Guns / Firearms

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 07.26.17

* "[W]e will see what happens, time will tell, time will tell." President Trump has reiterated how "very disappointed" he is that Attorney General Jeff Sessions decided to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, but hasn't publicly stated in so many words that he wants to fire the AG. For what it's worth, it didn't take very long for time to tell what happened with James Comey, Marc Kasowitz, and Sean Spicer. [CNN] * Which in-house officials make the most money? Big Law Business took a look at the summary compensation tables from the 500 largest U.S. companies ranked by revenue to figure out the answer. Take a look at the list of the 30 highest earners, gasp at their eye-popping compensation, and then wonder why you haven't decided to move in-house yet. [Big Law Business] * A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit struck down Washington, D.C., regulations which required that residents prove they had a "good reason to fear injury" in order to obtain a concealed-carry permit for firearms, ruling that the carrying of firearms was a "core" Second Amendment right. The District may seek an en banc review of the decision. [BuzzFeed] * "There is not a law firm function that happens without alcohol" Do law firms enable alcoholism? In a word, yes -- and the fact that we still have to ask ourselves this when one-third of attorneys have admitted that they drink too much and even more have admitted that they have a serious drinking problem is simply appalling. [Am Law Daily] * The bar exam is now well underway, and those whose fates are now in the hands of the bar examiners have taken to Twitter to unleash their anxieties via humorous tweets. Here are 10 of the best bar exam-related tweets from before the test began. The tweets from Day 1 are a little more... aggressive. [Law.com]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 07.11.17

* We welcome Alan Futerfas to the party. This administration said it would create jobs, but I don't think any of us expected they'd all be jobs for criminal defense attorneys. [The Independent] * Witness says Martin Shkreli's focus reminded him of Raymond Babbitt from Rain Man. That's funny, because his smarmy appearance and despicable greed reminded me of Charlie Babbitt. [Law360] * The CFPB wants to ban clauses that prevent consumers from opting out of arbitration. Conservative groups vow to block the rule because freedom requires waiving your rights through adhesion contracts. [Law.com] * Speaking of how financial institutions never do anything wrong so people shouldn't have the right to sue them, Wells Fargo tentatively set to pay $142 million to settle claims arising from its fake accounts scandal. [Courthouse News Service] * An interview with Floyd Abrams discussing his new book, The Soul of the First Amendment (affiliate link). [Coverage Opinions] * In case you missed it, the judge has tossed the University of Texas faculty members' challenge to the state's "an armed classroom is a polite classroom" law. [Texas Tribune] * A real-time experiment testing which in-house practices and law firm attributes tend to produce the strongest relationships, satisfaction, and results. So we'll finally be able to quantify "give me the moon and charge me nothing." [Corporate Counsel] * If you're going to San Diego Comic Con next week, be sure to hit up these legal panels. There's the mock trial of Luke Cage on Friday and an omnibus Star Wars panel featuring California Supreme Court Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, Ninth Circuit Judge John B. Owens, former Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal and other jurists discuss the legal issues of a galaxy far, far away. [The Legal Geeks]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.15.17

* Sometimes you fall for someone who is always jerking you around and the whole thing is just doomed from the start. That's... probably how Norton Rose feels. [Big Law Business] * Speaking of Chadbourne, Judge J. Paul Oetken has denied the firm's motions to end the $100 million gender discrimination class action they're facing. [Am Law Daily] * Marcia Coyle points to the tragic coincidence that the Supreme Court is set to review a concealed carry case the day after yesterday's shooting -- mirroring their review of Sandy Hook legislation the day after the Orlando attack. It's not really a coincidence... there are shootings every day now. [Law.com] * A little preview of the hoopla surrounding the upcoming Bristol-Myers Squibb decision where the Supreme Court is suspected to crack down on class action forum choices. Because mom and pop stores like Bristol-Myers Squibb just can't be bothered to litigate in all the places they sell drugs. [Corporate Counsel] * Since the NBA Finals weren't really competitive, maybe you can get your competitive sports fix from this Wilkinson v. Kessler showdown over football. [National Law Journal] * That Jim Harbaugh is the face of legal aid will never stop being insane. [ESPN] * Looks like Anna Stubblefield will get a new trial. [Slate]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.14.17

* Several people were reportedly shot this morning at a GOP baseball practice, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who is now in stable condition. The gunman is in custody. We may have more on this later today. [The Hill] * The Supreme Court has granted Acting Solicitor General Jeff Wall more time to file papers in order to respond to the recent Ninth Circuit decision upholding a lower court decision which blocked President Donald Trump's travel ban. This means that any action taken by the high court on the administration's emergency pleas for certiorari will be even further delayed. [Reuters] * "I am protecting the right of the president to assert [executive privilege] if he chooses." Attorney General Jeff Sessions seemed to have no desire to speak about his interactions or conversations with President Donald Trump regarding James Comey's handling of the Russia probe during his Senate hearing yesterday, and didn't feel the need to provide a real legal basis for his refusal to answer questions on the topic either. [New York Times; Washington Post] * In the meantime, even though rumors have been swirling about President Donald Trump's supposed desire to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein says he has no reason to fire Mueller at this time: "If there were good cause, I would consider it. If there were not good cause, it wouldn't matter to me what anybody says." [Law360 (sub. req.)] * Marc Kasowitz may have taken a "career-defining" role representing the "predisent," but one wonders what will happen to his law firm while he pursues this ambitious undertaking. Kasowitz Benson could suffer when it comes to recruiting new talent to the firm thanks to its leader's choice of clientele, not to mention the fact that its revenue has been on the decline. [Am Law Daily] * In an effort to fight the "historic drug epidemic" that in no way involves marijuana, AG Jeff Sessions has asked Congress to roll back the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, which prohibits the DOJ from using federal funds to prosecute states that have instituted their own laws authorizing the "use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana." [Washington Post] * Herma Hill Kay, the first female dean of Berkeley Law, RIP. [The Recorder]

By Staci Zaretsky