Real Estate

  • Non Sequiturs: 04.21.19
    Non-Sequiturs

    Non Sequiturs: 04.21.19

    * What’s the future of Elizabeth Prelogar, the beauty queen turned Harvard Law School grad turned Supreme Court clerk turned Team Mueller member? Not clear, except that it’s blindingly bright. [Ozy]

    * How often do you see this? A federal judge praises counsel — specifically, J. Christian Adams of the Election Law Center, Douglas R. Cox of Gibson Dunn, Michael E. Rosman of the Center for Individual Rights, and local counsel Mun Su Park — for their “conscientious billing practices.” [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason]

    * Another Lawyerly Lair of Jonathan Schiller, of Boies Schiller Flexner fame: a stunning modern retreat on Martha’s Vineyard, designed by his son, architect Aaron Schiller (whose firm also did the new BSF offices in Hudson Yards). [Martha’s Vineyard]

    * Amicus brief of the month: a compelling — and, sadly, entertaining (see the Appendix) — analysis of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s utterly incoherent approach to supposedly “immoral or scandalous” trademarks, filed by William Jay and Goodwin Procter on behalf of law professors Barton Beebe and Jeanne Fromer. [Supreme Court of the United States]

    * Here’s a clear and concise explanation of the “Rule of 80,” taking “senior status” as a federal judge, and what this all means for the ideological balance of the judiciary, courtesy of Ed Whelan. [Bench Memos / National Review]

    * How should we think about President Donald Trump’s branding of the press as “the enemy of the people”? Negatively, to be sure — but let’s also keep in mind that the media is not a monolith, as First Amendment lawyer Charles Glasser helpfully reminds us. [Daily Caller]

    * Stephen Cooper survived a stabbing — then went on to defend violent criminals for many years as a federal public defender. [Alabama Political Reporter]

    * Cooper argues that we need to be less punitive and more thoughtful in our treatment of offenders — and Joel Cohen seems to agree, defending an unusual but wise sentence recently handed down by Judge Valerie Caproni (S.D.N.Y.). [New York Law Journal]

  • Morning Docket: 03.20.19
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 03.20.19

    * “It’ll never happen. I guarantee it won’t happen for six years.” Contrary to what Democratic presidential candidates are suggesting, President Trump doesn’t want anything to do with expanding the size of the Supreme Court. [Reuters]

    * As it turns out, special counsel Robert Mueller was investigating Michael Cohen much sooner than he originally led on, and the Cohen probe was handed off to the S.D.N.Y. long before campaign-finance violations were even discovered. [Wall Street Journal]

    * Thanks to a record-setting $10.5 million gift, Georgetown Law is expanding its campus. The school recently purchased a 130,000-square-foot building for $70 million and plans to use the new space as a home for all of its clinical progams. [National Law Journal]

    * Congratulations to Michèle Alexandre, who was recently appointed as dean of Stetson University College of Law. She will be the school’s first black dean in history. [Philadelphia Tribune]

    * Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been offered a pre-trial diversion deal on his solicitation charge. All he has to do is admit he would’ve been found guilty, do 100 hours of community service, and attend a class on the dangers of prostitution. [AP News]

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  • Non Sequiturs: 12.30.18
    Non-Sequiturs

    Non Sequiturs: 12.30.18

    * In 2018, what did Donald Trump talk about when he talked about the courts? Adam Feldman dives into the data to find out. [Empirical SCOTUS]

    * Speaking of President Trump and the judiciary, he continues to appoint federal judges at a record pace — but the Democrats are doing everything they can to slow down his progress. [Bench Memos / National Review]

    * If you care at all about affordable housing, then you should be heartened by these developments in the fight against exclusionary zoning, as discussed by Ilya Somin. [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason]

    * Congratulations to the Department of Justice on its ninth consecutive year of civil health care fraud settlements and judgments exceeding $2 billion. [MedCity News]

    * If you’re interested in the hot topics among law librarians, legal technologists, and others in the space, check out Jean O’Grady’s most popular stories of 2018. [Dewey B Strategic]

    * And if you’re interested in the year that was in artificial intelligence and the law, check out the Artificial Lawyer’s roundup of notable news. [Artificial Lawyer]

    * Condolences to the friends, family, and colleagues of Bre Payton, who passed away last week at the age of 26. [The Federalist]

    * Veteran trial lawyer David Berg continues his series on “What It Takes To Win.” [YouTube]

  • Morning Docket: 08.15.18
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 08.15.18

    * Paul Manafort’s attorneys rested their case without calling a single witness or putting their client on the stand. Why’s that? “[H]e and his legal team believe that the government has not met its burden of proof.” Best of luck with that. [ABC News]

    * White House staffers are reportedly “[t]errified, [a]bsolutely terrified” about what might be revealed in the conversations Omarosa Manigault Newman secretly taped. Hmm, what could they possibly be so scared about? [Politico]

    * You may be wondering how Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, is funding his legal defense. Apparently he could use some more cash, because he just put his new apartment up for rent for $25K a month. [Real Deal]

    * Guess which law school has abandoned its students while it appeals the ABA’s decision to pull its accreditation? That would be Arizona Summit, which recently sprang the news on its remaining students that no fall classes will be held. [Law.com]

    * Kei Komuro, who is engaged to Princess Mako of Japan, started at Fordham Law School this week, where he was greeted by journalists and papparazi as he attempted to go to the first day of orientation. Welcome to America! [Japan Times]

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