NLJ 500

* Michael Cohen’s lawyers are doubling down on their effort to get a gag order against Michael Avenatti. Meanwhile, Cohen gave an interview to Good Morning America, an irony not lost on Avenatti. [Courthouse News Service]

* After the Supreme Court gutted public sector unions, the cheerleaders of Alito’s judicial activism may end up getting more than they bargained for. Some believe that, stripped of funds to negotiate a contract at the table, unions may increasingly jump right to the picket line. [National Law Journal]

* The sad tale of Stan Lee’s finances apparently has folks lawyering up. [USA Today]

* Jones Day’s gender discrimination suit puts a new spotlight on its notorious black box compensation model. Will the firm come clean about how it pays people, or will it be dragged into discovery? [American Lawyer]

* The top appellate attorney for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an entity devoted to whittling down the rights of consumers to pursue meaningful legal action against businesses, has left the group to join a plaintiffs’ side firm. Ahahahahahahahaha. [National Law Journal]

* Michigan State is fighting hard to keep the advice of its in-house attorneys privileged. The state has some concern that potential criminal activity could’ve been shielded by having a lawyer in the room, which given the scope of the cover-up revealed so far is not entirely unreasonable. [Corporate Counsel]

* We’ve given the NLJ 500 a lot of flack over the years, but the ranking does give us insight into which markets are in growth mode. This year, that’s Portland, Oregon. Tell that to Perkins Coie. [Law.com]

* Phone sex operators are suing over labor law violations. Because, fittingly, you’re not supposed to be able to f**k phone sex operators. [Law.com]

* The National Law Journal continues to milk its ability to count because that’s value add journalism! Today they count lawyers by city. [National Law Journal]

* A list of high profile pro bono matters that Biglaw firms have taken on. Does your firm make the list? [American Lawyer]

* Newly revealed FIFA report finds “appearance of improprieties.” Yes, awarding an athletic tournament to a country with 120 degree weather and a slave labor bid does appear improper. Glad we got to the bottom of that. [Corporate Counsel]

* Lawyers explain their travel hacks. [ABA Journal]

* Divorce lawyer is also a matador. This isn’t some kind of metaphor — he fights bulls. [Chicago Tribune]

* Nikki Haley becomes the latest official to run into Hatch Act trouble. [NPR]

* Justice Breyer is the most talkative justice on the Supreme Court. I wonder who’s the least talkative… [Law360]