Above the Law - Thinking Like a Lawyer

Elie and Joe talk to Gordon Caplan, co-chair of Wilkie Farr, about the firm's representation of Alma Kashkooli, a 12-year-old Iranian girl coming to the U.S. for highly specialized eye surgery in the midst of the administration's travel ban. From arguments in the Turkish airport, to seniors waiting on the courthouse steps to file emergency motions, the saga of aiding this little girl shows the importance of Biglaw pro bono work for people in need.

In this rebroadcast episode of Thinking Like A Lawyer, Elie and Joe talk with a drone law expert about the expanding rights of drones and the diminishing rights of property owners who want to stop them. Steven Hogan is an associate with the law firm Ausley & McMullen and practices in the areas of commercial litigation and state and federal tax law.

Elie and Joe talk about Apple, Samsung, knock offs, child labor, Melania Trump, and open toed shoes... in that order... with Fashionista editor Tyler McCall.

Joe and Elie nominate, debate, and pick winners for a slew of end-of-year awards. The prize money is in the mail. By check. Subject to shipping and handling.

Joe and ATL Editor Kathryn Rubino discuss Biglaw bonus season as firms place the final cherry atop associate compensation after a tumultuous year of raises. Then they walk through college football bowl season and preview every matchup between teams with ABA accredited law schools because that's exactly what people thinking like lawyers would do.

Joe and Elie chat with libel law expert and former Bloomberg Global Media Counsel Charles Glasser about the state of the press going forward. Glasser explains why he's actually optimistic about freedom of the press, despite Trump's campaign rhetoric about "opening up" libel law and the mainstream press deciding to hold off-the-record meetings in Trump Tower.

Joe and Elie talk to fellow ATL editor David Lat about the recent APP Conference in Philadelphia bringing together practitioners and thought leaders to discuss the future of legal practice. And Elie and Joe argue about public schools.

Joe and Elie have only ever worked in New York law firms, so they're taking some time to focus on the ins and outs of legal markets around the country. First up is Philadelphia, New York's kid brother, to find out exactly what goes on in this city that -- for some firms -- is paying New York-level salaries.

Elie and Joe chat with SCOTUSBlog contributor and Supreme Court litigator Tejinder Singh about the upcoming Supreme Court Term. The docket lacks the blockbuster issues of past years, but there are still some critical cases pending before the 8-member Court.

With Elie unavailable, Joe brings on Chad Burton and Nicole Bradick of CuroLegal to cohost a wide-ranging discussion with LegalZoom General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Chas Rampenthal about the role LegalZoom plays in the future of the legal profession from the perspective of both clients and other lawyers. We also ask the most important question: How well did John Travolta capture O.J. Simpson lawyer and LegalZoom cofounder Robert Shapiro.