March 2011
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Biglaw, Cheapness, In-House Counsel, Partner Issues
Inside Straight: In Praise Of Mediocrity!
Ed. note: This is the latest installment of Inside Straight, Above the Law’s column for in-house counsel, written by Mark Herrmann. All this perfection crap. One reader wrote to me to complain. Surely, he said, there’s room in the world for a law firm that does work that’s “good enough for the occasion at a […] -
3rd Circuit, Benchslaps, Federal Judges, Musical Chairs, Old People
Musical Chairs: Judge Fullam, Benchslapped and Elderly, Is Stepping Down
We recently covered the Third Circuit’s benchslap of Judge John Fullam, an 89-year-old judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In his opinion in United States v. Higdon, issuing a writ of mandamus and directing that the case mishandled by Judge Fullam be reassigned on remand, Chief Judge Theodore McKee had some harsh words for […] - 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… -
Asians, China, Politics, Religion
From The Dalai Lama To A Harvard Law Fellow? Free Tibet Movement Could Get Hardcore.
I’m not a hippie, but I have attended a Free Tibet rally (it was college, I was experimenting). I support a free Tibet, in that American way of admonishing China while in no way depriving myself of any Chinese products or consumer markets. My dog is a Tibetan breed (Lhasa Apso). I spent a not-insignificant […]
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Celebrities, Lindsay Lohan, Madonna, Morning Docket, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Trials
Morning Docket: 03.24.11
* Conky the Robot says the word of the day at the Barry Bonds trial yesterday was…syringe. AAAAHHHH!!!!!! [ESPN] * Robert George, a prominent Boston defense attorney, stands accused of money laundering. Forget prison for a second; what is he going to do with 40 subscriptions to Vibe? [Boston Globe] * Lilo rejected a plea […]
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Law Schools, Rankings, Student Loans, U.S. News, UNC Law, Vanderbilt
Open Thread: 2012 U.S. News Law School Rankings (16 - 30)
And now things get interesting. As we continue to run through the U.S. News 2012 law school rankings, we get to a crucial set of schools. The schools in this batch are certainly top tier, but they’re not “top 14”; for the most part, though, they charge like top 14 schools (especially the private ones). […] -
9th Circuit, Gay, Gay Marriage, Law Schools, Musical Chairs, Non-Sequiturs, S.D.N.Y., U.S. Attorneys Offices
Non-Sequiturs: 03.23.11
* Were you skeptical of all the law schools reporting to U.S. News that the median private-sector starting salary for their graduates is $160,000? Forbes explains why your skepticism is warranted. [Forbes via Constitutional Daily] * On a related note, if you want to be a millionaire, you should definitely go to college. Law school? […] -
California, Kids, Law Schools, New York Times
In Five Years, Will the Endless March Of New Lawyers Finally Stop?
A reader sent in an encouraging list from the New York Times. Well, encouraging to me and others who want the demand for legal education to decrease to levels the legal economy can sustain. According to this story, the Times asked 18 high school seniors in San Diego to predict their futures over the next […] -
Advertising, Real Estate, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
Thanks to This Week's Advertisers
This week in sponsored content: an interesting look at the Hong Kong housing market, by Alexis Lamb of the Asia Chronicles. Finding a flat in HK these days poses quite the challenge. And now, let’s thank this week’s advertisers on Above the Law: American Express BarMax Black Socks IMS ExpertServices Kinney Recruiting (sponsor of the […] - 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… -
Books, Small Law Firms, Videos
Small Firms, Big Lawyers: Why Are You a Small-Firm Lawyer?
Ed. note: This is the latest installment of Small Firms, Big Lawyers, one of Above the Law’s new columns for small-firm lawyers. Seriously. Why? I don’t mean in a “because I couldn’t get a BigLaw job” way. I mean, “Why are you practicing law in a small firm?” And if you’re looking for work in […] -
7th Circuit, Attorney Misconduct, Benchslaps, Federal Judges, Frank Easterbrook, Legal Ethics, Quote of the Day
Quote(s) of the Day: Oh, professionalism is overrated.(Or: Mess with the Easterbrook, you get the horns.)
Greco is a menace to his clients and a scofflaw with respect to appellate procedure. The district court may wish to consider whether he should remain a member of its bar. Would-be clients should consider how Greco has treated [his clients] Lee, Washington, and Moore. — Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook of the Seventh Circuit, benchslapping […] -
Canada, Lawyer of the Day, Rudeness
Do Canadian Lawyers Have Potty Mouths?
The Law Society of Upper Canada has its panties in a twist. Apparently there are a few lawyers up there who have been exhibiting “uncivil behavior,” and the society wants it to stop. I know what you are thinking: Isn’t everybody in Canada nice (except for Scott; he’s a dick)? Well, it would seem that […] -
Money, Technology
A Challenge to Startup Lawyers, from Fred Wilson
A prominent venture capitalist, Fred Wilson, has a question: Why do lawyers cost so darn much? That’s the gist of Wilson’s recent blog post, A Challenge To Startup Lawyers, in which he discusses a recent investment his fund closed, a seed round. The parties used standard form documents, without negotiation, and the investors had no […] -
Akin Gump, Biglaw, Litigators, Litigatrix, Musical Chairs, Partner Issues
Musical Chairs: Leading Litigatrix Leaves Akin for Skadden
Although I now live in New York, I lived in D.C. for several years before moving back to NYC. And while I was in Washington, few trial lawyers were more renowned around town than Michele Roberts. A legendary litigatrix celebrated for her skill in the courtroom, Roberts was at Akin Gump — home to other […]
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
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The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
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Biglaw, In-House Counsel
Not Horrible
Ed. note: This post is by Will Meyerhofer, a former Sullivan & Cromwell attorney turned psychotherapist. He holds degrees from Harvard, NYU Law, and The Hunter College School of Social Work, and he blogs at The People’s Therapist. His new book, Life is a Brief Opportunity for Joy, is available on Amazon. I asked a […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.23.11
* President Obama may face legal limits in our warmanitarian police action in Libya. [Fox News] * Ginni Thomas’s new job will have her interviewing “established and emerging leaders about the serious questions facing our country.” Questions like: Why’d you lie, Anita? Have you considered apologizing? I’m praying for you. Not really a question…but I […]
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Associate Bonus Watch 2010, Biglaw, Bonuses, Cheapness, Money
Spring Bonus Stragglers: Open Thread
I’ve been trying to be nice. I’ve been trying to be positive. I’ve been trying to adopt a new, sunny, smoke-free attitude that assumes certain top firms will do the right thing by their associates and announce spring bonuses along the lines of Cravath, Sullivan & Cromwell, and a bunch of other top-tier firms. Just […] -
Abortion, Bankruptcy, Deaths, Gay, Gay Marriage, Immigration, Law Professors, Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 03.22.11
* Is it possible that in South Dakota you have to go through a shorter waiting period to buy a gun and shoot someone who is already alive than you have to go through in order to have an abortion? Could somebody check on that? [MSNBC] * Did you see this chart showing that law […] -
Advertising, Biglaw, Career Center, Paralegals, Secretaries / Administrative Assistants, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
How to Become an (Almost) Indispensable Junior Associate (Part 3)
In parts one and two of the Career Center “Tip of the Day” series, focused on how junior associates can become more indispensable to their law firms, we covered the importance of taking ownership of your work and becoming an expert in your field. Today, we’ll discuss effective management strategies you can use to not […] -
Blogging, Intellectual Property, Lawsuit of the Day, Small Law Firms, Technology, Trademarks, Vicious Infighting
Lawsuit of the Day: A Big Fight Over 'Small Law'
Earlier this month, we presented you with a trademark law hypothetical. It was based on a dispute between Lawyerist and PeerViews Inc., parent company of TechnoLawyer, over the term “Small Law.” Lawyerist used the words “Small Law” in the title and text of this post — about Above the Law’s new offerings for small-firm readers, […] -
Books, Career Alternatives, Clerkships, Facebook, Media and Journalism, Saira Rao
Tropical Depression: The Latest in 'Clerkship Lit'
Move over, chick lit. Make way for “clerk lit”! Over the past few years, we’ve seen a number of novels focused on the clerkship, a professional rite of passage for many a prestige-obsessed young lawyer. In these books, plucky law-clerk protagonists have tried to do justice while also holding on to their jobs (and their […]