Alicia Ouellette

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.04.16

* In his annual report on the state of the federal judiciary, Chief Justice John Roberts asked that lawyers stop treating each other like garbage and do their best to "avoid antagonistic tactics, wasteful procedural maneuvers and teetering brinksmanship." [New York Times] * Justice Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court's "lightning rod for controversy," recently said during a small speaking engagement that the government not only can, but should, support religion. After all, "God had been very good to us." [AP] * Albany Law's dean says don't believe the horror stories you hear about law school, especially since "[t]his is a really good time to apply." It's worth noting that she wasn't able to pay off her loans until she was a tenured law professor. [Albany Times Union] * The Arkansas Law (Little Rock) professor who's suing his school over access to public records has added a retaliation claim to his complaint thanks to the "allegations of two rogue, race-baiting professors." Ooh, that sounds juicy! [Arkansas Democrat Gazette] * Is your favorite music streaming service screwing your favorite musicians out of their hard-earned cash? Spotify may soon be facing yet another multimillion-dollar class-action lawsuit over artists' royalty payments (or the lack thereof) in 2016. [Billboard] * Michael G. Oxley, co-sponsor of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, RIP. [New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.14.15

* A former DJ is suing Taylor Swift because he claims that he lost his job after he was falsely accused of grabbing the singer's ass. When contacted for comment, Swift said, "I've got a blank motion to dismiss, baby, and I'll write your name." [Associated Press] * BakerHostetler's partners unanimously agreed to do away with its two-tiered partnership structure. We would've been shocked the firm was going to kick its nonequity partner title to the curb, but we broke the news on it last month. [Am Law Daily] * Albany Law's new dean thinks she may have a solution to the school's enrollment problem, which is down by 38 percent since 2010. She wants to hire more professors, even though the school's existing professors aren't exactly pleased. [Albany Business Review] * California's legislature approved a landmark bill that will permit physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. If Governor Jerry Brown refuses to sign the "death with dignity" law, supporters will likely bring it to a ballot referendum. [New York Times] * A Brooklyn bride alleges in a recently filed lawsuit that she's still waiting for her wedding pictures... more than two years after her wedding took place. She's clearly not a bridezilla, because if she were, a lawsuit wouldn't have even been necessary. [New York Post]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.10.15

* "We saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and she just blew that tunnel up." Massachusetts teen Michelle Carter was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of her boyfriend after she texted him numerous times, encouraging him to kill himself. If you haven't seen them, her messages are chilling. [Associated Press] * “If you are a lawyer thinking about having sex with your client, you better think first." Go ahead, argue that your client's 30-day suspension from practice was "just" because the woman kept coming back for more. Maybe your judge won't be as sarcastic. [Knoxville News Sentinel] * If you're starting law school, you probably haven't heard about the biggest law firm bankruptcy in history, and you likely don't know what the Dewey & LeBoeuf criminal trial is about. Here's a listicle of reasons to doubt the prosecution's case. [WSJ Law Blog] * Biglaw firms are rethinking their office space at the same time as they're building up their posh amenities. At the end of the day, associates may be forced to move to cubicles, but it's all for the clients' benefit, so hooray for them. *golf claps* [Commercial Observer] * Our congratulations go out to Alicia Ouellette, Albany Law School's newest president and dean. We're certainly hopeful that she'll be able to handle the tenuous employment situation with the school's tenured faculty better than her predecessor did. [Times Union]

By Staci Zaretsky