Keker & Van Nest

  • Anthony Kennedy, Barack Obama, Biglaw, Clarence Thomas, DUI / DWI, John Roberts, Keker & Van Nest, Law Schools, Melvyn Weiss, Milberg Weiss, Minority Issues, Money, Morning Docket, Racism, SCOTUS, Supreme Court

    Morning Docket: 05.06.13

    * It’s springtime, and the nation’s highest court is getting ready to drop some of its biggest decisions yet. If Tolkien had written this, Justice Kennedy would be the one to bear the One Vote. [UPI]

    * But for SCOTUS to maintain legitimacy in the eyes of the people, its justices must do battle against a “modern-day tsunami of special interests.” How well are they doing? [National Law Journal]

    * To answer that question, let’s look at their record. Political labels aside, thus far, the Roberts court has shaped up to be “the most pro-business court since the mid-1930s.” [New York Times]

    * Meanwhile, Justice Thomas has been busy taking shots at President Obama, noting that he always knew the first black president had to be pre-screened by “the elites” and “the media.” [Mother Jones]

    * Sometimes even federal prosecutors are willing to take pity upon rich old white men: Mel Weiss, formerly of Milberg LLP, won’t be returning to jail after his foray into DUI territory. [Am Law Daily]

    * “Chevron can afford to litigate this case ‘until hell freezes over.’ But [Steven] Donziger can’t.” As it turns out, clients who can’t pay their bills are problematic for John Keker of Keker & Van Nest. [Reuters]

    * Penn State Law is continuing with its plans to fleece students at two separately accredited sites, because clearly what the world needs right now is MOAR LAW SCHOOLS. [Centre Daily Times]

  • Biglaw, Constitutional Law, Department of Justice, Keker & Van Nest, Lateral Moves, Law Schools, Money, Morning Docket, Partner Issues, SCOTUS, Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court, Women's Issues

    Morning Docket: 02.07.13

    * “But Daddddddd!!!” Sorry, HealthBridge, but sometimes mom’s word is the law. After RBG slapped down a request to review the constitutionality of Obama’s recess appointments, the rest of the Supreme Court told Scalia to STFU. [Blog of Legal Times]

    * “The very idea that she would be headlining a Pepsi event is shocking.” Are Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s days as a judicial darling coming to an end? After attending this event for Yale Law women in April, they may be numbered. [New York Times]

    * And you thought they were “Burning Down the House” before! Standard & Poor’s has hired talented trial attorney John Keker of Keker & Van Nest to represent the ratings agency in the DOJ’s $5 billion suit. [Reuters]

    * Talk about a soft landing: David Kappos, the former director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, was picked up by Cravath. He’s only the fourth lateral partner the firm’s hired in 50 years. [Am Law Daily]

    * Hilarie Bass of Greenberg Traurig is one of the most powerful women in Biglaw. In consideration of that $200M suit, the firm is now shifting to a “boys and one girl club” model. [Daily Business Review (sub. req.)]

    * “Axiom simply does it better, faster and cheaper.” The innovative legal services company manned by Biglaw refugees celebrated its thirteenth anniversary with a bang — $28 million in funding. [WSJ Law Blog (sub. req.)]

    * Oh noooo! We’re a public school and we don’t have enough students to fill the seats! Let’s raise tuition by six percent, then charge everyone the new in-state price, and pretend like it’s a favor. Yay! [National Law Journal]

  • Arent Fox, Biglaw, Boutique Law Firms, Heller Ehrman, Keker & Van Nest, Money, Skaddenfreude

    Skaddenfreude: Arent Fox; K&L Gates; Heller Ehrman; Keker & Van Nest; Friday Afternoon Open Thread

    As we move into the weekend, we have a few more associate pay raise announcements to share with you. After the jump, there’s confirmed compensation news about Arent Fox, K&L Gates, Heller Ehrman, and Keker & Van Nest. We’ve also heard the rumors about Jones Day (Dallas) raising to $150K, from multiple sources. But we […]