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Cox CLO Jennifer Hightower Details AI Strategy, Political Neutrality and What’s Next
In this week's episode, Cox Enterprises Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Hightower discusses how Cox Enterprises' legal department is navigating technological disruptions and regulatory changes. In this week's episode, Cox Enterprises...
DOJ Backs Trump in Appeal of $83M Carroll Verdict
“Absent this Court's intervention, the sitting President is facing nearly a hundred million dollars of personal liability for conduct that was well within the scope of his federal office, the U.S. Justice Department told the U.S. Supreme Court this week. “Absent...
Todd Blanche Is In Trouble — See Also
Todd Blanche Still Won’t Write Down The Promises He Swore To: It’s getting weird, tbh. Fifth Amendment Right Against… What?: Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment even though his pardon should make self-incrimination impossible. But it’s a side effect of the rise of bad...
Have You Been Injured In A Football-Related Accident? Temple’s Uniform Now Has A Firm For That.
There is no more perfectly targeted advertising real estate in America than the front of a football jersey. Americans have spent years of making fun of soccer stars for their corporate logo-filled kits, but now he NCAA and college football has decided to get in on the...
Washington Bar Exam Chaos Leaves Future Legal Careers In Limbo
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. Who knows when the September retake scores will release. A delay in licensing all the incoming public defense and other public interest attorneys will only serve to harm the citizens of Washington. — Tyson...
Trump: I’ll Pull Blanche’s Nomination And Resubmit After Cornyn And Tillis Are Gone. Cornyn: Cool, Roll The Dice.
This morning, shortly after we published our piece on the postponed Senate Judiciary Committee vote on the nomination of Todd Blanche for Attorney General, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social. “Todd Blanche is a STAR, and everyone knows it!” he wrote. “He has the...
Q2 Report On Legal Tech Advertising Finds Q1’s Buying Surge Was Largely Seasonal, But Reveals Where Demand Is Now Concentrated
The post Q2 Report On Legal Tech Advertising Finds Q1’s Buying Surge Was Largely Seasonal, But Reveals Where Demand Is Now Concentrated appeared first on Above the Law.In April, I reported here on a dramatic first-quarter 2026 increase in the numbers of legal tech...
AI Security Isn’t In The Price Tag
The post AI Security Isn’t In The Price Tag appeared first on Above the Law.The post AI Security Isn’t In The Price Tag appeared first on Above the Law.
Withdrawing The Attorney General Nominee Is Nothing New
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! With Donald Trump considering withdrawing the nomination of Todd Blanche for Attorney General, it seems relevant to ask, when was the last time a president formally withdrew an AG nomination that had...
A Win in Every Forum: Judge Terminates Zync’s Case Against BMW
In what appears to be the first time a U.S. International Trade Commission judge has ended a contested Section 337 investigation based on a forum-selection clause, the ITC terminated the case, ruling the parties' contract required them to litigate in Munich. In...
Trump’s New Global Tariffs Have Better Legal Grounding. Does That Matter?
President Donald Trump has turned to a tried and tested trade law that offers him better legal support for his ambitious second-term goal, a new baseline tariff covering nearly all imports. President Donald Trump has turned to a tried and tested trade law that...
Judge Watch: Abbott Keeps Texas Business Court Bench Intact With New 2-Year Terms
Gov. Greg Abbott reappointed all 10 Texas Business Court judges to new two-year terms as the still-new court continues handling complex commercial disputes across five active divisions. Gov. Greg Abbott reappointed all 10 Texas Business Court judges to new...
Condominium Associations Confront Rising Costs, Insurance Pressures and New Lending Standards
To keep federally backed financing available for their unit owners, condominium associations are attempting to adjust to the recent changes in the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac underwriting standards. These are forcing associations to closely review the maintenance of...
Replay – Legaltech Week for 07/24/26: Free Legal Claude Connector, AALL recap, OpenAI’s rogue model, and more
Every Friday, a panel of leading legal tech journalists come together to discuss the top stories of the week in legal tech and legal innovation. The show is live and free to attend. You can register to attend the weekly Zoom here. Missed last week’s show? Here are the...
Savitt’s Move Punctuates Pure Lockstep’s Fall—and Gibson Dunn’s Talent Share Rise
Wachtell is adapting to the cutthroat lateral partner market with modified lockstep compensation as larger firms continue to apply pressure. Wachtell is adapting to the cutthroat lateral partner market with modified lockstep compensation as larger firms continue...
Law Firms Are Hiring Salespeople: What the Best Ones Actually Do
Law firm are filling sales roles at an accelerating pace, says Julie Savarino. Here’s what a client-facing sales professional can actually do for your firm, and how to set up a pilot. The post Law Firms Are Hiring Salespeople: What the Best Ones Actually Do appeared...
The Bar Exam That Went So Horribly Wrong The Whole Thing Got Canceled — See Also
The NCBE Called It A ‘Historic Milestone.’ Washington Canceled It. The state pulled the plug on the entire exam rather than trust the tech again. What About Diploma Privilege? The question answers itself after Washington torched an entire bar exam — and it’s the same...
Inside Scott+Scott and Litigation Startup Advocacy AI’s Design Partnership
The partnership is intended to produce customized uses of Advocacy's platform for the firm, including a potential case identification use case. The partnership is intended to produce customized uses of Advocacy's platform for the firm, including a potential case...
This Attorney Wouldn’t Let The Supreme Court Have The Last Word
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! In 1879, after the Supreme Court turned her away on the reasoning that “none but men” were permitted to practice before it, which attorney lobbied Congress into passing “An Act to relieve certain legal...
Smooth Launch for NextGen Bar Exam in Most Jurisdictions
The launch of the NextGen bar exam led to Washington state having to cancel the July administration of the bar exam, Missouri having to adjust Wednesday's testing schedule to counter a delayed start on Tuesday and Maryland experiencing a brief delay on the first day...
Inside Quinn Emanuel’s Court-Required Ethics Training
The law firm was sanctioned this past May and ordered to create ethics education courses after a judge found it committed ethical violations during a pharmaceutical advertising trial. The law firm was sanctioned this past May and ordered to create ethics...
AI For Criminal Defense: It’s An Issue Of Priorities. And Money.
(Image via Getty)During one of our weekly Legaltech Week journalist roundtables recently, we talked briefly about the fact that while there are lots of specialized legal tech tools and AI platforms for much of the legal market, there are precious few such tools...
S&C’s Bob Giuffra Put His Name On The Trump SCOTUS Petition He Was Going To Stay Away From
Earlier this month, we reported on the Wall Street Journal’s scoop that Sullivan & Cromwell had crossed Bob Giuffra’s own self-drawn line and quietly waded into the E. Jean Carroll litigation, we now have the receipts in the most literal sense possible because...
If You Sell Legendary Virtual Pokémon For Thousands Of Dollars, There Could Be Tax Consequences In The Real World
(Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)Pokémon GO, the augmented reality game that allowed people to catch various Pokémon in the real world with with their mobile devices (and caused millions of people to flood the streets on its initial release), celebrated its 10th...
Data Centers In Space: An Absurd Fantasy Dumber Than Running Hundreds Of Tests On A Drop Of Blood
I know we all have the attention span of goldfish now, but remember Theranos, the company founded by a 19-year-old college dropout that claimed to be able to conduct hundreds of medical tests on a single drop of blood? Yeah, it couldn’t do that, because it is...
ACLU Claims DOD Is Using Active-Duty Military as Temporary Immigration Judges
The ACLU said it believes at least three military service members have begun hearing and deciding cases in Massachusetts immigration courts, according to its complaint. The ACLU said it believes at least three military service members have begun hearing and...
There’s An Obvious Fix For Washington’s Bar Exam Debacle
[READ MORE HERE: About bar exam horrors in Missouri and Maryland] Yesterday, Washington called off its entire July bar exam after the NextGen debut collapsed in a Yakima convention center — six hours of dead WiFi, not a single question answered, an entire...
Ill. Appeals Court Says It Hopes Higher Fine Will Deter AI Hallucinations
The attorney admitted to using a "premier corporate subscription of ChatGPT" in a response brief filed July 2, but the court wrote that this brief also included misstatements of law. The attorney admitted to using a "premier corporate subscription of ChatGPT" in...
The Unexpected ‘Downside’ Of Becoming A Supreme Court Justice
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. I think the thing that has been most startling in a way has been the need for security in a way that you didn’t have before. It has meant really having to adjust my life, because I can’t just go out in any...
SGX-Nasdaq Dual Listing Framework Signals New Phase in Singapore’s Global Ambitions
Singapore's new dual-listing agreement with Nasdaq is a landmark in how the city%E2%80%91state courts companies and looks to spruce up its IPO market, but lawyers say a limited issuer pool means a big-bang spike in deal flow could take a while yet. Singapore's...
Washington Just Called Off Its Entire Bar Exam
I don’t want to say I’m Cassandra. But when we flagged yesterday that, with the bar exam here, something was about to go horribly wrong, it wasn’t exactly a bold call. Something goes wrong every year. The only questions were how, and how badly. Washington answered...
Maryland Thought It Had A Bar Exam Disaster. Turns Out They Were The Lucky Ones.
After months of studying, thousands of dollars in expenses, and enough stress to shave years off a person’s life, bar applicants should at least be able to count on one thing: actually being able to take the exam, on time. Apparently not. The first administration of...
BAR EXAM DISASTER! All The Details From Around The Country.
A ‘Historic Milestone In Legal Licensure’ That Nobody Got To Take: Washington scrapped its entire NextGen bar exam after six hours of dead wifi — while the NCBE insisted its platform worked fine. The Show Me State Left Wanting: Missouri’s bar exam descended into chaos...
Gibson Dunn Snags Wachtell Partners… But One Planned Lateral Got Literally & Figuratively Benched
Gibson Dunn just landed a homerun lateral haul this week, snatching six litigation partners out of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, including executive committee co-chair and litigation co-chair William Savitt, reportedly set in motion by a coffee meeting with...
Park Benches And Supreme Court Benches
The biggest story in legal last week was an unfortunate guerrilla antagonizing of a couple making out on a park bench… who just happened to be a Wachtell partner and associate. And now an internal HR problem is suddenly national news. Say what you will about the...
The California Bar Exam Was A Disaster, NCBE And Missouri: ‘Hold My Beer’
[READ MORE HERE: About bar exam horrors in Washington and Maryland] The most credulous voices in legal spent the last year dunking all over California’s haphazard effort to administer its own bar exam. California’s initiative admittedly moved too fast — a byproduct of...
Critical Mass With Law.com’s Amanda Bronstad: Johnson & Johnson to Pay at Least $5.5B in Talc Settlement, Meta Begins Trial in Tennessee AG’s Consumer Case
This week: Johnson & Johnson on Monday agreed to settle 76,000 talcum powder lawsuits, potentially ending 15 years of litigation. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skremetti opened trial this week, alleging Meta made false statements about child safety on...
How I Made Office Managing Partner: ‘Be Open to Opportunities You Didn’t Envision,’ Says Justine Fitzgerald of Hirschler
"Be flexible and open to opportunities you didn't envision initially. When I came out of law school, I don't know if I could imagine myself where I am today, but things evolve and you have to evolve with them. It's important to stay flexible and not assume your career...
Illinois Supreme Court’s Latest Judicial Screening Committee Includes Big Law, Midsize Attorneys
The committee—formed under Justice Sanjay Tailor, who was sworn in as the first Asian-American justice for the state Supreme Court earlier this year—may interview applicants, ask for public input and gather other information. The committee—formed under Justice...
Morning Docket: 07.29.26
* Federal judges call out government attorneys for the 3 “U”s: “unlawful,” “unethical” and “unseemly” conduct. [Pro Publica] * Gibson Dunn snags big litigation team from Wachtell. [NY Times] * Judge orders immigration authorities to release man they’d kept under lock...
Being First on Associate Pay: Behind Milbank’s Strategy
In an interview, firm chair Scott Edelman said Milbank has become a leader in associate compensation, allowing it to compete for the best talent. And it's become a market differentiator. In an interview, firm chair Scott Edelman said Milbank has become a leader...
Trump Fails To File Promised Birthright Citizenship Rehearing Before Deadline
Are you guys sitting down? Because it’s possible — possible — that Donald Trump might be full of shit. I know, I know. But hear me out. After losing his challenge to the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship on a 5-4 or 6-3 (or maybe 7-2?)...
Neil Gorsuch Says He Trusts Sonia Sotomayor’s Motives, Even If He Rejects Her Legal Views
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. I know she loves this country. She knows I love this country. We know we’re coming at it from the right place internally. — Justice Neil Gorsuch, in comments given during an appearance at the Reagan Civility...
Selling The Skinny
For three years straight, I have written on these pages about patent-related issues involving the defining drugs of our lifetimes, GLP-1’s. Let’s go for the fourth year in a row. In 2023, I focused on recently granted patents that the two behemoths in the weight-loss...
July NextGen Bar Exam Cancelled in Washington State
The first administration of the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam could not be completed in Washington state Tuesday, and the July administration has been cancelled. The first administration of the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam could not be completed in Washington state...
July NextGen Bar Exam Canceled in Washington State
The first administration of the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam could not be completed in Washington state Tuesday, and the July administration has been canceled. The first administration of the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam could not be completed in Washington state...
July NextGen Bar Exam Canceled in Washington State
The first administration of the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam could not be completed in Washington state Tuesday, and the July administration has been canceled. The first administration of the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam could not be completed in Washington state...
The Science of Connection: Using Neuroscience to Strengthen Client Relationships
Debra Hare and Joe Bell explain the connection between neuroscience and client relationships and how understanding a few key tactics can help lawyers build a loyal client base. The post The Science of Connection: Using Neuroscience to Strengthen Client Relationships...
More Summer Bonus Action — See Also
Another Day, Another Summer Bonus: Yet another firm is rewarding its associates with more money. The Biggest Sharks In Biglaw: But which law schools do all of these sharks come from? Find out here. Tell Us Your Bar Exam Horror Story: Poop, births, fires, tsunamis,...
The Dems Helping Donald Trump Load Up The Federal Bench
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! To date, who are the only three Democratic senators to return blue slips for judicial nominees in Trump’s second term in office? Hint: Don’t worry, the nominees (now judges) did not provide straight-up...
Ashley Keller Appeals Sanctions in Acetaminophen Cases, Asks to Reassign MDL to Another Judge
Ashley Keller, of Keller Postman, asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to reverse U.S. Senior District Judge Denise Cote's May 8 sanctions against him, then assign the multidistrict litigation alleging prenatal use of acetaminophen causes autism or...
EBay, Former Execs Settle Mass. Couple’s Harassment, Cyberstalking Suit for $55.7M
David and Ina Steiner founded the news site ECommerceBytes, a newsletter and website that serves as an independent trade publication for online merchants. Executives at eBay, however, considered their content to be negative coverage of the company and began a...
Where Biglaw Gets Its Lawyers: An ATL Infographic
It’s Shark Week! One of summer’s highlights also gives us another excuse to share a new underwater infographic. This year, our seascape depicts the law school pipelines feeding five of the most prominent Biglaw firms: Gibson Dunn; Kirkland & Ellis; Latham &...
Todd Blanche’s Confirmation Is Being Held Up By… Todd Blanche
Todd Blanche has spent the better part of his confirmation process insisting that the $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund — otherwise known as the Trump slush fun — is dead. He said so under sworn testimony. He privately told Senators Durbin and Blumenthal it was “a...
DHS General Counsel Names Four Federal Judges ‘Worst Of The Worst’ As Threats Against Judiciary Hit 564
The Department of Homeland Security runs a recurring social media feature called “Worst of the Worst,” in which it names individual immigrants it has deported and catalogs their alleged crimes. It’s a public relations effort to distract from the fact that 99 percent...
Pro Bono Asylum Wins are Harder to Come by Amid Regulatory Whiplash, Uncertain Timelines and Strained Bandwidth
Big Law pro bono departments don't have a complicated relationship with asylum work, leaders say; instead, it's the work that's becoming more complicated, with asylum cases unfolding over years as the Trump administration overhauls the nation's immigration...
Wachtell’s Savitt Part of Six-Partner Move to Gibson Dunn
Savitt is joining as co-chair of Gibson Dunn's litigation practice group. Savitt is joining as co-chair of Gibson Dunn's litigation practice group.
How Gibson Dunn Landed Wachtell’s Savitt in Six-Partner Move
The lateral move started with coffee. “Bill has always been on the top of my list, said Gibson Dunn chair and managing partner Barbara Becker in an interview. The lateral move started with coffee. “Bill has always been on the top of my list, said Gibson Dunn...
Cha-Ching: Another Firm Joins The Bonus Party
The summer bonus dominoes just keep falling. While much of Biglaw remains frozen in its usual “waiting to see what everyone else does” stance, another firm has decided there’s no point in making associates sweat through August wondering whether extra money is on the...
The Bar Exam Is Here, Which Means Something Is About To Go Horribly Wrong
It’s that time of year again. Somewhere in America, a law school graduate who spent the last two months memorizing the rule against perpetuities is now sitting in a convention center, praying the software boots up and the ceiling stays put. Given the track record,...
‘Prioritize Profits and Hide the Truth’: Tennessee AG Opens Addiction Trial Against Instagram
The trial, which accuses Meta of violating the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, is similar to a case New Mexico Attorney General Rau l Torrez brought against Meta, in which a jury this year awarded $375 million in civil penalties to the state. The trial, which...
A Jaunt Through ‘The Odyssey’
This summer, I’m taking a class in comparative translations of The Odyssey. Okay, okay: To each his own. But I’ve sure been amused about the controversy over whether Christopher Nolan’s film version of The Odyssey is woke. Let me make just two points. First, folks say...
A Blanche Confirmation Hearing Witness Is Getting Death Threats. Thanks, Sens. Hawley And Schmitt!
Elizabeth Oyer spent 13 years as the pardoning attorney for the Department of Justice. Last week, she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about Todd Blanche’s nomination for Attorney General, specifically that Blanche fired her after she refused to restore...
Webinar: Why Contract Ownership Is Your Most Expensive Blind Spot
The post Webinar: Why Contract Ownership Is Your Most Expensive Blind Spot appeared first on Above the Law.Ahead of this year’s release of the Contract Intelligence Index Report, join Hal Marcus, Principal of Product Marketing at Workday, and Lisa Lang, VP, General...
The Lawyer Who Helped Build Kirkland Thinks AI Will Build Its Successor
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. I hope I have one more revolution left in me. — David Fox, the former Kirkland & Ellis partner who co-founded software company Irving Technology, in comments given to the Wall Street Journal, concerning the...
Understanding Statistical Analyses of College Admissions Policies
The controversy surrounding ACTS highlights a practical question that is likely to shape the next era of affirmative-action litigation: how can litigants use data to prove or disprove the existence of racial preferences under officially race-neutral admissions...
What Happens When Patients Trust AI Over Their Doctor?
The post What Happens When Patients Trust AI Over Their Doctor? appeared first on Above the Law.Patients are increasingly walking into exam rooms having already consulted an AI chatbot about their symptoms — and sometimes trusting it as much as they trust their...
Bringing Home The Bacon: Clio Launches ‘Clio Work’ AI In Its Home Country Of Canada
The post Bringing Home The Bacon: Clio Launches ‘Clio Work’ AI In Its Home Country Of Canada appeared first on Above the Law.Since launching its Clio Work AI product in October 2025, Clio says it has been the fastest-adopted product in the company’s 18-year history....
Makeout Video Elevates Wachtell To The Internet’s Main Character
As a firm, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is a lot of things, but Morgan & Morgan it is not. Wachtell has under 300 lawyers and is the law firm you never hear about unless you’re in the legal industry weeds and realize they’re quietly hoovering up cash with...
Morning Docket: 07.28.26
* Corporate pardons were never a thing. Trump has issued nine. [The New Republic] * Freshfields losing European partners worried about U.S. growth. [Bloomberg Law News] * Comey seeks to 86 the 8647 suit. [NPR] * Trump heading to the Supreme Court with his effort to...
When Hiring Rainmakers Demands ‘Surgical’ Precision
Firms have several considerations for lateral hiring in mature practices, including the impact on other partners' business. Firms have several considerations for lateral hiring in mature practices, including the impact on other partners'...
Linklaters, Webber Wentzel End Exclusive 13-Year Alliance in Latest South Africa Reset
The restructuring follows a series of Africa strategy changes by global law firms, although Linklaters said it remains committed to serving clients across the continent. The restructuring follows a series of Africa strategy changes by global law firms, although...
AI Note-Takers for Lawyers: The Recording Risk You Need to Fully Understand
Ernie Svenson: Consent is only part of it. When using AI note-takers, lawyers carry recording risks that other people don’t. The post AI Note-Takers for Lawyers: The Recording Risk You Need to Fully Understand appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms...
Supreme Court’s Public Approval Hits Record Low, Gallup Says
New Gallup polling shows record low approval of the U.S. Supreme Court after its most recent term, largely driven by a decline in Republican support for the institution. New Gallup polling shows record low approval of the U.S. Supreme Court after its most recent...
The Week in Data July 28: A Look at Legal Industry Trends by the Numbers
Catch up on the latest data from across the Law.com newsroom, including the 2026 Elite Trial Lawyers. Catch up on the latest data from across the Law.com newsroom, including the 2026 Elite Trial Lawyers.
Johnson & Johnson Settles 76,000 Talcum Powder Lawsuits for $5.5B
The settlement, which resolves 99.75% of the talcum powder litigation in federal and state courts, comes 15 years after the first suits alleged Johnson & Johnson's baby powder caused ovarian cancer. The settlement, which resolves 99.75% of the talcum powder...
BREAKING NEWS: Johnson & Johnson Settles 76,000 Talcum Powder Lawsuits for at Least $5.5B
The settlement, which resolves 99.75% of the talcum powder litigation in federal and state courts, comes 15 years after the first suits alleged Johnson & Johnson's baby powder caused ovarian cancer. The settlement, which resolves 99.75% of the talcum powder...
Johnson & Johnson Settles 76,000 Talcum Powder Lawsuits for at Least $5.5B
The settlement, which resolves 99.75% of the talcum powder litigation in federal and state courts, comes 15 years after the first suits alleged Johnson & Johnson's baby powder caused ovarian cancer. The settlement, which resolves 99.75% of the talcum powder...
FIU Installs Sanctioned Trump Attorney As Interim Law Dean, Overruling Its Own Search Committee
The interim dean of the Florida International University College of Law starts in August. He cannot, at the moment, even ASK to appear in the federal courthouse down the road. Daniel Epstein is FIU Law’s new interim dean. Prior to this job, Epstein’s worked as Trump...
A Bar Exam Disaster For The Ages
Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Back in 2014, what exam software company had a major glitch when administering the bar exam leaving thousands of test takers around the nation unable to upload their completed exams — despite deadlines...
Milbank Is Paying Their Associates Even More Money — See Also
More Milbank Money: Up to $25K in special bonuses for associates and counsel. Is any firm willing to match without Cravath’s permission? What’s Your Sign? This lawyer zodiac breakdown will leave you laughing. Teaching Professional Responsibility As Cautionary Example:...
ABA Argues DOJ Is ‘Weaponizing the Rules of Professional Conduct’ in Attempting to Disqualify Susman Godfrey
The DOJ's reasoning for disqualifying Susman "would effectively make the ABA's choice of counsel subject to the government's veto," the ABA argues. The DOJ's reasoning for disqualifying Susman "would effectively make the ABA's choice of counsel subject to the...
The DOJ (Dis)Honors Program Is Having Trouble Finding Takers
The Department of Justice Honors Program has spent decades selling itself as “the largest and most prestigious federal entry-level attorney hiring program of its kind.” It was the front door to a career in federal law. For a lot of law students, it was the whole plan....
‘They Kind of Lost Their Way’: Cooley Must Pay $25M for Legal Malpractice
The award includes $3 million in attorney fees, $1.1 million in expenses and $5.6 million in prejudgment interest. The award includes $3 million in attorney fees, $1.1 million in expenses and $5.6 million in prejudgment interest.
Letter from Asia: The Danger of Being Merely ‘Fit for Purpose’
As Asia's legal market becomes leaner and more selective, firms are discovering that success is no longer about being able to do everything, but about becoming the obvious choice for something. As Asia's legal market becomes leaner and more selective, firms are...
Penn State Dickinson Law Dean’s Sudden Departure Follows Congressional DEI Hearing
The school announced Friday that Danielle Conway had stepped down as dean effective immediately, two days after a former Penn State Dickinson Law student testified during congressional hearings accusing the dean and school of "ideological coercion." The school...
The Bar Exam Pep Talk Every Student Needs To Read
The post The Bar Exam Pep Talk Every Student Needs To Read appeared first on Above the Law.Instructing students to not study the day before the bar exam is a popular piece of advice (and one that I actually support). But, if you aren’t going to study the day before...
Federal Appeals Court Won’t Reinstate Would-Be Bellwether Case in Infant Formula MDL
The opinion comes a few weeks after a Missouri state court reversed a $60 million verdict against Mead Johnson, another defendant in the multidistrict litigation. The opinion comes a few weeks after a Missouri state court reversed a $60 million verdict against...
This Viral Lawyer Zodiac Breakdown Is Painfully Accurate
There’s no shortage of personality tests promising to explain why lawyers are the way they are. But have any of them considered that your partner isn’t impossible because of stress, trauma, or the billable hour… but because they’re a Sagittarius? Over on Instagram,...
Banning Technology: A Balk That Should Be Called
Major League Baseball (MLB) just signed with the Flat Earth Society. It recently moved to ensure less use of technology in the dugout and game decisions. Essentially, it wants to preclude managers and coaches from using AI during games. So while the league has allowed...
Law And Chaos + Heritage Foundation?!?!
Last year when our podcast Law and Chaos filed a FOIA lawsuit against the Justice Department, we knew things might get weird. And they did! What we didn’t expect is that we’d be making common cause with the conservative Heritage Foundation as it seeks to embarrass Joe...
Summer Surprise: Milbank Announces Special Bonuses Up To $25K
Guess who’s back? Back again? It’s Milbank — and this time, the firm is handing out buckets of cash for associates in the form of special bonuses! This is on top of the firm’s round of salary raises announced back in June, that the bulk of Biglaw has yet to match. It...
Legal Ethics Roundup: ABA Opines Gov Lawyers Must Report Unlawful Conduct, Toronto Lawyer Suspended Over AI, Senate Bills On Judges’ Finances/FOIA & 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! The past few...
LawNext: From Product to Practice – Why Casetext’s Former CTO Founded General Legal, An AI Native Law Firm
As chief technology officer at Casetext, Ryan Walker helped build CoCounsel, one of the first and most consequential generative AI legal assistants — a product so significant it led to the company’s $650 million acquisition by Thomson Reuters. But Walker came away...
Retention of Bankruptcy Professionals: Court Concludes that a Debtor’s First Cousin Is Not a “Relative and Thus Not an “Insider
In a recent case, a Chapter 11 debtor sought to employ an accounting firm under section 327(a), the principal of which was the first cousin of the owner of the debtor corporation. The U.S. Trustee objected to the retention, arguing that the debtor's cousin was an...
Retention of Bankruptcy Professionals: Court Concludes that a Debtor’s First Cousin Is Not a ‘Relative’ and Thus Not an ‘Insider’
In a recent case, a Chapter 11 debtor sought to employ an accounting firm under section 327(a), the principal of which was the first cousin of the owner of the debtor corporation. The U.S. Trustee objected to the retention, arguing that the debtor's cousin was an...
Marco Imperiale Is Right: Lawyers Don’t Know Their Clients Nearly As Well As They Think
Every lawyer says they know their client. I’m increasingly convinced that many of us don’t. Not because we don’t care. Not because we aren’t paying attention. Because we rarely stop long enough to understand how clients actually experience legal. That became the...
Milbank Doles Out Special Bonuses for Associates, For Third Year in Row
The special bonuses, which will be paid to associates and special counsel globally, come less than two months after Milbank raised associate salaries by $10,000 to $20,000. The special bonuses, which will be paid to associates and special counsel globally, come...
State Antitrust Enforcement Enters a New Era
Historically, the federal government led the way, while states played a more modest role. But in recent years, state legislatures and regulators have laid the groundwork for more vigorous enforcement—and companies operating at a national scale will need to pay close...
How I Made Partner: ‘Consider Your Place in the Greater Legal Community,’ Says Tiana Mykkeltvedt of Bondurant Mixson & Elmore
"As you approach partnership, consider your place in the greater legal community. Build relationships and networks beyond the walls of your law firm. Those connections often return to you in business development and open doors to the countless ways a legal career can...


























































































