Elon University School of Law

  • Morning Docket: 07.24.17
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 07.24.17

    * Can the president be indicted? You betcha! “It is proper, constitutional, and legal for a federal grand jury to indict a sitting president for serious criminal acts that are not part of, and are contrary to, the president’s official duties. In this country, no one, even [the president], is above the law.” [New York Times]

    * According to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the most notorious grandma of them all, the Trump administration was a little heavy-handed when it came to the travel ban from majority-Muslim countries, and its definition of close family was simply “too restrictive” for the high court to abide by — which is why the “grandma ban” no longer exists. [Associated Press]

    * Why did Ty Cobb decide to join President Trump’s legal team for the Russian election collusion investigation? Here’s what he said, in his own words: “If the president asks you, you don’t say no. I have rocks in my head and steel balls.” Well, that certainly explains it! [National Law Journal]

    * As the Supreme Court’s junior justice, Neil Gorsuch has the unenviable task of serving on the cafeteria committee. It’s a “truly disheartening assignment,” especially since the vast majority of the people who are forced to eat there thanks to a lack of other options have described the food as poor, at best. [Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)]

    * A Cravath associate once said that Anthony Scaramucci, the Harvard Law grad who now serves as President Trump’s new communications director, isn’t one to “humble brag.” But that won’t stop him from helping the president with a few second-hand humble brags. During the press conference where he introduced himself to the world, he said Trump could “throw a dead spiral through a tire,” “hit[] foul shots and swish[] them,” and “sink[] 30-foot putts.” This is all totally believable(?). [Law.com]

    * Leary Davis, founding dean of Elon Law and Campbell Law, RIP. [Roanoke Times]

  • Morning Docket: 03.31.16
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 03.31.16

    * William Shatner has found himself at the center of a $170 million paternity lawsuit that was filed by a radio DJ who claims the actor had a fling with his biological mother. If we’d been able to reach him for comment, we imagine Shatner would’ve said something like this for himself: “Oh my… God I am… not… the father.” [People Magazine]

    * Judge Rosemary Collyer of the D.C. District Court may not have the name recognition some of her colleagues do, but she’s had a hand in some of the most newsworthy cases we’ve seen in recent years. The “systemically important” judge just added another notch to her high-profile belt by stripping MetLife of its “too big to fail” label. [WSJ Law Blog]

    * “When your basic human needs are at stake, you should have a lawyer to protect those needs. The consequences are too great.” Eighteen states are considering bills that would ensure legal representation for low-income people in certain civil cases, such as matters involving eviction, foreclosure, child custody, and involuntary commitment. [ABC News]

    * Earlier this week, Debevoise & Plimpton launched the Debevoise Women’s Review, a site that will aim to focus on the achievements of women lawyers and business professionals. The site will concentrate on “the development, retention and promotion of female professionals.” Way to go, Debevoise! [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]

    * More and more law schools are completely overhauling their coursework in an effort to put more butts in seats, and make sure those butts are prepared for law practice after graduation. Some schools have even significantly reduced tuition costs. For example, students can now attend Elon Law for the low, low flat rate of $100K. [U.S. News]

  • Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 02.06.15

    * Justice Ginsburg is concerned that “our system is being polluted” by the deluge of money that’s being dumped into election campaigns, including judicial elections. “Something is terribly wrong” and it needs to be fixed. [Legal Times]

    * A Suffolk Law professor says laptops should be banned from law school classrooms because of a recent study that says taking verbatim notes makes student comprehension suffer. But then they wouldn’t be able to play online! 🙁 [ABA Journal]

    * “It is virtually inevitable that some or many of the carriers will challenge the rules.” It’s highly likely that net neutrality will be headed back to the courts, no matter what the Federal Communications Commission has to say about it. [WSJ Law Blog]

    * “I think that a law degree is a worthwhile investment for students that have a goal. I don’t know if it’s good for students trying to figure things out.” Enrollment is down at Elon Law, but you should go if your goal is to be employed… eventually. [Pendulum]

    * “Trying to make a claim there’s negligence when there are lawful exemptions is very problematic.” Also problematic are the measles outbreaks across the country, and it may soon be harder for parents to opt out of vaccinations. [National Law Journal]

  • Barack Obama, Biglaw, Death Penalty, Gay Marriage, Law Schools, Morning Docket, Real Estate, SCOTUS, Sentencing Law, Supreme Court, Trials

    Morning Docket: 10.21.14

    * When asked what his favorite SCOTUS decision was during his POTUS tenure, Obama said it was the high court’s cert denials on the gay marriage cases. Well played, sir. [Wall Street Journal]

    * “Leverage has started to shift away from law firms.” Despite the fact that their headcounts are rising, Biglaw firms are downsizing office space as rents keep climbing higher. [Am Law Daily]

    * Schools are trying to slap lipstick on the pig that legal education has become amid an “anemic job market.” We bet your law school has some shiny new innovations too. [News Observer]

    * Citing the fact that “the courts do not exist to win popularity contests,” a judge sentenced Oscar Pistorius to five years in prison. Serious question: Will he be allowed to bring his prosthetic legs? [New York Times]

    * Nancy Grace and her friends have pitchforks at the ready because Jodi Arias’s penalty phase retrial begins today, and another jury will decide if she deserves to die for murdering her boyfriend. [Reuters]

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  • 5th Circuit, Abortion, Biglaw, In-House Counsel, Law Schools, Lindsay Lohan, Mergers and Acquisitions, Morning Docket, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Texas

    Morning Docket: 10.10.14

    * This just in: Now that the Fifth Circuit has refused to hear the Texas abortion case en banc, it looks like we may see a viable case about a major social issue being brought to Term before SCOTUS after all. [National Law Journal]

    * Skadden came out on top of the Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, and Mergermarket league tables for the highest transactional value of its mergers and acquisitions deals in 2014. Congrats on kicking the competition’s ass. [Am Law Daily]

    * Per HBR Consulting, clients are winning the war when it comes to getting legal services on the cheap. Consider this a “call to action for law firms to reconsider the way they do business.” [WSJ Law Blog]

    * The Elon University School of Law is completely revamping its academic offerings in order to offer a law degree that can be earned in 2.5 years, and for about $14,000 less. Nice work! [Triad Business Journal]

    * Lindsay Lohan’s attorneys filed an amended complaint in her case against Grand Theft Auto’s publisher, this time going to far as to spell their client’s name correctly. [Hollywood, Esq. / Hollywood Reporter]