Non-Practicing Lawyers — Visible And Invisible
The authors estimate roughly one million licensed attorneys in the United States are not practicing law, based on ABA graduation data and BLS employment figures. They note that most of these non‑practicing lawyers (NPLs) keep their licenses active, making them invisible in official counts. To give this hidden workforce a voice, exjudicata.com launched the EXJ Community in January 2026, the first peer‑to‑peer network for lawyers in non‑legal careers. The piece argues that recognizing NPLs reshapes how the JD degree is perceived and opens a new talent pool for employers.
The Roberts Court Came In Like A Wrecking Ball For The Voting Rights Act
The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, has effectively dismantled the two core pillars of the Voting Rights Act, according to election law scholar Rick Hasen. Over the past decade, landmark decisions have nullified Section 5’s preclearance requirement and...
A Judge Just Turned The Government’s Own ‘Reconsider’ Motion Against Them And It’s Glorious
Judge Gary R. Brown’s April 27 order in Sanchez Alfaro v. Mullin rebukes the DOJ’s empty reconsideration motion after ICE illegally arrested a Special Immigrant Juvenile holder without a warrant and later admitted the mistake. The court found multiple constitutional violations, gave the government...
Small Firms Can Train Great Lawyers Too
Small and midsize law firms are urged to replace the old "throw‑them‑in‑the‑deep‑end" model with a deliberate, repeatable training program. The article outlines a seven‑step framework—orientation, skills labs, purposeful shadowing, real mentoring, early business‑development habits, responsible AI use, and accountability structures....
Biglaw Discovers That Charging $2,000/Hour Is Easier Than Actually Collecting It
Wells Fargo’s Legal Specialty Group reported Q1 2026 revenue up 13.1% as billing rates rose 11.4%, but the surge in billable work has swollen fee inventories, especially among the Am Law 50 where uncollected balances grew 19%. The collection cycle...
ClearyX Bets That Biglaw Disruption Is Inevitable
Cleary Gottlieb’s captive ALSP, ClearyX, has moved beyond traditional services by launching the CX+ AI platform, which includes CX+Insights for contract portfolio analysis and CX+Transact for M&A diligence. The firm claims the tools deliver 40‑60% time and cost savings across...
ABA Settlement Over Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund Goes About How You’d Expect It To
The American Bar Association settled the American Alliance for Equal Rights lawsuit over its Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund (LOSF). The settlement requires the scholarship to be awarded on a race‑and‑ethnicity‑neutral basis, with demographic data used solely for tracking. Eligibility will...
Porsche’s Factory Mileage Reset: Can They Legally Turn Back The Odometer?
Porsche’s Sonderwunsch factory‑recommission program lets owners overhaul a vehicle and have the odometer reset to zero, effectively giving the car a “second birthday.” Under the Federal Odometer Act, any mileage change—except repairs to a faulty odometer—must be disclosed to the...
The Most Prestigious Biglaw Firms In Chicago (2027)
Vault’s latest regional rankings reveal the most prestigious Biglaw firms in Chicago for 2027. Kirkland & Ellis tops the list, followed by Sidley Austin, Latham & Watkins, Skadden, and Mayer Brown. The rankings are derived from associate surveys rating firms...
Kash Patel’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week
The Atlantic reports low morale at the FBI, citing director Kash Patel’s frequent absences and alleged drinking. Patel responded with a $250 million defamation lawsuit and, alongside Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, announced criminal charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center,...
DOJ Forgets To Remove ‘DRAFT’ Watermark Splashed Across Every Page Of Filing
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division filed a 14‑page joint motion to terminate the consent decree with the Springfield, Massachusetts police department, but the filing was riddled with a large gray “DRAFT” watermark on every page. The motion seeks to...
Can You Get In Any Legal Trouble By Flipping The Bird To Gaudy Trump-Branded Properties?
The article explains that making an obscene gesture toward Trump‑branded buildings in the United States is protected by the First Amendment and cannot lead to a criminal conviction. It cites a recent Alabama case where a grandmother was acquitted after...
The Biglaw Attorney Who Billed 3,451 Hours Last Year Deserves A Nap
ALM’s latest data reveals that a Biglaw attorney logged a staggering 3,451 billable hours in 2025, the highest total recorded for any lawyer that year. The article frames the figure as a trivia question, inviting readers to guess which firm...
The First Draft Is the Power Move Law Firms Keep Ignoring
Law firms are losing the strategic advantage of drafting the first version of litigation documents as in‑house legal teams increasingly produce those drafts themselves. The shift is driven by mature corporate litigation functions, AI‑assisted drafting tools, and client demands for...
Todd Blanche Sued Over Epstein Files Cover Up
Todd Blanche, the Justice Department official overseeing the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, is being sued by journalist Katie Phang for allegedly concealing and improperly redacting thousands of Epstein‑related documents. Phang’s complaint claims Blanche violated the 2025 Epstein Transparency Act, which mandates...
Biglaw’s Prime Directive: Don’t Dilute Equity, But Avoid Making It Seem Like A ‘Caste System’
Biglaw firms are increasingly creating non‑equity partnership tiers to expand leadership ranks while safeguarding the value of existing equity stakes. Lorie Almon, chair of Seyfarth Shaw, says the tiered model lets firms add partners without diluting ownership and keeps financial...
Biglaw Harassment Account Includes Maybe The Most Insane Email A Biglaw Partner Has Ever Sent An Associate
Perkins Coie counsel Breanna Philips disclosed a series of harassment incidents, including a vitriolic email from a former partner’s husband, after a rumor that she fabricated a sexual assault claim. Despite reporting the matter to HR in September 2025, an...
Good Job DOJ, Now The Conspiracy Theorists Have A Point
The Department of Justice quickly drafted a letter demanding that the National Trust for Historic Preservation drop its lawsuit challenging the White House ballroom redesign, citing the recent shooting at the Washington Hilton as proof of the ballroom’s security importance....
‘Glassdoor for Judges’ Celebrates Its Second Birthday
The Legal Accountability Project (LAP) marked the second anniversary of its Clerkships Database, a crowdsourced platform often dubbed the "Glassdoor for Judges." The database now hosts over 2,000 anonymous clerkship reviews covering more than 1,200 federal and state judges, making...
Attorneys Often Clog eFiling Systems With Unnecessary Filings
The article warns that many attorneys are abusing electronic filing (e‑filing) platforms by submitting documents that do not require court involvement, such as letters to opposing counsel, routine discovery responses, and redundant affirmations of service. These superfluous filings clog dockets,...
Justice Department’s SPLC Indictment Just Got Dumber, Which Seemed Impossible
The Justice Department announced an 11‑count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, accusing it of bank fraud for using shell‑company accounts to protect informants. Legal analysts flagged a critical flaw: the indictment omits the required intent element under 18 U.S.C. §1014,...
The Most Prestigious Biglaw Firms In Boston (2027)
Vault’s 2027 regional rankings, compiled from associate‑rated prestige scores, reveal the most coveted biglaw firms in Boston. Ropes & Gray tops the list, followed by Goodwin and WilmerHale, with Latham & Watkins and Kirkland & Ellis also in the upper...
The Biglaw EO Cases Head To The D.C. Circuit With A Hall-Of-Fame Advocate — And One Very Thirsty Judge
Four major law firms—Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey—are taking their challenge to Trump’s retaliatory executive orders to the D.C. Circuit, with former Solicitor General Paul Clement leading the defense. The firms argue the orders violate the...
Tenure Means Never Having To Say Sorry — See Also
Above the Law released a "See Also" roundup that aggregates a dozen recent legal‑industry stories in one place. The links cover Jonathan Turley's controversial remarks, Kash Patel's stalled $250 million lawsuit, the NBCE’s revised mental‑health questions, record‑high associate departures, and a...
Can The Police Really Crack Down On Montana License Plates?
California police are unlikely to launch a broad crackdown on vehicles bearing Montana license plates. Records from the California Highway Patrol show only 91 out‑of‑state plate investigations last year, none resulting in citations. Recent policy changes in Los Angeles and...
How Legal Teams Can Stay Relevant In Product-Led Companies
Legal departments in product‑led firms must evolve from reactive bottlenecks to growth partners. In a recent UpLevel View episode, Betsy Cantrell, VP of Legal at HighLevel, explained how she restructured her team for speed and alignment with product goals. AI...
Law Firms Are Drowning In Cash. Trump’s PAC Is Drowning In Legal Bills.
The 2026 Super Rich list shows 37 law firms surpassing $1.45 million revenue per lawyer and $625 thousand profit per lawyer thresholds, highlighting abundant cash reserves in the legal sector. Kirkland & Co. cemented its hiring power by pledging an $80 million guaranteed compensation...
Biglaw Associate Moves Back In With Mom & Dad Thanks To Absurd Rent Prices
Gibson Dunn associate Sophie Wellen moved back into her parents' backyard ADU in South Pasadena after passing the bar, citing Los Angeles' sky‑high rents that outpace entry‑level salaries. The move gave her financial breathing room and avoided the scramble many...
Kash Patel’s $250 Million Lawsuit Was Going Fine Until He Started Talking About It
FBI Director Kash Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic, alleging actual malice. A separate suit against former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi was dismissed by a Texas judge, who ruled the remarks were protected satire. The dismissal undermines Patel’s...
Kentucky Law School’s Dean Fight Is A Dumpster Fire
The University of Kentucky’s Rosenberg College of Law appointed federal Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove as dean despite a faculty‑wide objection. Faculty argued he lacks the scholarly record and tenure required by ABA accreditation standards, yet the administration proceeded, citing fundraising...
You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For — See Also
A series of legal‑industry updates highlight AI’s growing pains and institutional responses. Sullivan & Cromwell disclosed AI‑generated drafting errors, prompting an urgent overhaul of its editing workflow. A $250 million lawsuit filed by Kash Patels appears to have been drafted with heavy...
Meet The New Prosecutor On The Brennan Case. He Already Called The Defendant A ‘Real Traitor.’
The Justice Department removed career national‑security prosecutor Maria Medetis Long from the John Brennan investigation after she said evidence was insufficient, and installed 81‑year‑old Trump loyalist Joseph diGenova as counselor to the attorney general. DiGenova, a former Reagan‑era U.S. attorney...
Why Your Story, Engagement, And Empathy Matter More Than Ever
In a recent interview, Megan Hargroder of Legends Legal Marketing explains that modern law firms must build trust online through storytelling, authentic engagement, and empathy. She notes that prospective clients research attorneys long before the first call, so credibility is...
Marketing Roundup: Wading Into Politically Charged Waters, Culture Differentiation, And The Push And Pull Of AI
The Legal Marketing Association’s latest roundup spotlights three critical trends for law firms: navigating politically charged messaging by anchoring communications in core values, leveraging firm culture as a market differentiator, and balancing AI’s efficiency with the irreplaceable human touch. Each...
Some Law Firms Got Paid, Others Still Waiting By The Mailbox– See Generally
The legal industry’s cash flow and talent wars dominated this week’s roundup. Kirkland & Co. dangled an $80 million incentive to poach a top restructuring lawyer from Wachtell, while former President Trump’s PAC remains over $1 million behind on legal bills. Meanwhile, a...
Attorneys Should Often Avoid Texting Clients And Counsel
Jordan Rothman argues that lawyers should avoid texting clients and opposing counsel for substantive matters. While brief, time‑sensitive texts can be convenient, they often lead to a slippery slope of constant, after‑hours communication. Text messages lack the length and documentation...
Law Professors Argue Abandoning The Diversity Rule Will Hurt The ABA’s Reputation
The American Bar Association is poised to vote on May 15 to eliminate its longstanding diversity and inclusion accreditation requirement for law schools. During a 30‑day public comment period, the ABA received 47 submissions urging retention of the rule and...
How Appealing Weekly Roundup
The weekly roundup spotlights several high‑profile legal moves: magicians Penn & Teller filed a Supreme Court brief challenging the use of investigative hypnosis in a Texas death‑penalty case; Trump‑appointed judges publicly rebuked a court’s refusal to rehear a COVID‑bias claim;...
Has Legal Industry Upheaval Changed Your Career Goals?
The legal sector faces mounting uncertainty as AI and other forces reshape firm operations, prompting professionals to reconsider career trajectories. A brief, anonymous survey asks lawyers whether concerns about “cognitive offloading,” office‑based work preferences, and skill development influence their plans....
Lawyer Tells Attorneys For Missing Child That They’re ‘Gonna Burn In Hell’
During the final day of evidentiary hearings over the Camp Mystic flood tragedy that killed 27 people, including 25 children, Camp Mystic lawyer Thomas Wright told plaintiffs’ counsel, “you’re gonna burn in hell.” The remark prompted Judge Maya Guerra Gamble...
Morning Docket: 04.17.26
Private equity firms are actively scouting law firms for acquisition, signaling a new wave of financial backing for boutique practices. Federal judges have endorsed a paralegal‑driven initiative to modernize and digitize briefing formats, aiming to streamline court processes. Law school...
Partners At This Biglaw Firm Got Quite The Raise
According to ALM’s 2025 compensation survey, Kirkland & Ellis posted the steepest partner compensation increase among U.S. biglaw firms, with earnings rising more than 68% year‑over‑year. The surge reflects the firm’s record profitability, driven by high‑value transactions and a robust...
Why MSOs Are A No Go For Solo And Small Law Firms
Management service organizations (MSOs) are private‑equity‑backed firms that buy a law firm’s non‑legal operations and run them under long‑term contracts, positioning themselves as a workaround to the prohibition on non‑lawyer ownership. The article reviews past MSO‑like experiments—Clearspire, Atrium, and foreclosure‑mill...
Unintentional AI Adoption Is Already Inside Your Company. The Only Question Is Whether You Know It.
In‑house counsel are confronting AI that has already seeped into daily workflows through browsers, email extensions, and personal devices, often without any formal approval. This unintentional adoption creates a hidden layer of corporate memory built from prompts, scraped emails, and...
It’s Not An AI Hallucination — It’s Lazy Editing Of A Human Paralegal
A New Jersey district court sanctioned attorney Geoffrey Mott after a paralegal’s careless citation swaps produced a brief riddled with incorrect and outdated case references. The judge found no generative AI was used; the error stemmed from the paralegal misapplying...
Another Day, Another Mega-Merger: Partners Say Yes To Historic $3 Billion Biglaw Behemoth
Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader have received overwhelming partner approval—over 95%—to merge into a single firm, creating the largest law‑firm combination in history. The new entity, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, will launch on July 1 2026 with roughly 3,100 lawyers and projected gross revenue...
The Trump Administration Has Fired Over 100 Immigration Judges Without Explanation
The Justice Department has dismissed more than 100 immigration judges since President Trump began his second term, with the latest report identifying the 113th judge fired without any public explanation. Unlike Article III judges, immigration judges serve at the pleasure...
The 2026 Am Law 100 Is Out, And Surprise: The Rich Law Firms Got Richer
The 2026 Am Law 100 shows Biglaw’s revenue surge, with Kirkland & Ellis leading at $10.56 billion, a near‑20% jump from 2025. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz dominates profit per equity partner at $12.15 million, up 34.5%, while revenue per lawyer rose 8.7%...
Kirkland Lures Wachtell’s Top Restructuring Lawyer With An $80M Incentive To Jump Ship
Kirkland & Ellis has signed Joshua Feltman, the former chair of Wachtell’s Restructuring and Finance practice, to an $80 million guaranteed three‑year contract, the latest move in a “super cycle” of senior‑partner lateral hires. The deal follows Simpson Thacher’s acquisition of liability‑management...
No Parking, No Plan: The Hidden Liability Behind World Cup 26
The 2026 FIFA World Cup at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium will operate without on‑site parking, pushing fans toward limited off‑site options such as 5,000 spaces at the American Dream complex priced at $225 per vehicle. This forces a massive shift...