All The Cool Kids Are Passing The Bar, All The Cooley Kids... Not As Much

All The Cool Kids Are Passing The Bar, All The Cooley Kids... Not As Much

Author: Legal Talk Network October 1, 2025 Duration: 30:20
Biglaw capitulators face new challenge and James Comey gets indicted. ----- Perennially embattled Cooley Law School once again called out by the ABA over sagging bar passage rates. The school has been out of compliance with ABA standards since 2020, and now finds itself on probation with its accreditor. The last time something like this happened, Cooley sued the ABA into relenting. History is a flat circle. After learning that Paul Weiss and Kirkland were providing free legal services to the Commerce Department, presumably in an effort to satisfy their pro bono payola obligations, we wondered how this could possibly be legal in light of 31 U.S.C. 1342. Apparently, lawmakers wondered the same thing. And James Comey finds himself indicted after a whirlwind that involved removing the existing top federal prosecutor for refusing to file a sham case and replacing him with an in-over-her-head Florida insurance lawyer.

Ever wonder how a lawyer's mind dissects the everyday world? That's the territory explored in Above the Law-Thinking Like a Lawyer, hosted by Joe Patrice, Kathryn Rubino, and Chris Williams from the legal news site. This isn't a dry analysis of case law, but a lively conversation where the hosts take common experiences-from pop culture phenomena and business trends to workplace dilemmas and current events-and run them through a distinctly legal filter. You'll hear them untangle the underlying principles, ethical knots, and surprising precedents hidden within topics everyone discusses. The result is often illuminating, sometimes dizzying, but always engaging as they debate whether that framework reveals clarity or complexity. Produced by the Legal Talk Network, the podcast sits at a unique crossroads of news, business, and career insights, offering a pragmatic yet entertaining look at how legal thinking shapes our understanding of everything. It’s for anyone curious about the mechanics of argument, the structure of rules, or just a smarter take on the week’s headlines. Tune in for a regular dose of perspective that is as thought-provoking as it is accessible, proving that a legal lens can be applied to far more than just a courtroom.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Above the Law - Thinking Like a Lawyer
Podcast Episodes
Supreme Court Narrowly Passes Reading Comprehension Section [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:54
But Sam Alito still has a job. ----- The Fourteenth Amendment lays out birthright citizenship in clear terms. Every subsequent legal challenge and all the scholarly work on the subject -- until about a year ago -- agreed…
Alito's Outburst And Tough Times For Partners [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:10
And a farewell look back as co-host Chris Williams departs the show. ------ Supreme Court action gets spicy as Sam Alito threw a fit from the bench. After Justice Sotomayor took the opportunity to systematically dismantl…
Todd Blanche Disgrace Train Rolls On [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:03
Supreme Court ignores Judge Newman's rights. ----- All the news that's fit to print agrees that Todd Blanche isn't fit to head the Department of Justice. Something about the whole transforming the DOJ into a weaponized a…
Federal Judges Gone Wild [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:03
And a new ranking of top law schools. ------ Above the Law's Top 50 Law School rankings are out and a new school tops the list. But a number of other high prestige law schools have slipped out of the top 10... and it's m…
Sex In Chambers Met With Slap On Wrist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:12
A federal judge carried on a two-year affair with a high-ranking law enforcement officer by having sex in chambers and lying about it to investigators. The Eleventh Circuit responded with a private reprimand, concealing…
Don't Let The Client Write The Brief As A Treat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:14
More on Biglaw's insider trading scandal and a rare feel good story. ----- We keep learning more from Biglaw's insider trading scandal, with the identity of the Wachtell co-conspirator revealed. How did this scheme succe…
Stealth Layoffs And Sam Alito On Tilt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:43
Also a major insider trading case strikes Biglaw. ----- The legal industry as a whole continues to rake in cash, but a few firms have shown signs of trouble. Reports out of Paul Weiss bear all the hallmarks of a stealth…
Are There Any Adults Left At The Department Of Justice? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:37
Comey snaps sea shells by the sea shore. ----- A once-venerable institution, the Department of Justice is in disarray these days. The Attorney General got fired, multiple U.S. Attorneys have been booted as illegally appo…
Kash Patel's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:53
The Atlantic published an article based on multiple insider accounts describing low morale at the FBI, citing current director Kash Patel's drinking and frequent absences. Patel promised swift legal retaliation and made…