Perks / Fringe Benefits

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: 03.22.16

* WHATCHA GONNA DO, BROTHER, WHEN THIS JURY'S PUNITIVE DAMAGES AWARD RUNS WILD ON YOU?!? Gawker was hit with an additional $25M in punitive damages yesterday in Hulk Hogan's sex-tape lawsuit, on top of the $115M award the jury had already slapped the media company with last week. That loud typing sound you hear is the appeals being furiously written. [Reuters] * They were gonna grant you leave to file, but then they got high? The Supreme Court has puff, puff, passed on the opportunity to hear a challenge posed by Nebraska and Oklahoma to Colorado's legalization of marijuana. Justices Thomas and Alito dissented, contending that the case fell within the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction. [NPR] * This took longer than the iOS 9 download: Hot on the heels of the announcement of new Apple products, we got the news that the tech giant and its rival, Samsung, will face off next term before SCOTUS in a patent case that's been going on since the iPhone 4 was still considered the latest and greatest in smartphone technology. [WSJ Law Blog] * "Once you start seeing leading law firms offering this, it's going to become more prevalent and pretty rapidly, because it's going to be required to compete." Lawyers with law school debt will probably jump at the chance for their firms to pitch in to repay their loans, but don't forget, all of that assistance will be taxable as income. [U.S. News] * "My job is to enforce the law, and starting today, DraftKings and FanDuel will abide by it." In a settlement reached with New York AG Eric Schneiderman, the sports betting daily fantasy sites will cease operations in the state, and in exchange, the AG will hold off on additional litigation that could force them to pay restitution to their losers. [ESPN]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.29.15

* Everyone was under the impression that Dickstein Shapiro and Bryan Cave would be tying the knot by the year's end, but instead, it looks like their brief love affair has turned into a bad romance. Oh no! Will Dickstein Shapiro be left at the altar? [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA] * “The idea they own the name ‘blue’ for a manual for legal citations is ridiculous." A rival citation guide to The Bluebook will be released in 2016, using the name "BabyBlue." Since a Biglaw IP attorney is involved in the copyright clash, this is already more exciting than techciting. [WSJ Law Blog] * Ethan Couch, the Texas teen who was too rich to realize his actions had consequences, was apparently also too rich to realize he shouldn't hide out in a ritzy vacation locale in Mexico while on the run from police with his mother. Damn you, affluenza! [CNN] * If you're looking for a law firm where you can take time off whenever you want and still earn a healthy paycheck, then look no further than Ashton KCJ Lawyers in England. That's a perk we're sure attorneys in the U.S. would love their firms to adopt. [Mirror] * Annie, get your gun: Gun-toting Texans are going to have a very happy new year, because come January 1, 2016, the state's new open carry law will go into effect. The open carrying of handguns had previously been banned in the state since 1865. [RT] * Jeffrey Feulner, founder of the Men's Divorce Law Firm, was charged with domestic violence battery after he allegedly attacked his wife. She filed for divorce three days later -- and presumably used a more woman-friendly lawyer as counsel. [Orlando Sentinel]

By Staci Zaretsky