Law news from across the country

November 13, 2026
Morning Docket: Insider Trading Allegation, Prosecutor Testimony and AI Disputes

A former Cravath staffer faces an insider trading accusation, federal prosecutors have been ordered to testify before a judge, and artificial intelligence is drawing scrutiny in disputes over legal hiring and music licensing.

The all

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November 12, 2026
Biglaw Pay Rises as Firms Pull Back on Financial Disclosure

Foley & Lardner associates are set to see a salary increase in February as the firm matches the Milbank pay scale, the latest sign of how compensation moves at one major law firm can ripple across Biglaw.

The timing gives Foley assoc

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November 12, 2026
In Biglaw, Second Place Is Still Pretty Big

Dentons stood atop the most recent headcount ranking of the nation’s largest law firms with nearly 6,000 attorneys, a figure that underscores the scale of the biggest players in the legal industry.
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November 12, 2026
Blue Wave Brings Younger Lawmakers to Washington as Trump Reshapes His Team

A Democratic wave in the 2026 midterm elections has brought a new generation of lawmakers to Washington and raised questions about how President Donald Trump and the legal profession will respond to a changed political landscape.

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November 12, 2026
Future Lawyers Use AI Often, but Remain Skeptical of Its Promise

College students are embracing artificial intelligence for schoolwork, but many remain wary of relying on it too heavily—and aspiring lawyers appear especially skeptical, according to a new report from th 👉 Full story

November 12, 2026
The Itty Bitty Sh*tty Committee: A Lawyer’s Lesson in Self-Doubt and Belonging

A dinner invitation brought attorney Jeanine M. Donohue face to face with a familiar professional obstacle: the voice that insists everyone else in the room is more qualified.

Donohue had been invi

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November 12, 2026
Latham & Watkins Sets Aside $1 Million to Reward Associates’ AI Ideas

Latham & Watkins is putting $1 million behind a new incentive for associates who help turn artificial intelligence into useful tools for the firm and its clients.

The law firm has earmarked the money for its Associate AI Impact Award

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November 12, 2026
Richard Posner, Prolific Judge Who Reshaped Legal Scholarship, Dies at 87

Richard Posner, the federal appeals court judge whose formidable intellect and restless curiosity helped transform American legal scholarship, died this week in Chicago. He was 87.

A leading figure in the law and economics movement,

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November 12, 2026
Judge Bars Federal Attorney From Immigration Case, Warns of Default Judgment

A federal judge in New York has barred an assistant U.S. attorney from an immigration lawsuit, accusing him of deliberately misleading the court about the scope of an injunction in a related case.

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November 12, 2026
50 Ways to Do Well in Law School: Focus on Skills, Not Hours

Law school can unsettle even students accustomed to academic success. Dense judicial opinions, rapid-fire classroom questions and high-stakes exams demand more than long hours with a casebook.

In an article for Above the Law, Miami

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November 12, 2026
Clio’s Judicial AI Ambitions Face a Patchwork of State Policies

Clio wants to bring artificial intelligence to the judiciary, but a survey spanning all 50 states points to a challenge: state policies differ on whether courts may use the technology.

The finding highlights a fragmented policy envir

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November 12, 2026
Foley & Lardner to Match Milbank Pay Scale in February

Foley & Lardner associates can expect higher salaries next year, as the firm moves to bring compensation in line with the Milbank scale across its U.S. offices.

The changes, effective February 1, 2027, are part of broader enhancement

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November 12, 2026
Simpson Thacher Joins Big Law Firms Withholding Financial Results

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett will stop publicly reporting its financial results, becoming the third major law firm in roughly five weeks to withdraw from the disclosure practices that underpin influential industry rankings.

The firm to

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November 12, 2026
Morning Docket: Posner’s Legacy, Law Firm Secrecy and New Questions for Nvidia

The legal world is mourning Judge Richard Posner, whose death marks the loss of one of the most influential American jurists and legal scholars of his era. His passing leads a docket that also includes law firm financial disclosure, cor 👉 Full story

November 12, 2026
Democrats’ Midterm Wins Raise Questions About Healthcare Access

Democrats’ midterm wins could reshape healthcare access for underserved Americans, according to the title of a linked article published in November 2026.

The limited source material does not explain which races Democrats won, which p

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November 11, 2026
After Weil, Cahill Gordon Becomes the Focus of Big Law Speculation

Cahill Gordon is drawing attention across Big Law as partner departures and talk of a possible acquisition fuel speculation about what may come next for the firm.

The discussion follows attention surrounding Weil and has made Cahill

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November 11, 2026
When Should Lawyers Stop Networking? Three Ways to Do Less and Get Better Results

For many lawyers, networking can become an endless cycle of conferences, coffees and follow-up meetings. But the goal should not be to keep adding contacts indefinitely, according to business development 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
White House Counsel Warns Democrats Over Planned Trump Investigations

White House Counsel Will Scharf has warned incoming House Oversight Committee Chair Robert Garcia that some investigative actions could “cross the line into blatant criminality,” escalating a confrontation over Democrats’ plans to scrut 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
The Future Justice Whose Codebreaking Helped Bring Down Pearl Harbor’s Architect

On December 6, 1941, John Paul Stevens enlisted in the U.S. Navy. One day later, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into World War II. Stevens would spend the war working in Pacific intelligence, contributing to a co 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
After Democratic Midterm Wins, a Call for Accountability—and Lower Costs

Following what he described as a Democratic landslide in the midterm elections, Above the Law columnist Jonathan Wolf is urging the party not to abandon scrutiny of the MAGA movement in favor of a forward-looking economic agenda. His ar 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
Why California Voters Rejected a Billionaire Wealth Tax

California voters have rejected a proposed one-time tax on billionaires, dealing a setback to a union-backed effort to raise money for health care and underscoring divisions among Democrats over how to fund public services.

Propositi

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November 11, 2026
Democrats Weigh Subpoenas for Big Law Firms Over Trump Administration Deals

Congressional Democrats are preparing to intensify their inquiry into deals that nine major law firms struck with the Trump administration, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal warning that subpoenas are an option if the firms do not provide th 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
ACLU Challenges Hegseth’s Boat Strikes as House Sends Impeachment Articles to Committee

The American Civil Liberties Union stopped short of endorsing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s impeachment, but it gave Congress a stark assessment of his role in a lethal U.S. campaign against boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
Big Law Faces Prospect of Subpoenas as Democrats Take Control of Congress

Major law firms that reached pro bono agreements with the Trump administration could soon face congressional scrutiny, as Democrats prepare to control both chambers and lawmakers who have sought information about the deals gain subpoena 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
Grassley Calls Democratic Judicial Strategy Unprecedented. His Garland Blockade Tells Another Story.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley is accelerating hearings for President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees before Democrats take control of the Senate on Jan. 3. In defending the push, the Iowa Republican accused Democrats 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
Cahill Gordon Faces Acquisition Speculation After Finance Partner Exits

The wind-down of Weil Gotshal has put the legal industry on alert for signs of trouble at other major firms. Now, a series of finance partner departures and a report of a possible acquisition have brought renewed attention to Cahill Gor 👉 Full story

November 11, 2026
House Sends Hegseth Impeachment Resolution to Judiciary Committee

The House has chosen to send an impeachment resolution concerning Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee, delaying a direct vote on the measure.

The procedural move shifts the resolution to the committee rather than bringing it imme

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November 11, 2026
Morning Docket: Nvidia Inquiry, DOJ Turmoil and a Trump Defamation Suit

Nvidia has turned to Wachtell Lipton to investigate its chief executive’s relationship with an alleged Chinese intelligence asset, according to [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/10/business/nvidia-wachtell-lipton-jens 👉 Full story

November 10, 2026
The Footwear Behind Wall Street’s ‘White-Shoe’ Firms

The phrase “white-shoe firm” evokes an established Wall Street institution: prestigious, tradition-bound and associated with the old guard of American business and law. But the label began with something more literal—a shoe.

The foot

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November 10, 2026
Weil’s First-Year Associates Face a Tougher Path as Attorneys Consider Their Options

First-year associates at Weil face a particularly difficult challenge as attorneys at the firm consider their next moves, according to Above the Law. While more experienced a href="https://njlawhelp.com" 👉 Full story

November 10, 2026
Katie Zacharia’s Possible Press Secretary Comeback Draws Skepticism

Katie Zacharia, whose first stint as White House press secretary lasted just five days, may be interested in returning to the job, according to a report in the New York Post. But the account is disputed by some people close to her, and 👉 Full story

November 10, 2026
Patent Litigator Turned Recruiter Finds Career Lessons in Conversations With Peers

For Khurram Naik, a former patent litigator turned legal recruiter, some of the most useful career advice begins with a question: How do accomplished lawyers continue to improve?

Naik, who owns int

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November 10, 2026
Dechert Hires DOJ Counselor Henry Whitaker Amid Post-Midterm Departures

Henry Whitaker, a senior counselor to the attorney general who defended the Trump administration in disputes over federal prosecutor appointments, is joining Dechert as a partner in Washington, the law fi 👉 Full story

November 10, 2026
Goodwin Associates Can Earn Up to $140,000 in Bonuses as Raises Arrive in 2027

Goodwin is matching the Milbank associate salary scale and awarding year-end and special bonuses, giving its most senior eligible associates as much as $140,000 under the standard bonus schedule. The raises, however, will not take effec 👉 Full story

November 10, 2026
The Top Law Schools for Tax Law in 2026

Three California law schools earned the highest grade on preLaw magazine’s latest Tax Law Honor Roll, a list that measures the breadth of schools’ offerings for students interested in the field.

Chapman University’s Fowler School of

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November 10, 2026
Overwhelmed Seattle Prosecutors to Leave Some Immigration Detention Challenges Undefended

Federal prosecutors in western Washington say they lack the resources to defend the government in every immigration detention challenge, a shift that could allow judges to decide some cases without hearing from government a href="https: 👉 Full story

November 10, 2026
As Weil Teams Find New Homes, First-Year Associates Face an Uncertain Future

Weil’s wind-down has set off a scramble among rival law firms to acquire established practices, but some of the firm’s newest lawyers fear they may be left behind as partners and senior associates move to 👉 Full story

November 10, 2026
Simulation-Guided Clinical Trials Raise Questions for EU Law

Simulation-guided clinical trials are drawing attention to a question at the intersection of medical research and European regulation: Is EU law ready for them?

A post titled “Simulation-Guided Clinical Trials: Is EU Law Ready?” rais

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November 10, 2026
Legaltech Hub Founder Nikki Shaver to Depart as Investor Jeroen Plink Steps In

Legaltech Hub founder Nikki Shaver is leaving the company, with investor Jeroen Plink set to step in, according to a report announcing the leadership change. The company has also announced a strategic partnership with Baretz+Brunelle.
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November 10, 2026
Maddow Calls for Blanche’s Impeachment After Attorney General Offers to Defend Hegseth

Attorney General Todd Blanche has offered to defend Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if the House moves to impeach him. Rachel Maddow has another suggestion for the incoming Democratic majority: consider im 👉 Full story

November 10, 2026
Why MCP Is Drawing Attention From Lean Legal Teams

Model Context Protocol, or MCP, is attracting attention as a potentially useful tool for legal departments working with limited resources.

The topic was raised in an Above the Law post titled “Why MCP Could Be A Hero For Your Lean Le

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November 10, 2026
Simulation-Guided Clinical Trials Raise a Question for EU Law

Is European Union law ready for clinical trials guided by simulation? That is the question posed by an Above the Law post titled “Simulation-Guided Clinical Trials: Is EU Law Ready?”

The source material identifies the post and its pu

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November 10, 2026
Morning Docket: Law Firms Face Talent Pressures, AI Risks and New Court Battles

The legal industry is confronting changes on several fronts, from a talent market reshaping law firm economics to a data breach affecting an artificial intelligence provider whose customers include Harvey.

The lateral hiring market h

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November 9, 2026
Todd Blanche’s Complaints, a Litigator’s Legacy and AI’s Role in Justice

Todd Blanche’s criticism of Democrats’ treatment of President Donald Trump and his allies is among several legal stories drawing attention, alongside the death of a prominent litigator, new criminal law school rankings and questions abo 👉 Full story

November 9, 2026
Legal Ethics in Focus: Government Lawyers Face Scrutiny as AI and Accreditation Debates Grow

A proposed investigation into government lawyers’ conduct, criminal charges over Arkansas bar exam records and fresh questions about artificial intelligence billing are putting the legal profession’s ethi 👉 Full story

November 9, 2026
Hegseth Impeachment Vote Could Test a Rarely Used Congressional Power

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could face an unusual congressional reckoning, with Rep. Thomas Massie expected to force a House vote on his impeachment. If the House approves articles against Hegseth, he would join a very short list of 👉 Full story

November 9, 2026
Election Results Could Weaken Fetterman’s Influence and Reshape U.S. Foreign Policy

Democratic gains in Congress could diminish the influence of lawmakers at both ends of the party while creating new obstacles for President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, according to an analysis published by Above the Law.

The opini

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November 9, 2026
New Loan Limits Could Reshape Law School Admissions

A new barrier to law school may emerge after applicants have already secured a coveted acceptance: finding a way to pay for their education.

Changes to federal graduate student lending have raised questions about whether some prospec

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November 9, 2026
The Hidden Work Behind AI’s Legal Savings

Artificial intelligence can produce a legal draft in minutes, but the work needed to make that draft reliable may be obscuring the technology’s true financial impact on law firms and their clients.

Law

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November 9, 2026
Dane Butswinkas, Litigator Who Challenged Trump Order, Dies at 65

Dane Butswinkas, a prominent Washington, D.C., trial lawyer who led Perkins Coie’s successful court challenge to an executive order by President Donald Trump, has died at 65 while preparing for a trial in 👉 Full story

November 9, 2026
The Best Law Schools for Criminal Law in 2026

Twelve law schools have earned top marks for their criminal law programs on preLaw magazine’s Criminal Law Honor Roll, a list that recognizes the breadth of opportunities available to students preparing for careers in the field.

The

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November 9, 2026
Can AI Close the Justice Gap When a Lawyer Is Out of Reach?

For people who cannot afford a lawyer, an AI chatbot may offer a starting point that the legal system often does not: a clear explanation of what to do next. But its usefulness comes with a serious caveat 👉 Full story

November 9, 2026
When an AI Pilot Becomes a Product Without Permission

A legal department’s AI experiment can become indispensable before anyone formally approves it. A prototype gains users, access to live contracts and a backlog of feature requests. Then its creator goes on vacation, and a question emerg 👉 Full story

November 9, 2026
Morning Docket: Major Law Firm Move, DOJ Departures and a Hallucinated Citation

A major law firm departure, a proposed investigation into government attorneys and a penalty for an invented legal citation are among the developments shaping the legal news on November 9, 2026.

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November 9, 2026
CVS Health and the Unanswered Question of Conflicts of Interest

A headline published by Above the Law raises a pointed question about CVS Health: What happens to conflicts of interest when a company moves away from vertical integration?

The post, titled “CVS Health Bids Goodbye To Vertical Integr

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November 9, 2026
Blanche Warns Democrats Over Oversight Plans as Trump Calls for Prosecutions

Attorney General Todd Blanche is warning Democrats that their plans to investigate the Trump administration could cross a legal line, escalating a confrontation over congressional oversight days after Dem 👉 Full story

November 9, 2026
Private Equity’s Healthcare Record Offers a Caution for Law Firms

As private equity investors turn their attention to law firms, a New Jersey trial lawyer is urging the profession to examine a question that has followed similar investments in healthcare: Do the people r 👉 Full story

October 23, 2026
Ghouls and Gavels: ATL’s 17th Annual Legally Themed Halloween Costume Contest Unveiled

Halloween in the legal community is not just about spooky decorations and candy; it's also about showcasing creativity through costumes that make a statement. Above the Law (ATL) invites law students and legal professionals to break fre 👉 Full story

October 23, 2026
AI Not Only Failed To Kill The Billable Hour, It’s Looking Like Its Bodyguard

It appeared that the countdown had begun for the demise of the billable hour, boosted by the promise of artificial intelligence in the legal sector. The anticipation was that AI would reduce the reliance on hourly billing, pushing law f 👉 Full story

October 23, 2026
Saudi Arabia's Nuclear Ambitions: A Legacy Beyond Government Control

In a striking revelation, experts are increasingly voicing concerns that Saudi Arabia's burgeoning nuclear program may have implications that extend far beyond the current governmental structures. The kingdom, known for its vast oil res 👉 Full story