Covington’s repping Ukraine at the ICJ; Firms rush to match Cravath; and a 1st Circuit trailblazer judge to take senior status

Good morning! Here's a look at the latest in the legal industry from Reuters Legal👇

Ukraine taps U.S. law firm Covington to press Russia claim at U.N. court

Ukraine's claims against Russia at the International Court of Justice at the Hague seeking to halt the Kremlin's military operations in the country are being driven by U.S. law firm Covington & Burling.

Washington D.C.,-based partners Marney Cheek and David Zionts along with partner Jonathan Gimblett in London are leading Ukraine's charge at the ICJ, alleging in a filing that:

Russia had “falsely claimed that acts of genocide” occurred in parts of Ukraine as a pretext for its invasion. 

Ukraine asked judges to order Russia to "immediately suspend the military operations commenced on 24 February 2022 that have as their stated purpose and objective the prevention and punishment of a claimed genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine".

Covington, a prominent Washington, D.C.-based firm that includes former U.S. attorney general Eric Holder on its staff, has represented Ukraine in several other matters, including a past case before the ICJ.

The ICJ is set to hear Ukraine’s arguments in the current case on Monday and Russia’s representatives will argue on Tuesday, on whether the matter is urgent enough to require immediate action. The court's rulings are binding, though states including Russia have previously ignored them. 

Large law firms rush to match Cravath's salary hikes for associates

Twenty four hours is all it took for law firms to start accepting Cravath, Swain and Moore as the industry leader for mid-level and senior associate salaries, with Debevoise & Plimpton, Latham & Watkins, McDermott Will & Emery, Quinn Emanuel, and Paul, Weiss telling their lawyers that they would match the prevailing $415,000 scale set on Monday.

Many large firms have been quickly matching their competitors' associate salaries any time a new pay scale is announced. This is the third time in as many months McDermott, a large Chicago-founded firm, said it was matching another firm on associate pay.

"This continues to be an extraordinary period in our profession, with raises being fast and furious, but it underscores the incredible value that this cohort delivers every day."

McDermott chairman Ira Coleman highlights how the fight for talent has intensified over the last year. Law firms have been using salary raises and bonuses as recruiting tools to lure talent, especially for seasoned associates who specialize in deal work.

1st Circuit's first woman judge to retire from active service

In 1995, U.S. Circuit Judge Sandra Lynch became the first woman to serve on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Lynch then became the first woman to serve as its chief judge from 2008 to 2015. Prior to her nomination to the U.S. appeals court by then-President Bill Clinton, Lynch was the first woman to head Boston law firm Foley Hoag's litigation department. Now, the U.S. circuit judge plans to retire from active service.

"It has been and will continue to be an honor to serve my country as a judicial officer."

Lynch on Tuesday told the White House she intends to take senior status upon confirmation of a successor, giving President Joe Biden his fourth chance to name a judge to the Boston-based appellate court.

In 2020, Lynch wrote for a unanimous three-judge panel that upheld Harvard University's use of race in undergraduate admissions in a case brought by opponents of affirmative action who said the school's policy discriminates against Asian-Americans:

“Harvard’s race-conscious admissions program ensures that Harvard can retain the benefits of diversity it has already achieved.”

More recently, Lynch wrote the majority opinion that rejected a challenge to Maine's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers by plaintiffs seeking a religious exemption.

Pro Bono Heroes: How firms helped win the Sandy Hook settlement

In some ways, the lawsuit by the families of five children and four adults killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School against gunmaker Remington Arms Co felt like a David-versus-Goliath fight.

Represented by 18-lawyer Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, the plaintiffs in 2014 sued what was then the largest rifle manufacturer in North America. Moreover, they faced what was widely viewed as an insurmountable obstacle: blanket immunity for firearms makers in mass shooting cases under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. The prevailing attitude among their legal peers was basically:

“Good luck with that.”

And little wonder. No comparable litigation had ever succeeded.

But over the years, this David gained the backing of a few Goliaths of its own - Munger, Tolles & Olson partner Donald Verrilli Jr, a former U.S. Solicitor General, fended off Remington’s bid for U.S. Supreme Court review.

Paul Weiss litigation partner Christopher Boehning and counsel Janus Schutte led a team of more than 30 firm partners, counsel and associates in ensuring the gunmaker complies with its discovery obligations.

And when Remington twice declared bankruptcy, lawyers including Quinn Emanuel partner Susheel Kirpalani and Selendy Gay Elsberg name partner Faith Gay pitched in to protect potential litigation claims.

For helping the victims of the tragedy obtain a $73 million settlement against Remington, these Big Law lawyers, and some others, are columnist Jenna Greene's Pro Bono Heroes.

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