Has 'job-hugging' made it to the legal field?

From job security to cybersecurity, lawyers are thinking about stability as we head toward the end of the year. Even as the broader economy sees people “job-hugging,” the data says the legal industry remains relatively stable.

That sense of equilibrium might be a good time to strengthen your professional foundations—starting with cybersecurity. A new guide written for judges offers reminders every legal professional should heed.

We’ve got links to a couple of different podcasts that repackage the audio recordings of each Supreme Court case so you can listen on the go. And before the holiday season gets too far along, we’re revisiting the ethics of attorney gifting and taking a look at trendy corporate gifts.

But first, this $10 billion company is hiring lawyers to train the robots angling to replace us all. 

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the judicial misconduct.
The Lone Star State’s Commission on Judicial Conduct reprimanded a municipal court judge for a long list of bad behavior, including telling a 15-year-old child she "hoped that when he got locked up, he would get a big black man as his cell mate that would make him his bitch."

Sir, this is an Arby’s. 
Over on Reddit, someone says they were in court when a guy getting divorced stood up and told the judge he needed to speak to a manager about the way his attorney and opposing counsel were acting. 

ChatGPT as co-counsel. 
During a Vanity Fair-sponsored lie detector test, Kim Kardashian admitted she asks ChatGPT legal questions. But kudos to her for knowing these “tests” aren’t admissible in court. (Skip to the 10-minute mark.)

Not the kind of briefs we’re used to seeing. 
“You got some pants on, officer?” is not something you want to hear in Zoom court.

What we’re watching. 
Dateline’s new episode on the murder of Florida State law professor Dan Markel. 

“Job hugging” is not hitting the legal field… yet.

The “great resignation” and “quiet quitting” are so last season. The latest employment buzzword is “job hugging.” It means holding on to the job you have because the alternative, in this economy, is no job at all. “Seventy-five percent of employees plan to stay put through 2027. And nearly half of workers (48%) say they’re staying in their current jobs out of fear and economic uncertainty.”

Though one of the first news articles on this trend used a lawyer who cries in the car each day before heading into the office as an example of a job hugger, the data suggests legal jobs may not be as hard to find as some others. Legal hiring was up 2% year-over-year in Q3. 

Why this matters: This trend is one worth watching. When anxiety about change becomes the norm, it reshapes the entire economy. The legal field is not immune, no matter how well things are going at the moment. 

Brush up on cybersecurity basics

This cybersecurity guide was written for court employees, but lawyers could benefit from reading it as well. It does a great job explaining why the legal field is such an attractive target for hackers, but it also gives real examples of what attacks look like and concrete advice on how to respond to them. 

Why this matters: As this report notes, “Cybersecurity isn't just an IT issue…” Everyone needs to be aware of the threats we face and work to minimize the risks of falling victim to an attack. (National Center for State Courts)

Justice is served, on your favorite podcast platform

SCOTUS started hosting a live stream of its oral arguments during the pandemic, and it releases an audio recording of each argument on the day it is made. This is a big change from prior practices, but it may not be the most convenient way for you to listen in. 

If you prefer to listen to audio recordings on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube, Oyez and scotusstats.com are your best bet. These two services take the audio from the SCOTUS website and repackage it as podcast episodes. 

Why this matters: Public access is important, but so is convenience. If you want to listen to oral arguments where you listen to everything else, this is how to do it. (Oyez on Apple Podcasts and scotusstats.com)

• Recap of oral arguments in the tariff case
  
• Education dept. sued over changes to loan forgiveness rule
  
• Behind the scenes at SCOTUS
  
• PA court election results
  
• Meet the solo practitioner who made his SCOTUS debut this week

Step away from the fruit basket

The holidays may be a season of giving, but for lawyers, gifts come with ethical strings attached. This article breaks down when attorneys can accept gifts from—or give gifts to—clients under ABA Rule 1.8 and related state rules. Plus it has some practical tips firms can take to reduce the risks of gift giving and receiving. 

If you’ve double-checked that gifting to clients is okay in your state, and the biggest risk you face is giving them something they don’t appreciate, you’re going to want to check out this round-up of trendy corporate gifts.  

Why this matters: An ethics complaint is the last thing you want to receive this holiday season. These articles can keep you off the naughty list. (Practice Panther / Business Insider)

You're all caught up!

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 Raise the Bar is written and curated by Emily Kelchen and edited by Bianca Prieto.