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Judge reluctantly agrees partner’s equal-pay suit against Sedgwick is likely subject to arbitration

U.S. District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco indicated on Thursday that a partner’s pay bias suit against Sedgwick will likely be subject to arbitration, though he’s not happy about it. Alsup said he’s inclined to agree with Sedgwick’s assertion that partnership agreements signed by plaintiff Traci Ribeiro require arbitration,…

Oct 14, 2016 7:00 AM CDT

Robo-interviews are on the rise

Hiring managers who want to evaluate potential employees on their own time, without the need for travel, are turning to the robo-interview. Bloomberg describes such interviews this way: “In the more humane experience, a hiring manager, who also isn’t all that practiced in the art of digital video, delivers taped…

Oct 13, 2016 9:42 AM CDT

Male partners make 44% more on average than female partners, survey finds

A new survey confirms the gender pay gap among law firm partners. Male partners make 44 percent more on average than female partners, according to the survey by Major, Lindsey & Africa. Law.com, Bloomberg Big Law Business and the Wall Street Journal Law Blog covered the results. Average compensation is…

Oct 13, 2016 8:24 AM CDT

Justice Ginsburg’s accent returns to her New York roots, linguists say

Then-advocate Ruth Bader Ginsburg quashed her New York accent in a 1975 case argued before the U.S. Supreme court, but the accent is once again on display when she reads from the bench, a study has found. The researchers concluded that Ginsburg’s early argument was an example of accommodation, in…

Oct 12, 2016 7:00 AM CDT

Law firm says it’s downsizing because of ‘unfair allegations’ in barratry suit

A Texas insurance-coverage law firm is blaming a barratry class action for a decision to “significantly downsize.” The law firm Speights & Worrich says it’s downsizing because of the “false and unfair allegations” in the suit, Forbes reports in an article by a reporter who writes for the Southeast Texas…

Oct 7, 2016 2:04 PM CDT

Trump supporter Giuliani takes leave from his BigLaw firm until campaign ends

Donald Trump supporter Rudy Giuliani won’t be showing up at his BigLaw office for the next month. Giuliani is taking a leave of absence until Nov. 9, the day after the election, Law.com (sub. req.) reports. Greenberg Traurig chairman Richard Rosenbaum issued a statement calling Giuliani’s temporary departure “an amicable…

Oct 6, 2016 4:00 PM CDT

Marriage advice from Justice Ginsburg’s mother-in-law has helped her in the workplace

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says she has many people to thank for her success. Her mother encouraged independence. Professors honed her writing skills, and one helped get her a federal clerkship. Her late husband, Martin, handled cooking at home; reviewed her written work; and helped garner support for her U.S.…

Oct 4, 2016 7:50 AM CDT

Lawyers take reader vote for most famous BigLaw lawyer way too seriously

A publication’s call for readers to name the most famous practicing BigLaw lawyer was intended to be fun. The idea began with a “casually tossed off question” in the news room of Bloomberg Big Law Business, according to the original story describing the poll. The decision was made to let…

Oct 3, 2016 11:35 AM CDT

EEOC sues University of Denver law school for alleged pay discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Friday filed a lawsuit for alleged pay discrimination against the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. The suit says the average salary of full-time female professors at the law school is about $20,000 less than that of full-time male professors, the Denver Post…

Oct 3, 2016 9:55 AM CDT

New documentary ‘Balancing the Scales’ sheds light on the challenges female lawyers have faced

The opening scene of the new documentary Balancing the Scales shows Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg talking about bathrooms.

Oct 1, 2016 4:20 AM CDT

Women in Law Hackathon address compensation, advancement and business development

Women in Law Hackathon participants devised new ways to disrupt the diversity dialogue at elite law firms and close the gender gap.

Oct 1, 2016 4:00 AM CDT

10 Questions: Raj De’s career has taken him from 9/11 Commission to White House to NSA

Nearly 20 years ago, a young Harvard Law School student named Raj De sat in his mentor’s office and explained why he’d decided to bypass BigLaw for the Department of Justice. The older lawyer understood completely. “You should always go where the action is,” he counseled. De took this advice—and…

Oct 1, 2016 3:40 AM CDT

Lawsuits fail to loosen bar admission rules, but issue isn’t going away

Admission barriers are challenged as infringing on competitive and First Amendment rights, driving up litigation costs and disrupting the right to counsel.

Oct 1, 2016 3:00 AM CDT

Litigator’s book documents the service of Kansas’ Frontier Guard to President Lincoln

In April 1861, 46 attorneys traveled from the Great Plains to Washington, D.C., where they protected President Abraham Lincoln.

Oct 1, 2016 2:40 AM CDT

Are millennials job hoppers? In-house lawyers vary on the answer based on their generation

The perception that millennials are more likely than their elders to jump to new jobs is playing out in a survey of in-house lawyers. Surveyed baby boomers and Gen Xers were more likely to believe millennials would leave their jobs within five years than the millennials themselves, the Wall Street…

Sep 30, 2016 2:38 PM CDT