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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

OPTIONS - While many states have yet to decide whether to cancel the July bar exam, the National Conference of Bar Examiners has announced two dates in the fall when law grads can take the test. Karen Sloan reports that the conference will offer an exam Sept. 9 and 10, and a second exam Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. New York became the first state to officially postpone the July bar, and Massachusetts, Connecticut and Hawaii have followed suit. California has not made a decision. The various exam dates mean the conference will need to develop different tests for each testing session.

DELAYED – SCOTUS has postponed, to a date uncertain, its two-week April oral argument session scheduled to begin April 20. Marcia Coyle reports that the justices have been reluctant to adopt the technology that has enabled other courts at the state and federal level to continue to hold hearings and arguments. The justices had a number of closely watched cases teed up for April, including Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants, a First Amendment challenge involving the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, a federal law that has triggered much litigation around the country. 

FAST MOVER – Zoom has accelerated into the spotlight as the go-to video-conferencing service while lawyers work remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In this week's Legal Speak podcast, Zoom's top lawyer Aparna Bawa talks about supporting Zoom through its sudden growth spurt and, as she acknowledges, the growing pains that have emerged for the Bay Area firm. 

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EDITOR'S PICKS

As US Unemployment Soars, Legal Industry Hopes to Avoid Widespread Layoffs

How the Pandemic Will Impact the Trump-Backed Lawsuit Against the Affordable Care Act

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

AILING – Mayer Brown has confirmed that three lawyers in its Hong Kong office have tested positive for COVID-19. As Anna Zhang reports, the news follows Mayer Brown's recent reversal of its policy requiring lawyers and staff to work in the office after receiving an anonymous letter from Hong Kong employees highly critical of the directive.

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WHAT YOU SAID

"Screen-time restrictions are fairly out the window at this point." 

—  Jena Valdetero, partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, on working from home as the co-leader of the firm's data privacy and security team alongside her 5-year-old and a 7-year-old. 

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