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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

GAINING - Plaintiffs in employment cases scored wins on class certification motions at record rates last year, Ross Todd reports. According to Seyfarth Shaw's 16th annual report on workplace class-action litigation, plaintiffs secured certification in 81% of wage and hour cases, 65% for ERISA, and 64% for employment discrimination. Good news for defense counsel is that although plaintiffs won "first-stage" certification motions at a record clip, employers had increasing success in winning "second-stage" decertification motions.

EXITING – The recent departure from the U.S. solicitor general's office of several female lawyers—most recently Elizabeth Prelogar to Cooley—has left only four women among the 16 assistant positions in the office. Tony Mauro reports that the SG's office has long provided a place for talented female lawyers to move into the Supreme Court bar, dominated by men. Lisa Blatt, Deanne Maynard, Beth Brinkmann, Ilana Eisenstein, Elaine Goldenberg, Nicole Saharsky and now Prelogar have gone on to become Supreme Court practitioners and appellate practice leaders at major law firms.

DEMAND – As Australia witnesses first-hand the impact of climate change with devastating wildfires forcing thousands to flee their homes, the designation of "climate change lawyer" is gaining prominence. Christopher Niesche reports that global law firms say they're looking for lawyers equipped to counsel businesses all over the world on dealing with the phenomenon, whether that means litigation, risk assessment, regulatory work or boardroom advisers.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

'Indefensible': Hundreds of Lawyers Criticize McConnell Over Senate Impeachment Trial

Immigration Judges, Joined by Latham & Watkins, Fight DOJ Effort to Decertify Union

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

LOWER STILL – M&A activity in the Asia Pacific continued to drop last year to a six-year low, with China deals further affected by geopolitical tensions. Korea and Japan deals, meanwhile, saw strong momentum. Anna Zhang reports that overall M&A activity in the Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, totaled $565.3 billion in 2019, the lowest level since 2013, according to data compiled by Mergermarket. The region's share in the global M&A market shrank 17% in 2019 from 20.4% a year earlier.

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WHAT YOU SAID

"He thinks he's funnier than I am. But I'm not sure about that."

—  Samantha Power, Harvard law professor and author of a new memoir about her experiences as a journalist, presidential adviser and diplomat, commenting on her husband Cass Sunstein, with whom she co-teaches a course on politics and social change.

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