Minority Issues
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Bad Ideas, Drinking, Law Schools, Minority Issues, Parties, Racism, UVA Law
Do You Really Need Confederate-Flag Decor at Your Law School Party?
On Friday we wrote about the settlement agreed to by Cure Lounge, a club in Boston that was accused of discriminating against African-American patrons. In the comments, it seemed like some of our Southern readers where all too happy to point out that this example of racist behavior took place in the North. Lord knows […] -
Harvard, Minority Issues, Racism, Rudeness
Club Accused of Discriminating Against Blacks During the Harvard-Yale Game Is Fined, Apologizes
Let justice be done! Back in November, we told you about what went down during the most recent Harvard-Yale Game. A Boston Club, Cure Lounge, shut down a Game-related gathering, essentially because the black Harvard and Yale students were attracting too many other black people. At the time, I was appalled, but not particularly hopeful […] - Sponsored
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… -
Law Schools, Minority Issues, U.S. News
Adding 'Diversity' to U.S. News Rankings Wouldn't Accomplish Much
We all know how important the U.S. News Law School Rankings are to our system of legal education. The jobs of law school deans depend on the rankings, and they therefore significantly impact what law schools are willing or able to do. It’s crazy that a for profit magazine has so much power over the […]
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5th Circuit, Federal Circuit, John Roberts, Minority Issues, Racism, Texas
Fifth Circuit Upholds Affirmative Action, But Is It Begging for SCOTUS Intervention?
Two people from my high school got into the same college I did. We were all in the top 10 of our class, but none of us were in the top 5. One was a white guy who was a brilliant piano player. The other was a white girl who excelled at sports. Then there […] -
Attorney Misconduct, Crime, Legal Ethics, Minority Issues, Racism, Rudeness
Indy Lawyers Need a Crash Course on Basic Ethics, ASAP
The problem of Hoosier lawyers misbehaving is reaching epic proportions. We’ve already told you about Olubunmi Okanlami, the Indiana law grad who allegedly suspected her boyfriend of cheating, attacked him as well as correctional officers, and wore two bras to prison so she could hide a weapon in between. We’ve already told you about Kirmille […] -
Cars, Lawsuit of the Day, Minority Issues, Police, Racism, Violence
The Police Need to Learn That Tasers Don't Help Diabetics
As an overweight man, adult onset diabetes is one of the things that makes me consider dropping a few pounds. But I’m still so young, so invincible, that long-term health concerns aren’t really enough to stop me from having an extra helping of Christmas goose (not that I even know anybody who eats a freaking […] -
Bad Ideas, Food, Minority Issues, Racism
I Thought I Liked Fried Chicken Because It Is Delicious
Many of you know that the headline is the punchline to an awesome Dave Chappelle joke about black people and chicken. As far as I know, it is the only joke about black people and chicken (fried or otherwise) that is acceptable for white people to retell in 2010 America. I say again, it’s the […] -
Akin Gump, Gender, Labor / Employment, Minority Issues, Partner Issues, Racism, Women's Issues
Discrimination Lawsuit Potpourri: Reed Smith and Akin Gump
Pennsylvania legal circles are buzzing over a discrimination lawsuit filed yesterday in federal district court by a partner in the Pittsburgh office of Reed Smith. One source who informed us of the suit referred to “some really interesting allegations” against the firm. A corporate and energy law partner at Reed Smith, JoEllen Lyons Dillon, alleges […] - Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use. -
Football, Harvard, Minority Issues, Parties, Racism
Racism Will Find You, Even at the Harvard-Yale Game
The Harvard-Yale Game was this weekend. I didn’t attend. I’m at that uncomfortable age where I’m too old to go to The Game and get black-out drunk at the keg, but too young to show up in a fur coat handing out glasses of Cristal (rhymes with “Mystal”) while my butler grills porterhouse steaks out […] -
Department of Justice, Minority Issues, Police, Racism
DOJ to Police: Racial Profiling Is Still Wrong and You Still Need to Stop Doing It
It seems like such a simple proposition: if a police officer stops you, he has to have a reason. He doesn’t have to have to be right. He doesn’t even need a particularly good reason. He just needs a legitimate reason. And the reason can’t be based on the color of a person’s skin. Why […] -
Books, Education / Schools, Lawsuit of the Day, Minority Issues, Racism
Lawsuit of the Day: Parent Sues School for Teaching His Daughter About Slavery
There is nothing I hate more than people who try to use the law to change the facts of history or science. I hate when Creationists try to take their Sunday School teachings into science class. I hate when Confederates try to retell the “War of Northern Aggression” in a way that ignores the abject […] -
Biglaw, Labor / Employment, Lawsuit of the Day, Minority Issues, Rudeness, Secretaries / Administrative Assistants, Sex, Sex Scandals
Nelson v. Jones Day: Another Side to the Story
Earlier this week, we brought you the story of Nelson v. Jones Day — a discrimination lawsuit filed against Jones Day by Jaki Nelson, an African-American woman who worked at JD for almost 18 years. Some of the allegations in Nelson’s complaint — use of racial slurs by firm partners and administrators, sex scandals, and […] -
Biglaw, Gender, Minority Issues, Women's Issues
Diversity Issues To Consider Before You Accept Your Offer
There are two ways to make diversity mean something to Biglaw partners. The first involves clients caring about whether or not their legal counsel has made a commitment to diversity. The second involves incoming and lateral talent caring about whether or not they go to a diverse workplace. But for people to make informed decisions […]
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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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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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Gender, Holidays and Seasons, Minority Issues
Halloween Harassment
I hate this holiday. I hated this holiday as a kid for personal safety reasons. As an adult, it’s pretty clear that Halloween has devolved into nothing more than an excuse for girls to dress up as sluts and guys to be racist. That’s what it is, the one day where everybody can get away […] -
Cars, Judge of the Day, Minority Issues, Racism, State Judges
Judge Rejects Plea Deal as Something 'That Only Goes to White Boys'
If you spend any time around criminal defense lawyers, progressive lawyers, or people in a black barber shop, you’ll hear the claim that African-American criminal defendants receive harsher sentences than their white counterparts. People have done studies about this, people have written reports about this, people have held conferences about this institutional expression of discrimination. […] -
Law Schools, Minority Issues, Racism
On Duke Law School, Durham, and Perceptions of Racism
As I was putting together last Friday’s post about the challenges faced by Duke Law School in recruiting minorities, I had this Gchat conversation with former ATL editor and Duke alum, Kashmir Hill (paraphrased and annotated in various places): KASH: Good post. But one issue: there are actually a lot of black people living in […] -
Law Schools, Minority Issues, Racism
Duke Law School Asks: Why Do Black People Hate Us?
Duke Law School is known for a lot of things: its top 14 ranking, 100% employment rate, and crown as douchiest law school in the nation. It’s not known as a friendly school towards black people. Why? Well, that’s what Duke Law wants to find out. A tipster reports that Duke Law has been sending […] -
Affirmative Action, Bad Ideas, Biglaw, Boutique Law Firms, Federal Judges, Minority Issues, Plaintiffs Firms, Racism, Securities Law
Racial Quotas? So Ordered! (Or, Judge of the Day: Harold Baer)
We’ve come a long way from the days when federal courts issued orders banning racial discrimination. Now federal judges hand down orders mandating, or at least encouraging, race-based discrimination. As reported in the American Lawyer, earlier this week Judge Harold Baer (S.D.N.Y.) issued an unusual order. On Monday, Judge Baer directed two firms serving as […] -
Alt Transport, Civil Rights, Minority Issues, Racism
Does Our Nation’s Transportation Policy Violate the Civil Rights Act?
“New York is a great city to live in if you can afford to get out of it,” wrote American author William Rossa Cole. The same thing works the other way around too. The wealthier you are, access to the city becomes easier. Manhattan (the city’s richest and whitest borough) is abundantly better connected to […] -
Eric Holder, Gender, Minority Issues, Racism, Yolanda Young
Yolanda Young Is Once Again in Covington's Face
If you are new to Above the Law, you might not remember Yolanda Young. She’s an African-American woman who used to work as a staff attorney at Covington & Burling. Some time ago, she sued the firm for racial and gender discrimination. You can read all about her claims here. Regular readers of this site […]