Above the Law
Breaking legal news, commentary, and analysis on the business and culture of law.
Articles from Above the Law
Sullivan & Cromwell Flags BigLaw Risk: AI Hallucinations Spark Reputational Fallout
Sullivan & Cromwell admits to AI-generated citation errors in court, spotlighting the reputational risks of unchecked AI hallucinations for leading law firms.
BigLaw Rent Crunch: Associate Moves Home as Attrition, Costs Soar
A Los Angeles BigLaw associate moved back home due to high rents, underscoring rising attrition and multi-million-dollar turnover costs for law firms.
Mississippi Mandates AI Training for Law Students, Sets Statewide Guidelines
Mississippi launches AI certification at MC Law, executive orders for AI inventory, and new legislation, marking a major shift in legal education and public sector policy.
Law Schools Shift Programs as BigLaw Hiring Timelines Compress
BYU Law adapts its Academies Program for earlier BigLaw recruitment, signaling a national trend of law schools revamping curricula to meet changing talent demands.
BigLaw Firms Accelerate AI Adoption Under Client Pressure
BigLaw firms are rolling out AI tools in response to client demands, despite ongoing concerns about hallucination risks and major changes to traditional legal business models.
Legal AI Hits Limits: One-Size-Fits-All Tools Miss Seniority Nuances
AI tools are reshaping law firm workflows, but many fail to accommodate attorney seniority differences—hindering adoption and raising governance challenges.
Eastman Disbarred, Sotomayor Issues Apology Amid Ethics Scrutiny
John Eastman is disbarred over 2020 election actions as Justice Sotomayor apologizes for remarks about Justice Kavanaugh, spotlighting evolving ethical standards.
Am Law 100 PEP, Billing Rate Data Reveal Law Firm Profit, Collection Gaps
New 2026 Am Law 100 rankings show large gaps in partner profits and billing collections, as law firm financial discipline faces tightening client budgets.
BigLaw Partner Pay Soars as Firms Report Record Profits for 2025
BigLaw firms announce major partner compensation increases after record profits in 2025, driving trends in legal talent recruitment, retention, and partnership models.
Legal Tech Ad Spend Splits: Commoditized vs. Competitive Markets, Says New Report
A new FlyTech-LawSites report shows legal tech ad costs diverging, with commoditized product CPLs dropping and competitive segments like personal injury rising sharply.
BigLaw Equity Partnerships Shrink as Multi-Tier Models Take Hold
Fewer BigLaw firms maintain single-tier partnerships, with 46% of partners now non-equity. Industry leaders are adapting to new partnership structures and compensation realities.
Court Finds Fake Citations Blamed on AI Were Human Error
A court probe revealed that fake legal citations thought to be AI 'hallucinations' were actually due to human paralegal mistakes, challenging current AI risk narratives in law firms.
Kirkland Becomes First $10B Law Firm, Wachtell Sets Profit Record
Kirkland & Ellis surpasses $10B revenue and Wachtell posts record profits, according to the 2026 Am Law 100 report, reflecting ongoing shifts in U.S. law firm economics.
Morgan Lewis Tops Vault's 2027 Law Firm Quality of Life Rankings
Morgan Lewis claims the top spot in Vault's 2027 'Best Law Firm to Work For' rankings, offering fresh insights for legal recruitment and retention strategies.
Wachtell Tops BigLaw Profits at $6.6M Per Equity Partner for FY23
Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz leads BigLaw with $6.6M profits per equity partner for fiscal 2023, outpacing top rivals Quinn Emanuel and Paul Weiss. Key takeaways for legal professionals.
Centerbase Debuts AI Tool for Citation-Backed Law Firm Insights
Centerbase launches Centerbase IQ, an AI-powered business intelligence tool offering citation-backed answers from law firms' own data, debuting at the ALA 2026 conference.
Anthropic's Mythos AI Exposes 1,500+ Software Zero-Days in Weeks
Anthropic's Mythos AI uncovered over 1,500 zero-day vulnerabilities across major operating systems and browsers, escalating legal and compliance risks for enterprises.
Ashurst, Perkins Coie Partners Approve $2.8B Transatlantic Merger
Partners at Ashurst and Perkins Coie have approved a $2.8 billion merger set to create a top-20 global law firm by revenue and geographic reach.
Vault Reveals 2027 BigLaw Rankings for California Firms
Vault's 2027 law firm rankings spotlight Latham & Watkins and Cooley as California's most prestigious BigLaw firms, with notable shifts in national standing.
BigLaw Survey: Record Salaries, But Associates Log 13-Hour Days
Above the Law data reveals first-years make $225K, while associates at major firms like Milbank average over 13-hour days despite high pay.