November 2010
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Books, Law Professors, Quote of the Day, Tim Wu
Quote of the Day: Another Way for Non-Practicing Lawyers to Explain Themselves
I am a lawyer by creation, but not by practice. I’m a lawyer technically, but I wouldn’t hire me to write your will. — Columbia law professor Tim Wu, in an interview with the New York Times about his new book, The Master Switch. -
Drinking
Nannies Win: Four Loko Stops Shipments to New York State
Once again, fear, overreaction, and the Nanny State have crushed liberty and common sense. Four Loko, a caffeinated, alcoholic beverage, will no longer be distributed in New York State. This follows previous Four Loko bannings in Washington, Michigan, Utah, and Oklahoma. Good job parents, you’ve succeeded in making a foul tasting alcoholic beverage the most […] - Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so… -
American Bar Association / ABA, Boutique Law Firms, Election Law, Politics, Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners, Sonia Sotomayor
Under the Shingle: 11.15.2010
Welcome to the second installment of Under the Shingle, an occasional round-up of news and musings from the world of small firms and solo practitioners. In other words, you get a break from me — mostly. I’ve added a bit of play-by-play to explain and connect these links, which cover such topics as the intersection […]
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Biglaw, Job Searches, Law Schools, LSAT
Does Hiring Smart People Hurt Law Firms?
Here’s an argument you don’t hear everyday: law firms who hire the smartest people are hurting their business. That’s the gist of the argument by Bill Henderson, a professor at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law who studies the legal profession (and whom we’ve quoted often in these pages). At least if we define “smart” […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 11.15.10
* College presidents have no problem putting food on their families. [Bloomberg] * Legal aid in Florida in need of financial aid. This blurb has aids. [Palm Beach Post] * Lawsuits are the new synthetic collateralized debt obligations. Amirite? [New York Times] * A dead son, an unusual sentence, and the most riveting thing you’ll […]
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Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
Quote of the Day: Personal Responsibility, or Blaming the Victim?
You have to wonder what amount of research the student in question pursued before deciding that law school was a good idea, which then leads you to ask whether you’d want him as your lawyer. Sounds like he would be a good candidate for a sub prime interest-only mortgage, until he wanted a bailout on […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 11.12.10
* Today the Supreme Court denied the Log Cabin Republicans’ request to dissolve the Ninth Circuit’s stay pending appeal in the “don’t ask, don’t tell” case. Here’s Chris Geidner’s very interesting take on what happened and why it matters. [Metro Weekly] * In other SCOTUS news, via Tony Mauro, the Court will hand down its […] -
Job Searches, Law Schools, Quote of the Day, Reality TV, Television
Depressing Statistic of the Day
This year The Apprentice, a television show in which contestants compete for the privilege of working for Donald Trump, features 16 who are down on their luck, having lost previous jobs or otherwise having to start anew. No fewer than five of them are lawyers. — from Trouble with the Law, an article about American […] - Sponsored
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
ChatGPT ushers in the age of generative AI – even for law firms. -
Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Money
How Much Do In-House Lawyers Make?
‘Tis the season for… salary surveys. Earlier this week, we discussed the results of Washingtonian magazine’s D.C. lawyer salary survey. The upshot: lawyers in the nation’s capital are doing quite well for themselves. Today we bring you the results of, and commentary on, a recent in-house counsel salary survey. It was conducted by the Hildebrandt […] -
Law Schools, Videos
So You Want to Go to Law School: The Backstory, and a Sequel
Remember the hilarious So You Want To Go To Law School video? The genius behind it, Virginia lawyer David Kazzie, recently sat down with The Careerist to share the backstory behind the video (which was one of the 25 most-viewed videos last month in YouTube’s film/animation section). So who is David Kazzie? And has he […] -
Job Searches, pls hndle thx, Tax Law
Pls Hndle Thx: Doing 'Tax Work'
Ed. note: Have a question for next week? Send it in to advice@abovethelaw.com Dear ATL, I have 12 years of state and local tax experience. I am currently a Tax Manager at a large company. I have managed the second largest tax audit defense group in the country. My current [law school] GPA is 3.4, […] -
Biglaw, Law Firm Mergers, United Kingdom / Great Britain
A Hiccup for the Transatlantic Trend: Proskauer and SJ Berwin Call Off Merger Talks
In 2011, lawyers at Proskauer Rose will enjoy snazzy, firm-provided iPads. But they won’t be able to look forward to an influx of British colleagues with super-posh accents. As reported by Legal Week, Proskauer and SJ Berwin have called off their merger talks, after nine long months of discussions. The extensive snogging will not culminate […] -
Secretaries / Administrative Assistants
Nationwide Staff Layoff Watch: DLA Piper
Yesterday we started receiving multiple reports of staff layoffs at DLA Piper. The reports related to various U.S. offices of the firm, including (but not limited to) Baltimore and Sacramento. They concerned support staff, including secretaries, but not lawyers. In terms of the scale of the layoffs, no hard numbers were available. One source expressed […]
Sponsored
Sponsored
Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
The rise of remote work has dramatically reshaped the relationship between Lawyers and Law Firms, see how Scale LLP has taken the steps to get…
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Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
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The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
ChatGPT ushers in the age of generative AI – even for law firms.
Sponsored
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Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use.
Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so…
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Books, Education / Schools, Lawsuit of the Day, Minority Issues, Racism
Lawsuit of the Day: Parent Sues School for Teaching His Daughter About Slavery
There is nothing I hate more than people who try to use the law to change the facts of history or science. I hate when Creationists try to take their Sunday School teachings into science class. I hate when Confederates try to retell the “War of Northern Aggression” in a way that ignores the abject […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 11.12.10
* French parents have sued to spare their kids the embarrassment of sharing a name with a car. Hey, Zoe Renault, need an underbody lube? [New York Daily News] * Ladies, having your jaw fall off is just a small price to pay to fix your brittle bones. At least your husbands will be happy […]
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Biglaw, Labor / Employment, Lawsuit of the Day, Minority Issues, Rudeness, Secretaries / Administrative Assistants, Sex, Sex Scandals
Nelson v. Jones Day: Another Side to the Story
Earlier this week, we brought you the story of Nelson v. Jones Day — a discrimination lawsuit filed against Jones Day by Jaki Nelson, an African-American woman who worked at JD for almost 18 years. Some of the allegations in Nelson’s complaint — use of racial slurs by firm partners and administrators, sex scandals, and […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 11.11.10
* The potential legal fallout from the Declan Sullivan tragedy. [Law Writer’s Blog] * Speaking of Notre Dame, here’s me on a podcast, discussing the ND tuition hikes and the overall price-gouging of American law students. [Legal Broadcast Network] * If you choose advertising instead of a legal career, one day you might be able […] -
Crime, Kumari Fulbright, Trials
Beauty Queen Kumari Fulbright's Star Turn -- On the Witness Stand
About once every two months, someone sends us an email asking, “Whatever happened to Kumari Fulbright?” Well, now we have an update. In case you don’t recall, Kumari Fulbright was a Texas high school cheerleader, Arizona beauty queen, and second-year law student at the University of Arizona — until she was accused of participating in […] -
Antonin Scalia, Quote of the Day, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Quote of the Day: All About Eve Antonin?
I just wanted to get out there, let my talents shine, and show that I, too, can be a constitutional originalist and claim strict adherence to the intent of those who framed our nation’s founding document, thereby advancing a conservative agenda. Pretty sure I nailed it, too. — “Supreme Court Understudy Fills In For Scalia,” […] -
Law Schools, Libraries / Librarians, Pictures
Hot Models Get Busy in Brooklyn Law Library
The library at Brooklyn Law School is fast becoming the most sexual law library in America. Last week, the class of 2010 dedicated a plaque inside the library warning students, “It’s supposed to be hard.” This week, we’ve learned that the law library also plays host to some hard bodies. Apparently, Brooklyn Law allowed models […]