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The DOJ’s Slush Fund Fallout — See Generally
Ain’t No Government Service Like Self-Service: The Senate-confirmed DOJ official tasked with selling the slush fund to Congress, quietly tried to recuse himself from that work so he could file his own personal claim against the fund. Bar Tab Comes Due: Associate...
Chinese Firms Enter New Expansion Cycle Driven by Industrial Shifts and Global Compliance Demand
From Hefei to Hanoi, firms are expanding into China's emerging economic centers and key overseas markets as client demand shifts toward cross-border regulatory and compliance advisory work. From Hefei to Hanoi, firms are expanding into China's emerging economic...
Supreme Court Term Limits Went From Punchline To Platform For Progressives
Back in 2015, at a Netroots Nation panel discussion about how to “change” the Supreme Court, I asked if progressives should embrace term limits for the justices. The panel blew off the proposal as unimportant. Eleven years later, a sitting U.S. Senator — poised to...
The Lost Art of Having Fun: 5 Ways to Have More Fun This Summer
Jamie Spannhake | When was the last time someone asked you what you do for fun? Not what you do for work. Not what you do to stay healthy. If you can’t remember, read on for five ways to add a little fun to your life this summer. The post The Lost Art of Having Fun: 5...
Uber and Plaintiffs Bar Cut Deal to Keep Dueling Initiatives Off November Ballot
Uber and the Consumer Attorneys of California say their deal "framework" will target medical lien practices in car accidents and safety enhancements for ride-hailing operators. Uber and the Consumer Attorneys of California say their deal "framework" will target...
Happy Juneteenth! — See Also
Is Your Firm Observing The Holiday?: Be sure to let us know! Trump Nominates His Own Lawyer To Be A Top Federal Prosecutor: The Sullivan & Cromwell partner’s cozying up with Trump is paying off. SCOTUS Term Limit Discourse Goes Mainstream?: Progressives favor...
Reputation Repair: What To Do When A Bad Review Hits Google
Reputational damage can derail a business in the blink of an eye. When that damage comes in the form of an online review, content moderation policies can make it difficult to remove even deeply unfair reviews. For law firms, meanwhile, professional ethics can make it...
Arbitration Might Not Make Sense For Small Businesses
(Image via Getty)Most lawyers instinctively suggest that clients insert arbitration clauses into all kinds of contracts. This is usually because arbitration is much more private than litigation, and, depending on a number of factors, arbitration can take a lot less...
The Federal Clerkship Market Is Broken, And The Judges Know It
A new academic study confirms what anyone paying attention has suspected for years: the federal judicial clerkship has quietly transformed from a one-year professional launchpad into a multi-year credential arms race, and the people running it know exactly what’s...
Learning After Law School: How Do You Keep Your Skills Fresh?
Above the Law recently announced its 2026 ranking of the Top 50 Law Schools. But law school is really only the start of a legal education. Graduates then have to study for the bar exam. Once on the job, new attorneys will likely get informal guidance as well as more...
Random Neural Firings And Cage Fighting On The South Lawn
Jordan Rothman’s recent piece about the preference that some courts have for local counsel as opposed to out of towners should surprise exactly no one. Why the preference for local counsel? Easy. Local counsel are (or should be) familiar with local rules (whether...
Sullivan & Cromwell’s Cozy Relationship With The Trump Administration Got Even Cozier
Sullivan & Cromwell has been doing very well for itself under the second Trump administration. The white-shoe firm has Donald Trump as a client, co-chair Bob Giuffra leads a team representing Trump personally in his criminal appeal of the Manhattan hush money...
Could Associates Be Waiting Until Labor Day For Biglaw Firms To Match Milbank?
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. Labor Day is when firms traditionally get back down to business. Right now, everyone is getting distracted with high school and college graduations, vacations, stuff like that. Once Labor Day rolls around,...
BlackBoiler Launches Veris, Pairing Its Deterministic Redlining With Generative AI In Microsoft Word
The post BlackBoiler Launches Veris, Pairing Its Deterministic Redlining With Generative AI In Microsoft Word appeared first on Above the Law.BlackBoiler, a company that has spent over a decade building automated redlining technology, this week launched Veris, a new...
Supreme Court Takes Center Stage In Midterm Election
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! A new Democratic attack ad targeting Senator Susan Collins goes after her support of which judicial nominee? Hint: The ad spot focuses on a recent statement by Collins noting that she does not regret...
New York’s New ‘Synthetic Performer’ Law Could Have Wide Reach, Lawyers Say
The law covers advertisements that include a computer-created, reproduced or modified “digital asset meant to look like a human engaged in a performance. The law covers advertisements that include a computer-created, reproduced or modified “digital asset meant...
Mass. Top Court Strikes Tax Income Initiative From November Ballot
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously said the proposed initiative's summary could mislead and influence voters since it does not disclose that the law would also reduce the long-term capital gain tax rate. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court...
Law Firm Disrupted: It’s Not All About the Money Anymore. What Really Drives Lateral Movement
While compensation offers get much of the spotlight, what really drives lateral movement goes beyond the paycheck. While compensation offers get much of the spotlight, what really drives lateral movement goes beyond the paycheck.
Corporate Director Use of Public- or Consumer-Facing AI Latest Risk for Legal Departments
A Corporate Board Member and Diligent survey found 30% of directors have used generative AI to summarize board books or meeting materials, "which are often among the most sensitive documents in a public company." A Corporate Board Member and Diligent survey...
Judge Picks 3rd Sexual Assault Trial Against Uber: ‘Get the Message, We’re Going Ahead’
The Sept. 14 trial would be in a case called Jane Doe QLF 001 v. Uber, in which a woman from Fort Worth, Texas, alleges her Uber driver forced her to perform oral sex on him during her 2020 ride from Arlington, Texas. The Sept. 14 trial would be in a case called...
Big Law AI Makes a Big Splash, But Real Transformation Happens Below the Surface
"I welcome it," said one tech leader, about the run of Big Law AI news, "because I think it will give every other firm a reference point." "I welcome it," said one tech leader, about the run of Big Law AI news, "because I think it will give every other firm...
Legal Tech & Marketing Issue COMING SOON
Coming October 2026 Legal Tech & Marketing Special Issue Attorney at Law Magazine has opened submissions for its all-digital issue featuring the leaders of the legal marketing and legal tech industries. Want to Participate? Complete the form below or contact us at...
Clio Launches Two AI Initiatives: Free Tools for Florida Lawyers and a Pledge to Train 25,000 Professionals
In two separate announcements this week, Clio rolled out two initiatives aimed at the same problem — getting practicing lawyers comfortable with AI. One puts AI software directly into lawyers’ hands at no cost; the other tries to teach the profession how to use it. On...
Tracking US Law Firms’ Tightening Grip on Big Ticket UK M&A
Data collated by Law.com shows how U.S. firms are sweeping up public M&A buy-side mandates. Data collated by Law.com shows how U.S. firms are sweeping up public M&A buy-side mandates.
From Billboard Lawyer to Billion-Dollar Brand: John Morgan Reflects
In this week's episode, Legal Speak examines the notable career of renowned plaintiffs' attorney and Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan through the lens of his new book, "Life Is Luck: John Morgan on Lawyering, Risk and Recognizing Opportunity." In this...
Preparing For Witness Preparation
How do you prepare a witness to testify? Sam Davidoff says there's one seemingly obvious but critical thing you need to do before prep day. Here's how he prepares to prep. The post Preparing For Witness Preparation appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law...
How To Build An AI Prompt Library For Your Legal Team
A prompt can only be as powerful as the system it runs on. Connected to your contracts, playbooks, and workflows, a precise prompt does something a general-purpose tool cannot — it doesn’t just generate text, it triggers action. The prompt and the platform multiply...
When Partners Make Record Money, Associate Raises Usually Follow
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. The salary increase for associates isn’t because the price of eggs or gas has gone up. Partners are saying to themselves, ‘We’re doing really well—and we should pass some of that along to the people who are...
Does AI Give Male Lawyers Better Resumes?
Yesterday, a fascinating thread by Jen Horsburgh described her recent experience using AI to update her resume. After asking Google’s Gemini to clean up her resume, she ran it again under her a man’s name, and watched the model mechanically rewrite the same career...
How The Tax Agencies In The US, Canada, And Mexico Simplified Tax Rules For World Cup Participants
The World Cup is currently underway in three countries in North America: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This is only the second multicountry World Cup since 2002, when Japan and South Korea co-hosted. The matches will be held in 16 cities throughout the three...
Federal Judges Gone Wild
Above the Law’s Top 50 Law School rankings are out and a new school tops the list. But a number of other high prestige law schools have slipped out of the top 10… and it’s mostly a matter of cost. Meanwhile, we have two federal judges out of control. Judge Ryan Nelson...
Diddy On Track For Even Less Prison Time
The freakiest thing about Sean Combs’s sentencing is that his projected time in prison keeps going down. At one point there was speculation that he’d be spending the rest of his life behind bars. His high-profile legal team managed to get that time down to about a...
Lessons From Interstate Highways: AI’s Impact On Legal Is A Known Unknown
We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run. — Amara’s Law Lots of predictions and prognostications are going around these days about how AI will impact legal. But if our experience with, of all...
DOJ Says Threat To Outdoor UFC Fights Proves They Need A Ballroom
In April, the Justice Department wrote the court, arguing that Donald Trump needed to have the unilateral authority to destroy national monuments and build a new vanity ballroom project without any congressional oversight because attending events “on the White House...
There Are A Bunch More Kirkland & Ellis Associates Than There Used To Be
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! How much did Kirkland & Ellis increase its associate ranks in 2025, outstripping the Am Law 100 average of 3%? Hint: The strategy for increasing the associate ranks is built on lateral hires as...
More Raises! — See Also
Warren LLP Matches The Milbank Salary Scale: The firm is rewarding their associates handsomely! Yetter Coleman Milbank Matches And Is Looking For Clerks: The judicial clerkship bonus is up to $145,000! Using AI To Work On Your Biglaw Resume?: LLM black boxes may spit...
BC Law Appoints AI Initiatives Leader to Shape Policy, Academic Response to AI
Following on the heels of Boston College's newly established Krantz Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Ethics and Humanity, Boston College Law School appointed Maureen Van Neste as its first faculty director of AI initiatives. Following on the heels of...
Heat Is On for Employers as Regulatory Climate Shifts for Workplace Temperature Safety
Under President Donald Trump's administration, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing with development of rules for addressing hazards from extreme heat in the workplace, a project started during the administration of Joe Biden. The...
States Increasingly Consider ‘Alternative Pathways’ to the Legal Field, but Not Everyone Wants to Break Ties With the ABA
A growing majority of states have adopted "alternative pathways" to the legal profession, such as innovative pathways to licensure or allowing graduates of non-American Bar Association-accredited schools to sit for the bar, though only a few have opted to take over...
In a Win for Bayer, Federal Judge Remands $7.25B Roundup Settlement
In a Wednesday order, U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey, in the Eastern District of Missouri, said objectors were not authorized to remove the Roundup settlement to federal court. In a Wednesday order, U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey, in the Eastern District of...
New England Patriots, Owner Robert Kraft Sue Town of Foxborough Over Gillette Stadium Licensing Fees
The plaintiffs claim the town charged nearly $1 million in new administrative fees despite Massachusetts law mandating that an entertainment license fee, or its renewal, cannot cost more than $100. The plaintiffs claim the town charged nearly $1 million in new...
Matthew McConaughey Trademarked ‘Alright, Alright, Alright.’ What He Actually Registered Was a Brand
As AI makes a voice or face easy to copy, celebrities are reaching for trademark protection. The harder question is whether the law can defend what the brand is actually worth. Matthew McConaughey recently secured eight trademarks on the pieces of himself that people...
Consumer Legal Funding Moves Out of the Gray Area Into Mainstream Regulation
A plaintiff can understand the value of her case and still feel forced to take less than it is worth. Every plaintiff’s attorney has seen some version of that moment. The case has merit. Liability is clear enough to keep moving. The problem is, medical bills have...
How I Made Office Managing Partner: ‘Do Not Stop Trying to Distinguish Yourself,’ Says Michael Schmidt of Cozen O’Connor
"Whether you are out of law school for two days or 50 years, do not stop trying to distinguish yourself to your clients and firm colleagues, and always remember how many lawyers are out there who also feel they can do what you do. The moment you believe you are the...
Critical Mass With Law.com’s Amanda Bronstad: Judge in $4B Sex Abuse Settlement Probes Lawyers Over Possible Fraud, LA Juries Hit J&J With $32M Talc Verdict and a Mistrial
This week: Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman was in court on Monday asking a judge to halt payments from a $4 billion sex abuse settlement. Johnson & Johnson lost a $32 million talc verdict in a mesothelioma trial in Los Angeles Superior Court,...
Luigi Mangione Will Mount Psychiatric Defense, Judge Reveals
Mangione's defense team served a notice of intent back in September, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro said. Carro said he was unsealing the record relating to that litigation. Mangione's defense team served a notice of intent back in September,...
Clayton Nomination as DNI Is Placed on Hold Until McDonald Can Be Confirmed as Manhattan U.S. Attorney
In a Truth Social post hours before Clayton was expected to appear before the Senate, Trump said the nomination was on pause, because "I may not be able to get the extraordinary Sullivan & Cromwell Partner, Jamie, approved, and I don't want to take Jay Clayton...
Ken Crutchfield: Is Kirkland’s $500 Million AI Investment Really A Bet On Data?
When Kirkland & Ellis announced a $500 million investment in AI, much of the reaction focused on the dollar amount. That much money commands attention in the legal industry. But the dollar amount may not be the most interesting part of the story. The more...
Defensible Scope Reduction in High-Stakes Pharmaceutical IP Litigation
Lineal partnered with a Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company to reduce review scope, cost, and risk in a complex IP litigation — applying governed analytics and Amplify Review to eliminate unnecessary first-pass review while preserving defensibility. Lineal...
As Top Pay Rises, Plenty of Partners See Cuts
The need to allocate a law firm's profits more efficiently has increased as rival firms continue to lure talented partners for larger sums of money. The need to allocate a law firm's profits more efficiently has increased as rival firms continue to lure talented...
Winners Announced at the 2026 Pennsylvania Legal Awards Ceremony
The Legal announced its 2026 winners at the Pennsylvania Legal Awards on Thursday night, which included the following categories: Litigation Departments, In-House Impact, Best Law Firm Mentor, Power Player, Most Effective Dealmaker, Managing Partner of the Year, Law...
EEOC Moves to End Collection of Demographic Data, But States May Fill the Void
Even if the EEOC ends its demographic reporting requirements, employers could still be subject to similar state laws, lawyers say. Even if the EEOC ends its demographic reporting requirements, employers could still be subject to similar state laws, lawyers...
Blanche Is In Hot Water — See Also
Cold Truth Coming From The NYT: Their editorial board says Todd Blanche isn’t fit for office. Honestly, Nevermind: DOJ lawyer still gets hit with ethics complaint for trying to capitalize off the failed slush fund. Mind Your Networking: Here are some tips for making...
The Networking Mistake That Quietly Costs Lawyers Referrals
Some lawyers think they are great networkers because they know a lot of people. They go to breakfasts, lunches, bar events, fundraisers, and conferences. They collect business cards, shake hands, and stay visible. That is not networking. That’s just activity. Real...
How Law Firms And Law Schools Can Develop Talent In The AI Age
Are law schools and law firms doing enough to develop the skills necessary for lawyers to succeed in today’s legal industry?In the spring of 2026, BARBRI and Above the Law surveyed more than 300 law students, private practice lawyers, and law firm staff.In this new...
‘Todd Blanche Is Unfit For Office,’ Says The New York Times Editorial Board
The New York Times editorial board has never been shy about an institutional opinion, and they came out swinging on Todd Blanche’s nomination for Attorney General. The headline, Todd Blanche Is Unfit for Office, doesn’t leave a lot of interpretive room. Bold words for...
3 Questions For A Law Student Turned Conference Host (Part I)
Over the years, I have profiled my fair share of litigation funding conferences. As with any burgeoning industry, conferences provide important opportunities for market participants to get together in an environment conducive to education, discussion, and networking....
‘Adventures In Legal Tech’: How Small Firms Can Adopt AI At A Reasonable Pace
How can small firms effectively use AI? Jane Freedman of Jane Freedman Law LLC, a corporate attorney with over 20 years of experience, says it’s a “pressing problem we’re trying to solve.” In this episode of Adventures in Legal Tech, Jane joins host Jared Correia to...
DOJ Lawyer Can’t Avoid Bar Complaint By Declaring ‘Nevermind That Slush Fund Thing’
The DOJ thought they’d found an infinite money glitch by having Donald Trump sue the same federal government that he controls and then “settling” that non-adversarial lawsuit to redirect taxpayer dollars to help MAGA child molesters. But, in a development so rare we...
Making Your Law Firm’s Culture A True Differentiator
Ed. note: This article first appeared in Strategies & Voices, a publication of the Legal Marketing Association. After years as an afterthought, law firm culture is drawing renewed attention. In Right Hat’s 2026 Top of Mind Report, a biennial survey of 100 legal...
The Legal Tech-To-English Dictionary (2.0): The Ghosts Of Artificial Intelligence Past
Auth. note: Though it was certainly tempting, no artificial intelligence technology was used to create this publication. All appearing em dashes were added by the author — just as nature intended. Welcome to the sequel to the Legal Tech-to-English Dictionary (2022)....
The Biglaw Firm Tapped To Take SpaceX Public
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which Biglaw firm led the SpaceX IPO, valued at $75 billion it was the largest IPO in history? Hint: More than 60 attorneys at the firm across multiple practice areas, including capital markets,...
50 Cent Files Lawsuits For Fun, Spending $24 Million On Legal Fees In The Process
I’ll do it for recreational purposes. When they agitate me, I’ll send the lawyers.— In a recent interview 50 Cent opined on his legal strategy, “I spent $24 million in my career on legal fees. I have general counsel. I don’t have a manager. Why I need you to manage me...
Appeals Court Reverses $60M Infant Formula Verdict: Duty to Warn Owed to Doctors, Not Mother
The 2024 verdict against Mead Johnson in St. Clair County Circuit Court was the first in the nation finding cow's milk-based infant formula given to premature babies caused a gastroinestinal illness called necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC. The 2024 verdict...
Appeals Court Reverses $60M Infant Formula Verdict: Duty to Doctors, Not Mother.
The 2024 verdict, against Mead Johnson in St. Clair County Circuit Court, was the first in the nation finding cow's milk-based infant formula given to premature babies caused a gastroinestinal illness called necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC. The 2024 verdict,...
The Week in Data June 16: A Look at Legal Industry Trends by the Numbers
Catch up on the latest data from across the Law.com newsroom, including the 50 Largest Firms by U.K. Revenue. Catch up on the latest data from across the Law.com newsroom, including the 50 Largest Firms by U.K. Revenue.
Social Media for Law Firms: Still Driving Clients to Law Firms in 2026
Annette Choti | In 2026, social media is still one of the most effective tools you can use to build credibility and attract new clients. Here's how to make the most of the top platforms. The post Social Media for Law Firms: Still Driving Clients to Law Firms in 2026...
DOJ Sues New Mexico Supreme Court, Board of Bar Examiners Over Alleged SCRA Violations
The U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division warns that state supreme courts and bar associations should take note of the New Mexico lawsuit, and if states do not come into full compliance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, they risk getting sued by the...
New Lawsuit Against IBM Offers Glimpse at Future of AI Discrimination Claims
Andrew Adams, a partner at DarrowEverett, said he expected to see more claims brought by applicants who received form rejections that appeared to originate with AI systems. That could be “enough to get in the door for at least an EEOC complaint, he said. Andrew...
The Litigation AI Arms Race Has Already Started and Both Sides Are Armed
While the legal tech world debates who writes briefs faster, the economics of litigation are being quietly rebuilt by both sides of the v. While the legal tech world debates who writes briefs faster, the economics of litigation are being quietly rebuilt by both...
Legal Directories: A Strategy for the Past or Future?
Home Legal Marketing Legal Directories: A Strategy for the Past or Future? By Jason Craver June 16, 2026 Table of Contents Table of Contents When I originally wrote this article in 2021, I released what I thought was the legal directory of the future. Why did I...
Dave & Buster’s Taps Nexstar Veteran Rachel Morgan as Chief Legal Officer
Morgan, who spent nearly 30 years in private practice, corporate America and media, succeeds Rudy Rodri guez Jr., who joined the entertainment chain less than 18 months ago. Morgan, who spent nearly 30 years in private practice, corporate America and media,...
Nicholas Wood: Pursuing Perfection to Achieve Excellence
Nicholas Wood: Pursuing Perfection to Achieve Excellence By Dan Baldwin “Zoning, land use and structuring tax deals is the ultimate game of chess. I love the ‘game’ because you can’t cheat. Everything is on the board for everyone to see. The victory comes from...
Dominic Totman: The Outside In-House Counsel
A partner in the Raleigh, North Carolina, office of Cranfill Sumner LLP, Dominic Totman has focused his career on providing transactional representation combined with ongoing, strategic counsel to businesses. “I was drawn to transactional work because it allows me to...
Judicial Dissolution – Still the Nuclear Option? How Recent Minnesota Appellate Decisions Have Addressed Equitable Remedies in Owner Disputes
For decades, judicial dissolution was viewed as the “nuclear option” in shareholder and member disputes involving closely held businesses—an extreme remedy reserved for situations where the business relationship had become irretrievably broken or a threat to force a...
FinCEN’s Residential Real Estate Rule: Essential Insights for New York Attorneys
The FinCEN Residential Real Estate Rule, which took effect on March 1, 2026, has been closely followed by real estate transactional attorneys, but many practitioners in related fields, especially trusts and estates and litigation, may be less familiar with its...
Early-Stage Financing Without Regrets: Dilution Traps in SAFEs, Notes and Preferred Equity
Founders raising their first outside dollars often sign financing documents quickly to keep momentum. But small choices can have big consequences. The agreement type—and how its terms interact with later-round agreements—can shrink founders' ownership stake more than...
Top Firms Increased Leverage Over Past Five Years, Fueled by Nonequity Partner Growth
The top 50 Am Law firms saw the largest increase in leverage between 2020 and 2025, on average increasing leverage by 1.04 points, while the bottom quartile only increased leverage on average by 0.16 points. The top 50 Am Law firms saw the largest increase in...
Newsom Says He and Wife Are Targets of US DOJ Investigation
A federal source familiar with the investigation said agents are looking into Jennifer Siebel Newsom's tax filings. A federal source familiar with the investigation said agents are looking into Jennifer Siebel Newsom's tax filings.
Senate Confirms Trump’s Ex-Personal Attorney to 8th Circuit Seat
Justin Smith, as an attorney at the boutique firm James Otis Law Group, represented Trump in his effort to overturn a 2023 jury verdict finding him liable for sexually assaulting writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s. Justin Smith, as an attorney at the boutique...
‘Do I Close My Eyes?’ Los Angeles Judge Grills Lawyers in $4B Sex Abuse Settlement Over DA’s Fraud Claims
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lawrence Riff denied an ex parte application filed by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who argued in court on Monday to intervene in the settlement after finding potentially 81% of the claims could be fraudulent....
DOJ Official Wanted His Cut Of The Slush Fund — See Also
Mythic Levels Of Self-Dealing: You kind of have to appreciate Patrick Davis’s hustle. Google Enshittification And Your Clients: You’re gonna need a new strategy to reach out. Big Names Across The Pond: Check out the UK’s top Biglaw firms! Supreme Court Declines To...
The Law School Getting All Its Grads To (Eventually) Pass The Bar
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! According to data collected by Prof. Paul Caron, which law school’s average ultimate bar passage for the classes of 2022 and 2023 is predicted to be 100%? Hint: This prediction will put the law school...
Supreme Court Declines To Review Pauline Newman’s Suspension
It’s looking like the judges-police-each-other ball stops at the Supreme Court. Pauline Newman, supported by a slew of judges and former clerks, asked the Supreme Court to give her case a once over. The hope was that the glaring due process issues would catch Court’s...
Why You’re A Hypocrite
(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)Bill Clinton is a scumbag. In the 1990s, multiple women (remember Paula Jones? Juanita Broaddrick?) credibly accused Clinton of sexual harassment (or worse). Clinton plainly abused his power in his relationship with Monica Lewinsky,...
Why You Should Choose Legal Ops Tools You Can Build On (Part 1)
Getty ImagesEvery legal tech vendor demo in 2026 ends with an AI module, and most of them are impressive for about the first 15 minutes. The problem is that feature-by-feature comparisons of vendor AI offerings are unlikely to predict which tools will hold up over the...
How Sullivan & Cromwell Has Cemented Itself as Trump’s Favored Law Firm
No other Big Law firm appears to match Sullivan & Cromwell's unique history and connections with Trump. No other Big Law firm appears to match Sullivan & Cromwell's unique history and connections with Trump.
The 2026 UK Top 50: The Richest Biglaw Firms Across The Pond
We all know that Biglaw firms in America did well in 2025, but what about their Biglaw counterparts across the pond in the United Kingdom? How did they fare when it came to their financial metrics last year? Thankfully, the latest edition of the UK Top 50 is out,...
As AI Search Eats Google, Connecting With Clients Through The Internet Requires New Approach
Internet search keeps getting worse, continuing the enshittification process that started feeding you a bunch of ads for fly-by-night alternatives to the one thing you want and now pushes the real, organic results even further down below AI sludge attempting to answer...
The ‘New’ Magic Circle Is Here, And U.S. Firms Dominate List
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. If the original Magic Circle was defined by prestige, complexity and pricing power, then London already has a new one. Kirkland & Ellis. Latham & Watkins. Paul Weiss. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett....
Deal Watch: More Than 60 Gibson Dunn Lawyers Usher SpaceX IPO Into Reality
The lead partner on the deal, Gibson Dunn's Hillary Holmes in Houston, said the firm was well-positioned to secure the work due to prior engagements with Musk and his companies. The lead partner on the deal, Gibson Dunn's Hillary Holmes in Houston, said the firm...
Shareholder Lawsuit Claims Microsoft Downplayed Copilot’s Problems in Bid to Drive Up Stock Price
Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, Keller Rohrback and VanOverbeke, Michaud & Timmony represent a shareholder retirement fund in the lawsuit filed June 12 in the Western District of Washington. Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, Keller Rohrback and...
Top DOJ Official Wanted A Cut Of The Trump Slush Fund
The Trump “Anti-Weaponization Fund” — the $1.776 billion slush fund the DOJ announced in May without congressional authorization, to pay out Trump allies including January 6 rioters, administered by Trump’s personal lawyer turned Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche,...
At The Kennedy Center, It’s Curtains For Trump
This weekend, two formerly lauded public institutions humiliated themselves in spectacular fashion. By Sunday, one was shrouded in thousands of yards of tarpaulin — a translucent prophylactic, hiding an old man’s flaccid defeat. The other dangled limply in the breeze,...
What Makes External Counsel Valuable in 2026? Insights From GCs
Deciding when to engage external counsel is becoming more critical as legal budgets tighten and AI reshapes in-house work. Three GCs share how they make the call and ensure advisers deliver value. Deciding when to engage external counsel is becoming more...
Legal Ethics Roundup: Judge Ross Apologizes Again, Lawyer Chesebro Reinstated In FL, 88 Deans Support Independence, Anti-Trump Protest Prosecutor Suspended, Recusal Over Family Members & 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. Happy Monday! Hello from...
Phila. Firm’s Suit Against Former Name Partner Kicked to Arbitration
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Senior Judge Paula A. Patrick sustained the attorney's preliminary objections, concluding that the firm's claims fall within the scope of the partnership agreement's binding arbitration provision and must be pursued in that...
Why Big Law Can’t Afford to Be Remote in the Gulf Right Now
As conflict heightens risk in the Gulf, firms are leaning heavily on personal relationships and 'face time' to win work, although a Law.com survey shows firms are cautious about growth amid geopolitical uncertainty. As conflict heightens risk in the Gulf, firms...
Trump Names Sullivan & Cromwell Partner James McDonald as Next Manhattan US Attorney
McDonald, a former assistant U.S. attorney within the office, currently works as a litigation partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and co-heads the firm's securities and commodities investigations practice and its commodities futures and derivatives...
Meet the Sullivan & Cromwell Partner Who Is the President’s Pick to Serve as Manhattan US Attorney
James McDonald, a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, and currently a Sullivan & Cromwell litigation partner, has drawn a favorable response from the office. McDonald co-heads S&C's securities and commodities investigations...