Jonah Perlin

No, Generative AI Didn’t Just Kill the Attorney-Client Privilege Opinion: Georgetown Law professor Jonah Perlin says using third-party technology doesn't categorically waive the attorney-client privilege.

Thanks to Bloomberg for publishing my piece on why generative AI didn’t kill attorney-client privilege and maybe even strengthened it…

news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

On LinkedIn, @jonahperlin.bsky.social has an excellent post about how when a senior lawyer asks for a draft, they mean a perfect fly-specked document. This is correct advice for the summer/junior associate.

However, sometimes the senior lawyer *doesn't* want the perfect document. 1/

Person using laptop.

How The Billable Hour Can Survive #GenerativeAI

This article argues that the billable hour not only has a viable path to survive in the age of AI, it may well thrive as a result.

Author: Jonah Perlin

Read More: http://spkl.io/63320A6j9e

👀 Not on Twitter much anymore but pleasantly surprised that SSRN posted my forthcoming article on Gen AI and the billable hour!

06.25.2025: Behind the Robes: The Real-World Value of Judicial Clerkships Please click the link to complete this form.

Please join me Wednesday, June 25, at 12-1 PM ET for an engaging discussion on clerkships entitled “Behind the Robes: The Real-World Value of Judicial Clerkships.” If you’re a law student or recent grad contemplating clerking, this event is for you! Register here: form.jotform.com/251546085559...

Really important. So many people die needlessly every year in the water. Please share.

Four weeks ago I started a free newsletter for summer associates and interns. I think my favorite paragraph so far is in today’s issue:

open.substack.com/pub/standout...

Congrats! 👏

I have never eaten bacon in my entire life and was only a resident of NYC for 11 months and I know that ain’t what it called 😂

a man is typing on a computer keyboard while making a face . ALT: a man is typing on a computer keyboard while making a face .

Step 1: How am I going to write 7,000 words.

…

Step 2: How am I going to cut this down to 17,000 words.

This is normal, right?

And the crazy part is that is the part of the job that has become the hardest to make more efficient over the last 80 years (i.e. the least subject to automation)

(Can you tell I am finalizing my generative AI and attorney billing article draft this week)

Awesome!

You haven’t lived until you’ve taken seven girls under ten to sing karaoke. I have no ear drums left.

Preheat before hand for as long as possible. I always have peel problems 😢 but when it works it SO works.

Today on Standout Summer Associate 👇

open.substack.com/pub/standout...

Friday issue of Standout Summer Associate is up!

open.substack.com/pub/standout...

I think its a really good questions. Another way of framing it might be that in the age of generative AI a bigger group of people can play the role of "senior partners" (e.g. the decisionmakers) but it also means that succeeding as a senior partner may require a new or refined set of skills.

Totally--but then how would we classify them? As senior lawyers or junior. I guess it requires more precision on my part between senior in terms of experience v. senior in terms of hierarchy.

So you end up with a legal profession that is bi-modal (big firms and tiny firms). Not sure if thats where I'd bet but its certainly possible.

Of course another way to think about it which is an argument I plan to make is that if AI takes out some "junior lawyer" tasks then more people can be senior partners (aka more people can be solo and small-firm practitioners) which seems pretty consistent with what technology has done in past.

I haven't seen that argument -- the reason I think is if its replacing senior partners (instead of supporting them) then the implication is that we don't need (human) lawyers at all (maybe).

This is so important, and so hard for some students. I say it a lot, but often the ones who need help the most are the least likely to ask for it.

Avoid the Quantity Trap Why it is worth focusing on the quality of your work over the quantity of work in your summer job.

Why quality of work is more important than quantity as a summer associate.

Check out issue #2 of Standout Summer Associate.

When computers generate legal text, that matters for everyone—not just lawyers Some thoughts on "generated legal texts"

In this blog post I discuss a new article in which Kevin Tobia and I examine how widespread AI texts are in legal institutions, initial policy responses some have made, and the concerns all of this raises alongside opportunities: www.wilftownsend.net/p/when-compu...

First episode of Standout Summer Associate is LIVE.

Next issue drops tomorrow morning. Read here:

standoutsummerassociate.substack.com/p/you-dont-k...

Appreciate anyone who can share this and anyone who wants to put together a quick guest post.

I had planned to write once a week but I already have a full week of content ready to roll.

Let’s help the next generation of lawyers together!

Standout Summer Associate | Jonah Perlin | Substack A newsletter focused on helping summer associates and legal interns succeed in sustainable ways. Click to read Standout Summer Associate, by Jonah Perlin, a Substack publication with hundreds of subsc...

Starting a FREE newsletter for summer associates and summer interns.

First issue goes live tomorrow at 7AM.

Sign up here 👇

Haven’t watched that show in particular. May give it a try this summer!

Happy Mothers Day friends 💕

Should I give it a try—love British mystery tv?