Associate Salaries, Biglaw, Bonuses, Killing Lockstep

In Boston, Merit-Based Compensation Could Be Taking Hold

By Elie Mystal

It must be a slow news week over in mainstream media land. Earlier this week, the New York Times did a survey piece about American salary cuts that tangentially touched on lawyer salaries — old news for people on top of the legal market, but probably new to a more general audience. Today, the Boston […]

Divorce Train Wrecks, ERISA, Money, Old People, Partner Issues, Partner Profits

How Much Do Retired Wachtell Partners Make?

By David Lat

Wachtell Lipton is one of the nation’s most prestigious and most profitable law firms. The lawyers who work there, especially the partners, are some seriously smart cookies. So perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that a former Wachtell partner has gotten the best of his ex-wife in contentious divorce proceedings. Leigh Jones of the National Law […]

Job Searches, Law Schools, pls hndle thx, Ridiculousness

Pls Hndle Thx: But I’m in MENSA!

By Marin

Ed. note: Have a question for next week? Send it in to advice@abovethelaw.com. Dear ATL, We’re at NYLS and I’m in an argument with my friends for resumes for interviews with law firms. I’m a member of MENSA and I think it’s okay to put “Member, MENSA” under my interests on my resume.  Some of […]

Craigslist, Gay, Job Searches, Sex

A Pair of Craigslist Jobs: Getting Screwed (Chicago and D.C.)

By David Lat

Ah, Craigslist — grand repository and central clearinghouse for crappy legal jobs. The job postings, seeking expensively-trained lawyers at wages that a Starbucks barista would find insulting, just keep on coming. The latest laughable listing — which brings laughter, but also tears — comes from Chicago: We are looking for a recent law school graduate […]

Bad Ideas, Job Searches, Law Schools, Student Loans

Unemployed J.D. Goes on a Hunger Strike

By Elie Mystal

As of this writing, Ethan Haines, writer of the UnemployedJD blog, has gone 32 hours without food. I think the kid might be joking, but Haines said he is going on a hunger strike — to convince law schools to be more transparent about the employment options of graduates, before the schools rope them into […]

Morning Docket, Ted Olson

Morning Docket: 08.06.10

By Elie Mystal

* While everybody else takes a Prop 8 victory lap, Ted Olson is back at work. [ABA Journal] * BP’s static-kill operation looks like a success. We’re just waiting for the concrete to dry. That wasn’t so hard, was it? [Discover] * Screw outsourcing; more firms should be doing crowdsourcing. [New York Times] * A […]

Associate Advice, Federal Judges, Feminism, Gender, Maryanne Trump Barry, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, Women's Issues

Do Women in the Law Need to Get Thicker Skins?

By David Lat

Today’s confirmation of Elena Kagan as the fourth woman ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court is a milestone worth celebrating. For ladies in the law, things are looking up. But female law students and lawyers still have complaints. Check out a recent query submitted to the Dear Prudence advice column over at Slate, […]

Ann Althouse, Gay, Lesbians, Non-Sequiturs, Outsourcing

Non-Sequiturs: 08.05.10

By David Lat & Elie Mystal

* Congratulations to the best LGBT lawyers under 40! Check out the list — perhaps you know some of them? [National LGBT Bar Association] * Speaking of gays in the law, if you’re obsessing over Judge Vaughn Walker’s sexual orientation, stop it. Just stop it. [Huffington Post] * First Rudolph Giuliani’s daughter gets busted shoplifting […]

Elena Kagan, Martha Minow, Politics, SCOTUS, Senate Judiciary Committee, Solicitor General's Office, Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court

Congratulations to Associate Justice Elena Kagan!

By David Lat

This should not come as a huge surprise, but Solicitor General Elena Kagan was just confirmed by the Senate as to be the 112th justice of the United States Supreme Court. Kagan, the first woman to serve as Solicitor General, is the fourth woman ever to serve on the Court. CORRECTION: I replaced “as” with […]

Akin Gump, Allen & Overy, Biglaw, Rankings, Vault 100 Open Threads: 2011, Vault rankings, Willkie Farr

Fall Recruiting Open Threads: Vault 31 – 40 (2011)

By Elie Mystal

We’ve gotten away from plowing through the latest Vault Rankings, but fear not. Your firm is coming up soon. We’ve been through the top 30 firms. But now we’re getting into a group of firms that really utilized the cost-cutting measures of salary cuts and layoffs to weather the recession of 2009. Did these guys […]

Sports, Trials

The Verdict in the Bluegrass State’s Sordid Sports Trial is In: Karen Sypher is Guilty

By Kashmir Hill

Just because a man deposits on your leg doesn’t mean you can take him to the bank. The jury in the Karen Sypher eight-day trial began deliberating yesterday at 3 p.m., and finished up today after about five hours — an eternity in Rick Pitino time. While it may have been embarrassing for Louisville basketball […]

Celebrities, Fabulosity, Gay Marriage, Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day: But What Does Justice KENNEDY Think of BUBBLE DREAMS?

By David Lat

At the moments notice of PROP 8 DEATH I instantly began to write music. BUBBLE DREAMS FOREVER! FULL EQUALITY! THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING! REJOICE and CELEBRATE gay communities and straight all over the world. Our voices are being heard! Loud! SCREAM LOUD AMERICANOS! – Lady Gaga, responding on Twitter to Chief Judge Vaughn Walker’s […]

Chadbourne & Parke, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, Summer Associates

More Summer Associate Classes With 100% Offer Rates

By Kashmir Hill

Some summer associates are ending their summers on a very positive note. Quite a few firms have already informed law school students that after this summer fling, they’re interested in a more serious relationship. Since our last round-up of offices extending offers to 100% of their summer associates, we’ve heard from a few more contented […]

Advertising, Biglaw, Career Center, Kasowitz Benson, Summer Associates

Career Center: A Good Summer at Kasowitz

By Above the Law

Thanks to the over 500 people who responded to our summer associate survey and to all the firms who participated in distributing the survey to their summer associates. We will be rolling out the updated Career Center Firm Snapshots in several weeks, but wanted to give you a sneak peak of some of the results. […]

Divorce Train Wrecks, Family Law, Gay, Gay Marriage, Kids, Lesbians

Gay People: Are You Sure You Want to Get Married?

By Elie Mystal

How is everybody doing this day after bigotry was dealt a setback? Based on an Above the Law reader poll, about 80 percent of you think that Chief Judge Vaughn Walker (N.D. Cal.) did the right thing when he struck down California’s Proposition 8. So gay people in California may soon be able to engage […]

Attorney Misconduct, Biglaw, Crime, Oral Sex / Blow Jobs, Rape, Schiff Hardin, Sex

Ex-Biglaw Bad Boys Accused of Sexual Assault:
Where Are They Now?

By David Lat

We like to provide updates on lawyers we’ve covered in the past, just to close the loop and keep readers informed. For example, if a lawyer is accused of wrongdoing, we cover the allegations, and then the charges are dropped, we’d like to write about the clearing of that person’s name. (If you’re aware of […]

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 08.05.10

By Kashmir Hill

* SCOTUS to 3 lady justices! The Senate will vote to confirm Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court today. [Associated Press] * Can you hear me now not being evil? Google and Verizon’s talks are making net neutrality advocates very nervous. [New York Times] * Rudy Giuliani is tough on crime, but how tough will […]

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 08.04.10

By Elie Mystal

* Today is Barack Obama’s birthday — you know, if his birth certificate is to be believed. [Gawker] * Cartier is sick of getting ripped off. [Fashionista] * If I had to pick a Broadway musical song to sum up Mosquegate, it would definitely be: Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist. [Althouse] * Some days, I […]