Charleston School of Law

  • Morning Docket: 10.31.18
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 10.31.18

    * Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says he plans to introduce legislation to end our “absurd policy of birthright citizenship.” Good luck with that, Senator, because if you want to amend the Constitution, you’ll need a two-thirds majority in Congress and ratification of three-quarters of the states. [The Hill]

    * Women are allegedly being paid to make false sexual assault and harassment claims against Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and now the FBI is investigating the situation. The going rate for these made-up stories is apparently $20,000. [The Atlantic]

    * After having its plan to gift a troubled law school to Middle Tennessee State University be flat-out rejected, Valparaiso Law has decided to call it quits. We’ll have more on this totally unpredictable development later today. [ABA Journal]

    * If you’re in law school and your girlfriend breaks up with you, you should probably stop calling her — unless, of course, you don’t mind a harassment conviction and spending a year in jail. Now this fellow is trying to overcome his character and fitness obstacles to become a member of the bar. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

    * In case you missed it, the Library Innovation Lab at Harvard Law School just unleashed about 6.5 million digitized court decisions online, for free, as part of the Caselaw Access Project. No, that’s not a typo — everything is free. [Fortune]

    * How did graduates of the Charleston School of Law do on the South Carolina bar exam this past summer? Not too well. For the second year in a row, more than half of them failed the test. On the “bright side,” 59 percent of first-time takers from the school passed, up 11 percentage points from last year. [Post and Courier]

  • Morning Docket: 02.12.18
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 02.12.18

    * “The chief justice, in particular, doesn’t like the court to be a disruptive force,” but that might change this spring as the Supreme Court considers reversing at least three of its longstanding precedents. Trashing precedents could potentially become much easier now that Justice Gorsuch is here. [USA Today]

    * Berwin Leighton Paisner and Bryan Cave partners are voting on their proposed transatlantic merger, and the results are expected by the end of the month. If the tie-up is approved, BCLP — the combined firm’s new name — will be a billion-dollar firm with 1,500 lawyers and 32 offices in 12 countries. [Law.com]

    * Charles Harder, the lawyer who brought down Gawker and now represents Donald Trump and members of his family, is experiencing some growing pains at his firm thanks to his presidential representation. Name partner Douglas Mirell just quit because of his “pledge to protect the First Amendment.” [The Recorder]

    * New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has filed a civil rights suit against the Weinstein Company and its founders, alleging that they “repeatedly and persistently treated female employees less well than male-employees through gender-based hostile workplace harassment, quid pro quo harassment, and discrimination.” [Variety]

    * In an effort to increase diversity, LSAC will be awarding a total of $1.5 million to five law schools so they can hold Prelaw Undergraduate Scholars programs on their campuses. Akron, Alabama, Duke, Houston, and St. John’s will each receive these grants to convince college students to enroll. [Black Enterprise]

    * Congratulations to Charleston Law’s National Tax Moot Court team, which just clinched its seventh championship title in a row. It’s nice to know that students were able to rise above the school’s designation as one of the “least selective law schools in the country” to create a tax law dynasty. [Post and Courier]

    * Remember the former Ulta employee who accused the beauty retailer of reselling used products as new? Now a concerned customer has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit over the store’s “widespread and surreptitious practice” of allegedly repackaging and selling returned products. [Chicago Tribune]

  • Morning Docket: 10.27.16
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 10.27.16

    * Results are out for the July 2016 administration of the South Carolina bar exam, and it appears that the Charleston School of Law is having trouble when it comes to its grads’ ability to pass. Barely half of test-takers from the law school passed (50.9 percent), down from 57.4 percent last year, and 65.3 percent the year before that. Whoops! [FITS News]

    * No matter what Senator Ted Cruz says, when it comes to the Supreme Court, eight isn’t enough. In fact, according to what Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said at a recent New York City Bar event, “Eight is not a good number.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor agreed, stating, “I think we hope there will be nine as quickly as possible.” [Washington Post]

    * The Supreme Court bar rarely meets, but when it does, it’s to honor the passing of a deceased justice. On November 4, the Supreme Court bar will convene to honor the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and the ceremony will be live-streamed, and several judges, law firm partners, law professors, and former clerks will give remarks. [Supreme Court Brief]

    * “[T]his appeal presents a situation in which all the justices’ impartiality might be questioned.” Controversial Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore wants his suspension to be lifted, but all of his former judicial colleagues have recused themselves, so several retired judges will be hearing his appeal. [Associated Press via ABA Journal]

    * China’s Ministry of Justice has ordered that all lawyers “support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.” Lawyers are prohibited from making statements that “reject [China’s] fundamental political system,” “endanger national security,” or “attack or slander” the judicial system. They could face disbarment for disobeying. [WSJ Law Blog]

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  • Morning Docket: 01.25.16
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 01.25.16

    * “I have standing to sue. Can you imagine if I did it? Should I do it just for fun?” Republican front-runner Donald Trump is floating a possible lawsuit against Ted Cruz over the senator’s eligibility to run for POTUS — because litigation is so much fun! [The Hill]

    * Everyone likes to think Justice Antonin Scalia is a crazy curmudgeon, but one of his former SCOTUS clerks knows there’s a softer side to the man people love to hate. In reality, he’s “an incredibly warm and generous man” with a “wonderful sense of humor.” [Columbus Business First]

    * A federal judge who’s had a change of heart about a lengthy sentence he gave to an admitted murderer says he and his colleagues need a way to give “second-look reviews” to adjust sentences for deserving prisoners. Would this work? [New York Times]

    * If the ruling in this case catches on, New York attorneys may soon be able to serve people via Facebook. Of course, if your lawsuit winds up in a defendant’s “Filtered Messages,” he’ll never see it, but it’s still a pretty cool concept. [WSJ Law Blog]

    * Charleston Law launched a new admissions program that will allow students to begin classes in the spring and graduate in two and a half years instead of three. Perhaps the goal here is to graduate students before the school closes for good? [ABA Journal]

  • Morning Docket: 01.06.16
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 01.06.16

    * Former Wisconsin District Attorney Ken “I Am The Prize” Kratz — perhaps better known as the lead prosecutor in Netflix series “Making a Murderer” — outlines nine reasons why Steven Avery is actually guilty, despite the convict’s claims to the contrary. [The Wrap]

    * Two law schools can expect to receive greater federal scrutiny when it comes to their student-aid dollars. Charleston Law and Thomas Jefferson Law join a host of for-profit beauty schools that will receive heightened cash monitoring. At least beauty school drop-outs have better job prospects. [Wall Street Journal via ABA Journal]

    * More than 100 women lawyers, including former judges, law professors, and Biglaw partners, have filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, each detailing their own abortion stories in order to “humanize the issue.” [National Law Journal; USA Today]

    * DEY TERK ERR JERBS! A new presidential campaign ad for candidate Ted Cruz which discusses immigration features an “invasion” of foreign lawyers, bankers, and journalists entering the country illegally and taking American jobs. NOOOOO!!! [American Mirror]

    * States that have legalized marijuana or are considering doing so are constantly making headlines, but it’s time to highlight the states where the possibility of marijuana reform seems laughable. These are the 11 states likely to be the last to legalize it. [USA Today]

  • Non-Sequiturs

    Non-Sequiturs: 11.02.15

    * An amazing look at the exact way lawyers should NOT handle cleaning up their reputation after a PR snafu. [Techdirt]

    * Even more bad bar results news, with Charleston School of Law taking a particularly bad hit. [Bar Exam Stats]

    * A single lawyer — a divorce lawyer no less — cannot bring the NSA to its knees. Color me surprised. [Ars Technica]

    * Attention new lawyers! Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s a list of online resources to make your day easier. [Associate’s Mind]

    * A detailed look into the how-tos of complying with U.S. anti-corruption laws while conducting business in India. [Forbes]

    * Here’s what a real Biglaw partner does in a day — or at least what Christina Martini, Chair of DLA Piper’s Chicago Intellectual Property Practice Group does when a camera is following her around. [Big Law Business/Bloomberg]

    https://youtu.be/mwbmQctfeNc

  • Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 10.30.15

    * “Say you’ll remember me, getting groped in a nice dress…” Uh oh! This pop star seems pretty pissed! Taylor Swift has filed a countersuit against a radio DJ who sued her because he claims he was fired for inappropriately touching the singer backstage at a concert. [Rolling Stone]

    * Charleston School of Law has a new president, and hopefully his tenure will be less wrought with disaster than that of his predecessors. He says he’ll be paid one whole dollar per year as his salary until he can turn things around. [Charleston Post and Courier]

    * At a speaking engagement at Santa Clara Law earlier this week, Justice Antonin Scalia proclaimed that the Supreme Court has been “liberal” throughout the entirety of his 30-year tenure. We’d like to beg His Honor’s pardon; that can’t be true. [WSJ Law Blog]

    * As this article so eloquently puts it, “[t]he Supreme Court is about to climb back into Americans’ bedrooms.” Today, the high court will review several petitions from non-profit groups that want to be exempted from ACA’s contraception mandate. [USA Today]

    * Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the number of firms that are trying to enter the market. To establish a presence in the Lone Star State, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton is saying howdy to some new partners and merging with Crouch & Ramey. [ABA Journal]

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  • Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 10.23.15

    * Any day Cadwalader can avoid damages in a huge, multimillion-dollar malpractice case is a great day. Yesterday, the New York Court of Appeals dismissed a never-ending suit filed against the firm by a former client over a failed commercial mortgage-backed securitization. Phew! [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]

    * Say hello to Northwestern Pritzker Law: In case you missed it, Northwestern Law recently received a $100 million donation, the largest single gift ever made to a law school. For that much money, you’re damn right the school has a new name. [Chicago Tribune]

    * This must’ve been a huge blow to his ego… U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara had to dismiss insider trading charges against seven defendants thanks to a Second Circuit decision that made it harder to prosecute certain financial crimes. [DealBook / New York Times]

    * Charleston Law fired back against professors who sued the school by saying in its answer it wouldn’t be in such dire straits if they hadn’t “sabotaged the transfer of the school to InfiLaw.” Take that back, they did a good deed. [Charleston Regional Business Journal]

    * “Sorry, not sorry, narcs,” says Judge Breyer. Earlier this week, a California judge informed the DEA that it needed to stop harshing medical marijuana patients’ mellows by shutting down medical pot dispensaries that were operating within state laws. [TIME]

  • Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 09.02.15

    * Murder rates are up! OK. Except… barely. And only in a few cities. But, you know, SCARY! More importantly though, why devote the second paragraph of a post to a stupid, racist argument so easily debunked in the third paragraph? There’s no reason to give it the imprimatur of credibility at all. This is the problem with “objective” journalism — some ideas don’t deserve a fair exposition. [ABA Journal]

    * Did Arizona Summit falsify data? Is the Pope Catholic? All pressing questions! [TaxProf Blog]

    * Speaking of Infilaw, the newly appointed president of Charleston School of Law — and Infilaw National Policy Board member — Joseph Harbaugh has resigned. But hey, he lasted longer than 8 days so that’s an improvement. [National Law Journal]

    * Senator Lindsey Graham thinks that Kentucky clerk needs to comply with the law or resign. Because Senator Graham is all about law and order. And that’s certainly the only reason Senator Graham feels strongly about this. [Huffington Post]

    * If you’d forgotten that Walter Mondale accomplished anything besides losing a historic landslide, here’s a profile on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which he authored. [Washington Post]

    * Arent Fox partner Robert Hirsch is doing double-duty as a nightclub owner in Montauk. Makes sense. Spoiled rich people embarrassing themselves every night… perfect fit for a bankruptcy partner. [The Am Law Daily]

    * Settlement approved in class action that accused the NHL of conspiring to increase broadcast fees like the inflated scoring with the two-line pass. [Law360]

  • Non-Sequiturs

    Non-Sequiturs: 08.13.15

    * The legal battle over the AIG bailout rolls into the Federal Circuit. [DealBook / New York Times]

    * What does a lawyer say when he gets caught swapping fees for oral sex? Claim sex addiction, of course! [Legal Profession Blog]

    * The New Orleans public defender office is a testament to underfunding. [Buzzfeed News]

    * Charleston School of Law loses a dean right before school resumes. Yep, nothing wrong here! [South Carolina Lawyers Weekly]

    * Neighbors sue 8-year-old girl for being kind to animals (or sues her parents anyway). [KIRO]

    * A friend remembers John Ralston Pate. [What About Clients?]

    * A counterargument to the suggestion of suspect classification for poverty (final item). [PrawfsBlawg]

    * The ABA is diving into the world of legal publishing, riding the success of Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link). [Chicago Tribune]

    * A domestic violence defendant got the first name of his judge tattooed on his neck. Paul Clement has similar ink that reads “Nino.” Check out the pic. [North Carolina Lawyers Weekly]

    CMToR96UAAAKHQh.jpg-large

  • Non-Sequiturs

    Non-Sequiturs: 08.04.15

    * After two laid-off professors sued Charleston School of Law, a judge has issued an injunction reinstating professor Nancy Zisk. Things really aren’t going Charleston’s way, but remember to look on the bright side: they may get a Starbucks! [SC Lawyers Weekly]

    * Attorney’s hit and run did not constitute a crime of moral turpitude because he was blackout drunk. One more reason to stay thirsty, my friends! [Legal Profession Blog]

    * Lawyers can’t speak English good. [Lawyerist]

    * What should be required to vote on a Supreme Court decision? [Concurring Opinions]

    * There’s never really a good excuse for handcuffing an 8-year-old like this school rent-a-cop did. Also, did you know the only way to handcuff an 8-year-old is to cuff his upper arms? You do after reading this. [Daily Mail]

    * As we hear more about the labor conditions building stadiums in Qatar, this white paper focuses on the unfortunately still modern challenge for in-house lawyers with an international reach: expanding due diligence to uncover slavery rings. [Thomson Reuters]

    * Douglas Kennedy’s lawyers were disqualified for trying some funny business with their medical experts. [New York Personal Injury Attorney Blog]

    * Cravath partner turned screenwriter and playwright. As the play says, “the first thing we do, let’s give giant bonuses to all the lawyers.” [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]

    * Useful practice tip: strive for excellence, not perfection. [What About Clients?]

    * Richard Hsu chats with Mark Cuban about something other than how terrible the NBA refs are. [Hsu Untied]

    https://soundcloud.com/hsu-untied/mcuban