Ashurst is playing the scale game. Its merger with Perkins Coie is all about size. “It’s a scale game now – $1bn is quite small for a global firm” if you want to invest in top talent and AI. And with the US legal market bigger than every other country combined, building scale in America is now essential for any firm with serious global ambitions. While HSF Kramer and Ashurst Perkins Coie chase US scale, Capital Brief reckons KWM is edging toward a formal split from KWM China to reposition itself as an independent player ready to partner with top US firms: Capital Brief, Global Legal Post

Here’s another reminder on how underpaid Aussie lawyers are compared to their US counterparts - Cravath is promising its lawyers up to US$140k in combined year-end and special bonuses. Senior associates will take home US$115k plus US$25k in special bonuses, with Paul Hastings immediately matching. With top firms already paying US$225k–US$435k salaries, the race to keep talent happy (at least in the US) is very much alive: Reuters

EY Oceania has cut around 90 consulting roles, about 1% of its 9,000 staff, as the advisory market stays soft. The cuts hit teams, including Future Friendly, the design firm EY bought in 2023. But don’t worry students, EY is still hiring grads, banking on fresh AI skills to lift performance: AFR

Norton Rose Fulbright’s break-up with its South African offices exposes the fragility of Swiss vereins structures — they may look unified on paper, but can crack under pressure. Months of tension over referrals, visibility and leadership have ended with South Africa going solo, leaving NRF without a presence in the region. It’s a cautionary tale for every global firm tied together by one brand, two balance sheets: Law.com

Harvey is rolling out its law-school program across the UK, partnering with Oxford, King’s, BPP and ULaw, giving students full access to its legal-AI tools. It comes as KCL launches a world-first AI Literacy Programme with Harvey, Legora, Luminance and Lucio, signalling a rapid shift in how future lawyers are trained straight out of University: NB