Above the Law
Breaking legal news, commentary, and analysis on the business and culture of law.
Articles from Above the Law
DOJ Sues D.C. Bar to Halt Discipline for Trump-Era Federal Lawyers
The DOJ filed a May 2026 lawsuit against D.C. Bar authorities to stop ethics proceedings against former Trump administration lawyers, escalating state-federal oversight disputes.
DLA Piper Faces Discrimination Suit Over Firing Palestinian Lawyer
DLA Piper is sued by Yasmeen Elagha, a Palestinian Muslim lawyer, who alleges discrimination and retaliation after her job offer was revoked due to her pro-Palestinian activism.
A&O Shearman Eyes Nonequity Partner Tier After BigLaw Shift
A&O Shearman is considering a nonequity partner tier, joining a growing number of elite law firms changing their partnership structure in 2024 and 2025.
Exterro unveils AI Subpoena Manager with pay-as-you-go pricing at CLOC
Exterro launched its AI Subpoena Manager at CLOC Chicago, offering automated subpoena processing and flexible pricing to help legal teams manage rising workloads and compliance needs.
Anthropic adds legal AI integrations and plugins to Claude for law firms
Anthropic expands Claude for Legal with new AI plugins and integrations, as Freshfields deploys platform firmwide and legal tech investment heats up.
Shearman & Sterling Loses 8% of Partners as BigLaw Lateral Moves Surge
Shearman & Sterling reports 8% partner attrition—reflecting escalating lateral movement and structural shifts in U.S. BigLaw. Lateral hiring reached a six-year high in early 2026.
Supreme Court Blocks AI in Its Deliberations, Endorses Human Judgment
The US Supreme Court formally rejects artificial intelligence in its deliberations, affirming reliance on human judgment for top-level judicial decision-making. Legal tech adoption in courts faces ...
CLOC Global Institute 2026 Puts AI at Center of Legal Ops in Chicago
The CLOC Global Institute 2026 heads to Chicago, spotlighting AI's impact on legal operations strategies as legal departments face rising workload and tighter budgets.
Federal Judges Push Back on DOJ Subpoenas in Trans Youth Care Cases
Federal judges and hospitals challenge DOJ subpoenas seeking transgender youth healthcare data, raising legal and strategic implications for healthcare counsel and compliance teams.
John Quinn Steps Down as Quinn Emanuel Managing Partner After 40 Years
Quinn Emanuel founder John Quinn steps down as managing partner after 40 years, with new co-leaders at one of the world's top litigation law firms.
DOJ Launches West Coast Strike Force to Target Health Care Fraud
The DOJ has formed a West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force to intensify enforcement in Arizona, Nevada, and Northern California, signaling heightened legal risks for providers.
California Bar Proposes First AI Verification Rule for Lawyers
California may soon require lawyers to independently verify all AI-generated outputs, setting a national precedent for legal ethics and accountability in AI usage.
A&O Shearman Cuts More Roles Amid Post-Merger Integration
A&O Shearman continues layoffs, reducing business services roles in London following its $3.5B merger, underlining shifting firm structures and BigLaw consolidation trends.
NATO Official: Governance Tops Tech in Allied AI Intelligence Sharing
NATO's Maj. Gen. Paul Lynch urges governance and policy frameworks over more tech for effective allied AI-enabled geospatial intelligence sharing.
BigLaw Attorney at Center of Alleged Decade-Long Insider Trading Ring
A Yale-educated BigLaw attorney is accused of leading a ten-year insider trading ring exploiting confidential M&A info, sparking ethics and compliance concerns across major law firms.
Report: Most Companies Skimp on AI Risk Checks, GCs Say
A recent Diligent Institute report finds 52% of in-house legal teams use AI but most companies lack robust AI risk checks, raising exposure to legal claims by 2026.
Google AI Misstates Pennsylvania Legal Ethics, Sparking Compliance Warnings
Google's AI tool falsely cited Pennsylvania legal ethics rules, highlighting new compliance risks for lawyers as state bar opinions and AI-generated guidance diverge.
McDermott Will & Schulte Cuts 15 NY Associates After July Merger
McDermott Will & Schulte, formed in July 2025, has laid off 15 New York associates following its top 20 Am Law 100 debut, highlighting post-merger integration challenges.
One-third of lateral partners leave BigLaw within five years
A new analysis shows around one-third of lateral partners exit BigLaw within five years, posing strategic challenges for law firm leaders focused on retention and integration.
LexFusion Labs Launches to Guide Legal AI Adoption Post-Baretz+Brunelle Deal
LexFusion, acquired by Baretz+Brunelle in Feb 2025, launches LexFusion Labs to help legal teams adopt AI, signaling accelerated tech integration in law firms and corporate legal.