On The Merits

By: Bloomberg Industry Group
  • Summary

  • On The Merits takes you behind the scenes of the legal world and the inner workings of government. This podcast offers in-depth analysis on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the business of law firms, legal technology, regulations, and the industry overall. You'll gain insights into how government actions, policies, and legal developments are impacting the industry and hear from leading attorneys, legal scholars, industry experts, and government officials as they share their perspectives on the forces driving change in law and government.
    © 2025 Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Episodes
  • Choose-Your-Billable-Hours Model May Be Future of Associate Pay
    Jan 14 2025
    Big Law associates often feel they have little control over their pay or their time. But Steptoe & Johnson's new compensation model will allow associates to choose a 1800-, 2000-, or 2200-billable-hour track with a corresponding pay scale. On this episode of On the Merits, Kate Reder Sheikh, partner at Major, Lindsey & Africa, shares how a tiered compensation plan could benefit both associates and law firms—and what the risks are. She also gives the latest industry updates on return-to-office issues and lateral moves for 2025. Do you have feedback on this episode of On The Merits? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.
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    14 mins
  • Elon Musk's $56 Billion Bad Year in Delaware Court
    Jan 9 2025
    Elon Musk's six-year saga defending his $56 billion Tesla Inc. pay package in the Delaware Chancery Court has captivated the state's tight-knit legal community and the wider world of Musk watchers, including his more than 200 million online followers. In January 2024, the court's chief judge struck down the pay package, prompting a months-long social media barrage—and a host of novel legal stunts—from the tech titan. In December, the judge rejected the compensation deal again, handing $345 million to the shareholder attorneys who led the case. On this episode of our podcast, On The Merits, senior correspondent Jennifer Kay and reporter Roy Strom discuss the long-running courtroom drama, the lead trial lawyer who took aim at the pay package, and the judge who has repeatedly stood up to the world's richest man. Do you have feedback on this episode of On The Merits? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690
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    26 mins
  • Politics, Pay, and New Players Are on Law Firms’ Radar in 2025
    Jan 7 2025
    The year 2024 saw tons of firms looking for merger opportunities and the lightning-fast growth that they provided. Although there's still plenty of room for new mergers, the legal industry is constantly looking for other ways to be competitive as big companies like KPMG are looking to enter the legal services market. This edition of On the Merits was hosted for the first time by Tom Taylor, chief of staff of the newsroom. Reporters Meghan Tribe and Justin Henry, who cover the business of law, and Chris Opfer, who oversees that coverage, joined him to discuss the most significant issues and challenges facing the legal industry in 2025. And as the second inauguration of Donald Trump approaches, the team will discuss how firms could deal with Trump's "unscripted style" and the opportunities for Big Law during his second term. Do you have feedback on this episode of On The Merits? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.
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    18 mins

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