’s Next?
- Getting past the pilot stage
- Rolling out applications
- Structuring data to use in large language models
- Budgeting
  - Predictive analysis and the budget process
  - Firm attorney and matter budgets
- New ways for firms to take advantage of AI for research and to improve forecasting and increase efficiency. Training
- Business risk
- Use Cases

CLE Credit has been applied for.

Questions? E-mail: ginarivera@sandpiperpartners.com

Phone: 973.278.8800

ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

Sandpiper Partners is an educational firm run by highly successful entrepreneur, Lynn Glasser, who has decades of experience producing educational solutions for law firms, law departments, legal vendors and information providers serving the legal industry. Sandpiper Partners presents seven Legal Market annual conferences in major U.S. legal centers from New York to Chicago to California and London. At Sandpiper Partners, the Glassers designed and implemented the first ever Executive MBA for Law Firm Managers. They founded the “Legal Times” in D.C.