* Doesn’t anybody respect attorney-client privilege anymore? This isn’t ‘Nam. There are rules. [Am Law Daily]
* Honestly, I’m more worried about gamma rays from distant black holes than I am about cell phone radiation. And no, I’m not at all worried about gamma rays. [Law.com]
* People seemed to like music on Fridays. So, in honor of the (Damn) Yankees:
* Bank of America’s general counsel was not on active status to practice law in Massachusetts during his first (crucial) eight days as the company’s top lawyer. [Boston Globe]
* Big pay day for the lawyers who helped Walmart workers get their overtime money. [National Law Journal]
* NY AG Andrew Cuomo is going after Intel. [Wired]
* The attorney general of Kenya is mulling a lawsuit against the U.S. for revoking his travel visa. [Associated Press]
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 9:05 AM - By David Lat
* Prosecutors prevail at the polls: former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie (pictured) wins the gubernatorial race in New Jersey, and former state attorney general Robert McDonnell seizes victory in Virginia. Both are Republicans. [New York Times]
* Meanwhile, Maine voters reject a state law that would have allowed same-sex marriage. [Associated Press]
* Lawyers for John Allen Muhammad, the “D.C. Sniper” behind random shootings that killed 10 people, want the Supreme Court to stop his execution. [Washington Post]
* Former Day Casebeer lawyers, embroiled in messy disciplinary proceedings over discovery problems, claim their ex-client Qualcomm misled them. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Which three law firms are involved in the gigantic, $34 billion Berkshire Hathaway / Burlington Northern deal? [Am Law Daily]
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 9:03 AM - By Kashmir Hill
* Florida has its own Marc Dreier. Scott Rothstein is accused of swindling investors. His 70-lawyer firm, Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, will dissolve. [AmLaw and Associated Press]
* Store clerk steals man’s $1 million lottery ticket. The Texas Lottery Commission considers the thief to be entitled to the prize, because he signed the back of the winning ticket. [Associated Press]
* The Supreme Court will decide whether mutual fund advisors are paid too much. [New York Times]
* Conman who posed as a lawyer “to win the affections of women” has been jailed for three years. [BBC News]
* Attorneys for sniper John Allen Muhammad plan to appeal to the Supreme Court to try to prevent next week’s execution. [Associated Press]
* RIP, Prof. Michael Goldsmith of BYU. [TaxProf Blog]
* Schools warn parents that their children shouldn’t wear scary Halloween costumes. [New York Times]
* Under New York employment law, companies that require a uniform are supposed to provide that uniform for their employees. Apparently that is not happening at Hooters. [Daily News]
* Cancer patients want to put bone marrow on the open market. [National Law Journal]
* Everyone knows that monkeys are funny. But are they service animals? [Courthouse News Service]
* Am Law 200 lawyers are flocking to Chris Christie over Jon Corzine. [Am Law Daily]
Thursday, October 29, 2009 9:12 AM - By Kashmir Hill
* Former Lawyer of the Day Adam Reposa, who was held in contempt for making the ‘jerk off’ gesture in sight of a judge, is still contemptible. [Texas Lawyer via Blogonaut]
* The first openly gay U.S. attorney gets to work in Washington State. [Associated Press]
* Kwame Kilpatrick is suing the attorney who turned the former Detroit mayor’s sext messages over to the Detroit Free Press. [Detroit News]
* Fresno judge forces nine pot shops to shutter pending the outcome of a zoning law court battle. [Associated Press]
* Former Judge of the Day Robert “Don’t-Park-in-My-Spot” Nalley pleads guilty to taking the air out of a court cleaner’s tire. [Washington Post]
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 9:15 AM - By David Lat
* Reed Smith becomes the latest law firm to announce a move away from lockstep in favor of a “core competencies” model. [WSJ Law Blog]
* The Ninth Circuit grants the Obama Administration’s request for rehearing en banc of a case about the CIA’s “extraordinary rendition” program. [How Appealing]
* A former Dorsey & Whitney partner, accused of illegally providing inside information about deals he was working on to a law school classmate, takes his own life. [Bloomberg via ABA Journal]
* Both sides gear up for the upcoming vote on Maine’s same-sex marriage law. [New York Times]
* Another $31 million in fees will be headed in the direction of Chrysler bankruptcy lawyers (primarily Jones Day). [Am Law Daily]
* This is why you hire Bob Barnett: Sarah Palin received $1.25 million for her eagerly anticipated new memoir, Going Rogue, even before leaving office. [AP]
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 9:07 AM - By Kashmir Hill
* Thelen refugees claim that the firms that hired the firm’s ex-partners — Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe; DLA Piper; Nixon Peabody; Howrey; and Morgan Lewis & Bockius — owe them $18 million under the WARN Act. [Recorder]
* Galleon Group rascal Raj Rajaratnam dumps Gibson Dunn’s James Walden for Akin Gump’s John Dowd. [Bloomberg]
* … Dowd won’t have long to prepare. Judge Jed Rakoff wants to see Rajaratnam go to trial in 5 months. [Wall Street Journal]
Monday, October 26, 2009 9:23 AM - By Kashmir Hill
* Has Justice Sotomayor put Clarence Thomas over the edge? While speaking at the University of Alabama, Justice Thomas said he wishes that the other justices would STFU during oral arguments. He also complained that there are too many Ivy Leaguers on the SCOTUS bench. [Associated Press]
* One of the beneficiaries at the top of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme was found on the bottom of a pool Sunday. [New York Times]
* Who has the rights to the treasures of the Titanic? [Associated Press]
* Proposition 8 proponents have to turn over their campaign strategy documents. [San Francisco Chronicle]
* An anarchist social worker believes his constitutional rights were violated during the G-20 meetings in Pittsburgh. Police raided his home for breaking an anti-riot law via Twitter. [Wired]
* The U.S. formally demands Roman Polanski’s extradition. [New York Times]
* Hate crimes legislation awaits Obama’s loving signature. [CNN]
* I thought discriminating against Wiccan was part of the traditional Halloween celebration. I guess I’ll actually have to give these costumed marauders some kind of treat this year. [Courthouse News Service]
* The malpractice suit against Davis Wright & Tremaine was settled for $30 million. [ABA Journal]
* Ropes & Gray is expanding into London. Cheers. [Am Law Daily]
* Senator Orrin Hatch wants the Obama administration to look into the Bowl Championship Series. Doesn’t he know that the Southeastern Conference is much more powerful than the U.S. Senate? [WSJ Law Blog]
* Nevada Bar results went up last night. Congratulations to those who passed. Who are you? I really want to know. [State Bar of Nevada]
Thursday, October 22, 2009 9:12 AM - By Kashmir Hill
* University of Texas students help to exonerate two men wrongfully convicted of capital murder. But why are the law students making undergrads do the heavy lifting? [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]
* Back in August, the WSJ reported that rumors were swirling about the departure of Obama’s White House counsel Gregory Craig. The New York Times says the swirling continues. [New York Times]
* The Ted Stevens investigation claims a victim: William Welch II, head of the Justice Department’s public-integrity section, is stepping down. [Washington Post]
* Former New York City police chief Bernard Kerik will await his corruption trial in jail. [BBC News]
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 8:27 AM - By David Lat
* SCOTUS has agreed to decide whether federal courts can order Guantanamo detainees to be released into the United States, which raises separation of powers issues (because the political branches are in charge of passing and enforcing immigration laws). [How Appealing (linkwrap)]
* A big loss for Exxon Mobil (and its lawyers at McDermott): a jury issues a $104.7 million verdict, after finding the company liable for poisoning NYC water wells. [Bloomberg]
* Weekend at Bernie’s: lawsuit alleges drug use and debauchery at the Madoff offices. [ABA Journal]
* The Galleon / Raj Rajaratnam insider trading case lands in Judge Rakoff’s court. Could this create complications for the SEC? [WSJ Law Blog]
* The FAA is investigating last week’s Balloon Boy incident. [CNN]
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 8:54 AM - By Kashmir Hill
* Judge James Zagel okays Rod Blagojevich’s being a contestant on Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” despite his pending criminal trial, but warns him to be careful during the confessional portions. [Chicago Tribune]
* Balloon Boy hoax charges will include conspiracy, attempting to influence a public servant, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and false reporting to authorities. Their attorney warns that arresting the Heenes in front of their children would be child abuse. Perhaps the kids could just hide in the attic during the arrest. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer]
* Is getting into Florida A&M law school worth filing a lawsuit over? [National Law Journal]
* Chris Rock’s documentary “Good Hair” can grow. Judge Dale S. Fischer watched it and “Nappy Roots” — the premise of which Rock is accused of swiping — and didn’t see significant similarities. [E! Online]
Monday, October 19, 2009 9:13 AM - By Kashmir Hill
* On Friday, the SEC charged hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam with running a $20 million insider trading ring along with executives from Intel, McKinsey & Co., and Bear Stearns. [Bloomberg]
* Georgia lawyer Tom Dunn used to spend his time trying to help those on death row. But now he’s spending his days with middle school students as a teacher for Teach For America. [New York Times]
* Elie Mystal speaks out against a publicly-funded competitor for Harvard Law School. [Boston Globe]
* Litigation didn’t turn out to be countercyclical. [American Lawyer]
* New York State Senator Hiram Monserrate has been found not guilty of felony assault. But he was convicted on the misdemeanor reckless assault. [Daily News]
* Anti-vaccinators are gaining steam. This is an excellent opportunity for those that believe in science to gain a survival advantage over those that don’t. Mmm … natural selection. [New York Times]
* Innocent until proven guilty is a phrase Penn State is about to get very familiar with. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Chief Judge Vaughn Walker (N.D. Cal.) denies a motion to dismiss the gay marriage case brought by David Boies and Ted Olson. [Christian Science Monitor]
* Judicial hottie Ricardo Urbina (D.D.C.) has blocked public access to certain pretrial proceedings in the case of five Blackwater security guards charged with manslaughter. [Washington Post]
* More death sentences handed down for July’s ethnic riots in western China. [New York Times]
* More about what’s going on down in Puerto Rico — it’s not just the law school that’s in a state of unrest. [True/Slant]
* Maria Shriver, aka Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has apologized for using a cell phone while driving (a violation of California law). [CNN]
* Bruce Wasserstein, Harvard Law School graduate and former owner of the American Lawyer and the National Law Journal, RIP. [Am Law Daily]
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:17 AM - By David Lat
* Pay czar Kenneth Feinberg runs into legal obstacles in his effort to trim AIG bonuses. [New York Times]
* Gov. Schwarzenegger has signed a California law aimed at curbing overzealous paparazzi, by criminalizing the taking and selling of unauthorized photos of celebrities in “personal or familial activity.” [CNN]
* How to deal with the 97 Yemenis at Guantanamo? Send them to Saudi Arabia. [Washington Post]
* It’s official: it’s okay to call Stalin a “bloodthirsty cannibal,” even in Russia. [AP via WSJ Law Blog]
* The Supreme Court hears a challenge to Illinois forfeiture laws that claims the laws don’t sufficiently protect the rights of “innocent owners.” [ABA Journal]
* The New York Court of Appeals hears two cases challenging state policies granting benefits and recognition to gay couples married outside New York. [New York Times]
* Bank of America’s board votes to waive privilege and disclose the legal advice it received on the Merrill Lynch merger, which could spell trouble for B of A’s outside counsel at Wachtell (depending on the advice given). [New York Times]
* Meanwhile, B of A expands its team for the SEC litigation in the S.D.N.Y. by hiring Paul Weiss (which, along with Cleary Gottlieb, urged the bank to waive privilege with respect to the Merrill merger advice). [Dealbook / New York Times]
* Tort reform, in the form of limitations upon medical malpractice suits, could save up to $54 billion over the next 10 years. [CNN]
* In the wake of a botched execution attempt, Ohio is conducting a review of its executions over the past 10 years. [Washington Post]
* Speaking of death row inmates, were three Arkansas men, now facing either life imprisonment or execution for killing three young boys, wrongfully convicted? [New York Times]
* Roman Polanski, now in a Zurich prison, is depressed and dejected, according to his lawyer. [Reuters via Drudge]
* Two Connecticut doctors have filed a challenge to their state’s ban on physician-assisted suicide. [Courthouse News Service]
* A suspect in a 1968 airplane hijacking has been captured. [CNN]
* Check out the videos and transcripts thus far from C-SPAN’s “Supreme Court Week.” [How Appealing (linkwrap)]
(68) Comments
* Prosecutors prevail at the polls: former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie (pictured) wins the gubernatorial race in New Jersey, and former state attorney general Robert McDonnell seizes victory in Virginia. Both are Republicans. [
* Reed Smith becomes the latest law firm to announce a move away from lockstep in favor of a “core competencies” model. [
* SCOTUS has agreed to decide whether federal courts can order Guantanamo detainees to be released into the United States, which raises separation of powers issues (because the political branches are in charge of passing and enforcing immigration laws). [
* Balloon Boy was never airborne. [
* The Justice Department is implementing reforms to avoid another Ted Stevens-style snafu. [
* Pay czar Kenneth Feinberg runs into legal obstacles in his effort to trim AIG bonuses. [
* Bank of America’s board votes to waive privilege and disclose the legal advice it received on the Merrill Lynch merger, which could spell trouble for B of A’s outside counsel at Wachtell (depending on the advice given). [
* In the wake of a botched execution attempt, Ohio is conducting a review of its executions over the past 10 years. [
