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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

UPWARD – Cory Wilson has been deemed "well qualified" by the ABA for a seat on the Fifth Circuit ahead of his expected hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee later this week. As Jacqueline Thomsen reports, Wilson was originally nominated by President Trump for a judgeship in the Southern District of Mississippi and faced senators at a hearing for that seat in January. But he was elevated for consideration for the Fifth Circuit after Trump's original nominee for the seat, Judge Halil Suleyman "Sul" Ozerden, fell flat with Republicans over questions on his religious liberty credentials.

DOWNWARD – Irell & Manella is at a turning point. Defections have syphoned off millions in revenue, and rainmaker Morgan Chu is carrying much of the weight of the Los Angeles-based IP boutique. As David Thomas and Dylan Jackson report, the situation is reminiscent of a rough patch the firm hit around 2015. Last year, profits per equity partner dropped by more than 25%—from $3.63 million in 2014 to $2.68 million.

NEW ROLE – President Trump plans to nominate Justin Herdman, the top federal prosecutor in Cleveland, as the U.S. attorney in D.C., putting the former Jones Day partner in line to lead an office reeling from the DOJ leadership's unusual interventions in the cases of Roger Stone and Michael Flynn. As C. Ryan Barber reports, Herdman, if confirmed, would take charge of the largest U.S. attorney's office in the country.  The tenure of Timothy Shea, the interim U.S. attorney, is set to expire this summer.