August 2008

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 08.27.08

* Those Bratz got a spanking, but not as severe a spanking as Mattel hoped. The jury awarded Mattel $100 million, rather than the $1 billion Quinn Emanuel’s John Quinn had requested. [CNN] * U.S. District Judge John D. Bates rules Harriet Miers must testify before Congress. The big moment could come as early as […]

Musical Chairs

Musical Chairs: Mayer Loses Bankruptcy Chief to Orrick

With the U.S. economy in the toilet, third tier or otherwise, law firms are building up their bankruptcy practices. They’re eagerly scooping up lateral associates in the field — and partners, too. From the American Lawyer: A rough 18 months for Mayer Brown got a little worse on Monday, when San Francisco’s Orrick, Herrington & […]

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 08.26.08

* Every time a law blogger gets sued subpoenaed, our sphincters tighten up just a little bit more. [Legal Blog Watch] * Students at Delaware’s Widener Law School hoping to take Con Law with Biden may be sorely disappointed. [WSJ Law Blog] * And here I thought it was impossible to express dislike for Clarence […]

D.C. Circuit

The Sarbanes-Oxley Accounting Board: Not Long For This World?

The constitutionality of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, enacted as part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, was recently upheld — decision available here (PDF) — by a divided panel of the D.C. Circuit. But those who challenged the Board’s legitimacy are fighting on. The appellants will either seek rehearing en banc in the D.C. Circuit […]

Crime

Lawsuit of the Day: Failure to Help Drunk Teenager = Homicide?

Here’s a fact pattern: teen steals liquor, teen gets hammered, adult is called to help, adult drives teen home, teen dies, adult gets charged with… negligent homicide? That’s the reality facing Candice Collard. The 24-year-old woman is being charged with homicide in Utah for failing to help Jess “Micade” Horrocks, 14, who died of alcohol […]

Start Dates

Nationwide Start Date Watch: WolfBlock

We bring you more word of postponed start dates for incoming associates. The latest comes from the Philly firm of WolfBlock, as first reported in the Philadelphia Business Journal: In response to the economic slowdown, Wolf Block has delayed the start date of its entry-level lawyers for two months. The firm said all but one […]

Police

Drunken Hicks Pose No Credible Threat

Authorities are investigating whether men threatened to kill Senator Barack Obama, or if they were just trying to get a date with Jodie Foster. Either way, U.S. Attorney Troy Eid is certain that the potentially meth-addled gunmen posed no credible threat to Obama or the Democratic National Convention. We have explored the colossal idiocy of […]

Feminism

Naming a magazine for female attorneys: Chill out, Trial Mama?

The makers of KNOW: The Magazine for Paralegals have another legal publication in the works. A tipster forwarded us an e-mail about a “new magazine for women professionals in litigation.” Imagining the love child of Glamour and the American Lawyer, we expected to see planned articles on hot courtroom studs and legal fashion faux pas. […]

Law Schools

The Rankings Versus The Cash

Law school deans continue to show the intellectual backbone of phytoplankton when faced with the big fish over at U.S. News & World Report. As the Wall Street Journal reported this morning (subscription), U.S. News is considering changing their law school rankings formula, and the wailing has already begun. According to the report, U.S. News […]

Fashion

A Sartorial Quandry: What Type of T-Shirt?

This post is directed primarily at our male readers. But female readers with opinions about men’s fashion are also welcome to chime in. To read the question presented, see this post by Bess Levin, over at our sister site, Dealbreaker. For one style columnist’s take on the issue, see here (but it’s a bit of […]

Munger Tolles & Olson

Fall Recruiting Open Thread: Vault 51-60 (2009)

We’re entering the second half of the Vault 100. This is part of a series of open threads to discuss the firms considered to be the profession’s most prestigious. Because we know you love prestige. And the opportunity for “TTT” accusations. [FN1] Here’s the next bunch of firms, with prestige scores in parentheses: 51. Munger, […]

Morning Docket

Morning Docket 8.26.08

* Some of you might have already noticed, but a former Sidley Austin associate had a big night. [ABA Journal; MSNBC] * More reasons to dump Internet Explorer if you haven’t done so already. [Res Ipsa Blog] * Maybe instead of professional responsibility, they should teach “internet scams for dummies” in law school. [ABA Journal] […]

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 08.25.08

* It appears University of Iowa political science professor Arthur H. Miller has met an untimely end. [Ace of Spades HQ; TaxProf Blog] * Joe Biden’s reputation for never shutting up is already the stuff of legend. [The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times] * More expectation management with Biden. [Supreme Dicta] * Oh, now […]