August 2011
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Crime, Deaths, Election 2012, Facebook, Gay, Gay Marriage, Jury Duty, Ken Lay, Laurence Tribe, New Jersey, Non-Sequiturs, Politics, Social Networking Websites
Non-Sequiturs: 08.29.11
* Professor Laurence Tribe on “the constitutional inevitability of same-sex marriage.” [SCOTUSblog] * You can sleep when you’re dead — and you can prevail against the IRS in litigation, too (as the late Ken Lay just did). [TaxProf Blog] * Speaking of the dead, just because someone is burglarizing your business doesn’t mean you can […] -
Attorney Misconduct, Benchslaps, Depositions, Federal Judges, Rudeness, Sam Sparks, Texas, Vicious Infighting
Benchslap of the Day: Judge Sparks Burns More Attorneys
You do not want to mess with Judge Sam Sparks, of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. We recently wrote about Judge Sparks accusing a lawyer appearing before him of incompetence -- in a harshly worded order that pulled no punches. Judge Sparks has been doling out stinging benchslaps for years, and he's gotten pretty good at it. Last week, Judge Sparks lit more lawyers on fire.... - Sponsored
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Celebrities, Litigatrix, Media and Journalism, Nancy Grace, Reader Polls, Reality TV, Television
Nancy Grace's Next Chapter: You Won't Believe This
Ever since the acquittal of Casey Anthony, people have been wondering: What has Nancy Grace been up to? Yesterday, "Nancy Grace" started trending on Twitter. It was from Twitter that we learned of Nancy Grace's second act. You'll have a hard time believing this, but it seems to be true....
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Department of Justice, Federal Government, Job Searches, Law Schools
Reminder: DOJ Honors Program Applications Are Due Soon
Just a friendly reminder to our 3L and law clerk readers: if you're interested in the Honors Program of the U.S. Department of Justice, you need to submit your application materials very soon -- about a week from now. (And note that the Labor Day holiday falls during this period, which could affect your ability to obtain transcripts or contact references.) We wish you good luck -- because you'll definitely need it.... -
Biglaw, Blackberry-Crackberry, Small Law Firms, Social Networking Websites, Technology
Small Firms, Big Lawyers: The Power of Small Firms
Losing power after Hurricane Irene got small firm columnist Jay Shepherd thinking about just how much he relies on electricity and computers and iPads and iPhones, and also how much that reliance has increased since he started law school. And over the years, he came to appreciate just how much technology has allowed small firms to compete with their Biglaw colleagues. What are the five biggest ways that technology has empowered small firms? -
Crime, New York Times, Quote of the Day, Rape, Scott Turow
Quote of the Day: A Passing Grade for Cyrus Vance
Mr. Vance performed well. The collateral damage to the career of Mr. Strauss-Kahn, who resigned in disgrace from the I.M.F., was clearly unfair, but that was caused largely by his sensational arrest, which Mr. Vance had no choice about effecting…. Given the attention paid to Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s arrest, Mr. Vance deserves enormous credit for pulling […] -
Deaths, Disasters / Emergencies, Insurance, State Judges
A Recap of Hurricane Tropical Storm Irene
Hurricane Irene: She came. She saw. She blew. She sucked? In the wake of Hurricane Irene, people have been expressing their displeasure with the way this natural disaster panned out. After days of preparation, there is still a lot of damage to deal with in the aftermath of the storm. In the legal world, we know that it pays to be prepared, but there are some things that we just can't work around.... -
Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Partner Issues
Inside Straight: 360-Degree Reviews
360-degree reviews are helpful because you critique others. It's relatively easy -- or, at least, routine -- to be asked to critique folks situated beneath you in a hierarchy. But it's a little different to be asked to critique folks who are situated horizontally or above you. When you're asked to critique those people formally, it makes you think a little harder: What are those people doing right? What are they doing wrong? What information should they hear about their performance? - Sponsored
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American Bar Association / ABA, Biglaw, Judicial Divas, Kids, Morning Docket, Partner Issues, State Judges, Women's Issues
Morning Docket: 08.29.11
* You call that a raise? After 12 years of stagnant salaries for state judges, New York’s Commission on Judicial Compensation sure has a funny way of “correcting injustice.” [New York Times] * Hope you had some D.C. firms on your bid list for OCI, because they seem to be on a hiring spree. Is […]
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American Bar Association / ABA, Bar Exams, Biglaw, Disasters / Emergencies, Law Schools
How Is the Legal World Preparing for Hurricane Irene? Open Thread
Following a freak earthquake earlier in the week, the East Coast is now bracing for the impact of Hurricane Irene. From the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the boroughs of New York City, people are getting ready for another natural disaster that could prove to be devastating. And speaking of natural disasters, we hear […] -
American Constitution Society (ACS), Ann Althouse, Fast Food, Law Schools, Money, Non-Sequiturs, Securities and Exchange Commission, Student Loans, Technology
Non-Sequiturs: 08.26.11
* What can law firms learn from Folgers crystals? Maybe how to provide legal services rich enough to be served to America’s finest corporations. [What About Clients?] * A look at what $100,000 in law school loans could have purchased instead — e.g., 505,050 chicken nuggets from Wendy’s. [Constitutional Daily] * What kind of “reasonable […] -
Baseball, Crime, Sports
Batter Up, Twinkle Toes: Lenny Dykstra's Latest Brush with the Law
Lenny Dykstra was once a famous for being a scrappy center fielder for the Mets and the Phillies. Now he’s more famous for taking the same scrappy approach with the law. In January, Dykstra was accused of sexual assault by his housekeeper. In May, Dykstra was indicted for bankruptcy fraud. Oh, how the mighty have […] -
Crime, Deaths, Kids, Law Schools, Movies, Murder, Police, Pornography, Prisons, Romance and Dating, Violence
Probable Cause Found Against Stephen McDaniel in Lauren Giddings Murder Case
Bad news keeps on coming for Stephen Mark McDaniel, 25, the recent Mercer Law School graduate accused of killing Lauren Giddings, his former neighbor and classmate. Last week, a judge found probable cause in the murder case against McDaniel, which will now be bound over to Bibb County Superior Court. We were fortunate enough to have a reader at the hearing. Let's hear what this roving reporter has to say....
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Breasts, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Nude Dancing, Quote of the Day, State Judges, Texas
Quote of the Day: Texas Doesn't Support Single Moms?
We think a $5 fee presents no greater burden on nude dancing. . . . The fee is not a tax on unpopular speech but a restriction on combining nude dancing, which unquestionably has secondary effects, with the aggravating influence of alcohol consumption. — Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan L. Hecht, writing for the majority […] -
Biglaw, Billable Hours, Pro Bono, Public Interest
And the Associates Rejoiced: Now Almost Everything Is Billable at Jenner & Block
Lawyers like to complain about the billable hours requirements at their firms. A common question seems to be what will count and what won't. In this line of work, time is money, and many associates want to know if they're wasting their time. Read on for some good news on billable hours from Jenner & Block.... -
Clerkships, Fabulosity, Federal Judges, Feeder Judges, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Clerks
Supreme Court Clerk Hiring Watch: Say Hello to 2013
First an earthquake, and now a hurricane. If the world is coming to an end, let's go out doing what we love: talking about Supreme Court clerks. Since our last round-up, which was over a month ago, there have been a few new hires. And some of them are for the distant future -- namely, October Term 2013. Hopefully the world will still be around by then.... -
English Grammar and Usage, Reader Polls
Grammer Pole of the Weak: Are You Serial with That Comma?
Welcome to Above the Law's latest Friday series: Grammer Pole of the Weak. Readers, the title of this weekly poll is supposed to be ironic. Are you serial with all of these emails correcting our spelling? Speaking of being serial, let's turn to the topic of this week's discussion: the serial comma.... -
DUI / DWI, Family Law, Lawyer Advertising, Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners
Always Hire the Lawyer Who Can Break the Most Bricks
Every time we do a post about a crazy attorney website, our readers send in even more tips about the seemingly endless supply of wacky websites that are out there (which we appreciate, so keep 'em comin'). Rarely, however, do we get a tipster begging us to place a fellow attorney in Above the Law’s crosshairs. Until now: "Can you please, please profile this guy, Mark Davis from Toledo, Ohio?" Well, since you asked so nicely.... -
Biglaw, Crime, Defamation, Disasters / Emergencies, Lindsay Lohan, Morning Docket, Rap, State Judges
Morning Docket: 08.26.11
* With four states sounding their emergency alarms, will this weekend’s hurricane be the next natural disaster to rain on the legal world’s parade? [Los Angeles Times] * Should we deregulate the practice of law? Do you want someone like me to be an actual lawyer? Easiest debate ever. I should’ve been on moot court. […]
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American Bar Association / ABA, Law Schools, Money, Student Loans, Unemployment
In This Economy, What's the New Meaning of JD?
Gone are the days when earning a JD meant having automatic employment prospects. Gone are the days when having student loans wasn't completely debilitating. These days, the JD has taken on a new meaning. It doesn't just mean Juris Doctor anymore. These two are a little more fitting: Job Dilemma and Jumbo Dumbass. The Connecticut Law Tribune has come out with an informative piece just in time for new 1Ls to realize that they may have embarked upon a six-figure mistake....