George Washington University Law School

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.11.17

* Sitting en banc, the Seventh Circuit reinstated the conviction of Making a Murderer's Brendan Dassey in a split decision. If you recall, Dassey's conviction was overturned by a federal magistrate in June 2016, and that ruling was later affirmed by a three-judge panel of the Seventh Circuit this June. [ABA Journal] * Dean Blake Morant says GW Law enrolled a smaller incoming class this fall in order to stop its downward slide in the U.S. News rankings. Because of the smaller class, some programs are being cut and there's a freeze on staff hiring. Yikes. [GW Hatchet] * What is special counsel Robert Mueller's legal endgame in this Russia probe? Some think that this could turn into an obstruction of justice case, while others think this could turn into a conspiracy case. What'll it be? This investigation has no end in sight, so we'll have to wait a bit longer to find out. [NPR] * Kevin McIntyre, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's new chairman, has given us a little $1.8 million peek into the Jones Day black box in his financial disclosure. [National Law Journal] * The legal profession had something to be thankful for this November: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the legal sector grew by 600 jobs. [American Lawyer]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.15.17

* "When the founders wrote the Declaration of Independence, they invoked our creator four times, because in America we don't worship government we worship God." Guess who was awarded an honorary law degree this weekend? It was none other that President Donald Trump, who delivered the commencement address at Liberty University on Saturday morning. [The Hill; TIME] * The Pink Ghetto (Partner Edition)? A Proskauer Rose partner has filed a $50M gender bias suit against the firm, claiming she was not only paid less than male colleagues, but that she was "overtly objectified based on her sex" when a fellow partner allegedly "made inappropriate comments regarding her appearance, body, clothing, or 'sexiness'" on numerous occasions. [Am Law Daily] * Tarra Simmons has quite the résumé: she's a convicted felon and former drug addict who also happens to be the recipient of a prized Skadden fellowship. Unfortunately, she may not be able to practice law thanks to a recommendation from the Washington State Bar Association’s Character and Fitness Board that she be denied bar admission. She plans to appeal. [Northwest Public Radio] * Walter "Chet" Little, a former Foley & Lardner partner, has been arrested on insider trading charges that stem from his time at the firm. Soon after finding out about the nature of the charges, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, his current firm, politely showed him the door. If convicted, Little will likely face quite the lengthy prison term and a fine of up to $5 million. Ouch. [WSJ Law Blog] * "There was never a question of whether I was going to go to law school or not. It was just when I was going to go...." Chris Carr, a former cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens, is set to graduate from GW Law School this weekend. He'll be taking the California bar exam this summer, but he recently accepted a job offer at an immigration law firm in Virginia. Congratulations! [Washington Post]

By Staci Zaretsky