November 2010
-
Biglaw, Gender, Women's Issues
Biglaw Women Relegated to 'Pink Ghetto' (When They Can Be Found at All)
Attorney and author Yolanda Young once alleged that Covington & Burling — her former employer and current adversary — had a “staff attorney ghetto.” Now, the National Organization for Women Lawyers (NAWL) wonders if there are so many female staff attorneys that the position is turning into a “pink ghetto.” I don’t know much about […] -
Bar Exams, New Jersey
Real Bar Passers of New Jersey: Congratulations!
There’s no denying it: New Jersey is sizzling hot right now. Jersey Shore is burning up the ratings, Boardwalk Empire is making critics swoon, and Governor Chris Christie, my former boss (when he was U.S Attorney for New Jersey), is being talked about as a possible presidential candidate. The Garden State is popular among ATL […] - Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use. -
Andrew Sullivan, Blogging, Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day: And Thank God for Them
People read us at work — we’re a procrastination tool, a guilty pleasure. There are so many bored lawyers out there, just clicking refresh, refresh, refresh…. — Andrew Sullivan, noting the large lawyer readership of his blog, The Daily Dish, at a very interesting panel discussion last night on the future of the media.
-
Law School Deans, Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
Tuition Is Going Up at Notre Dame Law (But Not as High as Some Other Places)
There’s been a lot of buzz coming out of Notre Dame Law. No, the students are not being being pressed into service to defend the university from Declan Sullivan lawsuits. Instead, ND Law dean Nell Newton held a town hall meeting with the students to discuss the future of the university. After the public meeting, […] -
Advertising, Biglaw, Career Center, Partner Issues, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
Career Center: Partnership Prospects
It’s that time of year again, when most Biglaw firms announce their partnership promotions. But this year, it’s not only the senior associates who are on edge. As shown in our recent associate morale survey results, 62% of associates at all levels attributed the decline in morale at their firms to poor partnership prospects. Please […] -
Blog Wars, Blogging, Free Speech, Gay, Politics
Andrew Shirvell Is Out at the Michigan AG's Office
We mentioned this briefly last night in an update appended to Non-Sequiturs, but it’s big enough news that it merits more coverage. Michigan assistant attorney general Andrew Shirvell — whom we’ve covered extensively, for his blogging campaign against Chris Armstrong, the openly gay (and ridiculously handsome) student body president at the University of Michigan — […] -
Airplanes / Aviation, Constitutional Law, D.C. Circuit, Privacy
Can You Fly the Friendly Skies Without Being Seen Naked?
Taking off your clothes and getting fondled is usually fun… except when it happens at the airport. Going through security before flights has gotten increasingly humiliating over the years. Watching people prepare themselves for inspection by stripping off their shoes, belts, jackets, and sweaters is like the least sexy and most frustrating strip tease ever. […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 11.09.10
* The Canadian Supreme Court is debating whether a woman can give prior consent for unconscious anal sex. When it’s that cold, I guess you do really freaky things to stay warm. [Vancouver Sun] * Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court is just plain being anal. Yesterday, the Court rejected the first of the Obamacare lawsuits, […]
- 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… -
Biglaw, Gender, Minority Issues, Women's Issues
Diversity Issues To Consider Before You Accept Your Offer
There are two ways to make diversity mean something to Biglaw partners. The first involves clients caring about whether or not their legal counsel has made a commitment to diversity. The second involves incoming and lateral talent caring about whether or not they go to a diverse workplace. But for people to make informed decisions […] -
Ann Althouse, Books, Gay, Non-Sequiturs, Tim Wu
Non-Sequiturs: 11.08.10
* Everyone’s favorite anti-gay crusader, Andrew Shirvell (pictured), has been suspended. [TPM Muckraker] UPDATE: Shirvell just got fired, according to the Detroit Free Press, “for conduct unbecoming a state employee” (including misuse of state resources). * Our colleague Bess Levin wants to know: Does Wall Street have a problem with felony charges? [Dealbreaker] * Professor […] -
Biglaw, Law Firm Mergers, United Kingdom / Great Britain
Law Firm Merger Mania: Squire Sanders and Hammonds Tie the Transatlantic Knot
A hot trend for the law firm world in 2010: transatlantic mergers. This year we’ve seen the creation of Hogan Lovells, from Hogan & Hartson and Lovells, and SNR Denton, from Sonnenschein and Denton Wilde. Today we learn of a third U.S./U.K. law firm merger: the combination of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey and the British […] -
Boutique Law Firms, Law Schools, Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners
Bridging the Gap: UMKC Law Opens a Solo and Small Firm Incubator
In the good old days, an aspiring lawyer could just read the law under the tutelage of an existing member of the bar. Then, around the beginning of the twentieth century, the ABA and AALS teamed up to begin requiring that wannabe lawyers graduate from law school as a barrier to entry. This was, I […] -
Bar Exams, Screw-Ups
New York Bar Examiners Admit to Accidental Release of New York Bar Results
I don’t know how the New York Law Journal managed to get through this entire story without mentioning Above the Law. But we’ll deal with that later. For now, let’s talk about the New York Board of Law Examiners (BOLE) finally admitting that the results for the July 2010 bar exam were in fact accidentally […]
Sponsored
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
Sponsored
Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
-
Gay, Gay Marriage, New York Times, Weddings
Legal Eagle Wedding Watch: Thunder in the Night
Our last installment of the Wedding Watch was almost unbearably non-elite, but we’re happy to announce that the Times weddings section has bounced back. Three prestigious law firms beautify our wedding update today: Jenner & Block, Boies Schiller, and the ever-fabulous Skadden Arps. And two of our grooms (there are four) are partners! Here are […] -
Fame Brief, Politics
Fame Brief: Choose Your Own Adventure for Christine O'Donnell
Because God is a kind and loving God, Christine O’Donnell lost Delaware’s Senate race this past Tuesday night. Although you probably wouldn’t know that by her concession speech, in which America’s sweetheart followed up her somewhat terrifying “I am you” campaign tagline with a staunchly delusional “we have won” announcement. These statements would normally be […] -
Biglaw, Law Shucks
This Week in Biglaw: 11.08.10
Ed. note: Law Shucks focuses on life in, and after, Biglaw, including by tracking layoffs, bonuses, and laterals. Above the Law is pleased to bring you this weekly column, which analyzes news at the world’s top law firms. We’ve hit another lull in the Biglaw calendar. Recruiting is pretty much over. 2Ls and 3Ls lucky […] -
Biglaw, Howrey LLP, Layoffs, Staff Layoffs
Staff Layoff Watch: Howrey Makes Cuts
It looks like layoffs are making a comeback of sorts. If you are working as legal support staff in a Biglaw firm, you need to keep your head on a swivel. Last week, we reported on cuts for staff (in terms of bonuses) at Jones Day. Today Above the Law can report on cuts of […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 11.08.10
* Minorities get stopped and frisked more often in Philly, and not because they commit more crimes, but because the police are racist. So sayeth the ACLU. [Philadelphia Inquirer] * It’s the end of class action litigation as we know it — and the Supreme Court feels fine. [San Francisco Chronicle] * Joe Miller is […]
-
Quote of the Day, Real Estate
Quote of the Day: A Hierarchy of Shadiness?
Until recently, foreclosure defense would have been considered the lowest of the low — below the divorce guys, below ambulance chasers. — Roy Oppenheim, a veteran foreclosure defense lawyer in Florida. -
Conferences / Symposia, Contract Attorneys, Technology
The Rundown: This Week in Legal Technology – 11.06.10
What a wild week in Washington! In the aftermath of hundreds of thousands of people rallying for sanity, the Republicans trounced the Democrats in the House. As for me, when I wasn’t cleaning the millions of dollars I had stuffed in my closet to hide from the IRS or arguing with my therapist about how […]