I Want To Put A Baby In You: Another Country Closing Its Doors to Surrogacy – India Edition
Is it possible to respond to the legitimate concerns of exploitation without enacting draconian legislation?
Non-Sequiturs: 07.21.16
* Despite some big-ticket cases, the Supreme Court still leans right. [Empirical SCOTUS] * The Kafka-esque treatment of a mentally ill rape victim, who was locked up over the Christmas holiday to make sure she'd testify, will infuriate you. [Mimesis Law] * Cory Booker is still in the VP race, and he's pissed about what he sees at the RNC: “It’s as if truth means nothing,” and the GOP is a “counter-factual party.” [Washington Post] * Chris Christie “turned over his political testicles long ago.” Sounds about right. [Huffington Post] * Is Ted Cruz's political snub better than a legal remedy? [Law and More] * Should India consider taking up Russia’s offer to build a nuclear aircraft carrier? [Lawyers, Guns & Money]
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Non-Sequiturs: 04.25.16
* Kate Middleton's famous wedding dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen is now the subject of a lawsuit, with designer Christine Kendall claiming it is a knockoff. [Fashionista] * This lawyer, Helene Goodin, after 22 years in the legal profession, left it all to open her own bakery. [Huffington Post] * The rest of the world discovers Delaware's a haven for holding companies; lawyers everywhere shrug. [Gawker] * When humanitarian aid actually caused more economic hardship for the very people we are supposed to be "helping." [Lawyers, Guns and Money] * Can Indian start-ups render the Biglaw firm structure unnecessary? [Law and More] * Richard Hsu talks with Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert cartoon strip. [Hsu Untied] * The Constitutional Accountability Center is holding an event this Thursday, April 28th at the National Press Club in D.C. on the Supreme Court's docket this Term, previewing decisions yet to be handed down and discussing key themes from the Term. [Constitutional Accountability Center] * Speaking of SCOTUS, if you're interested in Supreme Court lit, check out this televised panel of authors, including Irin Carmon of Notorious RBG and ATL editor David Lat of Supreme Ambitions (affiliate links). [C-SPAN]
Non-Sequiturs: 02.25.16
* Come on, you know you want it -- you'll be a hit with all the law nerds. [Tee Spring] * Yup, these are law-related dioramas made with the marshmallow goodness of Peeps. I respect the dedication needed to make these, but was there really nothing better you could do with your time? [ABA Journal] * Your detailed guide to the messy legal battle between Kesha and Dr. Luke. [Slate] * One more reason to be paranoid -- thieves are using Instagram to track and find potential burglary victims. [Find Law] * The Marshall Islands are suing the U.S. and India for violations of the NPT. The suit may actually work out for the defendants, forcing them to work together. [Fortune] * Brendan Dassey's lawyer breaks down why his confession in Making a Murderer was a fake one. [Business Insider] * Book review: check out the novel, What Was Mine, for the legal ramifications of kidnapping. [CodeX] * How to keep up with a client-focused legal practice. [Reboot Your Law Practice] * As the business of being a lawyer gets more cutthroat, will some law firms break ranks? [Big Law Business / Bloomberg] https://youtu.be/mI_dwfpPWvI
Morning Docket: 01.29.16
* “This is, since the recession, the most robust job growth we’ve seen." Nearly all students who worked at Biglaw firms this past summer as associates received offers of full-time employment. Offer rates haven't been this high in more than a decade. [National Law Journal] * Mommy, wow! I'm a big kid now! Affluenza teen Ethan Couch was finally deported from Mexico and booked into a juvenile detention center. Today, we'll see if he'll be moved to a big-boy jail, and in February, we'll see if his case is moved to the grown-up court system. [Associated Press] * Sorry, Hillary Clinton, but President Obama has no desire to be on SCOTUS. According to White House press secretary Josh Earnest, while Obama “would have plenty of ideas for how he would do a job like that,” he "may have other things to do." [The Hill] * It's so hard to get execution drugs that Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood is asking state legislators for alternative methods for carrying out death sentences, like death by firing squad, electrocution, and hanging. Seems reasonable? [Reuters] * Arizona is so eager to kill people it hired Alston & Bird to go up against the Food and Drug Administration in the state's quest to obtain the release of a shipment of execution drugs that it had imported to the country from India this summer. [BuzzFeed News]
Non-Sequiturs: 11.02.15
* An amazing look at the exact way lawyers should NOT handle cleaning up their reputation after a PR snafu. [Techdirt] * Even more bad bar results news, with Charleston School of Law taking a particularly bad hit. [Bar Exam Stats] * A single lawyer -- a divorce lawyer no less -- cannot bring the NSA to its knees. Color me surprised. [Ars Technica] * Attention new lawyers! Feeling overwhelmed? Here's a list of online resources to make your day easier. [Associate's Mind] * A detailed look into the how-tos of complying with U.S. anti-corruption laws while conducting business in India. [Forbes] * Here's what a real Biglaw partner does in a day -- or at least what Christina Martini, Chair of DLA Piper’s Chicago Intellectual Property Practice Group does when a camera is following her around. [Big Law Business/Bloomberg] https://youtu.be/mwbmQctfeNc
Decrypting Crypto, Digital Assets, And Web3
"Decrypting Crypto" is a go-to guide for understanding the technology and tools underlying Web3 and issues raised in the context of specific legal practice areas.
Morning Docket: 08.31.15
* Good news if you've made it to midlevel associate -- survey says you're happier than ever. [American Lawyer] * Amal Clooney lost a case in Egypt, her client was one of three Al-Jazeera journalists sentenced to prison for their coverage of the 2013 uprising. Clooney warned the sentence sends a "dangerous message." [People] * More and more Pennsylvania firms are getting on-board with the $160k pay scale. [Legal Intelligencer] * Chalk another victory up for the Amazing Schneiderman -- that's New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. This time, retail giant Gap Inc. has fallen in line. [Fashionista] * A happy ending for David Powers, whose admission to St. John's Law was revoked after officials there found out about a drug conviction. He's starting at Pace Law today. [New York Times] * When a client announces a new general counsel, law firms should consider that a wake-up call -- or get fired. [Corporate Counsel] * In truly horrific news, two Indian sisters were sentenced to be gang raped as punishment for their brother eloping with a woman of a different caste. The (hopefully) good news is the women have appealed to the Indian Supreme Court for protection. [Jezebel] * What do in-house counsel need to know about the recent NLRB decision expanding the concept of joint-employers? [Law360]
Global Warming Causes Polygamy
I hope the "water wife" concept comes to California.
Non-Sequiturs: 05.23.13
* Congratulations to Sri Srinivasan on his unanimous confirmation to the D.C. Circuit. Fun Fact: Sri Srinivasan played high school basketball on the same team as Danny Manning. No joke there, it’s just a random fun fact I know about him. [USA Today] * Should health care cover sex for people with disabilities? Sure, but […]
Non-Sequiturs: 01.08.13
* Everybody is entitled to a competent defense. It’ll make justice possible. I’m just so thankful I don’t have to defend people like this. [CNN International] * In other terrible rape news, make no mistake, we need more people prosecuting rapists than we need defending the few falsely accused. [Slate] * More news that fewer people are taking the LSAT. Somebody better tell Dean Lawrence Mitchell that it’s time to fire off another op-ed. Maybe he can tell people that getting a Case Western J.D. comes with a chance to enter a drawing to attempt a half-court shot for a million bucks. [Faculty Lounge] * If you want to put a billable hours requirement on your bonuses, things like this are bound to happen. [The Volokh Conspiracy] * Law graduate makes fun of “sloppy” recruiters. I hope his loan officer doesn’t end up making fun of a sloppy payment schedule. [Legal Cheek] * Here’s a real fishy case. [Winston-Salem Journal] * Wait, so if you try to pull off Denzel Washington stuff in a real cockpit it doesn’t turn out so good? [Legal Blog Watch] * We got this spam today too. And yes, it was annoying. [Associate's Mind]
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Morning Docket: 07.31.12
* Jason Cai, the software engineer convicted in the spring of murdering a young attorney, was sentenced today to life in prison without parole and ordered to pay more than $700,000 to the slain woman’s family. [Mercury News] * An appeals court revived a discrimination lawsuit filed by a woman against her employer. And nobody cares. Wait, hold on a sec. Her employer is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. What, what, whaaaat? [WSJ Law Blog] * James Holmes, the man accused of last week’s movie theater shooting spree, has been formally charged with 142 criminal counts. They include 24 counts of first-degree murder and 116 counts of attempted murder in the first degree. [Courthouse News Service] * The Twinkie defense is so played out. Now, courtesy of an ex-Citigroup employee, introducing the brand spanking new “Where’s Waldo” defense. [Reuters] * India’s largest and oldest television network has accused Nielsen of violating the FCPA by manipulating viewership data in favor of networks that offer bribes. Say it ain’t so! [Hollywood Reporter] * Chick-fil-A, free speech, zoning laws, and homophobia — all thrown together onto a failure pile in a sadness bowl. Noted First Amendment lawyer Marc Randazza, counsel to ATL, takes to CNN to educate the masses. [CNN]
India Considers Becoming A Little Less Racist Protectionist
Protectionism is a song as old as time. We do it, and other countries do it to us. Every country is trying to figure our how to maximize the benefits of globalization without making their own people join a frenzied “dey tuk er jerbbbs” mob. And that’s fine. This economic competition is good for standards […]
Non-Sequiturs: 05.20.11
* Should innkeepers with religious beliefs be able to turn away same-sex couples seeking marriage reception venues? [Burlington Free Press] * What are the best law firms in different cities and regions of the country? Check out the Vault regional rankings. [Vault’s Law Blog] * I bet she bites off the next thing he forces […]
Feeling Hot Hot Hot: From NYU LLM Student to Beauty Queen
The holder of an LLM from NYU was just named Miss India. How beautiful must you be in order to rank #1 out of 600 million women?
Non-Sequiturs: 06.06.11
* Kashmir Hill’s take on Weinergate. She shares my admiration for Rep. Anthony Weiner’s sculpted physique, as showcased in his shirtless pics. [Not-So Private Parts / Forbes] * Charles Colman poses a question for intellectual-property types to puzzle over: “at what point is a slogan so descriptive that it would simply be unreasonable to let […]