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It’s Raining Men. And Women. From Cadwalader.
(Plus: CWT is hiring?)

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Cadwalader Wickersham Taft new logo CWT AboveTheLaw blog.jpgThis shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, but résumés from refugees of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft are all over the street right now. One recruiter, at an outside headhunting firm, described receiving “a flood” of CWT résumés in the past week. An in-house recruiting coordinator at an Am Law 100 firm agreed, noting that, interestingly enough, a number of the CWT submissions appear to be from lawyers in departments largely untouched by the layoffs. People at Cadwalader seem to be heading for the exits, in droves — even lawyers in “safe” practice areas.
We can hardly blame them. When it comes to career planning these days, being proactive and playing defensively is smart. If you think there’s even a chance you might be laid off from your law firm (or that your law firm might dissolve), start exploring your options early. As the conventional wisdom goes, it’s generally easier to find a job when you have a job.
To be sure, five months of severance, which is what Cadwalader is giving the 96 lawyers it axed last week, is generous (but justified — lawyers who survived the January layoffs were told they’d have jobs at least through the end of the year). But five months goes by more quickly than you’d think — and the job market, as everyone knows, is crappy not great. As reported by Am Law Daily, ten of the victims of the January layoffs at Cadwalader have yet to find new jobs, some seven months later.
Perhaps surprisingly, however, Cadwalader continues to bring on new people, even as it sends almost 100 attorneys into the unemployment wilderness. We got our hands on an email that was sent around firm-wide today, without even taking the dismissed attorneys off of the distribution, announcing the arrival of a new bankruptcy associate.
Check it out, after the jump.

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “It’s Raining Men. And Women. From Cadwalader.
(Plus: CWT is hiring?)”

67 Comments

Due Process for Judge Halverson?

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Elizabeth Halverson small Judge Elizabeth Halverson Liz Halverson Above the Law blog.JPGAmerica’s favorite plus-size jurist, Judge Elizabeth Halverson, is back in the news. The disciplinary hearing to remove her from the bench — figuratively, not literally — got underway today.
Earlier this afternoon, from a Halverson-following reader:

CNN.com has live video stream of the Judge Halverson trial/hearing. I just started listening to it, so there hasn’t been anything real juicy yet. The first issue was Judge Halverson’s ability to use the restroom and the adequacy of the facilities at the hearing location.

And an update:

[So far] nothing that is new news. Her bailiff has been testifying about all the things he had to do for her. They are on a lunch breach until 4 PM Eastern time.

Ah, Judge Halverson’s lunch break. Expect the proceedings to resume around…. 8 PM?
In defense of Judge Halverson, is she getting a fair shake from the State Commission on Judicial Discipline? From the AP:

Nevada’s state judicial disciplinary panel is being asked to ban a suspended judge from calling witnesses or introducing evidence during hearings next week that could strip her of her elected position.

Insert Guantanamo joke here.
Panel Asked to Limit Judge Halverson’s Defense in Hearings [Las Vegas Now]
Panel asked to limit judge’s defense in hearings [AP]

292 Comments

A Room of One’s Own? Disabled Student Fails WV Bar, Then Sues (And: Unequal treatment of earthquake-affected test takers in CA?)

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Room of One's Own.jpgApologies for the tardiness — this news is from last month. But it’s about the bar exam, which is still fresh in the minds of many, so it’s fair game.
Some of you who took the New York bar exam last week complained of a loud, distracting, feedback-type noise in one of the rooms at the Javits Center. There were also reports of cell phones going off during the test.
Wouldn’t you have liked a room of your own, quiet and distraction-free? Or maybe an extra day to take the bar exam? From the West Virginia Record:

West Virginia’s Board of Law Examiners printed its examination in big type for Shannon Kelly last year, gave him a room to himself and allowed him an extra day to complete the test, and he blames them for his failure.

Kelly sued the examiners July 21 in U. S. District Court at Charleston, demanding four days to finish an exam that most law school graduates finish in two days.

“He has severe deficits in processing speed, cognitive fluency and rapid naming,” wrote his attorney, Edward McDevitt of Bowles Rice McDavid Graff and Love in Charleston….

Kelly received a score of 253 last year, 17 points fewer than he needed to pass the exam. He had asked for four days to take the exam, but the board had granted three.

We don’t mean to sound callous or, even worse, politically incorrect. But if one has “severe deficits in processing speed, cognitive fluency and rapid naming,” one should perhaps explore professions other than law. Some people just aren’t cut out for it. E.g., Paulina Bandy (who failed the California bar exam thirteen times, before passing on try #14).
Meanwhile, in other complaints about bar exam administration:

Thought you might be interested. Prefer to be anonymous lest it sound like I’m whining.

One of the rooms of CA Bar test takers received five additional minutes as a consequence of the earthquake. This was the room with the metal grate and bakery. [Ed. note: Bakery???] Older male Caucasian announcer.

Ballroom A/B/C, with an older, white-haired, female Caucasian announcer, got no extra time.

To those of you who just took the bar exam, especially in California: Is the tipster’s complaint fair, or frivolous? Does it affect the fairness and integrity of the exam? Or is five minutes just too trivial to get worked up over? It’s certainly not as big a deal as getting an entire extra day.
Well, Californians, look on the bright side: here’s an even worse exam to have interrupted by an earthquake.
Student with disability sues after failing law exam [West Virginia Record]
L.A. quake catches Twitter user in ladyparts exam [Valleywag]

119 Comments

‘Sheer’-man Not So Sterling?
(Or: Where not to take your female summer associates.)

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Mrs Henderson.jpgThis summer associate (or “vacation schemer”) story comes to us from across the pond. An attorney in the London office of Shearman & Sterling had an interesting take on appropriate summer associate events.
Legal Week reports that a bunch of Shearman partners and attorneys took the “trainees” out to the bars one Friday last month. As the night wound down, one of the attorneys decided to take a female summer to The Windmill (NSFW). Not a wise decision:

Shearman & Sterling has dismissed an associate in its London office after a vacation scheme student made a formal complaint about his behaviour during a night out.

The student, who has subsequently accepted a training contract position with another firm, lodged a formal complaint to Shearman alleging that she was taken to Soho strip club The Windmill by the associate last month.

An internal investigation at Shearman has resulted in the associate in question being dismissed for bringing the firm into disrepute.

The attorney in question should have done more to defend himself. He could have cast this as a highly reputable outing… or at least a little bit reputable. The Windmill is not just any old strip club; it’s an historic strip club. From its (NSFW) website:

Great Windmill Street in London’s Soho… where Laura Henderson was to create her world famous theatre staging the first nude stage shows in London in 1931….

[A] host of great British comedians began their careers at the Windmill. Among them were Peter Sellers….

[T]he story of Mrs. Henderson has been made into a hugely successful film starring dame Judi Dench, nominated for Hollywood’s presige’s [sic] Oscar.”

We’d think that mentioning the names ‘Peter Sellers’ and ‘dame Judi Dench’ in England would lead to all being forgiven.
Perhaps it would have been wiser to take a male summer, who could have better appreciated the “historic nature” of the club. But hey, you never know. Some female summer associates, far from having a problem with strip clubs, actually enjoy performing at them.
Shearman sacks associate after student strip club complaint [Legal Week]
Earlier: Summer Associate of the Day: Girl Gone Wild

47 Comments

ATL Idol: The Final Four

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ATL Idol Above the Law Idol AboveTheLaw Idol smaller.jpgThanks to everyone who voted in Round 1 of ATL Idol, the “reality blogging” contest that will determine the next editor of Above the Law. The polls just closed, at noon. Voter turnout was strong, with almost 1800 votes cast.
It was a competitive race. The top three finishers were within a few points of each other (and the top two were especially close). Here are the results:
ATL Idol Round 1 results.jpg
Congratulations to MARIN, SOPHIST, ALEX, and FROLIC AND DETOUR, who will all move into Round 2 of the competition. Saying farewell is EXLEY (who plans to pen a farewell post that we will bring you later).
Here’s what to expect from your ATL Idols this week:

  • a feature — i.e., a longer piece that will span multiple posts and days — starting tomorrow, and going through the week;
  • another head-to-head round, on Wednesday, to be reviewed by our celebrity judges; and
  • a freestyle post, on Thursday, on a topic of the contestant’s choosing (humorous or serious).
    Check back soon, to read more from your fabulous Idols!
    Earlier: Prior coverage of ATL Idol (scroll down)

    • 42 Comments

    Did You Take the Texas Bar Exam?

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    If so, then you might enjoy this short video, in which a Houston Chronicle reporter hangs out with a few folks who just took the test.
    In response to the “what are you going to do now / I’m going to Disney World” question, interviewee Masoud Darvishi says he wants to “kiss…. girls.” One gets the sense, however, that that’s not all he’d like to do.
    The first interviewee, Adam Curley, is super-cute. But why no women in the video?

    Celebrating the Bar [Houston Chronicle]

    35 Comments

    Associate Life Survey: Summer Escapes

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    funny-pictures-pawshank-redemption.jpgIn last Monday’s ATL / Lateral Link survey, we asked you whether you were taking any vacations this summer.
    We received just under 900 responses, and the overwhelming majority of you reported that you will be escaping the office for at least a little while this summer.
    Overall, 86% of you have taken, or will take, a vacation, or at least a vacation day:
      * About 24% of respondents are taking a quick break of 1 to 3 days.
      * Another 18% of respondents reported summer vacations of 4 or 5 days.
      * 16% are taking between 6 and 8 days, and 13% are going for two weeks.
      * About 5% of respondents are taking 3 or more weeks.
    Among the attorneys who aren’t taking vacation this summer, 46% said that they just have too much work to get done. But 35% have the opposite problem: they need the hours. A surprisingly high number of respondents, 28%, said that they just don’t feel comfortable taking vacations. Only 7%, however, said that a partner told them not to take a vacation this summer. Another 7% are sticking around because they want to impress people, which will perhaps cause their peers to want to take more vacations themselves.
    Of course, whether in the office or out, not all attorneys can completely escape their responsibilities. An unlucky 13% of respondents have had to cancel vacation plans this summer, and 55% of respondents with uncancelled summer plans either did work or expect to work during their vacations.
    But hey, a busy summer is much better than the alternative, right?
    –
    Justin Bernold is a Director at Lateral Link, the sponsor of this Associate Life Survey.

    32 Comments

    Morning Docket: 08.04.08

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    potato chips AboveTheLaw Above the Law blog.jpg* Your potato chips are going to get healthier, thanks to California’s AG. [Associated Press]
    * The music industry needs to accept illegal music-sharing sites, per Radiohead’s example. [Financial Times via Drudge]
    * Nobel-prize winning author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, whose writings criticized Soviet communism and labor camps, died Sunday. [New York Times]
    * Nuremburg vs. Guantanamo. [New York Times Magazine]
    * Obama is quite secure in his candidacy. He wants to give Michigan and Florida delegates a “full vote.” [CNN]
    * Many an Olympics fan has been swindled by fake ticket websites. One U.S. lawyer lost $12,000 and is looking to sue. [ Reuters]
    * “Home Alone” Israeli-style. Parents forget one of their five children in an airport duty-free store. [BBC News]

    19 Comments

    Non-Sequiturs: 08.01.08

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    playing card cuff links small.jpg* How summer associates should say goodbye to their law firms. [Corporette]
    * Gators seek to sink their teeth into Juicy Campus. [Legal Satyricon]
    * $150K for jilted bride. [MSNBC]
    * Death and taxes. [TaxProf Blog]
    * Cool cufflinks. [Fashionista]

    14 Comments
    • 01 Aug 2008 at 4:19 PM
    • Uncategorized

    Cadwalader’s Down Week Ends on a Down Note
    (Or: Another reason to keep CWT off your OCI schedule.)

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    We don’t know how we missed this. Fortunately, several commenters were more observant.
    They directed our attention to the tail end of the American Lawyer’s Midlevel Associate Satisfaction rankings (subscription / registration), released earlier today, and the subject of an earlier open thread:
    Cadwalader last place midlevel associates survey.jpg
    Yup, that’s right — Cadwalader came in dead last, 157 out of 157 ranked firms, in terms of midlevel associate satisfaction. And this survey was taken before the Wednesday morning massacre, which couldn’t have helped morale.
    Associates Survey 2008: National Rankings [American Lawyer (subscription)]
    Earlier: Prior ATL coverage of Cadwalader (scroll down)

    92 Comments

    Lawyer of the Day: Bob Dillinger

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    pole dancing paralegal legal assistant.jpgWhatever happened to asking your paralegal to make some binders? Or asking your secretary for some photocopying, or to fill out your expense report? When it comes to support staff, why are lawyers getting so demanding all of a sudden?
    First this. Now this, via the Tampa Tribune:

    A former legal assistant in Pinellas-Pasco Public Defender Bob Dillinger’s office has filed a federal lawsuit against him, alleging she was retaliated against after complaining that male lawyers had made sexually degrading remarks to her.

    Jessica A. Schwartz filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Tampa….

    [Schwartz's boss Alan] Bulnes and another lawyer, Brett Berger, [allegedly] had a conversation with Schwartz in which they suggested she pole dance in her office like a stripper, the lawsuit states.

    We bet those colored post-it flags would make great pasties.
    Ex-Legal Assistant Sues Pinellas-Pasco Public Defender [Tampa Tribune]
    Earlier: Paralegal: Will Collate, Will Not Fellate

    21 Comments

    That partner you work for isn’t a ‘freak show’; he has a diagnosable medical condition.

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    Dustin Hoffman Rain Man autism autistic.jpgThis post over at our sister site, Dealbreaker, may remind you of some of your colleagues. It reminded us of a partner we once worked with — a brilliant litigator, with a photographic memory, but not the easiest person to interact with socially. Writes Bess Levin:

    I’m sure it doesn’t come as a shock for me to point out that many of you are socially awkward, often fail to demonstrate empathy for your peers, and are prone to restricted patterns of behavior such as hitting the submit button over and over and over again when trying to comment.

    Which is to say, you likely all have a mild to major form of Asperger syndrome. Or do you? Take this quiz and post your results.

    The incidence of Asperger syndrome is probably higher among Dealbreaker’s Wall Street readership than it is among the more well-adjusted ATL crowd. But if you’d like to see where you fall on the scale, visit Dealbreaker, and take the test.
    (It’s 50 questions long, so it takes a few minutes to complete, but it goes by faster than you’d expect. We scored a 6. Feel free to post your score in the comments.)
    What’s Wrong With You? [Dealbreaker]

    25 Comments
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