October 2007
-
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 10.03.07
* We want Judge Kent impeached NOW. [Galveston County Daily News via How Appealing] * You just can’t get good help these days. [CNN] * Need to beef up your law library? [WSJ Law Blog] * This is just like “The Fan,” except it didn’t work, and the guy didn’t die. [Sports Illustrated] * Thomas […]
-
Biglaw, Money, Skaddenfreude
Nationwide Pay Raise Watch: Bryan Cave to $160K
In “selected U.S. offices.” Here’s the memo, which was issued yesterday: From: Professional ResourcesSent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:31 PMTo: LAWYERSCc: NBRECSubject: Selected US Offices – Associate Salary Increases Consistent with the Firm’s effort to attract top tier talent in each of our markets, the Firm continuously monitors each market to determine if our compensation […] - Sponsored
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… -
Gay, Herman Thomas, Perverts, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns
Don't Let the Paddle Hit You on the Way Out (Unless You're Into That Sort of Thing)
Judge Herman Thomas — the Alabama state court judge who allegedly enjoyed spanking male prisoners, traded favorable treatment for sexual favors, and improperly interfered on behalf of a cousin in legal trouble — has resigned from the bench. We sure will miss having him to smack around. Judge Thomas resigns [Mobile Press-Register] Alabama Judge Resigns […]
-
Law School Deans, Law Schools, Vermin / Rodents / Pests
Top Tier Law Schools Have Problems Too
Look on the bright side, Loyola 2L. Maybe you don’t have a post-graduation job lined up yet. But law students at your crosstown competition have their own challenges to deal with. UCLA is a Tier One law school, per U.S. News & World Report (even if not a so-called “T14” school, as they like to […] -
Biglaw, Job Searches, Law Schools, Media and Journalism, Wall Street Journal
Non-Top-Tier Law Schools: Brooklyn Law Strikes Back
Reactions were varied to Amir Efrati’s controversial, widely read, front-page Wall Street Journal story about the job prospects for graduates of non-elite law schools. Some students and alumni of non-top-tier law schools hailed the piece for revealing some dirty secrets about American legal education. But not everyone was so pleased. From a tipster at Brooklyn […] -
Asians, Biglaw, Sex, Sex Scandals, United Kingdom / Great Britain
Lawyer of the Day: Lord Peter Goldsmith
Last week, we mentioned in passing the news that the former U.K. Attorney-General, Lord Peter Goldsmith, QC, is joining Debevoise & Plimpton. Lord Goldsmith will head up Debevoise’s European litigation practice. The Times of London reported the news here, and the WSJ Law Blog posted on the move here. But both write-ups omitted the most […] -
Intellectual Property, Music, Patents, Videos, YouTube
A Musical Shout-Out to the Patent Bar
A reader drew a legally-themed music video to our attention: It’s from a specialized patent blog, but some of your readers may find it funny — especially because is an actual partner from a large firm singing the song. Is this a new BigLaw marketing trend? Check out the video via Patently O. As you […] -
Biglaw, Hedge Funds / Private Equity, McKee Nelson, Private Equity, Wall Street
More Woe Ahead for Private Equity and Mortgage-Backed Securities Lawyers?
That seems to be the theme of this very interesting article, by Ben Hallman and Aruna Viswanatha, in the current issue of the American Lawyer. It echoes the problems we discussed back in this post, concerning the $70 million malpractice suit filed against Cadwalader, in connection with the firm’s mortgage-backed securities practice. Here’s an excerpt […] - Sponsored
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
ChatGPT ushers in the age of generative AI – even for law firms. -
Law Schools, Litigators
Non-Top-Tier Law School Graduate of the Day: Daniel Petrocelli
Here’s our latest Non-Top-Tier Law School Graduate of the Day, an alumnus of a Tier 3 school. And he didn’t even get an LLM from NYU! Name: Daniel Petrocelli Law School: Southwestern Law School, J.D., 1980 Current Position: Partner, O’Melveny & Myers Why He’s Our Winner: The reader who nominated Petrocelli says it all: You […] -
Biglaw, Bonuses, Money, Skaddenfreude
Year-End Bonus Watch: Atlanta
In our most recent open thread about year-end bonuses, devoted to Texas, there were some requests for an Atlanta post in the comments. But there was also some dissent: There is no need for an ATL bonus thread because the bonus structure there is so simple. For everyone billing less than 2400 hours, nothing. For […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket 10.02.07
* Justice Kennedy is so money and he doesn’t even know it. [NPR via How Appealing] * Jury indicates finding against Isiah Thomas in harassment suit; still deliberating on punitives. [New York Times] * Is it possible to have a “fetus-snatching case” that isn’t bizarre? [CNN] * Man pleads guilty-but-crazy in Vegas Strip sidewalk driving […]
-
Biglaw, Civil Rights, Gay, Job Searches, Lesbians
Which Law Firms Are Down With the Gays?
The Human Rights Campaign has some answers. HRC, which is the largest national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, recently released its annual list of Best Places to Work. And law firms were prominently represented: [T]he Human Rights Campaign Foundation released a report showing that numerous large U.S. law firms are providing important […] -
Books, Charlie Savage, Clarence Thomas, Federal Judges, Non-Sequiturs, Samuel Kent, Tax Law, Television
More Non-Sequiturs: 10.01.07
* Humor for tax lawyers. [TaxProf Blog] * Additional thoughts on the Judge Samuel Kent case, from Ilya Somin. [Volokh Conspiracy] * Best magistrate judgeship ever? [San Jose Mercury News] * Charlie Savage, whose book party we recently attended, is on the Colbert Report tonight. [Comedy Central] * Also on television tonight (opposite the Colbert […]
Sponsored
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
Sponsored
Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
-
Britney Spears, Celebrities, Divorce Train Wrecks, Family Law, Kids
Leave... Britney... Alone!
You mean old judge! From the AP: Britney Spears was ordered Monday to surrender custody of her children to ex-husband Kevin Federline. Superior Court Judge Scott M. Gordon ruled that Federline will take custody of Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, beginning Wednesday “until further order of the court.” If Judge Gordon took Britney’s […] -
Biglaw, Blogging, Hillary Clinton, Non-Sequiturs, Old People
Non-Sequiturs: 10.01.07
* Mandatory retirement for law firm partners: pro or con? Depends on what you dislike more: rigid and economically irrational rules, or funny-smelling old people walking the halls. [Adam Smith, Esq.] * We’re still investigating those Latham layoff rumors. In the meantime, you can follow Wall Street layoffs over at our big sibling site. [DealBreaker] […] -
Biglaw, Cheapness, Money
What's Up With WilmerHale?
Some time ago, we received this interesting tip, about WilmerHale (in D.C.): WH continues to go downhill. Why is it that no one ever seems to write or care about this? I’m an associate and treated fairly well. But the support staff receives brutal treatment. I heard that one of our HR people who almost […] -
Benjamin Brafman, Celebrities, Law Schools, Michael Jackson, Sean Combs
Non-Top-Tier Law School Graduate of the Day: Benjamin Brafman
Following in the footsteps of Sullivan & Cromwell partner Eric Krautheimer, today’s Non-Top-Tier Law School Graduate of the Day also has a law degree from a Tier 4 law school, supplemented by an LLM from NYU. And just like Eric Krautheimer, his tremendously successful career provides support for the proposition that it’s not where you […] -
Biglaw, Job Searches, Law Schools, Money
Non-Top-Tier Law Schools: Better Know A District Market
As we mentioned on Friday, due to the popularity of Non-Top-Tier Law School Week, we’ve extended it to include all of this week. We will continue to explore — and to challenge — the following claim: Even if times might be great for Biglaw shops and the top-tier grads they hire, it’s hard out here […] -
Biglaw, Job Searches, Legal Times, Money, Partner Profits, Skaddenfreude
D.C. Pay Raises: Separating the Men from the Boys? (Plus Rumors of Skadden NY Raises)
Law school can be thought of as a Harry Potter-style “sorting hat” for law students (as Dave Hoffman suggests). Similarly, the recent round of pay raises can be thought of as a sorting hat for law firms. Nathan Carlile has this excellent article in the current issue of the Legal Times: Call it a near […] -
5th Circuit, Benchslaps, Federal Judges, Judge of the Day, Samuel Kent, Sexual Harassment
Fifth Circuit Benchslaps the Naughty Judge Kent
Last week we honored Judge Samuel B. Kent with our prestigious Judge of the Day award, based on his alleged sexual harassment of a court employee. Now the Fifth Circuit Judicial Council has also recognized Judge Kent. From Texas Lawyer: The Judicial Council of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals [on Friday] issued an […]