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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

URGE TO MERGE - And you thought there might not be any get-togethers this year. While the COVID-19 pandemic slowed law firm mergers significantly in 2020, according to two new reports, analysts say firms are eager to grow again in 2021, Law.com's Andrew Maloney reports. The experts cite "extremely high" interest in combination talks—including for large firm mergers—and a desire to return to pre-pandemic strategy. Tom Clay, a principal at Altman Weil who worked on the MergerLine report, said some aspects of the combination process are still lagging behind where they might normally be "because the pipeline got shut down and the research got shut down" when the pandemic hit last spring. But he said firms are itching to start assessing the landscape again for combination targets. "They're telling us right now, 'Go full-bore,'" Clay said. "But having said that, there's just not enough in the pipeline right now to say, 'Oh yeah, we should get back to normal.'"

INTO THE UNKNOWN - Big Law is getting a huge influx of new law firm leaders this year, all of whom have taken or are about to take the reins without knowing exactly what lies on the path ahead, Law.com's Brenda Sapino Jeffreys reports. But, while new law firm leaders must keep their eyes peeled for any spike strips COVID-19 may still throw down in 2021, law firm consultant Lisa Smith advises them not to lose their focus on the firm initiatives that were in place pre-pandemic. "It's still important for managing partners to be forward-looking and continue to focus on those priorities, because you don't want to lose time. If they were important before, they are still important," said Smith, a principal at Fairfax Associates in Washington, D.C.

PAYCHECK PROTECTION REJECTION -  Counsel at Ballard Spahr on Tuesday removed a lawsuit against Wells Fargo to Pennsylvania Eastern District Court. The complaint claims Wells Fargo breached its duty to plaintiff Albino Concrete Construction by denying the company's Paycheck Protection Program application on the grounds that Albino failed to provide "requested information," when no information was ever requested by the bank. The suit was filed by attorney William J. Perrone. The case is 2:21-cv-00035, Albino Concrete Construction Co. Inc. a/d/b/a Albino Concrete Construction LLC v. Wells Fargo Bank National Association. Stay up on the latest litigation with the new Law.com Radar.

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