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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

AND WE'RE BACK – Four witnesses are expected to testify today at the House impeachment inquiry, which enters its second week of public testimony: Jennifer Williams, an aide to Vice President Pence; Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the National Security Council's director for European affairs; Kurt Volker, special envoy to Ukraine; and Tim Morrison, a former National Security Council aide. Major U.S. law firms and other private lawyers have helped witnesses navigate the private, and now public, proceedings. The public hearings also have pitted former New York federal prosecutor Daniel Goldman, advising the Democrats, against Stephen Castor, lead counsel for Republicans.

ADEPT – DLA Piper takes top honors this year for marketing itself through the likes of Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, according to a new study. Patrick Smith reports that in Good2bSocial's 2019 Social Law Firm Index annual report card, law firms in general are using Facebook less. Good2bSocial, a consulting firm, measures law firms' social media reach, engagement and marketing performance on their own websites and on public social media platforms. In the rankings released today, following DLA Piper are White & Case, Norton Rose Fulbright, Baker McKenzie and Orrick.

SOURCE – There's a lot of talk in the legal profession about improving the diversity pipeline. Now the Law School Admission Council (maker of the LSAT) and nonprofit Street Law are offering some help. They have compiled the first-ever directory that identifies the roughly 200 high schools across the country that offer a curriculum organized around law and justice. As Karen Sloan reports, organizers hope law school admissions offices will use the directory, in part, to feed the diversity pipeline and improve the numbers of minorities going to law school.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Trump Tax Return Cases Could Put Time Squeeze on Supreme Court

Florida Is a Top Priority for Dentons as It Looks to Expand in US

LBI Media Names New General Counsel After Emerging From Bankruptcy

Every Voice Counts on Law.com's Mental Health and Substance Abuse Survey

'Penn Law' Keeps Its Name—For Now

Big Verdicts Rise Sharply In SE Trucking Accidents: Here's an Interactive Graph

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

DOWN UNDER – A team of 28 lawyers that left K&L Gates in Australia last month is launching a new law firm focused on employment and workplace law, Christopher Niesche reports. The firm, named Kingston Reid, says it will maintain a strong relationship with K&L Gates. It is simultaneously opening offices this week in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, with a founding team of nine partners, all of whom left K&L Gates. The team is known for employment law, industrial relations and workplace health and safety work in Australia.

WHAT YOU SAID

"We have heard you."

—  Ted Ruger, dean of University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, responding to criticism from students and alumni following the school's decision to change its nickname to "Carey Law." Administrators now have decided to keep "Penn Law" as the shorthand name until 2022.

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