Law Schools
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9th Circuit, Gay Marriage, General Counsel, In-House Counsel, Law Schools, Non-Sequiturs, Patents
Non-Sequiturs: 10.07.14
* Congratulations to Tony West on his new gig as General Counsel of PepsiCo. It sounds like an exciting and challenging opportunity. Plus, you know, free Mountain Dew. [Politico] * What the hell? The feds stole a woman’s identity and made it into a Facebook page. Well, now she’s found out and she’s suing. Identity theft was one thing, but the way the DEA Agent kept spamming the woman’s friends to play Candy Crush Saga was just unacceptable. [Buzzfeed] * Time for some court news: Ninth Circuit joined the chorus in striking down gay marriage bans in Idaho and Nevada. [Ninth Circuit] * It’s Nobel Prize time, and one of the winners for Physics has a personal story about how important it is to hire a good lawyer. In fact, it was about $180 million important. [Slate] * We constantly beat the drum of how law schools need to adjust to reality and stop duping students into terrible financial decisions. But here’s the PR secret that’s kept law schools from, by and large, collapsing: they sell the experience. [Law and More] * An open letter begging Amal Alamuddin not to quit her day job now that she’s married to some acting guy. [The Careerist] * New York City paid $50K to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a child who killed herself after school officials allegedly did nothing despite several warnings that the girl was being brutally bullied. There’s a lot of “in my day…” types who read this site who may not care about bullying, but this is more a question of irresponsibility. If your job is to provide a safe learning environment and you fail, you pay. [DNA Info] * At oral argument, the Court seemed generally supportive of the Muslim inmate hoping to grow a beard. If this intuition is right, soon individual people may have the same religious rights as corporations! [Supreme Court Brief] * Finally, thanks to the Rutgers-Newark Law School chapter of the American Constitution Society for hosting a great event today where Elie and I previewed the upcoming SCOTUS Term. My personal highlight was watching Elie’s head explode while talking about Young v. UPS. -
Books, Caption Contests, Contests, Law Schools, Pictures, Vicious Infighting
Caption Contest: Wherein Law Students Fight Over Politically Incorrect Margin Notes
Way to show that guy who's boss, brave law student. - 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… -
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5th Circuit, Fast Food, Food, Gay, Gay Marriage, Law Schools, Lesbians, Morning Docket, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Texas
Morning Docket: 10.07.14
* Since SCOTUS punted on same-sex marriage, people in states where gay marriage bans still exist are wondering when it will be their turn. It’s just a waiting game from here on out. [USA Today]
* Babies wait for no one: a pregnant lesbian couple fighting the Texas ban on gay marriage filed an usual request asking that the Fifth Circuit hurry up and schedule arguments. [WSJ Law Blog]
* The “puff, puff, pass” defense? Robel Phillipos, friend of accused Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, claims he was so high during the aftermath he can’t remember a thing. [Bloomberg]
* When should you apply to law school? When you can get into a top school, have clear career objectives, and won’t have to take out loans. You’re preaching to the choir. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News]
* A Burger King customer is suing because he claims the restaurant’s manager attacked him with a knife and a Taser. This all allegedly happened over some cold onion rings, of course. [New York Daily News]
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Law Schools, Money, Quote of the Day
This Guy Will Pay You Not To Go To Law School
He's trying to save prospective law students from their futures as debt-saddled, unemployed attorneys. -
Law Schools
Cooley Law School To 'Cease Operations' At One Of Its Campuses
This may be the first law school campus closure since the start of the Great Recession... -
5th Circuit, Abortion, Biglaw, Gay Marriage, Job Searches, Lateral Moves, Law Schools, Morning Docket, Partner Issues, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Texas, Women's Issues
Morning Docket: 10.03.14
* SCOTUS justices added 11 cases to this term’s docket yesterday following their megaconference earlier this week. Alas, no same-sex marriage cases have been added yet. [New York Times]
* The Fifth Circuit allowed Texas to enforce its new abortion clinic restrictions. The only thing that will stop its “devastating impact on abortion access” is SCOTUS intervention. [MSNBC]
* Two more women just joined the ranks of the highest tier of Biglaw firm leadership. Congrats to Jami Wintz McKeon of Morgan Lewis and Therese Pritchard of Bryan Cave. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Gibson Dunn poached a prominent partner from U.K. firm Ashurst following his fall from grace as its leader last year. He’s thrilled to work for “one of the strongest U.S. firms around.” [Am Law Daily]
* The Thomas Jefferson School of Law may be “California’s worst-performing law school,” but it certainly performs well in terms of providing entertainment for those who are big fans of schadenfreude. [City Journal]
* Many schools pay their grads to count them as employed — but not UNC Law. Its career services office is aware that “jobs don’t grow on trees,” but hey, at least they’re trying to be transparent. [Daily Tar Heel]
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Canada, Gay, Law Schools, Politics, Religion
The View From Up North: Meet Canada's Most Discriminating Law School
Does this controversial law school deserve accreditation? - Sponsored
Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
The rise of remote work has dramatically reshaped the relationship between Lawyers and Law Firms, see how Scale LLP has taken the steps to get… -
Biglaw, Celebrities, Law Schools, Midsize Firms / Regional Firms, Money, Morning Docket, Real Estate
Morning Docket: 10.01.14
* Weil Gotshal is tired of winnowing its workers, so this time around, the firm is relinquishing some of its real estate. The firm will have the same address as usual, but its space will be smaller — 20 percent smaller. [WSJ Law Blog]
* It’s not just leaders of Biglaw firms who are looking to downsize. Leaders of midsize firms are trying to do the same thing, but with their management responsibilities instead of their people. Charming. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
* Lawyers are typically stereotyped by the uninformed as being some of the richest people in America. As luck would have it, some lawyers are the richest people in America. Which ones? We’ll have more on this later. [Am Law Daily]
* “If I could redo a year ago, I would still go. Just because I know that [law school] still opens doors.” We’ve got a correction: Silly 2L, Columbia Law — not law school in general — still opens doors. [USA Today]
* Tracy Morgan has spoken out for the first time since his tragic accident this summer, but only after Wal-Mart blamed him for getting hurt in the first place. It’s a rollback on pure class. [New York Daily News]
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Law School Deans, Law Schools
Hey, Let's Make Law School More Expensive! Top School Dean Proposes Tuition Increase
How much will next year cost for these students already paying over $50K/year? -
Bad Ideas, Law Schools, Money, Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners, Student Loans
Every Law School Mistake Ever, From One Lady
How the other half is ruined. -
Biglaw, Boutique Law Firms, Celebrities, Drugs, DUI / DWI, Education / Schools, Law Schools, Morning Docket, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Morning Docket: 09.30.14
* “[T]he ‘superstar’ model of Supreme Court advocacy marketing is prevailing”: recent Supreme Court litigation has been dominated by Biglaw and boutiques, and five of them handled about half of last term’s cases. [WSJ Law Blog]
* It’s not a “done deal” yet, but Albany Law School is in serious talks with the University at Albany to form an affiliation by the end of the year. There’s been no word on whether Albany Law would remain a stand-alone school under the yet-to-be inked arrangement. [Albany Business Review]
* The dismissal of lawsuits concerning allegedly deceptive employment statistics at several Chicago-area law schools was affirmed by an Illinois appeals court. ::insert sad trombone here:: [National Law Journal]
* If you’re still thinking about applying to law school for some reason, you might find these tips on what not to write in a personal statement to be useful. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News & World Report]
* Amanda Bynes, one of our favorite fading starlets who was already on probation, was arrested this weekend on a DUI charge after stopping her car in the middle of an intersection. [Los Angeles Times]
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Books, Law Schools, Movies, Non-Sequiturs, Solo Practitioners, Supreme Court, Tax Law, Technology
Non-Sequiturs: 09.29.14
* Well here’s a headline: My Solo Practice Ended My Marriage. [Law Firm Suites] * Pennsylvania Attorney General claims officials sent and received porn via state email accounts for years, “including top state jurists and 30 current employees of the state Attorney General’s Office.” If the AG’s office is swapping porn at all hours, somehow […]
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
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Biglaw, Election Law, Eric Holder, Law Firm Mergers, Law School Deans, Law Schools, Money, Morning Docket, Partner Issues, Politics, Pornography, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns
Morning Docket: 09.29.14
* Now that we know Eric Holder is resigning, there’s been speculation as to where he’ll go next. The obvious choice is a return to Covington & Burling, but he could still surprise everyone. [National Law Journal]
* “Judicial campaign cash is burning a hole in the Constitution.” State court judges are pumping money into their election campaigns, and some have been left to wonder about its true price. [New York Times]
* Details have emerged as to conditions that must be met for Bingham McCutchen’s proposed merger with Morgan Lewis: partner promises, de-equitizations, and forgivable loans, oh my! [Reuters (sub. req.)]
* In the wake of Dean Makau Mutua’s decision to step down at Buffalo Law, a “deep rift” among faculty has been brought to light. The school’s future doesn’t seem as “bright” as we were one told. [Buffalo News]
* A former law student who was falsely identified as a porn star on the radio had her day in court and pulled out a win. Here’s the money shot: she’s walking away with $1 million in damages. [Kansas City Star]
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Beyonce, Boalt Hall, Celebrities, Gay, Law Schools, Minority Issues, Parties, Racism, Women's Issues
Law School Poster Appropriates Booties, Hurts Feelings
Law students go to the mattresses over a "booty" poster. -
Law Professors, Law Schools, Lunacy, Rudeness
Everyone Hates This Poor Law Professor
Will he go gentle into that good night? Of course not! -
Job Searches, Law Schools, Quote of the Day, Television
'How To Get Away With Murder' Accurately Describes Life In Biglaw -- But That's About It
Absurd dialogue and even more ridiculous plotlines? You might love this show. -
Biglaw, Eric Holder, Google / Search Engines, Law Schools, Mergers and Acquisitions, Morning Docket, Technology, United Kingdom / Great Britain
Morning Docket: 09.26.14
* Solicitor General Don Verrilli may be a frontrunner to replace Eric Holder as attorney general, but the competition seems to be stiff. Kamala Harris, anyone? [USA Today]
* FBI Director James Comey is annoyed by Apple and Google marketing their encryption prowess for privacy’s sake — it’ll “allow people to place themselves beyond the law.” [WSJ Law Blog]
* White & Case just hopped aboard the onshore outsourcing train with its announcement that it would open a services center in Tampa, Florida. The move will create about 100 jobs, but we’d love to know how many it’s negating. [Tampa Bay Times]
* Slater & Gordon, the world’s first publicly traded law firm, has been on an “acquisition spree” in England. Earlier this month, it picked up patent practice, and now it’s in talks with a litigation shop. [Am Law Daily]
* “Law school is a major gamble,” and people are more informed, but that somehow isn’t stopping people from applying. This is a great article to read if you’re still considering going all in. [New York Observer]
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Fast Food, Federalist Society, Food, Gay, Gay Marriage, Law Schools, Politics
Is It Ever OK To Serve Chick-Fil-A? An ATL Debate
ATL editors David Lat and Joe Patrice debate: When is a chicken sandwich just a chicken sandwich? -
Law School Deans, Law Schools
I Wish For A More Expansive Definition Of Law Dean Perjury
Alleged perjury dogs dean on way out of the door.