January 2008

The Eyes of the Law: Justice Ginsburg at Georgetown

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg RBG Justice Ginsburg Georgetown GULC.jpgOne of the great things about going to law school here in Washington, D.C., is access to the U.S. Supreme Court. If you’re at Georgetown Law and want to watch a SCOTUS argument, you can just stroll on over to One First Street.
And sometimes the mountain comes to Mohammed. Justices of the Supreme Court regularly visit Georgetown University Law Center. For example, last November, as reported in these pages, Justice Antonin Scalia paid a visit.
Today his considerably more liberal counterpart, fellow opera lover Ruth Bader Ginsburg, graced GULC with her presence. From a tipster (who took the iPhone picture at right):

Justice Ginsburg just left an admitted students event at GULC, a discussion about U.K./U.S. comparative law. Also in attendance was Lady Hale of the soon-to-be U.K. Supreme Court.

Justice Ginsburg was very dignified. She was wearing a brown suit — it looked like a carpet — paired with white stockings and yellowish shoes.

Best part: when she whipped a copy of the Constitution out of her pocket and read out the Equal Protection Clause!!!

I had my Con Law book ready for her signature, but she snuck out a side door right afterwards.

For the Article III groupies among you, a little more description of the event appears after the jump.

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Associate Bonus Watch: Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft

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associate bonus watch 2007 law firm Above the Law blog.jpgBack in November, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft issued a bonus memo that was devoid of numbers. Today, the CWT associates who survived the recent layoffs — which, to be fair, is most of them — learned how much they’d be getting.
But since there was no firm-wide memo, there’s still a lack of total transparency about how much people are getting. Associated were notified individually:

“CWT announced its bonuses today in individual letters to the remaining associates. Some people got full market bonuses and others got letters that merely told them what 2008 salaries are, with no mention of a bonus.”

If you can shed more light on the situation, feel free to post in the comments, or email us. Thanks.

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Associate Bonus Watch: Winston & Strawn (New York)

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associate bonus watch 2007 law firm Above the Law blog.jpgSorry it’s been a little slow around here for the past few hours. In the morning, we had some technical difficulties. For most of this afternoon, we’ve been offline, speaking at this D.C. bar panel.
Anyway, now we’re back. And we have a fair amount of bonus information to pass along.
The New York office of Winston & Strawn has announced year-end and special bonuses. Memo after the jump.

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Featured Job Survey Results: Honors, Hours and Bonuses

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So far, about 1,400 of you have cast your vote for ATL Lawyer Of The Year.
Loyola 2L is in the lead so far, but Obama is close behind. Whoever helps Chipmunk Lady is a not-so-distant third, showing that this year’s ATL reader wants change (and bonuses) and supports the little guy (and not-so-little bonuses).
Hillary Clinton, currently in fourth place, urges us to vote for experience. Meanwhile, Aaron Charney, Alberto Gonzales, and Ray Beckerman are in the Thompson / Kucinich / Gravel zone, respectively. On the write-in front, Bob Link and “DC Pants Judge” are beginning to get some traction.
Meanwhile, this month’s ATL / Lateral Link survey on hours and bonuses continues to get responses of its own, and we’re now up to almost 1,750 participants.
We revealed the bonus breakdowns for the Classes of 2004, 2005 and 2006 in the results to Monday’s survey on whether you’re looking for a new job. Today, we reveal the numbers for 2003 after the jump.

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Lawyerly Lairs: Gay Gotham Edition (continued)

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Michael Haverland Philip Galanes Above the Law blog.jpgWhy do the gay lawyers land all the fabulous real estate? Just a few days after this installment of Lawyerly Lairs, profiling the palatial pads of two same-sex couples, we learn of a third such couple living large in New York.
A reader sums it up nicely: “This seems right up our alley for Lawyerly Lairs: Manhattan / East Hampton real estate, Yale Law alum (then Paul Weiss before going in-house), Ivy League pedigree on both sides of the same-sex partnership, and shout-outs by the New York Times.”
Indeed it is. Read about the charmed life of architect Michael Haverland and lawyer-turned novelist Philip Galanes, follow their successful adventures in NYC real estate (and furniture collecting), and ogle photos of their luxurious Upper East Side and East Hampton homes, in this NYT article.
Starting Over, and Over, and Over [New York Times]
Philip Galanes biography [galaneshaverland.com]
Earlier: Lawyerly Lairs: Gay Gotham Edition

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From the Department of Dubious Defenses

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world's greatest dad mug Above the Law blog.jpgDefendants in deep doo-doo come up with all sorts of innovative defenses. Last week, we learned that fashion mogul Dov Charney, accused of sexually harassing a former employee, claimed in a deposition that when he appeared before the plaintiff wearing nothing but a strategically placed sock, he was merely testing a new line of underwear.
But this is even more dubious. At a murder trial underway in New York, a father accused of killing his seven-year-old stepdaughter has introduced into evidence a “World’s Greatest Dad” mug she once bought for him.
If the mug has writing on it, you must acquit.
‘World’s Greatest Dad’ Mug Seen In Nixzmary Trial [wcbstv.com]
Implausible defense department [Overlawyered]

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Morning Docket: 01.24.08

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* Renomination of Steven Bradbury to head OLC seen as diss to Dems. [New York Times]
* Barry Bonds seeks dismissal of perjury charges. Depends on what the meaning of “is” is? [San Francisco Chronicle via How Appealing]
* Senate debates whether to grant phone companies immunity from suits arising out of their helping out on warrantless wiretapping. [Washington Post]
* Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan seeks Supreme Court review of his conviction. [Chicago Tribune via How Appealing]
* Also turning to the SCOTUS: cheeky pro se litigant who forestalled foreclosure for 11 years. [WSJ Law Blog]
* You’ve got mail? Maybe not, at least at the White House, which is having some email archiving problems. [Washington Post]

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Nationwide Pay Raise Watch: Paul Hastings to $160K in Atlanta

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100 dollar bill Above the Law Above the Law law firm salary legal blog legal tabloid Above the Law.JPGThe powers that be in the Atlanta office of Paul Hastings just announced associate pay raises for fiscal year 2008, which will take effect on February 1. Apparently ATL — the website, not the city — got a shout-out at the meeting, when the announcing partner asked, “Who is going to be the first one to email Above the Law?”
Here’s the memo and salary table:
We are pleased to announce the Firm will be increasing base-level salaries for U.S. associates in the Atlanta office effective as of the new fiscal year which commences February 1, 2008.
FY 2009 Compensation by Class Year is as follows:
Paul Hastings Atlanta associate salary table pay raise Above the Law blog.jpg
These increases reflect the Firm’s commitment to paying at the top tier of the market in Atlanta.
We thank you for and commend your performance, commitment and hard work throughout the year and your contributions to our success.

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Featured Survey: ATL Lawyer Of The Year

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In last week’s ATL / Lateral Link survey, we asked you to submit your nominations for Lawyer of the Year. Today, you get to vote!
The nominees, and select comments explaining why, are below:
Aaron Charney

For both the attention focused, success of action, and for the visibility [he] brought to the secondary issue of partner/associate relations (but not those kinds of relations).

Alberto Gonzales

Exemplifies why lawyers are so mistrusted in this country.

Barack Obama

The man had the credentials to do Biglaw. He chose public service instead. Although he is obviously politically ambitious, he at least appears to be in it for the people. He’s almost as hot as Judicial Hottie Jeffrey Sutton. I mean, did you see the Obama Girl videos? We’ve all got a crush on Obama. And he just might be president next year.

Hillary Clinton

She’s fabulous.

Loyola 2L

He’s generated the most thoughtful discussion of law school. That, and perhaps the publicity will help him get a job.

Ray Beckerman

For his tireless defense and continuous commentary in countless RIAA cases.

Whoever helps Chipmunk lady.

Because.

We know that last one should really be a 2008 Lawyer of the Year, not a 2007 Lawyer of the Year, but we just don’t care. You demanded the nomination right now.
So who should win? Cast your vote below.
Update: This survey is now closed. Click here for the results.

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Associate Bonus Watch: K&L Gates (New York)

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associate bonus watch 2007 law firm Above the Law blog.jpgA report on bonuses (such as they are) at K&L Gates in New York:

No notice — not even an email. Apparently, the “highly confidential” memo appearing on ATL last year less than 24 hours after its release wasn’t appreciated.

We were told that we would find out what the bonus was when it hit our bank accounts. The money hit our accounts this past Saturday, and it was a friggin’ joke. Since our handlers are doing their best to hamper communication, we’ve been forced to piece together an unofficial chart. Here’s the sad tale, by class year:

2007: Zero
2006: 0 — $15,000
2005: $20,000 — $30,000
2004: $30,000
2003: $35,000
2002: $35,000
2001: $35,000 — $40,000
2000: $40,000 — $50,000

The high end of each class’s range was obtained by one, maybe two associates.

And that’s in New York; we’d expect other offices to be lower. If you have info on them, feel free to email us.

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