Careers

Skadden Associate Tells of Her Rape and Pregnancy in Open Letter to Todd Akin

An associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is addressing U.S. Rep. Todd Akin’s comments about “legitimate rape” in an open letter that tells of her own rape and pregnancy. The Am Law Daily reports Shauna Prewitt was a 21-year-old senior at the University of Chicago when she was…

Aug 23, 2012 11:37 AM CDT

Underserved Middle Class Provides Opportunity for Recent Law Grads, Ex-US Attorney Says

A practice representing the underserved middle class could result in a fairly decent income for new law grads, according to an opinion column by a former U.S. attorney. The National Law Journal article by former prosecutor and Miami lawyer Kendall Coffey explains the economics. “The reality is that with prudent…

Aug 22, 2012 10:30 AM CDT

Greenberg CEO Is Shocked at Hullabaloo over Capital Call

Greenberg Traurig’s recently announced capital call is a “small step” taken during uncertain times for the legal industry, according to CEO Richard Rosenbaum. In an interview with the Daily Business Review, Rosenbaum said the amount that will be raised pales in comparison to capital calls at other law firms. “I’m…

Aug 21, 2012 12:01 PM CDT

Former Government Lawyers Increasingly Shun BigLaw for Boutiques

High-level government lawyers moving into private practice are increasingly going to boutique law firms rather than BigLaw. The switch is part of an emerging trend, legal analysts tell the Washington Post. The article cites two recent examples: • Rob Park, former assistant chief in the fraud section of the Justice…

Aug 20, 2012 11:23 AM CDT

Appeals Court Refuses to Vacate Guilty Plea in Judicial Corruption Case

A federal appeals court has refused to vacate the 2008 guilty plea of David Zachary Scruggs, son of disgraced former plaintiffs lawyer Richard “Dickie” Scruggs, who was implicated in a judicial corruption scheme that sent his father to prison. The younger Scruggs, a law partner at his father’s former firm,…

Aug 17, 2012 6:05 PM CDT

Around the Blawgosphere: Blogger’s Advice to New Law Grads? Find Mentor to Answer ‘Dumb’ Questions

For All the New Grads A recent law school graduate and aspiring personal injury lawyer asked New York Personal Injury Law Blog’s Eric Turkewitz if he had any advice for him. Turkewitz recalled the piece of advice that he describes as one of the best things that happened to him…

Aug 17, 2012 1:30 PM CDT

Facebook, Looking Toward Privacy & Child Protection Issues, Hires Patton Boggs Lawyer/Lobbyist

Facebook has hired Kevin Martin, a Patton Boggs partner and former Federal Communications Commission chairman, as a lobbyist. According to the Blog of the Legal Times, the Washington, D.C., lawyer will focus on privacy, child protection, online security and tax policy issues for the social media giant. Martin headed the…

Aug 16, 2012 4:01 PM CDT

Legal Aid Providers Expected to Lay Off 350 Lawyers, Scale Back Services

Facing budget cuts and funding losses, legal aid programs throughout the country are expected to lay off 750 employees, including 350 attorneys this year. According to a survey conducted by the Legal Services Corp., 87 percent of legal aid operations reported they face significant LSC and non-LSC funding cuts, many…

Aug 16, 2012 4:00 PM CDT

More Than Good Grades and LSAT Score Needed to Win Law School Admission, Says US News

For those applying to law school, U.S. News and World Report offers advice on the magazine’s Education page that likely won’t astonish: In addition to good grades and a high score on the LSAT exam, more probably will be needed to win admission. Specifically, there are five qualities that an…

Aug 16, 2012 3:30 PM CDT

Former Philip Morris GC Misses Courtroom, Joins Boies Schiller

David Bernick, who resigned his post a general counsel of Philip Morris in February, has joined the New York office of Boies, Schiller & Flexner. The former Kirkland & Ellis partner told Reuters that he left Philip Morris because he missed implementing strategies for clients and wanted to get back…

Aug 16, 2012 1:56 PM CDT

NY Judge Quits for ADR Job, Cites Pay as Reason

A New York judge in the appellate division is leaving his $168,600-per-year job to pursue a position with a private alternative dispute resolution company. Justice Ariel Belen tells the New York Law Journal that a recent 17 percent salary boost for judges was “too little, too late.” He plans to…

Aug 16, 2012 1:16 PM CDT

Arizona Couple to Pursue Harvard Law Degrees Together

High school sweethearts Ron and Sarah Gonski made a pact: They’d study for the LSAT together, apply to law schools across the country and choose the one that accepted them both. Now this fall, the couple will start classes at Harvard, their first choice. The Gonskis’ path to law school…

Aug 16, 2012 11:32 AM CDT

Rep. Cardoza Resigns Seat, Takes Job at Manatt

Citing a need to be home to assist with “increasing parenting challenges,” Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D–Calif.) offered a surprise resignation this week that takes effect midnight Wednesday. Cardoza, who will leave Congress to join the lobbying arm of Manatt, Phelps, Phillips in Washington, D.C., made the announcement on his congressional…

Aug 15, 2012 6:25 PM CDT

Are Bosses Who Yell a Relic of the Past?

Belligerent supervisors who yell at and bully their employees are slowly disappearing from the workplace. So says the Wall Street Journal, which says “The new consensus among managers is that yelling alarms people, drives them away rather than inspiring them, and hurts the quality of their work.” And, there are…

Aug 15, 2012 1:54 PM CDT

Procrastination Can Be Managed, with Right Attitude and Skills, Experts Say

Being a procrastinator isn’t something to feel bad about. Those with this personality trait can make the most of it by knowing themselves and adjusting accordingly, a guest columnist in the Wall Street Journal writes. For example, do you tend to get involved in a string of nonwork-related Internet searches…

Aug 14, 2012 10:20 PM CDT