Debevoise & Plimpton

Obama's pick to head up the SEC could be a game changer.

Let's hear the reactions of sources and check out the memos, shall we?

Above the Law readers identify the most underrated firms in a wide range of practice areas, from antitrust to bankruptcy to labor and employment to tax....

How much are American Airlines's advisors seeking to be paid for their work in the mega-bankruptcy case? Enough to buy a Gulfstream jet, or two....

What is the secret to success at Cravath and similar firms? And what is the secret to making partner at a place like Cravath?

Which major law firms get top scores for diversity?

The Hollywood Reporter has just released its list of the top entertainment lawyers in America. Who do you recognize?

Sorkin talks to summers at Debevoise...

* Who needs a Declaration of Internet Freedom when the government supports protesting citizens who go buckwild in the streets? The European Union voted against ratification of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. [Associated Press]

* Kenneth Schneider, the former Debevoise & Plimpton associate serving a 15-year sentence for forcing a Russian teenager to be his sex slave, was suspended from practice pending further disciplinary proceedings. [New York Law Journal]

* Glenn Mulcaire, the investigator who intercepted voicemail messages on behalf of News of the World, lost a bid to remain silent about who commissioned his services. Rupert’s gonna be sooo pissed. [New York Times]

* Congratulations to the team from the University of Chicago Law School that won the United States Supreme Court Prediction Competition. They won $5K for betting on their Con Law nerd-dom. [SCOTUS Competition]

* Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. is expected to rule on George Zimmerman’s motion for bond today, and perhaps he won’t be so quick to forget that the defendant already lied to the court to get out of jail. [Orlando Sentinel]

* “You can’t just arbitrarily add anything you want to a sentence.” Well, it looks like you can, because in addition to jail time, a judge in South Carolina tacked on a Biblical book report to this woman’s sentence. [Daily Mail]

Learn to speak before you talk...

According to our research, which are the happiest Biglaw firms? And the unhappiest?

This is my least favorite post to write every year. The Debevoise & Plimpton bonuses were just announced. So now it’s time for me to sit back and marvel at how much money I personally left on the table when I decided to quit Debevoise what feels like a lifetime ago. In fact, the very […]

In this edition of Legal Eagle Wedding Watch, we've unintentionally chosen a slate of opposite-sex finalists that looks like a United Colors of Benetton ad campaign. Read on for the juicy details on our fabulously diverse contestants, plus pictures....

Earlier this week, we introduced the first group of top New York partners whom our readers nominated as being great to work for. Today we present you with another eight partners from the Big Apple. They hail from some of the heaviest hitters among Biglaw firms: Paul Weiss; Simpson Thacher; Kasowitz Benson; Cleary Gottlieb; Debevoise […]

* Nikki Finke, the Deadline.com diva, disses Debevoise. [Am Law Daily] * This kind of friendly fun between opposing counsel would surely warm Jay Shepherd’s heart. [The Namby Pamby] * This opinion describes a murder gory enough to turn the stomach of Bruce Reilly (aka the Tulane 1L Murderer). [You Shall Never Know Security] * […]

Following a freak earthquake earlier in the week, the East Coast is now bracing for the impact of Hurricane Irene. From the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the boroughs of New York City, people are getting ready for another natural disaster that could prove to be devastating. And speaking of natural disasters, we hear […]

One of the lasting effects of the recession has been clients wising up on the value of first-year associates (or the lack thereof). So two major law firms are going to try something different with their first-years. The first-years will get paid their usual $160K salary. But at least at the start, they'll have to go through more training....

Given the significance of diversity, it's not surprising that several organizations and news outlets focus on it, especially with respect to large law firms. Vault compiled a list of 25 best law firms for diversity. Which firms made the cut, and is yours on the list?

* You’d think the following would go without saying, but the kids these days need it spelled out, so here goes: If you are Facebook friends with a hostage taker, DO NOT send him status updates alerting him to SWAT team movements during a standoff. [Legal Blog Watch] * Excellent interview with Mark Cuban’s lawyer, […]

As many of you know, here at Above the Law we have been tracking which major law firms offer a non-salary benefit that we’ve dubbed the gay gross-up. As we’ve previously explained, quoting a memo issued by Simpson Thacher, the gay gross-up is “[a] ‘gross-up’ for employees who enroll same-sex partners in the Firm’s health […]