Category: Legal Law

As ILTA noted in its 2024 technology survey, 67% percent of firms are already leveraging the benefits of cloud-based solutions, with another 13% planning to transition in the next 12 months. To help firms understand the latest in cloud-based legal tech, our friends at Litera recently invited our audience to attend a CLE-eligible webinar titled […]

The post [QUIZ] Are You In Control Of Your Firm’s Cash Flow?  appeared first on Above the Law.

Ed. note: Please welcome Vivia Chen back to the pages of Above the Law. Subscribe to her Substack, “The Ex-Careerist,” here. NOT FOR ONE MINUTE DID I BELIEVE Don Liu when he told me last year that he was going to hang it up and smell the flowers. I mean, this guy can’t stay still. And bingo, I […]

Thomson Reuters just unveiled the next step in the evolution of CoCounsel, and the future is agentic! At least that’s the pitch. Of course it sort of has to be the pitch given the agent conversation dominates the industry zeitgeist and no one can risk being left behind. But while McConaughey cuts commercials about turning […]

Getty Images How many times have we sat at a conference, staring at our phones, thinking to ourselves, “This feels like law school all over again!” The monotony of continuous lectures can be mind-numbing. But what if you could create a CLE that not only educates but also engages and leaves a lasting impact? In […]

(Photo by Apu Gomes/Getty Images) The destructive force that is DOGE still somehow manages to exist, despite it not being (depending on which claim is made and when) an official federal agency and/or overseen by anyone specifically identifiable as the head of DOGE. Until recently, everyone — including Donald Trump — knew (and said as much […]

There’s a misnomer in the legal world that building your “all-mighty” book of business requires a massive, time-consuming effort. Sure, throwing hundreds of hours at it every year works for some lawyers. But let’s be honest — most attorneys simply don’t have that kind of time or bandwidth. And chasing a giant origination number isn’t […]

Allow yourself to indulge in a passage from Timothy Snyder’s 2017 book “On Tyranny“: What is patriotism? Let us begin with what patriotism is not. It is not patriotic to dodge the draft and to mock war heroes and their families. It is not patriotic to discriminate against active-duty members of the armed forces in […]

Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. Jesus, he tore these people a new asshole. Good grief. — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, in comments caught on a hot mic, following Judge André Espinosa’s more than five-minute reprimand of Trump administration prosecutors from the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office over Alina Habba’s […]

Judge John Bates, appointed by George W. Bush, is overseeing the litigation filed by Jenner & Block against the Trump administration challenging the Executive Order targeting the firm. Bates quickly issued a temporary restraining order, barring the enforcement of the most pernicious provisions of the EO. And Jenner followed up with a motion for summary […]

Omarosa Manigault Newman has been known as many things over the span of her career: writer, political aide, and a stand-out contestant on the show The Apprentice are just a few. And while it is probably hard for most of our readers to relate to her experiences as a TV star or butt of a […]

(Photo by DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images) Am I the only one losing their sense of humor? It’s the only thing that keeps me going in tough times. Right now, times are tough in so many ways, not just in our profession. Now I am looking for anything that creates a smile, a chuckle, let […]

Well, well, well. If it isn’t the consequences of Paul Weiss’s own actions. Earlier today, American Lawyer reported that Karen Dunn, Bill Isaacson, Jessica Phillips, and Jeannie Rhee are leaving Paul Weiss in the wake of its surrender to the Trump administration. They apparently dropped this news on the firm at today’s partnership meeting. Stone. […]

Above the Law recently asked readers what they thought about Biglaw’s response to the existential crisis facing the profession. Donald Trump has gone to war with the rule of law and Biglaw through a series of unconstitutional Executive Orders (or the mere threat of them) designed to break major law firms and have them bend a […]

Ed. note: This is the latest installment in a series of posts on motherhood in the legal profession, in partnership with our friends at MothersEsquire. Welcome Sonya L. Sigler back to our pages. Click here if you’d like to donate to MothersEsquire. I used to think self-care was going to get a pedicure. Or taking a […]

Most litigators need to travel for court conferences, depositions, site inspections, and other events during the life of a lawsuit. Depending on the type of appearance, a lawyer might spend more time traveling to attend an event than at the appearance itself. While many lawyers bill for travel time in some fashion, I have encountered vastly different […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to data collected for Am Law’s 2025 mental health survey, what percentage of respondents felt like their co-workers cared about their mental health? Hint: The number may be higher than you think! The data collected suggests an upward trend in mental health […]

James Comey (Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images) This article began its life as “James Comey Enjoys Long Walks On The Beach, Cringey Donald Trump Trolling” because the former FBI Director posted an Instagram from his beach vacation having arranged shells into “86 47” like a total dork. Page the hashtag resistance… Comey wants to 86 […]

There are only two responses to a truly phenomenal dad joke: frustration and a knee-slapping gigglefest. Don’t believe me? Listen to this Dad Joke compilation with your office door open and see what happens. That said, there is a time and a place for humor — the courtroom is not one of them. A lawyer […]

Last year, I wrote an article about how it often makes sense to hire local counsel rather than to travel for clients in some circumstances. Travel time can add costs for clients, and if a lawyer is not admitted in a given jurisdiction, it might be better to have local counsel handle a case rather than […]

* Republicans concede state supreme court case they lost six months ago. [News & Observer] * Chief Justice Roberts explains that he doesn’t think it’s bad to overturn precedent, which might be the most “activist judge” thing a chief justice has ever said. [CNN] * “Is the president not telling the truth?” asks Judge Boasberg […]

Perkins Coie Gets A Permanent Injunction Against Trump’s Executive Order: Judge Beryl Howell goes all Shakespearean in slapping back Trump’s Executive Order. Microsoft Gets New Outside Counsel: Swapping Simpson Thacher (a firm that capitulated to Trump) for Jenner & Block (a firm that’s fighting Trump) says quite a bit. Attention Law Students Trying To Pick […]

(Image via CLOC) Next week, I will be covering the CLOC Global Institute at the Aria Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas. The conference will span four days (May 5-8) and is the premier event designed by and for legal operations professionals and in-house legal departments. Legal operations (ops) professionals, for those unfamiliar, manage the […]

From the moment that Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO 14230) targeting Perkins Coie — one of the first Biglaw firms to be on the receiving end of this type of retaliation but far from the last — legal commentators were pointing out all the ways the EO failed to square with the Constitution. […]

* Judge wonders if Google can remain default search engine. Ask Jeeves bides its time. [Law360] * Pants down lawyer botches MyPillow case. [Law Sites] * Will capitulating law firms push back against latest alteration to Trump deal? They didn’t have a spine before, why grow one now? [National Law Journal] * Paul Clement joins […]

Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Trivia Question of the Day! According to the 2025-26 U.S. News Rankings, which law school got top marks for its constitutional law program? Hint: More than 200 graduates of this law school currently serve as judges on federal, state, and administrative courts, and more than 300 graduates have […]

(Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. [T]he imposition of numerous conflicts of interest between the terms of the agreement and your current and future potential clients raise significant ethical concerns and possible violations of applicable rules of professional responsibility. Given these concerns, your firm has […]

Lawyers are taught that they should exploit every advantage possible to serve a client’s interests. Indeed, some might argue that a lawyer’s duty of diligence requires that an attorney take every step that will advance a client’s position even if this might unfairly impact other stakeholders to a dispute. However, lawyers may feel they cannot exploit certain […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to the 2025-26 U.S. News Rankings, which law school got top marks for its legal writing program? Hint: This state-funded law school was founded in 1884. See the answer on the next page. The post The Law School With Top Writing Chops […]

We’d like to express gratitude to our fantastic sponsors here at Above the Law: AffiniPay Aon Axiom Brightflag CobbleStone Software CosmoLex doeLEGAL Filevine iManage Kinney Recruiting Lateral Link LawPay LegalOn Technologies LexisNexis LINK Linksquares Litera Losey PLLC Mitratech MyCase NetDocuments Opus2 PracticePanther Readback Relativity Rocket Matter SpotDraft Steno Thomson Reuters TimeSolv Wolters Kluwer If you’re […]

(Image via Getty) Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which two Supreme Court justices have appeared on U.S. currency? Hint: Neither bill is currently in circulation, but justices have appeared on the $500 and $10,000 bill. See the answer on the next page. The post These Supreme Court Justices […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to the data collected as part of the Am Law 100 ranking, how many Biglaw firms have gross revenue over $2 billion? Hint: The leader is (again) Kirkland & Ellis, with over $8.8 billion in gross revenue. See the answer on the […]

Norton Rose Fulbright attorneys are being warned by firm leaders to mind their Ps and Qs when talking about Donald Trump. Due to “sensitivities surrounding this subject,” whenever an attorney is writing anything related to Trump they have to get it cleared by the firm’s editorial team, according to an internal memo addressed to the […]

Ed. Note: A weekly roundup of just a few items from Howard Bashman’s How Appealing blog, the Web’s first blog devoted to appellate litigation. Check out these stories and more at How Appealing. “The New Transparency Rules and the El Salvador Detention Agreement; A 2022 statute could force disclosure of any U.S.-El Salvador agreements connected […]

Every so often, someone pings the tipster line and asks some variant of, “Why aren’t you more bipartisan?” Many times this is couched in a stream of expletives. Often it’s technically addressed to a guy that hasn’t worked here since before the pandemic. I don’t know if these people just don’t know that Elie Mystal […]

One of the issues that many small firm lawyers face is they often need to appear at multiple court appearances at the same time. Although larger firms might have the resources to send multiple attorneys to court appearances so lawyers do not need to be in the same place at the same time, small firm lawyers […]

The Trump administration keeps losing challenges to his effort to rewrite the birthright citizenship provision of the Fourteenth Amendment. Earlier today, the Supreme Court agreed to take up the administration’s bid to limit the injunctions in these cases solely to the parties involved. In so doing, the Supreme Court scheduled oral argument for May 15. […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to the data collected by ALM, what is the total gross revenue for the Am Law 100 firms? Hint: Revenue was up 13.3% year over year. See the answer on the next page. The post Biglaw Is Big Business appeared first on […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which Biglaw firm, according to the new Am Law 100 ranking, saw the biggest increase in the gross revenue — a 31.6% increase? Hint: Just goes to show money can’t buy a backbone. See the answer on the next page. The post Biglaw […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which Biglaw firm gets top marks on the 2025 Vault ranking for its transparency? Hint: The firm does consistently well on all of the Vault’s quality of life rankings. See the answer on the next page.

Working For Simps No Longer: Attorney ends stay at capitulating firm with a fiery send off. Partner Sends A Norm Check To The Firm: In short, none of this is normal and people need to stop acting like it. Laura Loomer Complains That Bill Maher Hired “Anti-Trump” firm: She does realize that means most firms, […]

First The Good News: Susman Godfrey files lawsuit challenging the Trumpian Executive Order targeting the firm. Now The Bad: Trump is playing Darth Vader, upping the stakes of his deals with Biglaw. Folks Are Peace-ing Out At Willkie: The firm’s longest serving attorney and an associate quit over the firm’s capitulation to Donald Trump. U.S. […]

Getty Images Ed note: This is the last in a series. Read the previous installment here. As we draw the curtains on our networking trilogy — from drafting the pre-conference game plan to navigating the social labyrinth during the event, and finally to mastering the post-conference follow-up — it’s clear that networking, much like an intricate […]

Pretty much from the moment Susman Godfrey was targeted by Donald Trump with an Executive Order designed to extract a financial penalty for not swearing fealty to Trump, the firm vowed to fight — for both themselves and for the rule of law. And fight they have. Yesterday the firm became the fourth in Biglaw […]

The Associates Have Spoken & The Pressure Is On: An overwhelming majority of the associates want the firm to stand their ground. Too Little, Too Late: A&O Shearman folded, along with several other cowards. Our Time’s “All Deliberate Speed” Ruling Was Met With Two Middle Fingers: The government is refusing to “operate on judicial timelines” […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which Biglaw firm is the only one to have a former US Attorney General and a former UK Attorney General as partners at the same time? Hint: The firm has over 800 attorneys worldwide at the firm. See the answer on the next […]

Resistance In The Ranks: Former Paul Weiss special counsel in charge or pro bono would rather quit than follow through. Run, Don’t Walk: Attorneys want nothing to do with the Solicitor General’s office. Gather Round Nerds — Time To Talk About Star Wars!: A galaxy far, far away has a lot to tell us about […]

We’d like to express gratitude to our fantastic sponsors here at Above the Law: AffiniPay Aon Brightflag CobbleStone Software CosmoLex doeLEGAL Filevine iManage Kinney Recruiting Lateral Link LawPay LegalOn Technologies LexisNexis LINK Linksquares Litera Losey PLLC Mitratech MyCase NetDocuments Opus2 PracticePanther Readback Relativity Rocket Matter SpotDraft Thomson Reuters TimeSolv Wolters Kluwer If you’re interested in […]

Biglaw Firm Loses One Of Their Most Experienced Lawyers: The first of many to come? Susman Godfrey Targeted By Latest Executive Order: That isn’t even the worst news. Jenner And WilmerHale Keep The Fight Going: They want the whole executive order to be enjoined. Jay-Z Isn’t Letting Up Off Tony Buzbee: Defamation or SLAPP? The […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which actress negotiated as part of her contract keeping the wardrobe of the fictional lawyer she was portraying? Hint: Said wardrobe reportedly included 77 pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes. See the answer on the next page.

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! After a disappointing 2023, which Biglaw firm saw a 19.7% increase in revenue to $1.62 billion and a profits per equity partner bump of 32% to $5.34 million last year.? Hint: This NYC-based firm was founded in 1931. See the answer on the […]

Shadow Docket Opinion On Due Process Too Little, Too Late: Based on her dissent, Sotomayor has had enough of it. The Don Sets Sights On Cadwalader: Will they stand tall or fold over? US News Royally Messed Up Their Rankings Release: Come for the live ranking discrepancies, stay for the damage control and the seventeen […]

The 2025 U.S. News & World Report law school rankings have finally arrived — complete with their fair share of drama and absurdity. Stay tuned for some extra shenanigans, because U.S. News has TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RANKINGS listed in TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLACES. Here’s the official list — maybe, but who knows? — of the top law […]

Biglaw Associate Quits With Dramatic Flair: Strong commitment to morals underneath all of the cog metaphors. Did You Hear About The Paul Weiss Partner Event?: It might not have been about the Order, but the whole thing was a PR nightmare — you’ll love it! Doug Emhoff Isn’t Happy With Willkie Farr: He would have […]

In this episode of The Jabot, I chat with David Enrich, business investigations editor at The New York Times and author of “Murder The Truth.” They explore the powerful influence of big law firms and the current landscape of defamation law that threatens journalistic freedom. With insights on media regulations and Sullivan’s landmark case, this episode […]

Profiles In Cowardice: Above the Law unveils its Biglaw Spine Index following firm responses to threats to the rule of law. Show Me The Money: Attorneys wonder about firm finances as raises and bonuses get delayed. Bro, Do You Even Have A Law Degree?: JD Vance flexed his J.D. from Yale. Yale Law probably wishes […]

On Tuesday, in the most expensive judicial race on record, Susan Crawford defeated the Trump-endorsed candidate, Brad Schimel, for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, preserving the court’s liberal majority — despite (because of?) the personal campaigning and massive influx of money by Elon Musk. That got us wondering how common it is for […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to Vault’s 2025 Best Law Firms ranking, which Biglaw firm scored best for formal associate training? Hint: This West Coast firm is know for prioritizing both training and associate wellness. See the answer on the next page.

It Is Hard To Keep Up With Each New Biglaw Capitulator On Your Own: Did your firm show Trump its belly? Find out using this tracker! Kirkland Is Waving The White Flag: They probably could have stayed under the radar if they didn’t bring attention to themselves. Members of UVA Law’s Faculty Are Speaking Up: […]

This week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) underwent a massive restructuring under its secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., resulting in the sudden departure of thousands of employees across the nation. While Kennedy frames these changes as a cost-cutting and efficiency measure, public health experts warn that the cuts are eradicating critical programs, […]

Hundreds Of Law Professors File Amicus Brief: See if your school is represented! Didn’t Expect To See That Name So Soon: The prosecution wants a second bite at Jeffrey Williams. A Decision Meant To Last: Cheers to 18 years of sobriety! Are You Caught Up On The Fealty List?: Start with Milbank and go in […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to Vault’s 2025 Best Law Firms ranking, which Biglaw firm score best for associate/partner relations? Hint: The international firm has been around 185 years — and counting. See the answer on the next page.

Milbank Is The Latest Biglaw Firm To Kneel To Trump: More pro bono payola. DLA Piper Has A Reason For Cracking Down On Diversity: It isn’t a good one, but it is there. Law School Applications Bump In Response To Trump’s 2nd Term: Shame there might not be the rule of law when they graduate. […]

(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. I’m not casting aspersions, but most U.S. attorneys have served as assistant U.S. attorneys and held senior roles within those offices—that’s valuable experience. — Professor Carl W. Tobias of the University of Richmond School of Law, in comments given […]

Biglaw Firm Delays Bonuses And Raises: What’s the matter with Lewis Brisbois? Willkie Might Be Next On The Chopping Block: No way Willkie will cave! About That Maybe: Another $100M in pro bono payola for the “Art Of The Deal” president. Damn it. A Goodbye Worth Sipp-ing To: Another Former Skadden associate speaks truth to […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue) How much money has Elon Musk reportedly spent on the Wisconsin state supreme court election — which makes it the most expensive state court race in history? Hint: That’s in addition to $8 million […]

Nobody Wants To Work At A Firm With No Bite: Student group tells Skadden to not even bother with recruitment efforts. The Big Punches Aren’t Coming From Biglaw: Boutique firms are doing the most damage against the administration. Justice Sotomayor Must Have Seen The News: Her belief that legal norms would be respected isn’t as […]

Access to justice is a persistent challenge in the legal industry. While many focus on legal representation, it’s easy to overlook how foundational processes like service of process contribute to the problem. In Season 10, Episode 5 of “Notes to My (Legal) Self,” I sat down with Eric Voogt, trial lawyer and CEO of Proof […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to a U.S. Marshals Service annual report for 2024, “credible threats” to federal judges are up how much since 2019? Hint: As Miami-Dade Chief Circuit Court Judge Nushin G. Sayfie said, “Threats against judges are not just threats against the individual judge, […]

Fallout From Skadden’s Capitulation: A principled “I QUIT” from an associate. Suddenly Skadden Associates Can’t Send Out Mass Emails: Not suspicious at all… Jenner & Block and WilmerHale Get Court Victories Against Trump: From a pair of GOP-appointed federal judges. Speaking Of Conservative Judges And Principled Stands: Maybe stop calling for impeachment when judges are […]

Earlier today Above the Law reported that Skadden shut off the ability for its attorneys to send emails via large internal distribution lists. And before that it was widely reported that the firm groveled to the Trump administration, striking a deal that includes $100 million in pro bono payola. Speculation is running rampant at the […]

Look At That, Lawyers Willing To Mount A Legal Defense!: There’s still some fight in the industry! They Aren’t The Only Ones!: WilmerHale and Paul Clement prepare to do battle. Skadden Makes Paul Weiss Look Like They Got Off Easy: $100M pro bono payola. Calling Pam Bondi, Do Your Job!: Thousands urge her to prove […]

For the second and third times, federal judges issued Temporary Restraining Orders against the Trump administration stopping them from enforcing key provisions of Executive Orders targeting Biglaw firms. This morning Jenner & Block and WilmerHale filed separate lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s retaliatory executive orders against them. Judge Beryl Howell, the judge overseeing the similar […]

In a large law firm like Skadden, people leave every day (and especially on a Friday) for reasons unrelated to the political mess the firm currently finds itself in. Earlier today, that happened, and, as per tradition, the departing associate sent a farewell email to their soon-to-be former colleagues. Which shouldn’t be controversial, but it […]

[Late night developments… Skadden caves to Trump threat and the White House targets WilmerHale] Trump Administration Insults Fail To Sway Judge: No falling in line! Law School Deans Denounce The Trump Administration: Three cheers for the rule of law! Fraud Comes With Costs: Disbarred lawyer gets 25 years stemming from weed fraud. Turns Out Groveling […]

Legal technology platform Law Insider announced today the launch of its AI-powered contract drafting, review and redlining tools for its global community of 1.2 million registered legal users. The new AI suite will be integrated directly into Microsoft Word and Law Insider’s web-based platform, making it accessible across multiple workspaces for attorneys and legal professionals. […]

Just Send In Your Resume: This elite Biglaw firm is done with OCI. Is yours? The List Grows In Number!: Over 50 bar associations stand between Trump and the rule of law. About Those Checks And Balances: Republicans want to get rid of federal courts because they’re stopping the Trump Train. Associates Hit Back At […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Who was the most recent President of the United States to have argued before the Supreme Court? Hint: The relevant case was a First Amendment case, and the Court held that absent a finding of malicious intent on the part of a publisher, false […]

Announcing Battle By Tweet: Biglaw firm in the hot seat for challenging conspiracy laden Dinesh D’Souza film. Jenner & Block Joins The Trump Hit List: Let’s see how they respond! Due Process So Bad That Godwin’s Law Showed Up: D.C. Circuit judge says that Nazis had better due process than Venezuelan nationals. American Constitutional Society […]

Back in 2019, most folks in Biglaw couldn’t imagine the all out assault that would come for the legal profession in just six years. But in the year of our lord 2025, the rule of law is facing an existential crisis. In the face of a direct attack by the Trump administration, the major law […]

Boutique Law Firm Punches Back Against The Trump Administration: Paul Weiss should be taking notes. The Story On Saving Hide: Here’s some intel on why Paul Weiss bent the knee. Alina Habba Got A Promotion: Great for her; probably bad for New Jersey. Former Clerks Get Preferential Treatment!: $175k signing bonus! Jessica Aber Passed Away […]

In an era defined by rapid technological advancements and shifting professional paradigms, what does it mean to be authentic in the legal field? On Season 10, Episode 10 of “Notes to My (Legal) Self,” I had the pleasure of speaking with Hannah Beko, a commercial property lawyer, law firm co-owner, and coach, about the power […]

We hear so much about the downside of social media and suicide. Still, a recent study confirms that lived experience sharing stories of hope and recovery can contribute to suicide prevention.  “Suicide-preventive effect seems to occur particularly when the story is presented in a personal narrative of an individual with lived experience of suicidal ideation.” […]

One of the things that associate attorneys do not usually need to deal with — and can be a pain in the neck for partners and self-employed lawyers — is securing payment from clients. Generally, law firms can improve their chances of getting timely paid by making it easier for clients to submit payments and ensuring […]

The digital health IPO market hasn’t exactly been active in recent years. There was a surge in 2021, when 21 of the 57 active public digital health companies today made their debut on the public markets, according to Halle Tecco, founder of Rock Health, in a blog post. Since then, only a smidgen of companies […]

Third-Year Skadden Associate Has More Heart Than Most Of Biglaw: Will any other associates stand up for the rule of law? There’s A Lesson To Learn From Judge VanDyke: Come for the gun breakdown, stay for what happens when you reverse Chevron doctrine. It’s Like Winning An Argument From A Baby!: So this is what […]

Getty Images Ed. note: This article first appeared in an ILTA publication. For more, visit our ILTA on ATL channel here. In the summer of 1956, when John McCarthy gathered researchers at Dartmouth College, he did not just coin the term “artificial intelligence” — he sparked a digital revolution that would span generations. While the world is […]

Where In New York, Specifically?: Kash Patel got his JD in New York, but it was a little vague when it came to where. Paul Weiss Beats A Retreat: According to Trump, the firm gave up everything. Now Or Never: Will Paul Weiss be the tipping point for Biglaw getting a backbone? Apparently Not. Sike, […]

(Image via Getty) ChatGPT has been blamed on everything from embarrassing moments to having to argue to a judge why he shouldn’t impose sanctions on you. But it is a lot rarer to hear about ChatGPT being taken to court. One AI hallucination error looks a little too much like accusing an innocent man of […]

No Fury Like The Orange Man Scorned: Six more firms could be hearing from the Trump administration very soon. It’s Like He’s Trying To Ruin The Economy: The Trump administration’s willy-nilly job cuts won’t be doing your wallet any favors. Transparency Matters: The Legal Accountability Project celebrates its birthday! Open Defiance Of Judicial Orders. Now […]

(Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) In March 2024, I authored an article about the so-called rural desert in the legal profession. The rural desert is a reference to rural areas where few or no lawyers live, which effectively deprives the populace of legal services. These deserts are on the upswing. My […]

Gotta Respect The Frankness: Bryan Cave chose to be up-front about removing diversity language. Universal Music Group Disses Drake In Motion To Dismiss: Rough times for the Canadian pop star. Where You Are Weak, Appear Strong: Trump administration justifies sending people to a labor camp using “the absence of evidence is evidence!” rhetoric. The Constitution […]

(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. They’re not going to be walking around making four and five, six million bucks a year because he’s going to put those law firms out of business. Let me repeat this. There’s major law firms in Washington, D.C. and […]

Fresh Off Loss, Trump Targets Another Biglaw Firm: Trump sets his sights on Paul Weiss. And Another, And Another, And Another…: The administration just set the EEOC on 20 Biglaw firms. Associates Sign On To Letter Telling Biglaw To Stand Up: Will they answer the call? Harvard Law Students Vote For Divestment: How will the […]

While Paul Weiss joins the ranks of law firms explicitly targeted for retaliation from the Trump administration, most of Biglaw remains comfortable with the old adage that “a quiet life is a happy life”… or more accurately “silence is complicity.” Some firms have taken this silence kick even further and started to “obey in advance,” […]

Personal injury attorney Edward Ortega and I dive into the nuances of legal careers. From unexpected courtroom experiences to the role of technology in modern law practice, Edward shares his journey from family law to the largest personal injury firm in North Carolina. Discover the highs and lows of lawyering and learn why finding your […]

As Congress deliberates what the future of Medicaid funding will look like, healthcare executives are worried. House Republicans proposed Medicaid cuts last month that would have sweeping and disproportionate consequences — particularly for rural hospitals and underserved populations. The plan, which seeks to reduce Medicaid spending by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next […]

(Photo by Bruce Glikas/Getty Images) Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! What legal drama was writer Aaron Sorkin’s first screenplay? Hint: The climax of the movie is a tense courtroom scene where the witness’s answer under cross examination is the American Film Institute’s #29 best movie quote. See the answer […]

Legal tech users in the U.S. and the U.K. report widely different levels of satisfaction with their systems, according to a new survey, raising questions about how companies are meeting lawyers’ needs. According to “The State of Legal Tech Adoption” report by London-based Definely, 51% of U.S. respondents say they’re satisfied with the ROI of […]

Being Right Has Its Consequences: Perkins Coie is winning against Trump in court. But will clients risk Trump’s ire? These Law Schools Have Amazing First-Time Bar Passage Rates: Is your school on the list? Outsourcing Summaries, Supremely: Arizona’s newest Supreme Court AI reporters are uncannily good at their jobs. Trump & Co. Really Don’t Like […]

Ed. Note: A weekly roundup of just a few items from Howard Bashman’s How Appealing blog, the Web’s first blog devoted to appellate litigation. Check out these stories and more at How Appealing. “Judges threatened with impeachment, bombs for ruling against Trump agenda”: Carrie Johnson has this audio segment on yesterday evening’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered.” […]

Hybrid Work Is Here To Stay: Anything but a five-day, in-person work week! It Won’t End With Perkins Coie: Will Williams & Connolly be the next firm caught in the administration’s sights? Keep The Theory Practical!: These are some of the best law schools for training that goes beyond the books. Donna Adelson’s Lawyer Moves […]

After years of delays, Donna Adelson’s trial is finally picking up some speed. She was accused of first-degree murder along with conspiracy and solicitation in the killing of Dan Markel, her daughter’s former husband. As her legal team mounts a defense, they’re trying to mitigate against the evidence that will be used in trial. MSN […]

Winningly “Bigly” Looks A Lot Like Downward Spiraling Investment Portfolios: Gotta love Trumpenomics! This Is What Happens When You Take On Biglaw: Judge grants Perkins Coie’s TRO preventing the enforcement of provisions of Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at the firm About That Public Service Loan Forgiveness…: Make sure what you’re doing isn’t on Trump’s […]

(Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images) Hollywood star Mel Gibson is not allowed to own a gun. In 2011, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery of a former girlfriend and was recorded making death threats against her. So, yeah, he can’t own firearms. But Gibson is also Donald Trump’s special little snowflake, otherwise known as […]

Biglaw Firm Prepares To Do Battle With Trump Administration: They’ve recruited Williams & Connolly for the fight. The Williams & Connolly Response Doubles As A Con Law Outline: They came out swinging! First Misconduct Of Many?: Ed Martin gets hit with a disciplinary complaint. Diddy’s Lawyer Responds To Most Recent Celebrity Add-Ons In Sexual Assault […]

Ed. note: This is the latest in the article series, Cybersecurity: Tips From the Trenches, by our friends at Sensei Enterprises, a boutique provider of IT, cybersecurity, and digital forensics services. One long-standing cybersecurity measure has been the ability to block malicious threats by Internet Protocol (“IP”) addresses. A public IP address is like your home’s street address […]

Biglaw Firm Secretly Nixes Pronouns From Employee E-Mail Signatures: No permission required! Orange Comes For Biglaw: There’s a lot more “Obey In Advance” than backbone. Eric Adams Gets Even More Help: Getting off scot free wasn’t enough apparently! Judges Relax Rules On Clerks Applying For Political Jobs: Send in that resume to Chick-Fil-A! A Comedian, […]

(Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images) Those Diddy party invitations really should have come with “attending this party may do serious damage to your future reputation” disclaimers. They attracted the likes of many celebrities over the years. Some of those who were in attendance are now dealing with the reckoning of being associated with the Bad […]

Many partners at law firms do everything they can to increase the number of hours billed by associates since this has a substantial impact on the financial health of a firm. Unless law firms have explicit incentive systems in place, partners do not have many tools at their disposal that they can use to convince associates […]

Political affiliations can complicate hearing messages about decorum and establishing what the proper consequences to violating norms are. Al Green managed to smuggle a spine in to Trump’s address to Congress, and Republicans promptly got him up out of there. Democrats did nothing when Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert heckled Biden during one of […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to Leopard Solutions’ Feb. 2025 Law Jobs Report, total open jobs increased by how much year over year? Hint: Leopard reports a strong job market with firms actively expanding their workforce or replacing talent at an accelerated clip.  See the answer on […]

Alito Doesn’t Like Being Taken Seriously: No, courts can’t review *those* executive decisions! Georgetown Law Comes Out Swinging: They won’t be bullied by Ed Martin. Trump Wages War Against Law Firms: Will the EEOC come for your firm next? Split Futures: Will The Law look like Barrett or Jackson’s version of The Good? Not Enough […]

Every day under the DOGE regime is more surreal and terrifying than the last. Here’s an excerpt from a lawsuit filed yesterday by Ward Brehm, the President and CEO of the United States African Development Foundation: Defendants have made clear their intentions: ignore statutory requirements, pretend that leadership of the agency does not exist, and […]

Get Rid Of DEI Or We Get Rid Of Your Accrediting: Rough times for the ABA. Justice Jackson Shares Her Thoughts On Diversity: The people in power should look like The People. Was That A Prohibition Or Permission?: The White House’s response to judges being threatened is nutty. Keeping It In The Family: Qualified guy […]

The Trump administration has never seen a fire they were *uninterested* in pouring gasoline on, and this story has a lot of that energy. We all know that the right-wing has repeatedly screamed about federal judges holding the line on the rule of law and even attempted to get them removed from office for the […]

(Image via Getty) Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! What actor, know for roles in 300, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, and How to Train Your Dragon got a law degree at the University of Glasgow? Hint: He started his legal career as a trainee […]

(Photo by Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images) One of the quickest lessons you pick up in law school is that the path to knowing the law doesn’t end at finding a line in the Constitution or a statute and reading it aloud to anyone who would hear it. A major part of thinking […]

Deans, Professors, Judges, Partners…: Basically everyone came out to the rule of law’s defense. With Neighbors Like These, Who Needs Enemies!: The Biglaw partner neighbor squabble got even worse. Bomb Threat Sent In To Biglaw Office: The firm encouraged everyone to work remotely as a precaution. Dumbass-In-Chief Cuts Government PACER Access: Really efficient at making […]

When last we checked in with Goodwin tax partner Alex Apostolopoulos, his disagreement with his neighbors had gotten all slur-y. Back in November, Apostolopoulos responded to an email sent to his entire building and — with his firm email address and completely off topic — ranted (using antiquated, offensive language) about one of his neighbors […]

Biglaw Announces New Office Attendance Policy: Enjoy the commute! Biglaw Firm Looking To Make Sure Gen Z Lawyers Get The Training They Need: Should help flatten out the learning curve for adopting law firm expectations. South Dakota Program Could Replace The Bar: Community service beats studing — bar none! Marco Rubio Clearly Didn’t Want To […]

(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) On the one hand, I feel sorry for today’s 6-year-olds who have to do active shooter drills in their elementary schools. On the other hand, in Mrs. Gallo’s first-grade class outside Trenton, New Jersey, in 1963, we practiced hiding under our desks with our hands over our heads to protect […]

Before law school sucks their dreams away under a mountain of student debt, many students picture themselves getting into the entertainment industry. Famous clients! Exciting legal problems! Hollywood living! Then everyone ends up drafting venue clauses for regional office supply distributors. But SOME lawyers do make it into the entertainment game and those lawyers belong […]

Last week, ATL released its 2024 report on in-house compensation, providing a detailed look at how much corporate counsel make. The report draws on information from more than 1,100 attorneys working at private companies, public corporations, and nonprofit organizations. The results show that compensation rose in the last year, with median annual pay (including base […]

The federal government has been cracking down on healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group over the past year, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. For instance, the Department of Justice began an antitrust probe into the company last February, and then in March, HHS launched an investigation into the catastrophic cyberattack suffered by UnitedHealth subsidiary […]

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! The late Justice John Paul Stevens was known to enjoy what kind of sandwich? Hint: Indeed, Sonia Sotomayor confirmed, “Justice John Paul Stevens would have [this kind of sandwich] virtually every day that I sat with him for a year.” See the answer […]

The Rich Get Richer: Being able to do whatever you want has its benefits! HLS Students Push School To Divest From Israel: Votes will be cast in March. Scary Good Talent: Firms put off hiring the attorneys fired by Trump administration for fear of backlash. See You At The Awards!: The Counsel of the Year […]

Lawyers, like pretty much everyone else, do not like to discuss their defeats. When attorneys speak to one another, they usually discuss their victories in order to promote themselves in front of colleagues. However, even the best lawyers lose sometimes, especially when either the law, the facts, or both are against them. Losing can be a valuable learning […]

Imagine Being Mad That The State Can’t Kill Someone After Destroying Evidence: Don’t try too hard — you may end up agreeing with Clarence Thomas. ATL Does Its Part To Make Law Great Again!: Enter our contest super serious bulletin request or else! DOJ Is Really Mad That A Judge’s Biology Chops Are Up To […]

The post ABA Working Group Publishes Guidelines For Responsible AI Use By State And Federal Courts appeared first on Above the Law.

No, That’s Not A Typo: Alex Spiro is raking in cash hand over fist! If You Thought Trump Hanging Up His Mugshot Was Bad: The most recent DOJ hire is known as the guy who hung up a Hitler portrait. Other Lawyers Are Paying The Cost Of Doing Business: Jay-Z isn’t done with Tony Buzbee. […]

We all knew that this administration of the California bar exam would be a disaster. We just didn’t know how bad it would get. The answer — as Clemenza put in The Godfather — pretty goddamn bad. The new test employing Kaplan questions and administered by Meazure Learning suffered setback after setback in the lead up […]