Real Estate
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Government
California Bar’s Handling Of Real Estate Draws Scrutiny
Officials in Sacramento say the agency hasn’t maximized revenue from its San Francisco property. -
Real Estate, Sponsored Content
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Profit Powerhouse: Elevating Law Firm Financial Performance
In this CLE-eligible webinar on April 10th, we’ll explore the most common accounting pitfalls and how to avoid them for your firm. -
Law Schools
Western State College Of Law's Landlord Is Not Happy
A controversy involving rent is the latest challenge facing the embattled school hoping to be purchased.
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Real Estate, Sponsored Content
New Online Platform Gives Investors Access To Commercial Real Estate
Download the report and learn how to get access to commercial real estate opportunities with the industry experts at iintoo. -
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]
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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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Biglaw, Real Estate
Lawyerly Lairs: A Biglaw Name Partner's New $8 Million Abode
Because his old $4 million apartment wasn't nice enough.... -
Biglaw
A Look At Boies Schiller's Brand New Offices In New York's Hottest New Neighborhood
Hudson Yards quickly becoming the go-to location for attorneys. - 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… -
Biglaw
Lawyerly Lairs: Biglaw Name Partner Lists Longtime Home -- For $4 Million
He's moving on up -- to a nearby $8 million apartment. -
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]
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Law Schools
Law School Kicked Out Of Building Due To Alleged Failure To Pay Rent
Behold, a hypothetical for students who won't be able to take a Property class at Arizona Summit this fall. -
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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Biglaw
Biglaw Firm Designs New Office Around The Reality Of Telecommuting
With its new office, the firm tries to strike a balance between face-to-face office work and the realities of modern efficiencies.
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Courts, Quote of the Day
This Federal Judge (Still) Thinks This Witness Is A Jerk
When it comes to the credibility of this defendant, His Honor is not impressed. -
Law Schools
Law School On Probation To Close Campus, Move To Office Building
What's a law school that's struggling financially to do? -
Biglaw
Lawyerly Lairs: A Pioneering Cravath Partner's $8 Million Aerie
Christine Beshar was Cravath's first woman partner -- and also very, very rich. -
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Intellectual Property
Making A Point: Street Artists Prevail In VARA Dispute
This type of claim almost never sees trial, but it resulted in a $6.7 million verdict, all because one of the parties was a jerk. -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.12.18
* President Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, claims that he used his home equity line to pay off Stormy Daniels out of the goodness of his heart, and while people have been focusing on the fact that he may have violated campaign finance laws, not many have mentioned that he likely violated New York’s ethics rules, would could get him disbarred. [Slate]
* Remember the time that Judge Katherine Forrest ruined the internet with a single ruling? Several media outlets are preparing to appeal to the Second Circuit, saying the copyright decision could change the internet as we know it. [Big Law Business]
* Dean Andrea Lyon of Valparaiso Law — the school that’s not closing, per se, but will stop accepting students and is hoping to merge with another school or move locations — will be resigning on June 1. No one knows what will happen to the school, and soon there won’t even be a dean. These poor students… [Indianapolis Business Journal]
* Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a foodie, and in honor of her upcoming birthday — and because “[s]he eats real food and plenty of it” — here are a few of the Notorious One’s favorite places to dine in her hometown of New York City. [am New York]
* The February bar exam has come and gone, and with it, hundreds of jobs across the entire legal services industry. According to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 200 fewer people were employed in the legal sector last month than in January. Hopefully things improve before graduation. [American Lawyer]
* “Katy Perry represents everything we don’t believe in. It would be a sin to sell to her.” Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, 89, who had been locked in litigation with the singer and the archdioces for several years over the sale of her former convent, collapsed and died in court on Friday during a post-judgment hearing. [NPR]
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Government
The Estate Tax, Not Land Expropriation, Is The 'Right' Way To Take Land From White People
South Africa's decision to take land from white farmers without compensation is a noble thought, but there's a better way to execute the plan.