Public Interest
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 10.12.18
* While you were busy watching Kanye spew drivel in the Oval Office, you may have forgotten that he was there to watch the Music Modernization Act get signed into law to enrich artists. And by “artists” we mean the RIAA. [The Verge]
* The public service loan forgiveness program appears to be a total disaster. Glad we got 10 years of free public service out of those chumps who honestly believed the Department of Education would honor its commitments! [Law.com]
* Washington strikes down the death penalty as racially biased in application. [Washington Post]
* A reminder that Republicans used to support “sanctuary” laws because they objected to the federal government commandeering local law enforcement. How the times of changed… [Mother Jones]
* Cleary’s hired a chief talent officer to handle recruiting, retention and diversity and it’s a wonder more firms haven’t gone this route. [American Lawyer]
* Former Newsweek owner pleads not guilty in $10 million bank fraud scheme, claiming the charges are false and trumped up by Manhattan DA Cy Vance in retaliation over negative news coverage. This is the fundamental problem with Vance staying in this job: these charges may be legit but based on his history of high profile screw-ups, this retaliation defense sounds entirely reasonable. [Law360]
* Georgia sued over law that its Secretary of State is using to block new voter registrations from mostly minority citizens. For the record, that Secretary of State is himself in a tight race for governor against a black woman. Funny that so many minority registrations would get blocked like this, huh? [AJC]
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Public Interest
For Attorneys Fighting For Justice, ‘Success Without Victory’ Is A Mantra
The Center for Constitutional Rights has a plan to keep fighting. - Sponsored
This AI-Powered Document Tool Will Meet You Where You Are
Lexis Create provides simple access to internal and external knowledge — directly within Microsoft Word. -
Public Interest
Bringing Lawyers Out Of The Courtroom And Into The Community
A great idea born in Baltimore.
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Public Interest
How Much Garbage Can Lawyers And Lobbyists Shove In One Agreement? Actually, Quite A Bit According To This Harvard Law Grad
Do you know what's in your trade agreements? -
Justice
3 Thoughts About Closing The Justice Gap
Addressing this crisis requires cooperation and collaboration. -
Biglaw
Wait -- How Much Money Do You Stand To Lose Out On By Doing Public Interest Work?
That's... a big difference. -
Biglaw
The Biglaw Firms Where Lawyers Did The Most Pro Bono Work (2018)
Which law firms were the best at giving back? -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 06.27.18
* A Republican-appointed federal judge has ordered that families separated at the border be reunited within 30 days, and if children are younger than 5, they must be reunified within 14 days of her order. [USA Today]
* Immigration attorney Andrea Martinez claims that an ICE officer broke her foot and detained her in a room while she was covered in blood as she attempted to drop off a 3-year-old boy to be reunited with his pregnant mother before they were deported to Honduras. [Daily Beast]
* “Did Justice Anthony Kennedy Just Signal His Retirement? The depressing defeatism of Kennedy’s work this term indicates his time on the court could be coming to an end.” Given the fact that Justice Kennedy’s recent opinions have seemed a bit phoned-in… Rick Hasen might just be right. [Slate]
* In case you missed it amid all of the fanfare of Biglaw’s 2018 associate salary raise, the public interest pay gap is now even larger. Public interest salaries have been stagnant for way too long. In fact, according to NALP’s Public Service Attorney Salary Survey, the median entry-level salary is just $48,000. [Big Law Business]
* Sedgwick, the dearly departed Biglaw firm that suddenly closed its doors in January, is now facing a $450,000+ default judgment in a landlord/tenant lawsuit, which includes $31,982 in “failure to vacate” fees. Oopsie. [American Lawyer]
* Even though Florida Coastal has filed suit against the ABA, the law school accreditor has decided to extend a little olive branch to the school. It won’t have to reveal its weak first-time bar exam pass rate record to current students. [Daily Business Review]
- Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so… -
Public Interest
What's Your Public Interest Inspiration?
Newbies are much savvier about how to go about practicing in a world that we dinosaurs could not have even imagined. -
Law Schools
The Law Schools Where The Most Graduates Got Government & Public Interest Jobs (2017)
The law schools that will help graduates fight for justice in America. -
Public Interest
Kentucky Attempted To Kill Legal Aid Funding -- We Should All Be Terrified
Kentucky's broken the taboo against eliminating legal aid funding -- expect things to get even worse around the country. -
Boutique Law Firms, Small Law Firms
An Innovative New Boutique's Continued Expansion
Leading litigator Roberta Kaplan welcomes two more members to her company. -
Law Schools
Hillary Clinton Gets Something Exciting From Yale Law As Consolation Prize For U.S. Presidency
It's a fund for public interest work named in her honor. Hooray!
Sponsored
How Generative AI Will Improve Legal Service Delivery
Profit Powerhouse: Elevating Law Firm Financial Performance
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Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
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Public Interest
Victims Of Domestic Abuse Have A New Tool To Fight Back
A new organization helps victims in California secure justice. -
Law Schools
Public Interest IP Law School Clinics
Participating in clinics can be an amazing opportunity to gain valuable practical experience. -
Public Interest
The Overlooked Importance Of Firm Pro Bono Work
Pro bono work may be justified on its own merits, but pro bono work can contribute to long-term professional diversity too. -
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property Law Meets Public Interest Law
There are many ways that intellectual property law intersects with the public interest. Learn about a few here today. -
Public Interest
In Face Of Spending Cuts, Some Politicians Applaud Importance Of Public Interest Lawyers
Two prominent California politicians recognize and inspire public interest legal work. -
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Government
Lawyers Who Provided Pro-Bono Assistance At Airports Across The Country Are My Inspirational Attorneys Of The Year
The work of these lawyers will remain ingrained in our country’s conscience for quite some time.