Thorstein Veblen: The Man Behind Conspicuous Consumption

May I welcome you to the first of a few Adam Smith, Esq. portraits of notable economists?  My source for all in this series is the redoubtable Capitalism and its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI (John Cassidy, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux: New... read more +

The Diabolical Collective Action Problem

Back in March we first wrote about the theretofore-inconceivable systematic attack on BigLaw by our current Administration in Washington, DC.  The "program of revenge," as we described it, calculatedly targeted law firms representing clients and interests that the...

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Why Are So Many Superstar Litigators Jumping Ship?

In the most recent of what's beginning to feel like a parade of star litigators jumping ship from BigLaw, comes word that Karen Dunn has left Paul Weiss to join a startup litigation boutique; in the first few months of its existence it's already past two dozen lawyers...

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Generative AI & Law: Part 1

Belatedly, some of you might opine, it is time to make an introductory contribution to the great debate about the impact of Generative AI on the practice, and more importantly the business and revenue/expense model, of BigLaw.  (After all, this is Adam Smith, Esq. and...

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Summer Reading List 2025

In keeping with our tradition at Adam Smith, Esq. of publishing a summertime diversion in the form of a selective list of what we’ve been reading lately, herewith the 2025 installment: Fiction, nonfiction, and one millennia-old classic. Our hope is that you might find...

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