Archive for August 2010

Allahu Akbar! Mosque Near Ground Zero Clears a Final Hurdle

By David Lat

Who knew that zoning law and land use could be so controversial? A proposal to build a Muslim center and mosque just two blocks away from Ground Zero has become a huge issue here in New York — and, in fact, around the country.

Opponents of the project — originally known as Cordoba House, but now more commonly referred to as Park51, a 15-story tower that will contain a mosque, 500-seat auditorium, and swimming pool — had hoped to stop the project by winning landmark status for the building currently on the site. This morning, however, NYC’s Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 9-0 against granting protected status to 45-47 Park Place in lower Manhattan, which will be demolished to make way for the $100 million center.

Of course, this controversy is about so much more than granting landmark status to a random downtown building designed by an unknown architect….

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Lawyerly Lairs: Recent Cardozo Grad Buys $1.7 Million Condo — from Alan Colmes!

By David Lat

This week seems to be Cardozo Law School week here at Above the Law. Yesterday we wrote about Jeremy Weg, a studious rising 2L who posed a question to The Ethicist. Today we bring you the story of Catherine Haldy Jarman, a 2010 Cardozo Law graduate who just bought a fabulous piece of real estate: the Manhattan condo formerly owned by television pundit Alan Colmes, ex-sidekick of Sean Hannity on Hannity & Colmes. The sale price: a cool $1.725 million (marked down from an original $1.99 million).

The triplex penthouse loft boasts two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and over 1,500 square feet of (gut-renovated) living space. It includes one of the most coveted commodities in Manhattan real estate: outdoor space, in the form of a private roof deck, accessed through a solarium. Fourteen-foot ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace — this is not a typical apartment for a law student, which Catherine Jarman was a few short weeks ago.

How could Jarman afford such an expensive place? And what other celebrities — Alan Colmes is admittedly C-list — have lived in the building?

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Is Law School Prestige Wildly Overrated?

By Elie Mystal

I don’t know how I missed this last week, but a study reported in the WSJ Law Blog claims that law school prestige is overrated. Significantly overrated. The ABA Journal — which picked up the story this morning — summarizes the work of a professor from UCLA and a professor from Brooklyn Law:

[UCLA law professor Richard Sander and Brooklyn Law School visiting professor Jane Yakowitz] studied data from more than 40 public law schools across the country, and found that applicants tend to go to the most elite law school that will have them. But is that a good idea?

Not according to data collected in the American Bar Foundation’s After the JD study of lawyers who entered the bar in 2000, they write. It indicates that the salary boost for achieving high grades more than makes up for the salary depreciation associated with attending a lower‐ranked school. The study also found that lawyers who left law school with the lowest grades felt the least secure about their jobs.

I’m sorry, did anybody’s worldview just get blown up?

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The Asia Chronicles: STATE OF LATERAL US ASSOCIATE HIRING – KOREA PRACTICES

By Kinney Recruiting


[Ed. note: This post is authored by Evan Jowers and Robert Kinney of Kinney Recruiting, sponsor of the Asia Chronicles. Kinney has made more placements of U.S. associates and partners in Asia than any other firm in the past two years. You can reach them by email: asia at kinneyrecruiting dot com.]

** Check out our new daily Asia biglaw blog at THEASIACHRONICLES.COM! *

Evan here. While Korea practices, mostly based in Hong Kong, have been busy over the past year and in some cases even quite understaffed, there has up until just recently not been much hiring going of US associates with Korean background. We recently made a couple such placements at top 10 US firms in HK, one class of ’07 and one ’08, and appear close on another ’08 and an ‘05. However, there are many more very well qualified Korean US associates on the market in Asia than there are openings. Further, firms that do have needs in this area are moving very slowly to make hires, sometimes waiting months to complete an interview process.

Part of the reason is because firms have so much leverage in the lateral hiring market, due to the large number of native Korean US associates seeking to lateral at present from top US firms in NYC to Asia. The other main reason is that many of the top US and UK firms in Asia, while off hiring freezes months ago, still do not have the full green light to hire all the US associates they need. When firm management back in US or UK is only allowing one or two US associate hires in HK, for example, those offices are hiring the biggest area of need – native Chinese US cap markets associates.

We are predicting that there will be more hiring US associate hiring in Korea practices this fall and in early ’11 than was the case in the first half of ’10. There will also be more hiring of Korean native US associates at firms in HK that do not have a Korean practice, per se, but have a strong need for an associate or two with Korean fluency and ability to work on the ground in Korea for much of the year. One of our recent ’08 placements fits this description. Such needs arise as firms have more deal flow out of Korea, but not any Korean native associates. This type of hire will not be for only Korean deal work, but will be a mix of Korean and Pan Asia markets deal flow, with special responsibilities coming in the Korea work of course. double red triangle arrows Continue reading “The Asia Chronicles: STATE OF LATERAL US ASSOCIATE HIRING – KOREA PRACTICES”

Morning Docket: 08.03.10

By Kashmir Hill

* Apparently, the FBI doesn’t have better things to do than this. The Bureau asks Wikipedia not to use its seal. [New York Times]

* Freedom, privacy, and Crackberries. [New York Times]

* Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli II takes a page from Arizona’s law book on immigration. [Washington Post]

* Your transcript matters more than who sends it? [WSJ Law Blog via ABA Journal]

* This Oregon man can get married while in jail, but whose name will he use? [Associated Press]

* Toyota litigation speeds up. [Bloomberg Businessweek]

* A lawsuit for Donald Trump in SoHo. [New York Times]

Sticky Drama’s Christopher Stone Is Stuck on Southwestern Law School

By Kashmir Hill

Christopher Stone

On Southwestern Law School’s Web page for prospective students, the dean writes: “A remarkable number of major figures in the legal and business sides of the entertainment industry also come from Southwestern — as do many leaders of more traditional legal careers in both private and public sectors… We encourage you also to remember that the essence of an educational institution is the people associated with it.”

We previously associated Southwestern with then-washed-up actor Jerry O’Connell. The ex-Slider was a 1L there last year, and his experience demonstrates that you can still have good job prospects coming out of a third-tier law school. He didn’t even have to finish law school to nail down a job as a lawyer. SLS to CBS legal dramas!

Now, though, the school is about to be associated with a far less attractive student. We reported last week that rumors suggesting that Christopher Stone — purveyor of teen gossip and allegedly underage nude photos on his websites StickyDrama and Sticky-Noodz — would be attending USC Law School were false. A reliable source tells us that Stone and his Sonic the Hedgehog hair are actually enrolled to start classes at Southwestern this fall.

Due to his alleged posting of child pornography, Stone might have some problems with character and fitness down the road — but hey, that’s over three years away. Stone told us that he actually wrote about his site’s legal troubles in his application essays, and they let him in. We reached out to Southwestern to find out more about this incoming student of theirs…

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Non-Sequiturs: 08.02.10

By Elie Mystal

* Can the iPad help you do doc review? [Young Lawyers Blog]

* Or maybe the iPad can help you select a jury? Let me ask a different question: Is the iPad the first Cylon? [ABA Journal]

* Money isn’t everything. Sure, it’s really important when you want to do things like pay your rent, eat food, or purchase some nighttime companionship — but it’s not everything. [Law.com]

* This isn’t going to come as a galloping shock to people, but I’m not really a perfectionist. [What About Clients?]

* It’s important for trial lawyers to find moments when they can inject some peace and serenity into their lives. I once knew a trial lawyer who would hustle all week at the courthouse, but would spend all weekend calmly tending his lawn and garden. He lost a finger during a botched lawnmower repair job, but still, the calm of the garden was really important. [Underdog]

* It’s summer, the perfect time for carnivals. And this week there are various blawg carnivals taking place. [Trusted Advisor via Blawg Review]

* Here’s another fun one: Bar/Bri in 3D. [Laws for Attorneys]

Mixed Martial Arts and the Law

By Elie Mystal

I know, I know — it sounds like the perfect third-year law school course. But I’m not talking about a way for 3Ls to get an easy A; I’m talking about the apparent proliferation of law blogs devoted to mixed martial arts (MMA). Writes Bruce Carton of Legal Blog Watch: “I’m not exactly sure what this development means for the current state of legal blogging, but just know this: There are now two blogs dedicated to mixed martial arts law!”

Carton highlights Mixed Martial Arts Law Blog and Fight Lawyer. There’s something perfectly satisfying about lawyers writing about the laws that pertain to beating the crap out of each other. You could imagine cooks writing about what meal you should have before you knock another cook over the head with a frying pan. It just fits very nicely with the profession.

But aside from lawyers writing about MMA, let’s not forget that we’ve seen a number of attorneys actually practice the fine art of choking another man into submission….

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Would Everybody Please Chill Out About the Facebook Hacker Story?

By Kashmir Hill

Last week, MSNBC ran an alarmist article entitled “Details of 100 million Facebook users published online,” after a hacker security consultant compiled a list of the 171 million Facebook users who have their profiles set to show up in a public search. Any story these days with “Facebook” and “privacy” in it tends to set the Internet afire. Sometimes, the hysteria is warranted. (And when I say “sometimes,” I actually mean “rarely.” People join the social network to be social and share information, after all.)

In this case, especially, the hysteria really wasn’t warranted. The list contained people’s names, addresses, Facebook profile urls, and in some cases, phone numbers. Next time Verizon drops off my new White Pages, I expect MSNBC to break a huge, angry story about it.

InsideFacebook called the story “irresponsible journalism,” and Techcrunch appropriately titled their piece on the story, “Hacker Proves Facebook’s Public Data Is Public.” (Want to be freaked out about being tracked online? Read this instead.)

The file with Facebook users’ info was available for download on the security consultant’s site. Gizmodo was able to figure out the IP addresses of people downloading the file, and published a list of the many companies that appeared to be interested in the info. Among them were three law firms: Davis Polk, O’Melveny & Myers, and Baker & McKenzie. Quite a few ATL readers have sent this our way. Said one tipster:

I understand what a corporation which markets a product or non-legal service might be doing with this kind of data, but what purpose can it serve for a law firm? All the data collected was publicly available, but the whole thing is a little shady. Maybe ATL can figure out what their plans are for using all this information.

Okay, let’s take the conspiracy theories down a notch….

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Courtship Connections: A Dog of a Date

By Kashmir Hill

Couple forgot to take a photo. Consolation shot of a friend's puppy.

Spring is usually thought of as the time when dating season goes into full swing, but we think summer is when it really heats up — perhaps because of the way that clothing disappears as temperatures skyrocket, as noted in this New York Times piece about half-naked people at a MIA concert on Governors Island. Shirtless women have also been spotted outside of the ATL offices in Nolita.

We hoped the summer heat would generate sparks for two legal types on a recent Courtship Connection date. We set up a litigation associate at a top firm with a government attorney, based on their shared admiration for Justice Brennan. And for cutting things up: If she weren’t in Biglaw, she’d be a pediatric cardiac surgeon, and if he weren’t working for the state, he’d be a chef.

We sent them to Las Ramblas, a tapas restaurant in the West Village, on a Saturday night. He said:

So leave it to Kash to set us up on perhaps the hottest day of a month-long heat wave, despite several alternatives that could’ve worked. I felt like I was melting for most of the night. Heat aside though, I had a good time overall. I thought my date was quite attractive, a couple inches shorter than me, petite, dark hair, wearing a burgundy sundress.

How hot was their date?

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Virginia Lawsuit Against Health Care Reform Allowed to Continue

By Elie Mystal

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli can take his legal attack on the health reform legislation one step further. Today Judge Henry Hudson (E.D. Va.) denied a Health and Human Services motion to dismiss — which means we’re headed for discovery. The WSJ Law Blog reports:

The ruling represents a setback that will force the Obama administration to mount a lengthy legal defense of the law. The suit, filed by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, alleges that the law’s requirement that its residents have health insurance violates the Commerce Clause of the Constitution…

In his opinion, Judge Hudson ruled: “The guiding precedent [on the Commerce Clause] is informative but inconclusive.”

At times like these, it’s important to remember that the Democrats have 255 votes in the House and 59 votes in the Senate, but only four votes on the Supreme Court…

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How Much Would You Pay Somebody To Give You A Job?

By Elie Mystal

Are there any cynics out there who are sick of all this good news about how the legal economy is recovering? Hell, even a supposed teen porn purveyor is counting on a full recovery sometime in the near future.

If all this happiness and roses makes you feel a little bit ill, look no further than Craigslist for your daily dose of sadness. Check out this out, it’s the saddest kind of barter deal…

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Thinking Like a Lawyer: The Case of the Broken Copier

By David Lat

For lawyers — who concern ourselves with rules, and how to navigate within them without breaking them — one of the most interesting features in the New York Times magazine is The Ethicist. Columnist Randy Cohen fields ethical questions from readers and provides insight and advice. (Earlier this year, he smacked me down for an ethical transgression involving Oreos and a hotel minibar.)

This past weekend, The Ethicist once again entertained a query from a member of the legal community. Jeremy Weg, a rising second-year at Cardozo Law School, asked the following:

When I study in my law-school library, I generally choose a cubicle near a heavily used photocopier that doubles as a printer connected to the school’s computer network. This machine often breaks down — paper jams and the like. If I know it’s not working, must I tell the student about to use it, which means constantly interrupting my own work? Every page printed costs the student eight cents, but she can ask the librarian for a refund.

One response might have been “de minimis non curat lex” (translation: “you have got to be kidding, please get a life”). But that wouldn’t have been very fun.

What did The Ethicist advise?

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A New Legal Violation: Jogging While Black?

By Elie Mystal

We’ve all heard of the crime of Driving While Black. It’s when black people drive around in nice cars — which some cops interpret as probable cause for a stop and search. It’s happened to me (shout-out to Kokomo, Indiana). After my experience I learned how to respect the law (of not ending up in Kokomo, Indiana).

But the ABA Journal now tells us of a whole new crime African-Americans can commit: jogging.

Even after police apparently recognized him as a downtown defense lawyer, they went ahead and arrested him for no good reason while he was jogging in his longtime neighborhood in West Las Vegas, contends David Lee Phillips.

A lawsuit filed over the incident by Phillips, 58, who is black and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, is ongoing. In it, he contends that police threatened and harassed him before knocking him to the ground…

Man. A brother can’t even avoid getting hassled in Las Vegas…

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Morning Docket: 08.02.10

By Kashmir Hill

* Judge Susan Bolton, who took the teeth out of the Arizona immigration law, has been getting lots of hate mail, including death threats. But loyal readers of Above the Law know it’s not the first time for her. [Chicago Sun-Times]

* The ball is in Blake Strode’s court: pro tennis or Harvard Law School? [St. Louis Today]

* From the frying pan into the fire? Lindsay Lohan is out of jail and into rehab. [Los Angeles Times]

* Crackberry users in the U.A.E. are going to need rehab soon, too. [New York Times]

* Patent lawyer Donald Stout doesn’t care what you say about his house. [Financial Post]

* Chelsea Clinton is off the market. [Washington Post]

* You have the right to wonder what will become of the Miranda warning. [Associated Press]

* Teen arrested for the fatal shooting of a University of Pittsburgh law student. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; KDKA]

This Week in Biglaw: 08.01.10

By Law Shucks

Ed. note: Law Shucks focuses on life in, and after, Biglaw, including by tracking layoffs, bonuses, and laterals. Above the Law is pleased to bring you this weekly column, which analyzes news at the world’s top law firms.

As summer programs around Biglaw wrap up, all eyes turn to offer rates.

The rising 3L participants are looking to wrap up the golden tickets* of an offer of permanent** employment (* – but don’t forget about deferrals and recisions; ** – or layoffs).

Rising 2Ls have finished applying for law reviews and journals and are focused on prioritizing their bids for OCI. High offer rates are a definite plus in deciding which firms to try to get interviews with. As are the firms’ prestige rankings, especially if there’s a particular practice area of interest.

The rest of the denizens of Biglaw view offer rates as one measure of a firm’s health.

Of course, summer programs aren’t the only way into Biglaw — or at least television producers don’t think so. There’s a new drama in the works about a slacker who gets hired at a top Manhattan firm, despite not having a law degree.

After the jump, a roundup of summer-program news, billion-dollar deals, lateral moves, and other recent developments from around Biglaw.

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