November 2011

Biglaw

New Partner Watch: Cravath and Simpson

Being a partner at a top law firm is still highly desirable. This is especially true of partners at firms near the top of the Biglaw hierarchy -- places like Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, with profits per partner in 2010 of $3.17 million and $2.64 million, respectively. They both announced new partnership classes this month. Let's learn about the new partners at CSM and STB. Maybe you know some of them -- from college, or law school, or a case or matter you've worked on....

By David Lat
Biglaw

Morning Docket: 11.28.11

* With AT&T’s T-Mobile deal falling apart, in-house lawyer Wayne Watts could be heard singing, “it’s my merger and I’ll cry if I want to,” before more whining to the FCC. [DealBook / New York Times] * Build us a border fence, and then get the f**k over it. Arizona lawmakers are soliciting the public […]

By Staci Zaretsky
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 11.23.11

* You think it’s hard out here for a pimp? Try being a junior partner. [Am Law Daily] * Turns out conservatives are just as dumb as liberals when it comes to economics. [The Volokh Conspiracy] * The problem with non-lethal weapons is that basically too many cops act like children with a new pepper-spray […]

By Elie Mystal
Advertising

Above the Law Gives Thanks for Its Advertisers

On the eve of Thanksgiving, we thank our wonderful advertisers here at Above the Law: Chase College of Law Delta IBM JD Match Kinney Recruiting (sponsor of the Asia Chronicles) Lateral Link (sponsor of the Career Center) LexisNexis – eReader LexisNexis – Mobile Solutions LexisNexis – MORE Reasons LexisNexis – Public Records LexisNexis – Search […]

By Above the Law
9th Circuit

Judge Kozinski Occupies Oakland

These days, mentioning the California city of Oakland conjures up images of tear gas and violence. It's not a place that people associate with innocent fun right now. But Oakland isn't all protesters and police. We bring you a report from a recent visitor to that city, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit....

By David Lat
Education / Schools

Quote of the Day: Happy Thanksgiving, Dad!

Josh is a very smart kid. I really doubt he would be involved in anything like that. He works hard, and he’s earned everything he’s gotten. — David Chefec, a “prominent” lawyer, commenting over a week ago on his son’s alleged involvement in the New York SAT cheating scandal. Chefec’s son, Joshua Chefec, surrendered to […]

By Staci Zaretsky
Email Scandals

Student Rats Out Professor, Then Flips Off Rest of Class

Some people will say that today's stupid law student email of the day comes from a rat. A snitch. A person who betrayed the trust of his fellow classmates. Others will say it comes from a whistleblower. A person of conscience. A student who saw a wrong being committed and decided to speak up. Either way, it comes from a person who needed to take a break, a nap, a siesta, before rattling off an email to his entire class....

By Elie Mystal
Deaths

House Rules: Requiem

A close friend’s father passed away. He was 71, a retired school teacher and a great man. A man dying at 71 used to seem far off in my comprehension of time, but as I get older, it’s really not. I learned of his death the day after ATL had posted a story about a […]

By David Mowry
American Bar Association / ABA

Morning Docket: 11.23.11

* The American Bar Association can’t handle law schools, yet Obama trusts them to vet potential judicial nominees. Well, seems like they’re doing a bang-up job with that, too. [New York Times] * First the New Jersey bar exam results, and now more MF Global drama. Angry investors want to know if a lawsuit will […]

By Staci Zaretsky
Free Speech

Should Suffolk Fire Michael Avery For His Anti-Military Comments?

Dear Suffolk University Law School Administrators: Your Michael Avery problem is not going away (and not just because he has tenure). Now, an adjunct law professor currently in Kabul has cut ties with Suffolk because of Avery, and Suffolk is now in the uncomfortable position of de facto supporting Avery's comments against a pissed-off military. What should the school do now?

By Elie Mystal