Pro Bono
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11th Circuit, Antonin Scalia, Death Penalty, Gregory Garre, Pro Bono, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Samuel Alito, SCOTUS, Screw-Ups, Supreme Court
Supreme Court Rules on Sullivan & Cromwell's Mailroom of Death
We've previously written about the mailroom of death at Sullivan & Cromwell. To make a long story short (read our prior posts for the full background), a mailroom mix-up at 125 Broad Street caused an Alabama death-row inmate to miss a deadline for filing an appeal. The Eleventh Circuit rejected the condemned man's attempt to reopen his case. Presumably feeling bad for what had happened, S&C appealed to the Supreme Court. Yesterday, the Supreme Court handed down its ruling in Maples v. Thomas. What did the high court have to say? -
Biglaw, Boalt Hall, Fabulosity, Law Schools, Pro Bono, Public Interest
Congratulations to the 2012 Skadden Fellows
It's time for celebration of a different sort -- time to celebrate, and congratulate, the latest class of Skadden Fellows. The winners of these prestigious public interest fellowships were just announced, as they are every December. Who are the Skadden fellows for 2012? Which law schools produced the most fellows? And what's different about this year's program compared to past years? - Sponsored
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Advertising, Career Center, Holidays and Seasons, Pro Bono, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
Career Center: Three Ways the Holidays Can Boost Your Résumé
For most of us, the holidays are synonymous with family, fun, and fruitcake. Work, at least for a few days, drops off our radar. However, the down time received during the holidays is the perfect time to break out the old résumé and, in fact, improve it. Whether or not you are looking for a […]
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Bonuses, Copyright, Crowell & Moring, Food, Gambling / Gaming, Gloria Allred, Morning Docket, Pro Bono, Sex, Sex Scandals, Trademarks
Morning Docket: 11.29.11
* Here’s something that’s actually worth crying over instead of your “meh” bonuses. Much like this year’s Cravath scale, Biglaw pro bono hours will likely be stagnant or cut altogether. [Fortune] * What’s the point of fleeing if you’re just going to let yourself get extradited? Ex-Crowell & Moring counsel, Douglas Arntsen, will return to […]
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Blogging, Constitutional Law, Fat People, Food, Insider Trading, Law Schools, Media and Journalism, Money, Morning Docket, Pro Bono, Violence
Morning Docket: 11.16.11
* One of the reasons that members of Congress are so filthy rich is because they’re only technically breaking the law, but Scott Brown wants to try to curb Congressional “insider trading.” [CBS News] * In other Congressional news, pizza is now considered a vegetable. And fat people the world over rejoiced by stuffing their […]
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Litigators, Pro Bono, Small Law Firms, Trusts and Estates
Size Matters: Get Attention for the Right Reasons
When doing research for her columns, Valerie Katz spends a lot of time thinking about how small-firm attorneys can get the right kind of attention. Here is a case study about a small-firm attorney who did just that.... -
Continuing Legal Education / CLE, English Grammar and Usage, Lawyer Advertising, Pro Bono, Romance and Dating, Small Law Firms
Size Matters: Announcements and RFPs
With the departure of Jay Shepherd, small firm columnist Valerie Katz is now (at least temporarily) filling the role of small firm chica (Val) and small firm expert (Jay). Let me tell you, it is exhausting. So, she am going to do what any smart, small-firm partner would do in this situation, and she am going to delegate. And, by delegate, she means push the work off on you. She have a few new features that she would like to unveil (and she swears, it will be better than the new Facebook)... -
Food, Pro Bono, Ridiculousness
Fordham University: Teaching Kids How to Ignore the Homeless, One Beet or Carrot at a Time
Michael Zimmerman, a 3L at Fordham Law, founded a farm-share program called Farm to Fordham. Amazingly, we're not talking about a Facebook program. Zimmerman did this in real life. For a small fee each semester, students, faculty, and staff were able to purchase a share of fresh produce from a farm in central New York. Nearly 100 pounds of vegetables were donated to a local soup kitchen with every delivery. This sounds like a wonderful program, right? That's probably why Fordham University decided to shut it down.... - Sponsored
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American Bar Association / ABA, Benchslaps, Department of Justice, Free Speech, Movies, Non-Sequiturs, Pro Bono, Romance and Dating, Sam Sparks
Non-Sequiturs: 08.31.11
* Some thoughts from our colleague Matt Levine on the Justice Department’s opposition to the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. [Dealbreaker] * Judge Sam Sparks (W.D. Tex.), king of the benchslap — yes, we already covered his latest handiwork, so no need to email the “kindergarten party” order to us again — has blocked key parts of the […] -
American Bar Association / ABA, New York Times, Pro Bono, Public Interest, Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day: Leave the Law to the Lawyers
[A] rush to open the practice of law to unschooled, unregulated nonlawyers is not the solution [to the justice gap]. This would cause grave harm to clients. Even matters that appear simple, such as uncontested divorces, involve myriad legal rights and responsibilities. If the case is not handled by a professional with appropriate legal training, […] -
Biglaw, Billable Hours, Pro Bono, Public Interest
And the Associates Rejoiced: Now Almost Everything Is Billable at Jenner & Block
Lawyers like to complain about the billable hours requirements at their firms. A common question seems to be what will count and what won't. In this line of work, time is money, and many associates want to know if they're wasting their time. Read on for some good news on billable hours from Jenner & Block.... -
American Bar Association / ABA, New York Times, Pro Bono, Public Interest, Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day: A Modest Proposal
State bar associations could help address [low-income Americans’ need for legal services] by requiring lawyers to report their pro bono service — such disclosure would likely increase many lawyers’ service to the recommended 3 percent to 5 percent of their paid work. Another step is to allow nonlawyers into the mix. The American Bar Association […] -
Breasts, Crime, Hotties, Pictures, Pornography, Pro Bono, Prostitution, Public Interest, Sex, Sex Scandals, Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners
All Rise! Reema Bajaj's Bajayjay Is Now In Session
A source has provided Above the Law with what appear to be two nude photographs of Reema Bajaj....
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Biglaw, Job Searches, Minority Issues, Partner Issues, Pro Bono, Racism, Women's Issues
New Data on Law Firm Diversity
The good folks over at Building A Better Legal Profession — a national grassroots movement that we’ve written about before, which seeks market-based workplace reforms in large private law firms — have updated their online directory and rankings of law firms with new information for 2011. The updated rankings shed light on which top law […] -
Biglaw, Billable Hours, In-House Counsel, Pro Bono
A Little Chat
Ed. note: This post is by Will Meyerhofer, a former Sullivan & Cromwell attorney turned psychotherapist. He holds degrees from Harvard, NYU Law, and The Hunter College School of Social Work, and he blogs at The People’s Therapist. His new book, Life is a Brief Opportunity for Joy, is available on Amazon (affiliate link). Some […] -
Biglaw, Deaths, Money, Partner Issues, Pro Bono, Public Interest, Trusts and Estates
How Much Was Joe Flom Worth? Some Clues From His Will
Back in February, Joseph Flom — name partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and one of the nation’s most successful and prominent lawyers — passed away, at the age of 87. During his life, Flom earned well-deserved renown as an attorney, philanthropist, and mentor. He was also a wonderful father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, […] -
Law Schools, Money, Pro Bono, Public Interest, Student Loans, Summer Associates
Should Working Students Pay for Their Pro Bono Classmates?
Incoming summer associates, would you donate one day of your summer salary to help other students at your school who did not get summer jobs? Would you donate that money for a pro bono or public interest cause? Would you donate that money so your law school could fund the pro bono interests of other […] -
Pro Bono, Public Interest, Small Law Firms
Size Matters: Good Deeds Can Come In Small Packages
Ed. note: This is the latest installment of Size Matters, one of Above the Law’s new columns for small-firm lawyers. I have written this column from many places: my parents’ couch, my local Starbucks, my bed, etc. I have yet to try it from atop a soapbox, but here goes. It is common knowledge that […] -
Biglaw, Disasters / Emergencies, Holland & Knight, Pro Bono, Public Interest
More Law Firms Contributing to Japanese Relief Efforts
On Tuesday we told you that McGuireWoods, Dewey & LeBoeuf, and Weil Gosthal were all contributing to the relief efforts under way in Japan. The response has been pretty great. While some people seem to think Japan’s status as a rich nation means it doesn’t need any international aid, I don’t see how the country’s […] -
Biglaw, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Disasters / Emergencies, Pro Bono, Public Interest
Biglaw Firms Poised To Help Japanese Relief Efforts
After the Haitian earthquake last year, we saw law firms step up in a big way to support relief efforts down there. Hopefully we will see the same reaction to the ever-increasing tragedy unfolding in Japan. Given an 8.9 a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, a massive tsunami, and a nuclear disaster that is already the second-worst nuclear […]