March 2008
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Eliot Spitzer
A Pair of Eliot Spitzer Links
1. Playgirl Magazine invites Spitzer to pose: If Eliot Spitzer weren’t the scion of a super-rich New York real estate family, maybe he would take Playgirl up on this offer. 2. Ashley Alexandra Dupre was 17 in “Girls Gone Wild” videos: Quips our tipster of Joe Francis, “And he thought he saved $1M…” Open Playgirl […] -
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle
Lawyer Couple of the Day: Helene and Kenny Horowitz
The markets are closed today for Good Friday, which is why it’s a reduced-publication day here at ATL (and our sister sites, Dealbreaker and Fashionista). We’re ready for the holiday weekend to begin — and so are most of you, we’re guessing. We have a few more posts to publish, but things are winding down […] - Sponsored
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Affirmative Action, Minority Issues, Racism, Ridiculousness
Ex-Associate Sues Clifford Chance... for $75,000,000!!!
Poor Clifford Chance. It seems they just keep on getting sued. First this. Now this, from the New York Sun: A Haitian woman is suing one of the world’s largest law firms for $75 million, claiming that the firm used her only as window dressing because of her race, fired her for complaining about it, […]
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Job of the Week
Job of the Week
Here is today’s Job of the Week, brought to you by Lateral Link. Since the beginning of March, over 400 new attorneys have been accepted into the Lateral Link network. If you are not already a member, you can join to take advantage of their unique member benefits. Position: In-House Counsel (Financial Services) Location: Dallas, […] -
2nd Circuit, English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls, Rudeness
A Random Friday Poll: F.3d and the D-Word
Today is Friday, when we present for your consideration quirky queries about style, grammar, and usage. E.g., how to pronounce “substantive”; is a marked-up document a “blackline,” or a “redline”; and do you prefer “pleaded” or “pled” in legal writing. This latest poll may seem a little edgy (especially since today is Good Friday). But […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.21.08
* A defense of feds’ tactics in Spitzer investigation. [New York Times] * Justice O’Connor, sitting by designation on Fourth Circuit, hears city council prayer case. [Washington Post] * Paramount head Brad Grey gives (apparently boring) testimony at Pellicano trial. [Deadline Hollywood Daily via Drudge] * Hearing to be held on recusal request in Massey […]
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Musical Chairs: Anne Alstott to Harvard Law School
We now know the identity of Dean Elena Kagan’s mystery hire at Harvard Law School. From the HLS press release: Anne Alstott, an expert on federal income taxation, corporate taxation and tax policy as well as on social welfare policy, family policy, and feminism and economic justice, will join the Harvard Law School faculty as […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 03.20.08
* Please don’t outlaw online poker. It’s educational! [Reasonable Doubts] * What will Eliot Spitzer’s downfall mean for… medical malpractice reform? [Law and More] * Presumptuous? Perhaps. But that’s what you get for not having peer-edited law reviews. [Anonymous Articles Editor] * News you can use: collected rankings of tax preparation software. [TaxProf Blog] * […] - Sponsored
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Court Reporters / Stenographers, Crime, Lunacy, Violence
'Whereupon there is screaming'
This must be the most profanity-laced piece of transcript since Aaron Wider’s deposition. It’s the transcript of the sentencing hearing before Judge Frederic Block (E.D.N.Y.) at which Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Pokorny was attacked by the defendant, before the court reporter and defense counsel tackled the assailant. The transcript was prepared by Ron Tolkin, the […] -
Jack Thompson
Lawyer of the Day: Jack Thompson
This Florida attorney pops up in our pages often enough to have his own category. We’re only a few months into 2008, but Jack Thompson is already on the shortlist for Lawyer of the Year. We’re awarding him a second Lawyer of the Day distinction for today’s sanction [PDF] from the Supreme Court of Florida. […] -
Crime, Law Firm Names, Milberg Weiss, Plaintiffs Firms, White-Collar Crime
That Was Fast: Meet Milberg LLP
In today’s Morning Docket, we wondered about what Milberg Weiss’s new name would be, now that Mel Weiss is on his way to becoming a convicted felon. The answer came more quickly than expected. From the WSJ Law Blog: The firm formerly known as Milberg Weiss Bershad & Shulman LLP, then Milberg Weiss Bershad LLP, […] -
Lawsuit of the Day
Lawsuit of the Day: On Law and Order's Case
The long-running NBC TV show, Law and Order, promotes its shows with claims of “ripped from the headlines,” but always includes a disclaimer within each episode that the story and characters are fictional. Questionable. Well, one attorney is not happy about having his likeness ripped from the headlines of this New York Times story from […] -
Practice Pointers
ATL Practice Pointer: Don't Discuss Private Matters in Public Places (Or: A Thelen partner's reaction to ATL layoff coverage)
Confidentiality. Lawyers get lectured about it all the time. Despite all the warnings, attorneys young and old routinely get themselves in trouble through indiscretion (not just Eliot Spitzer). Sometimes Supreme Court clerks are overheard talking about their cases. Sometimes law firm partners are overheard talking about firm business. An in-house tipster provides this account of […]
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Job Survey, Layoffs
Featured Job Survey: Coping With A Slowdown
I had been planning to share the results from last week’s ATL / Lateral Link survey on which other firm you would want to go to today, but in light of recent events at Thelen Reid and Edwards Angell, let’s just leave that survey open for a bit longer. Let’s talk about whether the slowdown […] -
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby
Breaking: "Scooter" Libby Disbarred
CNN reports that I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby has been disbarred in the District of Columbia: The former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney was convicted last year of lying to a grand jury and federal agents probing the leak of the identity of a CIA agent, Valerie Plame Wilson. “When a member of […] -
Perks / Fringe Benefits
Biglaw Perk Watch: Open Thread on Car and Dinner Policies
Last week, our colleagues over at Dealbreaker reported on changes to the “Evening Meals and Taxis” policy of Goldman Sachs in London. The upshot: the firm’s dining@mydesk service — okay, that doesn’t sound fun, but it’s still a perk of sorts — and a GS-covered taxi home will kick in at 10 PM instead of […] -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.20.08
* Another prominent plaintiffs’ lawyer pleads. Today it’s Mel Weiss of Milberg Weiss, to plead guilty in an alleged kickback scheme. Any guesses as to the new firm name? Milberg LLP? [WSJ Law Blog] * SCOTUS overturns conviction of Louisiana death row inmate, due to improper exclusion of African-Americans from jury. Vote was 7-2, opinion […]
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Biglaw, Brown Raysman, Layoffs, Paralegals, Secretaries / Administrative Assistants, Skaddenfreude, Start Dates, Thelen Reid & Priest, Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner
Nationwide Layoff Watch: Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner
The rumor making the rounds of lawyer and staff layoffs at Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner is true. We just spoke to Thelen’s co-chair, Stephen V. O’Neal, who provided confirmation and details. The firm is in the process of laying off 26 associates and 85 staff members, on a firm-wide basis, “in response to […] -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 03.19.08
* Thoughts on the case of an English prof who posed on an S&M site with one of her students, from law prof Paul Secunda. [Workplace Prof Blog] * Thoughts on private property, a favorite topic of his, from law prof Richard Epstein (who has a new book out on the subject). [PrawfsBlawg] * Is […] -
Politics
Why Are Wet Whiners at Winston?
The Washington office of Winston & Strawn was the site of a “mystery protest” this afternoon. For more details and a photo, see here. Wonkette’s tipster writes: “What they did to deserve a protest is beyond me.” Our guess? Fashion-forward feminists, really pissed off about this. Mystery Protest On Rain-Slicked D.C. Corner! [Wonkette]