Barside Cece Xie, Matt Margolis, Alex Su

In the final episode of this season, the gang reflects on how each of them have grown over the years, what it's been like to explore an alternative career path, and what they think about the future of the practice of law.

The gang discusses the impact of layoffs, affordability of Biglaw, office politics, and whether the associates do have it better these days.

With Alex out of commission this week, Matt and Cece cover the latest in the legal world, including the ethics of AI technology, workplace norms, and the differences between Biglaw and small firms.

The gang discusses a sales employee recording herself getting laid off, a study about the political leanings of law firms, and a discrimination lawsuit against a major Biglaw firm.



00:29 Recording your layoff04:11 Generational differences07:23 Political orientation of law firms10:11 Biglaw and pro bono17:44 Discrimination lawsuit against Biglaw firm20:47 Why realization rates matter26:56 Evaluating discrimination claims29:29 The two different types of non-billable work

The gang talks about elitism in Biglaw, their deepest life goals, and the New York Times' lawsuit against Open AI.



00:45 Shout outs06:33 Rent seeking Yalies09:49 Elitism in Biglaw recruiting15:24 Life goals20:46 What if you were a trust fund baby?29:58 NYTimes vs. OpenAI lawsuit34:02 Legal vs. Business/Tech perspective35:55 Courts deciding cases involving technology39:18 Mooting the case

The gang’s all back together for 2024 and there’s a lot to discuss, including the billable hour, legal technology, business development, and the rise of the independent lawyer. 



00:39 Calculating billable hours targets for the year

03:39 Differences between Biglaw and insurance defense

12:08 Improving work-life balance as a partner

17:54 Using AI to figure out flat fees

22:23 Biglaw lawyers going solo trend

31:27 Rise of the independent lawyer

36:52 Referral engine

42:34 Solos vs. Boutique firms