Sexual Harassment

* “When the founders wrote the Declaration of Independence, they invoked our creator four times, because in America we don’t worship government we worship God.” Guess who was awarded an honorary law degree this weekend? It was none other that President Donald Trump, who delivered the commencement address at Liberty University on Saturday morning. [The Hill; TIME]

* The Pink Ghetto (Partner Edition)? A Proskauer Rose partner has filed a $50M gender bias suit against the firm, claiming she was not only paid less than male colleagues, but that she was “overtly objectified based on her sex” when a fellow partner allegedly “made inappropriate comments regarding her appearance, body, clothing, or ‘sexiness'” on numerous occasions. [Am Law Daily]

* Tarra Simmons has quite the résumé: she’s a convicted felon and former drug addict who also happens to be the recipient of a prized Skadden fellowship. Unfortunately, she may not be able to practice law thanks to a recommendation from the Washington State Bar Association’s Character and Fitness Board that she be denied bar admission. She plans to appeal. [Northwest Public Radio]

* Walter “Chet” Little, a former Foley & Lardner partner, has been arrested on insider trading charges that stem from his time at the firm. Soon after finding out about the nature of the charges, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, his current firm, politely showed him the door. If convicted, Little will likely face quite the lengthy prison term and a fine of up to $5 million. Ouch. [WSJ Law Blog]

* “There was never a question of whether I was going to go to law school or not. It was just when I was going to go….” Chris Carr, a former cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens, is set to graduate from GW Law School this weekend. He’ll be taking the California bar exam this summer, but he recently accepted a job offer at an immigration law firm in Virginia. Congratulations! [Washington Post]

* Sean Hannity vows to sue after a sexual harassment accusation. [The Hill]

* Jennifer Bard will not go gently into that good night. [TaxProf Blog]

* Tools for lawyers giving assistance to juveniles before they enter the legal system. [Law and More]

* Oh thank goodness, President Obama is back in public life. [Huffington Post]

* The case for a war tax. [Slate]

* Chuck Schumer sticks it to Jeff Sessions over the safety of the NYC subway. [Politico]

* The Supreme Court’s double standard. [Volokh Conspiracy / Washington Post]

* “I really am amazed that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific can issue an order that stops the President of the United States from what appears to be clearly his statutory and Constitutional power.” AG Jeff Sessions seems to have forgotten that Hawaii is actually a state and that when he was still a senator, he voted for the judge who ruled against Trump’s travel ban. Oopsie! [CNN]

* 21st Century Fox, the parent company to Fox News, will wind up paying out more than $85 million as a result of the network’s sexual harassment scandal. The sick thing about this is that the vast majority of the money will be paid to accused harassers Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly as part of their multimillion-dollar exit packages. [New York Times]

* Good news, everyone! Although it might have seemed like it, the Trump administration isn’t planning to ignore white-collar crime at this time. “Our aim is to motivate companies and individuals voluntarily to comply with the law,” says Trevor McFadden, a deputy assistant attorney general at the Justice Department. That’ll work well. [Reuters]

* A Republican lawmaker wants to rename the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau to the “Consumer Law Enforcement Agency.” Along with the name change, a leadership change is being recommended. Rep. Jeb Hensarlin of Texas has proposed that the agency remain with a single-director structure, but that the president be able to say two of his most favorite words at any time, at will: “You’re fired!” [National Law Journal]

* “The people of Alabama who cherish the rule of law are not going to miss the Ayatollah of Alabama.” Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore’s suspension has been upheld by the state’s Court of the Judiciary. As a result, Moore will remain under suspension without pay for the rest of his term, effectively ending his career on the bench as he will be unable to run for reelection again due to his age. [ABA Journal]

* Tyann Sorrell, the woman who accused the former dean of UC Berkeley Law of sexually harassing her, was none too pleased with the settlement that was recently announced by the school. She says the deal, which leaves Sujit Chaudry with tenure and benefits, “insults all who suffer harassment at the hands of those with power and privilege.” [Law.com]

* “I liked being a judge, but I loved being a lawyer.” Judge Kevin Sharp of the Middle District of Tennessee has turned in his robes to become a partner at plaintiffs-side employment and civil rights firm Sanford Heisler, which will now be known as Sanford Heisler Sharp. He’s expected to play a critical role in the firm’s gender discrimination suit filed against Chadbourne & Parke. [New York Law Journal via ABA Journal]

* “I have no problem calling people out in meetings. It’s so bizarre, the excuses people give me why there are not more women in the room, never mind diversity of gender, race or religion.” PayPal’s top lawyer will quickly find a way to never have to work with your firm ever again if it seems like those who are in charge haven’t gotten the message that “a room full of white men” isn’t going to get or retain her business. [Big Law Business]

* If you’re trying to find a way to differentiate your firm from all of the rest, then why not experiment with the fine art that’s decorating your office walls? If you want your firm to be branded as home to rebellious lawyers without a cause — of action? — then some “naughty” restroom art is in order, like at Phipps Anderson Deacon. [Huffington Post]

* Uh-oh! You’ve been accepted to law school but now it looks like you’ll need to defer. This is a pretty useful guide on how to go about navigating a deferral of admission, and it even includes come fun facts, like the schools that won’t grant deferrals except for extremely extenuating circumstances. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News]

* Settlements have been reached between Berkeley Law, the school’s former dean, and the dean’s former assistant. If you recall, then dean Sujit Chaudry was accused of sexually harassing his assistant, and as part of the settlement, he’ll have to pay $100K in fees and charitable donations, but will be considered to be on “sabbatical” until May 2018, keeping all of his benefits. Hmm, do we think this is fair? [Mercury News]

* “We have not livestreamed before, but that’s not to say that won’t happen in this case.” The Fourth Circuit is considering livestreaming oral arguments for travel ban 2.0, much like what the Ninth Circuit did with oral arguments for Trump’s first travel ban. Maybe you’ll be able to do some “professional development” billing… [National Law Journal]

* “Arkansas does not intend to torture plaintiffs to death.” Judge Kristine G. Baker (E.D. Ark.) has halted a whirlwind series of eight executions — the state’s first executions scheduled since 2005 — citing a “threat of irreparable harm” if the drug midazolam is used as part of the lethal injection drug protocol and somehow fails. [New York Times]

* More and more out-of-state Biglaw firms are flocking to Houston, Texas, to open their own offices, which has inspired many lawyers to leave their current firms for greener pastures — in terms of both money and opportunities. But is there enough legal work to go around with all of the new competition? Only time will tell. [Houston Chronicle]

* Ten Harvard Law student affinity groups are gunning for Professor David B. Wilkins to become the next dean of the school after Martha Minow steps down at the end of the year. They’ve written a letter to the university president, imploring him to take their advice and select their dean candidate for the position. Check it out. [Harvard Crimson]

* The Republicans hold on to the House seat vacated by CIA director Mike Pompeo; state treasurer Ron Estes defeated James Thompson, a Wichita civil rights lawyer. [New York Times]

* So it seems the FBI did obtain a FISA warrant to monitor the communications of a Trump adviser (foreign policy adviser Carter Page). [Washington Post]

* In a time when many firms are closing offices, Adams and Reese is opening new ones, in Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale. [Law.com]

* The retirement buzz around Justice Anthony M. Kennedy persists — and stems from conversations Kennedy has had with people close to him. [Bloomberg and CNN via How Appealing]

* As for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has she been enjoying Opus One yet again? [New York Daily News]

* Yes, it’s possible for an in-house legal department to be too cost-conscious — just ask Wells Fargo. [Big Law Business]

* A professor accused of sexual harassment by a student and a staff member just lost his case before the Sixth Circuit. [Law.com]

* Speaking of things sexual… don’t write “sexual favors” in the check memo line when paying your taxes. [Billings Gazette]

* This is how Neil Gorsuch has benefited from (a form of) affirmative action. [Washington Post]

* Hate mandatory minimum sentences? The Supreme Court may have handed you a victory. [The Hill]

* Hold onto your seats and get ready for a filibuster. [NPR]

* Another sexual harassment lawsuit at Fox News. The attorney filing the suit calls them “the Bill Cosby of corporate America.” [Huffington Post]

* Can Elizabeth Warren un-learn talking like a lawyer? [Law and More]

* Justice Thomas doesn’t seem fully on board with civil forfeitures. [The Atlantic]