“Reptile theory” is a litigation tactic used by plaintiffs’ lawyers to appeal to a jury’s survival instincts by casting defendants as threats to community safety. Popularized by Don C. Keenan and David Ball in their book, Reptile: The 2009 Manual of the Plaintiff’s Revolution, it builds on the “triune brain” neuroscience theory, which posits that the human brain is made up of three regions of increasing evolutionary complexity.

On November 11, we welcomed 24 new protégés the firm’s D&I Associate Sponsorship Program, which is the centerpiece of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s efforts to retain, develop, and promote associates. Each year, we pair high-potential and high-performing members of the firm’s 10 affinity groups—in their fifth and sixth year of practice—with a member of Winston’s Executive Committee.