In his dark days, Dallas lawyer Brian Cuban would snort lines of cocaine in his law firm’s bathroom to keep going, masking the hangover from his night spent drugging and drinking. In recovery for 10 years for substance use disorders, bulimia, depression and other mental health issues, Cuban, who worked as a solo and of …
This Big Law Partner’s Hobby Is Sew Cool
She’s a Big Law litigator by profession, but in her personal time, Sidley Austin partner Paige Montgomery of Dallas pieces together a hobby that provides serenity for her and comfort for those in need. Quilting has enabled Montgomery, 40, to slow her pace of life to a meditative crawl—and she has left behind piles of …
A Look at the Current Texas Legal Job Market
Not to be Debbie Downer, but numbers don’t lie—the legal job market in Texas isn’t getting better yet. However, data shows that law schools in Texas might have adjusted to the bum job market by declining enrollment, leading to fewer law graduates and new lawyers finding jobs. The number of law school graduates in Texas …
Film About Women Leaving Law Airs Nationwide Starting Next Month
Millions of people across the country will soon better understand the struggles that women lawyers face every day to succeed in the legal profession. Starting in July, more than 260 public television stations across the country will begin showing the documentary “Balancing the Scales,” a film by Georgia lawyer and filmmaker Sharon Rowen. American Public Media …
As Army’s Top Lawyer, Flora Darpino Is No Shrinking Violet
Flora Darpino learned as a little girl she would have to strive her hardest, just to be equal. As she nears retirement from a 30-year career as a military lawyer, it’s clear that the lieutenant general took that lesson to heart. More than being equal, she became a shining example to female soldiers and the first …
Accreditation Decision Reached for UNT Law
There are now 10 accredited law schools in Texas. UNT Dallas College of Law has won provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, said UNT Law Dean Royal Furgeson. Students will be overjoyed at the good news because graduating from an accredited law school opens up …
Former Judge Kevin Fine Resigns Law License As Part of Plea Deal in Drug Case
In a public fall from grace, former district judge Kevin Fine has resigned his law license in an attorney discipline case as one condition of a plea deal in a felony drug case. But he’s still facing a second drug charge and he’s incarcerated in Kerr County as it winds its way through the court …
Tips to Help Stressed-Out Law Students Unclinch
Many law graduates feel burned out. It’s challenging finding motivation to clear one of the biggest hurdles between them and their careers—passing the bar exam. During bar preparation this summer, law grads are isolated and their anxiety runs high, creating an experience that noticeably impacts their mental health, according to Chris Ritter, staff attorney with …
Paternity-Leave Stigma at Law Firms Lifting, Ever So Slowly
Although research has suggested that the implied message inside many firms is for men to cut short their paternity leave—or face a stigma—some dads like Muench say they’re seeing more support from their colleagues to take time off. They’re also benefiting from an increasing base of other dads at their firms who have forged a path to make paternity leave more mainstream.
Client Sues Divorce Lawyer Alleging Job Negotiations With Firm Representing Wife Was Conflict
A client alleges that he accepted his divorce lawyer’s self-serving advice and took a low-ball settlement in his divorce, not knowing that the lawyer was secretly negotiating a lucrative job offer with the law firm that represented the wife. But the lawyer, James “Jake” Gilbreath, and other defendants have denied everything. Dennis Wayne Brand alleged …