December 2009

Food

Lawyer of the Day: Mark Lambert

We mentioned this story on Friday (second item). But since we’re continuing to get tips about it, we thought it might merit further mention. From today’s New York Daily News: A lawyer got his nose bent out of shape during an altercation over an occupied bathroom stall — and retaliated by chomping off part of […]

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Associate Bonus Watch: Cadwalader(Plus news of some partner moves.)

Time for a belated bonus announcement. A few weeks ago, associate bonuses were announced at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. The bonuses were basically on the Cravath scale, provided you meet “the bonus criteria set forth in the bonus policy.” We’re advised that the bonus criteria focus for the most part on hours, with bonuses triggered […]

Bonuses

Nationwide Salary Thaw Watch: Akin Gump

We previously expressed skepticism towards the notion of a salary thaw. As Elie wrote, “Ha. Haha. Unfreezing? Yeah. Let me just ride my unicorn down the streets of El Dorado and see what there is to see.” But perhaps the joke is on us. It seems that some firms are unfreezing salaries. On this subject, […]

Holidays and Seasons

A Fun Law Firm Holiday Card

Some new associates at Haynes and Boone aren’t feeling the holiday spirit. Just last month, they learned that their salaries were being cut — about a week before their start date. But at least their law firm has a really cool holiday card. Check it out: Have you come across a particularly fun firm holiday […]

Salary Cuts

Christmas Salary Cuts at K&L Gates

We have some good news and some bad news for incoming K&L Gates associates. I’m feeling charitable, so I’ll lead with the good news. Our sources report that everybody is officially set to start on January 4th. The firm called people over the weekend to mention some final, minor details, but people will have a […]

Partner Issues

New Partner Watch: The Jones Day 36

We like to keep track of “new partner” announcements here at Above the Law (under our “New Partner Watch” feature). Partnership decisions often shed light on the current state of a firm, its prospects for the future, and its priorities. How many new partners did a firm make? How does the number of new partners […]

Morning Docket

Morning Docket 12.21.09

* If you’re a regular ATL reader, this Bloomberg article on law firm bonuses being squeezed won’t hold many surprises. [Bloomberg] * Being naked in your own home is a crime. [The Post Chronicle] * In 2007, a National Enquirer reporter spotted Tiger Woods visiting a church parking lot for some non-religious ecstasy. Los Angeles […]

Law Schools

Proof That Duke Deserved Douchiest Title?

Duke Law School dominated our Douchiest Law School contest earlier this year, beating out Harvard to take home the title. At the time, some complained that Duke Law and Duke’s undergrad population were being conflated. [Ed. note: As a Duke ’03 grad, Kash is mildly offended by that argument.] One commenter wrote: Does no one […]

Law Shucks

This Week in Layoffs: 12.20.09

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. You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of modern American unemployment. In this case, […]

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 12.18.09

* If anyone ever wanted to give me anything free, I’d be more than happy to disclose it. Theoretically, that makes me a better person than Gwyneth Paltrow. Practically, my life is infinitely less fabulous. [Jezebel] * I got your nose. Literally. [Bad Lawyer] * Worst tax of the decade. [Going Concern] * Top celebrity […]