December 2006
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Bar Exams, Biglaw, Email Scandals, Emily Pataki, Politics, Reader Polls, White & Case
Morning Docket: 12.20.06
* Maryland becomes the latest state to temporarily halt lethal injection executions, this time because of procedural issues with the way the lethal injection protocol was adopted. [Washington Post via How Appealing] * Church burners expected to plead in Alabama [CNN] * No good deed goes unpunished in Libya. [Jurist] * First the minimum was […] -
Andrew Cuomo, Musical Chairs, Politics, S.D.N.Y., Stuart Rabner, U.S. Attorneys Offices
Musical Chairs: Andrew Cuomo Raids the S.D.N.Y.
Shortly after we predicted that he’d be making some personnel announcements, Andrew Cuomo, New York’s Attorney General-elect, made some personnel announcements. From the AP: Cuomo, the eldest son of former Gov. Mario Cuomo, named Robin Baker as his executive deputy attorney general for criminal justice. Baker was the deputy chief of appeals for the U.S. […] - Sponsored
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm. -
ACLU, Books, Celebrities, Crime, Defamation, Feminism, Food, Gender, Immigration, Jack Abramoff, Law Professors, Movies, Native Americans, Non-Sequiturs, Prisons, Pro Se Litigants, Weddings
Non-Sequiturs: 12.19.06
* All may not be genetically sound with Suri babies of holoprosencephaly sufferers. (But does genetic perfection really exist?) And once again, wordplay gets us out of the woods of potential litigation by a crazy actor midget. [Overlawyered] * Jack Abramoff has been hitting the books in the prison law library and will represent himself […]
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Biglaw, Bonuses, Money
Associate Bonus Watch: Schulte Roth Matches, and Tuesday Open Thread
We must run, although we shall return later today. Please post breaking bonus news in the comments. We define “breaking news” broadly. Another firm matching the market may not be thrilling, but we keep track of these things anyway. Before we go, we can report that Schulte Roth & Zabel matched the market bonuses. Schulte […] -
Attorney Misconduct, Bad Ideas, Law Schools, Sex, Sex Scandals
Sex in Your Law School Library Is Illegal, and "Necessity Is Not a Defense"
We reiterate our earlier inquiry: What is UP with law school libraries? First smells. Then strangers. Now, sex. This email, from Student Bar Association president Kenley Maddux, just went around at Washington University Law School in St. Louis. Alterations are in the original, except as indicated by “Ed. note.” From: Kenley MadduxSent: Tue 12/12/2006 1:45 […] -
Celebrities, Chadbourne & Parke, Dewey Ballantine, Law Firm Mergers, Musical Chairs, State Judges
Musical Chairs: 12.19.06
The latest collection of moves within the profession: From government to private sector: * George Bundy Smith, former judge on the New York Court of Appeals — the state’s highest court (duh) — to Chadbourne & Parke, as a litigation partner. Lateral moves: * “A little ditty, about Jack and Diane”: M&A lawyer Jack Bodner, […] -
3rd Circuit, Clerkships, Department of Justice, Federalist Society, Kids, New Jersey, Office of Legal Policy, Pets, Pictures, Religion, Samuel Alito, SCOTUS, SCOTUS Clerks Are Fair Game, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Clerks, UVA Law
Justice Alito's OT 2006 Law Clerks
Sorry it has taken us so long. As promised months ago, we now begin our series profiling current Supreme Court clerks (aka the “October Term 2006” or “OT 2006” law clerks). We’ll be going chambers by chambers, starting with the most junior justice. Here are the four law clerks to Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr.: […] -
Andrew Cuomo, Eliot Spitzer, Politics
Coming Soon: Andy's Kids
We hear that Andrew Cuomo, New York’s incoming Attorney General, will be announcing some of his top appointments very soon — perhaps as early as this afternoon. Since Eliot Spitzer reinvigorated the New York AG’s office, then used it as a vehicle to the Governor’s Mansion, the office’s profile and prestige have increased. Positions within […] - Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so… -
Biglaw, Bonuses, Dewey Ballantine, Law Firm Mergers, Money
Associate Bonus Watch: Dewey Ballantine Announces
This doesn’t really matter much (except, of course, to the people receiving the dough). But for those of you keeping score at home, Dewey Ballantine has just announced bonuses. Surprise surprise, they’re matching market. Well, almost matching market. The stub bonus for Class of 2006 folks was a flat $5,000. Other notable items from the […] -
Biglaw, Fashion, Sheppard Mullin
Sheppard Mullin's New Practice Group: FAT Law?
This post has nothing to do with the morbidly obese (which we recently learned is a medical term, not a colorful insult). In fact, they should probably hang a sign out reading, “Fat people need not apply.” “They” refers to Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, which is launching an exciting new practice group: the Fashion […] -
Ann Althouse, Contests, Fabulosity, Gay, Law Professors
Vote Ann Althouse for Grande Conservative Blogress Diva
We love contests, and we love divas. So of course we couldn’t resist this poll. An interesting line-up of nominees. We’re surprised that Michelle Malkin and Kathryn Lopez/K-Lo, both of whom have cult followings, aren’t doing better. We endorse Professor Althouse — and not just because she’s the most law-oriented blogger in the mix. Why […] -
Biglaw, Bonuses, Money
Associate Bonus Watch: Kirkland & Ellis
The latest bonus news comes from Kirkland & Ellis. Like Wachtell, K&E is sui generis. Kirkland associate bonuses are individualized, rather than lockstep by class, so they’re harder to get a handle on. As alluded to by this comment, there’s a Magic Table — closely guarded, not even seen by the firm’s (non-share) partners — […] -
Law Professors, Law Schools, Lunacy, Weirdness
More on the Attorney General in the Emory Law Library
We have a weakness for the ridiculous and bizarre. So we’re finding ourselves quite taken with all these tales of law school library strangeness. Here’s an update on yesterday’s item about the “attorney general of the United States,” at the Emory Law School library: The “attorney general” was a homeless guy that wandered around the […]
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Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so…
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
The rise of remote work has dramatically reshaped the relationship between Lawyers and Law Firms, see how Scale LLP has taken the steps to get…
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Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm.
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The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
ChatGPT ushers in the age of generative AI – even for law firms.
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Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use.
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Affirmative Action, Celebrities, Constitutional Law, Environment / Environmental Law, Morning Docket, Murder, Sentencing Law
Morning Docket: 12.19.06
* Affirmative action not gone quite yet for Michigan schools. [AP via How Appealing] * Convicted debutante killers not so happy at sentencing. [CNN] * Nebraska corporate farming ban violates dormant commerce clause; Nebraska will appeal to the Supreme Court. [Jurist] * Dracula Jr.’s a lawyer. [WSJ Law Blog] * 13 States and DC sue […]
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Biglaw, Bonuses, Money
Associate Bonus Watch: Monday Open Thread
We’re logging off for a while. In the event that some firm makes a big, market-topping bonus announcement while we’re gone, please let us know in the comments. -
Biglaw, Bonuses, Money
Associate Bonus Watch: The Sidley Grinch Who Stole Christmas?
We can’t take credit for the title of this post. Here’s an excerpt from an email we received with the subject heading, “Sidley Grinch”: Sidley matched in New York, but the great story for them is the big f*** you they sent to associates in other offices. Not only did Sidley give associates in non-NY […] -
Beyonce, Blogging, Celebrities, Litigatrix, Weirdness
Beyonce: Just Like Us?
Lawyers often draw a distinction between their “legal persona” and their “private-life persona.” A lawyer might be a tiger in the courtroom, but a pussycat in social interactions. For more examples, see here. Writers and bloggers sometimes also exhibit a “split personality.” A writer who is belligerent in the blogosphere might be mild-mannered in person. […] -
Crime, Deaths, Fashion, FCC, Kids, Murder, Native Americans, Non-Sequiturs, Prostitution
Non-Sequiturs: 12.18.06
* The FCC has eliminated the requirement for Amateur Radio Operators to know Morse code. That is the actual headline of this blog entry, for those of you who complain of the wasted five seconds it takes to click on a link, only to realize you were completely misled. [Jim N Texas!] * I never […] -
Crime, Drugs, Prisons, Pro Se Litigants, Ted Frank, Tort Reform
Ward v. Arm & Hammer: The Opinion
As one of you has noted, our favorite pro se lawsuit, filed back in 2003, has already been decided. Interested in seeing how the case was resolved? Check out the published opinion: Ward v. Arm & Hammer, 341 F.Supp.2d 499 (2004). Ted Frank has the link, plus commentary. Click here to satisfy your curiosity. Because […] -
Biglaw, Bonuses
Associate Staff Attorney Bonus Watch
As several of you have reminded us, associates aren’t the only people who work at big law firms. Hence this quick shout-out to staff attorneys. From a reader email: You’re forgetting about Staff Attorneys. We’re lawyers, but not associates, so we don’t get the associate pay or bonus. While we are paid significantly less than […]