Federal Government
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Clerkships, Department of Justice, Fabulosity, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Feeder Judges, SCOTUS, Solicitor General's Office, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Clerks
Congratulations To The 2013 Bristow Fellows
Who are the five brilliant young lawyers just selected for Bristow Fellowships at the U.S. Solicitor General's Office? And which law schools and lower-court judges have produced the most Bristows over the past few years? -
Biglaw, Bonuses, BP, Federal Government, In-House Counsel, Money, Morning Docket, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns
Morning Docket: 11.16.12
* BP agreed to plead guilty to 14 charges and pay $4.5B in fines, but before going through with it, several Biglaw firms helped the company sell off assets to fund litigation- and spill-related costs. [Am Law Daily]
* According to HBR Consulting, compensation for in-house attorneys has risen over the past year — including bonuses, which went up to $62,500. Sorry, but Biglaw isn’t following suit. [Corporate Counsel]
* It’s better to leave well enough alone: Pryor Cashman was ordered to pay more than $21K in legal fees for filing a frivolous motion over its repeated attempts to dismiss a case. [New York Law Journal]
* Judge Susan McDunn, who claimed that her “life [was] being ruined” by the secret lawsuits of many powerful Chicagoans, has resigned. Looks like her $182K salary wasn’t enough to buy crazy pills. [Chicago Tribune]
* James T. Hayes Jr., the ICE agent who accused his superior of subjecting male employees to her “sexually offensive behavior,” settled his discrimination lawsuit against the government for $175,000. [Washington Post]
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
The rise of remote work has dramatically reshaped the relationship between Lawyers and Law Firms, see how Scale LLP has taken the steps to get… -
Biglaw, Department of Justice, Disasters / Emergencies, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Law Schools
Hurricane Sandy: A List of Legal World Closures
How is the legal world responding to Hurricane Sandy? Mostly by closing. Here is a working list of closures at courts, government agencies, law firms, and law schools.
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Disasters / Emergencies, Federal Government, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Frankenstorm Closes Everything, Except SCOTUS... And Above The Law
There's a storm coming, but some things are still open... -
Biglaw, Department of Justice, Federal Government, Job Searches, Musical Chairs, Partner Issues, Patrick Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorneys Offices
Musical Chairs: Patrick Fitzgerald's New Home
When Patrick Fitzgerald stepped down as U.S. Attorney in Chicago, he seemed to pooh-pooh the prospect of his becoming a defense lawyer. But now he has joined a Biglaw firm -- where he will presumably do some defense work. Where is he headed? -
Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Federal Government, Job Searches, Law Schools, Money, Morning Docket, Partner Issues, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Wells Fargo
Morning Docket: 10.10.12
* Dewey know whether Judge Martin Glenn approved this failed firm’s $71.5 million partner contribution plan? We certainly do, and D&L’s chief restructuring officer, Joff Mitchell of Zolfo Cooper, is simply “delighted” about it. [Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)]
* Bitch better have my money? The United States is suing Wells Fargo under the little known Financial Institutions Reform, Recover, and Enforcement Act for allegedly screwing it out of approximately eleventy billion dollars. [DealBook / New York Times]
* “Flat is the new up for the legal sector,” except in Cleveland, because law firms there have been on hiring sprees throughout 2012. But unfortunately, there is a down side — it’s Cleveland. [Cleveland Plain-Dealer]
* Diversity: no longer just an old wooden ship. Almost every law school-related amicus brief filed in Fisher v. University of Texas has backed the consideration of race in admissions decisions. [National Law Journal]
* There’s officially at least one benefit in attending Thomas M. Cooley Law — the school collects so much money from students that it’s able to attract big-name speakers, like ex-rocker Henry Rollins. [Michigan Live]
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Antonin Scalia, Barack Obama, Department of Justice, Election 2012, Eric Holder, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Harvard, John Roberts, Politics, Richard Posner, Sarbanes-Oxley / Sarbox / SOX, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
A Lawyer's Guide To Getting Drunk During Tonight's Presidential Debate
Do you want to get drunk during tonight's presidential debate? Of course you do! So play our drinking game. -
Copyright, Cyberlaw, Department of Justice, Entertainment Law, Technology
MegaMeltdown: New Zealand's Prime Minister Apologizes to Kim Dotcom
Kim Dotcom strikes another victory, this time in the form of a personal apology from New Zealand's prime minister. - Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use. -
Department of Justice, Federal Government, Job Searches
An Update on the DOJ Honors Program
What is the latest news about this year's application process for the Justice Department's Honors Program? -
Biglaw, Clarence Thomas, Department of Justice, Federal Government, Job Searches, Law Schools, Morning Docket, Patents, Pro Bono, Public Interest, Rankings, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Clerks, Technology
Morning Docket: 09.24.12
* Hey, “regular students” with “regular backgrounds,” you may be able to get a job as a SCOTUS clerk, because Justice Clarence Thomas is the Supreme Court’s honey badger in that he doesn’t give a sh*t about rankings. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer]
* Because $1.05 bill wasn’t quite enough, Apple is asking for additional damages in its patent war lawsuit against Samsung. Ohh, come on, Judge Koh, it’s just an extra $535 million. Everyone else is doing it, come on. Just give us the money. [Bloomberg]
* The D.C. Circuit suit about White House visitor logs is kind of like a recurring issue we see with law schools, in that transparency here means “[w]e will disclose what records we want you to see.” [National Law Journal]
* Skadden is teaming up with local legal aid groups to start a pro bono initiative in D.C. We hear they’ll be handing out gift cards as a show of appreciation to those who sign up. [Capital Business / Washington Post]
* Sumner Redstone recently donated $18M to BU Law. Will his successor be as charitable? From Columbia Law to Shearman & Sterling to media mogul: meet Philippe Dauman, CEO of Viacom. [New York Times]
* “The employment statistics really are the collective impact of individual choices.” And one of them was attending law school anyway, despite all of the negative media attention they’ve received. [Cincinnati Enquirer]
* Remember the Harvard Law student who ran for Student Government President and pledged to resign after rewriting the organization’s constitution? Well, he graduated, but at least he got a draft in. [Harvard Crimson]
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Federal Government, Job Searches, Law Schools
A Government Job for 3Ls -- But Applications Are Due ASAP!(And job opportunities for experienced attorneys too.)
Some news about an arm of the federal government that's hiring graduating law students as well as experienced attorneys. Apply now, the deadline is soon! -
Brett Kavanaugh, Department of Justice, Election 2012, Election Law, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Politics, Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day: Size Matters
Instead of arguing the law, the DOJ is arguing over font size... -
Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Celebrities, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Law Schools, Minority Issues, Morning Docket, Partner Issues, State Judges, Student Loans
Morning Docket: 09.03.12
Ed. note: Due to the Labor Day holiday, we’ll be on a reduced publication schedule today. We’ll be back to normal tomorrow. A restful and happy Labor Day to all!
* The lone ex-Dewey partner who was sued by Citibank for defaulting on his capital loan is fighting back, claiming that he was “fraudulently induced” into signing up for the plan even though the bank knew that the S.S. D&L was sinking. [Reuters]
* If you’re trying to avoid additional questions being raised about your alleged bad behavior, a resignation amid scandal isn’t the way to do it. Suzanne Barr, the ICE official accused of running a federal “frat house,” has quit her job. [New York Daily News]
* A federal judge taught the members of the Louisiana Supreme court that the year 1994 did, in fact, occur before the year 1995. Justice Bernette Johnson will now ascend to the rank of chief justice. [Times-Picayune]
* Because we’re all a little hopeless these days: given the bleak realities of our economic situation, perhaps it’s finally time to change the standard for a discharge of student loan debt in bankruptcy. [New York Times]
* “The groups that attempt to rank schools are involved in a lot of hogwash.” Even if that’s the case, people are still going to care about the University of Illinois’s rankings nosedive after the Paul Pless to-do. [News-Gazette]
* Don’t be scared by the absurd tuition rates or the abysmal job prospects, because law school is still a great investment for African-Americans — and for law schools in search of diversity, too. [National Law Journal]
* “[T]hat a lawyer would take this kind of case is shocking.” Sadly, it’s not. Angelica Marie Cecora, the alleged escort who filed a $5M suit against Oscar de la Hoya, now has to pay all of his legal fees. [New York Post]
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
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Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
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Cars, Cyberlaw, Department of Justice, Federal Government, Intellectual Property, Technology
Kim Dotcom Can Finally Pay His Lawyers; And There Will Be Much Rejoicing
A New Zealand Court allowed the Megaupload leader to have access his money so his lawyers can finally get paid... -
Books, Breasts, Contests, Crime, Federal Government, Health Care / Medicine, Insurance, Law Schools, Non-Sequiturs, Politics, Romance and Dating, Video games
Non-Sequiturs: 08.28.12
* Sorry, Rob Portman, while you’re very good at making law students flee from commencement ceremonies, you don’t get to be Mitt’s running mate. Instead, you get to pretend to be the president. Dreams do come true. [Recess Appointment] * Just because there was an undergrad rankings scandal at our school doesn’t mean that our law school data isn’t sound. ::pout:: Oh Emory, that’s so precious. [TaxProf Blog] * Breast implants don’t make women healthier?! Damn you, Congress! [New York Magazine] * Scamming insurance companies > scamming dying AIDS patients. [Dealbreaker] * Scott Greenfield is running a book giveaway contest. Well, here’s my submission: The law doesn’t suck; it’s just the week before Labor Day, so writing about the law sucks. [Simple Justice; Legal Blog Watch] * Given the number of men who ignore their girlfriends in favor of video games, it’s surprising that more women haven’t been charged with misdemeanor battery. [Legal Juice] -
Federal Government, Lawsuit of the Day, Sexism, Sexual Harassment
ICE Official's Suit Is Littered With Allegations of His Superior's 'Sexually Offensive Behavior' and 'Frat House-Type' Antics
How can the chief of staff of a federal agency allegedly turn her office into a frat house? Check out this complaint and find out... -
Cars, Cyberlaw, Department of Justice, Entertainment Law, Federal Government, Intellectual Property, Technology
The DOJ Wishes Megaupload Would Just Die Already
What's happening these days in the DOJ's case against Megaupload? -
Clerkships, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Feeder Judges, Job Searches, Law Schools
A Top Law School 'Fesses Up: Yeah, We're Violating the Law Clerk Hiring Plan -- What You Gonna Do About It?
A leading law school announces that it's not following the Law Clerk Hiring Plan -- and explains why. -
American Bar Association / ABA, Biglaw, Federal Government, Job Searches, Kids, Law Schools, Morning Docket, Prostitution, Real Estate
Morning Docket: 07.17.12
* “Many organizations have people who do dumb things.” Members of the Secret Service aren’t the only suits getting secretly serviced. Apparently Treasury Department officials like hookers, too. [New York Daily News]
* The cool cats at WilmerHale arrived for their first day of work yesterday at their hip new downtown location. Their library has a Wii, but who are they kidding, it’s probably just for show. [Am Law Daily (sub. req.)]
* On the other side of the fence, we’ve got some signs of the impending lawpocalypse. Soon Biglaw veterans will be forced to say goodbye to the corner office and hello to the glass-walled cubicle. [WSJ Law Blog]
* George Zimmerman: alleged murderer, and now an alleged child toucher (though he was still a child himself). Witness 9 claims Zimmerman abused her for a decade while they were both underage. [CNN]
* “We want to have a bar pass standard that really works. And it’s clear it doesn’t work now.” Oh boy, would you look at that. The ABA is trying to make it look like it’s doing something to improve law schools! [ABA Journal]
* Emory Law received a record donation, and more than half will fund minority student scholarships. Little do these kids know that they’ll soon be condescendingly told to move to Nebraska. [National Law Journal]
* But then again, maybe Nebraska isn’t so bad, considering three law schools are shipping students to neighboring Iowa. The towns are tiny, and the surroundings are rural, but come on, the state’s got jobs. [NPR]
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Blogging, Clerkships, Federal Government, Federal Judges, Feeder Judges, Job Searches, Law Schools, Media and Journalism, Weirdness
Whither Clerkship Scramble? Popular Blog Mysteriously Disappears
A popular blog about clerkships, the Clerkship Scramble, recently vanished from the internets. What happened?