We spend a lot of time telling prospective law students to carefully consider the decision to go to law school. And still they come. We tell prospective law students that law school is expensive and the job market is weak. But still they come, in record numbers. What makes them come? NPR did a story […]
Forget Queer Eye and the Biggest Loser. When it comes to makeovers, we’re far more entertained when Biglaw firms overhaul their websites. Especially when they involve mind games (MoFo), body shots (Ballard Spahr and Cox Smith), or hotties (Davis Polk). Cravath previously had an Internet 1.0-type website. It was extremely basic; its sole function seemed […]
Explore the mindset, cultural shifts, and training strategies that define the AI‑savvy lawyer, revealing why human judgment, standardized competence, and integrated learning—not technology alone—will shape the future of the profession.
We’ve done a lot of reports on schools that have instituted grade reform to make it easier on their students. But at DePaul College of Law, the administration decided to strictly enforce its curve as a way of combating wanton grade inflation. Apparently not all of the professors were on the same page. Professor Howard […]
Why do people try to scam law firms? Is it because people know firms are flush with cash, or out of some deep-seated hatred of lawyers, or because they think law firm bookkeepers are stupid (since sometimes they are)? Earlier this month, the FBI issued a warning to law firms about overseas scammers sending e-mails […]
* Americans are warming up to Lady Kaga: public support for confirming Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court has reached 58 percent. [Washington Post] * But two Republican senators have issues with some of the memos Kagan wrote as a law clerk to Justice Marshall. [Associated Press via How Appealing] * As new estimates double […]
Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are examples of female lawyers who have it all: success in both their personal and professional lives. They both reached the pinnacle of the legal profession — a seat on the Supreme Court — but also raised families, blessing the world with judicial opinions galore, children, and grandchildren. […]
LexisNexis sat down with John Ursin, Managing Partner at Schenck Price, to learn how the firm is using legal AI to strengthen client service and daily legal work.
* Super 9/11 lawsuit settles. [New York Personal Injury Law Blog] * Prospective jurors still need to show proper respect for the judge. [Bad Lawyer] * The “Shaggy defense” isn’t quite as fun as the Chewbacca defense, but it’s just as effective. [Slate] * Measuring judicial ideology. [Concurring Opinions] * More evidence that in-house counsel […]
There’s a reason why our weekly column by Law Shucks has been retitled from “This Week in Layoffs” to “This Week in Biglaw.” The pace of law firm layoffs has slowed dramatically. They haven’t stopped completely, and we suspect that many firms are still conducting “stealth layoffs” (which we welcome tips about — just email […]
Here at Above the Law, we like to provide a service to our readers. Sometimes things happen at a law firm that you just can’t talk about to your colleagues. But you can always tell us. Last week, we corresponded with a frustrated attorney. Despite the fact that he’s quite senior and has changed firms […]
Ed. note: Have a question for next week? Send it in to [email protected]. Dear ATL, I work in Manhattan and it’s time for me to get a new prescription for my glasses. Some of my friends are saying that I should trade in the glasses for contacts, to make me look young (I’m on the […]
Law firms and legal departments are writing the future of the profession in separate rooms. What happens when they actually work together?
“Hey, are you on the Posse List?” “The what list?” A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away — seven years ago in the Farragut North area of Washington, DC — the “what?” list was my response when I first heard of the Posse List from a fellow contract attorney on one of […]
Not that we’re in the business of giving free legal advice, but there are a few things every lawyer should know. Lawyers should know how to handle a traffic stop, for instance. They should know how to handle cops who shout slurs at you from across the street. And of course, lawyers should never snitch. […]
When the U.S. News rankings came out this year, Duke Law School had fallen out of the top ten. But one thing that hadn’t fallen was its Graduates Employed At Graduation statistic. As Elie noted (with skepticism), Duke reported that 100% of its 2008 graduates were employed. Elie wondered how that was possible given the […]
We’ve lost every objection so far. Maybe we can win this one. — Chicago defense attorney Marc Martin, after asking Judge Joan Lefkow to delay the next day’s trial start so that jurors could stay up late watching the Blackhawks (w)in the Stanley Cup game Wednesday night.
* Unhappy investors in Arizona go after the law firm that drafted papers for the company that allegedly swindled them. Greenberg Traurig is hit with a $52 million lawsuit for allegedly aiding a mortgage fund in a $1 billion fraud. [Courthouse News Service] * Elena Kagan and Antonin Scalia’s secret love. [Washington Post] * A […]