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Motives in Question as DOJ Sues Connecticut, Arizona

Motives in Question as DOJ Sues Connecticut, Arizona

"[W]hat DOJ cannot do is what it tries to do here," former DOJ attorneys argued, "misuse the records provisions of the Civil Rights Act and National Voter Registration Act to conduct fishing expeditions for highly sensitive personal information from every voter in a...

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2026 Prediction Time!

2026 Prediction Time!

We begin the year by peering into our crystal balls and issuing some predictions for 2026. Who will be fired? What’s going to happen with law schools? Is a big change on the horizon for Biglaw? Our predictions will inevitably be wrong, but we’ll offer them with a lot...

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Morning Docket: 01.07.26

Morning Docket: 01.07.26

* Judge demands to know why Lindsey Halligan is still listed as “U.S. Attorney” when she is most definitely not a “U.S. Attorney.” [Law360] * Could law firms be on the brink of a financial downturn? [Reuters] * McGlinchey Stafford will close down. Which might go a...

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Law Firms With Energy Practices Eye Oil Work From Venezuela

Law Firms With Energy Practices Eye Oil Work From Venezuela

Law firms with energy practices could reap deal and regulatory work from the leadership change in Venezuela, but several hurdles remain.       Law firms with energy practices could reap deal and regulatory work from the leadership change in Venezuela, but several...

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Law Firm Profits May Begin to Wane in 2026

Law Firm Profits May Begin to Wane in 2026

There are now warning signs in the form of client projections and anticipated legal spend, as well as and law firms' own history with boom-and-bust cycles,       There are now warning signs in the form of client projections and anticipated legal spend, as well as and...

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Good Writers Ignore Em Dash Critics

Get to the Point! Don't fear the em dash, says Teddy Snyder. Until the latest brouhaha about differentiating your writing from machine style, you probably used em dashes regularly — and correctly. The post Good Writers Ignore Em Dash Critics appeared first on...

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Third Amendment Jawboning!? — See Also

Third Amendment Jawboning!? — See Also

This Administration Keeps Knocking At The Third Amendment: And at the doors of Hilton, no less! K-9s Are One Thing, But Give Me A Break: AI model claims officer morphed into frog. George Conway Is Running For Congress: The former partner wants to represent you! Judge...

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McGlinchey Stafford to Shut Down

McGlinchey Stafford to Shut Down

The 52-year-old firm employs roughly 150 lawyers across 18 offices.       The 52-year-old firm employs roughly 150 lawyers across 18 offices.       

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Timothy Dowling: Reshaping Mediation in America

Timothy Dowling: Reshaping Mediation in America By Susan Cushing When Timothy Dowling describes the origins of Resolvium Mediation Group, he does not begin with its official 2022 launch. Instead, he talks about friction — not the abstract kind that shows up in a law...

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Timothy Dowling: Reshaping Mediation in America

Timothy Dowling: Reshaping Mediation in America By Susan Cushing When Timothy Dowling describes the origins of Resolvium Mediation Group, he does not begin with its official 2022 launch. Instead, he talks about friction — not the abstract kind that shows up in a law...

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Paul Eza: Finding His Place in Mediation

Paul Eza’s story began as a young graphic artist making a living designing greeting cards. “It was fine,” he says. “But I was bored. I was at a point in my life when it was a good time to make a change, so I considered my options. I was interested in education but...

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Rethinking the Joint Session

If you’ve mediated a case in recent years, you’ve probably noticed a trend that parties are increasingly stating they want to skip the joint session and proceed straight to caucus. For many mediators, this raises a concern. The mediator is responsible for safeguarding...

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Karen Roberts Washington: Looking Forward

Mediation is an opportunity that should not be missed. It gives parties a time, a place, and a guide to talk in a constructive way about how to move through a dispute,” says Karen Roberts Washington. Her considerable experience as a litigator gives her an advantage as...

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Joy Hernandez: The True Power of the Process

AALM: Joy, you started out in the field of mediation over 15 years ago. What drew you to this field? What do you enjoy most about it? JH: I have been incredibly blessed. I am one of those individuals who can honestly say I love what I do and would not want to be doing...

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Jeff Rose: A Front Row Seat

After more than 12 years of service on the bench, Jeff Rose made the decision to hang up his robe and take a seat at the mediation table. We sat down with him to discuss his transition and the benefits his years of experience both as a litigator and as a judge bring...

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Nearly 25% of Law Schools Had New Deans in 2025

Nearly 25% of Law Schools Had New Deans in 2025

A total of 45 law schools appointed 47 law deans—23 were interim appointments—during the calendar year 2025       A total of 45 law schools appointed 47 law deans—23 were interim appointments—during the calendar year 2025       

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Mamdani Announces First Judicial Picks of His Mayoralty

Mamdani Announces First Judicial Picks of His Mayoralty

Judicial appointees Cary Fischer, Natalie Barros and Andrés Casas all have backgrounds as prosecutors. The trio have also various worked as pro bono counsel, a professor, a litigator and court attorneys.       Judicial appointees Cary Fischer, Natalie Barros and...

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Handwritten Notes Help Build Real Relationships

Analog Attorney: Handwritten notes and fine stationery are valuable tools for piercing through the white noise of constant electronic communication. Bull Garlington has quick tips for dashing off a manual memo. The post Handwritten Notes Help Build Real Relationships...

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ATL Holiday Card Contest: The Winner! (2025)

ATL Holiday Card Contest: The Winner! (2025)

Nearly 2,000 votes were cast, so it’s fair to say our 2025 holiday card contest was a great success. This year’s competitors were incredibly strong, and with 37% of the vote, our top contender was separated from the second-place finisher by 15 percentage points. Our...

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A Tariff Prediction For 2026

A Tariff Prediction For 2026

This is the time of year to make predictions.   Who am I to buck a trend? I have one very specific (and extended) prediction. My prediction begins with the Supreme Court seeing an opportunity in the pending litigation involving President Donald Trump’s tariffs....

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‘Old-School’ Judge Tapped For Maduro Case

Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! The federal case against Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores was assigned to which Southern District of New York judge? Hint: The Clinton appointee took senior status in 2011 and is described as...

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Former Microsoft CLO Nowbar Joins ServiceNow C-Suite

Former Microsoft CLO Nowbar Joins ServiceNow C-Suite

Microsoft replaced Hossein Nowbar this fall without saying why. A press release issued by ServiceNow Monday included a glowing quote from Microsoft President Brad Smith, who'd been Nowbar's boss.       Microsoft replaced Hossein Nowbar this fall without saying why. A...

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Morning Docket: 01.02.26

* Elon Musk’s lawyer is a clown. Seriously (though no red nose). [The Independent] * Trump says he’s removing the National Guard units he illegally deployed before. [Reuters] * Law firms increasing billing rates. [Wall Street Journal] * State judges will now join...

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CES 2026: The Whole Wide AI World Along With Lots More

I’m on my way to Las Vegas for CES. Just like every year for the past seven, I’m starting my January by attending the preeminent global tech event where among a few other things, AI may be discussed. I’ll bring you my observations, thoughts, and usual skepticism. And...

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Year-End Bonuses Are Uncommon At Some Law Firms

Year-End Bonuses Are Uncommon At Some Law Firms

Many readers of Above the Law eagerly await news about annual bonuses around the end of the year. Most Biglaw law firms award those bonuses based on seniority and perhaps other performance-based metrics. Some smaller law firms also have institutionalized year-end...

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Doing Good Work Used To Pay Off — See Also

Doing Good Work Used To Pay Off — See Also

Trump Rule Made A Lot Of Public Service Work Ineligible For Loan Forgiveness: There goes helping your fellow man. Third Amendment Aficionados Perked Up For A Bit: The National Guard can’t sleep on your couch! Government Immigration Attorney Watch List Gets Leaked:...

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Law Schools Beyond the T14 Dominate ROI Rankings

Law Schools Beyond the T14 Dominate ROI Rankings

Law Crossing found the overall employment rate was 87.1%, the median starting salary for all graduates was $95,000, the average cost of a three-year program was $217,480, with a national average first-time bar passage rate of 78%.       Law Crossing found the overall...

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