Reading Above the Law Not Fun Anymore

For years Above the Law (ATL) has provided constant entertainment to lawyers and law students alike. Witty entries and timely posts consistently gave those slogging through due diligence or case briefs a short yet needed respite from their toil. But sources now report that, considering the bad news that's constantly highlighted on the self-proclaimed "legal tabloid," the site is simply not fun to read anymore.

"It used to be that I would click on my abovethelaw.com bookmark and be transported to a website replete with entertaining entries about the legal industry," remembered Monica Zernike, a third year litigation associate in Chicago. "There were all those posts about students having sex with on campus interviewers, people's thoughts about top firms and the stupid stuff summers did. Now I feel like every other story is about how the legal world is quickly imploding. I want the summer-associate-skinning-dipping-in-the-Hudson-River Above the Law, not the current incarnation."

Zernike's sentiments are echoed by associates across the country who wistfully desire a return to when the online legal tabloid was enjoyable to read. These lawyers pine for the days when entries concerned unprecedented salary increases, large bonuses and the overall growth of law firms big and small. It was during these times, relate Above the Law readers, that entertaining stories about gunners who clipped their nails during lunchtime lectures and websites that facilitate lawsuits predominated and made people excited to visit the site.

Now, however, readers are confronted with a website overflowing with bleak, harrowing news. Considering that the spiraling economy has started to take its toll on law firms nationwide, ATL has devoted much more of its coverage to related developments. This, claims readers, "is fucking depressing and not fun for anyone."

"Sure there was the occasional post about stealth layoffs but for the most part ATL developed such a fan base because it entertained the legal masses with juicy gossip and intriguing scandals," stated Jacob Thomas an avid Above the Law browser and 4th year corporate associate. "Currently every freakin post is about law firms dissolving or the firing of countless staff and attorneys. That's not the Above the Law I grew up with."

Erstwhile ATL supporters like Thomas point to the fact that the site now features a "Nationwide Layoff Watch," "Staff Layoff Watch," "International Layoff Watch," "Stealth Layoff Watch" in addition to posts about 3L deferrals and pushed back start dates, shorter 2L summer programs and 1Ls who are not even being offered employment. The tabloid also publishes new columns concerning what to do when terminated and how already laid off attorneys are handling themselves.

"Above the Law has even teamed up with another site to bring us up-to-the-minute charts about how many people have been fired," continued Thomas. "Do we really need visual aids to supplement the 5 daily entries already describing how the legal industry is up shit's creek without a paddle?"

Those interviewed say that despite the morbid nature of Above the Law they nonetheless regularly peruse the site, a fact which is confirmed by the blog's high visitor traffic.

"Sure I continue to read ATL; in fact, I probably go there more often just to check whether I still have a job this fall," admitted Dominique Rhodes, a Northwestern University 3L. "However I certainly don't enjoy surfing the site anymore. It's more like a vigil; I am just waiting around for my offer to die."

While readers admit that there are still some hidden gems on ATL - examples pointed to included a judge who tackled a courtroom suspect and a University of North Carolina law student seeking an alternative career as a Playboy pinup - they strongly contend that there needs to be more comedic material.

"Especially during rough times, it is incumbent on Above the Law not to bury the funny / awesome but to accentuate it," remarked Chuck Stultz, a 3L at Duke Law School who still hasn't heard from his employer about his start date. "I don't want to be reminded about how bad things are; I want to be distracted from those things. What we need is fewer entries about insolvent firms and a tanking economy and more posts like the one about the 1L who kicked the crap out of a mugger trying to steal a laptop with the student's case briefs on them. Haha, stupid, hilarious 1Ls."