February 2011
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Law Schools, Rank Stupidity, Rankings, Ridiculousness, U.S. News
Latest Cooley Law School Rankings Achieve New Heights of Intellectual Dishonesty
It’s Christmas morning here at Above the Law. Thomas M. Cooley Law School has released a new set of law school rankings designed to make Thomas M. Cooley Law School look good. Back in 2009, Cooley incredibly ranked itself the 12th-best law school in the country. Now the farce reaches new and glorious heights. In […] -
Harvard Law Review, Law Schools, Non-Sequiturs, Religion
Non-Sequiturs: 02.08.11
* BarMax has launched its new app, BarMax NY for iPad — and it’s giving away one BarMax NY to a lucky law student at each law school in New York. [Yahoo Finance] * Nancy Gertner and Stephen Shay have been named Professors of Practice at Harvard Law School. Lat wonders if Judge Gertner will […] - Sponsored
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Alston & Bird, Biglaw, Book Deals, Books, Federal Government, Litigatrix, Romance and Dating, Technology, U.S. Attorneys Offices, UNC Law
Save as Draft: Meet Natalie Lee, Novelist and Federal Prosecutor
Might we be seeing a new trend, namely, federal prosecutors moonlighting as novelists? Last year, as part of Above the Law’s Career Alternatives series, we profiled Allison Leotta, an assistant U.S. attorney in D.C. who wrote a well-received thriller, Law of Attraction. Today we introduce you to Natalie Lee — an assistant U.S. attorney in […]
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Associate Bonus Watch 2010, Biglaw, Bonuses, Money
Weil We're Waiting for Spring Bonuses...
Yesterday, the deafening silence from Skadden, Davis Polk, Weil and others on spring bonuses was pierced by news that Cadwalader is currently considering whether to pay spring bonuses. It’s the first fresh spring bonus news we’ve had in a while. It seems like Cravath’s announcement of springtime bonuses that topped Sullivan & Cromwell’s spring bonuses […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2010, Biglaw, Bonuses, Money
Associate Bonus Watch: Back to Basics at Bingham
There’s a fair amount of happy news at Bingham McCutchen right now. The firm is enjoying record profits and bringing in new talent. It once again made Fortune magazine’s list of best companies to work for (along with three other law firms). And here’s some additional good news. Last year, Bingham experimented with a somewhat […] -
Anal Sex / Butt Sex, Free Speech, Gay, Pornography, Quote of the Day, Sex
Quote of the Day: Actually, Isn't the Going Rate $160K?
Honestly, the gay side’s where all the money is. There might be 30 straight guys who can make a living at it, but if you’re willing to get f**ked in the a**, I can get you five grand right now. — Marc Randazza, a First Amendment lawyer who represents pornography companies, responding to a man […] -
Drinking, DUI / DWI, Judge of the Day
Judge of the Day: Maryland Judge Must Submit to a Breathalyzer Twice a Day, But Still Keeps His Job
When I first got this job, I thought that it might be a good idea for me to hook up a Breathalyzer to my laptop to prevent me from posting drunk. Then I realized people enjoy this site more when at least one of us is drunk, and so I sacrifice my liver for you […] -
3rd Circuit, Divorce Train Wrecks, Family Law, Federal Judges, Marjorie Rendell, Politics
Separation of Powers: Governor Rendell and Judge Rendell Split
There’s lots of law-related news coming out of Philadelphia right now. The lead story on the Philadelphia Inquirer’s website today is about the latest Villanova Law scandal, regarding falsified admissions data being submitted to the ABA. (The article contains a shout-out to ATL, which we appreciate.) The trial of Gerald Ung, the Temple Law student […] - 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… -
Biglaw, Money, Musical Chairs, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
When Poaching Partners, It's All About the Benjamins
I like it when the artifice drops and Biglaw is shown to be dominated by greed. I don’t necessarily use the word “greed” pejoratively. I like money, you like money, and if somebody offered you more money to do what you are doing already, you’d take it. I just like it when people can admit […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 02.08.11
* Frank McCourt’s lawyers at Bingham have lawyered up in an attempt to dodge responsibility for their royal screwup in his divorce. Dodge. Get it? I spit hot fire. [Los Angeles Times] * In other garbage baseball team news, David Wright says the Madoff lawsuit will have an effect on Mets players. When you’re a […]
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Conferences / Symposia, Document Review, Lexis-Nexis, LexisNexis / Lexis-Nexis, Technology
Fear and Loathing in LegalTech
Daniel de Juan, a sales engineer from Mitratech, summed up perfectly what LegalTech was like for me this year: “Being at LegalTech is almost like being at a casino, in the sense that you lose all track of time.” Two years ago, I found the conference to be pretty intimidating, and that was when the […] -
Anthony Kennedy, Federal Judges, Judicial Nominations, Native Americans, Non-Sequiturs, Pets
Non-Sequiturs: 02.07.11
* How did Howrey start to unravel? The trouble might have started in Europe. [Washington Post] * Congratulations to Arvo Mikkanen, a Native American nominee to the federal bench in Oklahoma (and “an all-around great dude,” according to a tipster). [The Atlantic] * Washington & Lee Law School, which we recently praised for its honesty […] -
Asians, Biglaw, Federal Judges, Lawyer of the Day, Reader Polls, Violence
January Lawyer of the Month Restores Faith in Humanity
Thank you, Above the Law readers. The results are in for January’s Lawyer of the Month, and I can happily report that I do not write for an audience comprised solely of heartless, cynical d-bags. Seriously, I’m going to be able to talk to my mother about what I do for a living for a […]
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
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Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
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American Bar Association / ABA, Law School Deans, Law Schools, Rankings, U.S. News
Villanova Scandal Watch: More Cryptic Emails From the Dean
This Villanova scandal is going to get uglier before it finishes. On Friday, we reported that John Y. Gotanda, the dean of Villanova Law School, sent a letter to students and alumni in which he revealed that the school reported inaccurate admissions information to the American Bar Association. The letter was light on specifics. According […] -
Adam Liptak, Health Care / Medicine, Law Professors, Politics, Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day: Do the 'Right' Thing
If I were a Republican on the court, I wouldn’t think twice about this if I thought the law was unconstitutional. I don’t think they’re going to take some giant hit on it. — Professor Lee Epstein of Northwestern, commenting to the New York Times on how a Republican-appointed Supreme Court justice might rule on […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2010, Biglaw, Bonuses, Money, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
If Cadwalader Makes It Rain, Many More Firms Will Have to Follow
Fact: Spring bonuses have been announced at Cravath, Sullivan & Cromwell, Simpson Thacher, and Cleary Gottlieb. Fact: It’s February 7th. Fact: Skadden, Davis Polk, Weil, and Debevoise should be ashamed of themselves. Honestly, I don’t know what the top-tier firms that haven’t announced spring bonuses think they’re doing. Do they hope that no one is […] -
3rd Circuit, Facebook, Privacy, Social Networking Websites, Technology
Defense Attorney Will Poke Appeals Court Over Juror's Right to Privacy
Facebook’s lawyers have been looking for a rumble over the company’s responsibility to turn over user account information in legal cases. Now they’ve got one, thanks to a California juror and his grandstanding defense attorney. The case stems from a gang violence criminal trial. Members of the Killa Mobb were being tried for a 2008 […] -
Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Boutique Law Firms, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Musical Chairs
Musical Chairs: Dewey Deepens Its Bankruptcy Bench
The economy seems to be on the mend. Corporate profits are strong, and the Dow is north of 12,000. In the legal world, layoffs are down, bonuses are up, and hiring is way up. But governments — federal, state, and local — are staggering under mountains of debt. State and local governments have borrowed $2.4 […] -
Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Litigators, Partner Issues
Inside Straight: The Sins Of Inside Counsel
Ed. note: This is the latest installment of Inside Straight, Above the Law’s new column for in-house counsel, written by Mark Herrmann. It’s time for the other side of the coin. Sitting here in the catbird’s seat, it’s easy to criticize things that outside counsel do. (It’s not just easy; my hope is that it’s […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 02.07.11
* Of shaken babies and unsure verdicts. This long piece in the Times Magazine, by Emily Bazelon, is well worth your time. For those who require a funny take on shaking, there’s always this totally NSFW Chris Rock bit. [New York Times Magazine] * What do willful violations of antitrust law and not being admitted […]