Kirkland & Ellis

* Remember the judge who challenged a public defender to a fistfight in court? He was suspended by the Florida Supreme Court, and has 20 days to explain why he should keep his job. With all due respect, your great right hook isn’t a good enough reason, Your Honor. [Florida Today]

* Screw the historic SCOTUS decision, because this Alabama probate judge really doesn’t want to issue same-sex marriage licenses. In fact, he doesn’t think any judges in the state should have to do so. He wants the federal government to issue them instead. [AL.com]

* In the wake of the latest daily fantasy sports scandal involving DraftKings, FanDuel has hired the kind of legal representation that you’d want on your team for a Hail Mary play. Hut! Hut! Hike! Time to suit up, Debevoise and Kirkland. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg]

* The University of Chicago Law School has a new dean. We’d like to wish a warm welcome to Thomas Miles, a “rookie dean” who likely has enough prestige points under his belt to lead one of the best law schools in the nation with great ease. [Crain’s Chicago Business]

* Today is the 25th Annual National Depression Screening Day, so if you’re a lawyer or a law student who’s feeling anxious or depressed, please feel free to take an anonymous online screening quiz. There are people and programs who can help you. [Am Law Daily]

Not everyone leaves Biglaw to improve work/life balance, according to Nehal Madhani, who educated me on this topic – mostly through emails at 4 a.m. I learned that a grueling 2,400-hours-a-year work schedule is nothing when you are working for yourself to make the legal system better – and Madhani’s loving every minute of it. […]

* From Kirkland & Ellis mailroom clerk to the Clinton Global Initiative. [Yahoo!]

* Is a man who farts too much a protected class? [NJ.com]

* The chairman of the Florida Libertarian Party, Adrian Wyllie, is standing up against ATL favorite Augustus Sol Invictus over an alleged ritualistic animal sacrifice. [Talking Points Memo]

* Bill O’Reilly goes nuts on America. [Media Matters]

* Deciding when to sue over a negative online review. [Wedding Industry Law]

* We associates plan, God partners laugh. [Daily Lawyer Tips]

* Jurors in the criminal trial for former leaders of Dewey & LeBoeuf have reviewed evidence for a full week already, and will return to court today for their eighth day of deliberations. At least the defendants will be able to keep killing time on Candy Crush. [WSJ Law Blog]

* A federal judge denied the UFC’s motion to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit that was filed against it by current and former fighters over the organization’s monopolization of the MMA industry. It’s time to bring in an armbar submission artist to stop the UFC for good. [ESPN]

* “I don’t want to leave my successor a dirty barn.” Hot on the heels of his surprise resignation, House Speaker John Boehner has vowed to avoid a government shutdown and pass some legislation before his time is up. Well, it’s good to have goals. [Reuters]

* Volkswagen can expect nothing less than a “tsunami” of lawsuits and legal proceedings thanks to its emissions scandal. On the bright side, Kirkland & Ellis is going to be able to reap the rewards of thousands of billable hours. [Chicago Tribune; Automotive News]

* TV staffers who worked on “The Following” and “The Blacklist” filed suit against production companies Warner Brothers, NBC, and Sony, alleging they were forced to work 24 hours straight — and pee in bottles — without being paid overtime. [New York Post]

In our first installment, our subject weighs New York Biglaw versus hometown charm.

This wasn't exactly a close contest; the winner scored a runaway victory.

Check out these super-fun events -- which is your favorite?

There's surprisingly little change in this year's list, but it's still always interesting to see who's rising and who's falling.

* It was First Amendment Day at SCOTUS this morning! Here’s a recap. [PrawfsBlawg]

* Exclusive report on the new CSOL president’s meeting with students. He explained how Infilaw had a terrible track record and offered nothing to the school. Just kidding! But he did suggest introducing “a Boy Scout-inspired ‘merit badge system’” to the school. So there’s that. [SC Lawyers Weekly]

* Facebook made this legislator vote the wrong way on a bill. #banBoomers. [Lowering the Bar]

* Texas became the first state to ban fracking bans. Looks like they understand hierarchical government in some situations. [Breaking Energy]

* Allegations of political influence peddling in Orange County pot industry. I didn’t make it to the big ATL Business of Bud conference the other day, but this sounds scandalous. On the other hand, “drug trade influence peddling” used to involve fewer gavels and more Glocks, so this is a positive development. [OC Weekly]

* Do you have strong feelings about FRCP 56(d)? You should. An excellent practice tip. [What About Clients?]

* Tonight is the Family Violence Appellate Project’s annual Battle of the Lawyer Bands. If you want to see bands from Google, O’Melveny, Latham, Jones Day, Lieff Cabraser, and Kirkland & Ellis — and help a good cause — then you’d best be in San Francisco and head over to 1015 Folsom. Buy tickets at the link. [Family Violence Appellate Project]

* You know who aren’t “Beliebers”? The Fourth Circuit. They swatted down Bieber and musical enabler Usher defending themselves against another artist’s copyright claim. Read the full opinion on the next page. [Fourth Circuit]

Which Biglaw firm got blasted for ignoring its ethical obligations in a hostile takeover bid?

Which firms are most highly rated by their summers? Our survey asks current and former summers to rate their employers based on the categories of Compensation, Hours, Firm Morale, Training, and Culture and Colleagues.

Is this a big blow to Kirkland & Ellis, or is K&E glad to see her go?

You don't need to be drinking the Kirkland Kool-Aid to think that these bonuses are delicious. (But note the dissent from some non-share partners.)

Whoa, talk about an eye-popping salary! Which law firm does he work for?

How much does it cost to woo a successful partner away from a prestigious and profitable firm?

If you are looking to move in the beginning of January, your finger should be pressing the call app in your phone.

Who is the partner in question, and where is he going?

Why would a high-profile lateral leave his new firm so quickly and with such little notice?

It's hard to believe a company can so blatantly thumb its nose at the rules, but they have a secret and some Biglaw bigshots on retainer to fight tooth-and-nail to protect their lending practices....

Legal luminaries throwing their reputations behind the anti-tenure effort just highlights how flimsy it is, as a matter of law and policy.