Law news from across the country

November 13, 2026
Blocked From a Judgeship, Scott Colom Wins Mississippi Senate Seat

Mississippi district attorney Scott Colom has won the U.S. Senate seat held by Cindy Hyde-Smith, the senator who helped block his nomination to a federal judgeship in 2023.

Colom’s victory this mon

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November 13, 2026
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Says Courtroom Insult Was Not Criminal Contempt

A courtroom insult may be rude, but hurt feelings alone do not amount to an obstruction of justice, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has reminded a judge who was called a “c*cksucker.”

The court’s message, as reported by [Above the Law

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November 13, 2026
Judge’s ‘Magic 8 Ball’ Analogy Puts Police Use of Facial Recognition Under Scrutiny

A federal judge in Kentucky has allowed a lawsuit to proceed against a detective accused of relying on facial recognition technology to identify a suspect, drawing a distinction between using artificial intelligence as an investigative 👉 Full story

November 13, 2026
Lawyers Embrace AI’s Potential While Worrying About Its Risks

Artificial intelligence is becoming a tool lawyers turn to for complex work and a sounding board for legal arguments. But a new report suggests that attorneys’ growing 👉 Full story

November 13, 2026
Law Firms Rethink Small Charges as Clients Scrutinize Bills

The client code was once a routine part of law firm life: Attorneys entered one before making certain telephone calls, using a photocopier or conducting legal research. The code allowed the firm to track 👉 Full story

November 13, 2026
Federal Judges’ Lunch Topics Range From Scuba Diving to ‘The Law’ at Federalist Society Convention

A lunchtime gathering at the Federalist Society’s 2026 National Lawyers Convention offered attendees a chance to meet federal judges over shared interests. The subjects on the table ranged from profession 👉 Full story

November 13, 2026
DOJ Leaders Warn Prosecutors and Democrats as Oversight Fight Looms

Justice Department leaders are taking a harder line with both federal prosecutors and Democratic lawmakers, setting the stage for a confrontation over congressional oversight after Democrats’ election gains.

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November 13, 2026
Cahill Chair Stresses Financial Strength as Merger Speculation Mounts

Cahill Gordon & Reindel remains financially strong and confident in its core practices, chair Herb Washer said, as partner departures and reports of a possible acquisition draw attention to the law firm’s future.

Washer told Bloomber

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November 13, 2026
Judge Presses DOJ for Answers on Broadview Six Grand Jury Conduct

A federal judge has rejected the Justice Department’s efforts to limit her inquiry into prosecutorial conduct in the Broadview Six case, keeping a hearing on track for Monday despite the department’s objections.

U.S. District Judge A

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November 13, 2026
Blumenthal Pushes Back on Texas Prosecutor’s Warning Over White House Ballroom Inquiry

Sen. Richard Blumenthal has rejected a Texas federal prosecutor’s warning that his inquiry into donations for a White House ballroom could violate donors’ constitutional rights, turning the demand back on the prosecutor with a request t 👉 Full story

November 13, 2026
Judicial Nominees, Congressional Oversight and SpaceX Claims Lead Legal Roundup

A Mississippi prosecutor’s unusual path to the U.S. Senate, questions about the reach of congressional investigations and a ruling involving SpaceX engineers are among the developments drawing attention across the legal world.

In Mis

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November 13, 2026
Algae or the Shadow Docket? Voting Opens for ATL’s Legal Halloween Costume Finalists

A Washington landmark’s persistent algae and a controversial corner of Supreme Court practice are competing for Halloween honors in Above the Law’s annual legally themed costume contest.

The publication has narrowed this year’s submi

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November 13, 2026
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Reverses Contempt Conviction Over Insult to Judge

Calling a judge a vulgar name may be disrespectful, but it is not necessarily criminal contempt, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled, overturning the conviction of a man who served 30 days in jail for an outburst in a Philadelphia 👉 Full story

November 13, 2026
Democrats Challenge FCC Nomination, Vow Scrutiny of Brendan Carr

Senate Democrats are opposing a Republican push to confirm Danielle Thumann Severs, a senior aide to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, during the lame-duck session, warning that her appointment could leave the age 👉 Full story

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.
br
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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.

Mor

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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