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Nationwide Layoff Watch: Latham & Watkins

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Latham Watkins LLP Above the Law blog.JPGEarlier this month, rumors about possible layoffs at Latham & Watkins were making the rounds. We alluded to them briefly here (also noting the firm’s denial).
We continue to get asked about this gossip, though, so we’ve done a little poking around. Sources at LW report that layoff rumors have been circulating, but that they aren’t true — at least not yet. From one source:

The LW layoff rumors are untrue as far as I know. Nobody I know has been laid off. [But] things are very slow, and they have 50+ summers still to come [on board as permanent associates]. I think this is confined to New York, though; the rest of the offices seem plenty busy.

That’s consistent with what we’ve been hearing: no layoffs, but lots of slowness. Another LW source reports that the firm’s Washington office is “on pace” for everyone to hit 1900 hours, that Los Angeles is at about 95 percent, and that New York is “sucking wind” at 90 percent.
Internally, here’s how the firm has been dealing with the gossip:

We got a few days of nervous jokes about how layoffs weren’t imminent: “We’ll wait until Christmas…” Then we got an unequivocal denial at Latham’s First Year Academy this past weekend.

More discussion, including a guess as to the genesis of this gossip, after the jump.

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An S&C Bonsai Beauty Pageant!

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small bonsai 2 bonsai tree plant Sullivan Cromwell S&C Above the Law blog.jpgAfter the jump, you’ll see six photographs of Sullivan & Cromwell bonsai trees. Some of these pics have been previously featured in these pages, and some are new. Based on subtle differences between the plants, it appears that S&C may be using different florists around the country to disseminate these gifts to its offerees.
We will now hold a bonsai beauty contest, allowing you to vote for your favorite example of S&C bonsai porn. The differences in the photos are interesting. Just like real pornography, some bonsai porn aims to titillate, some aspires to art, and some just looks fuzzy and low-budget.
Check out the bonsai pics, and cast your vote, after the jump.

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Lawyer of the Day: D. Marvin Jones

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Several commenters to our recent post about the University of Miami law student who got benchslapped on the People’s Court pointed out another news development involving the law school: the recent arrest and arraignment of a popular professor, D. Marvin Jones, on a misdemeanor charge of soliciting a prostitute. See here:

Donald Marvin Jones arrest record Professor D Marvin Jones Above the Law blog.jpg

Donald Marvin Jones Professor D Marvin Jones Above the Law blog.jpgCheck out his bio (which rather pretentiously describes Professor Jones as a “public intellectual”). He teaches Criminal Procedure, of all things. If there’s any technical defect in his arrest, we’re sure the good professor will be able to get himself off.

Professor Jones: If you’re looking to score some ass, why not stick to the U. Miami student body? At least they won’t charge.

Alas, we don’t have the dirty details of this incident. If you know more, please email us. Thanks.

D. Marvin Jones bio [University of Miami School of Law]

Earlier: Wherein Judge Milian Dispels the Stereotype of the Feisty Latina

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Law & Order Comes to Kirkland & Ellis

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Kirkland Ellis LLP logo Abovethelaw Above the Law blog.JPGAnd no, we’re not talking about their tough new standards for associate reviews, which have resulted in what might be called “soft layoffs” (and which we’ll be writing more about soon — we’ve received lots of great info after yesterday’s post).
We’re speaking more literally about Law & Order at Kirkland & Ellis. Check out this email from about an hour ago, which went out to the entire New York office:

From: Carolyn Marino
Sent: 10/17/2007 09:47 AM EDT
To: #NY All Personnel
Subject: Law & Order Filming Today

If you are on the 39th or 43rd floor today, you will notice that parts of the office are being used for filming. The television show Law & Order is using the office to film several scenes. This morning, they are working in the northeast corner of the 39th floor, and this afternoon they will film in Conference Room 43A.

I think of the show as the home-town TV show, since they film almost every day at locations everywhere in the city. So it’s exciting that now they are here. We don’t know when the episode will air that is filmed
here, but we will be sure to let everybody know when the show is scheduled.

Thanks,
Carolyn

Is this as sexy as Cameron Diaz at Cadwalader? Maybe not. But at least K&E doesn’t have bed bugs.
P.S. It seems that law firms are doing very well in the celebrity sightings department these days. See also Michael Jackson at Venable.
Earlier: Nationwide Layoff Watch: Kirkland & Ellis (Chicago)
Breaking: Cameron Diaz at Cadwalader!

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Liveblogging the Michael Mukasey Confirmation Hearings

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Michael Mukasey Chief Judge Michael B Mukasey SDNY Above the Law blog.jpgWe’re going to liveblog the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings for the nomination of Michael Mukasey as Attorney General. We don’t know how long we’ll do this; it will depend upon how interesting the proceedings are. And they might not be that interesting, since Mukasey’s confirmation isn’t really in doubt.
But who knows? Maybe there will be some interesting fireworks, as the Democrats try to use the hearings to score political points. Here we go.
10:03: Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) calls the session to order. He warns that people who demonstrate within the hearing room with be thrown out. Good for him — those people are so annoying.
10:06: Senator Leahy reads his introductory remarks. He criticizes Alberto Gonzales’s tenure as Attorney General and pats himself on the back for having voted against Gonzales’s confirmation as AG.
10:16: Opening statement by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA). Snazzy lime green tie. He mentions that he’ll have to step out during the hearings because of another hearing held by a committee where he is ranking member.
10:18: Sen. Leahy notes that the nominee will be introduced by Senator Lieberman, who was Judge Mukasey’s law school classmate, and Sen. Schumer.
10:19: Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduces Judge Mukasey. Warm words. Senator Schumer’s admiration for Judge Mukasey, whom he floated once as a possible Supreme Court nominee, is well-known. But it’s still remarkable to see Chuck Schumer speaking so warmly about a Bush Administration nominee — in front of cameras, no less.
More after the jump.

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Morning Docket: 10.17.07

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* Our right to play fantasy sports (or more accurately, companies’ rights to use players names in offering fantasy leagues) trumps the players’ rights of publicity; so sayeth the Eighth Circuit. [Bloomberg via How Appealing]
* No more porn on Facebook. [AP via Reno Gazette-Journal]
* Georgia’s not waiting on SCOTUS; set to execute inmate Friday. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
* Qaddafi with a vote on the Security Council? Oh how times have changed. [New York Times]
* Mukasey should breeze through. [Jurist]

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Law Student Arrested in Shooting Incident (No, Not Adam Key)

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Jesse Sneed Jessie Sneed Indiana Law School Bloomington Above the Law blog.jpgEarlier this year, we visited Bloomington, Indiana, where we spoke at the Indiana University School of Law. We enjoyed our visit. The students we met were cool, friendly, and well-adjusted (especially for law students).
But we never met this guy. From the Indy Star:

An Indiana University law student suspected of firing shots outside of an apartment building on Bloomington’s southwestside today is in custody, police said.

Jesse Sneed, 27, Wood River, Ill., is charged with criminal recklessness with a weapon. He was arrested about 8:15 a.m. when he tried to sneak out of the building and drive away in a vehicle, police said. Police officers secured the scene about 11:30 a.m.

A message from the law school’s dean, plus some weird details about the incident, after the jump.

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Nationwide Pay Raise Layoff Watch: Kirkland & Ellis (Chicago)

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Kirkland Ellis LLP logo layoff laid off Abovethelaw Above the Law blog.JPGWe live in a rapidly changing economy; these are dynamic times for the legal profession. But we still can’t help but be surprised at how quickly talk has turned from associate pay raises to associate layoffs.
Just a few short months ago, “NY to 190″ seemed just around the corner. Today, even though we still hear stray rumors of pay raises — so we’re not ruling anything out, who knows what might happen — recently we’ve been hearing more about possible layoffs. We’ll pass along such rumors in this new feature, Nationwide Layoff Watch.
Today the gossip is swirling about the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis. More details, after the jump.

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Regentgate: ATL’s Exclusive Interview with Adam Key (Part 2 of 2)

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Adam Key Adam M Key Regent Law School Above the Law blog.jpgIn case you haven’t noticed, we’ve been experiencing technical difficulties around here (due to unusually high site traffic today). We’ve actually been trying to post new material for a while, but without success until now. Tech folks are investigating the problems, and hopefully things will return to normal shortly.
We’re now pleased to bring the second half of our interview with Adam Key, the Regent Law School second-year student who has found himself in a bit of hot water. Background on the controversy, a free-speech dispute between Key and the Regent administration, is available here and here.
The first part of our interview with Adam Key is accessible here. The balance of the interview — in which Adam Key reveals his professional wrestling nickname, talks about his new book, and discusses his Regent sister, Monica Goodling — appears after the jump.

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An Update on Hydrangea-gate and Little Miss Party Pants

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Lots of good stuff in the comments to our Lawsuit of the Day. It’s well on its way to becoming an official Comments Clusterf**k. This comment might be our favorite:

Wedding flowers: $27,000.

Damages sought for wrong color wedding flowers: $400,000.

Being delinquent in your attorney registration, while filing a public lawsuit on your own behalf: Priceless

It appears to be true. From the New York State Attorney Registration site:
Elana Beth Elbogen Elana B Elbogen Elana Glatt Kelley Drye Warren LLP Above the Law blog.jpg
Maybe Elana Glatt should spend more time attending CLE courses and less time suing florists. We recommend the City Bar class on Service, Therapy, & Emotional Support Animals (which we once sat through, even though it had nothing to do with our practice, ’cause we were desperate for CLE credits).
But Elana “Party Pants” Glatt, predictably dubbed “Bridezilla” by many of you, has her defenders. Read on, after the jump.

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Wherein Judge Milian Dispels the Stereotype of the Feisty Latina

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This short video clip requires little introduction. Res ipsa loquitur. Just watch Judge Marilyn Milian, of The People’s Court, benchslap a cute-but-insolent 2L from the University of Miami:

What is up with all these female Floridian jurists? See also Judge Laurel Myerson Isicoff.
The People’s Court – Judge Milian Flips out on Defendant [YouTube]
The Hon. Marilyn Milian [Wikipedia]

134 Comments

Bend Over, Aaron Charney. Today Is National Boss Day!

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National Boss's Day National Bosses Day Above the Law blog.jpgLooking for a way to earn some brownie points? Wish your boss a happy National Boss Day!
Yes, that’s right. Today is National Boss Day. Here’s some history:

• Began in 1958 when Patricia Bays Haroski, then an employee at State Farm Insurance Company in Deerfield, Ill., registered the holiday with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

• Ms. Haroski chose October 16, her father’s birthday, as the date for National Boss Day because she felt he was an exemplary boss.

• National Boss Day has become an international celebration in recent years and now is observed in countries such a England, Australia and South Africa.

So secretaries, make sure the coffee you fetch today is piping hot. Associates, put your heart into that document review.
And answer the phone on the second ring when the assigning partner calls you at 6:30 PM. Since today is National Boss Day, it’s the least you can do.
National Boss Day 2007 [Hallmark]

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