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DOJ Backs Trump in Appeal of $83M Carroll Verdict

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...

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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...

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Smooth Launch for NextGen Bar Exam in Most Jurisdictions

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...

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Inside Quinn Emanuel’s Court-Required Ethics Training

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...

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Washington Just Called Off Its Entire Bar Exam

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...

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Park Benches And Supreme Court Benches

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...

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Morning Docket: 07.29.26

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...

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Being First on Associate Pay: Behind Milbank’s Strategy

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...

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Selling The Skinny

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...

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July NextGen Bar Exam Cancelled in Washington State

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...

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July NextGen Bar Exam Canceled 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...

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July NextGen Bar Exam Canceled 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...

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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,...

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Where Biglaw Gets Its Lawyers: An ATL Infographic

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 &...

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Cha-Ching: Another Firm Joins The Bonus Party

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...

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A Jaunt Through ‘The Odyssey’

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...

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Morning Docket: 07.28.26

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...

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When Hiring Rainmakers Demands ‘Surgical’ Precision

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'...

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A Bar Exam Disaster For The Ages

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...

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The Bar Exam Pep Talk Every Student Needs To Read

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...

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Banning Technology: A Balk That Should Be Called

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...

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Law And Chaos + Heritage Foundation?!?!

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...

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State Antitrust Enforcement Enters a New Era

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...

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