Career & Practice

We should focus on—and invest in—AI that serves people without lawyers

We’ve all seen the headlines about AI-boosted lawyers run amok. Since ChatGPT landed, phantom cases have cropped up in court filings around the country. Judges have responded, meting out sanctions, excoriating counsel, and—more recently—even issuing a flurry of new orders and rules that regulate how litigants can use new AI-based technologies.

Nov 21, 2024 2:17 PM CST

ABA Legal Ed council gives thumbs-up to Penn State plan to unify its law schools

Previously, each of its law schools were accredited separately. Penn State Law, based in University Park, is ranked 68th by US News & World Report, while Penn State Dickinson Law, based in Carlisle, Penn., is 75th, and will now serve as the law school’s primary location.

Nov 21, 2024 1:25 PM CST

Judge denies bid by former Duane Morris partner to stop his wife’s funeral

A Chicago judge on Wednesday denied a former Duane Morris partner’s emergency motion to stop his deceased wife’s parents from holding her funeral, so that he can obtain her remains.

Nov 21, 2024 10:51 AM CST

Federal judiciary releases first-ever report on workplace misconduct

More than 100 allegations of abusive conduct were reported by federal court employees between 2021 and 2023, according to data released Wednesday from the federal judiciary’s first workplace report.

Nov 21, 2024 9:45 AM CST

Attorney discipline records short of disbarment would be expunged after 8 years under state bar plan

The California Supreme Court is being asked to automatically expunge records of attorney discipline other than disbarment after eight years, provided that there is no further discipline during that period.

Nov 21, 2024 9:00 AM CST

How might conservative groups influence nominations for Supreme Court vacancies during Trump presidency?

After Donald Trump’s defeat this month of Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election, members of the Federalist Society once again gathered in Washington for the group’s National Lawyers Convention. The mood at the Washington Hilton from Nov. 14-16 was decidedly upbeat.

Nov 21, 2024 8:58 AM CST

Judge who declared ‘ain’t no sweat equity in this court’ showed bias, ethics complaint alleges

An Indiana judge is accused of violating ethics rules banning bias or prejudice when he derided lawsuit claims by women who “make a habit” of claiming that they are entitled to partial proceeds from the sale of a home that they once inhabited with their boyfriends.

Nov 20, 2024 3:44 PM CST

Law firms had ‘very strong performance’ financially at 9-month point, new report says

Law firm revenue in the first nine months of 2024 increased 12.8% from the same period last year, thanks mostly to increases in standard billing rates, according to a new report by Wells Fargo’s Legal Specialty Group.

Nov 20, 2024 12:22 PM CST

More BigLaw firms match Milbank’s year-end and special bonuses for associates, make no mention of pay hikes

Updated: Associates at several BigLaw firms will be getting year-end and special bonuses that total $21,000 to $140,000, the amount being paid by Milbank.

Nov 20, 2024 10:12 AM CST

This 4-word phrase was deemed scariest to lawyers in blog contest

Above the Law has revealed the winner of its contest for the four-word phrase most likely to scare a lawyer.

Nov 20, 2024 8:58 AM CST

Former Wisconsin justice accused of ethics violations over 2020 election probe

Legal regulators filed a 10-count ethics complaint Tuesday against a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who oversaw a problem-plagued review of the 2020 presidential election in this battleground state.

Nov 19, 2024 3:09 PM CST

Where have all the lawyers gone? 25% are in these 2 states with higher pay than $176K average

Twenty-five percent of all lawyers live in California and New York, states that include five of the top 10 metropolitan areas for attorney pay.

Nov 19, 2024 11:01 AM CST

Teen who enrolled in law school at age 13 becomes youngest person to pass California bar exam

A 17-year-old girl has beaten her brother’s record to become the youngest person to pass the California bar exam.

Nov 19, 2024 8:51 AM CST

House speaker moves to block Senate Judiciary Committee from seeing Gaetz ethics report

Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday that he will urge the House Ethics Committee to suppress its report into attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz and block the Senate Judiciary Committee from viewing the investigation, an unusual intervention that could shape a divisive nomination fight.

Nov 15, 2024 2:15 PM CST

Court reporting and the evolution of legal support

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Greg Hong, the co-founder and CEO of Steno, a tech-enabled provider of legal support and court reporting services.

Nov 15, 2024 9:40 AM CST