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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

RATE OF RETURN - Law firm leaders' philosophies on office returns are more varied than ever as the pandemic drags on and it becomes increasingly clear that "normalcy" is not just going to reappear one morning like the first frost. Citing concerns over the Delta variant and child care, some firms have opted for another round of reopening delays. Others, meanwhile, already brought folks back in late September and early October or are sticking to a November target date. And then, as Law.com's Justin Henry reports, there are those firms that still have no set timeline for once again requiring in-person attendance. Philadelphia-based Hangley Aronchick, for example, initially asked staff to return to the office July 19 for one day a week, and had planned to make that two days a week starting Aug. 9, followed by three days a week Aug. 23. The goal was for staff members to start working in the office on a full-time basis beginning Sept. 7. But firm leadership ultimately scrapped that plan, instead opting to let individuals make the call for themselves. "It largely is up to the attorneys and staff to determine when they need to go to the office to get something done that cannot as easily get done at home," said CEO David Pudlin.

OFFENSIVE DEFENSE - Many litigators are thrilled to get to back to the courthouse after more than a year-and-a-half of remote work. But there is one thing that seems to be dampening their enthusiasm: jerky defense lawyers. Loreal Arscott, a solo practitioner based in Miami and president of the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association, told Law.com's Michael A. Mora that the frustration has reached the point of her filing a complaint with The Florida Bar. "Since the pandemic, it has been very difficult reaching amicable settlements, expeditiously," Arscott said. "There is an unreasonable delay in communication and just a lack of civility and professionalism. Folks are just not nice and are playing dirty. It's almost deplorable." But it's not just bad attitudes. The reopening of the courts means defense lawyers, many of whom didn't feel pressured to settle cases during the pandemic because they didn't have a pending trial date, are now inundated with work. Sam Coffey, a partner at Coffey Trial Law in Fort Lauderdale, had six cases set for trial in the fall, but four of the cases have been moved to other dates. "Defense lawyers are overwhelmed with the amount of work, and are claiming they don't have enough time," Coffey told Mora. "We're seeing a number of late filings where witness lists don't get filed, exhibit lists don't get filed and expert disclosures are untimely."

SURPRISINGLY STONED - Curaleaf, an integrated cannabis producer based in Massachusetts, was hit with a product liability lawsuit Wednesday in Oregon District Court over the labeling of its Select CBD drops. The court action was brought by OlsenDaines and the Law Office of Kelly D. Jones on behalf of three plaintiffs who allege that the drops they ingested contained the psychoactive compound THC without a warning label. Counsel have not yet appeared for the defendant. The case is 3:21-cv-01465, Lopez et al v. Curaleaf, Inc. Stay up on the latest deals and litigation with the new Law.com Radar.  

EDITOR'S PICKS

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

QUINN'S QUAGMIRE -  Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan's London office has spent more than a decade rapidly building its highly profitable team of litigators. But, as we wrote in this space yesterday, the firm saw three top partners, including superstar litigator Boris Bronfentrinker, jump ship to join Willkie Farr & Gallagher this week. In addition, as Law.com International's Krishnan Nair reports, the number of associates joining the walk-out now stands at 12—making it a total of 15 lawyers—according to a person with knowledge of the hires, meaning it is one of the biggest U.K. team moves of the year. A person with knowledge of the firm said the exits could result in as much as a quarter of the firm's London revenue falling away. A second person with knowledge of Quinn Emanuel's global profits agreed with this estimation. One U.S.-based recruiter with a focus on the U.S. firm hiring space in London said Quinn Emanuel "will struggle hiring people of Bronfentrinker's caliber," adding: "This is a bad thing for Quinn, and there's no real way of dressing it up. Fact is, they're in real trouble."

WHAT YOU SAID

"I decided to go back to work when I played golf 13 days in a row."