5th Circuit mimics filing’s ‘strange hypothetical conversation’ in their ruling denying motion

Apparently hoping to tell a story that a federal appeals court would find compelling, a Texas lawyer opened his motion for a panel rehearing with a hypothetical talk between lawyer and client. “Sometimes, in deciding a case, the Court ought to put itself ‘into the shoes of the attorney’ before…

Mar 1, 2016 3:10 PM CST

Minority women are disappearing from BigLaw—and here’s why

Occasionally when Jenny Jones walks down the hall of her white-shoe law firm, a chairman emeritus will stop and ask how she's doing and about her work. These moments are a highlight because outside of this intermittent interaction, Jones feels largely ignored by the powers that be.

Mar 1, 2016 12:15 AM CST

Some BigLaw firms face associate shortages; boutiques are partly to blame

Career opportunities are getting better for some associates. Lateral hiring is strong for midlevel and senior associates in the areas of corporate, finance and litigation, recruiters tell the Am Law Daily (sub. req.). Other hot areas mentioned by some recruiters include regulatory and health-care compliance, real estate, intellectual property, restructuring,…

Feb 24, 2016 5:45 AM CST

Scalia’s BigLaw stint was ‘like asking Michelangelo to work for a company that paints fences’

When Justice Antonin Scalia dispensed career advice to his law clerks, he would suggest joining a law firm to understand how law is practiced and to build ties with others. But BigLaw work was probably too mundane for Scalia, according to Scalia’s former Supreme Court clerks and a partner who…

Feb 18, 2016 9:22 AM CST

Job-offer rate for summer associates is at a 10-year high

Law firms are increasingly offering jobs to law students they had as summer associates, with 95 percent of those students getting job offers in 2015—compared to just 69 percent in 2009, when the economy was through the floor, the National Law Journal reports, using hiring data from the National Association…

Jan 28, 2016 5:05 PM CST

Latham associates refinance $13M in student debt, thanks to firm’s efforts

More than 100 associates at Latham & Watkins have refinanced $13 million in student debt at lower rates as a result of the firm’s efforts. Latham & Watkins contacted banks in 2014 after new associate Sharon Casola spoke with the firm’s chief operating officer, LeeAnn Black, about student debt, the…

Jan 26, 2016 10:05 AM CST

Jennifer Lawrence movie ‘Joy’ is about mom of former Cravath lawyer

The woman chronicled in the Jennifer Lawrence movie Joy is the mother of a former associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. The lawyer, Robert “Bobby” Miranne, told the Am Law Daily (sub. req.) he became a lawyer because he saw how his mother’s lawyer helped advise her as she built…

Jan 14, 2016 6:00 AM CST

Associates got bonuses of up to $350K at Boies Schiller this year, law firm leader says

Once again, hefty year-end bonuses of $15,000 to $100,000 being paid to associates of major corporate law firms are being eclipsed by the largesse of a well-known business litigation boutique. At Boies Schiller & Flexner, those working in California, New York and Washington, D.C., who have been at the firm…

Dec 11, 2015 9:00 AM CST

Cravath to pay $15K to $100K in annual associate bonuses

Traditional BigLaw bonus market leader Cravath Swaine & Moore announced on Monday that it will be adding $15,000 to $100,000 to the paychecks of “virtually all” partnership-track associates this month, setting the table for other major corporate law firms to follow suit. Bonuses will be paid Dec. 18 based on…

Dec 7, 2015 3:50 PM CST

BigLaw associate who co-wrote ‘Notorious RBG’ rap song dies at age 25

A Duane Morris associate who co-wrote a viral “Notorious RBG” rap song honoring Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died at the age of 25. Kelly Cosby died on Sunday from an aggressive form of melanoma, the New York Law Journal (sub. req.) reports. She was diagnosed with the cancer soon…

Nov 20, 2015 7:28 AM CST

BigLaw associate is among those killed in Paris attacks

A 26-year-old associate at Hogan Lovells in Paris is among the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday. Valentin Ribet died in the attacks at the rock concert at the Bataclan concert hall, report Above the Law, the Am Law Daily (sub. req.) and the Guardian. Eighty-nine people…

Nov 16, 2015 7:00 AM CST

Jones Day hires 10 US Supreme Court clerks, ‘a stunningly large number,’ law prof says

Ten individuals who clerked for U.S. Supreme Court justices in the court’s last term have joined Jones Day. They represent nearly one-quarter of the clerks who worked for current and former justices during that period, and are expected to be paid hiring bonuses of at least $300,000 each, the National…

Nov 2, 2015 3:00 PM CST

Will newbie associates be replaced by Watson? 35% of law firm leaders can envision it

An increasing number of law firm leaders believe first-year associates and paralegals could be replaced by a “Watson”-type computer with artificial intelligence in the next five to 10 years. Watson is an IBM product described as a “cognitive computing” system. Thirty-five percent of surveyed law firm leaders say they can…

Oct 26, 2015 7:42 AM CDT

Starting associate pay of $160K is common—but not as common as in 2009

Oct 1, 2015 7:25 AM CDT

Male lawyers help blaze trail toward increased parental leave

Male lawyers seeking to play a more active role in the lives of their very young children have been helping to blaze a trail toward expanded parental leave policies. Reflecting a sea change in the traditional assumption that such leave should be focused on women, men also are taking time…

Sep 16, 2015 9:15 AM CDT