Thu.Jan 30, 2025

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Firm Caps Pro Bono Hours, Announces Vague In-Office Policy

Above The Law

Unlimited pro bono hours are a lot like unlimited vacation days. Everyone knows that they’ll never all get used, but it’s the principle of the thing. It’s a nice signal to associates that the firm cares about public service work or work-life balance respectively. Linklaters used to have no limit on the number of pro bono hours that could count toward bonuses.

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HRW: new Lebanon government should prioritize human rights and rule of law

JURIST

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the new Lebanese government to adopt a human rights oriented agenda that promotes the rule of law, transparency and accountability on Thursday. The organization urged the government to implement legal reforms across various sectors to meet the needs of the people and build a brighter future for the country. In a letter to newly appointed Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, HRW provided ten recommendations to guide the Lebanese government in addressing the country’

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Biglaw Firm Gets Hit With Lawsuit Over Partner’s Romance

Above The Law

When Texas bankruptcy judge David R. Jones hid his romantic relationship with a Biglaw partner and continued to hear cases involving that partner/law firm, it led to a legal ethics conundrum that is still ongoing. Jones, the ( now former ) federal bankruptcy judge, was involved with Elizabeth Freeman , the (now former) bankruptcy partner at Jackson Walker, and somehow didn’t recuse himself from cases involving Freeman.

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When is a Confirmatory Trial “Underway” or Conducted with “Due Diligence” Enough for Accelerated Approval? FDA Explains Its New Authorities

FDA Law Blog

By Mark A. Tobolowsky & Charles G. Raver & James E. Valentine We recently blogged about a new December 2024 draft guidance about accelerated approval (the December 2024 draft guidance). That post largely focused on endpoints as well as the broader context for when accelerated approval is appropriate. However, as we note in that post, the design, timing of initiation, and timely conduct of confirmatory trials are also important considerations in FDAs determination of whether accelerated

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The Tech-Savvy Paralegals Playbook: How To Leverage AI

Speaker: Allison Mears, Adela Wekselblatt, and George Socha

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the legal industry, and paralegals are at the forefront of this transformation. As AI becomes more integrated into legal workflows, paralegals can streamline their daily tasks, enhance efficiency, and add greater value to their firms and organizations. But what exactly does AI mean for paralegals today—and how can you leverage it to your advantage?

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Tenth Circuit Finds Forensic Interviews Admissible as Prior Consistent Statements

EvidenceProf Blog

Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(1)(B) provides an exclusion to the rule against hearsay if The declarant testifies and is subject to cross-examination about a prior statement, and the statement: (B) is consistent with the declarants testimony and is offered: (i).

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From Suffering To Thriving: Building Companies While Living With Mental Illness With Collin Williams

Above The Law

Entrepreneurship often conjures images of fearless risk-takers, but the reality is more complex. Founders frequently juggle the weight of their ventures alongside their personal struggles. In a raw and insightful episode of “ Notes to My (Legal) Self ,” Collin Williams, co-founder of New Era ADR, opens up about his journey from suffering with depression to living with it — and how hes using that awareness to navigate the turbulent world of startups.

Legal 90
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“Appeals Court Strikes Down Federal Ban on Handgun Sales to Teenagers; The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit applied the Supreme Court’s ‘historical tradition’ test”

HowAppealing

“Appeals Court Strikes Down Federal Ban on Handgun Sales to Teenagers; The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit applied the Supreme Courts ‘historical tradition’ test”: Mattathias Schwartz of The New York Times has this report. Alex Swoyer of The Washington Times reports that “ Federal appeals court strikes down feds handgun ban on those under 21; Judges declare law unconstitutional, say 18-20-year-olds have right to keep and bear arms.” A

Court 100
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No. 2 Biglaw Firm In America Announces Market-Beating Bonuses

Above The Law

It’s almost February, but Biglaw firms are continuing to spread the wealth to associates across the country after a successful financial year by announcing matches of Milbanks generous year-end and special bonuses. Good things come with patience, and if you’re an associate at Latham who was waiting for a bonus, your patience has been rewarded with really, really good things.

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“Arkansas Supreme Court chief justice says dispute over her authority could lead to litigation; Baker again says she hopes to pick new Administrative Office of the Courts director”

HowAppealing

“Arkansas Supreme Court chief justice says dispute over her authority could lead to litigation; Baker again says she hopes to pick new Administrative Office of the Courts director”: Tess Vrbin of Arkansas Advocate has this report.

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Excellence in Trial: A Strategic Guide for Modern Paralegals

Modern trial practice has evolved beyond basic organization. With technology reshaping courtrooms and attorneys expecting more than ever, paralegals need to elevate their capabilities while mastering the fundamentals of trial excellence. This comprehensive guide from Steno, built from author Joe Stephens' real-world experience as both a practicing attorney and law professor, provides a blueprint for delivering exceptional trial support in today's complex legal environment.

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The Opening Shot Against Obergefell

Above The Law

(Photo by Ted Eytan / Flickr) Ed. Note: Welcome to our daily feature Trivia Question of the Day! Which states House of Representatives voted to pass a resolution expressing their commitment to restoring the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman, urging the Supreme Court to reconsider the Obergefell v. Hodges decision and return authority over marriage laws to the states and their citizens?

Court 117
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“Atlanta family in mistaken FBI raid gets case before U.S. Supreme Court; Ruling could set national precedent in cases against the federal government and its employees”

HowAppealing

“Atlanta family in mistaken FBI raid gets case before U.S. Supreme Court; Ruling could set national precedent in cases against the federal government and its employees”: Rosie Manins of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has this report.

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Sitting Shiva For DEI And Junior Lawyers

Above The Law

Shiva is the Hebrew word for Judaism’s week-long mourning period for the deceaseds relatives. With the off with their heads attitude of the new administration, many of us, regardless of religious affiliation, are in mourning for the killing off of DEI initiatives. So many questions. Is DEI dead? Seems that way. If two absolutely equally qualified lawyers interview for the one vacant position, who gets it?

Lawyer 104
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“‘Heightened Scrutiny’ Review: A Transgender Attorney Heads to the Supreme Court in an Emotional and Informative Doc; Sam Feder’s documentary follows the ongoing case of United States v. Skrmetti — and takes aim at how news media can foster prejudice in lawmaking.”

HowAppealing

“Heightened Scrutiny Review: A Transgender Attorney Heads to the Supreme Court in an Emotional and Informative Doc; Sam Feders documentary follows the ongoing case of United States v. Skrmetti — and takes aim at how news media can foster prejudice in lawmaking.” Siddhant Adlakha of Variety has this review.

Attorney 100
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Transform Your E-Learning: Download the Ultimate Localization Use Case!

Uncover the secret to breaking language barriers and expanding your e-learning reach! This powerful use case reveals how Cesco Linguistic Services transformed 19 training modules for the Colorado Department of Early Childhood into culturally relevant courses in Arabic and Spanish—delivered on time and exceeding expectations. Learn how to localize your content seamlessly, avoid costly pitfalls, and connect with diverse audiences like never before.

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Stella McCartney Re-Acquires Minority Stake In Brand From LVMH

Above The Law

The post Stella McCartney Re-Acquires Minority Stake In Brand From LVMH appeared first on Above the Law.

Laws 96
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“Arizona’s first Latina justice is in no way a ‘diversity hire’; Maria Elena Cruz is the Arizona Supreme Court’s first Latina justice; But that’s not the most important reason why she got the job”

HowAppealing

“Arizona’s first Latina justice is in no way a ‘diversity hire’; Maria Elena Cruz is the Arizona Supreme Court’s first Latina justice; But that’s not the most important reason why she got the job”: Elvia Diaz has this essay online at The Arizona Republic.

Court 100
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5 AI-Powered Hacks to Maximize Law Firm Productivity

Above The Law

Artificial intelligence is rapidly altering the way law firms operate for the better. Whether your firm is looking to automate routine tasks or streamline traditionally time-intensive operations, AI empowers legal professionals to reclaim time and focus on delivering outstanding outcomes for clients. Ready to learn how legal AI tools can realistically help your firm?

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“Raheem Mullin confirmed as chief justice of CT Supreme Court”

HowAppealing

“Raheem Mullin confirmed as chief justice of CT Supreme Court”: Mark Pazniokas of CT Mirror has this report.

Court 100
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Uncovering The Hidden Connections: A Patent Family Survival Guide

Speaker: Andrew Klein

Are there mysteries lurking in your family tree? 🕵 No, not a long-lost half-brother - I'm talking about a patent family tree! IP paralegals need fast and easy ways to verify and report on essential data about foreign equivalents of US assets. Join us to master the global scope of key assets to support prosecution, portfolio management, litigation, licensing, competitive monitoring and more!

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Indicted SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein can’t switch collateral, magistrate judge rules

ABA Journal

A federal magistrate judge has denied SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldsteins request to switch collateral to avoid putting at risk the Washington, D.C.

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“Is Texas due for a judicial pay raise? Here’s what chief justice says and what’s proposed.”

HowAppealing

“Is Texas due for a judicial pay raise? Here’s what chief justice says and what’s proposed.” Alex Driggars of The Austin American-Statesman has this report.

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Bloomberg Law Rolls Out Two AI-Powered Legal Research Tools, Emphasizing Accuracy and Source Attribution

LawSites

Bloomberg Law has launched two new generative AI-powered research tools Bloomberg Law Answers and Bloomberg Law AI Assistant marking the company’s most significant foray into providing its customers with AI-enhanced legal research capabilities.

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“Justice Jackson punches out her frustrations with the conservative Supreme Court in the boxing ring”

HowAppealing

“Justice Jackson punches out her frustrations with the conservative Supreme Court in the boxing ring”: Mark Sherman and Lindsay Whitehurst of The Associated Press have this report.

Court 100
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AI for Paralegals: Everything You Need to Know (and How to Use It Safely)

Speaker: Joe Stephens, J.D., Attorney and Law Professor

Ready to cut through the AI hype and learn exactly how to use these tools in your legal work? Join this webinar to get practical guidance from attorney and AI legal expert, Joe Stephens, who understands what really matters for legal professionals! What You'll Learn: Evaluate AI Tools Like a Pro 🔍 Learn which tools are worth your time and how to spot potential security and ethics risks before they become problems.

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Diversity Lab changes online descriptions to emphasize fairness, avoid misconceptions

ABA Journal

A group that works with law firms to increase diversity has made changes to its website to remove some diversity-related wording and to avoid use…

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“Indicted SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein can’t switch collateral, magistrate judge rules”

HowAppealing

“Indicted SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein can’t switch collateral, magistrate judge rules”: Debra Cassens Weiss has this post at ABA Journal.

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As Two Leading Legal PR Firms Embrace AI, Could This Signal A Major Strategy Shift In How Firms Deliver PR?

LawSites

Two prominent public relations and marketing firms serving the legal industry announced notable artificial intelligence initiatives this week, signaling a potential transformation in how legal marketing and communications services are delivered.

Legal 69
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“Plea Deal May Be Best Strategy For SCOTUSBlog Publisher”

HowAppealing

“Plea Deal May Be Best Strategy For SCOTUSBlog Publisher”: Asha Glover of Law360 has this news analysis (subscription required for full access). And Ali Sullivan of Law360 has an article headlined “ Tom Goldstein Seeks To Shield DC Home In Tax Crimes Case ” (subscription required for full access) that begins, “Appellate lawyer and SCOTUSblog publisher Tom Goldstein asked a Maryland federal judge Wednesday if he could put up three South Carolina properties as collate

Lawyer 100
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The New Way of Conducting Patent Research: Proven Strategies For Efficient Due Diligence

Speaker: Andrew Klein

Patent due diligence processes take too long. The information you need is publicly available but accessing it is often tedious & inefficient, requiring you to wade through dozens of PTO websites or for-free tools to gather what you need. Plus, it frequently occurs late in the game, leaving professionals under pressure, sifting through chaotic 100-page PDFs, and frustrated with poorly formatted information & patent numbers.