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An open letter to potential law students: Know the truth

With the recent news that some BigLaw starting salaries are rising to $190,000, it’s no wonder that law school continues to be a top destination for recent college graduates. However, the truth behind those starting salaries—and given the volatility of the legal job market and the effects of globalization and technology on the business of law—should give one pause before taking out $200,000 in school loans.

Nicole Black and Heather Morse

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Should you ask judges if they are familiar with your case?

I was in a conversation with some other litigators when this question came up: What’s the most polite way to ask judges whether they’re familiar with the briefs or would they prefer if I summarize the facts and issues for them at oral arguments? Well, I wasn’t going to pretend…

Jeremy W. Richter

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Does the adoption of the uniform bar exam foreshadow uniform regulation?

We have reached a tipping point—finally—on the admission of attorneys to the practice of law in this country. In 2018, several state supreme courts, including Illinois with more than 94,000 registered attorneys, announced that they would adopt the Uniform Bar Exam. Thirty-three jurisdictions have now adopted the UBE. Only a handful of them also require a state-specific component as a requirement of admission.

Jayne R. Reardon

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Can law students improve contracts drafted by accomplished lawyers?

The answer to this question begins with a story from many years ago.

Preston M. Torbert

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Being smart isn't as admirable as you may think

There are certain things that matter more to me than I care to admit. Chief among them have been my accomplishments when compared to my peer group and how I am perceived by others. Along these lines, I used to place a lot of value in being described as smart.


Jeremy W. Richter

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Remembering RFK and the lawyers' committee he inspired

Fifty years ago this month, one of the most significant voices of our time was silenced by an assassin’s bullet. Robert F. Kennedy’s passionate advocacy on behalf of the poor and dispossessed was born of his belief in the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings.

Myesha Braden and Kristen Clarke

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It's not the associate salaries, it's the human skills that challenge law firms

Earlier this month, New York-based Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy announced it will increase its associate salaries across the board by $10,000 to $15,000—a starting salary of $190,000 for those fresh out of law school. What followed was an outcry in the legal media and reports that unhappy clients are…

Jaap Bosman

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Gaining the confidence to write what you have to say

When I started my law blog in June 2016, I did so without too much trepidation. I was essentially briefing cases and writing about my practice in ways I was pretty comfortable with. But then I wanted to branch out. I started to have ideas about things other than recent…

Jeremy W. Richter

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Lawyers weigh in: How to prevent stress, substance abuse and depression in the profession

Recently I wrote the Your Voice column "Lawyers weigh in: Why is there a depression epidemic in the profession?" Even though I’ve learned a lot about this topic through my job at Rocket Matter, I was still shocked by the responses and by how attorneys view their own industry.

Dina Roth Port

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How one millennial and his firm see law practice today

Millennials now make up the largest single generational group at big law firms, according to a report by the American Lawyer. While most millennial attorneys are still associates, it is only a matter of time before they become the majority of partners.

Michael Moradzadeh

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