New York City

Morning Docket: 08.12.15

* Michael Jordan was present during jury selection for his case against defunct supermarket Dominick's, but potential jurors didn't seem the least bit fazed. In fact, just a single one of them considered the basketball star their "personal hero or idol." Ouch. [Chicago Tribune] * Maryland Law will be offering a very topical "Law and ______" class this semester, entitled "Freddie Gray’s Baltimore: Past, Present and Moving Forward.” Students enrolled in the course will be asked to create fixes for social problems. This'll be interesting. [WSJ Law Blog] * According to the GC of Fannie Mae, Biglaw's profit structure is broken, but the solution he proposes to the problem may not sit well with associates who are slaves to the billable hour -- but only if they care about their hourly rates. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA] * Unlike most of his colleagues, Larry Sonsini of Wilson Sonsini didn't immediately join a brand name Biglaw firm after he graduated from law school. Instead, he created his own brand name Biglaw firm, so that worked out well. Your own mileage may vary. [Forbes] * It seems that New York City's Responsible Banking Act is unconstitutional because it conflicts with existing state and federal banking laws. To be fair, between dueling mayoral policies, this law was completely FUBARed from the get go. [DealBook / New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky
9th Circuit

Morning Docket: 10.08.14

* How are Nevada and Idaho officials reacting to yesterday’s Ninth Circuit ruling striking down gay marriage bans in those states, and how soon might marriages get underway? [BuzzFeed] * In other LGBT legal news, New York City is likely to make it easier for transgender individuals to amend their birth certificates. [New York Times] * Good news for Joan Orie Melvin, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice turned convicted felon: her unorthodox sentence has been stayed (again). [How Appealing] * Eduardo Leite, who has led Baker & McKenzie since 2010, gets another two years at the helm of Biglaw’s biggest firm. [American Lawyer] * Cravath associate Micaela McMurrough scores a victory in tax court for artists. [New York Times] * The ABA has issued a new opinion addressing ethical issues raised during the sale of a law practice. [American Bar Association] * Why do lawyers blog? Tim Baran of Rocket Matter talks to 23 of us. [Legal Productivity]

By David Lat