Pro Bono
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Boutique Law Firms, Plaintiffs Firms, Pro Bono, Public Interest, Ted Frank
The Class Action Avenger: Ted Frank's Cool New Job
Some class action settlements are highly questionable. Think of a case where, say, the victimized consumers get a stupid coupon, so they can purchase even more goods or services from the company that victimized them — while the lawyers representing the plaintiffs walk away with a big payday. One man is out to change all […] -
Guantanamo Bay, Pro Bono, Public Interest
Much Better Than Document Review: Bingham Associate Testifies Before Congress
We like to highlight examples of Biglaw associates who get to do especially interesting or high-profile work. E.g., Lindsay Harrison, the Jenner & Block associate who argued a case — and won — before the U.S. Supreme Court. Most lawyers tuned in to Congress yesterday were listening to Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings (even if […] - Sponsored
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm. -
Admin, Announcements, Deferral Stipend, Job Searches, Pro Bono, Public Interest
Paging Deferred Associates -- and the Organizations Who Love Them
We’ve received countless requests for shout-outs from worthy non-profit organizations that are seeking deferred associates and/or associates on leave from their law firms (pursuant to such programs as Skadden’s Sidebar program, Dewey’s DL Pursuits, etc.). Alas, due to the sheer number of these requests, we can’t mention them all on the main ATL homepage (which […]
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Pro Bono, Public Interest, Summer Associates
Skadden Offers a Voluntary Deferral Option
Is there not enough to go around, even at Skadden? Maybe so. The firm just sent around an internal email announcing the expansion of the firm’s “Sidebar” program. For the uninitiated, a tipster describes the Sidebar program: Sidebar allows attorneys to take extended time from the Firm to pursue personal interests while maintaining a connection […] -
Pro Bono, Public Interest
Dealing with the Downturn: Simpson Thacher's Public Service Program
How should law firms respond to the recession? As reflected in the dramatic events of yesterday, which will go down in Biglaw history as the Valentine’s Day Massacre of 2009, lawyer layoffs are a common route. But there are other options. We recently wrote about how unemployed (or underemployed) lawyers can do pro bono work […] -
Job Searches, Pro Bono, Public Interest
Can't find work? Try working for free volunteering.
When the economy was better, we had a career alternatives for lawyers series, for those in Biglaw looking to do something new. Given the layoffs and sluggish law firm hiring these days, we’re starting a new series: “Can’t find work?” We’ll offer “options” for those shut out — or forced out — of Biglaw. On […] -
Billable Hours, Job Survey, Pro Bono
Associate Life Survey: What Did You Really Bill?
We received about 1500 responses to last month’s ATL / Lateral Link survey on how much of your billable work in 2008 was really for “client billable” time, as opposed to pro bono or administrative matters. Earlier in January, we had noted that more than a quarter of you couldn’t bill 1800 hours last year, […] -
Billable Hours, Job Survey, Pro Bono
Associate Life Survey: Back to Billing
President Obama made a pretty interesting statement in yesterday’s inaugural address: Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But based on last week’s […] - Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use. -
Pro Bono
Should Ability to Pay Have Anything to do with Pro Bono Work?
In a former life, I did a lot of coverage on Michael Bloomberg’s controversial “congestion pricing” plan for New York City. If you spend any length of time with transit policy — and don’t otherwise have a life — you’re going to find transit policy fascinating. It touches on law, politics, the environment and city […] -
Holland & Knight, Pro Bono, Rankings
Pro Bono Awards
Every year, the National Law Journal names individual people and firms that have done outstanding pro bono work. This year perhaps more than others, it is especially important to recognize those that gave their time to charity. With the economy crumbling, there is a huge need for free legal services. The NLJ has recognized the […] -
Layoffs, Pro Bono, Public Interest
Nationwide Layoff Watch: Public Defenders
ATL has been providing in-depth coverage of firm layoffs, but we haven’t written much about public defenders suffering the same fate. With state budgets experiencing big squeezes, public defenders’ offices across the country are getting downsized, while their caseloads are getting upsized. We wrote about layoffs in Kentucky, Minnesota, Florida, and Georgia back in July. […] -
Job Survey, Politics, Pro Bono
Associate Life Survey: Poll Positions
We received 836 responses to Monday’s ATL / Lateral Link survey on whether you’ll be volunteering your services on Election Day, and the results are pretty remarkable. Over 40% of practicing attorneys who took the survey said that they would be helping out: * 23% will be working as election monitors. * 11% […] -
Election Law, Job Survey, Politics, Pro Bono, Public Interest
Associate Life Survey: Joining The World's Largest Law Firm?
Earlier this month, an ATL / Lateral Link survey found that 86% of you were talking about politics in the workplace. And 18% of you reported that a fellow associate had tried to convince you to vote for their favorite candidate. But are politics just seeping into your workplace, or will you be taking your […]
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Sponsored
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
ChatGPT ushers in the age of generative AI – even for law firms.
Sponsored
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm.
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…
Sponsored
Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use.
Sponsored
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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Biglaw, Pro Bono
Wiley Rein Bows To Midlevel/Am Law Concerns
Yesterday, we criticized law schools for slavishly following the dictates of U.S. News and World Report. But a law firm responding to associate concerns is a different matter entirely. A tipster informs us that Wiley Rein associates were told that up to 50 pro-bono hours would be credited towards meeting billable targets. Firm Chairman Richard […] -
Pro Bono, Public Interest
Saving Babies or Bucks? A New Lawyer's Dilemma
A recent bar passer sent this query into Freakonomics: I recently passed the bar and am currently applying for jobs. My main concern is bringing out the most charitable result. Should I work in the nonprofit section where my services are passed directly along to the most needy, or should I get the high-paying firm […] -
Perverts, Pro Bono, Prostitution, Public Interest, Sex, Sex Scandals
Needed: Pro Bono Representation for the 'Hardwood Cabin'
Where is the Institute for Justice when you need it? Or maybe the Pacific Legal Foundation? A libertarian public interest organization needs to defend two victims of intrusive government regulation. From the Seattle Times: Regan “Draco” Lane-Smith and “Naughty” Nonah Elliston outfitted their six-bedroom rental house with 15 mattresses, bondage crosses and sex swings. They […] -
Dewey & LeBoeuf, Disability Law, Pro Bono, Running, Sports
Sports and the Law: Pistorius is Finally Free to Run
I previously wrote (here and here) about Oscar Pistorius, the Olympic hopeful who was ruled ineligible to compete in the Beijing Games by the International Association of Athletics Federations (“IAAF”) because he uses Cheetah Flex-Foot prosthetic legs. With help from Dewey & LeBoeuf (disclosure: my previous employer) as his pro bono counsel, Pistorius recently challenged […] -
Biglaw, Blogging, Bonuses, Job Survey, Pro Bono
Featured Job Survey: Billables, Pro Bono and Bonuses
Tonight’s ATL / Lateral Link survey explores the complex interplay between billable hours, pro bono, and sweet, sweet bonuses. [Update: This survey is now closed. Read some of the results after the jump.] Also, a quick note about this month’s who’s your favorite blawg other than ATL survey, which is still open. So far, the […] -
Biglaw, Health Care / Medicine, Law Schools, Money, Pro Bono, Skaddenfreude, Wall Street
Law and Medicine: Not As Cool as They Used To Be?
That’s the basic question posed by this interesting piece, currently the most emailed article on the New York Times website. After describing some of the sufferings of lawyers and doctors today, Alex Williams writes: [I]n the days when a successful career was built on a number of tacitly recognized pillars — outsize pay, long-term security, […] -
2nd Circuit, Pro Bono, Screw-Ups, Torture, War on Terror
Arar v. Ashcroft: An ATL Interview with Josh Sohn of DLA Piper
Last Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit heard oral argument in Arar v. Ashcroft, a high-profile lawsuit arising out of the U.S. government’s rendition of Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen, to Syria. We interviewed DLA Piper partner Joshua Sohn (at right), co-counsel to Mr. Arar along with the Center for Constitutional […]