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Morning Docket: 09.23.26
* Brett Kavanaugh testily demands answers in the Missouri gerrymander case he’s killed twice already. [NY Times] * “Judge dismisses suit claiming James Cameron misappropriated likeness of actress for ‘Avatar.'” I’ll say it, he hasn’t made a good movie since Terminator...
Eighth Circuit’s Flirtation With A Constitutional Crisis — See Also
Pick Me, Pick Me: Eighth Circuit “Pick Me Guys” make a mockery out of federal procedure to write hopeless opinion to stay on Trump’s good side. This is what impeachable behavior looks like. Michael Luttig Isn’t Predicting Trump’s Downfall. He’s Predicting What Trump...
How Marathon Training Has Improved My Skills as a Trial Attorney
Preparing to run a marathon has a great deal in common with preparing for trial, says Daniel O'Toole. Here's how putting in the miles has helped the PI attorney manage the stress of work and life. The post How Marathon Training Has Improved My Skills as a Trial...
3 More Questions For A Law School Admissions Expert (Part II)
(Image via Getty)Toward the end of summer, I presented Part I of my second written interview with Ethan Madore, 7Sage’s coordinator of their law school admissions consulting program. That column presented his answer to the first of my three questions and focused on...
Conservative Legal Legend Calls Donald Trump A ‘Trapped Animal’
J. Michael Luttig — the retired Fourth Circuit judge, George H.W. Bush appointee, the one time feeder-judge-to-the-conservative-legal-movement, and the man who advised Mike Pence that he had no authority to throw out the 2020 election — sat down with Nicolle Wallace...
Last Week Came OpenAI’s Launch Into Legal, Now Come The Litany Of Vendor Integrations
The post Last Week Came OpenAI’s Launch Into Legal, Now Come The Litany Of Vendor Integrations appeared first on Above the Law.Yesterday, OpenAI released Astra for Law, a GPT-6 model tailored for legal work, as I reported here. The announcement included news of 26 new...
Biglaw Firm’s Cybersecurity Headache Just Got Even Worse
Law firms have spent years warning clients about the dangers of cyberattacks. Unfortunately, hackers seem to have decided that the firms themselves make far more interesting targets. As reported by Reuters, Greenberg Traurig is now facing two proposed class actions...
California Tells Private Equity To Keep Its Hands Off Litigation Decisions
Gavin Newsom signed AB 2305 on Sunday, which means California now has a blunt statutory answer to the question of what private equity is allowed to do once it has bought its way into a law firm’s back office. The law bars business entities from interfering with or...
Is Legal Business Development Really Just Dating For Professionals?
Back in the 90s, when I was dating around, I was never all that thrilled about walking into smoky bars and feeling like I had to drink just to build up the gumption to approach a stranger. Did I do it? Sure. Did it work? Sometimes. Was it my favorite way to meet...
Before There Was A Public Defender, There Was Her
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Today, anyone accused of a crime who can’t afford a lawyer is entitled to one at public expense. Who invented the concept of a public defender, a salaried government attorney to defend the poor built...
McDonald’s to Face Smaller Portion of Franchisees’ Benefit Claims, Judge Rules
U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger allowed a narrow portion of claims to proceed that allege McDonald's denied Black franchisees benefits given to other stores. U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger allowed a narrow portion of claims to proceed that allege McDonald's...
Best Law Firm Websites in 2026 (Top 73)
Home Legal Marketing Lawyer Website Design Best Law Firm Websites in 2026 (Top 73) By Attorney at Law Magazine September 22, 2026 Table of Contents Get paired with the best legal marketing companies. Book a 30-minute legal marketing diagnosis with Jason from the...
UCLA Chancellor Faces Law School Faculty Backlash Following Comments About 9/11 Symposium
UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk is facing mounting criticism from law professors and academic groups who say his response to a controversial 9/11 symposium undermined academic freedom and amplified false claims that the event promoted terrorism or antisemitism. UCLA...
5 Lessons From Legal Teams On Where AI Adoption Is Headed Next
How can legal teams move fast, reduce costs, and handle greater volumes of information? AI has rapidly become the de facto answer. But beneath the enthusiasm for AI, how are practitioners actually using AI-driven tools — and what are they learning as adoption shifts...
Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes Expands Structured Financial Products Litigation Practice
NEW YORK, NY—Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes announced that Christopher P. Johnson, one of the country’s most highly ranked securities and MBS litigators, has joined the firm as a partner in its New York office. He is the fourth attorney to join Glenn Agre’s...
Ken Crutchfield: Lessons From Steel — Why LLMs Will Become Commodities
Large Language Models (LLMs) are a breakthrough technology, helping fuel the AI industrial revolution. OpenAI and Anthropic are market leaders, with extraordinary private valuations. The prospect of their respective trillion-dollar public company valuations, should...
Harvey Launches Pro Bono Program, Collaborating with Pro Bono Leaders At Major Firms
Legal AI company Harvey said today that it is launching a dedicated pro bono program in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. In the first phase of the program, the company will work with a selected group of it law firm customers as design partners....
From Dictation to Draft: How AI Is Reshaping Legal Document Creation
Join us to explore how AI-assisted drafting, voice-enabled workflows, and firm templates can streamline legal document creation and boost efficiency. Join us to explore how AI-assisted drafting, voice-enabled workflows, and firm templates can streamline legal...
Beyond Meat’s $23.5M Trademark Verdict Cut to $37.5K, but Boston Fed Judge Upholds $15.4M Profit Award
The court found that Sonate Corp. had adequately established a limited amount of lost profits from its existing business but that its larger damages claim—which was tied to a proposed product expansion called Vegadelphia 2.0—was too speculative and lacked a sufficient...
Live from WIPL with Jennifer Barnett
Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville. Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville.
Live from WIPL with Sara Garvey
Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville. Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville.
Law Firms and Clients Battle Over Who Reaps AI Savings
Big Law and corporate legal departments may ultimately agree on one avenue forward: billing by the outcome and value—not by the hour, corporate counsel sources and consultants say. Big Law and corporate legal departments may ultimately agree on one avenue...
The Big Thing Your Small Firm Needs but Can’t Yet Name
Ernie Svenson: I I hired Sarah because I wanted two apps talking. She asked why. By the end of the call, it was clear the connection wasn’t my problem. The process feeding the connection was my problem. The post The Big Thing Your Small Firm Needs but Can’t Yet Name...
The Shadow Docket Isn’t The Exception Anymore — See Also
‘The Law Is On Our Side Across The Board’: Ted Boutrous would know, he helped build it. After A Run Of Defections, Weil Is Reportedly Thinking About A Merger: That is one way the accelerate the firm’s growth. Google’s Defamation Defense: Relax, nobody believes our AI...
Ill. Appellate Court Upholds $41M Med-Mal Verdict Against OSF HealthCare, Clarifies Statute of Limitations Question
"A representative may sue on behalf of a disabled person, but the representative's ability to sue neither removes the disability nor starts the statutory periods," Judge Michael Hyman wrote. "Otherwise, the protection afforded a disabled person would depend on someone...
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Google AI Said Man Killed 3 People. Defamation Defense: ‘LOL, No One Trusts AI Summaries!’
Someone Googled “Jimmy Keene net worth,” hoping to figure out how much money the author, TV producer, and former FBI informant has tucked away after his memoir became Apple TV’s Black Bird. Google’s AI Overview explained that Keene was “serving a life sentence without...
Supreme Court ‘Shadow’ Docket Is Now Bigger Than The Real, ‘Transparent’ One
Conservative justices have spent years at war with two words. I know you’re thinking it’s something like “equal protection” or “reproductive rights,” or “basic ethics,” but let’s be serious — they already won those wars. The two words that get the conservatives riled...
The First And Last Time The Supreme Court Acted As A Trial Court
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! In more than two centuries, the U.S. Supreme Court has conducted a criminal trial exactly once — sitting not as an appeals court but as the trial court itself, with the justices weighing the evidence...
Quinn Emanuel Brings London Head To Blockbuster Mariana Dam Case
Mining giant BHP, represented by HSF Kramer, faces up to $36 billion in damages for the toxic mining spill in Brazil. Mining giant BHP, represented by HSF Kramer, faces up to $36 billion in damages for the toxic mining spill in Brazil.
Former Trump Attorney Alleges Misconduct In Prosecution Of Tom Goldstein
Viewed in context, the above violations of [Supreme Court lawyer Thomas] Goldstein’s rights were part and parcel of the government’s litigation strategy—not mistakes. Indeed, prosecutorial misconduct pervaded every stage of the proceedings below: shifting its theory...
On LawNext: An Offer She Could Not Turn Down — Bridget McCormack on Joining Clio to Transform Technology for Judges
Legal tech company Clio has long said that its mission is to transform the legal experience for all. Until now, that “all” has largely focused on law firms and their clients, but recently Clio announced a major initiative to develop technology for the judiciary. As...
With Merger Rumors Swirling, Weil Says It’s Staying the Course
The sources of the rumor mergers are unclear. Still, sources close to Weil said firm partners had floated with others internally the idea of a merger with specific firms. The sources of the rumor mergers are unclear. Still, sources close to Weil said firm...
Weil Seeks To Strengthen Its ‘Platform’ As Merger Rumors Swirl
When Michael Aiello and a handful of his M&A partners left Weil, Gotshal & Manges for what the firm memorably called “a smaller platform,” And by that, they meant… Cravath. Weil said it would respond by hitting the gas. The firm “has long believed that an...
Trump Banned Three News Outlets And Handed Gibson Dunn A Sequel It Already Knows How To Win
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico sued the President on Monday over the revocation of their White House credentials. Ted Boutrous, Katie Townsend, and Connor Sullivan of Gibson Dunn are leading the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against...
Marketing Roundup: Takeaways From The LMA Second Chair Roundtable, Why Branding Is More Than A Visual Identity, And More
As part of the Legal Marketing Association’s (LMA’s) partnership with Above the Law, we round up insights and intel from Strategies & Voices, LMA’s official online publication dedicated to the craft of legal marketing. This edition offers takeaways from the LMA...
An Inside Look at Cooley’s New AI Tool for IPOs, Developed With OpenAI
Cooley GO Public, the first software released by the firm's AI development company, is designed to generate first drafts of SEC S-1 forms, a key form used in the IPO process, saving time for both the firm's attorneys and client executives. Cooley GO Public, the...
Discrimination Against Whites? Admitting No Wrong, Starbucks Agrees to $1M Payment
A $1 million settlement between Starbucks and Florida's attorney general settles what could have been a costly legal battle, with the company accepting significant restrictions on the use of race and sex in employment decisions. A $1 million settlement between...
Workplace and School Investigations in a Hybrid World: Weighing In-Person and Remote Interview Options
Workplace and school investigators must now choose between in-person, remote, and hybrid interview formats based on the specific needs of each investigation, considering factors like cost, logistics, witness comfort, and case sensitivity. The best approach depends on...
B2B Agents Will Need More Than Machine-Readable Contracts
We have spent years trying to make contracts readable by machines. We extract clauses, identify obligations, classify risks, track dates, and convert dense agreements into structured data. That work matters. But it solves only the first part of the problem. A...
Why the Richest Families Lose the Most in Probate Court
After 11 years practicing law, I have learned that wealth and preparedness do not always arrive together. Some of the most financially successful families I have worked with own businesses, investment properties, substantial retirement accounts, brokerage portfolios,...
Examples Of Trusting Donald Trump Only To Be Stabbed In The Back
Mike Pence gave up a fair amount to help Donald Trump. Pence was a relatively successful guy. He’d served in the House of Representatives for more than a decade. He’d been the governor of Indiana. He had a reputation for being a devout Christian. Pence served Trump...
Legal Ethics Roundup: Judge Warns Of Threat To Democracy, AI Slop Harms Extend Beyond Fake Cites, Philly DA Referred For Investigation, New Bill Aims To End ‘Stealth Impeachments’ & More
Ed. note: Please welcome Renee Knake Jefferson back to the pages of Above the Law. Subscribe to her Substack, Legal Ethics Roundup, here. Happy Monday! Summer is over, but I’m still chasing sunsets on the weekends. Any guesses about where I found this one? I’m also...
Finalists Named for American Legal Technology Awards; Winners To Be Named At October Gala in Boston
The American Legal Technology Awards has named the finalists for its seventh annual awards program, honoring outstanding achievement and innovation across multiple categories of legal technology. This year’s winners were selected from 234 submissions across 10...
How I Made Partner: ‘Always Tell the Truth,’ Says Robert McFarlane of Moses & Singer
"Aside from the basics (work hard, develop business, foster relationships, etc.), one more: always tell the truth." "Aside from the basics (work hard, develop business, foster relationships, etc.), one more: always tell the truth."
Thyssenkrupp Falls Short of Local Rules in Damaged Cargo Suit, Judge Says
"It is not the court's responsibility to sift through the record to determine whether there is sufficient undisputed evidence to entitle a party to summary judgment," Judge Sharon Coleman wrote. "It is not the court's responsibility to sift through the record to...
Lawyer Retention In Three Words: Automate The Crap
I recently had a chance to meet with several managing partners from primarily small litigation-oriented law firms. Almost to a person they bemoaned the shortage of lawyers to work on their matters, especially younger lawyers. The concerns run from being unable to find...
LVMH Signed An Agreement To Buy Hermès Heir’s Shares
The post LVMH Signed An Agreement To Buy Hermès Heir’s Shares appeared first on Above the Law.The post LVMH Signed An Agreement To Buy Hermès Heir’s Shares appeared first on Above the Law.
Morning Docket: 09.21.26
* Trump claims that the new arch he’s been planning is necessary for national security now that he knows courts are dumb enough to rubberstamp that. [NY Times] * Law schools continue to struggle with AI. How much do professors hate in-person exams that they’re still...
Live from WIPL with Centellic’s Lazette Jackson
Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville. Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville.
Live from WIPL with Britt-Marie Cole-Johnson
Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville. Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville.
Tech-Ready Depositions: How to Avoid Preventable Problems in Complex Cases
Your case shouldn’t be undercut by preventable technology failures. Here are seven steps for running tech-ready depositions, from Michael Murray and Stacey DiGerardo. The post Tech-Ready Depositions: How to Avoid Preventable Problems in Complex Cases appeared first on...
What Makes a Good Personal Injury Billboard?
"What I'm trying to do is hold their attention and be remembered," John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan told Law.com. "What I'm trying to do is hold their attention and be remembered," John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan told Law.com.
Congressional Investigations After ‘De La Torre,’ ‘Navarro,’ and OLC’s ‘Private Advisers’ Opinion: Practical Takeaways
This article analyzes the key holdings of the 'De La Torre' and 'Navarro' cases, examines the new OLC opinion, and provides practical takeaways for companies and individuals facing investigations by Congress. This article analyzes the key holdings of the 'De La...
Biglaw Move That Everyone Seems Happy About — See Generally
Weil See You Later!: Weil, Gotshal & Manges lost rainmaker Michael Aiello, another big departure for them. But… partners spent the week explaining how they’re actually not all that sad to see him go… meanwhile, Cravath seems excited to get an injection of his...
Sonia Sotomayor Thinks Her Colleagues Need A Civics Lesson To Save The Republic
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. We spend as a nation five cents on civics education and $50 on STEM education per student. That difference is dramatic, and the lack of quality in our teaching of civics education has been proven by every...
Lane Kiffin Is EXACTLY The Guy Who Uses ChatGPT For Legal Advice
LSU nearly got themselves kicked out of the SEC in a legal standoff over signing former NFL players to the roster. The SEC’s argument rested, in part, on the claim that LSU had no institutional control over its big money athletic coaches. And now we hear that LSU...
Eighth Circuit Gives Dead Horse Mouth To Mouth
Everyone in Missouri understands that this game of election map tractor chicken is over. The Supreme Court has told elected officials twice to quit screwing around and run the midterms with the old maps. But the Eighth Circuit is still trying to copulate with that...
Coddling Young Lawyers? One Law School Says Not On Our Watch
Young lawyers are apparently a disaster. They have to be coddled. They can’t think. They are lazy and don’t want to work. They need constant feedback. We’ve all heard it: if they’re left alone for more than 20 minutes, they will wander into traffic while staring at...
‘Adventures In Legal Tech’: The Risks Of AI-Generated Legal Marketing
Here’s a compliance issue almost nobody in legal marketing is talking about: Your AI app may not reflect your state bar’s advertising rules. In this episode of “Adventures in Legal Tech,” David Arato, founder of Lexicon Legal Content, joins host Jared Correia to...
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. “Montana Ban Would Strike at Political Spending, and the Supreme Court; A...
Niche Down To Blow Up: Micro-Specialization Marketing For Law Firms
Most of the time, “more is more” in law firm marketing: more blogs, higher word counts, maximal visibility. You will not often hear digital marketing professionals advocating the proverbial “less is more” approach. Occasionally, however, doing one thing better than...
The 3 Things Every Healthy Organization Needs
In a recent conversation with consultant and author Cheryl Donaldson, I explored a challenge that is becoming impossible for law firms to ignore: young, talented lawyers are more willing than ever to walk out the door if the culture doesn’t work for them. What Cheryl...
He Took ‘Zealous Advocacy’ A Fatal Step Too Far
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which prominent 19th-century lawyer — and one of the most notorious politicians of the Civil War era — was defending a man accused of murder, arguing that the victim had actually shot himself by...
Cravath’s Latest Hire Comes With A Les Moonves-Shaped Asterisk — See Also
Cravath Says Mike Aiello Shares Its ‘Values.’ About That: Not where I would have gone with the press release, but OK. The G In GPT Stands For Geaux: LSU’s football coach used ChatGPT for legal advice and somehow this explains AI, doomerism, antitrust, Ted Cruz, the...
Law Firm Disrupted: Enter the Chat(GPT)
Is Astra for Law a market disruptor that resets the competitive landscape? Or a noninvasive species in legal's expanding AI ecosystem?The answer might be both. Is Astra for Law a market disruptor that resets the competitive landscape? Or a noninvasive species in...
Record-Breaking $37M Pain and Suffering Verdict Confirmed by First Department
Aurora Beauchamp was awarded a total of $37 million for pain and suffering damages, divided as $20 million for past pain and suffering and $17 million for future pain and suffering. Aurora Beauchamp was awarded a total of $37 million for pain and suffering...
Husch Blackwell Launches AI-Based CXT for Complex Torts Defense: A ‘Concierge Support Model’
Husch Blackwell this week launched a new artificial intelligence-focused platform, called CXT (Complex Torts), which will focus on the management and defense of complex litigation such as mass torts. Husch Blackwell this week launched a new artificial...
$17M Verdict Against Campbell’s Withstands Federal Challenge
Last year, the judge excluded testimony of Gamon's damages expert, citing his unreliable damages calculations and methods. Last year, the judge excluded testimony of Gamon's damages expert, citing his unreliable damages calculations and...
Are Workers’ Walk Time Worth Money in Court? It Depends
The cases—involving Target Corp. and Amazon—show laws concerning payment for pre- and post-shift activities are highly variable from state to state, where tribunals disagree on the issue. The cases—involving Target Corp. and Amazon—show laws concerning payment...
Litigation Trends to Watch: Sports Litigation Heats Up. Plus, Amgen’s Data Security Troubles.
Suits accuse Fanatics and TikTok of conspiring to monopolize the livestream NFL memorabilia market. Suits accuse Fanatics and TikTok of conspiring to monopolize the livestream NFL memorabilia market.
Nominations Are Open for the 2027 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award; Deadline is Nov. 1
Nominations are now open for the 2027 Alli Gerkman Legal Visionary Award, which recognizes an innovator who, early in their career, has made a significant impact toward making the American legal system work better for everyone. That description fits the person for...
Guest Post: The Rise Of The Contracting ‘Stack’
A legal operations professional requested a demo earlier this year with a note that intrigued me. She said that she was going to “stack” a CLM solution, and she was looking for the workflow portion (which is what my product, Josef, does). When we met, I dug in...
Scott Costantino: Built on Trust
Scott Costantino: Built on Trust By Susan Cushing When people walk through the doors of the Costantino Law Firm, P.A., they often arrive carrying far more than medical records or insurance paperwork. They come burdened by uncertainty, frustration and, in many cases,...
The Clinical Story Behind the Medical Record: How Legal Nurse Consultants Strengthen Healthcare Cases
For attorneys handling healthcare-related litigation, the medical record is often one of the most important — and most complicated — pieces of evidence in a case. A single matter can involve thousands of pages of records, multiple providers, unfamiliar terminology and...
Tips to Navigate Your Spouse’s New Relationship During (or After) Divorce
As a family law attorney, I have represented clients in countless divorces and helped clients navigate the divorce process. Although I was their legal advocate, I never truly felt capable of managing clients’ issues when it came to the emotional part of divorce. My...
Penny Schmidt: Experience, Preparation and Practical Solutions
“I take a firm and direct approach to mediation. I help parties realistically evaluate risks, opportunities and potential obstacles. Sometimes people become so focused on a single position they lose sight of practical solutions. A mediator’s role is to help them see...
Dimitri Peteves: Rising Star
Attorney at Law Magazine sat down with Dimitri Peteves of Creed & Gowdy, P.A. to discuss his career. AALM: Why did you pursue your board certification? What was the most challenging aspect of earning your board certification? DP: The shareholders at my...
Scott Costantino: Takes the Helm of the International Society of Barristers
On March 5, Scott Costantino was elected the 62nd president of the International Society of Barristers (ISOB) at the annual meeting in Hawaii. About the ISOB Founded in 1965, the ISOB preserves trial by jury, the adversary system, and an independent judiciary. Its...
How I Made Partner: ‘Find the Firm That Is the Best Fit for You,’ Says Sean Farrell of Smith Currie
"Find the firm that is the best fit for you. The 'best fit' may not be the firm that offers the highest salary or the area of law that seems the most attractive at the time. Seek out the firm where you like the people, the work, and the clients. Every job is going to...
The ROI of Investing In Women’s Leadership: Why Legal Needs More Programs Like EWIL
The legal industry doesn't have a shortage of talented women. It has a shortage of rooms built for them to become leaders in. The firms that start filling that gap now, while there are still only a handful of these programs to choose from, will be the ones with the...
Law Firms Close ‘Convenience Offices’ in Post-COVID Shift
Several Am Law 200 law firms closed smaller offices last year, even in larger markets as D.C. and Chicago, as firms in general have grown more strategic about their footprints, decreased “convenience offices" with just a few lawyers, and redirected resources since the...
Live from WIPL with Nana Boyer
Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville. Legal Speak, recorded live, from the 2026 Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference in Nashville.
Lawyers Don’t Need More AI Tools, They Need Better Workflow Decisions
The next phase of legal innovation, says Ivy Grey, should focus on building AI-enabled workflows attorneys will actually use, with accountability baked in. A few best practices. The post Lawyers Don’t Need More AI Tools, They Need Better Workflow Decisions appeared...
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Defends the Power of Dissent in Phila. Bar Remarks
Accepting a Philadelphia Bar Association award Thursday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson praised Justice William J. Brennan Jr.'s commitment to democratic values and said judicial dissents reflect "faith in the future." Accepting a Philadelphia...
Federalist Society & Bari Weiss University Planning New Law School… Move Over ASSLaw!
Politicians started chipping away at the American Bar Association’s law school accreditation authority over the last several months. First, a number of states — including, importantly, Texas — announced that they would stop respecting the ABA’s century of experience...
Jeff Clark Announces New Law Firm To Fight ‘Barfare’ While He Waits On Disbarment
Jeff Clark informed the masses that he’s starting up a new law firm. Like any firm boasting the level of seriousness Jeff Clark brings, the announcement and a call for applications went up on X, America’s premier source for racial slurs. Though if recruiting lawyers...
Oscar-Winning Lawyering
Many actors have won Academy Awards for portraying lawyers over the years including Tom Hanks and Tilda Swinton. But in the early days of Hollywood, attorney roles struggled to gain recognition. Who was the first actor to win an Oscar for portraying a lawyer? Hint: It...
Brett Kavanaugh Hanging Out In College Dorms Is Somehow *Not* A Joke — See Also
Justice Keggerator Goes To School: Brett Kavanaugh just casually hanging out in college dorms as one does as a 61-year-old man with a history of sexual misconduct allegations. Ken Paxton Is Now Material For The Blue Collar Comedy Tour: Ron White would like Ken Paxton...
Biglaw ‘Lioness’ Admitted All Lawyers Are A-Holes, And Got A Job On The Spot
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. I said, ‘I think I am, because I’m a lawyer, and all lawyers are assholes on some level.’ — Lisa Solbakken, co-founder and managing partner of Arkin Solbakken, recalling the answer she gave when famously...
Remembrance Of Events Past (With Apologies To Marcel Proust)
For those of us who have memories of events past, this has been a difficult couple of weeks (ignoring the dreadful weather that most of us have faced recently). First, the death of Gloria Steinem, a vocal and visible symbol of equal rights, not just for women. And...
Utah Is Using Insurance Records To Catch Montana Loophole Tax Evaders Which Other States Could Follow
In previous columns, I have covered the “Montana Loophole,” where car owners would deliberately register their car outside of the state they reside in. People did this to avoid their home state’s sales taxes, annual registration fees, regular smog checks in some...
Troutman Pepper Locke Will Pay Associates Market Compensation, Well, Some Of Them
It’s a match! With an asterisk… or two. Troutman Pepper Locke is the latest firm to get on board with the salary scale Milbank set back in June, telling associates it will pay market — effective January 1, 2027. The firm is matching lockstep for associates in their...
Massachusetts Adopts Community Benefit Requirements for Data Center Projects
Governor Maura Healey's community-focused regulatory framework stands out from measures and proposals in other states that primarily aim to put the brakes on new development, like New York's recent moratorium on new data centers while the state develops new...
How To Better Serve Your Firm And Partners As An Associate
If you want to become the associate partners ask for by name, start with this: make it easier for them to serve their clients. Finish what you start. Tell them what they need to know. Give them work they can use. And please, don’t make them chase you for an assignment...
Brett Kavanaugh Randomly Hanging Out In College Dorm
Apparently no one around Brett Kavanaugh has even the slightest sense of optics. Shouldn’t there be someone in his orbit that scores high enough on a basic pattern recognition test to advise a guy best known to the country for sexual misconduct allegations — including...
AI Native Law Firms Aren’t Just For Biglaw Lawyers
The post AI Native Law Firms Aren’t Just For Biglaw Lawyers appeared first on Above the Law.The post AI Native Law Firms Aren’t Just For Biglaw Lawyers appeared first on Above the Law.
OpenAI Releases Astra for Law, A GPT-6 Model Tailored for Legal Work, Targeting Large Firms and Tech Vendors
Calling it the beginning of its long-term investment in law, ChatGPT developer OpenAI today released Astra for Law, a version of its latest model, GPT-6 Astra, configured for legal work, including a dedicated legal search index and custom instructions for legal...
OpenAI Launches Legal-Specific Configuration of GPT-6 Astra, Its Latest LLM
The company said Astra for Law is target at Am Law 200 firms and legal tech vendors, and provided details on its co-development partnerships with Sullivan & Cromwell, Ropes & Gray and Cooley. The company said Astra for Law is target at Am Law 200 firms...















































































