Firms Struggle to Rein in Misbehaving Rainmakers

Welcome back to the Big Law Business column on the changing legal marketplace written by me, Roy Strom. Today we look at two proposals to rein in rainmakers’ bad behavior.

The week began with a former DLA Piper partner pushing back against allegations of sexual assault lodged by a former colleague who worked on his matters.

A day later, another Big Law firm, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, proposed a response to its own scandal over misconduct allegations involving a partner and a subordinate: Hit misbehaving partners with a fine.

The Magic Circle firm’s plan would dock a partner’s compensation by ...