Above the Law

The Operational Signal Legal Leaders Should Pay Attention To In 2026

2026 won’t reward speed for its own sake. It will reward clarity, structure, and operational maturity.

Meme Stocks And The $10,000 Hourly Rate

Much like what happened with GameStop, could there be a perfect storm brewing to drive top rates upward to the unheard-of $10,000 rate?

The Day That ChatGPT Died: Lessons For The Rest Of Us

We need to think before we become overly reliant on any technology but particularly GenAI.

Exclusive: Filevine Acquires Pincites, AI-Powered Contract Redlining Company, Strengthening Its Positioning For Corporate Legal And Enhancing Its AI

The deal marks Filevine’s second major AI acquisition of 2025, following its April acquisition of Parrot.

Payers Made A Bold Prior Auth Commitment In 2025. Here’s What To Expect In 2026.

More than 50 major insurers have pledged to streamline prior authorization starting in 2026, but providers remain cautiously optimistic and skeptical that the changes will truly reduce burden or delays in care.

Morning Docket: 12.23.25

* JP Morgan committed itself by agreement to pay Charlie Javice’s bills and is very annoyed about having to shell out $530 for gummy bears. [Law360]

* Former CIA chief targeted by Trump’s retaliation campaign asks chief judge to prevent DOJ from steering case to administration lapdog Aileen Cannon. [AP News]

* Freshfields giving Gen Z “resilience” training. [Legal Cheek]

* Sam Bankman-Fried fancies himself a jailhouse lawyer now. [NY Times]

* Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni legal teams reflect on the experience. [People]

* Judge blocks Trump effort to freeze Harvard funding. [Law.com]

* New Biglaw office leans into collaborative spaces. [NY Law Journal]

Lindsey Halligan Won’t Quit While She’s Behind — See Also

The DOJ Wants To Appeal Comey And James: Fail, fail, fail again.

Bonus News: Haynes Boone, Seward & Kissel.

Behind The Scenes Of A Boutique Law Firm: Cohen & Buckmann’s Sandra Cohen gives us a rundown.

Happy Holidays!

Adventures In Legal Tech: What Exactly Is Agentic AI?

Suffolk Law School's David Colarusso discusses how AI is disrupting law practice and legal education.

Thomson Reuters White Paper: The Future Is Here — It’s Just Not Evenly Distributed

AI is eroding critical thinking skills at an alarming rate.

‘AI Is A Public Health Intervention’: Kara Peterson On Why Access To Law Is A Justice Issue, Not Just A Legal One

Legal tech can not only intervene to reduce time or cost but also to reduce the harm of delayed understanding.

An Inside Look At The Law Firm’s Law Firm

What's really behind an elite boutique law firm?

Once A Real Estate Developer …

Offering economic solutions to problems that do not have economic roots goes nowhere.

Lindsey Halligan Resolves To Embarrass Herself At SCOTUS In 2026

After failing to re-indict Comey and James, DOJ says it will appeal her disqualification.

Biglaw Firm’s Black-Box Bonuses Seem To Be A Market Match

There may be a black box, but the firm's memo seems pretty transparent on how associates can get market compensation.

New Trump Space Policy Sets 2028 Deadline For Moon Base, Golden Dome Prototype

The policy is light on language regarding security issues — with the most specific provision reiterating Trump's Golden Dome push for a comprehensive air and missile defense shield.