November 2009
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If You Got Married in Texas in the Last Few Years, Are You Really Married?
That’s the news we’re hearing out of Austin today. When Texas added a constitutional amendment in 2005 banning gay marriage, it may have actually banned all marriage, says attorney general candidate (and former Vinson & Elkins partner) Barbara Ann Radnofsky. Fort Worth Star Telegram broke the story. Slate sums it up: A Houston lawyer who […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2009
Breaking: Skadden Bonuses Are Out ... And Not Very Exciting
Skadden has decided to match the Cravath scale. Here’s the scale: 2008 — $7,500 2007 — $10,000 2006 — $15,000 2005 — $20,000 2004 — $25,000 2003 — $30,000 2002 — $30,000 With Skadden and Cravath on the same page, the rest of this bonus season might be devoid of any real drama. Associates will […] - Sponsored
Law Firms Now Have A Choice In Their Document Comparison Software
Six months on since its launch, over 200 firms worldwide are now using Draftable Legal for accurate and reliable document comparison, including UK Top 50… -
Blogging
Making a Vulgar Comment Now Gets You Fired?
As an editor of Above the Law, I find the headline below amusing. As a commenter on Above the Law, some of you will find the headline terrifying. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: A single vulgar word cost a man his job on Friday. Well, that’s putting way too nice of a spin on it. […]
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Barack Obama, Politics
Obama: Starting to Get the Hang of This Whole 'Prejudging' Thing
President Obama seems to have made up his mind about the Khalid Sheikh Mohammed circus trial that will be coming to a New York courthouse near you. The Associate Press reports (gavel bang: ABA Journal): Obama, in a series of TV interviews during his trip to Asia, said those offended by the legal rights accorded […] -
Student Loans
UCLA Students Protest Fee Hikes
A tipster just sent in this video from UCLA: Berkeley students, take note. That is how you cause a ruckus. The AP reports: About 200 demonstrators are chanting and marching around a UCLA building where University of California regents are scheduled to vote on a 32 percent fee increase for next year. Protesters from several […] -
Crime, Lawsuit of the Day, Money
Is it Illegal Not to Tip?
Somewhere Mr. Pink is smiling. The Express-Times reports: Moravian College senior Leslie Pope and John Wagner, a Lehigh University graduate student, were handcuffed and transported from the Lehigh Pub to Bethlehem police headquarters Oct. 23 after failing to pay a mandatory 18 percent gratuity. Pope and Wagner, members of a party of eight during happy […] -
Rankings
Northwestern Law Adjusts Super Lawyers Rankings and Is Pleased with Itself
A couple of days ago, we mentioned the new Super Lawyers Law School Rankings. The list ranks law schools by their number of Super Lawyer alumni. At the time, we noted that a potential flaw with the magazine’s methodology was that it is just looking at raw numbers. The rankings aren’t adjusted for class size. […] -
Allen & Overy, Magic Circle, Outsourcing
British Firms Catch Outsourcing Fever
It appears that Magic Circle firms have fallen in love with outsourcing. Most American associates will hope that like Mad Cow disease, the outsourcing craze stays on English side of the ocean. The Lawyer reports: Allen & Overy (A&O) has become the first magic circle firm to outsource legal work as an increasing number of […] - Sponsored
Diving Into Generative AI: A Practical Guide For Law Firms Starting From Scratch
NetDocuments’ Michelle Spencer on where to start, what to ask, and considerations for implementing generative AI tools in your organization. -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket 11.19.09
* Duke law grad Stanley Hilton, 60, sues San Francisco Airport (and some 500 others) for $15 million for ruining his life. The airport noise, which sounds like “bombs dropping in a war zone,” caused his marriage and career to fall apart, he alleges. [San Mateo County Times via San Francisco Chronicle] * The Ninth […]
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Boalt Hall, Student Loans
Berkeley Law Students, How Did the 'Not Ironic' Strike Go?
Yesterday, we told you that big tuition hikes could be coming to schools in the University of California system. But we didn’t know that Berkeley students had a plan to do something about it. They’re going out on strike! With university workers who want a raise! Or something! Hey, it’s the Berkeley way. When they […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 11.18.09
* In Tennessee you can run for elected office under a fake name. I predict “Jack Daniels” will be Tennessee’s next Governor. [Young Lawyers Blog] * Kash did some research on what search terms people use to find us. The results are disturbing. [True/Slant] * Some companies just don’t like the U.S. court system. [Going […] -
1L's Promising Pundit Career Cut Short Because of Harvard Law Finals?
Jeremy Haber’s star rose and and fell before we had a chance to draft a post. Haber is a first year student at Harvard Law School and recently made the finals in the Washington Post’s “America’s Next Great Pundit” contest. From the Harvard Crimson via ABA Journal: Jeremy L. Haber, a first year student at […] -
Boutique Law Firms, Deaths, Litigators, My Job Is Murder
My Job Is Murder: Of Death, Detectives, and Defibrillators
Ed. note: Welcome to ATL’s first foray into serial fiction. “My Job Is Murder,” a mystery set in a D.C. appellate boutique, will appear one chapter at a time, M-W-F, over the next few weeks. Prior installments appear here; please read them first. Susanna Dokupil can be reached by email at sdokupil@sbcglobal.net or on Facebook. […]
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Law Schools, Lawyer of the Day, Violence
Law Student of the Day: Did Pissed-Off Iowan Pee on Girlfriend's Belongings?
How would you like to be sitting in property class at Iowa College of Law, and realizing that you are in the same section as this guy? The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports: An Iowa City man is accused of physically and verbally abusing his live-in girlfriend on Sunday. According to Iowa City police, Alvin K. […] -
Email Scandals, Minority Issues
Lack of Commitment to Diversity Angers McGuire Woods Partner
It’s nice to see a firm maintaining its commitment to diversity despite tough economic times. Changing the culture of Biglaw is a hard thing to do, but it starts at the top. It looks like the partners at McGuireWoods understand that. But a McGuireWoods tipster reports that you can’t just force terrified and busy associates […] -
Judge of the Day, State Judges
Judge of the Day: Michael Edwards
Many ’08 law school grads are about to take a step up to second year associate level at Biglaw firms across the land. You’re feeling pretty proud? And lucky to have a Biglaw gig these days, right? Well, eat your hearts out. Michael Edwards, Georgetown Law ’08 grad, has already been appointed a judge. He […] -
Admin, Advertising, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
Thanks to This Week's Advertisers
A quick word of thanks to this week’s advertisers on Above the Law: Assara Laser The Atlantic Cypress Recruiting Group Harvard Business School Kinney Recruiting Lateral Link LexisNexis The Tikvah Center at NYU School of Law The Red Cross University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Isenberg School of Management If you’re interested in advertising on Above the […] -
Deferral Stipend, Job Searches, Start Dates
Open Thread: Should Deferred Associates Be Looking for Work?
Last week, we asked you if deferral stipends for incoming associates are too small. The reaction was mixed. Some people felt that incoming associates should be thankful for every penny they get. Others noted that it was extremely difficult to make loan repayments off of the deferral stipend. But many people felt that deferred associates […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 11.18.09
* Judge David Hamilton (S.D. Ind.), nominated to the Seventh Circuit, will (finally) be put to an up-or-down vote in the Senate today. [Christian Science Monitor] * A veto for Iraq’s election law means that elections might not happen in January as expected. [New York Times] * Speaking of things that aren’t happening in January, […]
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