This is one of the more awkward columns I’ve ever had to write. Above the Law is known for being irreverent and snarky, so a heartfelt post about a personal friend feels a little strange. But also strange is not acknowledging that a prominent figure in the legal world is currently hospitalized with the coronavirus. That’s right: David Lat, who founded Above the Law in 2006, has been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Lat’s been very forthcoming in his personal interactions with the pandemic, posting about his diagnosis on social media.
As close watchers of ATL know, Lat stepped away from the day-to-day operations of the blog in 2019 and transitioned to a role as a legal recruiter at Lateral Link. However, he couldn’t really stay away and he writes a biweekly column for us. And we first got the inkling something was amiss yesterday when his biweekly column wasn’t ready. That’s when he shared he was waiting on the results of COVID-19 testing, which was eventually confirmed as positive.
Throughout his medical saga, Lat has lamented about how difficult it was to actually get the COVID-19 test. Without knowledge of direct exposure or international travel to hot zones, he had to jump through a series of hoops — a process he described on Facebook as “Kafkaesque.” We hope that, armed with an accurate diagnosis, he (and his husband, who also has the illness) can quickly make a full recovery.
And let’s hope he finds it less painful than his time at Wachtell. (Sorry, I had to do it.)
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).