David Lat
David Lat, the founding editor of Above the Law, is a lawyer turned writer and speaker. You can read his latest writing about law and the legal profession by subscribing to Original Jurisdiction, his newsletter on the Substack platform. David's book, Supreme Ambitions: A Novel (2014), was described by the New York Times as "the most buzzed-about novel of the year" among legal elites. David previously worked as a federal prosecutor, a litigation associate at Wachtell Lipton, and a law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. You can learn more about David on his personal website; you can connect with him on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at davidlat@substack.com.
Posts by David Lat
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Admin, Announcements, Federalist Society
Hanging Out with the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy
As Howard Bashman might say, “Programming Note”: Over the next three days, we’re going to be attending various events at the Federalist Society’s 2006 National Lawyers Convention. It’s taking place right here in Washington, DC, a few blocks away from where we reside. So we’ll be splitting our time between our blogging HQ (our apartment) […] -
Drinking, Dubious Conferences, Intellectual Property
The Law of Beer: U of O Symposium, or YLS Seminar?
The former, actually. But when it shows up in next year’s Yale Law School course catalog, don’t say we didn’t warn you. Personally we find beer kinda gross — bitter and foul-tasting. But for those of you who enjoy this beverage, check out this conference, taking place later today at the University of Oregon law […] - 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… -
Airplanes / Aviation, Bad Ideas, Crime, Orin Kerr, Patriot Act, Sex, War on Terror
Flying the Frisky Skies
Some updates and corrections to our post from yesterday, And Don’t Even Think About Joining the “Mile High Club”. We quoted an AP article that begun thusly: A couple’s ill-concealed sexual play aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles got them charged with violating the Patriot Act, intended for terrorist acts, and could land […]
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Federal Judges, Judicial Nominations, Michael Wallace, Peter Keisler, Senate Judiciary Committee, Terrence Boyle, William Haynes, William Myers
President Bush Sticks Thumb in Eye of Chuck Schumer
Not literally — but he might as well have. From the Washington Post: President Bush renominated six previously blocked candidates for federal appeals court yesterday, triggering the first real battle with ascendant Democrats since the midterm elections and signaling what could be the start of a fierce two-year struggle over the shape of the federal […] -
Crime, Kids, Violence, Wal-Mart
What's the Matter With Kids These Days?
They don’t know what they want. They show up unprepared. They’re lacking in enterprise and courage. But is this true? Consider some evidence to the contrary: Largo, Florida – Police are looking for a little girl who pulled a knife on a Wal-Mart clerk as she tried to steal two boxes of Lego toy blocks. […] -
Money, Plaintiffs Firms, Wall Street
We're Not Sure Whom To Root for in This One
The icky plaintiffs’ lawyers, or the obscenely rich private equity tycoons? Both can be less than appealing at times, although for different reasons. Our big brother blog has the details. Private Equity Gets Hit With Class Action Suit [DealBreaker] -
Book Deals, Books, Celebrities, Deaths, Media and Journalism, Murder, Nauseating Things, O.J. Simpson, Violence
This Is Why the Founding Fathers Gave Us the Double Jeopardy Clause
Because if people could be tried for the same crime twice, then we’d probably never be gifted with O.J. Simpson’s forthcoming magnum opus, “If I Did It.” Yes, that’s right: “If I Did It.” Here are the details: Fox plans to broadcast an interview with O.J. Simpson in which the former football star discusses “how […] -
Fast Food, Food, Reader Polls
ATL Poll Results: Un Burrito No Es Un Bocadillo
Inspired by litigation taking place in Massachusetts, we recently polled you on this question: Is a burrito a sandwich? The poll result was clear, and in accordance with the ruling by Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke: No, a burrito is not a sandwich. It’s gratifying when the law coincides with the commonsense conclusions of ordinary […] - Sponsored
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
ChatGPT ushers in the age of generative AI – even for law firms. -
4th Circuit, Biglaw, CIA, Deaths, Judicial Nominations, Musical Chairs, William Haynes
Musical Chairs: 11.15.06
New Partners: * Proskauer Rose: Fourteen new partners, three new senior counsel. Names here. * Baker Botts: Eighteen (!) new partners. Names here. * Wilson Sonsini: Thriteen new partners. Names here. (Only two members of the class of 1998. How long is the WSGR partner track as a practical matter?) At Risk: * Some are […] -
Bar Exams, Biglaw, Email Scandals, Emily Pataki, Politics, Reader Polls, White & Case
Yes, We Have Heard About Emily Pataki
Failing the New York State bar exam. And emailing her White & Case colleagues about it. We’ve already covered this story; click here. But since it’s what everyone is buzzing about today, we’ll give in to your appetite for more discussion. Two requests for your assistance: 1. If you work at White & Case, went […] -
Airplanes / Aviation, Bad Ideas, Crime, Orin Kerr, Patriot Act, Sex, War on Terror
And Don't Even Think About Joining the "Mile High Club"
Jeez, the terrorists really HAVE won. They’ve sucked all the fun out of flying: A couple’s ill-concealed sexual play aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles got them charged with violating the Patriot Act, intended for terrorist acts, and could land them in jail for 20 years. According to their indictment, Carl Persing and […] -
Attorney Misconduct, Biglaw, Legal Ethics, Tax Law
Lawyer of the Day: Jay Gordon
Lawyers are often criticized for lacking an entrepreneurial spirit. They say that risk-taking visionaries end up as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, while risk-averse weenies end up as their general counsels. But this view of lawyers isn’t universally true. Some lawyers are willing to take a business opportunity when they see it. Exhibit A: ATL’s […] -
Celebrities, Fashion, Lunacy, Naomi Campbell, Racism, Violence
Naomi Campbell: Supermodel or "Superbigot"?
How do you solve a problem like Naomi — besides deporting her skinny black ass? Repeated brushes with the law have not deterred the British-born beauty from beating the crap out of the hired help. Here’s the latest: Naomi Campbell might be spending more time in courtrooms than on catwalks these days. The supermodel was […]
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Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use.
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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…
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The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
ChatGPT ushers in the age of generative AI – even for law firms.
Sponsored
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…
Sponsored
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm.
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Bar Exams, Email Scandals, Emily Pataki, Politics, White & Case
Political Kids and the Bar Exam: What Gives?
The late JFK Jr. failed the New York State bar exam twice, before passing it on the third try. And now Emily Pataki, the highly attractive daughter of outgoing New York governor George Pataki, is halfway towards matching that feat. Here’s the email message that Emily, an associate a supervised legal intern at White & […] -
Animal Law, Crime, Deaths, Pets, Violence, Weirdness
This Must Have Smelled Awful
Clearly there are some very sick people out there: A man pleaded guilty in the deaths of his ex-girlfriend’s four small kittens, which were tossed into a fire pit after the couple argued. Robert Tomlin, 22, of Smithsburg was sentenced Monday to 1 1/2 years in jail for aggravated animal cruelty. Washington County Circuit Judge […] -
9th Circuit, Anthony Kennedy, Death Penalty, John Paul Stevens, Linda Greenhouse, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Ayers v. Belmontes: Behind the Scenes
We meant to write about this yesterday: Ayers v. Belmontes, the death penalty case in which a closely divided Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit. The opinion was handed down on Monday. It was the first opinion of the Term, and it was an unusual first opinion. The typical first opinion of the Term is […] -
Announcements, Britney Spears, Celebrities, Divorce Train Wrecks, Family Law, Laura Wasser
ATL Public Service Announcement: Better Get a Prenup
To any single celebrities out there who happen to frequent legal gossip blogs, we offer you this piece of friendly advice: Before getting hitched, make your future spouse sign a prenup. Sounds pretty obvious, right? But consider this, from Forbes’s Prenup Primer: Last week, Britney Spears filed for divorce from her two-year marriage to Kevin […] -
5th Circuit, Alberto Gonzales, Federal Judges, Gregory Coleman, Harriet Miers, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Elrod, Judicial Nominations, R. Ted Cruz, Senate Judiciary Committee, State Judges, White House Counsel
Some Fifth Circuit Scuttlebutt
Thanks to everyone who responded to our request for gossip about possible Fifth Circuit judicial nominations. Your tips were very helpful to us, as was this piece in the Texas Lawyer. (And thanks to Peter Harrell, a current law student and former political reporter for Congressional Quarterly, for this insightful comment. A good point. With […] -
Biglaw, Dewy Orifice, In-House Counsel, Musical Chairs
Musical Chairs: 11.14.06
Lateral Moves: * Bankruptcy and restructuring lawyer Adrian Harris, to Chadbourne & Parke (London), from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (where he headed their European insolvency and restructuring practice). Could his departure be related to the law firm merger that will give rise to Dewy Orifice? New Partners: * Paul Hastings (New York): corporate lawyer Richard […] -
Andrew Gardner, Crime, Deaths, Rape, Sex
An Update on Andrew Gardner
Last week we wrote about Andrew Gardner, the Fried Frank litigation partner who was accused of rape (although never indicted), and recently found dead (presumably of suicide). We now have an update to offer. Yesterday’s New York Post carried a long and detailed article about Gardner. And blogger Ron Coleman, who knew Gardner, had these […]