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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

VARIETY – OK, so Big Law isn't always a bunch of lemmings. David Thomas reports on the variety of ways top firms are handling their summer associate programs upended by the pandemic. Wilson Sonsini, for instance, will give summer associates credit if they do six weeks of legal work for a nonprofit organization. Nixon Peabody has canceled its summer program completely and will instead offer its summer associates a $5,000 stipend, while Latham is trimming its program from 10 weeks to eight.

BACK IN ACTION – U.S. District Judge Justin Walker is set to appear at a confirmation hearing for a seat on the D.C. Circuit as the Senate Judiciary Committee dives back into nomination proceedings amid the pandemic. As Jacqueline Thomsen reports, senators will meet in a larger-than-normal hearing room and have the option to appear through videoconference or submit written questions. The confirmation hearing of Walker, a former clerk of then-appellate Judge Brett Kavanaugh and a protege of Sen. Mitch McConnell, has drawn criticism from Democrats who argue that the Senate should focus on coronavirus-related concerns.

BREACH – A story that's largely flown under the radar: Detailed and potentially sensitive information uploaded by law firms including Weil Gotshal, White & Case, Baker McKenzie and DLA Piper was left "exposed" on an open database platform, Simon Lock writes that cybersecurity firm TurgenSec reported the cache of data included security authentication details, business email addresses and encrypted passwords. Other firms affected included Hogan Lovells, Clifford Chance, Slaughter and May, and Dentons.