January 2009
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Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 1.05.09
* HLS graduate, public defender, and video game designer Melissa Brooks Batten was shot to death by her estranged spouse just days after obtaining a restraining order against him. David Giacalone writes “We certainly don’t often think about domestic violence reaching our profession, but when it does it should motivate all of us to work […] -
Akin Gump, Arnold & Porter, Associate Bonus Watch 2008, Sheppard Mullin
Associate Bonus Watch: A Post-Holiday Round-Up
A few bonus announcements trickled in over the holidays. Here’s a round-up of recent bonus announcements that have not yet been covered in these pages. If you have new news, e-mail us at tips@abovethelaw.com. 1. Sheppard Mullin (New York): Sheppard Mullin is paying above market rate for attorneys who racked up the hours this year. […] - 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… -
Divorce Train Wrecks, Holidays and Seasons
U.K. Divorce Lawyers Expect Busiest Week 'Ever'
If you think about it, it kind of makes sense. You’ve just been through the holidays, which is nothing more than an annoying reminder of all the love and happiness other people pretend to have. Meanwhile you’re sitting there trying to choke down a forkful of stuffing while your spouse drunkenly tells the exact same […]
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Salary Freeze, Sheppard Mullin
Nationwide Pay Freeze Watch: Sheppard Mullin Joins California Craze
Another day, another firm, another salary freeze. The latest is from Sheppard Mullin: We feel it is critical to rigorously control expenses during these times. As part of our management of expenses, we have decided to “freeze” Associate compensation for 2009. This means your base compensation will be the same as in 2008. Special Counsel […] -
Biglaw, Credit Crisis, Money, Wall Street
Biglaw: Welcome to the Credit Crunch
It’s a new year, and for Biglaw that usually means it is time for firms to go out and get a loan. Obviously, this year it might be a little more difficult than usual. The American Lawyer is reporting that the credit crisis is coming to a partnership near you: Law firms, typically considered good […] -
Dissolution, Summer Associates, Thacher Proffitt & Wood
A Would-Have-Been Thacherite Speaks
Thacher Proffitt & Wood made its dissolution official last month. Last Monday, the firm officially rescinded offers to approximately twenty 3Ls who were bound there after graduation. One would-have-been Thacherite said no one was surprised to have the offers rescinded but that the soon-to-be law school graduates are still “bummed.” The “firm did it right.” […] -
2008 Year in Review, Comment of the Day, Reader Polls
Associate Life Survey: 2008 Commenter of the Year
In an ATL / Lateral Link survey posted on New Year’s Eve, we announced your nominees for the 2008 ATL Commenter of the Year. Almost 1,800 of you have voted since, and several of the nominees posted their thoughts in comments to the survey post. Nominee Jack Bauer wrote in: It’s good to know that […] -
Elena Kagan, Law School Deans, SCOTUS, Solicitor General's Office, Supreme Court
Breaking: Elena Kagan to Solicitor General
Many have speculated that Harvard Law School’s hot and high-powered dean, Elena Kagan, might be a Supreme Court nominee in an Obama administration. Dean Kagan is one step closer to sitting on the Court. Assuming her confirmation process goes smoothly — which it surely will, given how universally adored and admired she is, by liberals […] - Sponsored
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
ChatGPT ushers in the age of generative AI – even for law firms. -
Holland & Knight, Pro Bono, Rankings
Pro Bono Awards
Every year, the National Law Journal names individual people and firms that have done outstanding pro bono work. This year perhaps more than others, it is especially important to recognize those that gave their time to charity. With the economy crumbling, there is a huge need for free legal services. The NLJ has recognized the […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket 01.05.09
* The Washington Post editorial board sounds the call for a judicial pay raise, lamenting the fact that with salaries at $170k, most federal trial judges make less than Biglaw junior associates. “Increasingly cut out of contention for these important and prestigious positions are workaday lawyers most familiar with the realities of the business and […]
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Associate Bonus Watch 2008, Salary Freeze
Nationwide Pay Freeze Watch: DLA Piper
DLA Piper’s associates received an e-mail today at 4 p.m. about bonuses. The memo says less about bonuses though than it says about 2009 salaries. (Bonus decisions will be made later in January, as they were last year.) The salary decision for 2009? Another major firm is getting its freeze on. Here’s an excerpt from […] -
2008 Year in Review, Caption Contests, Contests, Pictures
2008 in Review: Caption Contests
This year, we launched a new feature on ATL: the Caption Contest. We gave you legally-themed photos and asked you to submit potential captions. We thought it was a great idea — let the readers do our work for us! The contests proved to be widely popular. Wading through hundreds of caption submissions to bring […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 1.02.09
* Joe the Plumber finally makes it all the way to the top … tax story of 2008 at least. [TaxProf Blog] * Apparently there’s a law firm out there that goes by the name of “Real Lawyers at Affordable Prices, Fresno.” [Legal Pad] * If there was one place you should talk like a […]
Sponsored
Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
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Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
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2008 Year in Review, Associate Bonus Watch 2008
Top Biglaw Stories of 2008: #4 (Business)
Continuing with our rundown of the top ten Biglaw stories of 2008, we reach our fourth place story on the business end of things: the dramatic reduction of associate bonuses. Bonus news is always a big deal around these parts, and based on the way that the 2008 bonus season started, it looked like there […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2008, Bonuses, Kasowitz Benson, Money
Associate Bonus Watch: Kasowitz Matches Skadden! Sort Of!
Let’s start off 2009 with some good news. Litigation boutique Kasowitz Benson announced bonuses just before the New Year, and will be paying out Skadden dollars at the end of the month. So don’t stick a fork in the New York market just yet. Associates at Kasowitz are understandably ecstatic: It really is a fantastic […] -
Federal Judges, Guantanamo Bay, Morning Docket
Morning Docket 1.2.09
* London-based law firm Linklaters was the leading law firm in mergers and acquisitions this year, taking the number 1 title from Sullivan and Cromwell. [Bloomberg] * Former UK attorney general Lord Goldsmith says the UK should take in prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay prison camp if it will help the U.S. close the prison. […]
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Admin, Announcements, Contests, Holidays and Seasons, Reader Polls
Happy New Year from ATL!
Dear readers, welcome to 2009. The year just ended was a difficult one, for the legal profession and for the country as a whole. Let’s hope the new year brings better news. But will it? Take our reader poll below, and offer your specific predictions about 2009 in the comments. If you’d like to help […]