Disasters / Emergencies
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Disasters / Emergencies, Nude Dancing
Who's Liable for This Massachusetts Strip Club Explosion?
A strip club explodes, and all we can think about is who'll be on the hook for damages in the ensuing lawsuit. -
BP, Disasters / Emergencies, Reader Polls
BP Oil Spill Penalties: Too Much, Just Right, Or We Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
Are the BP oil spill penalties too much, or just right? You be the judge! - Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so… -
Biglaw, Disasters / Emergencies
Some Downtown Biglaw Firms Seem To Be Struggling With Sandy Recovery
There are firms in lower Manhattan that still haven't recovered from Superstorm Sandy.
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7th Circuit, American Bar Association / ABA, Bankruptcy, Barack Obama, Baseball, Deaths, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Disasters / Emergencies, Family Law, Federal Judges, Judicial Nominations, Law Schools, Morning Docket, Pro Bono, S.D.N.Y., State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns, Texas
Morning Docket: 11.15.12
* In a move to “end the vacancy crisis,” one week after being reelected, and one day after the Senate returned to session, Barack Obama nominated seven people for open seats on federal district courts, including two S.D.N.Y. slots. [Blog of Legal Times]
* Dewey know how much the Los Angeles Dodgers will have to pay the now defunct firm for its work on the team’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case? About $13M — the equivalent of their pitcher’s salary, or 62% of their first baseman’s pay. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Which Biglaw firms in the Am Law 200 are the most LGBT friendly? Overall, of the 145 firms that participated in the Human Rights Campaign’s survey, 71 received perfect scores. Absolutely fabulous! [Am Law Daily]
* The American Bar Association’s Task Force on the Future of Legal Education wants to know what should be done about law schools. This is a time to keep it simple, stupid: change EVERYTHING! [National Law Journal]
* The New York Court of Appeals invoked the Major Disaster Rule for the first time ever, allowing out-of-state attorneys to perform pro bono services for Hurricane Sandy victims. [Thomson Reuters News & Insight]
* William Adams, the Texas family court judge who got caught beating his daughter, returned to the bench yesterday after a year-long suspension. At least he won’t get physical abuse cases, anymore. [Fox News]
* John Coffey, Senior Status Judge of the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, RIP. [Journal Sentinel]
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Attorney Misconduct, Biglaw, Copyright, Disasters / Emergencies, Food, Intellectual Property, Law School Deans, Law Schools, Legal Ethics, Morning Docket, Trademarks
Morning Docket: 11.14.12
* “[T]here is only so far you can go when representing clients.” David Tamman, the ex-Nixon Peabody partner who was “thrown under the bus” by the firm, was found guilty of helping a client cover up a $20M Ponzi scheme. [Thomson Reuters News & Insight]
* You surely must remember former UT Law dean Larry Sager and his controversial $500K forgivable loan. Well, as it turns out, the school is now condemning the practice as inappropriate, and calling for its permanent suspension. [Texas Tribune]
* Someone finally sued a power company over its horrendous response to Hurricane Sandy. Long Island Power Authority should’ve seen this lawsuit coming, but was woefully unprepared. Figures. [Bloomberg]
* I can haz copyright infringement? Internet memes are all the rage — we even had our own contest — but you may find yourself wading into dangerous intellectual property waters with improper use. [Corporate Counsel]
* Papa John’s is facing a $250M class-action lawsuit for spamming its customers with text messages advertising deals. With share prices dropping, it must suck to be Peyton Manning right now. [CNNMoney]
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1st Circuit, Bankruptcy, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Disasters / Emergencies, Facebook, Law Schools, LSAT, Morning Docket, Sex, Sex Scandals, Texas
Morning Docket: 11.13.12
* Deep in the heart of Texas, plans are in the works for the state’s secession from the nation via online petition. The most likely White House response? Probably something like this: “HAHAHAHAHAHA!” [Hillicon Valley / The Hill]
* Paula Broadwell, better known as ex-CIA director David Petraeus’s side piece, has officially lawyered up. This guy had better watch out, because he kind of looks a little bit like her former flame. [Washington Post]
* And then they came for the Steves, but there was no one left to speak for them. The day of reckoning has finally come for the men who are being blamed for cooking Dewey’s LeBoeuf. [Thomson Reuters News & Insight]
* Law firms in Manhattan are still recovering from Hurricane Sandy. Not for nothing, but all of the staff members at WilmerHale who were tasked with getting rid of all of the rotten food in the firm’s cafeteria should get a double bonus. Just saying. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Good news, underemployed law school graduates baristas! The First Circuit just affirmed your $14.1M tip-sharing judgment. Maybe now they’ll be able to afford the Starbucks diet. [National Law Journal]
* “This lawsuit is a massive fraud on the federal courts and defendants. It has now descended into farce.” Facebook is yet again seeking dismissal of Paul Ceglia’s ownership claims. [Threat Level / Wired]
* There may be five deciding factors when it comes to law school admissions, but serious candidates should focus on the two most important ones: LSAT and GPA. [Law School Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News]
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Biglaw, Deaths, Disasters / Emergencies, Eric Holder, Federal Judges, John Marshall Law School, Law Schools, Morning Docket, Rudeness, Suicide
Morning Docket: 11.12.12
* With Eric Holder questioning his job, and Deval Patrick dining at the White House, perhaps we’ll see our second black attorney general. Or not, because one of the Governor’s aides says he’ll continue his reign as a Masshole. [Washington Times; Buzzfeed]
* When it came to sanctions for discovery violations in the Apple v. Samsung case, this judge was all about pinching pennies. Last week, both Quinn Emanuel and MoFo got taken to task over their apparently “sloppy billing practices.” [The Recorder]
* What’s the most inappropriate thing for a federal judge to say to jurors when delivering the news that a defendant of Asian descent killed herself after testifying? “Sayonara.” Ugh. [Careerist via New York Times]
* “Law school is very unforgiving, but classes must go on.” Law schools in the New York metropolitan area are still trying to make sure their students are safe and sound — and studying, of course. [New York Law Journal]
* Another one bites the dust: Team Strauss/Anziska’s lawsuit against John Marshall Law School over its allegedly phony post-graduate employment statistics has been dismissed with prejudice. [Chicago Tribune]
* Are you ready for some litigation? Lawyers for Nick Saban’s daughter are showing the sorority girl who sued her what it’s like to get rolled by the Alabama tide in a flurry of more than 40 subpoenas. [Times Leader]
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Barack Obama, Biglaw, Deaths, Disasters / Emergencies, Election 2012, Election Law, Eric Holder, Gay Marriage, In-House Counsel, Law Schools, Marijuana, Morning Docket, State Judges
Morning Docket: 11.07.12
* “We know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.” Barack Obama was re-elected as president. Bring on the hope and change! No, seriously. [New York Times]
* In news that shouldn’t come as a surprise, regardless of who won the presidential race, there are still post-election voting issues that will likely be resolved in the courts. [Blog of Legal Times]
* But what we really want to know is who will be our country’s next attorney general. Because if anyone can fill Eric Holder’s shoes, it’s Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the S.D.N.Y. [WSJ Law Blog]
* In other important news, several states approved gay marriage ballot initiatives, and others legalized marijuana. But hopefully you don’t have a case of the munchies yet, because federal law still says it’s illegal. [CNN]
* They helped American citizens “ba-rock” the vote: hundreds of law students from around the country rallied around the craziness of Election Day to volunteer their assistance to worthy causes. [National Law Journal]
* Biglaw firms in NYC are still reeling after Hurricane Sandy. While WilmerHale set up temporary offices last week, both SullCrom and Fried Frank could be out of commission for weeks. [Reuters; New York Times]
* At this point, in-house counsel are kind of like the McKayla Maroneys of the legal profession, because they are seriously unimpressed with outside counsel’s efforts to improve services and fees. [Corporate Counsel]
* Judge Theodore Jones, associate judge of the New York Court of Appeals, RIP. [New York Law Journal]
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Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
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American Bar Association / ABA, Biglaw, Disasters / Emergencies, Pro Bono, Public Interest
Lawyers and Law Firms Contribute To Hurricane Sandy Relief and Recovery Efforts
What are lawyers and law firms doing to contribute to Hurricane Sandy relief and recovery efforts? -
Biglaw, Disasters / Emergencies
You're Back At Work, But Do You Have Heat?
Are you at work with power, but no heat? If so, you are not alone. -
Crime, Department of Justice, Disasters / Emergencies, Securities and Exchange Commission
In The Aftermath Of Disaster, The Scam Artists Come Out
Hurricane Sandy may bring out scammers looking to take advantage of people suffering through the disaster. Watch out! -
American Bar Association / ABA, Disasters / Emergencies, Law Schools
NYU Law Students Can Blame Sandy (And The ABA) For Their Super-Long Classes
NYU Law School introduces a grueling new schedule to make up for the class days lost thanks to Hurricane Sandy. -
Barack Obama, Christopher Christie, Disasters / Emergencies, Election 2012, Hurricane Katrina, Politics
How Lawyers Would Botch The Zombie Apocalypse
When we suffer the zombie apocalypse, if we continue to place executive power in the hands of lawyers, we're all screwed....
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Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
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Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
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Disasters / Emergencies, Law Schools, New Jersey
Will Hurricane Sandy Blow Back Finals?
The hurricane is going to cause havoc around finals time... -
Biglaw, Disasters / Emergencies
Did You Work Yesterday? Are You Working Today? Who Are These 'Clients' And What Could They Possibly Want?
Come on, you didn't actually work yesterday. Right? Take our poll... -
Biglaw, Department of Justice, Disasters / Emergencies, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Law Schools
Hurricane Sandy: A List of Legal World Closures
How is the legal world responding to Hurricane Sandy? Mostly by closing. Here is a working list of closures at courts, government agencies, law firms, and law schools. -
Disasters / Emergencies, Federal Government, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Frankenstorm Closes Everything, Except SCOTUS... And Above The Law
There's a storm coming, but some things are still open... -
Biglaw, Defamation, Disasters / Emergencies, Divorce Train Wrecks, Election 2012, Family Law, Inappropriate Venue, Law School Deans, Law Schools, Money, Morning Docket, Real Estate, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Morning Docket: 10.29.12
* Hurricane Sandy is set to arrive today, so batten down the hatches, folks! Everything’s closing down for the storm, but please feel free to email us if your law school or law firm is encouraging you to work. [Washington Post]
* Thanks to the SCOTUS decision in Citizens United, companies can now recommend how their employees should vote, which is “no different from telling your children: ‘Eat your spinach. It’s good for you.’” [New York Times]
* Biglaw firms are re-negotiating their office space leases in an effort to save money. While some firms have already sealed their new real estate deals, others are still on the prowl — but which ones? [Am Law Daily]
* The University of St. Thomas School of Law has a new dean, and it certainly seems like he’s willing to make some waves to help his students. The first step for Robert Vischer? Reducing tuition. [National Law Journal]
* “I don’t think her popularity has improved since the [murder] verdict.” That’s probably why Casey Anthony’s lawyers are desperately trying to get a new venue for Zenaida Gonzalez’s defamation case. [Orlando Sentinel]
* A man divorced his formerly fugly wife (she had $100K in plastic surgery to correct her looks), sued her for luring him into marriage her under false pretenses, and won. Don’t worry, girls, this happened in China. [FOX]
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Disasters / Emergencies
Italian Court Makes Play For Dumbest Court In The World
Italian court convicts scientists for not predicting an earthquake. This is not an Onion headline... -
American Bar Association / ABA, Cars, Disasters / Emergencies, Immigration, Law Schools, Morning Docket, New Jersey, New York Times, Police, SCOTUS, Student Loans, Supreme Court, Wal-Mart
Morning Docket: 04.25.12
* Arizona’s immigration law is heading to the Supreme Court today. Meanwhile, former Senator Dennis DeConcini lobbed the worst insult ever against his state. How embarrassing for you, Arizona. [New York Times]
* Will Wal-Mart regret not disclosing its bribery investigation sooner? Not when the delay saved millions in criminal fines. What Wal-Mart will regret is being forced into disclosure by the NYT narcs. [Corporate Counsel]
* Delete all the oil from ocean, and then maybe we’ll care about this. A former BP employee was charged with obstruction of justice for deleting texts having to do with the Deepwater Horizon disaster. [Bloomberg]
* The Tennessee Board of Law Examiners has granted Duncan Law an extension on its bid for ABA accreditation. Woohoo, five more years of allowing students to “negligently enroll.” [Knoxville News Sentinel]
* “Once you cross the six-figure mark, you think, what’s a few thousand dollars more?” You’re doing it wrong: you’re supposed to be bragging about a six-figure salary, not a six-figure debt obligation. [Baltimore Sun]
* New Jersey residents don’t always have the great pleasure of nearly being killed by two high-speed Lamborghinis, but when they do, they prefer that police officers be suspended and sue over it. [ABC News]