Pregnancy / Paternity
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Supreme Court
Does Judge Gorsuch Have Backwards Thoughts On Working Women And Pregnancy?
Will this come up in the confirmation hearings? -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 12.20.16
* So much for Prof. Lawrence Lessig having flipped at least 20 Republican electors: Only two “faithless electors” from Texas refused to cast their votes for President-elect Donald Trump, choosing John Kasich and Ron Paul instead. At the end of the day, more Democrats chose not to support their party’s nominee, Hillary Clinton. [The Hill]
* Sorry, but Chief Justice John Roberts won’t grant your emergency petition to force the Senate hold a confirmation vote on President Obama’s SCOTUS pick, Judge Merrick Garland (D.C. Cir.). Instead, Judge Garland will resume hearing cases on January 18, and President-elect Trump will make his nomination after his inauguration. [Reuters]
* With the new year almost upon us and 2017 financial forecasts being made for the largest firms in the country, the great salary increase of 2016 has come up again and again as a major cost suck for some Biglaw firms. How costly was it? According to Aric Press, “[t]his will cost the average Am Law 100 firm, with headcount at 930 lawyers, about $11.6 million a year, or $57,300 per equity partner.” [Big Law Business]
* Working Mother is surveying law firms to determine which ones offer the best environment for lawyers with kids. The publication will release a list of the 50 best firms, and the deadline for participation is February 10. Help your firm get recognized for something that could help steer the direction of an associate’s career. [ABA Journal]
* Are you running behind on purchasing your gifts this holiday season? Worry not, because thanks to the legalization of marijuana in these eight jurisdictions, you can give your friends and family the gift of ganja without being criminally prosecuted: Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, California, Maine, Alaska, and Washington, D.C. [INVERSE]
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 12.16.16
* Are conservative partners giving smaller bonuses to female associates? Per the results of a recent study, political ideology impacts how partners allocate discretionary income to associates based on gender. If you thought this couldn’t happen in Biglaw since bonuses are largely lockstep by class year, think again. The firm studied has 1,000+ lawyers. We’ll have more on this later. [Am Law Daily]
* “We’ve got one of the country’s finest jurists, who I happened to have nominated to the Supreme Court and who’s going to continue to serve our country with distinction as the chief judge on the D.C. circuit, Merrick Garland is here.” President Obama hasn’t withdrawn his SCOTUS nomination, but his White House Hanukkah party introduction of the jurist indicates he’s all but given up on Garland’s confirmation. [Washington Post]
* “Just because you didn’t go to law school doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have more time to bond with a new child.” Lowenstein Sandler has adopted a gender-neutral family leave policy that’s being offered to all of the firm’s employees — not just its lawyers. Congrats to the firm on taking an important leap towards parental equality. [Big Law Business]
* According to the latest ABA data, first-year law school enrollment has increased for the first time since 2010. Don’t get too excited over this news, because only 36 more 1Ls were enrolled in law school in 2016 compared to 2015, and one of the schools with the largest enrollment increase (Indiana Tech) is closing for good. [National Law Journal]
* “Once again, public schools have decided that their commitment to diversity does not extend to Christians.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is going to war over a religious Charlie Brown Christmas poster that was banned from a local middle school. AG Paxton has filed suit, but some say he did so as a distraction from his own indictment. [Reuters]
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Politics, Pregnancy / Paternity
Election Day Essentials For The Expectant Mother
Which candidate will make your transition into parenthood more financially feasible -- and which one has the cutest baby gear? -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 11.03.16
* Why would liberal states “remain [] member[s] of this union when the president is a raving narcissist that some describe as a sociopath?” Some law professors are having a difficult time imagining Donald Trump as president, and have said that things like secessions or coups could become real possibilities under Trump’s leadership if he should win the election. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Biglaw firms in the U.S. have made great strides when it comes to parental leave, but across the pond in the U.K., they don’t seem to be doing as well; in fact, these firms seem to be “hemorrhaging female talent,” and it’s “crippling” law firm diversity and career progression for lawyers with children and families. [The Lawyer (sub. req.)]
* Speaking of the U.K., its High Court has ruled that Prime Minister Theresa May must seek parliamentary approval before attempting to leave the European Union, writing “the Crown — i.e. the government of the day — cannot by exercise of prerogative powers override legislation enacted by Parliament.” Sorry, Brexit bros. [New York Times]
* “[A] well-intentioned majority acting in the name of tolerance and liberalism, can, if unchecked, impose its views on the minority in a manner that is in fact intolerant and illiberal.” Trinity Western University has won the right to operate a Christian law school, despite the fact that it intends to discriminate against LGBTQ students. [Globe and Mail]
* “They changed the legislative nature of the judicial system, they changed the American constitution, they paved the way for a lot of people’s lives.” Loving, the film that tells the tale of Richard and Mildred Loving’s landmark Supreme Court victory that struck down legislation prohibiting interracial marriage, is out in theaters this Friday. [Reuters]
* Glamour has named Emily Doe, the college student who survived Stanford swimmer Brock Turner’s sexual assault and helped to change a California law that once allowed for lighter sentences in sexual assault cases where victims were unconscious or intoxicated, as one of the magazine’s Women of the Year for 2016. Congratulations. [Glamour]
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Family Law, Health Care / Medicine, Kids
I Want To Put A Baby In You: Say Yes To The … Use Of A Deceased Son’s Sperm
In a landmark decision last month, an Israeli court ruled in favor of a couple who wanted to use sperm from their deceased son to conceive a child that they would raise. -
Pregnancy / Paternity, State Judges, Women's Issues
Law Clerk Alleges She Was Fired By Judge While On Maternity Leave
If judges allegedly can't follow the law when it comes to maternity leave, how can we expect other employers to do any better? -
Biglaw, Pregnancy / Paternity
Wow! Biglaw Firm Offers Parents MORE Pay For Doing LESS Work
Which firm is offering this outstanding benefit? - 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… -
Biglaw, Women's Issues
Biglaw Firm Offers Revolutionary Program For Working Mothers
This program is the the first of its kind among all Biglaw firms. Wow! -
Litigators, Pregnancy / Paternity, Trials
Should Judges Delay Trials For Pregnant Lawyers?
Women should not be forced to view their pregnancies as career stumbling blocks or reasons to leave the legal profession. -
Biglaw, Rankings
The Top 10 Most Family-Friendly Law Firms (2016)
Did your firm make the cut for this year's prestigious list? -
Biglaw, Pregnancy / Paternity, Women's Issues
The Pink Ghetto: How Maternity Leave And Promotional Bias Affect Biglaw's Gender Wage Gap
Will getting pregnant while working at a Biglaw firm stop you from having a successful career? -
Biglaw, Pregnancy / Paternity
Will Associates Take Advantage Of These Innovative Parental Leave Policies?
Believe it or not, your law firms want you to take advantage of the parental leave they're offering -- without consequences.
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
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Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
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Biglaw, Perks / Fringe Benefits, Pregnancy / Paternity
Biglaw Firm Makes Big Waves With Gender-Neutral Parental Leave Policy
Wow! The babies of Biglaw attorneys extend their thanks. -
Family Law, Health Care / Medicine
I Want To Put A Baby In You: Flawed Sperm
What happens when a sperm donor lies about his background? What's your legal recourse? -
Biglaw, Gender, Pregnancy / Paternity, Small Law Firms
The Pink Ghetto: Paternity Leave Horror Stories From Dads Working In Law Firms
Male lawyers face rampant discrimination when it comes to law firm paternity leave policies. -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.31.16
* William Shatner has found himself at the center of a $170 million paternity lawsuit that was filed by a radio DJ who claims the actor had a fling with his biological mother. If we’d been able to reach him for comment, we imagine Shatner would’ve said something like this for himself: “Oh my… God I am… not… the father.” [People Magazine]
* Judge Rosemary Collyer of the D.C. District Court may not have the name recognition some of her colleagues do, but she’s had a hand in some of the most newsworthy cases we’ve seen in recent years. The “systemically important” judge just added another notch to her high-profile belt by stripping MetLife of its “too big to fail” label. [WSJ Law Blog]
* “When your basic human needs are at stake, you should have a lawyer to protect those needs. The consequences are too great.” Eighteen states are considering bills that would ensure legal representation for low-income people in certain civil cases, such as matters involving eviction, foreclosure, child custody, and involuntary commitment. [ABC News]
* Earlier this week, Debevoise & Plimpton launched the Debevoise Women’s Review, a site that will aim to focus on the achievements of women lawyers and business professionals. The site will concentrate on “the development, retention and promotion of female professionals.” Way to go, Debevoise! [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]
* More and more law schools are completely overhauling their coursework in an effort to put more butts in seats, and make sure those butts are prepared for law practice after graduation. Some schools have even significantly reduced tuition costs. For example, students can now attend Elon Law for the low, low flat rate of $100K. [U.S. News]
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Biglaw, Pregnancy / Paternity
Taking Paternity Leave Can Be 'Damaging' To Your Career
If paternity leave is on the table, should you take it? Maybe not, according to this associate. -
Kids, Pregnancy / Paternity
Lawyer Serves Eviction Notice Upon Overdue Baby
Way to stick it to that womb squatter. -
Kids, Pregnancy / Paternity
Lawyer Requests Continuance So He Won't Be 'Killed By Wife,' Miss Child's Birth
This story has a very happy ending.