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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

CUTBACKS – Behemoth Baker McKenzie, the largest U.S. based law firm, is reducing salaries for all nonpartner attorneys, other timekeepers and business professionals in the U.S. by 15% amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Dan Packel reports that the salary reductions will not affect those earning less than $100,000. Without providing specifics, the firm, which has about 4,720 lawyers, said partners will also see cuts, with equity partners receiving bigger reductions than others at the firm. For a roundup of law firm cutbacks, go here.

FIRST-TIMERS – In an historic move, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments by audio teleconference in select cases next month. Marcia Coyle reports that the earlier postponements of the March and April arguments, while rare, were not unprecedented. The justices did not hold arguments for October 1918 because of the Spanish flu epidemic, and the court shortened its argument calendars in August 1793 and August 1798 in response to yellow fever outbreaks.

BAR TALK – As California state bar leaders prepare to meet behind closed doors today to consider the fate of the July bar exam, dozens of law school students and legal organizations have pleaded for an alternative path to practicing law. A bar spokeswoman said the agency has received more than 100 comments, many of them from graduating 3Ls seeking diploma privilege, or a unique exemption to practice law without passing the bar exam first. Many of those students cite fears of taking the test in crowded venues, crushing debt and rescinded job offers as law firms retrench.