Golf

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.11.18

* Michael Cohen is suing Buzzfeed over publishing the Trump intelligence dossier. He says the Russia collusion allegations are "not legitimate" but to paraphrase Judge Judy, "don't pee on my leg and tell me it's a Russian prostitute." [Bloomberg] * Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is embroiled in boring, plodding lawsuit which actually sums up his offense pretty well. [Deadspin] * The IRS is getting into the Bitcoin game. Maybe they can explain blockchain in terms that don't involve magic. [Forbes] * Justice Sotomayor bluntly confronted Noel Francisco over the administration's 180 on voting rights. Francisco didn't have a clear, straightforward  answer ready which is weird because "we managed to slip in the back door of the White House so we're basically the Allstate Mayhem guy but for the Constitution" would've been a perfectly acceptable and honest answer. [National Law Journal] * Meanwhile, a federal judge threw out a challenge to Alabama's strict voter ID law finding the state had an important regulatory interest in combatting the voter fraud crisis that they can't string together any evidence of. Jeez, maybe Brett Talley would have actually improved the Alabama federal bench. [NPR] * For your daily reminder that Texas is a jerkweed backwater, the woman accused of drunkenly destroying hundreds of thousands of dollars in art faces a possible life sentence because Texas couldn't figure out how to put the death penalty on it. [Texas Lawyer] * Kirsten Gillibrand will use her blue slip to block the nomination of Greenberg Traurig's Geoffrey Berman for the SDNY U.S. Attorney post. Or, more accurately these days, Kristin Gillibrand will use her blue slip to do absolutely nothing to slow down the nomination of Geoffrey Berman for the SDNY U.S. Attorney post. [New York Law Journal] * Skadden avoids sanctions in Vijay Singh suit. Remember when the PGA was accusing people of doping... in golf? [Law360]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.10.15

* Moonlighting for Biglaw partners: golf caddy? This Alston & Bird partner spent the week caddying for Gunn Yang at the 2015 Masters Tournament. Oh, to watch a partner be subservient and lug someone else's junk around all day. [Am Law Daily] * Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is suing each of her judicial colleagues over a constitutional amendment that could get her demoted from her seat of power. Maybe this judicial diva is a "total bitch" after all. [New York Times] * If you plan to run for president of this country and hope to discuss reform of the criminal justice system while you're shaking hands and kissing babies on the campaign trail, you better be prepared to answer each and every one of these questions. [Washington Post] * "I want to see in an application that ... Law School is a default option for you.” At least one elite law school "actively preference[s]" work experience after college. Get a job. It'll probably be easier now than after you graduate from law school. [Harvard Crimson] * Aside from absurd tuition rates and deceptive employment statistics, here's one more absolutely vital thing that members of the legal profession should consider tossing out during their spring cleaning sessions: the third year of law school. [Washington Post]

By Staci Zaretsky
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 04.06.15

* The law prof who sent anal-bead porn to her students is making headlines beyond the legal media. [Inside Higher Ed; Total Frat Move] * You've been served -- via Facebook. How do you "Like" them apples? [New York Daily News] * Making a federal -- or at least state -- case out of teaching yoga to schoolchildren. [ATL Redline] * Bad idea: taking someone's identity and accepting money on their behalf. (Or: the dangers of launching a startup without legal advice.) [Associate's Mind] * Also a bad idea (if the allegations are true, that is): a men-only golf retreat at a large law firm. [ABA Journal] * "Sperm Donor Scandal Lawsuit: How One Man with Schizophrenia Allegedly Fathered 36 Children." [People] * Getting revenge on a revenge-porn magnate: an 18-year sentence for Kevin Christopher Bollaert. [Los Angeles Times] * How can healthcare startups protect their intellectual property? [MedCity News] * Debt-saddled law students love free stuff -- so how about free membership in the ABA? [American Bar Association] * In addition to our April 23 reception, I'll also be doing an event on April 25 for Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link), to which you are all most cordially invited. [Seminary Co-Op Bookstore; Facebook]

By David Lat
Barack Obama

Non-Sequiturs: 06.13.14

* While you weren’t looking, Phil Mickelson was cleared of insider trading of Clorox options. How does Lefty get his reputation back? Shooting better than 70 at Pinehurst would help. [mitchellepner] * Lat reviews The Good Lawyer by Douglas O. Linder and Nancy Levit. [Wall Street Journal] * Canada grants asylum to Florida sex-offender. Maybe Canada can give a hand to Crystal Metheny. [National Post] * Lawyer charged with stealing from clients defends himself: “[Wife] had become accustomed to a lavish lifestyle that generated living expenses of $40K per month.” Well then! [Seattle Post-Intelligencer] * Can President Obama just raise taxes unilaterally? Apparently so. [DealBook / New York Times (gavel bang: TaxProf Blog)] * So as I read this, someone who definitely bought prostitutes to influence people is accusing someone else of allegedly buying prostitutes to influence people. [Forbes] * How to make the most of your summer associate experience and not screw up spectacularly (though if you choose to screw up spectacularly, please do it in a reportable way). Video below… [Mimesis Law]

By Joe Patrice
2nd Circuit

Non-Sequiturs: 12.09.13

* Good news if you’re a better golfer than your buddies: if you play in New Jersey, you’re not liable when another member of your group injures someone with an errant ball hit into the proverbial lumber yard. On the other hand, you’ll have to be in New Jersey. [The Legal Blitz] * Hank Greenberg continues his effort to throw roadblocks in the way of the NY AG investigation into AIG. Now he’s accusing the AAG on the case of ethical lapses, which is only fair since that’s what everyone else is accusing Greenberg of. [NY Daily News] * It’s official: Biglaw fees are unreasonable. At least by South Florida standards. [South Florida Lawyers] * A Nevada judge was charged with misdemeanor manslaughter in the death of a bicyclist. If convicted, he could spend up to six months in jail. I’d like to imagine this would play out a lot like when Rorschach went to prison. [Associated Press] * Congratulations to Jennifer J. Johnson on being named the new dean of Lewis & Clark. Try to avoid any censorship scandals! [Lewis & Clark] * If you’re in NYC tomorrow evening, the New York City Bar Association is hosting a free event titled “The First Amendment in an Age of Terror” featuring Professor Jonathan Hafetz of Seton Hall University School of Law; James Goodale of Debevoise & Plimpton; Judge Robert D. Sack; Spencer Ackerman, the U.S. National Security Editor for The Guardian; and Jameel Jaffer, Deputy Legal Director, American Civil Liberties Union. [New York City Bar Association] * Syracuse College of Law students have an early Law Revue video for us. Strap in for a Mariah Carey parody that involves a baby getting a hatchet to the face. That sounds way darker than it really is. Video embedded below….

By Joe Patrice
Affirmative Action

Non-Sequiturs: 05.09.13

* An analysis of Vijay Singh’s suit against the PGA. Any legal analysis that requires that much use of the phrase “deer antler spray” is worth it. [Sports Law Blog] * The highest paid state employee by state. If you’re a lawyer, you want to live in Maine. [Deadspin] * A visual representation of every Federalist Society event. [UChiLawGo] * Cheez-Its are really, really good. [Legal Juice] * “The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a bear cub with a gun. Or something.” [Bear Lawyer] * Professor Nick Rosenkranz wonders if a 50/50 quota is appropriate to generate intellectual diversity at law schools since Harvard Law seems to think that gender diversity merits a 50/50 quota. The answer is no. Thanks for playing. [Volokh Conspiracy] * Our own rankings guru Brian Dalton sat down for an interview about the new ATL Top 50 Law Schools rankings. [PrawfsBlawg] * And Elie went on Bloomberg to discuss our inaugural rankings, too….

By Joe Patrice
Books

Non-Sequiturs: 05.07.13

* A senior litigation associate at Paul Hastings, Ryan Nier, has decided to participate in something called the Death Race, and it has nothing to do with the drive for partnership. This Death Race is 50-mile mountain endurance/obstacle race that takes somewhere between 24 and 48 straight hours to finish. Only a handful complete the race every year, and Nier is determined to be one of them. From what we’re told, Paul Hastings has been entirely supportive of Nier, which is cool because he’s using it as an opportunity to raise money for charity. But who knows how supportive they’ll be when they realize he won’t have Blackberry access on top of the mountain for 48 hours. For more information about the Death Race, check out the website. [The Death Race] * Law student golfing across the U.S. So, I take it summer associate gigs are still scarce? [Golf.com] * “Guess What the Air Force’s Chief of Sexual Assault Prevention Was Just Arrested For…” Hard to top that headline. [Lowering the Bar] * Harper Lee suing over “To Kill a Mockingbird” (affiliate link), alleging that the son-in-law of her literary agent botched the copyright. *Insert cheap Atticus Finch joke here* [Washington Post] * Gigi Jordan case gets even uglier with misconduct charges flying around. [Thompson Reuters News & Insight] * Dr. Phil is suing Gawker alleging that the website posted a video of the pop psychologist’s interview with Manti Te’o, stifling ratings. So Dr. Phil thinks his audience strongly overlaps with Gawker’s. I’m incredulous. [Yahoo! Sports] * This is why an over-aggressive cease and desist letter can get you into more trouble. Enter the world of the “miniature war-gaming community.” [Popehat] * A guide to the questions applicants need to be able to answer at OCI. The best? “Describe a situation when you had to think on your feet to extricate yourself from a difficult situation.” This provides insight into how the applicant will deal with virtually every situation that ever comes up in Biglaw. [Ms. JD]

By Joe Patrice
Eric Holder

Non-Sequiturs: 08.13.12

* Man brings knife to a gun fight with NYPD. I think we all know how that ended. [Huffington Post] * The House has brought a civil compliant against Eric Holder. In other news, it’s an election year! [Blog of the Legal Times] * Ah, the never-ending quest for the perfect suit for the female attorney. All of the jokes I have right now are sexist. So I won’t make one. But I’m thinking it. [Corporette] * Golf, even mini-golf, remains an excellent way to network. [Asbury Park Press] * It looks like the Oak Creek shootings are going to go down as a hate crime. I care less about why the shooter did it and more that he’s punished. [CNN] * Stop-and-Frisk doesn’t so much work. [DNAinfo] * Don’t forget to submit your awesome office for our Lawyerly Lairs contest. [Above the Law]

By Elie Mystal