New Jersey

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.02.15

* "He said what he wanted people to hear and he didn’t fully answer questions." St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch of Ferguson infamy spoke at Missouri Law yesterday. We understand there was some sort of an "incident" with the SBA as well. We may have more on this later. [KBIA] * "Don't panic; you're bound to get something eventually." California had some of the worst employment statistics for law graduates after the recession. If you're a member of the Lost Generation, these stories may resonate with you. [California Lawyer] * New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez was federally indicted on corruption charges yesterday for allegedly accepting more than $1 million worth of gifts and campaign contributions in exchange for political favors. Way to do Jersey lawyers proud. [AP] * Jury selection begins on April 27 for the criminal trial against the former members of Dewey & LeBoeuf's top brass. The prosecution dropped three counts, but Joel Sanders and the Steves must still defend themselves against 100 others. Yikes! [New York Law Journal] * Gordon Smith, one of the writers for Better Call Saul, doesn't think the show's portrayal of lawyer life will inspire young people to "run out to become attorneys." After all, Jimmy McGill's home and office haven't exactly been depicted as "glamorous." [WSJ Law Blog]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.20.15

* It looks like some pretty big changes are going to be coming down the pipeline at Washington & Lee University School of Law. From faculty and staff layoffs to payouts from its endowment, this generally doesn't look pretty. We'll have more on this news later today. [Lawyers, Guns & Money] * The 87th Academy Awards ceremony is this weekend, and you know what that means: IP lawyers are doing their damndest to protect the Oscars brand. Can you imagine the sheer number of cease and desist letters that have been going out? [National Law Journal] * Congratulations to Marci Eisenstein, who was recently elected to become the first woman to serve as managing partner of Schiff Hardin in the firm's 150-year history. FYI, the firm's most recent partner classes have been 2/3 women for the past three years. [Am Law Daily] * New Jersey Governor and would-be Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie made five firms really happy in 2014 thanks to all of the legal work he handed to them. Gibson Dunn, for example, earned $7.9 million from the Bridgegate affair. [Courier-Post] * Which state will be the next to legalize recreational marijuana? It may be Vermont, where Senate Bill 95 would allow those 21 and older to possess, use, and sell pot. Just think, you can save the environment and get high while you do it! [Huffington Post]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.21.15

* Nothing is f*cked here, Judge: With first-class flights, alcoholic beverages, and hotel movies already nixed, lawyers who worked on the City of Detroit's municipal bankruptcy case are now being forced to defend their multi-million dollar billables. [WSJ Law Blog] * "It's important to have different perspectives in Congress. It really adds a lot to the mix." That said, which law schools are the best at producing lawmakers? You may be surprised by some of the schools that made the list. [National Law Journal] * “Going to law school is still a great option," says the dean of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, a school whose 25th percentile LSAT scores dropped by six points year over year. Toss UA Law a pity application. [Daily Wildcat] * Per the defense in the Aurora movie theater massacre case, the prosecutor's "insistence upon the death penalty certainly seems politically motivated" -- that, or maybe James Holmes deserves the death penalty for killing 12 people. [ABA Journal] * By now, everyone's heard of the woman who's planning to "marry" her biological father and move to New Jersey. Believe it or not, incestual adult relationships are actually legal in the Garden State thanks to a legislative screw-up. [NJ Advance Media]

By Staci Zaretsky
1st Circuit

Morning Docket: 09.25.14

* Per the First Circuit, plaintiffs who successfully challenge the Defense of Marriage Act in court aren’t entitled to attorneys’ fees. The Department of Justice had no comment. [National Law Journal] * Florida Coastal Law finished second-to-last in bar passage for the July 2014 exam, with 58% of grads passing. It was one of Florida Coastal’s worst performances to date. [Florida Times-Union] * ASU Law got a $10M donation, its largest ever. “The remarkable thing about it is we didn’t ask him for it,” says the dean, which is a slightly better response than Drexel’s dean had. [The Republic] * Much to his defense team’s chagrin, accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s trial will remain in Boston. The media spectacle is set to begin in January 2015. [New York Times] * Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino of Jersey Shore fame was indicted on tax fraud charges to the tune of $8.9M. He pleaded not guilty yesterday afternoon. There aren’t tanning beds in jail. :( [Asbury Park Press]

By Staci Zaretsky
Biglaw

Morning Docket: 08.19.14

* In this summer’s Biglaw lawsuitpalooza, real estate and conflicts took the lead as headliners. Poor Boies Schiller had double the trouble when it came to ethics complaints. Ouch. [Am Law Daily] * New Jersey taxpayers owe Gibson Dunn & Crutcher about $6.5 million thanks to Governor Chris Christie’s Bridgegate scandal. Thanks for the pain in our pocketbooks, chief. [Daily Report (reg. req.)] * “It’s been a minor inconvenience to us, but of course I don’t like somebody hijacking my name and using it to hurt someone else.” Two Florida law firms are investigating why someone sent out 42 anonymous state bar complaints against one firm using the other firm’s mailing address. [Orlando Sentinel] * Charleston School of Law is starting a new academic year with even more confusion than it was in last year, considering that its InfiLaw buyout is in a state of flux. Maybe that’s a good thing. [Post and Courier] * Three ex-Lingerie Football League players have filed class action suits against the club, alleging minimum wage law violations. Come on, pay these half-naked athletes a living wage. [National Law Journal]

By Staci Zaretsky