Above the Law

Thomson Reuters ‘Future Of Professionals’ Report Warns Of Widening Gap Between AI Adoption And AI Value

The report’s overarching finding is that AI adoption is no longer the obstacle.

How To Make Equity Partner Without Waiting For Permission

If you want a seat at the table, stop hoping the firm notices and start building the business, relationships, and internal support required to earn it.

Is It Likely That The WISeR Model Will Be Repealed?

Congressional Democrats are seeking to repeal the controversial WISeR model, but experts are unsure if their efforts will succeed.

Morning Docket: 06.23.26

* HR consultant wins case with AI lawyer. [The Guardian]

* Judges fighting cameras in courtrooms cite deepfakes… the last refuge of the scoundrel.[ABA Journal]

* California considers non-lawyers to tackle legal aid work. [Reuters]

* States sue California over plastic recycling law, claiming “blatant and unprecedented attempt to impose its own policy preferences on the entire nation,” as though these aren’t governments currently threatening surgeons for medical care performed in other states. [Law360]

* Everyone seems to have it in for the UNM dean. [Law.com]

* The lawless Biglaw hiring cycle can be cured by state supreme courts. [Bloomberg Law News]

The Other Side Of The Partner Pay Gap — See Also

Mid-Year Check Ins Are Coming: Time for some partners to double down or expect a pay cut.

Mistaken AI Stenographer Almost Got A Suspect An Attorney: He came close to invoking the right to an attorney, yet landed so far.

Attorney Turns In License After AI Errors: Kind of impressive how little he seemed to care about it all.

Quinn Emmanuel Puts Their Money Where Their Pro-Bono Is: Up to 200 hours of pro bono work will count toward associates’ bonus hour totals!

Attorney Turns In License After Lazy AI Lawyering

Taking AI shortcuts? Take the long way home.

Legal Ethics Roundup: When Lawyers Protest, SCOTX Says Self-Rep Lawyer Can Contact Opposing Party, And More!

Your tour of all things related to lawyer and judicial ethics, with University of Houston law professor Renee Knake Jefferson.

If Your AI Agent Sends An Email To A Regulator Tomorrow, Who Is Responsible?

The question sounds hypothetical ... until it isn’t.

AI Error Nearly Gave Defendant His Constitutional Right To Counsel — Don’t Worry, A Human Judge Fixed That!

It's incredibly difficult to correctly invoke your right to an attorney. AI, apparently, doesn't understand that.

Biglaw’s Partner Pay Revolution Has A Losers’ Bracket

Someone's paying for those $30M+ paydays.

The Obvious Midsummer Twist In The Negotiations With Iran

Trump lies as easily as he breathes.

KFF: Insurer Participation In ACA Marketplaces Is Down

KFF’s analysis found that the average number of issuers offering plans on the Marketplaces declined to 9 issuers per state in 2026, compared to 9.6 issuers per state in 2025.

Morning Docket: 06.22.26

* Lateral moves aren’t just about money anymore. [Law.com]

* Cameras in federal courtrooms bill advances, before courts inevitably take position that Congress can’t impose rules on them. [Reuters]

* Trump administration’s argument in defense of Elon’s data center claims the executive branch is the only authority on whether a statute has been violated. [One First]

* JD Advantage? Millionaire MAGA lawyer claims victory in Colombian presidential election. [ABC News]

* New York keeps mandatory retirement age for judges. [Law360]

* Conservative judges hustling hard with performative opinions and provocative public remarks in quest for Trump’s favor and future Supreme Court nomination. [Bloomberg Law News]

* BARBRI acquires Lega. [Legal Cheek]

The DOJ’s Slush Fund Fallout — See Generally

Ain’t No Government Service Like Self-Service: The Senate-confirmed DOJ official tasked with selling the slush fund to Congress, quietly tried to recuse himself from that work so he could file his own personal claim against the fund.

Bar Tab Comes Due:  Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who signed off on the slush fund that would have paid out his own former clients, now faces a D.C. bar complaint.

All The News That’s Glaringly Obvious: The New York Times editorial board laid out four reasons Todd Blanche shouldn’t be confirmed as Attorney General.

Tarp Of The Morning: A D.C. Circuit panel denied the stay, the scaffolding went back up, and Trump’s name came off the Kennedy Center under cover of 1:30 a.m. tarps unfurled in front of a cheering crowd.

Not It: The Supreme Court declined to review the due process questions surrounding 98-year-old Judge Pauline Newman, suspended by her own colleagues without the impeachment process the Constitution requires.

Stacking The Deck: A new study of 146 federal judges finds that clerkship “stacking” has turned a one-year launchpad into a multi-year credential arms race that the judges fueling it freely admit is broken.

Gone Phishin’: Lewis Brisbois ordered its remote staff back to the office after a cyberattack.

He Said, She Said: Running the same Biglaw resume through Gemini under a man’s name and a woman’s name turned identical experience into “extensive” for Thomas and a downgrade for Vivian, who also somehow saw her $700 million deal shrink to $700.

Happy Juneteenth! — See Also

Is Your Firm Observing The Holiday?: Be sure to let us know!

Trump Nominates His Own Lawyer To Be A Top Federal Prosecutor: The Sullivan & Cromwell partner’s cozying up with Trump is paying off.

SCOTUS Term Limit Discourse Goes Mainstream?: Progressives favor limiting terms a lot more now than they did a decade ago. Wonder why?

Clerkship Stacking Has Become The New Meta: Why? One component rhymes with Slerkship Sonuses.

Listen To This Hearing Advice: Preparation is the key to getting the ruling you want.

Reputation Matters: There are ways to get ahead of bad reviews from disgruntled clients.

Arbitration Isn’t Always The Cheaper Option: Small businesses may actually prefer to litigate.