Basketball

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 05.04.16

* Remember how Villanova won the NCAA men's basketball championship on a crazy buzzer beater? It didn't hurt to have support from the man upstairs or at least from the priest on their bench. Father Rob Hagan is a criminal lawyer turned chaplain for the Villanova men's basketball team. [Coverage Opinions] * The Department of Justice has come to the completely obvious conclusion that North Carolina's potty police bill violates the Civil Right Act, and now millions in federal school funding are in jeopardy. Just what the world needs, a decline in the education of the people that passed HB2. [Charlotte Observer] * An interesting proposal says law schools and engineering programs should share curriculum. But I was assured there'd be no math... [Chronicle of Higher Education] * The West Point debate team may have lost to a team from the Bard Prison Initiative, but they gained a lot in the process. [Washington Post] * Yeah, bar exam results from everywhere have been bad, but these Kansas results are really bad. [Bar Exam Stats] * An illuminating interview with author Anthony Papa, who was granted clemency after serving 12 years for a non-violent drug offense. [Keri Blakinger] * How well do states do when they are in front of the Supreme Court, and which are the most successful? [Empirical SCOTUS]

By Kathryn Rubino
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 04.05.16

Puppies USE* Students at Villanova Law School got the day off to recover after Kris Jenkins's epic buzzer beater and the school's first NCAA men's basketball championship in 30 years. [NBC Philadelphia] * University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law has a great plan to help students deal with stress: puppies! [Daily Utah Chronicle] * Tracing Mahatma Gandhi's peace disobedience protests, which began 86 years ago this week, back to his roots as a lawyer. [Guile is Good] * If you send a text, and the person you send it to reads it while driving, could you be found liable for an injuries they cause while driving distracted? This scenario, seemingly taken from a law school fact pattern, just might be true. [Personal Injury Attorney Blog] * An in-depth look at how Zubik v. Burwell relates to other First Amendment free exercise cases. [Empirical SCOTUS] * Are there actually practice pointers you can pick up from watching Better Call Saul? [Reboot Your Law Practice]

By Kathryn Rubino
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Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.14.15

* Donald Trump has opinions on Supreme Court justices. He thinks that Roberts is "disgraceful," that Scalia was "very tough" on black students, and that he loves Thomas. Perhaps he should take a cue from his favorite justice and shut up. [CNN; Associated Press] * An easy peasy solution? Rather than amend the Constitution, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio says that he'll just appoint Supreme Court justices who will overturn the decision in the Obergefell case because he thinks that gay marriage is "bad law." [ThinkProgress] * Gibson Dunn has billed about $8 million to defend New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in the Bridgegate scandal thus far, so here's a thought: perhaps you should show your hard-working associates some appreciation and announce bonuses already. [Fox News] * Taylor Swift filed trademark applications for five signature phrases (Swiftmas, Blank Space, And I'll Write Your Name, A Girl Named Girl, and 1989). If you infringe upon any of them, you can expect that she'll be writing your name -- on a lawsuit. [USA Today] * Braeden Anderson, the Seton Hall law student and ball player who divides his time between the courtroom and the basketball court, has had one hell of a 1L year. When he graduates, this extremely lucky guy may have a job -- with the NBA. [New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 12.07.15

* Bonus season has officially arrived in Biglaw-land. But what does it all mean? [ATL Redline] * Sure, it may be cuffing season, but if you don't get divorced before January 23rd it could cost you. [New York Post] * Will Generation Z destroys law schools? [Law and More] * What is beneath the crusty exterior of hardened partners? [Daily Lawyer Tips] * Can the Republicans' Southern Strategy be classified as a success? [Lawyers, Guns and Money] * Michigan State is tops in football, basketball, and, oh yeah, debate. [SB Nation]

By Kathryn Rubino
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.28.15

* Good news, everyone! Legally Blonde 3 is supposedly in the works, and Reese Witherspoon says that the movie may involve Elle Woods becoming a Supreme Court justice or some kind of an elected official. It's really too bad that SCOTUS robes aren't pink. [Washington Post] * Biglaw firms aren't the only ones that are downsizing when it comes to their headcount. Case in point, Lear Corporation's in-house legal department has dropped from 20 attorneys to 11, but its GC Terry Larking says it's working for the company. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA] * Cornell Law School will be teaming up with Cornell Tech to launch a new LL.M. degree in law, technology, and entrepreneurship. Like most LL.M. degrees, we imagine that it will cost a pretty penny, but that its overall value on the market will be low. [Cornell Chronicle] * "Do we really need to protect people from trying to achieve their dreams?" Professor Noah Feldman of Harvard Law thinks we shouldn't coddle law school applicants who are unlikely to pass a bar or try to "save" them from a lifetime of debt. [Bloomberg View] * She shoots, she scores? An ex-cheerleader filed suit against the Milwaukee Bucks under the Fair Labor Standards Act because she alleges she was paid less than minimum wage to cheer for the team. The suit is the first of its kind filed against an NBA team. [ABC News]

By Staci Zaretsky

Morning Docket: 08.12.15

* Michael Jordan was present during jury selection for his case against defunct supermarket Dominick's, but potential jurors didn't seem the least bit fazed. In fact, just a single one of them considered the basketball star their "personal hero or idol." Ouch. [Chicago Tribune] * Maryland Law will be offering a very topical "Law and ______" class this semester, entitled "Freddie Gray’s Baltimore: Past, Present and Moving Forward.” Students enrolled in the course will be asked to create fixes for social problems. This'll be interesting. [WSJ Law Blog] * According to the GC of Fannie Mae, Biglaw's profit structure is broken, but the solution he proposes to the problem may not sit well with associates who are slaves to the billable hour -- but only if they care about their hourly rates. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA] * Unlike most of his colleagues, Larry Sonsini of Wilson Sonsini didn't immediately join a brand name Biglaw firm after he graduated from law school. Instead, he created his own brand name Biglaw firm, so that worked out well. Your own mileage may vary. [Forbes] * It seems that New York City's Responsible Banking Act is unconstitutional because it conflicts with existing state and federal banking laws. To be fair, between dueling mayoral policies, this law was completely FUBARed from the get go. [DealBook / New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky