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 Casting Call to Eliot Spitzer [Playgirl Magazine Blog]
Attorney: Spitzer escort was 17 in 'Wild' videos [AP]

If you have Eliot Spitzer fatigue, stop reading here. If not, feel free to continue.

The Spitzer scandal raised this question: How are lawyers like prostitutes? It's an admittedly groan-worthy joke, fit to be told by an inebriated guest at a local bar association dinner. But maybe there are a few insights to be gleaned from comparing the learned profession to the oldest profession. For brief musings, see our column in this week's Observer.

Additional Spitzer whore news, from the AP:

Stop that $1 million check: It turns out the call girl linked to Eliot Spitzer had already shed her clothes for "Girls Gone Wild" as an 18-year-old while partying in Miami, Florida, the video company's founder said Tuesday.

Upon learning that Ashley Alexandra Dupre was already in his company's archives, Joe Francis revoked his $1 million offer for her to appear in a non-nude spread for his company's new magazine.

But shed no tears for "Kristen." As Rachel Sklar reports over at Eat the Press, the sultry songstress has earned a small fortune -- definitely six figures, possibly seven -- from online downloads of her music. She also has offers to pose for Penthouse and Hustler that could yield a million-dollar payday.

Big Law and Big Pimpin’ Together at Last [New York Observer]
Millionaire Call Girl? Spitzer's Hooker Rakes In A Fortune Online From Her Music [Eat the Press / Huffington Post]

We just came back from meeting a friend for drinks at the Mayflower Hotel, here in Washington, DC. We expressed a desire to see the door of the infamous room where New York Governor Eliot Spitzer got it on with that high-class hooker, "Kristen." But we'd heard, on the radio, that the hotel had stationed a guard on the eighth floor, to prevent gawkers from walking past the notorious room 871 (just as travelers have besieged the Minneapolis airport bathroom made famous by Senator Larry Craig).

As it turned out, we were in luck. Our friend was staying at the Mayflower -- on the eighth floor, conveniently enough. So we were able to make our way up there without any problem.

When we got up there, we didn't see a guard; perhaps the guard was removed after the initial frenzy died down. But we did notice the hotel had removed the "871" nameplate, presumably to prevent scandal-tourists like ourselves from taking photographs of it.

Correction: It appears that the "871" room number wasn't removed by the hotel, but was stolen.

So all we can give you are photos of (1) the door to room no. 871, and (2) the marks where the nameplate used to be. Check them out, after the jump.

Here's the latest crazy Eliot Spitzer rumor we've heard. In the past few days, there has been a torrent of Spitzer coverage, so we apologize if it has surfaced elsewhere. But we don't recall coming across this tidbit already, and our Google News and Technorati searches for "spitzer lick" came up... clean.

This comes from a reliable ATL tipster, whose true identity is known to us, and who has given us good info in the past. But the tipster is two degrees removed from the young woman who allegedly interacted with Governor Spitzer, so apply whatever gossip discount factor you deem appropriate. Here it is:

[A friend of a friend is] a Swiss-Brazilian girl who went to D.C. to f**k Spitzer over the summer. Apparently he's been up to this for awhile.

Apparently, his dirty request is for girls to lick his ass. Which seems peculiarly apropos. And he wanted to get his wife in on the action. My friend thought his wife might have known, but wasn't sure.

Sounds pretty incredible, right? But the notion of New York's governor patronizing prostitutes would have sounded pretty incredible too, prior to Monday. If you can buy the notion of a sitting governor hiring hookers, why can't you imagine him sitting on their faces?

Also, our source claims to have heard about it three weeks ago, well before the scandal became public. At the time, he says, he "thought it was bogus." Little did he know.

It's hard to believe that Governor Spitzer thought he could keep his patronage of prostitutes secret for long, given his political prominence. As we heard someone quip on a talk radio show a few days ago, "Does he really believe that prostitutes don't read newspapers?"

Update: Comment of the day:

The tipster forgot to mention that he made the girls wear AIG T-Shirts when they had to slobber up.

Posted by: silda wall | March 13, 2008 03:31 PM

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer scheduled a news conference for 11:30 AM today. It appears that the governor is running late. We're tuned in to CNN, and they just showed footage of the governor's motorcade leaving from his Upper East Side apartment -- previously profiled here (Fifth Avenue, 3BR/3BA, Central Park views) -- to his offices downtown.

11:35 AM: The CNN commentators are saying that Governor Spitzer is planning to announce his resignation, but it apparently won't take effect until Monday, March 17. This would give the governor a week to "take care of business."

11:42: Governor Spitzer is in the building. It seems we're about to get underway.

11:43: Governor Spitzer takes the podium and unfolds a small piece of paper; it looks like he'll be speaking from notes. He's wearing a dark suit and white shirt -- the uniform of the upstanding prosecutor. But should he still be allowed to wear a white shirt? It's like a super-slutty bride wearing white on her wedding day. Who are you fooling?

Governor Spitzer's wife, Silda Wall Spitzer, is once again standing by her man -- literally, and as she did on Monday. She's wearing a dark suit and a fabulous scarf (red, blue, cream, and gold). But she looks a bit haggard, and her face bears a dead expression. She's not a happy camper.

11:44: Governor Spitzer speaks. Expressions of remorse for what he did, and gratitude for his family's love and support. Emphasis on "private" failings. Apologies to the people of New York for not living up to their public trust. No specific description of his indiscretions.

11:45: "I cannot allow my private failings to disturb the people's work... For this reason, I am resigning from the Office of Governor." At Lieutenant Governor David Paterson's request, it will take effect on Monday, March 17.

11:46: Concludes by expressing thanks for "the privilege of service." He borrowed that line from "Kristen."

No questions. Governor Spitzer has left the podium and the room.

That's all, folks. Nothing to see here; please move along.

Update: The full text of Eliot Spitzer's resignation statement appears here.

Earlier: Lawyerly Lairs: Eliot Spitzer's Sugar Daddy

* Spitzer may -- or make that will -- resign today. [CNN; New York Times]

* Obama wins Mississippi, picks up more Texas delegates than Clinton. [CNN]

* Gitmo war-crimes tribunal to hear detainee's case. [MSNBC]

* Houses passes proposal to create independent ethics panel. [Washington Post]

* Another French trader taken into custody in connection with gigantic trading scandal. [AP]

* Irish appeals court chews up, spits out, libel ruling against restaurant critic. [AFP via Drudge]

There are a few things we could write about right now, but let's just talk about what everyone is talking about: New York's prostitute-patronizing governor, Eliot Spitzer. Here's a fresh thread for discussion (since the old one is already a comments clusterf**k).

From the New York Times (which broke the story):

Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who gained national prominence relentlessly pursuing Wall Street wrongdoing, has been caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month, according to a law enforcement official and a person briefed on the investigation.

The wiretap captured a man identified as Client 9 on a telephone call confirming plans to have a woman travel from New York to Washington, where he had reserved a hotel room, according to an affidavit filed in federal court in Manhattan. The person briefed on the case and the law enforcement official identified Mr. Spitzer as Client 9.

Mr. Spitzer, a first term Democrat, today made a brief public appearance during which he apologized for his behavior, and described it as a “private matter.” He did not address his political future.

For a legal gossip blogger, this is huge: a highly pedigreed lawyer (and former state attorney general), who once had a blindingly bright political future, caught in a prostitution scandal. It would be tough to make this more juicy. Maybe a three-way with Rodge Cohen?

P.S. Bonus question, posed by Lawrence Hurley: Did Governor Spitzer violate the Mann Act?

Update: More details from the FBI affidavit (via MSNBC):

"Kristen" was sent to room 871, which Client 9 was leaving ajar; Client 9 wanted to be reminded of what she looked like and was told "American, petite, very pretty brunette, five feet five inches, and 105 pounds."

Apparently the session went from 9:36 p.m. [on February 13, the day before Valentine's Day,] when "Kristen" arrived in the room, until 12:02 a.m., although it appears she waited a bit for Client 9.

"Kristen" said the appointment went "very well."

"Kristen" said "that she liked him and did not think he was difficult." She collected $4,300 from Client 9.

CNN reports that this $4,300 reflected money Spitzer owed from prior to be applied toward other visits. But escorts who worked for the Emperor's Club -- not to be confused with the heartwarming Kevin Kline film, by the way -- did charge hourly rates well into the four-figures. Biglaw partners, eat your hearts out -- $1,000 is chump change to these ladies.

"Kristen" and her bosses in New York also discussed Client 9's sexual preferences and whether he had asked "you to do things that, like, you might not think were safe."

"Kristen" appears to have been OK with whatever went on in Room 871. "Kristen" stayed overnight in D.C. and took the train back to New York the next day.

Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring [New York Times]
Did Gov. Spitzer Violate the Mann Act? [Washington Briefs]

Guess we picked our Lawyer of the Day too soon.

Update (2:30 PM): Press conference scheduled for 2:15 p.m., but Governor Spitzer is running 15 minutes late. "I don't blame him," said Ben Smith of the Politico, interviewed just now on CNN.

Update (2:35 PM): Jeffrey Toobin, who was an HLS classmate of Eliot Spitzer, described the news as "a total shock." He said Spitzer has been "nothing but a straight arrow" for many years.

Update (2:50 PM): Still no press conference. Brooke Masters, author of Spoiling for a Fight: The Rise of Eliot Spitzer, was just interviewed on CNN. She noted that this scandal comes at a bad time for Spitzer politically, in the wake of last year's scandal involving his misuse of the State Police for political purposes.

Update (3 PM): We're stepping away for a bit, to give a talk at Stanford Law School. We'll be back online as soon as we can. Some content will be posted while we're gone (material prepared ahead of time, not Spitzer updates).

Developing... Check back for updates.

Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring [New York TImes]

Some notable moves within the legal profession:

Government to Private Sector:

* Former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, to LeBoeuf Lamb in DC. Last November, Steele lost his bid to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.

* Michele Hirshman, who served as Eliot Spitzer's top deputy at the Attorney General’s office before he became Governor, is joining Paul Weiss, as a litigation partner. Described by the New York Times as "very smart, very tough and rather short," she sounds perfectly diva-licious.

Lateral Moves:

* Antitrust superstar Charles "Rick" Rule, to Cadwalader, from Fried Frank. This truly IS like musical chairs: Cadwalader, Rule's new home, recently lost its antitrust group to Skadden.

* Celebrated criminal defense lawyer Abbe Lowell -- who did an excellent job defending Hamlet against murder charges -- is moving from Chadbourne & Parke to McDermott Will & Emery.

* Mark Holscher and Jeffrey Sinek are joining the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis. They're coming from O’Melveny & Myers and Thelen Reid, respectively. From the Law Blog:

Holscher and Sinek are best friends. They were roommates when they served as federal prosecutors in Los Angeles. Holscher, 44, served as an assistant U.S. Attorney from 1989-1995; Sinek, 46, served from 1989 to 1994. Sinek was the best man at Holscher’s wedding; Holscher was a groomsman in Sinek’s. Both graduated from Boalt Hall law school. Holscher told the Law Blog they’ve always wanted to work together.

Such ambiguously gay commentary led an anonymous reader to quip: "Hope that Alexandra Korry doesn’t read about this…"

On The Move: Charles “Rick” Rule [Antitrust Review]
Kirkland Beefs Up West Coast White-Collar Practice [WSJ Law Blog]
Abbe Lowell to Join McDermott from Chadbourne [WSJ Law Blog]
Former Maryland Pol Michael Steele Joins LeBoeuf Lamb [WSJ Law Blog]
Spitzer’s Longtime No. 2 Michele Hirshman to Join Paul Weiss [WSJ Law Blog]

New York's new Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, has some big shoes to fill. Governor Eliot Spitzer, during his time as New York AG, was a very busy bee.

It looks like Cuomo has found a juicy scandal to sink his teeth into -- one with possible implications for many of the law students among you. From the NYT:

The directors of financial aid at Columbia University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Southern California held shares in a student loan company that each of the universities recommends to student borrowers, and in at least two cases profited handsomely.

The personal stake of the three university officials in the company, now known as Student Loan Xpress, is the latest revelation in an expanding investigation by Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo of New York into the relationships between student loan companies and universities. Student Loan Xpress is one of the “preferred lenders” recommended at all three universities.

Some interesting info from a tipster, after the jump.

On the Way Out:

* The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California (San Francisco), Kevin Ryan, is stepping down. He cited "personal and professional reasons” for his departure.

(Does this mean that ATL favorite Eumi Choi might be placed in charge of the office for a while, even if only in an acting capacity? We hope so.)

Judicial Promotion:

* In New York, Brooklyn Civil Term Administrative Justice Theodore T. Jones Jr. has been nominated by Attorney General Governor Eliot Spitzer to the Court of Appeals, the state's highest court.

Lateral Moves:

* Over in London, Camille Abousleiman and Louise Roman Bernstein, described by the WSJ Law Blog as "capital-markets stars," are leaving the troubled Dewey Ballantine for LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae.

* Litigator Kristan Peters, to Dorsey & Whitney, from Fulbright & Jaworski.

New Partners:

* Akin Gump: Eighteen new partners. Names here.

* Dow Lohnes: M&A and corporate lawyer Matthew Block (described to us as "a hard worker" and "a great guy").

Spitzer Names Jones to Court of Appeals [New York Law Journal via Law.com]
NY Lawyers Switching Firms [NYLawyer.com]
Dow Lohnes Announces New Partner Matthew Block [Dow Lohnes]
Ryan Will Leave His Job In San Francisco [WSJ Law Blog]
Dewey Defections Across the Pond [WSJ Law Blog]

Lots of interesting moves, both actual and rumored, to report upon today.

Possible promotion:

* Elena Kagan, the popular (and hot) dean of Harvard Law School, is being considered for the presidency of Harvard University.

In government:

* New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is on a hiring spree (just like his successor as AG, Andrew Cuomo). Lloyd Constantine, who currently heads a 40-lawyer firm, will serve as a senior advisor to Spitzer. Debra Bachrach, a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, will direct the state's Medicaid program. Joseph Baker, bureau chief for health care under AG Spitzer, will take over as deputy secretary for health and human services.

"You're Fired":

* Former Apple in-house lawyer Wendy Howell was discreetly discharged, late last year, for her role in the options backdating fiasco.

Reunited and it feels so good:

* Structured finance lawyers William Cullen, Janet Barbiere and Bola Oloko, to Thacher Proffitt & Wood, from Sidley & Austin. The trio left Thacher Proffitt together in 1997 (back when Barbiere and Oloko were still associates; they were recently promoted to partnership at Sidley).

Other lateral moves:

* Bankruptcy lawyer Steven Wilamowsky, to Bingham McCutchen, from Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

Headhunters at Harvard May Pick a Woman [New York Times]
NY Bankruptcy Partner Switches Firms [NYLawyer.com]
NY Trio Returns to Firm They Left in the '90s [NYLawyer.com]
Spitzer Taps Three NY Lawyers to Fill Key Positions [NYLawyer.com]
Apple Quietly Canned Lawyer Who Backdated [The Recorder via Law.com]

* Chickens help us cope with "chronic anxiety" too. After they're ground up and turned into McNuggets. [Nasty, Brutish & Short]

* "DO NOT put any person in this washing machine." Unless they're really smelly -- and small. [Overlawyered; Associated Press]

* Eliot Spitzer has a man-date. In more ways than one. [New York Daily News]

* Joan Biskupic gets a book deal. For a bio that writes itself. [How Appealing]

* Judges should too. 'Cause most of them couldn't do their own Westlaw research if their lives depended on it. [TaxProf Blog]

* Having your cake -- and screwing it, too? [Overlawyered]

* If your cake contains trans fats, Judge Posner -- who's rumored to enjoy grapefruit for dessert -- will take it away from you, and dump it in the trash. [Becker-Posner Blog]

* Marty Lipton's theory of executive compensation: "I make tons of money, and I'm just the hired help. So client CEOs should make even more!" [Reuters]

* Chief Justice John Roberts: the boy who cried "constitutional crisis"? [Slate via How Appealing]

* This is lame. If everyone's a name partner, then no one's a name partner. [WSJ Law Blog]

* We suspect that the percentage of bad bosses is higher in the legal profession. Lawyers aren't trained to be managers. And suck at it. [Workplace Prof Blog]

* The New York Court of Appeals: some tricky picking for Eliot Spitzer. [Judicial Reports]

* It's about time that we had a litigatrix in the White House! [New York Times]

* The nation mourns President Gerald R. Ford. Federal government employees and stock exchange workers thank him for a four-day weekend. [Washington Post; Associated Press]

* Plaintiffs' class-action lawyer William Lerach claims that firing him would cause "delay, duplication of effort and extra costs." So does hiring him. [WSJ Law Blog]

* A new year, an old question: Are federal judges underpaid? Maybe; maybe not. [New York Times; Washington Wire; SCOTUSblog; National Review Online (via How Appealing)]

(We think Chief Justice Roberts is being a bit alarmist. Is it truly a "constitutional crisis" that Sidwell Friends doesn't accept payment in prestige?)

* This seems sensible. But since when has the Senate cared about common sense? The inefficiency quirkiness of that institution is why we love it so. [Los Angeles Times via How Appealing]

* Can New York Governor Eliot Spitzer live up to the hype? Several scandals have at least given him a lot to work with. [New York Times]

* WaPo columnist Richard Cohen shares our love for Monica Lewinsky. Why can't the media give her the respect that she's entitled to? Making double entendres about oral sex is no way to treat a lady. [Washington Post]

We hear that Andrew Cuomo, New York's incoming Attorney General, will be announcing some of his top appointments very soon -- perhaps as early as this afternoon.

Since Eliot Spitzer reinvigorated the New York AG's office, then used it as a vehicle to the Governor's Mansion, the office's profile and prestige have increased. Positions within it have become much more desirable.

It will be interesting to see Cuomo's picks. We'll keep you posted.

(Cuomo, of course, comes from a prominent family of lawyers. His father, former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, is now at Willkie Farr & Gallagher. His brother, Fordham Law grad Chris Cuomo, just joined ABC's Good Morning America, after serving as a legal correspondent for the network.)

Andrew Cuomo Transition 2006 [official website]
The Cuomo Family [New York Observer via WSJ Law Blog]

It has been a while since our last round-up of notable moves within the legal profession. So there's a lot to report today:

Law Firm to... Prison?

* Former Milberg Weiss name partner Steven Schulman resigned from the firm to pursue “new ventures.” The most important of these "ventures" will surely be fighting federal charges of making illegal payments to plaintiffs in past cases.

Law Firms to In-House:

* Securities lawyer Stephen Cutler is leaving his partnership at WilmerHale to become general counsel of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., the banking giant. From a tipster who works in securities law: "This is a big deal."

Colleagues of Cutler described the JP Morgan gig to the WSJ Law Blog as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity. Translation: Who wouldn't want to make mid- instead of low-seven-figures?

* Another WilmerHale departure: J. Kevin McCarthy is taking over as top lawyer of the Cowen Group, an investment bank.

Government to Private Sector:

* Former New Jersey Chief Justice Deborah Poritz joins the Princeton office of Drinker Biddle & Reath, as of counsel. She stepped down from the New Jersey Supreme Court in October, after reaching the mandatory retirement age.

Government Promotion:

* David Nocenti, current counsel to New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, will become counsel to the governor effective January 1.

Academia-Biglaw Alliance:

* Harvard Law School Professor Laurence Tribe, the renowned constitutional scholar and SCOTUS litigator, is entering into a consulting arrangement with Akin Gump.

Akin Gump is developing a Supreme Court practice. Earlier this year, they added young SCOTUS superstar Tom Goldstein to their line-up.

Lateral Moves:

* Securities-enforcement lawyer Chuck Davidow, to Paul Weiss (DC), from WilmerHale.

Another loss for WilmerHale -- on top of the previously reported departure of Paul Eckert for the White House Counsel's Office.

Why are so many partners leaving WilmerHale? A Hillary Clinton administration is still two years away.

* IP lawyer Joseph Gioconda, to DLA Piper (New York), from Kirkland & Ellis.

* Corporate lawyer Eric Lerner, to Kramer Levin, from Katten Muchin Rosenman.

* Tax lawyer Thomas Giegerich, to McDermott Will & Emery (NY), from Dewey Ballantine (about to merge with Orrick to form Dewy Orifice).

New Partners:

* Bryan Cave: Eleven new partners. Names here.

Due to the sheer number of links today, we've placed them after the jump.

* A rather innocuous profile of New York’s new first lady, ex-attorney Silda Wall Spitzer (who was an up-and-coming corporate superstar at Skadden, but aren’t they all). She was previously married to a Harvard Law classmate for 29 days. Another HLS classmate, Jim Cramer, thinks she’s pretty, and the journalist probably does not understand the notion of billable hours. [New York Times]

* They’re much stricter about using office services for personal use up north. [The Globe and Mail]

* A headbutt is fined $15,000, and a groin-kneeing $25,000. If I were a pro athelete, I’d say that was an extra $10,000 well spent. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer]

* You can still stand firm and refuse to hand over your taxes. After all, you have balls and they don’t. [Washington Post via TaxProf Blog]

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, soon to be crowned the state's next governor, has a very wealthy -- and very generous -- father. Bernard Spitzer, a real estate mogul worth some $500 million, provides his 47-year-old son with free housing.

In Manhattan. On the Upper East Side. On Fifth Avenue. From TaxProf Blog:

Spitzer has lived rent-free with his family at 985 Fifth Ave. for 13 years. The 25-story tower off 79th St. has just two apartments per floor and terraces that look down at the Metropolitan Museum of Art....

Thanks to his dad's generosity, Spitzer, his wife and three daughters have lived in a home graced with at least three bedrooms, four baths, a balcony, library and sweeping vistas of Central Park....

Vetted by lawyers and accountants, the living arrangement is both lawful and proper, said Darren Dopp, Spitzer's communications director: The father pays an annual gift tax on the present he gives his son....

The market value of the gift is reported annually on real estate tax filings and on Bernard Spitzer's tax returns. But citing privacy, Dopp declined to disclose the apartment's rent, the gift's value or the amount of the gift tax paid. Three real estate brokers familiar with the building say that a spread of comparable size could lease for $16,000 to $20,000 a month. That puts the gift's current value at an estimated $192,000 to $240,000 a year.

The Daily News makes 985 Fifth Avenue sound like one of New York's finest apartment houses. And an annual gift of free rent worth almost a quarter of a million dollars is nothing to scoff at. After all, Fifth Avenue is Fifth Avenue.

But if you'll allow us to nitpick, nobody would mistake 985 Fifth Avenue for one of the avenue's "best" buildings (e.g., 820 Fifth Avenue, 834 Fifth Avenue). After all, nine-eighty-five did not make Tom Wolfe's 1985 list of "Good Buildings" -- and this should come as no surprise. It's not a co-op, but a rental building; it's not prewar, but from 1968 (a dubious year for residential architecture); and it's made of yellow brick, not limestone (or even red brick).

How can Eliot Spitzer stand to live in such a déclassé building? Now his disturbingly fervent hunger for the governor's mansion makes perfect sense.

Of course, there are other lawyers who receive even grander parental largesse on the real estate front. For example, Robert Smit -- a partner at Simpson Thacher, where profits per partner averaged $2.37 million in 2005 -- lives with his family in his dad's $29 million mansion. (We assume he lives there for free, but haven't verified this; if you know, please let us know.)

Eliot Spitzer and the Gift Tax [TaxProf Blog]
Empire of the Son: Spitzer reaps fortune from dad’s real estate smarts [New York Daily News]
985 Fifth Avenue [The Upper East Side Book]

Earlier: Lawyerly Lairs: Professor Smit's Uptown Mansion

* John Faso, the Republican candidate for New York governor, calls out Eliot Spitzer for his Dick Grasso grandstanding. Ha. [DealBreaker]

* Wow, this is weird: John "Junior" Gotti serenades Judge Shira Scheindlin on her 60th birthday. [New York Post]

* Musical chairs in legal academia: a whole lot of shakin' goin' on. [Concurring Opinions]

* End of summer, end of summer associate meals. Sigh... [WSJ.com]