Contracts
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Bad Ideas, Biglaw, Facebook, Food, Reality TV, Social Media, Social Networking Websites, Television
Social Media Darlings at Amy's Baking Company Fear Lawsuit
From the social media meltdown of the century to the best threatened lawsuit yet. -
Contracts, Fabulosity, Holidays and Seasons
Legally Enforce Your Love With A Momtract On Mother’s Day
This Mother's Day, give the woman who birthed you a gift on her own terms... literally. - Sponsored
Profit Powerhouse: Elevating Law Firm Financial Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar on April 10th, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm. -
Biglaw, Contracts, Guns / Firearms, Law Schools, Litigators, Non-Sequiturs, Rankings, United Kingdom / Great Britain
Non-Sequiturs: 05.06.13
* “Chim chim-in-ey, chim chim-in-ey. Chim chim cher-ee! A sweep of a law firm has found a body!” Dead body found in law firm chimney at Moody and Woolley Solicitors in England. [BBC] * Reddit joins the new trend of writing terms of service that can be read by real-life people. [Associate's Mind] * Defense Distributed, the arms dealer fronted by Texas law student Cody Wilson, announced today that they have completed a fully 3D printed gun, with the added benefit of avoiding metal detectors. Yay? [Gizmodo] * In honor of May the Fourth: a legal analysis of the Chewbacca defense. [The Legal Geeks] * A Howard Law School grad has set up a new business allowing companies to hire bike messengers through their smartphone. So now there’s an app for THAT. [DCist] * Is the legal profession poised for a comeback? Not sure I buy the argument. Just because more litigation kicks up, doesn’t mean firms will go on a hiring spree because litigation doesn’t need a glut of associates anymore. Document management companies are smothering future associate jobs in the cradle and they’re not going anywhere. [TaxProf Blog] * A review of ATL’s Top 50 Law School Rankings. In the interest of complete modesty, this is the most accurate review ever. [Adam Smith, Esq.]
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Basketball, Contracts, Facebook, Football, Intellectual Property, Non-Sequiturs, Politics, Sports, Supreme Court
Non-Sequiturs: 03.19.13
* A Big Ten Commissioner filed a declaration claiming that the Big Ten will stop competitive collegiate athletics if Ed O’Bannon wins his lawsuit. This level of disingenuous blackmail is why we invented sanctions, people. [Sports Illustrated] * On the heels of a federal judge allowing service through Facebook, a Texas lawmaker wants to make service of process over Facebook the rule rather than the exception. [IT-Lex] * The next time you feel embarrassed by a U.S. politician, note that this Japanese city council member refuses to remove his wrestling mask. America doesn’t have anyone that clownish in office… she resigned the governorship in 2009. [Lowering the Bar] * Everyone always talks about plain language contracts. Here’s how someone actually wrote “Terms and Conditions” that a user might actually read. [Associate's Mind] * Once again, the Supreme Court comes down to the Breyer-Thomas coalition against the Scalia-Ginsburg coalition. [ABA Journal] * Slate’s Jessica Grose weighs in on the suicide of Cynthia Wachenheim reported here last week. [Slate] * And here, just for fun, see if you can guess who said these quotes: Spongebob Squarepants or Friedrich Nietzsche. Surprisingly harder than you’d think. [Buzzfeed] -
In-House Counsel, Litigators, Practice Pointers
House Rules: Are You Experienced...?
When a contract specialist gets a little full of themselves, it makes more work for everybody. -
Airplanes / Aviation, Basketball, Biglaw, Blogging, Contracts, Douglas Berman, Education / Schools, Environment / Environmental Law, Federal Government, Intellectual Property, Law Professors, Mergers and Acquisitions, Morning Docket, Politics, Sentencing Law, State Judges, Trademarks, Wall Street
Morning Docket: 02.15.13
* What to do when your federal agency’s website has been hacked by Anonymous and you’re unable to post a major report online for public dissemination? Well, just ask a law professor to do it for you on his blog; that’s not embarrassing, not at all. [WSJ Law Blog]
* The many victims of the Deepwater Horizon disaster can now rejoice, because yesterday, Transocean pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act, and will pay the second-largest environmental fine in United States history to the tune of $400 million. [CNN]
* Money takes flight: eleventy billion Biglaw firms are behind the beast that is this awful airline merger, but taking the lead are lawyers from Weil Gotshal for AMR and Latham & Watkins for US Airways. [Am Law Daily]
* After questioning the validity of one of the NBA players union’s contracts, Paul Weiss is withholding details about it thanks to the government’s intrusion. Way to block nepotism’s alleged slam dunk. [New York Times]
* “When is the last time you took the biggest financial institutions on Wall Street to trial?” Elizabeth Warren took the Socratic method to the Senate Banking Committee and she was applauded for it. [National Law Journal]
* If you liked it, then perhaps you should’ve put a ring on it, but not a Tiffany’s diamond engagement ring that you’ve purchased from Costco, because according to this trademark lawsuit, it may be a knockoff. [Bloomberg]
* “We feel very badly for Megan Thode.” A Pennsylvania judge ruled against the Lehigh student who sued over her grade of C+ because let’s be serious, did ANYONE AT ALL really think he wouldn’t do that?! [Morning Call]
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Contracts, Holidays and Seasons, Romance and Dating
Slaying Romance, Lawyer Style: A Romantic Valentine's Day Memorandum of Understanding
If you came to Above the Law for dating advice, you're doing it wrong. -
Celebrities, Contracts, Donald Trump, Quote of the Day
Bill Maher Goes Apesh*t on Donald Trump's Lawyer
Not one to pass up a good joke, Bill Maher went to town on Donald Trump's lawyer... - Sponsored
Are Small Firms Going Big On Legal Tech?
Please help us benchmark your firm against your peers through this (always) brief and anonymous survey and enter for a chance to win a $250… -
Contract Attorneys, Contracts, Document Review, DUI / DWI, Law Schools, Videos, YouTube
A Children's Treasury of Hitler Reacting To Legal Stuff
Hitler reacts... to a bunch of practical legal and law school concepts. -
Barack Obama, Biglaw, Celebrities, Contracts, Donald Trump, Quote of the Day, Twittering
Quote of the Day: Trump's Lawyers May Be 'FIRED!' Over This
"You're FIRED!" Those are probably words that Donald Trump's lawyers will soon hear after they lose this absurd case. -
American Bar Association / ABA, Clarence Thomas, Contracts, Facebook, Non-Sequiturs, SCOTUS, Sex, Sexual Harassment, Supreme Court
Non-Sequiturs: 01.18.13
* Is this contract for sex based on Facebook likes enforceable? [Gawker] * Speaking of unenforceable contracts, what in the hell does Bilbo sign before his unexpectedly long journey? [Wired] * And Jesus, you certainly can’t barter legal services for sex! I think everybody needs to go home and read the Second Restatement. [Indianapolis Star] * Now you can hear for yourself the three words that Clarence Thomas spoke. It’s at the 41 minute mark. [The Supreme Court] * Ms. JD is offering lawyers and law students the chance to submit questions to ABA President Laurel Bellows that will be answered at an event on January 31 (with viewing parties around the country). [Ms. JD] * How to answer a question when an interviewer asks you something that you don’t have to answer. [Lawyers.com] * Litigation can be a good excuse to get your client to do things they should have been doing all along. [What About Clients?] * North Carolina dean claims she was forced to underreport sexual assaults at the college. When reached for comment, the Duke Lacrosse team said, “We kind of have the opposite problem.” [Salon] -
Contracts, Donald Trump, John Roberts, Non-Sequiturs, Nude Dancing, SCOTUS, Sex, Supreme Court, Tort Reform
Non-Sequiturs: 01.09.13
* They should teach “defending strippers” in law school. I feel like people could have a thriving practice just representing strippers against the various perils in their lives. [The Smoking Gun] * And of course, that class should be taught by Marc Randazza. [The Legal Satyricon] * Bill Maher v. Donald Trump. Offer v. Consideration. Comedian v. D-bag. This will make for a fun issue spotter for any spring term contracts classes. [Josh Blackman's Blog] * Can you prove that a getting a legal aid lawyer actually helps? Are you sure? [Boston Globe] * Birthers are now coming after Chief Justice Roberts. You know what they’re not coming after? Book learning! (zing) [Huffington Post] * Here’s a formal job application, I think, to be the new Clerk of the Supreme Court. [Prawfsblawg] * In the state of nature, this is how pizza places were kept down to the level of the rest of us. [Legal Juice] -
B for Beauty, Contracts, Defamation, Donald Trump
Donald Trump Teaches a Disgruntled Beauty Queen an 'Expensive Lesson' in Arbitration
This beauty queen is no Miss Congeniality, and now she owes Donald Trump $5 million...
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Are Small Firms Going Big On Legal Tech?
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
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Contracts, In-House Counsel, Practice Pointers
House Rules: Reinventing the Wheel
Just because boilerplate language has been around since the dawn of time, it doesn't mean it's still viable or relevant to today’s business to business transactions. -
Benchslaps, Contests, Contracts, Elena Kagan, Job Searches, Non-Sequiturs, SCOTUS, Student Loans, Supreme Court
Non-Sequiturs: 12.11.12
* Kagan, J., benchslapping. [Josh Blackman's Blog] * I think I’d get this if I understood gymnastics. [Associate's Mind] * Some people think IBR is pointless, but if you disagree, check out this petition. [We the People: Your Voice in Government] * Partner readers, check out this new podcast (featuring law firm consultant Ed Wesemann and yours truly). [Attorney Search Group] * Our annual Law Revue Video Contest is still a few months away, but if you like making legally themed videos, keep an eye on this contest (more details forthcoming, including info on the prizes). [Federal Bar Association] * Speaking of contests, we welcome your votes in the ABA Journal’s Blawg 100 (under “News/Analysis”). [ABA Journal] * And speaking of Above the Law, the deadline for applying for our writer/editor position and our internship is tomorrow — so act now if interested! [Above the Law] -
Attorney Misconduct, Bad Ideas, Biglaw, Contracts, Law Schools, Legal Ethics, Money, Morning Docket, Music, Patents, Pornography, Real Estate, Shakira, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns, Technology
Morning Docket: 12.03.12
* When it comes to the art of law firm valuation, you may be surprised when you find out which Biglaw firm is worth the most. Here are a few hints: it’s not Baker & McKenzie, and it’s not DLA Piper or Skadden, either. [American Lawyer]
* Remember back in July when this Judge of the Day was busying clicking on hardcore porn sites while in chambers? As it turns out, now he’s busy crying in court while battling to keep his judicial career intact. [Chicago Sun-Times]
* Evening students are capable of doing more than ruining your class rank. Jacob Lew, once a night student at Georgetown Law, is now the White House chief of staff assisting with fiscal cliff negotiations. [New York Times]
* For now, the only thing that’s keeping Florida from gaining another law school is a lack of square footage in the real estate rodeo. But that’s probably a good thing, because adding a twelfth law school would be more than a little ridiculous. [Daytona Beach News-Journal]
* Samsung’s trying to get out of paying $1.05B to Apple, and their lawyers are trying to pin knowledge of the jury foreman’s misrepresentations on their technological nemesis to get the verdict thrown out. [Bloomberg]
* Shakira’s hips don’t lie, but her contracts allegedly do. The sexy singer’s ex-business partner (who’s also her ex-boyfriend) is suing her for $100M to “recover his share of past and future partnership profits.” [Billboard]
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Books, Contracts, Crime, Non-Sequiturs, Rank Stupidity, Twittering
Non-Sequiturs: 10.23.12
* So you want to be the next top legal scholar? Step 1: find some better friends. [lawprofblawg] * Clean your room! Otherwise you might not get into Harvard Law School. Seriously. [Greedy Associates / FindLaw] * What’s the absolute worst-case bank-robbery scenario, from the robber’s perspective? The teller who says, “Oh hello, Ms Robinson. Would you like to make a deposit today?” [Consumerist] * Apple unveiled a new mini-iSomethingOrOther today. I wonder who they’re gonna sue next? [Bits / New York Times] * Back in the day, David beat Goliath with a slingshot. In modern times, underdogs use Twitter. [IT-Lex] * I hated Moby Dick, but historical legal and literary documents are always cool. [Lowering the Bar] * If you’re planning on attending a law school — or heck, law firm — Halloween party, here are some costume dos and don’ts. [Legal Blog Watch] -
Contracts, Football, Labor / Employment, Quote of the Day, Sports
Quote of the Day: Are You Ready for Some Football -- Without So Many Ridiculous Calls?
The NFL was able to reach an agreement with the NFL Referees Association to end the lockout. Hooray! -
Alston & Bird, Biglaw, General Counsel, In-House Counsel, Litigators, Money, Rankings
Who Represents America's Biggest Companies?
Which firms do Fortune 100 companies turn to when they’ve got bet-the-company litigation on the table? -
Antonin Scalia, Blogging, Contracts, Food, Free Speech, Google / Search Engines, Law Professors, Money, Non-Sequiturs, Pornography, Richard Posner, Sports, Student Loans
Non-Sequiturs: 09.24.12
* Someone was finally able to liken the Scalia v. Posner debate to a suitable situation: bitchy mean girls fighting each other in a middle school cafeteria. Seriously, only the inclusion of “like” throughout the entirety of the dialogue could’ve made it better. [lawprofblawg] * Who pays your law professors’ salary? The obvious answer is law students, since professorial wallets are padded by tuition dollars. But what happens when IBR comes into play and loan debts are forgiven? Then the answer shifts to the taxpayers. [PrawfsBlawg] * When Derek Boogaard of the New York Rangers died, everyone was expecting that a lawsuit would be filed, but no one really thought that it would be one based on contract law. [New York Law and Legal Analysis Blog] * What kind of case “really turn[s] on” everyone’s favorite First Amendment lawyer? Free speech cases that are riddled with challenges, of course, and questions about what does and doesn’t constitute porn. [Vegas Inc] * You must be wondering where Above the Law fell on this ranking of the 15 Most Influential Law Blogs. We won’t give it away, but let’s just say that we now share something in common with Cooley. [Business Insider] * “[S]ome dude with the munchies is getting a little legal education.” That’s what we thought when one of our top searches last week was “pictures of tacos” — and not even “duck tacos,” but regular ones. [Search Party]