Covington & Burling

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.07.19

* "We want him to testify openly. I think the American people need that. I think, frankly, it's his duty to the American people." House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said that he could subpoena former special counsel Robert Mueller in the next two weeks if they can't come to an agreement for his public testimony. [POLITICO] * After refusing even more subpoena demands, it’s highly likely that the House is going to hold AG Bill Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress. Let’s see if this goes anywhere... [Washington Post] * Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden says that he no longer supports the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funds from being used for most abortions: “I can't justify leaving millions of women without access to the care they need and the ability to ... exercise their constitutionally protected right.” [CNN] * In case you missed it, just ahead of his sentencing, former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn fired his entire legal team from Covington. He has new lawyers, but hasn't announced who they are. [National Law Journal] * Denver Law has been sued once again for allegedly paying its female professors less than its male professors, despite the school's consent agreement with the EEOC. This time around, an associate professor at the school claims she's being paid more than $30,000 less than the average salary among her male colleagues. [Law.com]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.18.18

* Michael Flynn's going in for sentencing today. My money is on him not throwing out the plea deal over materiality. [National Law Journal] * Meanwhile, some of his old cronies have been charged for acting as illegal agents of Turkey, which is not the cooperation that's getting the most attention, but it's the cooperation that probably has the most direct impact. [Courthouse News Service] * Judge makes deer poacher watch Bambi. I guess to understand what a wonderful and delightful journey he kicks off when he kills boring adult deer. [LegalCheek] * The top verdicts of the year. [Law360] * Howrey doing with that bankruptcy? [American Lawyer] * Client misconduct is an underappreciated source of sexual harassment. Women in firms feel greater pressure not to report harassment from clients fearing it could damage their careers. Firms often don't even consider the possibility that this is going on. [Corporate Counsel] * Closing arguments due in NCAA's right to profit off of its student ath-o-leets. [The Recorder]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.29.18

* Robert Bowers, the suspect in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that left 11 dead and six wounded, has been charged with 29 federal criminal counts including hate crimes and using a firearm to commit murder and 36 state criminal counts including homicide and ethnic intimidation. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who lost their lives this weekend. [New York Times] * According to the criminal complaint filed against Cesar Sayoc, the pipe bomb he allegedly tried to mail to former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was addressed to his office at a "certain law firm" -- a certain law firm that's better known as Covington & Burling. Good thing the package never made it there. [National Law Journal] * When asked to reflect on the misconduct allegations against Yale Law School Professor Jed Rubenfeld, alumni from the school are not the least bit shocked. "It was not a surprise to basically any woman in my class that this investigation is going on," said one 2015 graduate. Will the school take appropriate action? [Yale Daily News] * Partners from Allen & Overy and O'Melveny & Myers are cozying up to each other as merger talks between the two firms continue, but there may be trouble in paradise. "There is some opposition in London," said a former A&O partner, "but it’s fairly disorganised—there’s a lot of moaning but nobody leading a charge." [International] * In case you missed it, after the involuntary revocation of its accreditation, Arizona Summit Law School will eventually close its doors. But first, the school must finalize a teach-out plan for its remaining students, and when it's all over, "that would be the life of the school." What a sad little life. Farewell to AZ Summit Law. [Arizona Republic] * You might not have known it, but the Michigan State University College of Law has been operating as a private school for all these years. Soon, the school will be fully integrated into the university, and you know what that means: in-state tuition costs will be coming to the MSU Law. Congratulations! [Lansing State Journal] * RBG is my Patronus, and a course on Harry Potter and the Law is coming to a law school near you -- if you live in India, that is. The National University of Juridical Sciences will be teaching the class, and muggles students are "expected [to] have already read all the books at least twice, if not more." [The Guardian]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.07.17

* Is there a constitutional right to follow President Donald Trump on Twitter? Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute apparently thinks so, and lawyers from the free-speech center have demanded that Trump’s unblock critics from his @realDonaldTrump account. Good luck! [WSJ Law Blog] * Following an investigation conducted by Perkins Coie, Uber fired more than 20 employees thanks to complaints of sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination. Perkins Coie's probe is separate from that of former Attorney General Eric Holder, who is now employed at Covington & Burling. [ABC News] * Per sources inside the Trump administration, the president is expected to nominate Cheryl Stanton, a former Ogletree Deakins partner, to head the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. Stanton shares a former boss with Labor Secretary Alex Acosta: Justice Samuel Alito. [Big Law Business] * Michelle Lee, the director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, has resigned. During her time at the USPTO, Lee was known for her efforts to crack down on patent trolls, which ultimately led to a decrease in their vexatious litigation. The Trump administration has not yet put forth a nominee. [Reuters] * The American Bar Association has granted provisional accreditation to the University of North Texas Dallas College of Law. Last summer, the ABA refused to grant even provisional accreditation to the school because there was concern about future graduates' ability to pass the bar exam. Congrats... [ABA Journal]

By Staci Zaretsky
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 04.14.17

* Eli Manning might be getting burned by discovery. [ESPN] * The Covington & Burling report on sexual misconduct at Choate that is rocking the world of elite boarding schools. [New York Times] * Aaron Hernandez found not guilty of a 2012 double murder. Don't worry, he is still serving a life sentence for a 2013 murder. [Deadspin] * Did Donald Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, misplace $350,000? [Buzzfeed] * If only this was what really happened behind the scenes at SCOTUS. [Huffington Post] * DOJ gives up on HB2 litigation. [Slate] * The civil rights of students are... probably not in good hands. [Salon]

By Kathryn Rubino
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.06.17

* Hey, sometimes the Supreme Court falls for bad data. [NY Times] * Lessons in professional responsibility: people frown upon lawyers telling people, "I think you should commit suicide." [NY Post] * How much of Tiffany Trump's law school fate is based on being the daughter of the president, asks newspaper willing to blindly speculate on her test scores to undermine her credibility as a student? [Washington Post] * Dewey know who didn't trust the troubled firm? [Law360] * JAMS facing trial in mediator résumé padding case. [The Recorder] * Make Target great again. [National Law Journal] * Covington settles its conflicts case with 3M. [Am Law Daily]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.10.17

* Law forces Oklahoma town to cancel Valentine's Day dance. But, you know, keep worrying about states imposing Sharia law. [ABC News] * When a lawyer who routinely represented sexual assault victims as part of a referral program at Stanford pointed out that the school's policies made it difficult for victims, the school took this criticism seriously, engaged in thorough introspection, and, regardless of the outcome of their review, thanked the attorney for her honest assessment. Nah, just kidding, they fired her. [Inside Higher Ed] * Lateral hiring by the numbers. This may come as a shock, but partners are more likely to bolt when PPP declines. [The American Lawyer] * Republicans have renewed efforts to break up the Ninth Circuit. To create... two different liberal circuits? [Fox News] * The Bio-Rad case may influence more GCs to blow the whistle. [Law360] * Are Trans-Atlantic Biglaw mergers the new normal? [Am Law Daily] * Covington & Burling partner James Garland discusses "when Tweets attack," specifically how a company should deal with a rogue Tweeter in the White House. [Law.com] * I wonder if Fragomen is busy right about now... [Big Law Business]

By Joe Patrice