September 2011
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Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 09.16.11
* Yo, in case you are wondering, lawyers are usually number 10, “the note leaver” on this badass list of New York neighbors. [Village Voice] * Leveraging yo’ boomin’ body for cash. Good tips for 1Ls. [The Careerist] * You know what your meticulous, typo-free writing style you learned in your legal writing course is […] -
Biglaw, Lawyer Advertising
MoFo Launches New, Somewhat Less Crazy Website
About a year and a half ago, Morrison & Foerster unveiled an insane edgy new website, openly embracing its MoFo moniker and a new “What the MoFo?” theme. At the time, we walked you through the minefield of interactive design elements that the site offered. Now, after what I can only guess has been a […] - 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… -
Job Searches, Law Schools
You're Saying the Cat Got a Job Because of His Hat?
Alright, we've got a little bit of a bone to pick with career services offices. Aren't the people who work there supposed to help law students find jobs? Or at least give law students some clues about how they can find jobs themselves? In lieu of jobs or career advice, career services offices are now offering children's poetry to their students....
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English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Got Any Fun Weekend Plans?
Everybody’s working for the weekend. But for now, while you’re still stuck at work, you should take a look at our latest Grammer Pole of the Weak, a column where we turn questions of English grammar and usage over to our readers for discussion and debate. Last week, we found out that even federal judges […] -
Crime, Law Schools, Murder, Oral Sex / Blow Jobs, Reader Polls, Violence
Law & Murder: Tulane Law School Follow-Up and Poll
From what we hear, it's been a wild couple of days at Tulane Law School since we outed the convicted murderer in their midst. Well, we didn't out him. Bruce Reilly outed himself on his blog (that he has since taken down). But being profiled on Above the Law can sometimes stir up the pot. Our Tulane readers have been asking to know more about the actual murder Reilly served time for. We've dug up some of the old reports.... -
Bar Exams, Utah
The UNOFFICIAL Utah Bar Exam Results
Is there anybody out in Above the Law land who took the bar in Utah this summer? Anybody want to know if they passed? It appears that the examiners in Utah released the results earlier than they meant to, and then tried to take the post down. And once again, an Above the Law tipster was watching.... -
Grade Reform, Law Professors, Law Schools, Ridiculousness, Texas
Fight the Power: Is There a Way Around the Curve?
We get it, law students: the curve sucks. Because the law school curve affects important things like class rank, law review eligibility, and employment opportunities, it can make or break your life. But can you fight it? A student at the University of Texas School of Law is trying -- albeit unsuccessfully -- to fight the powers that be.... -
Bankruptcy, Baseball, Benchslaps, Biglaw, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Law Schools, Military / Military Law, Money, Morning Docket, Movies, SCOTUS, Texas
Morning Docket: 09.16.11
* SCOTUS halted Duane Buck’s execution in Texas last night. How did it take 16 years for this to happen? Slow and steady doesn’t win the race on death row. [CBS News] * Casey Anthony owes the state of Florida a pretty penny. At this rate, she may as well go to law school, because […]
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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, Jeremy Pitcock, Kasowitz Benson, Labor / Employment, Lawsuit of the Day, Litigators, Pro Se Litigants
Berry v. Kasowitz Benson: The Empire Strikes Back
Kasowitz Benson comes to bury Berry, not to praise him. The firm has moved to dismiss the $77 million lawsuit filed against it by Gregory S. Berry, the former first-year associate at Kasowitz who claimed that the firm wrongfully terminated his employment due to its inability to handle his "superior legal mind." The firm's brief is fairly straightforward, advancing the arguments you'd expect it to make. Let's have a look, shall we? -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 09.15.11
* Nikki Finke, the Deadline.com diva, disses Debevoise. [Am Law Daily] * This kind of friendly fun between opposing counsel would surely warm Jay Shepherd’s heart. [The Namby Pamby] * This opinion describes a murder gory enough to turn the stomach of Bruce Reilly (aka the Tulane 1L Murderer). [You Shall Never Know Security] * […] -
Advertising, Biglaw, Career Center, Job Searches, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
Career Center: Ten Things Every Law Student Should Know Before Starting at a Law Firm
Think back when you were five years old and learning how to swim. A parent or an older sibling probably took you to a pool or pond, told you to hold your breath, and then pushed you in. Your head went underwater, you flailed your arms, and swallowed enough water to fill a gallon jug. […] -
American Bar Association / ABA, Federal Government, Law Schools, Money, Politics, Student Loans
Two Petitions of Possible Interest
Two petitions of possible interest showed up in our inbox today: 1. In favor of student loan forgiveness: This petition, reminiscent of Elie Mystal’s call for a student loan bailout, “strongly encourage[s] Congress and the President to support H. Res. 365, introduced by Rep. Hansen Clarke (D-MI), seeking student loan forgiveness as a means of […] -
English Grammar and Usage, Small Law Firms
Size Matters: Project X
As you can likely tell, Valerie Katz is fascinated by terminology. She understands the importance of using language to market and promote your firm. She had never thought, however, about the use of terminology within a firm until recently. The word that inspired this revelation was "project." Project is used in many ways and with multiple connotations....
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Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
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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…
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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Quote of the Day, Sex, State Judges, Stephen Dillard
Quote of the Day: Dueling Definitions of 'Dominatrix'
See The Compact Oxford English Dictionary 486 (2d ed. 1991) (defining “dominatrix” as a “female dominator; mistress, lady”); see also Urban Dictionary (retrieved on Aug. 23, 2011) (defining “dominatrix” as, inter alia, “a woman who controls her partner mentally and physically, usually in a sexual way,” and “is stereotypically pictured as wearing stiletto boots, [a] […] -
Law School Deans, Law Schools, Money, Old People
Is Any of This Law School Naming Rights Money Going Back to the Students?
Hofstra Law School will be renamed the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, according to the New York Law Journal. But Hofstra isn't the only law school to accept big dollars in exchange for naming rights. As this trend continues, you wonder if any of this money being thrown around will benefit the actual students.... -
Cars, Privacy, Technology
Your Car Knows What You Did Last Summer
When someone sent contributor Christopher Danzig a video entitled "6 Ways Your Car Can Spy on You," he had little-to-no expectations. But it turned out the little slideshow actually had a few tasty morsels of knowledge. Keep reading to learn how simply paying bridge tolls keeps you on the grid, and how police can assign liability based on an unexpected similarity between airplanes and your Honda Civic.... -
Clarence Thomas, Crime, David Sentelle, Law Professors, Supreme Court Clerks, UVA Law, Violence
Notre Dame Criminal Law Professor Accused of... Crime
Professor Stephen F. Smith, who teaches criminal law and criminal procedure at Notre Dame Law School, stands accused of a serious crime. According to the South Bend Tribune, Professor Smith faces one count of domestic battery, a class D felony.... -
Courthouses, Reality TV, Television, Videos, YouTube
Best (Or Perhaps Worst) Courtroom Entrance In The World
We're about to take all take a poll, and how you answer this poll will once and for all determine whether or not you are a good person. Although this revolves around a common legal situation, you don't even have to be a lawyer to take and learn from this poll. Just watch this video.... -
Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Interview Stories, Litigators
Inside Straight: Interviewing To Retain Outside Counsel
Your company was just named in a new complaint, and there’s no obvious choice of counsel to defend you. What do you do? You ask around internally to see whether any of our lawyers has worked with good counsel in the jurisdiction. Perhaps you ask a trusted outside lawyer or two for recommendations. You narrow […] -
Barack Obama, Basketball, Election 2012, Gay Marriage, Gloria Allred, Marijuana, Morning Docket, Murder, Politics, Pregnancy / Paternity
Morning Docket: 09.15.11
* “If you love me you’ll pass this bill.” Sorry, Obama, but even the Democrats are busy washing their hair on this one. How about we pass a resolution like this instead? I’d totally love Obama for that. [New York Times] * What’s with town clerks in New York and gay marriage licenses? If you […]