Tuesday, February 9, 2010 6:08 PM - By Elie Mystal
* Representative John Murtha died just one week after having his gall bladder removed. Coincidence? I had to have my gall bladder removed three and a half years ago, I was terrified until they told me they were using “lasers” — like in Star Trek … cool. Sorry commenters, I remain as strong as an ox. [New York Personal Injury Law Blog]
* Understanding why law school applications continue to rise despite every observable measure of reason and logic might be the last step to finally nailing down a unified theory of everything. Somebody needs to lock Stephen Hawking, Brent Spiner, and Robert Post in a room until they figure this out. [Business Insider]
* Is it time for laid off lawyers to start doing manual labor? I hope not. Above the Truckstop doesn’t seem like it would be as fun to write for. [Law and More]
* InsideCounsel wonders why Baby Boomer partners can be found in the office long after younger associates leave? I’m not entirely sure, but it might have something to do with the fact that the kids understand that a brick and mortar office is just a little bit obsolete. [What About Clients?]
* Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, has officially been charged with involuntary manslaughter. How did the alleged crime go down? Well: He came into MJ’s Apartment, he left the bloodstains on the carpet. MJ ran underneath the table, he could see MJ was unable. So MJ ran into the bedroom MJ was struck down, it was MJ’s doom. Too soon? [Popsquire]
* If there was an Alabama version of the Jersey Shore, this guy would be on it. [BL1Y]
* People in D.C. are really freaked out by all the snow. I’m trying to think of a naturally occurring event that would have New Yorkers similarly discombobulated. [The BLT: Blog of the Legal Times]
* I hate having interviews or meetings at coffee places. But in general I hate the concept of a coffee house where people relax, pull out a laptop, and have conversations. That’s what hookah bars are for. [Law.com]
* If the BushidÅ code were still around today, wouldn’t Akio Toyoda have to commit hara-kiri?
[Trial Warrior Blog via Blawg Review]
Thursday, February 4, 2010 6:00 PM - By Elie Mystal
* Oh, sure, now Carlos the Jackal wants to avail himself of legal remedies. Funny how life in jail limits a person’s vigilante terrorism. [Guardian]
* What type of greeting should you use in a cover letter? I used to go with “If you ever want to see your kids again, please read,” but that was before the recession. Now I might try “I will not eat unless you read my cover letter.” It worked for Gandhi. [Legal Writing Blog]
* Big Four overtime lawsuit, now with briefs. [Going Concern]
* A friend of mine from law school lost a lot of weight, so I don’t have to. Good lookin’ out Mike. [The Stranger]
* Failed Presidential candidate John Kerry’s fight against the Constitution. [Blackbook Legal]
* Is Pre-Law worth it? I don’t think so. Take some economics courses and you might be able to avoid the whole thing. [Ms. J.D.]
* Congressional report card from the NAACP. [The NAACP]
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 7:12 PM - By Elie Mystal
* According to the IRS, sex change operations are tax deductible, but breast augmentation is not. What the hell? I want my America back. [Going Concern]
* Understanding the meaning of euphemisms, fail. [Bostonist]
* An Orrick partner comes to the defense of James O’Keefe. [Politics Daily]
* Does anybody else think that getting a JD/MBA is kind of BS? If so, here are some MBA skills you can learn without paying for an expensive extra year of school. [Young Lawyers Blog]
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 6:29 PM - By Kashmir Hill
* Lost fans respect intellectual property laws. [Epicenter/Wired]
* Perhaps SEC employees missed out on Wall Street warning signs because they were so distracted by porn. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Texas defense attorney Adam Reposa has appeared on ATL’s pages quite a few times. He’s still trying to fight off a contempt of court charge for making a masturbatory gesture towards a prosecutor. Now his girlfriend is preggers, and he doesn’t want to be in jail during the birth. [Austin Legal]
* If you’re on fire, call this attorney. [Boing Boing]
* Hitting below the belt: Sex reassignment surgery is tax-deductible, but breast augmentation is not. [Feminist Law Professors]
* Facebook wants to have a legal throwdown over the ECPA. It would be “f-in’ awesome,” said Facebook deputy general counsel Mark Howitson. [True/Slant]
Ed. note: We apologize for the light publishing schedule today and any problems you may have had trying to comment. We were experiencing technical difficulties with our publishing platform.
* I guess calling affirmative action “politically correct discrimination” is the new politically correct way to say “I am somehow incapable of understanding the value of diversity.” [SCOTUSblog]
* It’s not work if you enjoy doing it. Also, it’s not work if you’re not getting paid. [TechnoLawyer]
* Every now and again, it helps if a lawyer is also a stand up guy. [What About Clients?]
* When being interviewed by a panel of people, you need to understand group dynamics. Interestingly, mastering this core competency also helps you plan an awesome party. The lesson, as always, people with social skills do better in life. [Law.com]
* Who are the most powerful partners at Cravath? Do you get a prize for being the most powerful partner at Cravath? Can you score chicks by saying “I am the most powerful partner at Cravath,” or does the Corvette do that work for you? [Business Insider]
* You know, I had actually forgotten that today is the start of Black History Month. I don’t know, maybe I’m racist but there’s something about freezing my ass off all weekend that doesn’t scream “black people” to me. Why can’t we move it to June? It’d be warm, and the NBA Finals and Juneteenth are sitting right there. It’s perfect. In any event, Blawg Review did not forget that freezing ass February is a month of reflection. [Slaw via Blawg Review]
* Robert Joffe (pictured), former presiding partner of Cravath, RIP. [WSJ Law Blog]
* You have to wonder if Justice Alito and the rest of the majority from Citizens United will get back at President Obama. If they want revenge, listening to Orly Taitz would be a good start. [The BLT: Blog of the Legal Times]
* But maybe the President should diffuse any lingering animosity between his office and the court with a “wine summit”? [Double X]
* Or the President could invite Alito to the Georgetown - Duke basketball game. [The Washington Scene]
* In other State of the Union news, did everybody notice that the President is on the student loan bailout bangwagon? [True/Slant]
* Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi’s baby daddy is said to be Adam Dell — a UT Law graduate and adjunct professor, and brother of billionaire Michael Dell. [New York Post]
Thursday, January 28, 2010 5:33 PM - By Elie Mystal
* The IRS claims that an organization devoted to changing the laws pertaining to sex with children can’t be called a “charity.” I wonder if this mean I can get an exemption for my counter organization, the Foundation United for the Castration of Kiddie-rapists. [Going Concern]
* The iPad might have some IP problems. But not from Kotex. [WSJ Law Blog]
* The right makeup for the killer interview. [Corporette]
* Friends don’t let friends go to law school. [Law.com]
* Minority enrollment in law schools is down, even though the test scores for minority applicants are up. Actually, I think this might be a good thing and not racist at all. No, really. [Legal Broadcast Network]
* Bob Ambrogi has decided to hang up his blogging boots. Good luck, Bob. Your writing style and excellent judgment on story selection will be missed. [Legal Blog Watch]
* The Law Shucks “Lateral Tracker” contest is almost over. [Law Shucks]
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5:54 PM - By Kashmir Hill
* We wonder if Harvard will start giving out free iPads in their bathrooms. [Gizmodo]
* Apple’s answer to the Kindle inspires some YouTube mining by Ann Althouse. [Althouse]
* Law firm leaders, unite! The PLI Law Firm Leadership and Management Institute 2010 has an impressive roster of speakers next week, including our very own Lat. [Practising Law Institute]
* Gawker’s lawyer argues that Deadspin’s photographic evidence of the size of Greg Oden’s penis has not damaged the Portland Trailblazer’s reputation. Indeed. We’re impressed. [Deadspin]
* Gearing up for the State of the Union, what’s the state of the presidency? [Balkinization]
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 5:01 PM - By Elie Mystal
* Remember the guy who dressed up as a pimp to “sting” ACORN workers? Well, he’s at it again, this time caught attempting to bug the office of Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu. What a hero. [New Orleans Times-Picayune]
* Vinny from Jersey Shore is contemplating going to law school. You know, Yale or Harvard if this whole sleazy mamma’s boy thing doesn’t work out. [Perez Hilton]
* InStyle magazine probably has a likelihood of confusion lawsuit, if they want it. [Fashionista]
* If you are a professor who specializes in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, now is your time to shine. [FCPA Professor]
* Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks he can deal with California’s prison overcrowding problem by sending the excess convicts to Mexico. I have a much better idea. Let’s allow an elite group of gladiators to hunt prisoners that could be persuaded to escape. We could put it on television, and offer the prisoners money and freedom should they survive this ultimate escape (hosted by Jeff Probst of course). Granted it might take, I don’t know, seven years to get this thing fully operational, but the ratings would be through the roof and the ad dollars would really help California’s budgetary woes. If only I could think of a title for the show … [WSJ Law Blog]
* The dog-haters and other associated meanies out there will think this link belongs in the doghouse. But if you have ever seriously thought about the legal rights of dogs and social and political implications of having a pet, you simply must read this article. [New York Magazine]
* This gives entirely new meaning to the term “scum-sucking lawyer.” [Buffalo News]
* “Should five percent appear too small, be thankful I don’t take it all.” [Tax Prof Blog]
* Lunch interviews are a great opportunity to show your prospective employers that you can handle your three martinis with grace and focus. [Law.com]
* Life in a world of opportunity flatness. [Law and More]
* Five things every prospective law student should know. [About.com]
* Metal heads have legal problems too. [Metalsucks]
* Haggis is to edible as law student is to: A) Mentally handicapped, B) Employable, C) Doable, D) Terminal? [The Scots Law Student via Blawg Review]
* A scorned mistress wreaked revenge on her married ex-lover, putting ads up on billboards in Manhattan, Atlanta, and San Francisco. Does putting the affair’s happier times up in lights get her into false light territory? [True/Slant]
* If you’re going to a cocktail party this weekend and haven’t had time to read the Citizens United opinion yet, here are Cliffs Notes. [Legal Blog Watch]
* Over a million reasons why Kiwi Camara’s file-sharing client should be less angry with him. [Threat Level/Wired]
* Today came news of a long-time Biglaw litigator going in-house. Here’s the reverse situation: Longtime General Dynamics general counsel has returned to Jenner & Block as a partner. He talks about how Biglaw has changed since he left it 12 years ago. [National Law Journal]
* Lawrence Lessig skimmed the Citizens United ruling and weighs in via video before a flight to Boston. Congress needs prompting and a baby in the background needs soothing. [Change Congress]
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 5:45 PM - By Elie Mystal
* One can only hope that Nicolas Cage’s financial troubles are behind him and he will therefore stop making absolutely terrible, stab-out-your-eyes-with-a-spoon-because-it-will-hurt-more, bad movies. [Going Concern]
* Be nice to your career services professionals. They’re caught between many masters. [Lawyerist]
* Phone interview tips. Whenever I conduct a phone interview, I always give my dog a pig ear first to keep her quiet. [Law.com]
* According to one survey, law firms “rank[ed] as the second worst business for [last] year, behind wood product manufacturing.” [Dallas Business Journal]
* Satan responds to Pat Robertson, raising possible breach of contract concerns. [Minneapolis Star Tribune]
* If the ABA won’t take its role in accrediting law schools more seriously, who will? [Law Librarian Blog]
* Professor Dave Hoffman reads the fine print in the terms of sale for Nexus One (pictured), the new Google smartphone, and suggests a new slogan for the company: “Don’t be evil. But if you must be evil, be really good at it.” [Concurring Opinions]
* Professor Ann Althouse asks: Is Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, running for Ted Kennedy’s former Senate seat, “destined to lose”? [Althouse]
* Is Gawker’s “Apple Tablet Scavenger Hunt” illegal? Quite possibly, according to Ben Sheffner. [Slate]
* If the check is in the mail, and if it’s from PricewaterhouseCoopers, beware: it might be fake. [Going Concern]
* A future torts exam hypothetical: “Weight Watchers clinic floor collapses under dieters.” [Telegraph - U.K.]
* If you’ll be in D.C. next Thursday, January 21, come hear Elie Mystal (and others) discuss the legal job market. [D.C. Bar]
* We definitely have balls here at Above the Law. [Twitter]
* Apple — with a little help from Orrick — tells Valleywag that paying people to steal trade secrets is illegal. [Gizmodo]
* … Which means Orrick, indirectly, wins Valleywag’s prize for confirming that Apple is indeed working on a “tablet.” [Valleywag]
* Here are some “basic” interviewing tips. I think some people could benefit from remedial interviewing tips. You know, important advice like “take a shower with soap,” and “Don’t talk about nice rack you saw while sitting in the lobby.” [Law.com]
* I spent about five minutes trying to figure out how to make this funny, then I realized there is nothing that I could to heighten the comic appeal of the headline as is: “East Boston Cat Called to Jury Duty.” [WHDH]
* Yet another wonderful reason not to go to law school [BL1Y]
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 5:53 PM - By Elie Mystal
* Boy, it’s going to be interesting to see if NBC’s attempt to screw over Conan O’Brien will succeed because Conan’s lawyers didn’t include every conceivable way NBC could screw over Conan. I hope Conan gets his money, but whatever happens, the show that he’s sure to get to go up against Leno (on Fox or whatever) is going to kill. It’s going to absolutely kill. Book it. [The Vertex]
* Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Scalia, and Solicitor General Elena Kagan walk towards a bench … hilarity ensues. [The BLT: Blog of the Legal Times]
* The Justice Department tries to stop the most inappropriate vacation of the decade. [Politico]
* For all of you begging me to weigh in on that “Harry Reid: Friend or Foe of the Black Man” question, here you go. [True/Slant]
* Law student gets married in the morning, goes to class that afternoon. But it was a marriage between a man and a woman, so it’s super traditional and exactly what the founding fathers and Jesus had in mind. [Legal Writing Prof Blog]
* A big time judge is stepping down. No, it’s not J.P. “Methuselah” Stevens. [New York Times]
* Spending your 3L year camping outside the Supreme Court sounds like an excellent use of your third year. And it could end up being hilarious. [First One @ One First]
* More evidence that the legal industry is obsessed with U.S. News to it’s detriment. [Minding the Campus]
* It looks like the Trust Company of the West’s suit against Jeffrey Gundlach is not a set up. And yes, listening to Bess slowly read off a list of pornographic DVDs and sex toys is just one of the perks of working at Breaking Media. [Dealbreaker]
* Our west coast debate between Lat and me might not have been Pacquiao v. Mayweather, but it was still a lot of fun. Thanks to all those that came out. [Most Strongly Supported]
* Substance wise, it’s hard to say if merit based compensation is a good thing or a bad thing for minority and women associates. [Ms. JD]
* If you are bored at work, it’s your fault. But don’t despair, I’m sure some shrooms will do the trick. [Going Concern]
* I never make typos on purpose. I swear. Not once. [Barrett Garese]
* Representative John Murtha died just one week after having his gall bladder removed. Coincidence? I had to have my gall bladder removed three and a half years ago, I was terrified until they told me they were using “lasers” — like in Star Trek … cool. Sorry commenters, I remain as strong as an ox. [New York Personal Injury Law Blog]
(2) Comments
* Robert Joffe (pictured), former presiding partner of Cravath, RIP. [
* Hey law students: Why not donate your Lexis points to 
