Rachel Brand (via Antonin Scalia Law School/George Mason University)
* Remember when Judge Nicholas Garaufis (E.D.N.Y.) flipped out at Kirkland & Ellis for not sending a partner to cover a status hearing? It seems K&E and its client Facebook’s groveling won over the judge: cases dismissed. [ABA Journal]
* A big settlement in the Takata air bags litigation — and presumably big legal fees for some of the firms involved. [National Law Journal]
Why Experience Still Matters In An AI-Driven Legal Industry
A conversation with Trustpoint.One CEO Christopher Gallagher.
* Congratulations to Judge Amul Thapar (E.D. Ky.) on clearing the Senate Judiciary Committee; he should hopefully be on the Sixth Circuit soon. [Washington Times]
* Congratulations to Rachel Brand on her confirmation as associate attorney general — although it’s unfortunate that more Democrats didn’t cross the aisle to support her. [Law360]
* And be careful what you wish for, Democrats: now that we have Robert Mueller as special counsel, congressional inquiries into Trump/Russia-related matters could stall. [Washington Post]
What You Didn’t Learn In Law School
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* Speaking of Russia probes, should President Donald Trump hire outside counsel to represent him? да, да. [New York Times]
* A closer look at prominent lawyer John K. Bush, nominated by President Trump to the Sixth Circuit. [Vetting Room via How Appealing]
* Does size matter? Yes — at least in this murder case where the defendant is invoking a “big penis” defense. [New York Post]
David Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law and the author of Supreme Ambitions: A Novel. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Newark, New Jersey; a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; and a law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. You can connect with David on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at [email protected].