It's OK to Love Your Lawyer

Has Above the Law Jumped the Shark?

With coffee in hand, each morning I peruse the corners of the world wide web in search of legal news and developments. My stops usually include the Wall Street Journal, the NY Times, the CT Law Tribune, the New Britain Herald, various legal blogs and of course, Cat Fancy Magazine.  I look for tips on how to dress up cats.  I may buy a cat one day.  Who knows?  A good lawyer is always prepared.

My morning ritual had once included reading the legal blog, Above the Law.  I stopped reading it after one of the editor's posted a comment about "dumb Polacks." Although the blog never apologized or removed the offending ethnic slur, I chalked it up to ignorance and youthful indiscretion. I decided to give ATL another try. My grudge was over. I think they learned their lesson.  One can only imagine the ad revenue they lost after losing one reader.  Maybe it's a David and Goliath thing as I toss tiny pebbles at the blogging behemoth from my little blog in a tiny corner of Connecticut.  No staff or sponsors. None of the sneaker endorsement deals and 7 figure salaries I assume they get at ATL.  Maybe I'm just jealous of their success.

If you are not familiar with Above the Law, it usually winds up near the top ranking of most lists of legal blogs.  My guess is the majority of it's readers are first year associates, law students and lost Steven Seagal fans.  Readers usually find rumors about upcoming layoffs at Big Law firms, salary figures and legal news. It's the wikileaks of the legal world. Of course, writing a daily blog is difficult. As such, they also throw in stories about which associate is sleeping with what partner  and which legal intern got drunk at what corporate shing ding.  In that sense, they are also the Perez Hilton of the legal world.


 The site has now launched their ATL Courtship Connections in DC where the editors of the prolific blog try to match young single lawyers with likeminded barristers. After your date, participants are asked to share the juicy gossip with your locker buddies at Above the Law who post the sordid details online.

The move has led to some good natured ribbing.  Some even argue that it suggests Above the Law has jumped the shark with Cousin Oliver and Scrappy Doo on the back of Fonzi's water-skis.  Its like watching Robert DeNiro in Meet the Fockers or Rocky And Bullwinkle. You want to shake him to remind him that he was in Raging Bull. 

It made me nervous.  What if is this the beginning of the end of legal blogs?  If a legal blog run by ivy leaguers is resorting to setting up and then writing about make out sessions, what chance do the rest of us have in retaining readers.  I, for one, am appalled.  The practice of law is a noble profession.   As such, we should adhere to the highest bounds of grace and civility.  We at the Nutmeg Lawyer would never stoop so low.  Unlike ATL, Nutmeg Lawyer posts bring our readers only well researched legal developments and acute analysis of the law.  We would never stoop to such frivolity.  One need only read our past posts like "Treadmill Desks" , "Lawyer Lessons from Lady Gaga" and "Everything I learned about being a lawyer, I learned from the Mafia."  For shame, ATL.  For shame. 

Then again, who are we to judge the purveyors of love. If you are among the naysayers, shame on you too. Simply put, you are a murderer of love. Why shouldn't a legal blog also serve as a dating service? I for one, applaud ATL's cupid like efforts in the art of amore.Then again, to my knowledge, the editors at Above the Law don't actually practice law. I don't know how much interaction they have with attorneys on a daily basis. Attorneys are a miserable bunch. Do we really want to encourage the pairing of lawyers. But maybe you do want to find love in this crazy world.  Maybe ATL can help you.So how do you do it? you ask?  You didn't ask. Well, let me tell you anyway.

The first step is to fill out a survey with standard questions like name, age, sexual orientation, who is your favorite, legal character, would you rather date a donkey or an elephant, and where would you like to go on your courtship date? The next step is to let magic take its course.  You are then asked to share the juicy gossip with your locker buddies at Above the Law who will post the sordid details online.

Sounds good. I would like to offer my lawyer friend Larry to the mix.

LITIGATOR LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES

Do you enjoy suing people?  I am a middle-aged recently divorced divorce lawyer looking for like-minded litigious lover. First part proposes dinner at mutually agreed upon location with expense of said dinner to be borne by both parties in the "Dutch" fashion. First party agrees to provide compensation for any alcoholic drinks served to second party, if it appears such compensation will result in the party of the first part getting lucky with the party of the second part. First party also agrees to reimburse second party for cab fare.  PS I drive a Chrysler Le Baron covertible and recently had an ear pierced.