Law School Applications

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.28.16

* "Absent a showing that the requested enforcement action could not shake loose a few more emails, the case is not moot." Because 2016 isn't over yet and we love kicking horses thought to be dead, the D.C. Circuit has revived a legal challenge regarding Hillary Clinton's private email server that was once considered to be moot. [Reuters] * The Supreme Court may be taking a turn to the conservative side come 2017, but not immediately. It's expected that shortly after his inauguration, President Trump will announce his nominee in either late January or early February, with confirmation hearings held in March, and a vote sometime in April. By the time a new justice is sworn in, there will be just a few days left of oral arguments for the current Term. [NPR] * "This case of cyber meets securities fraud should serve as a wake-up call for law firms around the world." Three Chinese hackers have been charged with breaking into the servers of several Biglaw firms -- firms like Cravath and Weil Gotshal -- to illegally trade on stolen information. They made more than $4 million, but only one of them has been arrested thus far and is awaiting extradition to the United States. [Bloomberg] * "Providing a profit motive to make arrests gives officers an incentive to make improper arrests." In counties across the country, those who are arrested must pay "booking fees," regardless of whether or not they are found guilty of their crimes. Two cases regarding these fees will soon be heard by the Supreme Court in early 2017, and one county was so brazen that it didn't even bother to submit a brief in opposition. [New York Times] * If you're applying to law school, you may be wondering how you can make the strongest argument for your acceptance in your application. Focus on your essays and make sure that you provide compelling examples of the type of person you are and your career goals. If you can sway just one person on the admissions committee to give you a chance, then you might soon find an acceptance letter with your name on it. [U.S. News]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.20.16

* Alecia Schmuhl, the lawyer accused of teaming up with her husband and plotting to kill the managing partner of the law firm she was fired from, has taken a deal in her case and could serve anywhere from 10 to 45 years in prison under the terms of her plea agreement. She'll be sentenced by the middle of January 2017. [Washington Post] * Two heads are better than one, especially when it comes to taking over a Biglaw titan's position as chairman at K&L Gates. Longtime chairman Peter Kalis will step down at the end of February, and come March, James Segerdahl will serve as the firm's global managing partner, while Michael Caccese will serve as chairman of the firm's management committee. We'll have more on this later today. [Big Law Business] * A big old welcome back to Biglaw: Brackett Denniston III, who has served as general counsel at GE for more than two decades, is throwing in the in-house towel to get back to the daily grind of law firm life. He recently rejoined Goodwin Procter -- a firm where he previously worked for about 15 years -- as senior counsel, and while there, he hopes to work on "hard cases" and mentor some of the firm's younger lawyers. [WSJ Law Blog] * What do the Redskins and the Slants have in common, aside from names that some may consider offensive? As it turns out, the football team and the rock band are fighting the same fight before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. They both claim the First Amendment bars the USPTO from refusing to register their "disparaging" marks, and the Supreme Court may soon grant cert on either one of their cases. [Associated Press] * If you're planning to apply to law school during this admissions cycle despite the state of the job market for entry-level attorneys, then you may want to follow this 10-week timeline for submitting your applications. Don't forget that the goal here is to get ahead of the game, take advantage of rolling admissions, and submit all of your materials before those pesky December LSAT test-takers. [U.S. News & World Report]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 08.16.16

* Many Biglaw firms have raised their salary scales, but that's not all they've done in recent months to attract talent. Considering "the war for talent is intensifying," firms are offering perks like generous parental leave and adoption assistance, student loan assistance, and lifestyle benefits. We may have more on this later today. [Big Law Business] * A former deputy prosecutor in Vermont alleges she was paid less than a man working in the same position. She claims that a male attorney who was hired after she was earned a salary that was 26 percent higher than her own, despite the fact that they "performed equal work that required equal skill, effort, and responsibility." [Burlington Free Press] * The bulk of insider trading cases used to be handled by the SEC through civil suits, but now the DOJ has muscled in on the action with criminal prosecutions. What's the difference between a case that merits a civil suit and a case that results in criminal charges? That's what attorneys are trying to figure out. [DealBook / New York Times] * "I think there's a deep skepticism about the value of these programs." Looking for a law degree as a professional that won't set you back too far in terms of cost? Try a master's of jurisprudence on for size. It's considered law school for non-lawyers, and it might make actual lawyers question the validity of the degree in the first place. Hmm... [Marketplace] * If you're a prospective law student working on an application, it may be wise to try to incorporate a summer internship into your personal statement if it helped shape your desire to pursue a career in law, but remember, "there's no magic internship that's going to get someone admitted into law school." [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 07.06.16

* In case you haven't been keeping score like we have, these are the firms that recently raised salaries: Jackson Walker. Where are the rest? If you’re worried you’ve missed any of our coverage on pay raises, check out our omnibus 2016 salary chart where we collect these stories. [2016 Salary Increase / Above the Law] * "[I]t's stunning that it takes a court decision for federal employees to be held accountable to the law." Perhaps someone should tell Hillary Clinton about this, but according to the D.C. Circuit, federal officials may not use private email accounts to avoid having their documents and messages fall under public records laws. [The Hill] * Steven Davis, the former chairman of Dewey & LeBoeuf, owes quite the pretty penny to Citibank in the form of an unpaid loan. Davis was ordered by Judge Nancy Bannon to pay nearly $400K to the bank to cover what was once his capital contribution to the firm before it flopped under his leadership. [New York Law Journal via ABA Journal] * Thanks to a string of victories in fending off complaints about its controversial practices, it's highly unlikely that the Securities and Exchange Commission will stop using its system of in-house administrative law judges any time soon. The SEC is very reluctant to give up its perceived "home court" advantage. [DealBook / New York Times] * If you're thinking of applying to law school with a criminal record, you probably don't need to worry too much about whether you'll be accepted. From murderers to bank robbers, plenty of ex-cons have gone to law school before you, and many of them are successful in their non-criminal careers. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.07.16

* Amber Heard, who is going through a tumultuous divorce with Johnny Depp amid accusations that he abused her throughout the marriage, met with women's rights attorney Gloria Allred last week. We wonder if the famed feminist lawyer will take the case after a four-hour consultation. [PEOPLE] * Life just got a little more mellow at this firm: Florida-based Greenspoon Marder opened a cannabis and hemp practice group yesterday, opening offices in San Diego and Denver, and putting lawyers to work in Las Vegas. The firm won't be puff-puff-passing up business from the marijuana industry anymore. [Big Law Business] * Doctor-assisted suicide became just legal across the Great White North, but the government took so long to draft a law to go along with the Canadian Supreme Court's ruling that the decision went into effect without any legislation to back it up. [CBS News] * If you're still thinking about applying to law school, here's a surefire way to brownnose your way into the school of your choice: do yourself a favor and include school-specific details in your personal statement. Good luck! [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News] * How can you tell if you're going to make big money after graduating from law school? First, take a look at the ATL Top 50 Law School Rankings to see how your employable graduates from your law school are, and then watch this video. [Business Insider]

By Staci Zaretsky