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  • Morning Docket: 10.28.16
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 10.28.16

    * Slowly but surely, the effects of Brexit have started to take their toll on Biglaw firms in the United Kingdom. Thanks to the declining value of the pound, following a salary review, Akin Gump has decided to completely overhaul its compensation system and will now pay its junior associates in line with current exchange rates. Ouch! [The Lawyer (sub. req.)]

    * “I do not consider it a coincidence that this Democratic smear on Justice Thomas comes as he celebrates 25 years on the court, and in the heat of a presidential election.” Former assistant White House counsel Mark Paoletta is having trouble believing attorney Moira Smith’s groping allegation against Justice Clarence Thomas, while the justice himself says it’s “preposterous,” claiming “it never happened.” [Washington Post]

    * “[M]ale management has not uttered a verbal word to me since April 1 — radio silence — despite my repeated invitations and efforts to sit down and discuss important issues that need to be sorted out….” If you’d like to know what life has been like for partner Kerrie Campbell since she filed her $50M suit against Chadbourne & Parke, this interview, though it may be brief, will tell you quite a bit about it. [Big Law Business]

    * A troubled Florida law firm — one that’s currently grappling with an ethics investigation against at least two attorneys and whose managing partner has previously been disciplined by the state bar — has turned to layoffs in an attempt to solve some of its financial problems. Thus far, more than 50 employees have been let go from the firm since this past spring. We may have more on this later today. [Orlando Sentinel]

    * “This is an attack on the credibility of the court.” Just when you thought elections for state judges couldn’t get any duller, Microsoft’s Bill Gates is banding together with other billionaires to oust Washington State Supreme Court Justice Charles Wiggins from his seat on the bench. In all, they’ve spent $850,000 to fund political action committees in an effort to convince voters to cast ballots for his opponent. [WSJ Law Blog]

  • Morning Docket: 05.12.16
    Morning Docket

    Morning Docket: 05.12.16

    * In case you missed it, one of the categories on Jeopardy! earlier this week was “Law Firms.” One of the questions that stumped a contestant was: “Tops for patent litigation per U.S. News & World Report, Fish & Richardson specializes in IP, short for this.” Come on, you dope, the very easy answer was “What is intellectual property?” [WSJ Law Blog]

    * After receiving overwhelming support in both the House and Senate, President Obama signed the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) into law yesterday afternoon. The DTSA is the most significant expansion of federal law in IP since the Lanham Act. Companies will now be able to file federal civil lawsuits for theft of trade secrets. [Law 360 (sub. req.)]

    * Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the center of the Panama Papers scandal, says that it will be filing suit against the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists for leaking information that the firm alleges to be false. Attorneys at the firm say the ICIJ has forced them to “start aggressive legal action to protect [them]selves.” [France24]

    * “You don’t have to work for a 501(c)(3) or anything like that in order to be eligible. You just have to not make that much money.” More law schools are trying to entice students to attend by touting their low-income protection plans and loan repayment assistance plans. We hope your law school is willing to help you after graduation. [U.S. News]

    * Not to harsh your mellow, dude, but according to a recent study by AAA, fatal car accidents have “surged” in states where marijuana has been legalized. For example, in Washington, the number of fatal crashes involving stoned drivers increased from 8% to 17% from 2013 to 2014, the year recreational marijuana was legalized. [Inquisitr]

  • Non-Sequiturs

    Non-Sequiturs: 09.15.15

    * Intelligence Squared offers its latest debate tomorrow night, and it’s incredibly timely. Four law professors will debate the following proposition: “Courts, Not Campuses, Should Decide Sexual Assault Cases.” (We’ll feature the livestream tomorrow.) [Intelligence Squared]

    * Oh, joy. A recent decision by Judge Rosemary Collyer promises to make Washington, D.C. more dysfunctional. How is the even possible? [New Republic]

    * Tim Wu is taking a sabbatical from Columbia Law — he’s been tapped by the Amazing Schneiderman for the New York AG’s office. [New York Times]

    * Just how far is the reach of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act? Can you be prosecuted for clearing your browser history? Gulp. [The Nation]

    * Creating a system to rank humanity’s worst crimes. This guy must be a blast a cocktail parties. [Pacific Standard]