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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

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GIMME SHELTER - The rent is too damn high in Silicon Valley—and it's driving off in-house candidates. So writes Caroline Spiezio, who reports that in-house candidates at all levels increasingly are turning down offers in Silicon Valley, citing the cost of living as the reason. What's more, with the average pay for in-house support employees at less than $60,000, while the average home price in places like Menlo Park and Palo Alto stands at $2 million, in-house lawyers find themselves handling more administrative tasks while support staff openings linger unfilled, sometimes for months.

LESS IS LESS - May be time to tighten that belt, counselor. A full 82% of in-house legal leaders will be forced to cut legal spend over the next two years, according to a report by EY. Based on a survey of 1,058 senior legal practitioners from businesses in 25 countries, the report finds that rising business costs and in-house salary competition are some of the reasons, as are escalating salaries for outside lawyers. As Dan Clark reports, some 37% of respondents indicated that over the next two years they plan on cutting legal spend by 11% to 20%.

BON VOYAGE - A small number of law firms are giving attorneys and, in some cases, staff the option to take sabbaticals to recharge. Brenda Sapino Jeffreys reports that among them are Shook, Hardy & Bacon, Holland & Hart and Perkins Coie. The firms say that besides the opportunity for lawyers to completely disconnect from work, for up to three months at some places, the long-term vacations build team work, ease client succession planning and aid in recruiting and retention.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

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'Destroying Segregation': Q&A with the Lawyer for Rosa Parks and MLK Jr.

Facebook Selects Kilpatrick for New Law Firm Diversity Award

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

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BY THE NUMBERS - Baker McKenzie has announced a series of gender diversity targets set at 40% women, 40% men and 20% flexible, which the firm says can include women, men and non-binary people, by July 2025. Simon Lock reportsthat the numbers apply to partners, senior business professionals and firm committee leadership.

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WHAT YOU SAID

“It costs a lot of money to hide materials.”

—  CHAD DUNN, PARTNER AT BRAZIL & DUNN IN AUSTIN, RESPONDING TO A BAYLOR UNIVERSITY SPOKESMAN WHO SAID THE SCHOOL HAS SPENT $4.5 MILLION IN THE DISCOVERY PROCESS IN DEFENDING SEXUAL ASSAULT LITIGATION. A JUDGE HAS  SANCTIONED PEPPER HAMILTON, WHICH REPRESENTS THE SCHOOL, FOR VIOLATING A DISCOVERY ORDER IN THE CASE.

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