http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-06-19T23:58:52-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/gang_chief_in_brooklyn_das_office_is_fired_after_slur_accusations_surface/ The lawyer who headed the gang bureau in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office is out of a job, reportedly because of her insulting language. Deanna Rodriguez was suspended for 90 days without pay during an investigation and then fired on Friday, report the New York… Careers, Criminal Justice, Prosecutors Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:32:32 -0500 44699.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/these_biglaw_firms_had_the_highest_spreads_in_partner_compensation/ For the first time this year, the American Lawyer has asked the nation’s 200 largest law firms to supply figures on the spread in compensation between their top-paid and lowest-paid partners. The publication received responses from 111 law firms, the American Lawyer reports. For law firms in… Business of Law, Careers, Lawyer Pay, Law Firms, Large Firm, Partners Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:10:52 -0500 44694.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/which_law_firms_were_honored_for_placing_women_in_leadership_roles/ Forty-two law firms have received a “gold standard certification” for placing women in leadership roles. Women in Law Empowerment Forum created the list to emphasize leadership roles by women equity partners, rather than law firm policies or practices, according to the group’s website. The 42 firms met at… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Careers, Women in the Law, Law Firms, Large Firm Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:05:55 -0500 44685.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/barbershop_doubles_as_a_law_office/ Connecticut lawyer Don Howard notes that the city of Hartford is “oversaturated with lawyers and barbershops.” That’s why he has opened a barbershop on Main Street in New Britain and placed his office in the back of the place, the New Britain Herald reports. A criminal… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Careers, States, Connecticut Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:39:55 -0500 44683.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/if_you_cant_dry_clean_it_dont_wear_it_partner_offers_business-casual_advice/ Harrumph! After receiving several complaints, the office managing partner of a national law firm has decided the firm’s poorly dressed male lawyers need some business-casual guidelines. No. 1 on the list: “If you cannot dry clean it, don’t wear it.” Above the Law published the entire… Business of Law, Careers, Law Firms, Partners Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:00:04 -0500 44678.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/slain_lawyers_daughter_says_he_would_have_been_first_to_defend_teen_charged/ A 16-year-old youth has been arrested in the April 15 stabbing deaths of a long-time California lawyer and his wife. The name of the teen, who lives in Davis, has not been released, report CBS13, the Daily Democrat, and… Careers, Obituaries, Criminal Justice, States, California Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:46:38 -0500 44676.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/will_an_easy-to-pronounce_name_get_you_a_better_shot_at_partnership/ Does your name matter in your career? How about the descriptive words used in court? The answer, apparently, is yes and yes. New York University marketing professor Adam Alter explains in the New Yorker. One of his findings: Lawyers in U.S. law firms with easy-to-pronounce names rise… Careers, Judiciary, Law Firms, Partners, Law in Popular Culture, Trials & Litigation Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:40:32 -0500 44639.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/dwight_opperman_key_figure_in_westlaws_launch_in_1970s_dies_at_age_89/ Dwight Opperman, a Drake University law graduate who rose to the top job at West Publishing after starting work there as an editor and was a key figure in the company's development of the Westlaw online legal research site in the 1970s, died Thursday at his home in Beverly Hills,… Careers, Obituaries, States, California, Minnesota Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:57:12 -0500 44649.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/obama_leads_by_a_mile_in_women_judicial_picks_study_says/ President Barack Obama has successfully appointed more women to the federal bench than any president in history, a new study shows. Forty-two percent of Obama's judicial appointees have been women, according to a study (PDF) by the liberal-leaning Alliance For Justice. That's a rate almost double that of… Careers, Women in the Law, Executive Branch, Judiciary, Supreme Court Nominations Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:15:57 -0500 44650.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/around_the_blawgosphere_big_box_IRS_Airbnb_lightsaber/ Some law firms have a "big box" model, New York City-based law firm consultant Bruce MacEwen writes at Adam Smith, Esq. Which is to say that they are highly specialized in one practice area, have a great depth of resources and expertise in that practice area… ABA Journal, @BlawgWhisperer, Careers, Bar Exam, Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Large Firm, Tax Law, Terrorism Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:30:52 -0500 44643.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_creates_a_stir_by_developing_a_dress_code_for_female_attorneys/ A Tennessee judge has caused a commotion by developing a dress code for female attorneys in Rutherford County. The rumor that it will require pantyhose is false, Circuit Court Judge Royce Taylor told the Tennessean. However, suggestive, revealing or otherwise inappropriate clothing worn by some women lawyers is… ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Business of Law, Careers, Women in the Law, Judiciary, Trials & Litigation, States, Tennessee Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:40:24 -0500 44634.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/how_does_she_do_it_65m_rainmaker_says_shes_not_a_natural_salesperson/ Pepper Hamilton partner Nina Gussack is responsible for $65 million in business, about 20 percent of the law firm’s total revenue. But Gussack says she’s not a natural salesperson. “For me, it's a challenge every time,” Gussack tells the Careerist. “There's always that fear of rejection. Getting that… ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Business of Law, Careers, Women in the Law, Work/Life Balance, Law Firms, Partners Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:19:00 -0500 44627.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/want_a_california_law_license_prposal_says_you_should_take_15_hours_of_law-/ A passing grade on the bar exam wouldn’t be enough proof of legal competency in California under a proposal approved on Tuesday by a state bar task force. To get a law license in the state, would-be lawyers would have to complete 15 units of skills courses or externships in… Bar Associations, Careers, Law Schools, States, California Thu, 13 Jun 2013 06:00:25 -0500 44622.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_grad_70_celebrated_50th_wedding_aniversary_last_week_is_now_studying_fo/ Unlike some younger classmates, Sandra Wilson didn't go to law school for the money. Nor is she worried about balancing a fledgling legal career with marriage and children—at 70, she just celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary June 1 and is a grandmother, the News Herald reports. Now,… Careers, Women in the Law, Work/Life Balance, Law Students, States, Alabama, Florida Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:35:50 -0500 44625.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/former_biglaw_partner_i_faced_incredible_obstacles_that_male_lawyers_didnt_/ A former BigLaw partner who recently settled a lawsuit over the alleged "boys club" at the last major firm for which she worked says it wasn't just Greenberg Traurig where women lawyers face challenges that their male counterparts don't. "At every stage," Francine Griesing told attendees at a Manhattan conference… Careers, Women in the Law, Law Firms, Large Firm, Partners, Trials & Litigation, 2nd Circuit Court, States, New York, Pennsylvania Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:00:38 -0500 44592.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/criminal_defense_solo_gerry_shargel_becomes_a_biglaw_partner_at_age_68/ Criminal defense lawyer Gerald Shargel is making an unusual move to BigLaw, at age 68. After four decades of solo practice in which he frequently represented business owners and politicians accused of corruption, as well as celebrities in hot water and alleged organized crime figures, he is joining Winston &… Careers, Law Firms, Large Firm, Partners, Solos/Small Firms, States, New York Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:55:05 -0500 44530.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/three_orrick_executives_are_leaving_new_chairman_wants_thinner_more_nimble_/ Three high-ranking executives are leaving Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, just a few months after Mitchell Zuklie took over as chairman of the law firm. Leaving the firm are chief human resources officer and U.S. executive director Gera Vaz, chief operating officer Reid Horovitz and chief knowledge officer Peter Krakaur, report… ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Careers, Layoffs, Law Firms, Large Firm Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:15:53 -0500 44522.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer-turned-blogger_broke_the_story_on_collection_of_us_cell_phone_data_w/ The journalist who broke the story on secret U.S. collection of cellphone data is Glenn Greenwald, a former lawyer at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Greenwald wrote his story for the Guardian and allowed the publication to edit it, though he usually publishes without… Careers, Privacy Law, Terrorism Fri, 07 Jun 2013 07:49:36 -0500 44510.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/how_to_be_taken_seriously_law_grads_who_formed_criminal_defense_firm/ Being young isn’t necessarily a disadvantage, according to two criminal defense lawyers in Chicago who formed their law firm after graduating from DePaul law school last year. Katie Kizer, 26, and Amanda Graham, 25, acknowledge there are few young, female criminal defense lawyers starting their own law firms. When they… Careers, Women in the Law, Criminal Justice, Criminal Procedure Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:59:58 -0500 44487.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/is_weight_gain_a_job_hazard_for_lawyers_profession_is_sixth_highest_for_pac/ Legal jobs are apparently conducive to weight gain. Lawyers, judges and other legal professionals work in one of the top professions for weight gain, according to a survey of nearly 3,700 full-time workers by CareerBuilder. AOL Jobs reports on the findings. Forty-eight percent of legal… Careers, Work/Life Balance Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:35:30 -0500 44484.abajournal.com