Bingham McCutchen
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6th Circuit, Biglaw, Books, Cars, Crime, Edwards Wildman, Federal Judges, Gay Marriage, Jeffrey Toobin, Law Schools, Layoffs, Morning Docket, SCOTUS, Sentencing Law, Supreme Court
Morning Docket: 11.07.14
* As mentioned earlier, the Sixth Circuit upheld same-sex marriage bans in four states. Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey’s dissent is a very fun read because it’s dripping with sarcasm. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Sentencing has been delayed for Dzhokar Tsarnaev’s friends during the pendency of the Yates case at SCOTUS. Like a grouper, a backpack may not be a “tangible object.” [National Law Journal]
* Bingham McCutchen and Edwards Wildman Palmer are planning to shed lawyers and staff members in anticipation of their proposed mergers with Morgan Lewis and Locke Lord. Ouch. [Am Law Daily]
* Weekend reading? ATL’s managing editor, David Lat, reviews Blindfolds Off (affiliate link), an interesting collection of interviews with judges about how they decide their toughest cases. [Wall Street Journal]
* Everyone, please stop what you’re doing. Jeffrey Toobin has discovered that law schools are in trouble, and he’s on the case. You can read more information about this new phenomenon here. [The New Yorker]
* Adam Tang, the man who drove a 26-mile loop around Manhattan in 24 minutes, was convicted of reckless driving without being present. Check out the video of his crazy drive, after the jump. [ABA Journal]
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Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Lateral Moves, Law Firm Mergers, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
Bingham Cancels Partner Retreat; Will The Morgan Lewis Deal Go Through?
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Anna Nicole Smith, Attorney Misconduct, Biglaw, California, In-House Counsel, Law Firm Mergers, Law Schools, Legal Ethics, Marijuana, Morning Docket, Partner Issues, Politics, Sexual Harassment, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns, You Go Girl
Morning Docket: 11.05.14
* Bingham McCutchen canceled its partnership retreat, and their partner offer letters from Morgan Lewis must be accepted by today’s deadline — all while a prospective merger currently hangs in the balance. [Am Law Daily]
* Per Altman Weil’s 2014 Chief Legal Officer Survey, the work at in-house legal departments is about to grow exponentially, while the spend on outside counsel will decrease in turn. Uh oh, no bueno. [Corporate Counsel]
* “The attempt to have the defendant have any kind of humility has failed.” Due to “unsatisfactory” apologies to state employees, former judge Joan Orie Melvin will have to re-apologize for her crimes. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
* “A troubled law school is like Dracula: hard to kill.” In the wake of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law’s debt restructuring, it’s now obvious that law schools aren’t worth much at all. [DealBook / New York Times]
* Republicans are now in control in both the House and the Senate, but fear not, because the nation’s capital just legalized marijuana. That’ll help calm down the depressed D.C. Democrats out there. [CNN]
* Though it’s unlikely, thanks to this ruling, Anna Anna Anna Anna Anna Nicole’s lawyer/lover could be retried for allegedly giving illegally obtained prescriptions to the drug-addled model. [National Law Journal]
* Tinder’s cofounder apparently made a killing on her sexual harassment settlement with the company. Though no one admitted guilt, she reportedly took home “just over” $1M. Get it, girl. [Business Insider]
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Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Lateral Moves, Law Firm Mergers, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
Bingham McCutchen: Is The Patient Stabilizing?
What are the latest revelations about the state of affairs at troubled Bingham McCutchen? -
Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Books, Crime, Football, Kids, Law Schools, Libraries / Librarians, Money, Morning Docket, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns
Morning Docket: 10.23.14
* Everyone knows Bingham McCutchen is considering a merger with Morgan Lewis, but not many know bankruptcy may be an option. It’s a remote option, but still an option. [Boston Globe]
* When Kaye Scholer moved offices, it left behind most of its library. “It tells you everything you need to know about law firm libraries”: they’re not necessary. [New York Times]
* Everyone loves the Sixth Amendment: Thanks to money from Koch Industries, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers will offer better indigent defense training. [WSJ Law Blog]
* The judge in Adrian Peterson’s case won’t be replaced, despite the fact that he called the lawyers involved in the case “media whores.” Meh, Peterson’s attorney says he’s been called worse. [Bloomberg]
* Gilberto Valle, better known as the “Cannibal Cop,” really wants to go to law school. He’s apparently scored quite well on LSAT practice tests. Do law school ladies look delicious or what? [New York Post]
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Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Lateral Moves, Law Firm Mergers, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
The Rise And Fall of Bingham McCutchen
What happens to Bingham if the Morgan Lewis deal doesn't go through? -
Biglaw, Lateral Moves, Law Firm Mergers, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
What Needs To Happen For the Bingham / Morgan Lewis Deal To Proceed
There's good news for some Bingham partners, and bad news for others. -
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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Biglaw, Law Firm Mergers, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
Stat Of The Week: The Bingham / Morgan Lewis Merger
Something the two firms don't have in common? The direction they've been heading in.... -
Biglaw, Lateral Moves, Law Firm Mergers, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
Law Firm Merger Mania: Bingham McCutchen And Morgan Lewis Reach A Deal
What would the post-combination entity look like? -
Department of Justice, Eric Holder, In-House Counsel, Law Schools, Legal Ethics, Morning Docket, Tax Law
Morning Docket: 09.18.14
* In light of today’s vote on Scottish independence, here’s an article on the opportunities for the legal industry if Scotland breaks free. [Business For Scotland]
* What are the biggest pet peeves of corporate counsel. Surprise, surprise, billing “surprises” makes the list. [ALM]
* Attorney General Holder is offering bigger payouts to Wall Street whistleblowers. Start saving your emails low-level finance folks! [Legal Times]
* Later today, Baker Hostetler’s John Moscow will try to convince Judge Griesa that he shouldn’t be disqualified for breaching the confidentiality of a prior client. [Law Blog / Wall Street Journal]
* As if Bingham didn’t have enough trouble, Akin Gump swept in and poached a gaggle of lawyers in Europe. [Law360]
* Skadden is really good at inversions. Elie would like to thank them for their work undermining American society. [The Am Law Daily]
* Yale Law is teaching students basic financial literacy. While some are hailing this program, my question is: how are kids getting to 20-something without learning this stuff already? [Yale Daily News]
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Biglaw, Choate Hall & Stewart, Crowell & Moring, Rankings, Summer Associates
Ranking Summer Associate Programs: You Were Optimistic About Offers (And Getting Paid More)
Which firm came out on top, and how much more are summer associates being paid? -
Biglaw, Lateral Moves, Law Firm Mergers, Partner Issues, Partner Profits, United Kingdom / Great Britain
Could Bingham Merger Talks Trigger More Partner Departures?
Who might leave if Bingham McCutchen merges with Morgan Lewis?
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11th Circuit, Biglaw, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Drugs, Federal Judges, Insider Trading, Judicial Nominations, Law Firm Mergers, Marijuana, Morning Docket, Privacy, Wall Street
Morning Docket: 09.09.14
* Mathew Martoma, the former Harvard law student who fabricated his transcript when applying for clerkships, gets nine years in prison for insider trading. [DealBook / New York Times]
* If Bingham McCutchen moves forward on merger talks with Morgan Lewis, a bunch of Bingham partners might bail. [American Lawyer]
* Congratulations to Judge Jill Pryor, who will join Judge Bill Pryor on the Eleventh Circuit. [Fulton County Daily Report]
* Can you be fired for medical marijuana in Colorado, where the drug is legal even for recreational purposes? [ABA Journal]
* Dewey have some good news for the embattled ex-leaders of the defunct law firm? [New York Law Journal]
* Home Depot is the latest major retailer to be hit by a data breach. [Washington Post]
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Advertising, Biglaw, Law Firm Mergers, McKee Nelson, Partner Issues, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
The Future Of Bingham McCutchen
How did Bingham grow to its current size, and what does the future hold for the firm? -
5th Circuit, Abortion, American Bar Association / ABA, Anthony Kennedy, Biglaw, Constitutional Law, Gay Marriage, Law Schools, Money, Morning Docket, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Morning Docket: 07.30.14
* When it comes to bans on same-sex marriage, for Justice Anthony Kennedy, animus is a “doctrinal silver bullet” — the fact that there was no animus involved in the enactment of many of them may be problematic at the high court. [New York Times]
* Relying on some obscure Supreme Court precedent, the Fifth Circuit saved Mississippi’s lone abortion clinic after striking down as unconstitutional a state law that would have required doctors to have hospital admitting privileges. [National Law Journal]
* Given the situation over at Bingham McCutchen, people are starting to wonder about whether all the guaranteed contracts to members of merger partner McKee Nelson’s partnership helped to shape the firm’s current financial plight. [Am Law Daily]
* Hot on the heels of Cooley Law canceling its first-year class at Ann Arbor and announcing tentative plans to close the campus, the ABA approved the school’s affiliation with Western Michigan. Yay? [MLive.com]
* Here’s one way to become a lawyer without racking up massive amounts of debt: you could try to “read” the law like Abraham Lincoln, and work as a law firm apprentice. That sounds delightful. [New York Times]
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4th Circuit, Career Alternatives, D.C. Circuit, Health Care / Medicine, Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 07.22.14
* The D.C. Circuit struck down a key component of Obamacare while a few miles away, the Fourth Circuit disagreed. This sets up an intriguing circuit split that will be resolved as soon as the D.C. Circuit takes it up en banc. Until then though, let the mainstream media talking heads freak out about what this all means. [NBC News] * Professor Thane Rosenbaum writes in the Wall Street Journal (natch!) defending the deaths of civilian Palestinians using the same logic that Osama bin Laden used to justify 9/11. He probably should have done a little more research. [Slate] * Amelia Boone, a Skadden Chicago bankruptcy associate, is a world champion Tough Mudder and Spartan Race runner. Because who says cruelly abusing yourself has to be limited to the work week? [Outside] * Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s senior picture from Cornell. [That's What She Said / Jezebel] * Elie thinks we should all get drunk and go for a bike ride! [ATL Redline] * From purveyor of justice to purveyor of donuts. [USA Today] * Congratulations to Professor Mariano-Florentino Cuellar of Stanford Law on his nomination to the California Supreme Court. If confirmed, maybe Stanford can start advertising about all the state judges they’ve produced. [San Jose Mercury News] * We’ve heard that Bingham is looking to merge. Lee Pacchia talks to Casey Sullivan about what’s next. Video after the jump… [Mimesis Law] -
Biglaw, Law Firm Mergers, Partner Issues, Partner Profits
Is Bingham Experiencing The Urge To Merge?
Which firms might end up tying the knot with Bingham? -
Bankruptcy, Biglaw, California, Death Penalty, Federal Judges, Gay Marriage, Law Firm Mergers, Law Schools, Morning Docket, SCOTUS, State Judges, Student Loans, Supreme Court
Morning Docket: 07.18.14
* Now that a federal judge has classified California’s death penalty as unconstitutional, it’s only a matter of time before the issue reaches the Supreme Court. We have a feeling the justices will likely roll their eyes. [National Law Journal]
* Word on the street is that Bingham McCutchen has got the urge to merge, and has apparently spoken to a handful of potential partners over the course of the past three months. We’ll have more on these developments later. [Reuters]
* As it turns out, it was neither Wachtell Lipton nor Jenner & Block that managed to snag the coveted GM litigation oversight job. Nice work, Quinn Emanuel — you’re considered a “well-respected outside law firm.” [WSJ Law Blog]
* Congrats, Flori-duh, you did something right. A state court judge has ruled that Florida’s ban on gay marriage violated the U.S. Constitution in the latest post-Windsor victory for equality. Yay! [Bloomberg]
* Thanks to their hundreds of thousands of dollars in law school debt, many graduates are considering declaring bankruptcy. Too bad most won’t be able to get their loans discharged. [Connecticut Law Tribune]
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ACLU, Biglaw, Drinking, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Food, Morning Docket, Partner Issues, Politics, Tax Law
Morning Docket: 07.11.14
* Judge Emmet Sullivan (D.D.C.) wants the IRS to explain, in a sworn declaration, how exactly it lost Lois Lerner’s emails. [WSJ Law Blog]
* And the fun for the IRS continues today in the courtroom of Judge Reggie Walton (D.D.C.), as reported by Sidney Powell, author of Licensed To Lie (affiliate link). [New York Observer]
* Speaker John Boehner wants to take the Republicans’ crusade against Obamacare to the courts. [New York Times]
* Andrew Calder, the young M&A partner that Kirkland & Ellis snagged from Simpson Thacher for a reported $5 million a year, is already bringing in big deals. [American Lawyer]
How the cupcake crumbles: the once-successful venture of an NYLS grad and her husband needs a rescue.
* “Duke University is not and never has been in the business of producing, marketing, distributing, or selling alcohol.” Some bros down in Durham disagree. [ABA Journal]
* If you see something… sue someone? The ACLU and Asian American civil rights groups, together with some help from Bingham McCutchen, have filed a legal challenge to the Suspicious Activity Reporting database. [New York Times]
* Congrats to David Hashmall, the incoming chair of Goodwin Procter — and congrats to outgoing chair Regina Pisa, the first woman ever to lead an Am Law 100 firm, on her long and successful leadership. [American Lawyer]
* A group of investors might end up devouring Crumbs, the cupcake-store chain founded by New York Law School grad Mia Bauer that suddenly shut down this week amid talk of a bankruptcy filing. [Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)]