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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

BIG LAW BOUTIQUE BASH - Big Law had a boutique merger bonanza this week—and the party doesn't appear to be ending any time soon. Several firms in the Am Law 200 and beyond announced mergers with boutiques, citing a mix of fortune and strategy, the culmination of years-long talks, and even a desire to capitalize on economic headwinds that could slow competitors. And, as Law.com's Andrew Maloney reports, that the boutique-combination momentum could continue this year, as mergers are expected to rise across industry segments in 2023, with smaller firms continuing to feel pressure to scale up and larger firms continuing to consolidate in the face of uncertainty. "Given natural attrition and the limitations of sustaining growth through organic and lateral additions, law firms continue to actively pursue merger as an element of their growth strategy," a Fairfax Associates report noted last week.

RESTRICTIVE GOVERNMENT? - The FTC yesterday proposed a rule banning noncompete clauses in employment contracts—and it goes pretty hard. FTC Commissioner Lina Khan called noncompetes unfair to workers and said eliminating the restriction would raise wages and encourage competition. But, as Law.com's Maria Dinzeo reports, critics have argued that the proposal goes way overboard and is likely to trigger a ton of unintended consequences. "The FTC is swinging for the fences," said Clifford Atlas, a principal at the law firm Jackson Lewis and co-leader of its restrictive covenants. "It's going to be a process; there's going to be a comment period. Will there be changes to the rule? I don't know. Will there be legal challenges? Absolutely."

ON THE RADAR - Jones Day filed a privacy lawsuit Friday in Colorado District Court on behalf of Amie Stepanovich, a lawyer and former U.S. policy manager and global policy counsel for Access Now in Washington D.C. Stepanovich claims a tracking device manufactured by third party Tile Inc. was found inside of her motor vehicle. The suit targets an unnamed defendant who placed the device in her car. The plaintiff believes that the device was placed in her car while she was still residing in Arvada, Colorado, where she had accused a former colleague of sexual misconduct. The case is 1:23-cv-00046, Stepanovich v. John Doe User of Tile Device with Serial Number CH40195671TD1. Stay up on the latest deals and litigation with the new Law.com Radar. 

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