Biglaw, Bonuses, Money

Associate Bonus Watch: Monday Open Thread

By David Lat

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?

By David Lat

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?

By David Lat

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

By Stella Q

* 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

By David Lat

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

By David Lat

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 […]

Crime, Drugs, Prisons, Pro Se Litigants, Reader Polls

Ward v. Arm & Hammer: What Do You Think?

By David Lat

Remember this great lawsuit, which we wrote about last week? In case you don’t, here’s a quick recap: Summary: Pro se litigant George Allen Ward is suing Arm & Hammer and its corporate parent, Church & Dwight, for $425 million. His theory of liability: failure to warn. The company failed to warn him that if […]

Biglaw, Bonuses, Money, Shopping, Wall Street

Associate Bonus Watch: How Will You Spend Your Loot?

By David Lat

We swear we had the idea before reading this Greedy NY item. Truth be told, we didn’t steal it from the message boards. We stole it from DealBreaker: In business journalism, there are certain kind of articles that get written and rewritten every year. There’s the “How To Behave At An Office Party” article that […]

Ann Althouse, Asians, Barrington Parker, Contests, Hotties, Money, Reality TV, Survivor, Television, Yul Kwon

Congratulations to Yul Kwon — Who Says You Don’t Learn Anything at Yale Law School?

By David Lat

Apparently you learn how to survive on a desert island. And how to beat out your fellow competitors for a $1 million cash prize, on one of America’s biggest reality television shows. Yul Kwon, the newly crowned winner of “Survivor: Race Wars” “Survivor: Cook Islands,” is a lawyer, former Second Circuit law clerk, and 2000 […]

Celebrities, Deaths, Fabulosity, Fat People, Kids, Money

Speaking of the Children…

By David Lat

We’re glad to see that kids today have their priorities straight: Children under 10 think being a celebrity is the “very best thing in the world” but do not think quite as much of God, a survey has revealed. The poll of just under 1,500 youngsters ranked “God” as their tenth favourite thing in the […]

Biglaw, Bonuses, Kids, Money, Wall Street

Associate Bonus Watch: What About the Children?

By David Lat

We read the message boards, so you don’t have to. Yes, you owe us big-time. We’re mainly interested in bonus announcements. But occasionally we notice other items. Last week, we were oddly touched by this post. And today we were moved by these sentiments: Man, this is depressing. I’ve been following this board for a […]

3rd Circuit, Federal Judges, Judicial Nominations, Kent Jordan, Noel Hillman, Politics, Senate Judiciary Committee

A Third Circuit Update

By David Lat

A few quick updates on our former stomping grounds, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit: 1. There’s been some speculation about who might be nominated for the Third Circuit seat previously held by Justice Alito. What we’re now hearing is that it’s probably going to Judge Noel Hillman, a former high-ranking Justice […]

Biglaw, Bonuses, Money

Associate Bonus Watch: Ropes & Gray, and Some Non-New York Numbers

By David Lat

According to this post at Greedy NY, the New York office of Ropes & Gray has matched the market bonuses, with respect to its most junior classes (who are paid lockstep bonuses — more senior classes are not). Here’s the posting, which includes some non-NYC compensation figures (since some of you have been asking after […]

John Ashcroft, Law Schools, Lunacy, Religion, Weirdness

What Is Up With Law School Libraries These Days?

By David Lat

Breaking news: The Second Coming is almost here! Don’t believe us? Check out the official press release: [T]he disasters and plagues that are described in the Bible are about to happen. The immediate future will be difficult for everyone, but the result will be that people acknowledge the true Christian God and follow his commandments. […]

Biglaw, Bonuses, Money

Associate Bonus Watch: Cleary Matches

By David Lat

That’s what we’re hearing, from sources within the firm. This isn’t terribly surprising, since Cleary Gottlieb — despite being an A-list firm — tends to be a follower, not a leader, on associate compensation. Unless you’re talking about Italy. If you have a Cleary bonus memo or table, please send it our way. Thanks. Update […]

Cars, Celebrities, Death Penalty, Environment / Environmental Law, Gay Marriage, Morning Docket, Music, New Jersey, Politics, Porn Names, Prisons, Sentencing Law, Trademarks

Morning Docket: 12.18.06

By Billy Merck

* Solitary confinement, cruel and unusual? Cruel, perhaps, but not that unusual. [St. Petersburg Times via How Appealing] * Florida and California decide to take a little break on the whole lethal injection thing. [CNN] * New Jersey Legislature does what New Jersey’s Supreme Court told them to. [FindLaw] * Mariah Carey is concerned that […]

Celebrities, Crime, Perverts, Pets, Sex

Why You Shouldn’t Hire Natasha Lyonne as Your Dog Walker

By David Lat

We’re late in writing about this story. But given our commitment to covering celebrity legal woes, we must at least mention it: Actress Natasha Lyonne, the star of “American Pie” accused of threatening to sexually molest a dog, turned herself in at a New York court on Friday. A bench warrant was issued for her […]

Biglaw, Bonuses, Dewey Ballantine, Dewy Orifice, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, Law Firm Mergers, Money, Preston Gates & Ellis, Week in Review

ATL Week in Review — Biglaw Bonus Edition: December 11-15

By David Lat

We summarized the past week in non-bonus news back in this post. Now, we provide a recap of last week in Biglaw and associate bonus news: * In merger news, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart and Preston Gates & Ellis are combining to form “K&L Gates.” * Meanwhile, the Dewey-Orrick merger will be delayed in its consummation. […]