Am Law Midlevel Survey

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 08.31.15

* Good news if you've made it to midlevel associate -- survey says you're happier than ever. [American Lawyer] * Amal Clooney lost a case in Egypt, her client was one of three Al-Jazeera journalists sentenced to prison for their coverage of the 2013 uprising. Clooney warned the sentence sends a "dangerous message." [People] * More and more Pennsylvania firms are getting on-board with the $160k pay scale. [Legal Intelligencer] * Chalk another victory up for the Amazing Schneiderman -- that's New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. This time, retail giant Gap Inc. has fallen in line. [Fashionista] * A happy ending for David Powers, whose admission to St. John's Law was revoked after officials there found out about a drug conviction. He's starting at Pace Law today. [New York Times] * When a client announces a new general counsel, law firms should consider that a wake-up call -- or get fired. [Corporate Counsel] * In truly horrific news, two Indian sisters were sentenced to be gang raped as punishment for their brother eloping with a woman of a different caste. The (hopefully) good news is the women have appealed to the Indian Supreme Court for protection. [Jezebel] * What do in-house counsel need to know about the recent NLRB decision expanding the concept of joint-employers? [Law360]

By Kathryn Rubino
Associate Advice

Morning Docket: 08.29.13

* Is Justice Ginsburg, our favorite judicial diva, foiling her own jurisprudential legacy by refusing to retire from the Supreme Court before another president takes office? [Daily Beast] * Year-over-year, there’s been a double-digit drop in demand for legal services, so now is a great time to start speculating about which firm will be the next to conduct layoffs. [Am Law Daily] * Don’t despair, the results of the Am Law Midlevel Survey are out, and associates are more satisfied than ever — except for the women. They’re “leaning out,” so to speak. [Am Law Daily] * New York City (d/b/a Mayor Michael Bloomberg) wants Judge Shira Scheindlin to stay her stop-and-frisk rulings pending appeal, because racial profiling is an effective crime fighting tool. [New York Law Journal] * If you want to know why law school is three years long instead of two, it’s because back in the day, the T14s of the world were convinced it’d “stop the proles from sullying the image of the bar.” [The Economist] * In an effort to keep law school deans’ listserv drama and email scandals to a minimum, the American Bar Association just doled out some rules to keep their ivory tower talk in check. [WSJ Law Blog (sub. req.)] * “[I]f I die because of this, my life will have been worthwhile.” The HSBC whistleblower is willing to face death to talk about big banks’ alleged money laundering — and to see Marni Halasa. [Huffington Post]

By Staci Zaretsky
Bankruptcy

Morning Docket: 08.30.12

* Apparently spring bonuses don’t make the Biglaw world go ’round after all. The annual Am Law midlevel survey is out, and satisfaction levels are up across the board. Maybe they’re happy to still be employed. [American Lawyer] * When Dewey get to retire this used up, old D&L pun? Probably around the same time as that Howrey joke — never. Oh, and the firm asked a bankruptcy judge to approve its $70M partner “clawback” plan. [WSJ Law Blog] * Oh mon dieu, it’s time for some law firm merger mania! DLA Piper, the second-largest Biglaw behemoth, proposed to French firm Frieh Bouhenic, and of course, the corporate boutique said “oui.” [Legal Week] * Judicial efficiency: Judge Robert Hinkle says he’ll block Florida’s regulations on voter registration groups just as soon as an appeals court boots the state’s arguments. [Bloomberg] * Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. will step down as judge in the George Zimmerman case after using “disparaging” language in a bail order. Zimmerman’s probably hoping that the third judge will be the charm for him. [CNN] * Kim Kardashian settled her suit against The Gap over the company’s use of a look-alike actress in an Old Navy commercial. Sigh. She’ll keep getting paid, no matter what we do. [Hollywood, Esq. / Hollywood Reporter]

By Staci Zaretsky
Biglaw

The Watchword Is ‘Labor’ in This Year’s Am Law Midlevel Survey

The Am Law Midlevel associate survey came out last week. Satisfaction among 3rd, 4th, and 5th year Biglaw associates is down for the second year in a row. That's a trend people should get used to. These midlevels who are whining right now are slightly missing the big picture. They might have to work long hours, but they are going to make serious bank for the rest of their legal lives....

By Elie Mystal