editor’s legal news picks

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Morning Docket: 08.21.25

Morning Docket: 08.21.25

* This Eric Adams ally corruption story has everything: snacks, questionable lawyering, and a wad of cash. [The CITY] * A Trump U.S. Attorney in Virginia abruptly resigns. Hmmmm… wonder what’s going on there. [Bloomberg Law] * Ninth Circuit clears way for Trump to end...

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Ed Martin Isn’t Too Proud To Beg — See Also

Martin Is Begging Tish James To Resign: He also pleaded with her to not release the letter to the public. So much for that. Slain Judge Alledged To Be Part Of “Nasty and Sickening” Sex Ring: Forthcoming details may make sense of the in-chambers shooting. Eric André...

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Of Course A Lawyer Invented That!

Of Course A Lawyer Invented That!

New York Law School graduate Chester Carlson chose to focus on patent work after spending time working as a research engineer with Bell Labs. His experience in law school helped drive him to finish an invention he’d been toying with for years. The resulting process...

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The Sandwich Is Mightier Than The Sword

The Sandwich Is Mightier Than The Sword

The new D.C. folk hero who threw a sandwich at Trump’s surge publicity stunt turned out to be a DOJ attorney. He’s been fired because this administration will not stand for disrespecting law enforcement… unless they’re trying to kill Capitol police officers on January...

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Why Law Firms Are Moving Beyond The Billable Hour

Why Law Firms Are Moving Beyond The Billable Hour

There’s long been speculation that the billable hour’s demise is just around the corner.  But with generative AI and rapid technological advances gaining traction in the legal industry, is the billable hour *really* doomed this time?   In a recent webinar sponsored by...

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The Best Law Schools For Public Service (2025)

The Best Law Schools For Public Service (2025)

Let’s face it: tens of thousands of students enroll in law school every year, each with a dream in their hearts of saving the world. Maybe they want to seek out justice for children, animals, or the environment. Maybe they want to serve their communities and make them...

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Fifth Circuit Takes Sledgehammer To Labor Rights

Fifth Circuit Takes Sledgehammer To Labor Rights

So long labor rights, we hardly knew ye. Today the Fifth Circuit issued a decision neutering the National Labor Relations Board’s ability to prosecute unfair labor practice. In a decision authored by Judge Don Willett, the circuit court furthest to the right decided...

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AffiniPay Decides It’s *Time* For A Name Change

AffiniPay Decides It’s *Time* For A Name Change

Joining the hall of famous rebrands somewhere between Meta and the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, AffiniPay announced this morning — at 8am local time — that they officially changed their name to 8am. The logo even sort of has an Artist Formerly Known as Prince...

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RIP: Kaylee Walstad

RIP: Kaylee Walstad

If you’ve never worked in the field of e-discovery, then you might think of it as just another type of technology or just another area of law practice. But for those who work in the field, it is very much also a community. Sadly, that community has lost one of its...

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Morning Docket: 08.20.25

* Clients diversifying outside counsel options after Biglaw Surrendergate. [American Lawyer] * Ed Martin has taken the fact that even Senate Republicans thought he was too stupid to be a U.S. Attorney and turned it into a career harassing Trump’s political grudges...

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Dispatches From The AI Bubble: ILTACON 2025

Dispatches From The AI Bubble: ILTACON 2025

The International Legal Technology Association conference is, as always, the big one on the legal tech calendar. It’s the Davos of doc review, the Super Bowl of software integrations, and the Oscars of people who unironically use “lawyers” and “technology” in the same...

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Is This The Next Supreme Court Great Dissenter?

Is This The Next Supreme Court Great Dissenter?

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which justice wrote the most dissents (10) in the 2024-25 Supreme Court Term? Hint: Contrast this with the Chief. John Roberts penned a total of zero dissents and no concurrences as well — this term....

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What’s The Office Policy? It Depends — See Also

What’s The Office Policy? It Depends — See Also

Four Days For Some: DLA Piper’s corporate associates will have to spend an extra day at the office. Make America Great No More?: Former MAGA attorney Roger Alford goes full HPE/Juniper merger truther. AI Adoption Is Hitting Top Tier Law Schools: Somebody has to teach...

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Do Vaccine Suits Preview What’s Coming From the EEOC?

Do Vaccine Suits Preview What’s Coming From the EEOC?

Employment lawyers who reviewed the cases said the suits reflect the Trump administration's focuses on fighting religious discrimination and on opposing mandatory vaccinations. The COVID-19 vaccination suits could also be seen as a harbinger of a new approach to LGBTQ...

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Do Vaccine Suits Preview What’s Coming From the EEOC?

Do Vaccine Suits Preview What’s Coming From the EEOC?

Employment lawyers who reviewed the cases said the suits reflect the Trump administration's focuses on fighting religious discrimination and on opposing mandatory vaccinations. The COVID-19 vaccination suits could also be seen as a harbinger of a new approach to LGBTQ...

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4 Law Schools Form Online Course Swap Consortium

4 Law Schools Form Online Course Swap Consortium

Four law schools have formed a course swapping system allowing its students to take online classes at the other three institutions.       Four law schools have formed a course swapping system allowing its students to take online classes at the other three...

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4 Law Schools Form Online Course Swap Consortium

4 Law Schools Form Online Course Swap Consortium

Four law schools have formed a course swapping system allowing its students to take online classes at the other three institutions.       Four law schools have formed a course swapping system allowing its students to take online classes at the other three...

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Will AI Really Move The Needle On The Billable Hour?

Will AI Really Move The Needle On The Billable Hour?

Last year, I wrote an article about whether AI signals the end of the billable hour. In that article, I asked what Generative AI will do to the billable hour. Rates will go up. Rates will go down. Work will shift to alternative fee arrangements. Work will go in-house....

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Is Donald Trump Anointed By God?

Is Donald Trump Anointed By God?

Many evangelical Christians insist that God anointed Donald Trump to save America. It’s a little hard to write — let alone believe — those words, but that’s what some evangelicals say. What, you might ask, is the argument in favor of Trump being God’s messenger?...

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Analogies to Federal Law in the State Regulatory Context

Analogies to Federal Law in the State Regulatory Context

The lack of existing state-level precedent opens the door for states to employ novel and aggressive legal theories that increase risk and uncertainty for private actors. Businesses should respond by evaluating opportunities to leverage the more comprehensive body of...

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Morning Docket: 08.19.25

Morning Docket: 08.19.25

* DLA Piper bringing everyone back to the office 4 days a week, leaving attorneys an extra day of the week to schedule all their interviews.[American Lawyer] * White House sending its social media teams with on FBI arrests. “Yo, it’s ya boy Steve, here at the...

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Big Law’s Collections Practices Are Leaking Major Revenue

Big Law’s Collections Practices Are Leaking Major Revenue

Am Law 200 firms are facing significant revenue leakage from inconsistent and individualized collections practices, and sources in the industry say there is no universal solution to the problem.       Am Law 200 firms are facing significant revenue leakage from...

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Show Up Or Pay For It — See Also

Show Up Or Pay For It — See Also

Do Your Time Or Do A Fine: Biglaw firms are penalizing attorneys for not showing face. Trump’s D.C. Police Takeover Has Failed: For now, at least. Did Your Firm Just Implement A Vague 2400 Hours Target?: King & Spalding just did, and associates are pissed! That...

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The California Bar Is At A Crossroads

The California Bar Is At A Crossroads

Some strong “will they, won’t they” tension may make for great rom-com foundation, but the dynamic is far from what you’d expect of a licensing organization. After a disastrous experimental February rollout led the California Bar back to an orthodox NBCE test...

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Trump Admin Beats Hasty Retreat On DC Police Order

Trump Admin Beats Hasty Retreat On DC Police Order

“Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people,” the president ranted last week. It has not. Violent crime in DC is down sharply from last year, and is, in fact, at a...

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