October 2009
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Crime, Herman Thomas, Sex, State Judges, Trials
The Spanking Judge Gets Off
Remember Judge Herman Thomas? He’s the former Alabama state court judge who was accused of spanking male prisoners, trading favorable treatment for sexual favors, and improperly interfering on behalf of a cousin in legal trouble. Judge Thomas challenged the charges at trial, and this afternoon the jury returned its verdict. From the Mobile Press-Register: Herman […] -
Cheapness, Law Schools, Perks / Fringe Benefits
NYU Law: How Much Do Your Paper Cups Cost?
The competition between NYU Law and Columbia Law is always fierce — even when it is a race to the penny-pinching bottom. Two weeks ago, we told you that Columbia is now charging students for plastic forks (though chopsticks remain free). Not to be outdone, a disgruntled NYU Law tipster reports: So I’m in my […] - Sponsored
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Deferral Stipend, Pro Bono
University of Miami Law School Puts Some Money into Public Service
Plenty of law schools talk about producing attorneys who are able to serve their community. But a new program at the University of Miami School of Law actually puts a little bit of money behind the commitment to public service. Time magazine featured the school’s new Foreclosure Defense Fellowship this weekend (gavel bang: ABA Journal). […]
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Antonin Scalia, Eyes of the Law, Music, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Theater
The Eyes of the Law: Justices Scalia and Ginsburg at the Opera
Despite their ideological differences, Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg bond over their shared love for the opera. Both judicial luminaries attended Saturday’s opening night performance of Ariadne auf Naxos, at the Washington National Opera. If you’re into Article III celebrity sightings, the D.C. opera house is where it’s at. Not only did the […] -
BARBRI, Cheapness, Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE)
MPRE Review on The Cheap
An ATL reader sent us this photo from the University of Buffalo, writing: What my barbri tuition got me for my mpre review class. This tv is for approximately 60 people. The budgets are tight at law schools these days, but it seems like they could at least spring for a projector or a proper […] -
Banking Law, Federal Government, Mergers and Acquisitions, Wall Street
Is Wachtell in Trouble For Being Good Lawyers?
The general public really doesn’t understand what top-flight counsel does for their corporate clients. If they did, the pitchforks and torches crowd would be as angry at Wall Street lawyers as they are at Wall Street bankers. Friday’s “revelation” about the advice given to Bank of America by Wachtell Lipton illustrates the point. Am Law […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2009
Open Thread: Let's Talk Bonuses
It’s the last week of October. You know what that means? It means it is time to start rampant speculation about this year’s bonuses! Last year at this time, we wrote: Whenever the bonuses are announced, most people we are talking to agree that the overall numbers will be somewhat down from last year. A […] -
Law Shucks, Layoffs
This Week in Layoffs: 10.26.09
Ed. note: Above the Law has teamed up with Law Shucks, which has done excellent work translating all of the layoff news into user-friendly charts and graphs: the Layoff Tracker. We took the week off last week, but you didn’t miss much. In fact, we had another run of almost two weeks without a layoff, […] - Sponsored
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket 10.26.09
* Has Justice Sotomayor put Clarence Thomas over the edge? While speaking at the University of Alabama, Justice Thomas said he wishes that the other justices would STFU during oral arguments. He also complained that there are too many Ivy Leaguers on the SCOTUS bench. [Associated Press] * One of the beneficiaries at the top […]
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Attorney Misconduct, Lawyer of the Day, Legal Ethics, Prostitution, Sex, Small Law Firms
Lawyer of the Day Last Week: Seeking a Sexy Secretary
Ed. note: We gave this a shout-out last week in non-sequiturs (second item), but it’s egregious enough to merit more discussion. Biglaw attorneys frequently complain about how hard it is to date given the amount of hours they devote to work. Attorneys at a small immigration firm in Chicago may have encountered a similar dilemma. […] -
Law Schools
UC Hastings Law School to $50K (Non-Resident Tuition)
Yesterday, UC Hastings College of Law told its students about next year’s prospective tuition. Due to the graphic nature of the content below, viewer discretion is advised. Please remember that Hastings is a public law school: Let’s put those horrifying figures in appropriate context, Stanford Law School’s tuition for this academic year is $42,420. Stanford […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 10.23.09
* Does R.E.M. have a copyright infringement claim against the government if their music was used to torture Guantanamo detainees? What if R.E.M. was simply used to give the interrogators a blueprint on how to torture somebody? That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight, losing my religion. [The Volokh Conspiracy] * Gibson […] -
Biglaw, Deferral Stipend, Job Searches
Should Public Interest Deferrals Be A Permanent Part of the Biglaw Experience?
As many of you know, public interest organizations around the country benefited from the recession’s effects on Biglaw. There are many talented graduates of top law schools working in public interest — and being paid by the firms who have no work for them. It’s a pretty sweet deal for cash-strapped public interest organizations. Some […]
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New York Times, Sonnenschein, Weddings
Legal Eagle Wedding Watch 10.18: Jean-John
Congratulations to Caroline Nyenke and LaRue Robinson, selected by ATL readers as our August Couple of the Month in a close race. Things were a bit more lopsided in our September Couple of the Month poll, as SCOTUS clerks and lovebirds Karen Dunn and Brian Netter took the crown with 40 percent of the vote. […] -
Bad Ideas, Federal Judges, Lunacy
Motion of the Day: "We shall meet again you know where."
Tajudeen Oladiran is an Arizona attorney who is currently of counsel at Aguilera International Counsel. A Biglaw refugee, he spent a year at Greenberg Traurig, as well as a year working for the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. Given those credentials, we were surprised that he would file one of the craziest motions we’ve come across […] -
Intellectual Property, Layoffs, No Offers, Salary Cuts, Salary Freeze, Summer Associates
What's Going On at Finnegan Henderson?
The Great Recession has been tough for many different types of firms — and that even includes intellectual property firms. During the past year, IP-focused shops have cut back on hiring, slashed salaries, and lost key partners to larger firms. A few recent developments at Finnegan Henderson, the D.C.-based IP powerhouse, reflect the new realities. […] -
Fashion, Lawsuit of the Day, Sex, Tort Reform, Travel / Vacation
Lawsuit of the Day: Defective Underwear Causes Penis Pain
Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way. Albert Freed (pictured) won a trip to Hawaii (not pictured). As part of the vacation celebration, Mrs. Freed bought her husband some new Hanes brand briefs. But Mr. Freed is a husky gentleman, and apparently the new trunks couldn’t contain all of his junk. He sued […] -
Allen Matkins, Layoffs, Salary Cuts
Allen Matkins Makes Another Salary Cut, And More Layoffs
There have been a number of firms that have cut associate salaries. But there have not been many firms that have needed to slash salaries twice this year. Allen Matkins associates appears to be in their own personal corner of sadness. A tipster reports: For the second time this year, Allen Matkins has laid off […] -
Job Searches, Layoffs, Notes from the Breadline
Notes from the Breadline: Friends and Other Strangers(Part I)
Ed. note: Welcome to the latest installment of “Notes from the Breadline,” a column by a laid-off lawyer in New York. Prior columns are collected here. You can reach Roxana St. Thomas by email (at roxanastthomas@gmail.com), follow her on Twitter, or find her on Facebook. On an unseasonably chilly autumn day, Lat and I are […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 10.23.09
* The U.S. formally demands Roman Polanski’s extradition. [New York Times] * Hate crimes legislation awaits Obama’s loving signature. [CNN] * I thought discriminating against Wiccan was part of the traditional Halloween celebration. I guess I’ll actually have to give these costumed marauders some kind of treat this year. [Courthouse News Service] * The malpractice […]