From distinguished to despicable, who should be Above the Law’s Lawyer of the Year for 2024? Vote by DECEMBER 31, 2024 at 11:30 p.m. EST!
The post Above The Law’s 2024 Lawyer Of The Year Contest: Cast Your Vote For The Finalists! appeared first on Above the Law.
The last year was, for better or worse, a big year in legal news. So it should come as no surprise to see big names dominating our list of finalists for 2024 Lawyer of the Year. Thanks to everyone who responded to our request for nominations for 2024 Lawyer of the Year. We narrowed the many excellent nominees to a slate of seven (yes, that’s how eventful this year was) lawyers — distinguished, despicable, or debatable, depending on your point of view.
Here are the nominees, in alphabetical order, with a brief blurb about each:
ChatGPT: Okay, fine, we know ChatGPT isn’t a lawyer… but so many actual lawyers are still treating the AI chatbot like co-counsel that we had to include it in this year’s competition. From fake cases to very real sanctions threats, ChatGPT proved to be a useful tool that made some lawyers look like not-so useful tools.
Matt Gaetz: Life moves pretty fast when you’ve been accused of sexual misconduct and an ethics investigation report is hanging over your head. From would-be US Attorney General to far-right talk show host, Gaetz had quite the year. When one of the first reactions to your nomination for a cabinet position is “Are you shittin’ me?”, that’s when you know you’ve made it bigly.
Rudy Giuliani: America’s mayor has fallen from such great heights that it’s not just disappointing, but sad. The past year has been especially unkind to Rudy’s legal career, with two disbarments now under his belt. From courting contempt to trying to dodge defamation collections in bankruptcy court, Giuliani is a walking legal ethics quandary.
Ryan Protter: There’s nothing we love more than a joke nomination, and this New Jersey lawyer’s self-nomination made us chuckle. Has he done anything notable? “No. Not at all.” Why did he nominate himself for this honor? “Because my wife (Geena) and small dog (Elle) tell me I have a winning personality and a good sense of humor. And I am extraordinarily modest.” Is he completely unqualified for this award (his words, not ours)? “Yes. But it’s 2024. Far less qualified people have won far more important elections this year.”
Aliza Shatzman: The founder and president of the Legal Accountability Project achieved a great deal of progress for federal law clerks this year after launching the Centralized Clerkships Database, essentially a “Glassdoor for Judges,” a tool that will empower clerkship applicants with much-needed transparency and inside information from former clerks about judicial work environments. Click here to read some of her excellent ATL columns.
Jack Smith: The special counsel appointed to oversee the federal election subversion and mishandling of classified documents cases against Donald Trump tried his damndest, but thanks to countless delays, an absurd dismissal (plus an appeal), and a SCOTUS immunity decision gone wild, he was foiled at every turn. Now, because the DOJ won’t prosecute sitting presidents, he asked for the cases to be dismissed, writing, “This outcome is not based on the merits or strength of the case against the defendant.”
Brian Steel: This lawyer defined zealous advocacy when he earned himself a contempt sentence and asked to serve the time alongside his client, Young Thug, so that they could work on the case together. Not only did Steel get manage to get the original judge on the RICO case removed after learning about a secret meeting he attended with prosecutors and a witness, but he managed to get an unexpected plea deal sorted out. Now, he’s modeling his client’s clothing line.
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: Who should be named Above the Law’s Lawyer of the Year for 2024? Cast your vote below. Polls are open until TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2024 at 11:30 p.m. (EST).
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
