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Justice Kagan: Lower court judges could enforce Supreme Court ethics code

Justice Elena Kagan on Monday brushed aside concerns about whether lower court judges could effectively enforce the Supreme Court’s new ethics rules, saying those on the federal bench are more than capable of holding justices to account.

Sep 10, 2024 12:40 PM CDT

Justice Amy Coney Barrett describes coming home with bulletproof vest

Asked Friday about the challenges of being a Supreme Court justice and a parent of seven children, Amy Coney Barrett told an audience about a time she was sent home from the court with a bulletproof vest and her 13-year-old son saw it tossed on a bed.

Sep 10, 2024 9:45 AM CDT

Ballard Spahr announces merger that ‘is just the tip of the next iceberg’ in Pacific Northwest

Ballard Spahr is expanding into the Pacific Northwest through a merger with Lane Powell, the law firms announced Monday.

Sep 10, 2024 9:32 AM CDT

2 BigLaw firms ‘fighting it out in the lateral market’ vote to merge

Partners at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders and Locke Lord have voted to merge effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Sep 9, 2024 3:32 PM CDT

In ‘difficult but necessary step forward,’ merged law firm trims 10% of equity partnership

A&O Shearman is cutting 10% of its global equity partners, closing its Johannesburg office in South Africa and terminating its consulting business, multiple legal publications are reporting.

Sep 9, 2024 2:36 PM CDT

Stressed and depressed, only 34% of young lawyers with highest student debt say JD was worth cost, new ABA survey says

High student debt is affecting the emotional well-being of young lawyers and affecting their life decisions, according to a 2024 survey by the ABA Young Lawyers Division released Monday.

Sep 9, 2024 1:18 PM CDT

Lawyer alleges ‘impeachment by subterfuge’ after federal appeals judge, 97, suspended for another year

Judge Pauline Newman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has been suspended from hearing cases for another year amid concerns about her “cognitive state.”

Sep 9, 2024 9:44 AM CDT

State rep displays middle finger during online court hearing, leading to show-cause orders

A Florida state representative who appeared to be displaying his middle finger and making other gestures during an online court appearance is facing an Oct. 1 contempt hearing.

Sep 5, 2024 3:20 PM CDT

Kids create video, write law journal article about Texas Supreme Court

Two siblings whose mother is an appellate lawyer decided to make a video in which they interviewed Texas Supreme Court justices about their daily lives, their work and how they reach decisions in the cases that come before them.

Sep 5, 2024 2:17 PM CDT

These law firms are tops for midlevel associate satisfaction; how were their tech ratings?

BigLaw’s midlevel associates have spoken. The top law firm for midlevel associate satisfaction is O’Melveny & Myers, according to results from the American Lawyer’s 2024 Midlevel Associates Survey published by Law.com.

Sep 5, 2024 12:02 PM CDT

Justice Thomas’ wife reportedly thanked group for fighting Supreme Court reform

Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, the wife of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, thanked a religious liberty group in an email for fighting Supreme Court reform, according to a recording of a call led by the group’s president and CEO.

Sep 5, 2024 10:10 AM CDT

Which BigLaw firms are hiring the most lateral partners?

Frank Lopez, the chair at Paul Hastings, is hiring partners away from rivals with the aim of creating “exponential impact,” he told Bloomberg Law.

Sep 5, 2024 8:59 AM CDT

Companies pay big bucks signing bonuses to lure legal chiefs; who received more than $10M?

Legal chiefs are being enticed to join new companies with big signing bonuses and stock opportunities that sometimes exceed millions of dollars.

Sep 4, 2024 11:38 AM CDT

Taking Care of Your ‘Good Boy’: Pet trusts ensure animals live a good life after owner dies

Most dog moms and cat dads accept the hard truth that they will likely outlive their beloved animals. But what happens when pets outlive their humans?

Sep 4, 2024 11:03 AM CDT

Ketanji Brown Jackson gives readers a tour of her meteoric rise

Although it offers a wealth of biographical detail, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s new memoir, Lovely One, showcases little of the feistiness that marks Jackson’s judicial pronouncements.

Sep 4, 2024 10:55 AM CDT