Associate Life

From the editors of Texas Lawyer

Hiring Summer Interns? Make Sure You Do it Right

Corporate Counsel

Friday, May 24, 2013

School's out for summer, and there's a rush of young students and recent graduates looking for internships. But businesses that don't compensate interns for the work they perform can end up paying a big price down the road.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

The Never Ending Story of Unfinished Business

New York Law Journal

Friday, May 24, 2013

In his Law Firm Partnership Law column, Arthur J. Ciampi, the managing member of Ciampi LLC, writes that two cases from California elucidate the scope of liability for unfinished business claims as well as the procedure used in unfinished business cases.

Time for Radical Change in Legal Education

The National Law Journal

Friday, May 24, 2013

Students would save three years of tuition if they could enter law school after their freshman year.

Does a Graduate Law Degree Increase a Lawyer's Value?

The Legal Intelligencer

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Today, LL.M. degrees, a.k.a. Masters of Law, or, for the fancy, the Latin name Legum Magister, are offered in a variety of legal specialties ranging from trial advocacy to intellectual property to international law to taxation.

Big Law Whipped for Poor Tech Training

Law Technology News

Thursday, May 23, 2013

D. Casey Flaherty, corporate counsel at Kia Motors America, really does have good intentions as he humiliates Big Law firms about their dismal technology skills — but he is careful not to embarrass a partner.

Law School Offers A Second Chance for Rejected Students

The National Law Journal

Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law has introduced "Admission Through Performance," allowing rejected applicants to enroll in a free, four-week course on the Federal Rules of Evidence taught by Duncan faculty. If the applicants do well, they can earn a spot in next year's 1L class.

A Place for Lawyers to Learn Executive Skills

The National Law Journal

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Harvard, Georgetown follow business school model.

The Calculus of University Presidents

The National Law Journal

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Many must decide between two difficult paths: tackle law school restructuring or close their law schools.

Harvard Law Really is No. 1

The Careerist

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Are you still fussing with that U.S. News & World Report ranking of law schools? How provincial! We live in the global economy, so what really matters is how your law school ranks ­internationally.

3 Strategies for Reducing Class Action Costs

Corporate Counsel

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

In-house counsel tackled an increased number of class-action lawsuits last year, but managed to tamp down legal spend by an average of $100,000 per matter, according to the 2013 Carlton Fields Class Action Survey.

What Neuroscience Can Teach Us About Settlement Negotiations

New Jersey Law Journal

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

There is much that the latest developments in neuroscience can teach legal professionals about negotiations. This is particularly true when it comes to how people process information and make decisions. Mediators and lawyers alike can benefit particularly from what neuroscientists have revealed about priming and framing, two potent filtering mechanisms that can either inflame the emotional barriers to settlement or potentially defuse them.

After Controversy, Ex-Congressman Registers to Lobby

Legal Times

Monday, May 20, 2013

Former Representative Ron Klein (D-Fla.) has registered with Congress as a federal lobbyist at Holland & Knight for the first time since he left congressional lobbying rolls in February 2012 amid controversy.

Ten Lessons From Athletes to Excel in the Boardroom: Part I

The Legal Intelligencer

Monday, May 20, 2013

I had lunch recently with a lawyer who had been a standout athlete. The conversation underscored a realization, based on almost 30 years in the legal profession, that many of the most successful partners, CEOs, general counsel and law firm leaders who I have worked with have athletic backgrounds.

Law for Laymen

The National Law Journal

Monday, May 20, 2013

There are nearly 30 law schools that have or soon will offer a master's degree for nonlawyers, up from just a handful two years ago.

10 Devices You Should Never Take Along on a Business Trip

Law Technology News

Monday, May 20, 2013

Travel-savvy attorneys hit the road with only the minimum number of devices necessary to complete their work quickly and effectively. Writer John Edwards recommends ten things that can stay home.

Law Deans Scramble

The Am Law Daily

Friday, May 17, 2013

The crisis in legal education continues, with the number of people applying to law school declining along with the job prospects for those who graduate. In the face of these trends, some law school deans are still trying to preserve an unsustainable business model. Offering what they apparently regard as innovative ideas, they're making things worse.

Harvard Law Opens Applications to Juniors

The National Law Journal

Friday, May 17, 2013

Harvard Law School has announced a pilot program under which Harvard undergraduates may apply and gain acceptance during their junior year, provided they agree to work for two years in between graduation and beginning their legal studies.

P.I. Lawyers Are Suspended for Encouraging Client to Lie

New York Law Journal

Friday, May 17, 2013

The lawyers, Shane Rios and Daniel Levy, met when they were students at Fordham University School of Law and started personal injury firm Rios & Levy in the Bronx in 2008.

Lean in and Promote the Future of Women in the Profession

The Legal Intelligencer

Thursday, May 16, 2013

We have all read the myriad articles recounting the depressing statistics about the gender gap in the legal profession. We could lament that, despite the fact that more than half of incoming law school students are women, barely 15 percent of equity partners and just 26 percent of nonequity partners at the nation's most prestigious law firms are women. We could sigh as we hear that nearly half of the women in the profession leave mid-career and do not return to the practice. Or, as Sheryl Sandberg suggests in her new book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead — which was recently released to much fanfare and has caused quite a stir in executive suites and feminist circles — we could "lean in" and figure out how to get women a seat at the table in leadership positions in the legal profession.

When Crisis Strikes

The Recorder

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Having a plan in place in the event of a data breach can save a law firm's reputation and protect its clients, explain Elizabeth Lampert and Lara Cupit.

6 Things In-House Counsel Must Know About E-Discovery

Corporate Counsel

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Gabriela Baron, vice president for business development at Xerox Litigation Services, discusses big-picture e-discovery trends, including what clients are putting on their wish lists.

'U.S. News' Top Law Schools Fall Short on Diversity

The National Law Journal

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Workplace Bullying: Managing the Organizational Playground

The Legal Intelligencer

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Workplace bullying is a pervasive problem that often precipitates harassment and discrimination claims and, in more extreme cases, workplace violence. Although there is currently no state that prohibits workplace bullying, it can expose employers to significant legal risk and damage both productivity and employee morale.

Donors Lavish Money on Law Schools

The National Law Journal

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

In recent weeks Northwestern, Wake Forest, and the University of Utah schools of law have received generous donations from both alumni and community foundations.