Morning Docket: 11.29.16
* Despite facing uncertainties, per a recent Am Law survey conducted before the election, the vast majority of law firm leaders are moderately optimistic about how 2017 will pan out for their firms and more than a quarter of them expect profits per partner to grow by more than 5 percent. Unfortunately, “the reality for most firms is not as sunny.” [American Lawyer]
* This situation reads like a bad law school final: Brooklyn Law Professor Samuel Murumba is asserting his rights as a tenant by squatting in a waterfront apartment building that was once owned by the law school and later sold to a real estate developer for $35 million. In an almost comical twist of fate, the law school, which is being sued for $2 million, is now trying to evict a professor who teaches property law. [New York Post]
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
* President-elect Donald Trump has added a seasoned antitrust attorney to his transition team for the Department of Justice. David Higbee of Hunton & Williams worked for the Bush administration from 2001 to 2005, where he spent his final year in the Antitrust Division. He’s one of two transition team members with antitrust experience, and his appointment could mean a “hands-off approach to antitrust enforcement.” [Reuters]
* “Part of my job is to worry and ask, ‘Are we doing everything we can so the American public can go about their day without it having to be a constant worry?'” Will this University of San Diego School of Law graduate be the next Homeland Security secretary? According to anonymous sources, Frances “Fran” Townsend under consideration for the top homeland security position. [San Diego Union-Tribune]
* Following a conviction for misdemeanor DWI, City Court Judge Leticia Astacio of Rochester, New York, violated the terms of her sentence by admitting she again drank alcohol and is no longer allowed in any non-public areas of any courthouse after being stripped of all of her duties. She’ll continue to collect her $173,700 annual salary for her position, even though she’s not permitted to perform her job. [Democrat and Chronicle]
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Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. She’d love to hear from you, so feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.
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