Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.17.19

* Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s nonpartisan plan to pack the Supreme Court almost seems too good to be true — and that’s likely because it might be unconstitutional. [Slate] * The Trump Organization wants Michael Cohen’s lawsuit seeking legal fees for his defense to be tossed out, claiming Trump’s former fixer created “fictitious ‘contract’” to ensure they’d be bound to him. (But even if it existed, they probably wouldn’t want to pay up anyway.) [Big Law Business] * In case you missed it, Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, has tapped Chicago finance partner Mary Wilson, “an enthusiastic, exceptionally passionate lawyer and leader,” as the first woman to serve as its U.S. managing partner. Congratulations! [American Lawyer] * After years tied up in patent and antitrust litigation, Apple and Qualcomm settles in the middle of opening statements at trial yesterday afternoon. Now the feuding companies will have to behave, at least for the next six years. [The Recorder] * Remember Jeffrey Wertkin, the Akin Gump partner who disguised himself in a wig to try to sell a copy of a whistleblower complaint to Fortinet? The network security company just settled that False Claims Act case for $575K. [Law.com]

By Staci Zaretsky on April 17, 2019 8:31 am

Pete Buttigieg (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

* Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s nonpartisan plan to pack the Supreme Court almost seems too good to be true — and that’s likely because it might be unconstitutional. [Slate]

* The Trump Organization wants Michael Cohen’s lawsuit seeking legal fees for his defense to be tossed out, claiming Trump’s former fixer created “fictitious ‘contract’” to ensure they’d be bound to him. (But even if it existed, they probably wouldn’t want to pay up anyway.) [Big Law Business]

* In case you missed it, Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, has tapped Chicago finance partner Mary Wilson, “an enthusiastic, exceptionally passionate lawyer and leader,” as the first woman to serve as its U.S. managing partner. Congratulations! [American Lawyer]

* After years tied up in patent and antitrust litigation, Apple and Qualcomm settles in the middle of opening statements at trial yesterday afternoon. Now the feuding companies will have to behave, at least for the next six years. [The Recorder]

* Remember Jeffrey Wertkin, the Akin Gump partner who disguised himself in a wig to try to sell a copy of a whistleblower complaint to Fortinet? The network security company just settled that False Claims Act case for $575K. [Law.com]

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.