All articles tagged with #legal profession
Originally Published 7 months ago — by NBC News
Bradley Bondi, brother of Attorney General Pam Bondi, lost the D.C. Bar president election to Diane Seltzer, amid broader concerns about political influence and threats to judicial independence during the Trump administration. Seltzer emphasized the importance of rule of law and community building within the legal profession.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by New York Post
Attorney Lisa Rasmussen recounts witnessing a double-murder suicide at a Las Vegas law firm, where terminally ill attorney Joe Houston fatally shot prominent attorney Dennis Prince and his wife Ashley before taking his own life. Rasmussen, who narrowly escaped, described the horrifying event and hopes to promote civility in the legal profession in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Fox News
Attorney Lisa Rasmussen recounts the horrifying murder-suicide at a Las Vegas law firm where fellow attorney Joe Houston fatally shot prominent attorney Dennis Prince and his wife, Ashley, before taking his own life. The incident occurred during a contentious custody battle, leaving Rasmussen and others fleeing for their lives. Rasmussen hopes to bring more "respect and civility" to the legal profession by sharing her story with other lawyers.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by PBS NewsHour
Decades after Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, the legal profession still faces significant gender disparities. While progress has been made, with more women now practicing law and serving as judges, surveys show that women are still underrepresented in top positions at law firms. Obstacles such as the expectation of women as primary caretakers and biases in opportunities and promotions persist. To address these issues, firms should focus on the recruitment, retention, and success of women partners, providing role models and opportunities for advancement. The presence of women at the top level of the legal profession, exemplified by O'Connor and subsequent female justices, has had a profound impact on inspiring future generations of women in law.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Above the Law
The American Lawyer has released its ranking of the top law firms based on their pro bono work in 2022. Covington & Burling, Munger Tolles & Olson, and Jenner & Block are among the firms that contributed the most to society through their pro bono efforts. The average attorney at these firms performed 133.7 hours or more of pro bono work last year. While the overall pro bono hours in the legal profession increased from 2021, they still fell short of the levels seen in 2020. However, leaders in the pro bono space emphasize that there is still a great need for meaningful pro bono work.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Above the Law
Vault's regional rankings have revealed the top 10 most prestigious Biglaw firms in New York City, based on votes from associates. The list includes Cravath, Swaine & Moore; Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; Davis Polk & Wardwell; Skadden; Sullivan & Cromwell; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; Latham & Watkins; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Kirkland & Ellis; and Debevoise & Plimpton. These firms are known for their high compensation and have set the stage for salaries and bonuses in the legal profession. Milbank, a leader in raising associate salaries and bonuses, ranked 15th.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by The Register
Attorneys in New York who cited fake cases created by OpenAI's ChatGPT in their court filings have been sanctioned by a judge. The lawyers submitted non-existent judicial opinions with fake quotes and citations created by the AI tool, then continued to stand by the fake opinions after judicial orders called their existence into question. The judge ordered each attorney to pay a $5,000 fine to the court, notify their client, and notify each real judge falsely identified as the author of the cited fake cases. The judge dismissed the plaintiff's injury claim against Avianca because more than two years had passed between the injury and the lawsuit.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Above the Law
According to a new report from the National Association for Law Placement, first-year associate salaries are up at all firms, with the median base salary for first-year associates being $200,000 as of January 1, 2023, up $35,000 from 2021. The report also notes that the greatest percentage salary growth was seen at firms of 100 lawyers or fewer, where median first-year salaries increased by 29.2%. Geography continues to have a considerable impact on salary differences across regions, cities, and states.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Above the Law
Elite Biglaw firms are conducting stealth layoffs, claiming that their job cuts were performance-based, which is a "red herring," according to Steven Harper, a former Kirkland & Ellis partner who writes about the legal profession. Keith Wetmore, a managing director at recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa, advised that when it comes to layoffs, the polite thing to do is to say that lawyers have been let go, including some very strong performers.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by The New York Times
The legal profession is facing a new threat from A.I. technology, particularly ChatGPT-style software, which can recognize and analyze words and generate text in an instant. While some jobs may be eliminated, A.I. promises to make lawyers and paralegals more productive and create new roles. The impact is likely to be a steadily rising tide rather than a sudden tidal wave. The legal profession has been identified as a ripe target for A.I. automation in the past, but the march of A.I. in law turned out to be more measured.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Business Insider
Jazmen Jafar, a former attorney, quit her job to become an OnlyFans performer and made her entire annual salary of $75,000 in just one month on the platform. She now makes more money and is happier. Jafar said she was tired of living her life for others and following a path set out by her family. She wants to advocate for the rights of sex workers and break the stigma surrounding sex work.