December 2008
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2008 Year in Review, Comment of the Day, Reader Polls
Associate Life Survey: Commenter of the Year (2008)
As we savor the final hours of 2008, it’s time to look back at some of our favorite people this year: the commenters. In today’s ATL / Lateral Link survey, it’s time for you to pick the 2008 ATL Commenter of the Year. Your nominees for Commenter of the Year, and select comments explaining why, […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 12.31.08
* Many people are pointing out that if you read through Vicky Iseman’s complaint against the New York Times (authored by Washington & Lee Law Dean Rodney Smolla) it is pretty interesting. [Ideoblog] * Holiday fun with Mike Huckabee. [What About Clients?] * Celebrity drug use law. They’re still hiring! [Popsquire] * A group of […] - Sponsored
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john quinn, Money
John Quinn Cracks a New Year's Whip
Most people know that partners often write off associate hours and paralegal hours when it comes time to bill clients. Quinn Emanuel is no different. But managing partner John Quinn has had enough. Just before Christmas, Quinn sent around an email to his fellow partners (no associates were included on the distribution list) urging them […]
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2008 Year in Review, Law Schools
Top Law School Stories of 2008 (Part 2): The Hottest New Trends
As 2008 draws to a close, your ATL editors are looking back over some of our favorite stories of the year. On Monday, we named our law students of the year. If you already checked it out, you may want to revisit it — a third student fought his way onto the list, per popular […] -
Akin Gump, Associate Bonus Watch 2008, Bonuses
Associate Bonus Watch: Akin Gump
Akin Gump sent its bonus memo around the New York office yesterday. No real surprises. Akin is giving the “New York Market Bonus” to associates in good standing. One bit of excitement is that “associates and counsel who performed in a truly exceptional manner in terms of both quality and productivity” may get “discretionary merit […] -
9th Circuit, Federal Judges, Morning Docket
Morning Docket 12.31.08
* The chairwoman of a Chinese dairy company pleaded guilty to selling tainted milk. [Reuters] * A federal judge declined Tuesday to release two detainees from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, finding that the U.S. government had proved that they were enemy combatants. [The Washington Post] * Senate Democrats will not accept the […]
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2008 Year in Review
Top Biglaw Stories of 2008: #5 (Gossip)
This morning, as part of our 2008 in Review series, we started to list the top 10 Biglaw stories of 2008. We kicked things off with the #5 story on the business side of the ledger: the trend of law firms granting more generous parental leave. Now, on to the fun stuff: the year’s top […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 12.30.08
* Is in vitro fertilization a tax-deductible medical expense? For some people, yes; for Dr. William Magdalin, it’s just fun in a cup. [Suits & Sentences] * Is the Wendy Savage phenomenon bad for professional women? [f/k/a] * Funny exam questions remind us that professors would rather be doing almost anything other than grading finals. […] - 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… -
Arnold & Porter, Associate Bonus Watch 2008, Salary Freeze
Nationwide Pay Freeze Watch: Arnold & Porter & Scarlett O'Hara Decide 'I'll Think About it Tomorrow'
Just before Christmas, Arnold & Porter sent around an intriguing memo. The firm refused to make any decisions regarding pay in New York at all in 2009: Associate Bonuses for Associates in All Offices Except in New York Those of you who met the previously announced thresholds and other criteria for 2008 bonuses will be […] -
Salary Freeze
Nationwide Pay Freeze Watch: Sidley Delays Raises Until 'Sometime' in 2009
Sidley Austin just emailed all of their associates to wish them a happy New Year. How nice. How thoughtful. How … oh wait a minute. The firm also took the opportunity to inform all associates that their pay raises would be delayed until sometime next year. The firm-wide memo from Sidley is short and to […] -
Biglaw, Layoffs
Nationwide Layoff Watch: What will 2009 bring for Mayer Brown?
On Christmas Eve, Mayer Brown announced its bonuses for associates in the New York office. They matched the market— no surprises there. But our tipster noted that associates at the firm are unsettled by rumors making the rounds of layoffs coming in 2009. Mayer already laid off 33 attorneys, as well as administrative staff in […] -
2008 Year in Review, Kids, Perks / Fringe Benefits, Pregnancy / Paternity
Top Biglaw Stories of 2008: #5 (Business)
We’re doing a series of “2008 in Review” posts here at ATL. We’ve previously declared a Lawyer of the Year, as well as two three Law Students of the Year. We will now announce what we view as the year’s ten biggest stories in law-firm land. We’ve divided them into two groups: the top five […] -
6th Circuit, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Morning Docket, SCOTUS
Morning Docket 12.30.08
* SCOTUS may hear the case of a Texas woman who claims that an extreme religious group forced her to “exorcise her demons”, disturbing her so much that she later attempted suicide. [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution] * On Wednesday, the federal court in Manhattan will start considering information that will infect the investor’s in Madoff’s Ponzi […]
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Dissolution, Heller Ehrman, Thacher Proffitt & Wood
Anatomy of a Dissolution: Heller Files for Bankruptcy, Thacher Proffitt WARNS People to Come to Work
Heller Ehrman’s bankruptcy has been a long time coming. The firm made the news official on Sunday: Today the Dissolution Committee of Heller Ehrman LLP, in Dissolution (the “Firm”) authorized the Firm’s counsel to file a Petition for Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. We took this step only after very […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 12.29.08
* Wow, lawyers really can suck the fun out of anything. It’s … kind of hilarious. [TaxProf Blog] * A new video game lets you throw snowballs at Sarah Palin. It’s run by PETA, so let’s just be happy that we’re talking about snowballs and not vats of baby cow blood. [Animal Law Blog] * […] -
Job Searches
Nassau County Law Firm: Still Hiring off of Craigslist
A couple of weeks ago, we told you that a small firm based in Nassau County (Long Island) was trying to add an associate off of Craigslist — for the bargain basement price of $36K – $42K. The position hasn’t been filled yet, but there is apparently a lot of competition for the job. From […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2008, Salary Freeze
Nationwide Pay Freeze Watch: Orrick follows Latham
The latest news from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe will make Latham & Watkins associates feel marginally better. There is now another major firm freezing associate salaries: After careful consideration, we have decided that associates in the US and Europe , and associates, senior consultants and consultants in Asia , will receive the same salary in […] -
Law School Deans, Law Schools, Transfer Students
Poaching 1Ls: A new perspective on transfer students
Last May, we held an open thread about law school transfer students as second-class citizens, based on the University of Connecticut’s Maya Angelou-inspired “Phenomenal Transfer” poem. There was quite a lot of anti-transfer-student sentiment in the thread, though some former transfer students chimed in to say that they had experienced no animosity in their new […] -
Dorsey & Whitney, Salary Freeze
Nationwide Pay Freeze Watch: Dorsey & Whitney
I hope that a jolly Turkish Saint brought Dorsey & Whitney associates something spectacular for Christmas. Because a pay raise was certainly not one of their stocking stuffers. A memo went out to Dorsey& Whitney associates on December 23rd explaining the bad news: Management and staff have just completed the 2009 forecasting and budgeting process. […] -
Bankruptcy, Blogging, Morning Docket, Shopping
Morning Docket 12.29.08
* Anti-government demonstrators in Thailand swarmed around the Parliament building Monday, delaying the new legislature’s first meeting. [International Herald Tribune] * Bloggers beware! A Maryland court will decide whether authors who write critical comments on-line under pseudonyms will have to reveal their identity. (yikes!) [The Baltimore Sun] * New York chief court judge Judith Kaye […]