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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

MIDNIGHT MADNESS? - As a judiciary panel looks into a proposal to make the electronic filing deadline earlier, lawyers and former judges are divided over whether such a change would improve work-life balance for attorneys, Law.com's Avalon Zoppo reports. Some lawyers contend the current midnight deadline interferes with family life and could extend working hours, others say they depend on it in emergency situations and that it gives them more flexibility with their schedules. "For those of us with kids in particular, a lot of us use the flexibility of the midnight deadline to our advantage," he said. "It is not uncommon for me to either leave the office or leave my home when I'm working in the middle of the day and spend two hours dealing with something I need to do for the kids. If I have something due in federal court that day, I don't have to worry about losing that time in a moment where I need to be finalizing a brief or filing. I can do it on my own time later," he said. However, Leerberg said, lawyers who recently started in their careers might have a different view. If young associates work for particularly demanding partners, the late deadline may end up keeping them in the office after normal business hours regularly, he said. "I can see how that would be really frustrating," Leerberg said.

MONEY IN THE BANKS -  Large banks and financial institutions have a reputation for retaining elite law firms and the top of the Am Law 200. But as much as half of their work now goes outside the Am Law 200, according to a new report that dives into banks' law firm spending habits. The report from Wolters Kluwer ELM Solutions, published Wednesday, also shows that while law firms have been able to get significant rate hikes from most in-house legal departments, their clients in the banking and financial sector have generally been an exception. Financial companies direct about 10% of total outside spend to the Am Law 10, 10% to the Am Law 11-20, 10% to the Am Law 21-50, and about 15% to the Am Law 51-100, according to the report. Meanwhile, Am Law 101-150 and 151-200 utilization for both groups stands at about 4% and 1% of spend, respectively, the report added. The other half goes to a mix of others, such as law firms outside the Am Law 200, alternative legal service providers, the Big Four and large Asian law firms, according to the report, which noted that the vendor mix of financial companies resembles the mix from any large company. Nathan Cemenska, director for legal operations and industry insights for ELM Solutions, told Law.com's Andrew Maloney that the findings surprised him. If you talk to firms not ranked in Am Law at all, "they're worried big banks and financing companies are going to shun them," he said. "But they're not being shunned. That's not what's happening."

ON THE RADAR  - Zen Laboratory, a children's toy retailer which sells the "Fidget Poppers Pack," filed a copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit against Popsify LLC and its manager Mendel Weinberger on Wednesday in Arizona District Court. The suit, brought by Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie, accuses the defendant of selling a "Popsify Fidget Poppers Pack" with nearly identical packaging. Counsel have not yet appeared for the defendants. The case is 4:22-cv-00466, Zen Laboratory LLC v. Popsify LLC et al. Stay up on the latest deals and litigation with the new Law.com.   

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