Contracts
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 04.26.16
* John LaTorre, the former chief financial officer of Barry Law School, recently pleaded guilty to second-degree grand theft after spending tens of thousands of dollars on school corporate card to finance his Hooters outings and pay his utilities bills. LaTorre faces up to 10 years of probation and will have to pay the school $24,838 in restitution in monthly payments of at least $175. [Orlando Sentinel]
* Professor Sujit Choudhry may have resigned from his position as dean of Berkeley Law School after being accused in a sexual harassment scandal, but now he says the school is trying to strip him of his tenure, and he’s not going to go down without a fight. In a grievance letter, Choudhry claims school officials smeared him in the press and violated his due process rights. We’ll have more on this development later today. [WSJ Law Blog]
* This “sets back every blind person who wants to be a lawyer out there”: Three blind law students have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against BARBRI, alleging that the bar exam test preparation company violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to properly accommodate them with usable study materials, thereby “preventing them from fully, equally, and adequately preparing for the bar exam.” [Dallas Morning News]
* Just when you thought this ugly legal dispute couldn’t get any messier, one of Dennis Hastert’s sexual assault accusers decided to sue the former Speaker of the House for breach of contract. Identified as James Doe in his pleadings, he alleges that Hastert agreed to pay him $3.5M in hush money for keeping quiet about the abuse he endured when he was a teen, but thus far, he’s only seen $1.7M of those funds. [CBS Chicago]
* It’s late April, and if you’re still looking for advice on your personal statement for your law school applications, then you’re probably already in trouble. However, if you’re desperate for a helpful hint even this late in the game and your law school of choice has a late submission deadline, you may want to try including a thesis — it’ll keep your essay from becoming a regurgitation of your résumé. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News]
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.23.16
* International Biglaw firms in Brussels are “just trying to soldier on” in the wake of the terror attacks that rocked the city yesterday morning. A White & Case secretary was on the metro train that was bombed, but she managed to escape from the wreckage unscathed. All lawyers and staff members have been accounted for and are alive and well. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]
* Singer Kesha has appealed the decision of a judge who declined to void her contract with Sony Music, a record label where she claims she’d be forced to work with a producer who allegedly raped her. This time, her lawyer, Mark Geragos, has likened the pop star’s situation to slavery. Hmm… let’s see how well that goes over for her in court. [Reuters]
* “The judgment is affirmed by an equally divided Court.” For the first time since Justice Antonin Scalia’s death, the Supreme Court issued a 4-4 split decision along ideological lines. That very sentence could have a huge impact on some of the high court’s more significant cases for a year or more if Merrick Garland isn’t confirmed. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Professor Melissa Murray of UC Berkeley Law has been tapped to stand in as the school’s interim dean in the wake of Sujit Choudhry’s resignation following the news that he’d been named as a defendant in a sexual harassment suit. Law students chose Murray as their “overwhelming choice” for dean in a poll. [L.A. Now / Los Angeles Times]
* Since the GRE is regarded as an easier test than the LSAT, and at least one school will no longer require it for admission, some pre-law students may be wondering whether they should bother to take the LSAT at all. Don’t be silly. Much like the word “fetch,” the GRE isn’t going to happen. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News & World Report]
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China, Contracts
China Product Development Contracts
Not using product development agreements in China is a big mistake, and your clients could wind up with a disaster on their hands.
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Contracts, In-House Counsel
How Do You Keep Track Of Your Contracts?
We want to know what transactional and in-house lawyers use for this essential task. -
Contracts, Sponsored Content
Do The Words 'I Need You To Draw Up A New Contract' Make You Want To Run And Hide?
Technology and, in particular, enterprise contract life-cycle management (CLM) platforms to the rescue. -
Contracts, Sponsored Content
Contracts: If Only They Were Fun
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 02.22.16
* If there was ever a time to breach a contract, it would be now. A judge ruled that singer Kesha won’t be able to escape from a six-album deal with Sony, despite the fact that her producer, Dr. Luke, is alleged to have psychologically abused her for a decade and raped her when she was an 18-year-old virgin. #FreeKesha [New York Daily News]
* Justice Antonin Scalia’s funeral offered DCers the chance to take a break from political wrangling, if only momentarily, to mourn a legend of the Supreme Court. It was “very non-Washington,” and he “would have loved it.” [Washington Post]
* President Obama was spotted carrying a “thick binder filled with papers,” presumably briefing documents from his staff related to potential SCOTUS picks to replace the late Justice Scalia. You can likely expect an announcement in the next few weeks. [Reuters]
* Dickstein Shapiro’s ex-chairman is blaming the media for his firm’s demise, saying that since July, many of its partners’ departures were “programmed” and had little to do with its performance. Don’t stop believin’, James Kelly. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]
* Judge Thomas Griesa plans to lift an injunction that was keeping Argentina from raising new capital. Holdouts on the country’s defaulted debt seem pissed about this decision, but it could eventually turn out well for them. [DealBook / New York Times]
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China, Contracts
Beware Of Being Burned By The China MOU/LOI
Be careful, because signing an LOI or an MOU can cause all sorts of legal problems in China. - Sponsored
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China, Contracts
China NNN Agreements: Litigation Fear Is Your Weapon
A well-crafted, China-focused NNN Agreement will almost always allow you to generate sufficient fear of litigation to greatly reduce the likelihood of your ever having to go to court. -
China, Contracts, Intellectual Property
IP Agreements That Work For China
How can you draft an NNN Agreement that China courts will actually enforce? -
China, Contracts, Intellectual Property
Want To Protect Your IP From China? Use An NNN Agreement
What are the three Ns? Non-use, non-disclosure, and non-circumvention. Let’s look at each in turn. -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 09.09.15
* Six years and you get a Bachelor’s degree and a JD? Not a terrible deal University of Tennessee, Knoxville. [University of Tennessee, Knoxville]
* Winning two NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championships as an assistant coach WHILE attending Duke Law School is just showing off, Jay Bilas. [Hsu Untied]
* Now THIS is how you become divorce attorney to the stars! (It also doesn’t hurt to be born into it.) [Jezebel]
* If you can’t solve this, rethink your LSAT plans… [IFL Science]
* In defense of the end of summer associate programs. [Bloomberg BNA]
* Nick Gordon’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Bobbi Kristina Brown’s estate, calling the accusations “conclusory, untrue, criminal.” [US Magazine]
* This is how contracts work in the real world, or at least in the legal world. [Concurring Opinions]
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Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 09.02.15
* The GOP field is getting a heads up on what to expect at their next debate, but the real question is: how will this change JoePa’s drinking game… [Politico]
* Let Judge Matthew Sciarrino take you through the minutiae of how exactly Batman would testify in court. [Legal Geeks]
* Good news: Missouri failed at gerrymandering. Better news: it’s gotten the Taiwanese animation treatment. [Lowering the Bar]
* Men’s rights activists are using the legal system to derail women’s networking events. [Yahoo]
* Navigating employment contracts outside of the U.S. [JD Supra]
* In the beginning of a startup, everyone is friends…. but it doesn’t always end that way. [Concurring Opinions]
* Former governor Jan Brewer threatens a lawsuit over the use of her picture. [Jezebel]
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China, Contracts
How to Handle China's Slowing Economy
It may not be foolproof, but a good contract goes a long way toward protecting your company when the Chinese economy slows. -
China, Contracts
China Contracts: Why Even Bother?
If your Chinese counterparty believes your contract will be enforced, or even if it just believes it may be enforced, it is likely to act accordingly. -
Contracts, Romance and Dating
Lawyer Makes Girl Obsessed With All Things Legal Sign Dating Contract
Is this lawyer a genius or what? -
China, Contracts
Don't Misunderstand Your China Memorandum Of Understanding
Don't sign any contracts in China before consulting an attorney. Here's why. -
China, Contracts, Labor / Employment
China Employment Contracts: Keep 'Em Current Or Suffer Big Penalties
If you are employing anyone in China without an up-to-date written contract in Chinese, you are at risk for a substantial penalty. -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 07.10.15
* The slashing of the Quinn Emanuel summer program gets the Dr. Seuss (a great legal inspiration in his own right) treatment. And from what we hear, John Quinn likes this cartoon so much he wants to buy the image. [The Recorder] * Prosecutors subpoena a 3 month old girl to testify. When informed of […]
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China, Contracts
China Contracts: Why Even Bother?
If your Chinese counterparty believes your contract will be enforced, or even if it just believes it may be enforced, it is likely to act accordingly.