Above the Law

Policy Expert Believes CMS Is Taking ‘Adversial Posture’ To Medicare Advantage

A consultant who has analyzed healthcare policy over many decades declares that MA is in the middle of a fundamental reset both in terms of market headwinds and federal scrutiny.

Morning Docket: 04.22.26

* DOJ announces that it has secured an indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center, alleging the organization supported hate groups by using funds to pay people to infiltrate those hate groups — which, ironically, is something the DOJ historically does. [AP News] 

* Fifth Circuit rules that states can force public schools to hang the Ten Commandments. When asked about the ample historical record that Americans at the time the First Amendment was ratified would have rejected this result, the originalists on the court declared that “original” is not a matter of “fact” but a judge’s individual legal assessment. [Reuters]

* Do the leaked Supreme Court memos really show Roberts at his worst? Because Shelby County exists. [Slate]

* Have advances in AI threatened the legacy legal research companies? [Legaltech News]

* Another law school ranking is right around the corner. [Law.com]

* Roblox settles with the West Virginia AG’s office for $11.5 million. The state wants more child safety protections in the video game. Last year West Virginia loosened its child labor laws. Yearning for the real mines is good, building them on the computer is bad. [Law360]

* Judge who handcuffed child in Texas has charges dropped provided she never attempts to judge again. [ABA Journal]

You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For — See Also

Multibillion-Dollar Firm Caught Up On AI Hallucinations: Sullivan & Cromwell needs to up their editing process.

Who Exactly Wrote Kash’s Complaint?: The $250M lawsuit looks like it has AI ink all over it.

Racing To Employment: Law school shifts academic program to the fall to account for Biglaw hiring schedules.

No Longer Optional: Mississippi School of Law now requires that students learn to use AI.

The T10 Of Design: These schools have some of the best law school buildings!

Why Your Story, Engagement, And Empathy Matter More Than Ever

Explore how lawyers can position themselves as trusted advocates before a client ever picks up the phone, in this episode of the "Be That Lawyer" podcast.

A Public Service Announcement: Legal Tech Companies, Here Are Your Celebrity Endorsers

A handy list of celebrities whose monikers make them natural-born legal tech spokespeople.

Marketing Roundup: Wading Into Politically Charged Waters, Culture Differentiation, And The Push And Pull Of AI

Get a roundup of the latest from the Legal Marketing Association.

Ranking The Best Law School Buildings In America (2026)

Did your school make the list?

Did Kash Patel’s Lawyers Have ChatGPT File A $250 Million Lawsuit?

It's not just a defamation suit; it's a bundle of AI cliches.

AI And Billing: Flipping The Switch On The Bane Of Lawyers’ Existence

Used correctly, Elite’s Validate tool could reduce risk and make for a smoother billing process.

When Biglaw Ruins Everything, Law Schools Have To Adapt

BYU Law's Academies Program pivot is the right move. It's also a pretty grim sign of where legal hiring has ended up.

The $150 Train Ride That Explains Everything Wrong With The World Cup Economy

There is still time to correct course on this absurdity.

Heartflow Sues Cardiac AI Rival Cleerly Over Alleged IP Theft

HeartFlow, which makes AI tools to analyze cardiac images, sued its rival Cleerly, alleging infringement on six patents. Cleerly is pushing back.

Morning Docket: 04.21.26

* Research suggests that most clients still expect a lawyer to dress up. [Legal Cheek]

* Legal Eagle describes the present political landscape as “multiple Watergates per week,” which seems a little unfair to Nixon, frankly. [WIRED]

* Emory students want the school to do more about violent threats they’re getting. [WSBTV]

* Appellate courts put more weight on decisions of fellow circuits than you might suspect. [National Law Journal]

* Trump’s Labor Secretary steps down amidst wild scandal. [Law360]

* Tariff refund system launches. [Reuters]

* State fears jury list includes dead people, but have they made sure the jurors weren’t just coming to grips with a 4-week contract breach trial. [ABA Journal]

* Is vibe coding a key skill for lawyers? [Bloomberg Law News]

Patel Wants Kash From The Atlantic — See Also

Kash Sues Atlantic For $250M: I’d say that’s a long shot, but he’s more prone to chugging beers.

The Numbers Seem Off: Does working 69 hours in a day seem weird to you too?

Training Matters: These are the best schools for practical training!

10 Years Of 4/20?: We observe 10 years of California’s Prop 64.

Damning Shadow Docket Usage Gets Redirected To Blame The Leaker: This is like the Dobbs leak all over again!

It’s Really Challenging To Crack The Equity Tier Of Partnership At This Biglaw Firm

Under 8% of partners at the firm are of the equity variety.