#abovethelaw.com

#abovethelaw.com

Courtroom sketch artists play a vital role in making court proceedings more accessible to the public.

Courtroom sketches can be seen as a status symbol within certain parts of the legal profession.

Photographs and videos may make courtroom sketch artists obsolete in the future. [ more ]

Law firms prefer money as gifts.

Lawyers appreciate quality of life improvements.

Consider buying Squatty Potty, bidet, or heated toilet seat combos as gifts. [ more ]

Chicken or collusive price-fixing?

Man in trouble for selling fake money

Elon Musk knew about Tesla autopilot defect [ more ]

The YSL RICO trial is progressing and may soon begin.

Law & Crime provides an option to listen and watch the trial proceedings.

The article provides recommendations for music to listen to after the trial or for a peaceful experience. [ more ]

Judge James Ho, appointed by Donald Trump, is angling for a position on the Supreme Court and has been using dissent and concurrence to showcase his conservative views.

Ho's latest audition reel for the High Court focuses on Second Amendment rights and he continues to write about the U.S. v. Rahimi case even though it is now in the hands of the Supreme Court. [ more ]

Other Biglaw firms are likely to match Milbank's salary raises and bonuses.

Once one or two firms match, a wave of matches is expected to quickly follow. [ more ]

Man brings defamation claim against Elon Musk

Trump organization officials claim Mazars was aware of valuation tactics

Turmoil at OpenAI traced back to governance structure [ more ]

Donald Trump filed for a mistrial in his civil fraud case, claiming the judge is biased against him.

Trump's lawyers alleged that the judge's relationship with his law clerk and her contributions to Democratic committees influenced his decisions. [ more ]

Wachtell has a unique position in terms of partner retention

The firm's new leadership is expected to continue the traditional approach [ more ]

A fan at the Buffalo Bills' game wore a t-shirt with a legal disclaimer printed on it, referencing the score of the game.

The fan's attire prompted humorous reactions, with one person joking about the O.J. Simpson car chase. [ more ]

Billing rates are increasing despite overall inflation.

A lawyer pleads guilty to paying a clerk for referrals. [ more ]

Axiom DWFM, a UK law firm, was experiencing growth and acquiring other firms before its collapse.

The Serious Fraud Office has launched a criminal investigation into the suspected theft of £66m of client money from Axiom Ince.

The allegations suggest that the stolen client money was used to fund mergers and further growth, resembling a law firm Ponzi scheme. [ more ]

Lawyer reprimanded for skipping parole revocation hearings and causing clients to miss court dates.

The lawyer's excuse for not attending hearings was that he had other things to worry about.

The lawyer violated ethics rules by not showing up and making mistakes for a client. [ more ]

The legal profession presents unique challenges for lawyer parents trying to balance their careers with parenthood.

The American Bar Association Commission on Women report highlights the disproportionate burden on lawyer mothers when it comes to childcare and domestic responsibilities. [ more ]

A mistrial has been declared in the case of Breonna Taylor's killing due to the jury's failure to reach a unanimous decision.

The rollback of affirmative action by the Supreme Court has led to increased demand for DEI consulting services as companies seek guidance to navigate the changing legal landscape.

California is making progress in developing an alternative to the bar exam, aiming to better measure practical skills and reduce disparities in pass rates. [ more ]

Taylor Swift released re-recordings of her prior albums, known as 'Taylor's Version,' to regain control over the master recordings.

The major record labels are trying to prevent artists from releasing re-recordings in the future.

Record companies usually own the master recordings, but Swift's decision to re-record gives her control. [ more ]

Trump's lawyers are upset with Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren.

Florida is seeking to avoid paying high lawyer fees.

A firm reprimands lawyers for not checking their emails while on leave. [ more ]

The 6th Circuit rejected a bid to remove a special master from opioid litigation due to a mistaken "reply all" email.

The court determined that the email did not display bias or partiality.

The special master showed willingness to allow third parties to be added in response to plaintiffs amending their complaint. [ more ]

The USPTO is introducing a new bar exam for design patent practitioners, allowing professionals with creative and artistic backgrounds to practice patent law.

Applicants for the design patent bar must have a degree in industrial design, product design, architecture, applied arts, graphic design, fine/studio arts, or art teacher education.

The expansion of the admission criteria aims to encourage broader participation in patent law and keep up with evolving technology. [ more ]

Lawyers are commonly expected to work even when on family or medical leave.

Firms should take measures to ensure clients are protected when an attorney goes on leave. [ more ]

Donald Trump's lawyers are seeking a mistrial in the civil fraud case.

The lawyers are accusing the court of bias due to communication with the principal law clerk.

The lawyers' arguments focus on their own complaints about the court's conduct. [ more ]

The author shares her experience of leaving Biglaw and finding a new practice area that inspired her.

Attending CLEs and taking on pro bono matters in areas of interest can help gain experience and information about a new practice area.

A pro bono client's experience of solitary confinement helped the author realize that she needed a change. [ more ]

The retirement of Tom Goldstein, a prominent appellate lawyer, highlights changes in the dynamics and strategies surrounding the Supreme Court.

Goldstein's decision to retire reflects a shift in focus from trying to convince individual justices to finding alternative means of legal advocacy.

Goldstein's comment suggests a disillusionment with the Supreme Court and a recognition of the changing landscape of legal practice. [ more ]

Florida is challenging a judge's ruling that the state must cover legal fees for University of Florida professors who sued the state

The legal fees amount to $372,000 and were awarded to the plaintiffs

The case could set a precedent for determining when losing adversaries must pay for their opponents' lawyers [ more ]

The Federalist Society has been the dominant conservative legal organization since the 1980s.

Some conservative legal scholars are launching a new organization, the Society for the Rule of Law, to offer an alternative to the Federalist Society.

The new organization aims to cultivate a new generation of legal talent in defense of founding principles and to counteract the influence of bad-faith actors. [ more ]

Only 51.5% of test takers passed the California bar exam in July 2023.

Two-thirds of the exam takers were first-time takers.

Writing skills and lack of proper analysis are problems preventing bar passage. [ more ]

Lawyers didn't realize plaintiff was dead

The antitrust case for cheating at football

Attorney for Georgia co-defendant leaked the proffer videos [ more ]

A property owner in Napa County is facing legal challenges in her attempt to conduct wine-tasting tours on her property.

Napa County argues that land use ordinances are necessary to protect the agricultural character of the region and ensure health, safety, and environmental standards.

Other wineries in Napa Valley are also alleging that the selective enforcement of regulations violates their civil rights. [ more ]

The IPO market has been challenging with unfavorable market conditions.

Valuation expectations are being reset, leading to more discussions about moving forward with deals.

Boards and management teams are opting to focus on their businesses for the rest of the year. [ more ]

Court rules that state bar dues violate the First Amendment

Player in The Blind Side case asks court to stop giving his money to adoptive parents

Oregon's attorney licensing reform inspires hope in other jurisdictions [ more ]

A Columbia professor is prevented from participating in depositions due to a protective order.

A bar applicant is seeking compensation after experiencing poor proctoring.

There is debate about whether AI will replace VIPs.

Fox News is facing new legal issues with allegations of bias.

Donna Adelson was arrested at the airport before her flight to Vietnam. [ more ]

Former Fox News reporter Jason Donner has filed a lawsuit against the network, claiming he was fired as retaliation for his Democratic political affiliation and refusal to report false information.

Donner alleges that Fox News wanted to purge its news division of staff who did not align with the directive to only report information that appeases Trump supporters.

Donner claims that Fox News changed its programming to opinion-focused shows to win back viewership and pledge loyalty to President Trump. [ more ]

Eben Moglen, the founder of Software Freedom Law Center, is opposing the trademark application of Software Freedom Conservancy.

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Judge Jennifer L. Elgin ruled that Moglen cannot attend depositions related to the case.

Allegations against Moglen include insulting a programmer's skill, physical intimidation, and making comments about the murder of a programmer's mother. [ more ]

Bar applicant fails to obtain damages for test mishaps and proctor distractions.

The court determines that the proper remedy is for the applicant to retake the bar exam with proper accommodations. [ more ]

The US Supreme Court's three liberal justices objected to the court's decision to not hear the appeal of a former inmate held in solitary confinement.

The case raises concerns about the protection of inmates' rights and highlights a split among the justices. [ more ]

Milbank raised associate salaries by $10K

Anonymous critics argue the raise is tone deaf and puts pressure on associates [ more ]