editor’s legal news picks

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Now That’s A Signing Bonus! — See Also

Top Biglaw Firm Ups Ante On Hiring Law Clerks: How’s $180K-$200K sound? The Internet Remembers: Kara Westercamp’s Senate Judiciary Committee appearance is marred by her Twitter history. Federal Judges Are Dabbling In AI: While there is some familiarity, they haven’t...

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The Iron Man Model Of Legal AI

The Iron Man Model Of Legal AI

Recently, I encouraged a startup CEO to have his developers use Claude Code. I shared how another founder created a compelling new product. He architected it and built it himself with zero developers.  I also shared how a large company fixed an important script that...

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The New Biglaw Hiring Trend

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to SurePoint Technologies’ 2025 State of the Legal Industry Report, what is the fastest growing role in the Am Law 200? Hint: Hiring for this role increased an impressive 18% in 2025. See the...

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Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: Seyfarth Shaw’s Zeynep Ersin

Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: Seyfarth Shaw’s Zeynep Ersin

In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and Patrick Smith interview Seyfarth Shaw Chief Innovation and Strategic Design Officer Zeynep Ersin, live from the Legalweek 2026 Conference in New York.       In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield...

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Dems Scold Trump For Not Stealing Money Sooner

Dems Scold Trump For Not Stealing Money Sooner

As the DHS funding lapse drags on, American airports are buckling. TSA agents haven’t been paid for six weeks and are calling out sick in record numbers — some airports have more than a third of staff MIA, and more than 500 TSA agents have quit altogether. This...

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Legal Ethics Roundup: Lawyer Court Selfie Sanction, J&J Conflict Disqualification, House Rep Ethics Violations, Alito/Gorsuch Recusals, Fiery Judicial Opinions, LSB’s New Ethics Hierarchy & More

Legal Ethics Roundup: Lawyer Court Selfie Sanction, J&J Conflict Disqualification, House Rep Ethics Violations, Alito/Gorsuch Recusals, Fiery Judicial Opinions, LSB’s New Ethics Hierarchy & More

Ed. note: Please welcome Renee Knake Jefferson back to the pages of Above the Law. Subscribe to her Substack, Legal Ethics Roundup, here. Welcome to what captivates, haunts, inspires, and surprises me every week in the world of legal ethics. Hi from Denver, where I am...

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Who’s Worse Than Trump?

I was chatting with a guy at a wedding recently who told me that Donald Trump was the best president in American history. You have to be careful these days. Was he pulling my leg? Was he serious? I explored: “What do you have in mind?” “Trump moved the U.S. embassy in...

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Why Realistic Scenarios Matter More Than More AI

Why Realistic Scenarios Matter More Than More AI

Legal AI is often evaluated by scale. Bigger models. More data. Longer lists of capabilities. Demos emphasize volume: how many questions a system can answer, how many issues it can spot, how fast it can respond. That framing misses the real constraint. The problem...

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Thank You For Your Service. Now Get Out! — See Also

Judge Gets Mad At IT Guy For Doing His Job: Gotta love a judicial temper tantrum and a hot mic! Can The President Put Lawyers On A Leash?: Fighting the executive orders is a big deal for the profession. Democrats Mad Trump Didn’t Steal More Earlier: Feckless party....

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Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: Epiq’s Simon Bayongas

Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: Epiq’s Simon Bayongas

In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and Patrick Smith interview Epiq Director of Information Simon Bayongas, live from the Legalweek 2026 Conference in New York.       In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and Patrick Smith interview...

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Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: Lighthouse’s Beth Ashley

Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: Lighthouse’s Beth Ashley

In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and Patrick Smith interview Lighthouse Client Experience Group Associate Director Beth Ashley, live from the Legalweek 2026 Conference in New York.       In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and...

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Best Law Firm Websites in 2026 (Top 59)

Home Legal Marketing Lawyer Website Design Best Law Firm Websites in 2026 (Top 59) By Attorney at Law Magazine March 30, 2026 Table of Contents Get paired with the best legal marketing companies. Book a 30-minute legal marketing diagnosis with Jason from the Attorney...

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First-Generation Lawyers Special Issue

2026 First-Generation Lawyers Special Issue Attorney at Law Magazine is proud to introduce its 2026 First-Generation Lawyers Special Issue celebrating attorneys who are the first in their family to build a legal career.  View Digital Magazine Lawyers! Welcome to the...

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Marcela Mercado: Finding Her Way Without a Map

Marcela Mercado: Finding Her Way Without a Map By Susan Cushing “I didn’t grow up knowing lawyers,” attorney Marcela Mercado says. “I grew up knowing work.” A strong willed, determined, and gifted student of life, Mercado was determined to create a future that would...

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Sherrie Boutwell: An ERISA Practice Before Its Time

AALM: What initially drew you to the practice of law? Tell us about your journey to law school. SB: I was taking general ed classes in community college and planning to be a recreation leader (a la Leslie Knope). I had no thought of law school. I was the first in my...

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Darbie Tamsett: Building Legacies

For Darbie Tamsett, the practice of law is both legacy and innovation. Raised in a family deeply rooted in entrepreneurship and real estate investing, she built on that foundation to forge her own path as a first-generation attorney with a dynamic dual practice in...

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Legal Professionals Should Usually Get A Lunch Break

Legal Professionals Should Usually Get A Lunch Break

Lawyers and other professionals within the legal profession often need to work long hours under tight deadlines in order to complete tasks. As a result, some lawyers and judges might make attorneys and other professionals work through lunch in order to complete...

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How Appealing Weekly Roundup

How Appealing Weekly Roundup

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. “Supreme Court Sides With Internet Provider in Copyright Fight Over...

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Associates Are Ready To Bounce From Their Firms

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to SurePoint Technologies’s 2025 State of the Legal Industry Report, after 3 years what percentage of associates are still at their firm? Hint: Retention was better in the partner ranks with...

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Where The Head Goes The Body Follows — See Also

Midsize Firm Closes After Partners Leave: Taylor Duma closes for good this month. Is This It For Section 230?: Does the design/content distinction unfairly punish websites for their user’s faults? Judge Throws Out White Student’s Discrimination Suit Against Howard:...

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The Legal Industry’s Penrose Moment

The Legal Industry’s Penrose Moment

The legal industry's most celebrated indicators—rate growth, PEP, headcount—look solid in isolation but form an impossible shape when viewed together.       The legal industry's most celebrated indicators—rate growth, PEP, headcount—look solid in isolation but form an...

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The Legal Industry’s Penrose Moment

The Legal Industry’s Penrose Moment

The legal industry's most celebrated indicators—rate growth, PEP, headcount—look solid in isolation but form an impossible shape when viewed together.       The legal industry's most celebrated indicators—rate growth, PEP, headcount—look solid in isolation but form an...

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Ray Thomas: To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Expected

Ray Thomas: To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Expected By Dan Baldwin “The phrase ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’ is more than a cliché to me. It’s a core value of mine,” says Ray Thomas, founder of Ray Thomas Law Group.That philosophy guided Thomas from a life...

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Wilmer, Jenner Blast Trump EO Appeal

Wilmer, Jenner Blast Trump EO Appeal

Wilmer and Jenner are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to affirm the lower court's permanent injunction of four executive orders targeting law firms.       Wilmer and Jenner are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia...

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Wilmer, Jenner, Susman, Perkins Blast Trump EO Appeal

Wilmer, Jenner, Susman, Perkins Blast Trump EO Appeal

Wilmer, Jenner, Susman and Perkins Coie are asking a federal appeals court panel to affirm a lower court's permanent injunction of four executive orders targeting law firms.       Wilmer, Jenner, Susman and Perkins Coie are asking a federal appeals court panel to...

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Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: Mitratech’s Liz Lugones

Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: Mitratech’s Liz Lugones

In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and Patrick Smith interview Mitratech Vice President of Value Experience Liz Lugones, live from the Legalweek 2026 Conference in New York.       In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and Patrick Smith...

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Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: ProSearch’s Odette Claridge

Legal Speak at Legalweek 2026: ProSearch’s Odette Claridge

In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and Patrick Smith interview ProSearch Privacy & Governance Corporate Counsel Odette Claridge, live from the Legalweek 2026 Conference in New York.       In this Legal Speak episode, co-hosts Cedra Mayfield and...

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