Latest Stories

Lawsuit of the Day: And Would You Like (Oversalted) Fries With That?

By

Big Mac McDonald's Above the Law blog.jpgWords to the wise: be extra careful when preparing food for law enforcement officers. From the Associated Press:

A McDonald’s employee spent a night in jail and is facing criminal charges because a police officer’s burger was too salty, so salty that he says it made him sick.

Kendra Bull was arrested Friday, charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct and freed on $1,000 bail.

Bull, 20, said she accidentally spilled salt on hamburger meat and told her supervisor and a co-worker, who “tried to thump the salt off.”

Police Officer Wendell Adams got a burger made with the oversalted meat, and he returned a short time later and told the manager it made him sick.

Clearly it was Kendra Bull’s fault — ’cause people never get sick after eating McDonald’s.
Also, did Officer Adams eat the whole darn burger? If so, why, if it truly was insanely salty? If not, could he really have gotten sick from a bite or two of super-salty hamburger? Regular customers of McDonald’s presumably have a high tolerance for sodium.
Bull ended up getting charged with a misdemeanor. But what about when employees, to retaliate against customers who piss them off, add “extra-special sauce” to Big Macs? Would that be a felony?
(Gavel bang: commenter.)
Oversalted Burger Leads to Charges [Associated Press via Drudge Report]

43 Comments

Lawyerly Lairs: Back to School Edition

By

Treat Williams apartment 2 James Whitman James Q Whitman AboveTheLaw blog.jpgNow that law school is back in session, students are once again paying attention to those poorly-dressed people standing at the front of the room (assuming they’re not focused on their laptops, where they read ESPN.com and ATL). And even if their law professors’ wardrobes are underwhelming, students can always marvel at their brilliance and erudition.
And maybe at their real estate holdings, too. Although legal academic salaries fall well short of Biglaw partner profits, a surprising number of law professors live in luxurious homes, as revealed in past installments of Lawyerly Lairs:

* Harvard Law School professors Noah Feldman and Jeannie Suk, aka “Feldsuk,” inhabit a $2.8 million mansion (which they recently renovated — ’cause we’re sure it was a total dump before that).

* Professor Sarah Cleveland, a recent addition to the Columbia faculty, lives in a $2.4 million, five-level townhouse.

* Her senior colleague, Professor Hans Smit, also calls a townhouse home — but a townhouse worth over ten times as much, on the market for $29 million.

The latest addition to these ranks: James Q. Whitman, the Ford Foundation professor of comparative and foreign law at Yale Law School. Professor Whitman recently dropped $5.7 million on a New York co-op formerly owned by actor Treat Williams (pictured above right — the apartment, not the actor).
More details, including photos, after the jump.

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Lawyerly Lairs: Back to School Edition”

17 Comments

Morning Docket: 09.10.07

By

* Short list of possible attorney general nominees includes George J. Terwilliger III and Judge Laurence H. Silberman (D.C. Circuit). [Washington Post via WSJ Law Blog]
* “Sen. Larry Craig should be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea… because he was under extreme stress after being hounded by journalists asking questions about his sexuality, his lawyer argues.” Umm, okay. [Associated Press]
* Judges of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court hike up their robes a little more, show the world about national security. [Sidebar / New York Times via How Appealing]
* Prominent Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu flipped out on train, “at one point stripping off his shirt and shoes,” before his crazy ass got arrested. [San Francisco Chronicle via Drudge Report]
* Uproar over Missouri Supreme Court culminates with Gov. Blunt offering a half-hearted endorsement of his own appointee. [Kansas City Star via How Appealing]

18 Comments

Non-Sequiturs: 09.07.07

By

Kid Nation CBS Above the Law blog.jpg* Call us heartless, but we’re kinda intrigued by — and looking forward to — that Kid Nation reality show. And if a torts professor is impressed by the waiver signed by the parents, who are we to second guess? [TortsProf Blog]
* “You Must Tell Jeff Skilling He’s a Money Laundering Criminal At Least Two Times Before He Will Believe You.” [DealBreaker]
* The U.S. News law school reputation survey: a dog chasing his own tail? [PrawfsBlawg]
* Speaking of chasing tail… you can take the girl out of Hooters, but you can’t take the Hooters out of the girl. Talk about flying the friendly skies. [ABC News]
* We haven’t been doing much on the Larry Craig saga — but it’s a scandal that speaks for itself. What’s left to add? [Blogonaut]

9 Comments

A Primer for Partners: How To Screw Associates Out of Pay Raises

By

100 dollar bill Above the Law Above the Law law firm salary legal blog legal tabloid Above the Law.JPGGreedy law firm associates view ATL as a helpful resource. But what about Biglaw partners? They’re greedy too, y’know.
Well, here’s something for all you partners out there. A tipster alerted us to this audio conference, taking place later this month:

*************************************************
IOMA AUDIO CONFERENCES!

ASSOCIATE COMPENSATION:

STRATEGIES TO ATTACK PAY PLANS THAT DRAIN PARTNER PROFITS

September 20, 2007 * 2:00 – 3:30 PM

REGISTER TODAY!
*************************************************

The full conference description, plus commentary, after the jump.

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “A Primer for Partners: How To Screw Associates Out of Pay Raises”

110 Comments

Nationwide Pay Raise Watch: More on Locke Liddell

By

Harriet Miers money Harriet E Miers Harriet Ellan Miers Harriet Elan Miers Above the Law.JPGPretty much every time there’s a mainstream or legal media article about associate pay raises, we’ll link to it. So of course we’re linking to this article, from the Texas Lawyer, which reports as follows:

All levels of associates at Houston- and Dallas-based Locke Liddell & Sapp may start their holiday shopping early since receiving news that their compensation just rose significantly. First- and second-year associates at the 403-lawyer firm already knew their salaries increased as of Aug 1. But, according to an Aug. 28 memo Locke Liddell managing partner Jerry Clements sent to associates, more-senior associates also are receiving pay increases retroactive to Aug. 1.

Locke Liddell first-year associates in Texas earn a $160,000 base annual salary, and second years earn $170,000. Third-years earn $172,500; fourth-years $175,000; fifth-years $180,000; sixth-years $185,000; seventh-years $190,000; and eighth-years $195,000. The firm has 138 associates in its three Texas offices.

So that’s the second half of the Locke Liddell pay raise. Back in July, we wrote about their raises for first- and second-year associates, with details for more senior classes to be determined. Consider them determined.
You can read the rest of the article, which also discusses salaries in the firm’s D.C. and New Orleans offices, over here.
All Levels of Locke Liddell Associates Getting Raises [Texas Lawyer]
Earlier: Nationwide Pay Raise Watch: Locke Liddell Has Raised

18 Comments

Clerkship Bonus Watch: Dechert Joins the $50K Club

By

Dechert LLP AboveTheLaw Above the Law blog.jpgFrom a little bird, er, law clerk:

A friend going to Dechert in Philly informed me that this year’s incoming class is receiving a $50k clerkship bonus.

Hearsay? Sure. But we then checked the Dechert website, which provides official confirmation:

Judicial Clerkship Bonus

Effective September 2007, we will pay a $50,000 clerkship bonus to incoming associates who join the firm upon completion of a federal court clerkship.

Are you aware of clerkship bonus news that we haven’t previously reported? If so, please email us (subject line: “Clerkship Bonus Watch”). Thanks.
Careers: U.S. Laterals: Benefits [Dechert LLP]

22 Comments

Legal Eagle Wedding Watch: Couple of the Month for August

By

LEWW logo.jpg
LEWW is surrounded by packing boxes at the moment, and the cable guy is about to take away our modem, so you’re going to have to wait till we arrive at our new HQ to read about this week’s super-impressive newlyweds.
In the meantime, please help us crown August’s Couple of the Month. If you need to read up on last month’s four finalist couples, click on the link below. Otherwise, here’s the poll:

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Legal Eagle Wedding Watch: Couple of the Month for August”

18 Comments

Biglaw Perk Watch: Tickets to Sporting Events

By

wisconsin badgers football above the law blog.jpgA tipster sent us this article, with a special request for our ongoing series on law firm perks:

“How about a story on REAL perks? It’s football season, and Foley & Lardner has a suite at Camp Randall, home of the No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers.”

“Can we compare the perks at The Garden, Fenway, Yankee Stadium?”

You can get tickets to sporting events from your friends at the printers. Or you can pay for them out of your ample salary (if you’re in Biglaw).
But what firms, in addition to Foley & Lardner, have suites at stadiums, or season tickets to top sports teams? And if your firm does have these perks, how can you avail yourself of them?
Please discuss this subject in the comments. Thanks.
UW football: Suite seats for charity [Wisconsin State Journal]

57 Comments

Job of the Week

By

Why did you go to law school? So you could consider the exciting career opportunities we post here each week, in our Job of the Week series — that’s why!
Via Lateral Link, ATL’s career partner, here is this week’s offering:

Position: Senior Counsel

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Position Description: A privately-held holding company, whose businesses collectively generate approximately $1.5 billion in annual revenues, is seeking a Senior Counsel to join the nine-lawyer (seventeen-person) legal department. Position reports to Vice President/Deputy General Counsel.

More details, after the jump.

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Job of the Week”

Happily-Not-A-Lawyer of the Day: Joshua Redman

By

Joshua Redman quartet Josh Redman Harvard College Yale Law School.jpgAs Clarence Darrow once said, “Inside every lawyer is the wreck of a poet.” Indeed, many lawyers harbor frustrated creative ambitions. Sure, they went to law school, and now they’re out practicing. But they could have been novelists, or painters, or pastry chefs.
Or successful jazz musicians. From NJ.com:

Joshua Redman is quite the brainy guy, who very easily could have been some hot-shot attorney — or judge, perhaps?– living lavishly in New York City.

But the music bug took a big bite out of the summa cum laude Harvard grad, who scored a perfect 180 on his Law School Admissions Test to earn entrance into Yale Law School.

“I had moved to New York City and was on my way to law school,” Redman says. “But during that year I had this incredible opportunity to play with some great musicians. The encouragement and support I got from them motivated me to continue. So, I decided not to go to law school.”

And he’s never looked back:

Almost 16 years later, it isn’t a decision the acclaimed saxophonist has regretted.

“I probably wouldn’t have been such a good lawyer,” he jokes. “At the time, I essentially went to law school because, like others, I kind of didn’t know what I wanted to do.”

We can relate — and we’re guessing that many of you can, too. Law school was once described to us by Tony Kronman, then the Dean of Yale Law School, as “the great American default option.” He added that law school is a popular path for smart and motivated young people “who can’t stand the sight of blood.”
So why did you go to law school? Are the reasons that you articulated for going — in, say, your law school application essays — ones that continue to motivate you today? Are you happy with your decision?
He’s smart enough to skip law, and choose music [Hudson County Now via NJ.com]
Do You Believe in Life After Law? [New York Observer]

81 Comments

Morning Docket: 09.07.07

By

* Patriot Act struck down in part. [New York Times]
* Bush announces two nominations to the Fourth Circuit. [How Appealing; WSJ Law Blog]
* Jury has Spector case. [BBC]
* Georgians will need photo ID to vote; no word on whether ID will be required to service the Diebold machines. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
* God’s law. [Chicago Tribune via How Appealing]
* Suspended sentence? Yes, suspended sentence. [Jurist]

1 Comment
Page 1340 of 15801...133613371338133913401341134213431344...1580