September 2012
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Associate Salaries, Biglaw, Money, NALP, National Association for Law Placement (NALP)
New York to $190K? Keep Dreaming! New NALP Report Says Median Associate Salaries Have Slumped
While that $160K salary sweet spot for first-years is still the norm in many large markets, it’s no longer as widespread as it once was... -
China, Money, Pictures
Infographic of the Day: Which Country Has the Highest Paid Lawyers?
How much do American lawyers get paid compared to lawyers in other parts of the world? - 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, Billable Hours, In-House Counsel, Partner Issues
Inside Straight: How To Drive Outside Counsel Nuts!
In-house lawyers: do you engage in any of these annoying behaviors, which are guaranteed to drive outside counsel crazy?
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Allen & Overy, Biglaw, Lateral Moves, Magic Circle, Partner Issues
Musical Chairs: From One Magic Circle Firm to Another
More lateral movement, this time from the New York office of one Magic Circle firm to another. Who's moving, from where to where? -
American Bar Association / ABA, Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Boutique Law Firms, California, Deaths, Federal Judges, Food, Gay, Gay Marriage, Intellectual Property, Law Firm Mergers, Law Firm Names, Law Schools, Legal Ethics, Morning Docket, Movies, Partner Issues, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, YouTube
Morning Docket: 09.20.12
* Are you ready for some Supreme gossip? In remarks delivered at Colorado Law, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg predicted that the Defense of Marriage Act would be argued “toward the end of the current term.” [CBS News]
* Dewey’s version of trying to curry favor for the proposed $72M partner settlement? Filing a deposition transcript noting that others could’ve also been blamed for D&L’s downfall, but weren’t due to time constraints. Gee, thanks. [Am Law Daily]
* Novak Druce + Quigg and Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz will merge to form Novak Druce Connolly Bove & Quigg, the 7th largest IP firm in the U.S. Guess seven name partners was a bit much. [Delaware Law Weekly]
* Michael McShane was nominated by President Obama to fill a judgeship in Oregon. If confirmed, he’d be one of the few openly gay judges on the federal bench, which, of course, would be absolutely fabulous. [Oregonian]
* The Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession wants the ABA to amend the Model Rules of Professional Conduct to include a duty to promote diversity. Because we clearly need a rule on that. [National Law Journal]
* Cindy Garcia, an actress from “Innocence of Muslims” is suing, claiming that she was duped into the role under false pretenses. She wants the film removed from YouTube. Everyone else does, too, lady. [Bloomberg]
* A judge refused to issue an injunction against the California ban on foie gras, instead allowing a suit on the same topic to move forward. Oh mon dieu, judge, think of all the poor Francophiles! [San Francisco Chronicle]
* Joshua Morse III, former dean of Mississippi Law who defied segregation, RIP. [New York Times]
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Biglaw, Money, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
New Data on Law Firm Partner Compensation
How much are law firm partners earning these days? And are they happy about it? A new survey has some answers. -
Cars, Eric Holder, Gay Marriage, Non-Sequiturs, Religion, Sex, Videos
Non-Sequiturs: 09.19.12
* Contra Costa County prosecutors haven’t gone on strike yet. But they’re still considering it. Are they gonna do something, or just stand there and litigate? [CBS] * This George Mason law prof really doesn’t want gays to be able to get married. As the ATL CommentBot will undoubtedly note, I disagree with him. But you gotta give Professor Nelson Lund credit for writing a hell of an opening line though. [SCOTUSblog] * Feminists took back the word “c**t, so why can’t creationists take back dinosaurs? It’s exactly the same… well, not exactly the same thing, but they’re totally similar. [Althouse] * Successful scapegoat is successful? [Instapundit] * Why don’t we just do it in the road, driving down the interstate? Someone will be watching us, so we’ll just run them off the road — and threaten them with our pistols! [Legal Juice] * Yes, but would it be libel if the Men in Black had erased everyone’s memory of the arrest except for the one guy who escaped and is telling the truth but no one else knows or believes it? [Overlawyered] * After the jump, Professor John Corvino, who was recently interviewed by Lat regarding his new book on same-sex marriage (affiliate link), discusses the definition of marriage (and eats lawyer-flavored guacamole)…. -
Advertising, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
Thanks a Bunch to Our Advertisers
Above the Law thanks its advertisers. - Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use. -
Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Howrey LLP, Money, Partner Issues, Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day: What's In A Name?
If you're a non-equity partner, are you really even a partner at all? That's the question raised in ongoing Howrey bankruptcy litigation. -
In-House Counsel, Practice Pointers
House Rules: Spinning
How can you avoid "spinning" in your daily life as a lawyer? -
A. Raymond Randolph, D.C. Circuit, Election 2012, Election Law, English Grammar and Usage, Harry Edwards, Janice Rogers Brown, Politics
Pol Dancing: D.C. Circuit Plays Words With Friends
Campaign finance statutes? Ha! The D.C. Circuit blows off your pesky "plain English" as an illusion. -
Education / Schools, Facebook, Free Speech, Kids, Social Media, Social Networking Websites, Technology
Federal Court Rules: 'We Don't Need No Facebook Control; Hey Teacher, Leave Them Kids Alone!'
A federal court hands down a ruling restricting how schools can use social media against students. -
Bar Exams, Pro Bono, Public Interest, State Judges
New York Announces the Specifics of the New Pro Bono Requirement -- and They're Actually Not That Bad!
Chief Judge Lippman unveiled the details of his pro bono plan. What's in store for future applicants to the New York State Bar?
Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
Sponsored
Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
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Canada, Legal Ethics, Nude Dancing, Pictures, Pornography, Sex, Sex Scandals, Sexual Harassment
Salacious Accusations About the Accuser of Madam Justice Lori Douglas (aka the Porn-Posing Canadian Judge)
Alex Chapman, the man accusing Judge Lori Douglas of sexual harassment, may not be the sexual innocent he claims to be. What are the allegations against him? -
Caption Contests, Contests, Pictures
Caption Contest: Batman & Robin LLP
Where do legal superheroes go to conduct business? Submit a caption for our latest contest! -
Drinking, Lawyer of the Day, Violence
Lawyer of the Day: Assaulted By Red Bull And Vodka?
Were Red Bull and vodka indirectly responsible for a lawyer's loss of his finger? -
Bar Exams
Recent Bar Exam Results: Open ThreadFlorida, Nebraska, Utah, West Virginia -- any others?
It’s that time of year again: bar exam results season! Which states have already released their results? -
Attorney Misconduct, Biglaw, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Election 2012, Immigration, Insurance, Law School Deans, Law Schools, Legal Ethics, Masturbation, Morning Docket, Perverts, Politics
Morning Docket: 09.19.12
* Steven Davis, D&L’s former chairman, really wants to make sure he’ll be able to use the firm’s insurance policy to defend himself, or else he’ll “suffer undue hardship.” Sorry, but after all the undue hardship you caused, nobody feels bad for you. [Am Law Daily]
* As it turns out, the Mitt “47 Percent” Romney recording may have been illegally taped, but Florida authorities aren’t investigating — a victim hasn’t come forward to complain. What, no “off the cuff” remarks this time, Mitt? [Washington Wire / Wall Street Journal]
* Even if you get disbarred, you can still go on to work for a Biglaw firm. In other news, apparently you can last about a month at Lewis Brisbois while using a stolen identity before you get fired. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
* Arizona’s governor was really excited that the injunction against SB 1070′s “show me your papers” provision was lifted by Judge Susan Bolton. She won’t be as excited when all of the lawsuits start rolling in. [Bloomberg]
* It’s probably bad if your dean resigns before the school opens. J. Michael Johnson, the ex-dean of Louisiana College School of Law, left to take a “great job offer” (i.e., not a law school deanship). [Shreveport Times]
* Good news, ladies! A serial subway “grinder” in NYC avoided jail time after ejaculating on three women in separate incidents, and now city pols are trying to make it harder for perverts to get off. [New York Daily News]
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11th Circuit, Death Penalty, Drinking, Federal Judges, Murder
This Federal Judge Wants Shorter Legal Opinions; We Heartily Concur
This federal appeals court ruling covers quite a range of topics: alcohol abuse, capital murder, Mark Twain, and most importantly, overly long legal opinions. -
Biglaw, Cars, Cass Sunstein, Kids, Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 09.18.12
* Cass Sunstein provides a calm, well-reasoned discussion about how much personal opinions about sources matter in shifting people’s beliefs. Whatever, I hate that pinko commie. [New York Times] * So you know that whole “NYC hires big scary Proskauer to evict old, folk-hero newspaper vendor”? Yeah, well, maybe let’s replace “folk-hero” with alleged “back-door dealer” and “scary Proskauer lawyer” with “former NYC attorney trying to help her city out pro bono.” [New York Magazine] * This Ohio inmate says he’s too fat to be executed. That’s nuts: his extreme obesity might actually save his life. Eat your heart out, American Heart Association.[Columbus Dispatch] * “Don’t tase me bro!” Then don’t act all crazy and try to enter the courtroom with a camera… bro. [Jonathan Turley via Legal Blog Watch] * Oh snap! The Winklevii are back, and they’re investing in a new social network… for investors. Hmmm… was kind of hoping after such an extended absence they’d have come up with something with a little more pizazz. On the upside, they still look creepily identical! [SF Weekly] * Big government is completely out of control! First they try to kill grandma, and now they won’t even let two-year-olds drive cars! I can’t take this socialist nonsense anymore; I’m moving to Canada. [Legal Juice]