California

California Lawyers Association Gears Up For Annual Meeting In Monterey

The second annual gathering will feature a spotlight on two state Supreme Court justices.

Morning Docket: 10.02.19

* Trump wins on taxes (this time): A federal judge in California blocked a state law that would require candidates for president to disclose their income tax returns before their names can appear on the state's primary ballot. [CNN] * In the wake of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s accusations of sexual assault, Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s name has not been “totally and permanently destroyed” as he predicted; though he may be regarded as a “walking controversy,” he’s mostly gone back to his regular life. [Washington Post] * Rudy Giuliani has hired former Watergate prosecutor Jon Sale to represent him in the impeachment inquiry against President Trump. Sale says of his client: “He 100 percent did not do anything illegal.” That’s a good lawyer. [National Law Journal] * The D.C Circuit largely upheld the FCC’s right to dump net neutrality rules, but the court’s opinion still allowed for state and local governments to set their own regulations that would prohibit some customers from being charged more than others. [Associated Press] * A judge has ruled that Harvard's admissions policies are constitutional due to the school's reliance on "race conscious admissions." If Students for Fair Admissions appeals, it could go to SCOTUS and endanger affirmative action. [NPR] * If you’ve been dreaming about going in-house and eventually becoming general counsel, now might be a good time to make a move, considering that GC pay recently hit a five-year high of $2.6 million. [Big Law Business] * “Alabama and I had a difference of opinion, but Gainesville and I have the same opinion.” That tide has rolled, so Hugh Culverhouse decided to make a $1.1 million donation to the University of Florida Levin College of Law. [Herald Tribune]

California Report Identifies Large ‘Justice Gap’

A State Bar task force is trying to address the longstanding problem.

Court Blocks California’s Attempt To Ensure Ballot Transparency

This will be an interesting showdown at the Ninth Circuit.

California Law School That Sued Over Bar Passage Rule Fails To Comply With It

Southern California Institute of Law is one of two non-ABA schools that fell short.

Recalled Judge Gets Fired Again

From judge to social media pariah to JV tennis coach to fired.

The California Bar Is Still Clamping Down On Fee Splitting With Nonlawyers

The agency is doing so even as a task force studies whether to allow non-attorneys into the legal market.

Donor Anonymity Walls Are Crumbling – And This New California Law Is Helping

Time will tell the impact of this new law -- at least 18 years, to be exact.

California v. Gig Overlords

The "unicorns" are gearing up to propose a cynical ballot measure that will probably backfire.

California Supreme Court Hires Law Firm To Conduct Bar Exam Probe

The court will pay hourly rates ranging from $375 to $995 for the investigation.

Pass Rate On California’s Baby Bar Was Only 24 Percent

Surprisingly, the success rate on the first-year students' exam was the best in five years.

Morning Docket: 08.07.19

* President Trump and the RNC sued over a new California law that requires presidential candidates to release five years of tax returns to get onto the 2020 primary ballot. We were wondering when this "naked political attack against the sitting president of the United States" would happen. [New York Times] * Former FBI agent Peter Strzok has filed suit against the Justice Department over his firing, claiming that being dismissed from the investigative agency for sending text messages disparaging Donald Trump violated his constitutional right to private political speech. [Wall Street Journal] * From the demise of your favorite toy store to the destruction of one the most recognized luxury stores, Kirkland & Ellis is making a killing when it comes to representing the death of our brick-and-mortar retail economy. [American Lawyer] * William Brown, a former Navy SEAL who currently works as an associate at McCarter & English, recently led the first-ever sanctioned swim across the Hudson River with 30+ other SEALs to raise money for veterans. Congrats! [Big Law Business] * Meet Jeffrey Morgan, one of the lucky few lawyers to have had his federal student loans discharged through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Unfortunately, he still owes $67,987.09 in private student loans. [MarketWatch]

California Bans Bar Examiners From Asking Law School Grads About Their Mental Health

This is an important change that will eliminate a barrier to mental health treatment.

Morning Docket: 07.31.19

* California just enacted a law that will require Donald Trump to release his tax returns if he wants to get on the state's primary ballot next year. Get ready for a tweetstorm about this one. [Los Angeles Times] * Not only is LeClairRyan facing a gender discrimination case amid its uncertain future, but the firm is also facing a lawsuit over allegedly unpaid rent to the tune of $348K+ at one of its offices. [American Lawyer] * In case you missed it, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and three game officials are going to be deposed over the "stupid blown call" during the Saints-Rams game that allowed the Rams to proceed to the Super Bowl. [Sports Illustrated] * Good news for Biglaw legal ops professionals: The Corporate Legal Operations Consortium, an organization designed for in-house legal ops employees, has now opened its membership to those who are working at law firms. [Big Law Business] * Guess what? There's something to look forward to after this torture. As the saying goes, "you can do anything with a law degree," but if you pass the bar exam this week, you'll probably be able to practice law in one of these exciting jobs. [U.S. News]

Biglaw Firm Getting Busy Opening New Offices

Biglaw expansion is the name of the game.