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On The Merits

On The Merits

By: Bloomberg Law
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On The Merits takes you behind the scenes of the legal world and the inner workings of law firms. This podcast offers in-depth analysis on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the business of law and the legal industry overall. You'll gain insights into how the latest government actions, policies, and business developments are impacting the industry and hear from leading attorneys, legal scholars, industry experts, and our own team of journalists as they share their perspectives on the forces driving change.© 2026 Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved Economics Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Why Polsinelli Lawyers Won't Get Billing Credit for AI Training

    Why Polsinelli Lawyers Won't Get Billing Credit for AI Training
    Mar 24 2026
    The chair of law firm Polsinelli says he doesn't want his attorneys—and especially not his junior attorneys—to use AI legal tools grudgingly. But the firm will not be giving associates billable-hour credit for learning how to use the technology. "They need to be very, very good at utilizing these tools and investing in themselves," Chase Simmons said on Bloomberg Law's podcast, On The Merits. "If you need motivation to learn how to use AI in your career right now, we probably have other things that we should be concerned about with you." "This should just be every day you wake up and have breakfast and think about how to incorporate this into your career," Simmons added. Simmons, who leads one of the fastest growing firms in the country, talked about how Polsinelli is adopting AI across the firm. He also explained Polsinelli's focus on being a "daily and weekly law firm" for its clients and discussed his views on the Trump administration's attacks on the legal industry. 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
  • AI Poses Private Capital Opportunity, Mayer Brown Chief Says

    AI Poses Private Capital Opportunity, Mayer Brown Chief Says
    Mar 17 2026
    Outside investors circling law firms may help some shoulder the growing costs of artificial intelligence, according to Mayer Brown's Jon Van Gorp. "I could see private capital providing specific funding for AI with a use agreement between the firm and the AI vehicle where it's tailored, just like litigation funding," Van Gorp, the firm's chairman, said on Bloomberg Law's On The Merits podcast. Still, the unique aspects of the legal services business pose challenges for broader outside investment in large firms, Van Gorp said. The "practice of law is still a profession, and lawyers still have their way of doing things," he said. Van Gorp spoke to Bloomberg Law reporter Roy Strom about AI's "big question that everybody's talking about." He also discussed his firm's focus on servicing energy markets, the turbulent times for private credit markets, and the impact of President Donald Trump's war on the legal industry. 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
  • Trump's U-Turn in Big Law Fight Shows White House Fury for Firms

    Trump's U-Turn in Big Law Fight Shows White House Fury for Firms
    Mar 10 2026
    The Trump administration surprised everyone last week when it first dropped an appeal in its fight against four law firms and then, less than 24 hours later, reversed itself and declared the case to be back on. The White House and Justice Department have yet to explain what prompted the dizzying two-day stretch. Late last week, a DOJ lawyer instead pressed an appeals court to overturn four separate rulings striking down Trump's executive orders against the firms last year. The about-face has highlighted questions about the legal rationale behind Trump's orders, targeting firms over ties to lawyers and causes the president sees as threats to his administration. But even if Trump ends up losing the appeal, he's already gained a significant amount of leverage from the legal industry in hard-to-quantify ways, according to Bloomberg Law reporters Meghan Tribe and Justin Henry. On this episode of our podcast, On The Merits, they speak with host Jessie Kokrda Kamens about the chaotic events of last week and where the president's battles against the legal industry may be heading next. 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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    13 mins
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