Boies Schiller

Dershowitz Seeks To Bring Unknown Sketchy Dude Into Defamation Case

It just keeps getting weirder.

3 More Questions For A Biglaw Refugee Turned Biglaw Vice-Chair

It is always a privilege to hear from those at the very top of our profession, especially when they have such interesting perspectives to share on groundbreaking cases.

3 Questions For A Biglaw Refugee Turned Biglaw Vice Chair

Read on for a range of insights from Bill Isaacson, including preparing for a career as a trial lawyer and the value of taking ownership over your legal career.

Morning Docket: 09.24.19

* Boris Johnson unanimously smacked down by UK Supreme Court, a bizarre institution where jurists uphold the law regardless of whether or not it inconveniences one or the other political party. [Legal Cheek] * The biggest law firms in the world enjoyed a good year as the rich get richer. [American Lawyer] * The Supreme Court needs to branch out from Harvard and Yale when it comes to clerks. For that matter, it needs to branch out from Harvard and Yale when it comes to justices. [National Law Journal] * This is about well-being coordinators but holds a universal truth: firms hiring non-lawyer professionals probably should only focus on people familiar with the law firm environment. [Law.com] * Today's the day Dershowitz tries to disqualify Boies Schiller from the defamation case against him. Let's see how that pans out for him. [New York Law Journal] * The Ninth Circuit's Stairway to Heaven case will ramble on. [Courthouse News Service]

Non Sequiturs: 04.21.19

* What's the future of Elizabeth Prelogar, the beauty queen turned Harvard Law School grad turned Supreme Court clerk turned Team Mueller member? Not clear, except that it's blindingly bright. [Ozy] * How often do you see this? A federal judge praises counsel -- specifically, J. Christian Adams of the Election Law Center, Douglas R. Cox of Gibson Dunn, Michael E. Rosman of the Center for Individual Rights, and local counsel Mun Su Park -- for their "conscientious billing practices." [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason] * Another Lawyerly Lair of Jonathan Schiller, of Boies Schiller Flexner fame: a stunning modern retreat on Martha's Vineyard, designed by his son, architect Aaron Schiller (whose firm also did the new BSF offices in Hudson Yards). [Martha's Vineyard] * Amicus brief of the month: a compelling -- and, sadly, entertaining (see the Appendix) -- analysis of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's utterly incoherent approach to supposedly "immoral or scandalous" trademarks, filed by William Jay and Goodwin Procter on behalf of law professors Barton Beebe and Jeanne Fromer. [Supreme Court of the United States] * Here's a clear and concise explanation of the "Rule of 80," taking "senior status" as a federal judge, and what this all means for the ideological balance of the judiciary, courtesy of Ed Whelan. [Bench Memos / National Review] * How should we think about President Donald Trump's branding of the press as "the enemy of the people"? Negatively, to be sure -- but let's also keep in mind that the media is not a monolith, as First Amendment lawyer Charles Glasser helpfully reminds us. [Daily Caller] * Stephen Cooper survived a stabbing -- then went on to defend violent criminals for many years as a federal public defender. [Alabama Political Reporter] * Cooper argues that we need to be less punitive and more thoughtful in our treatment of offenders -- and Joel Cohen seems to agree, defending an unusual but wise sentence recently handed down by Judge Valerie Caproni (S.D.N.Y.). [New York Law Journal]

Michael Avenatti Charged With… A Whole Bunch Of Stuff Out Of Multiple USAOs

One of these cases seems a lot more troublesome for him than the other.

Morning Docket: 01.03.19

* R. Kelly threatens to sue Lifetime, a lawsuit that will be totally worth it if the judge has to say "don't pee on my leg and say it's raining." [TMZ] * Alex Van Der Zwaan's attorney, Laura Grossfield Birger, tapped to run the SDNY Criminal Division. That's some... curious optics right now. [Courthouse News Service] * The billionaire client that Boies Schiller is suing over unpaid fees has now alleged malpractice, which is a bold move considering BSF got him through multiple litigation scrapes. But this goes with the territory. I once had a holdout client claim malpractice when we'd gotten him acquitted of racketeering, so this move isn't entirely unexpected. [New York Law Journal] * It's not surprising that the Ninth Circuit has some serious concerns over the possibility that the government systematically lied to the courts, it's surprising that this isn't a universal concern of the federal judiciary. [The Recorder] * This round-up of the top in-house hires of December including Tesla's decision to turn off autopilot and hire a white-collar attorney to serve as general counsel. [Law360] * Cardinal says compensation for abuse victims is less important than avoiding "breaking" the Church. Dude, it's going public that abuse victims aren't as important as the Church that's doing all the "breaking" right now. [NBC News] * Key legal questions surrounding blockchain. [Coindesk]

Morning Docket: 12.03.18

* Young lawyers in Australia are fighting back against Biglaw hours expectations because these snowflakes don't realize that chronic sleeplessness and callously sacrificing relationships with friends and loved ones builds character! [The Guardian] * Comey has reached a deal with the lame duck House committee. He'll still testify in a private hearing, but he'll be given a transcript after the fact. Good plan, it's not like he's been screwed over by this committee before. [National Law Journal] * Trial begins tomorrow to decide the limits to good faith Nazis dealings. [The Recorder] * Authorities recommend indicting Benjamin Netanyahu. It's like there's a country out there where political leaders are held "accountable" when they break "the law" which just seems weird. [Associated Press via Huffington Post] * The winners of the annual Data-Driven Lawyers Award. [Law360] * People can't give money to litigation financiers fast enough. [American Lawyer] * Apparently Alan Dershowitz is still working for Jeffrey Epstein. [The Week]

David Boies Dishes On Firm’s Transition Strategy

A newly formed Management Committee will gradually assume day-to-day firm operations.

Morning Docket: 11.27.18

* So much for that plea deal! Mueller's office says it's caught Manafort in multiple lies since ostensibly reaching an agreement. I'm sure we'll soon hear how this is all a "perjury trap" too. [Huffington Post] * James Ray III says he shot his girlfriend in self-defense. Sure. [NJ.com] * Hong Kong aims to be Asia's arbitration hub and its neighbors aren't giving up that title easily. [International] * There's apparently a DB Cooper convention. Amazing. [Courthouse News Service] * The Thomas Jefferson School of Law still trying to keep its head above water. [Voice of San Diego] *Meanwhile, the Florida legislature is looking to clear the obstacles to renaming FSU's law school. [Florida Politics] * Boies Schiller attempting to chase down deadbeat real estate magnate who stiffed the firm on million-dollar fees. The media keeps calling him a "Chinese dissident" which is technically true, but obscures the whole "fabulously wealthy" part. [Law360]

World’s Most Fortunate Pro Se Litigant Represented By Judge Posner Now Also Represented By David Boies

As the case moves to the Supreme Court, William Bond adds even more firepower.

Morning Docket: 10.16.18

* Valparaiso celebrated earlier in the week after reaching an agreement to send its beleaguered law school to Middle Tennessee. Tennessee's education officials have killed the idea of hosting another middling law school with extreme prejudice. [Chicago Tribune] * Ninth Circuit judge displays deliberate ignorance in what appears to be a looming decision to keep college athletes out of court. [Courthouse News Service] * Whenever you doubt the stupidity of humanity, remember people accused of global financial fraud tend to email each other explicit descriptions of what they're doing. [Law360] * Boies Schiller will act as special prosecutor in the Joe Arpaio appeal in what should be the easiest appellate layup ever. [The Recorder] * Republican judge dismisses lawsuit against Republican politician. [Huffington Post] * Jeff Sessions tells the Heritage Foundation that he doesn't approve of this idea that courts might consider themselves some kind of "check" or "balance" on the executive branch. [National Law Journal] * Ralph Baxter thinks Biglaw needs to change its business model to succeed. [American Lawyer]

David Boies Scores Coup With HUGE Lateral Pickup

Susan Estrich reunites with David Boies, years after they first worked together.

David Boies’s Fall From Grace

Boies’s firm soldiers on and continues to rake in money by the barrel-load. Yet cracks in its once-burnished veneer are now visible to the naked eye.

Morning Docket: 09.25.18

* Amid reports (from Fox News no less) that Mitch McConnell does not presently have the votes to confirm Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court took the precaution of removing several contentious matters from their long conference agenda lest. They're hunkering down for another couple months at 4-4. [National Law Journal] * Speaking of that Fox News report, let's be honest about what's happening here: Kavanaugh is refusing to withdraw and McConnell is covertly asking the network to convince Trump to withdraw the nomination. [Fox News] * Almost half of the top 15 firms in the Global 100 are the product of a transatlantic merger. Should your firm follow suit? Probably not. [American Lawyer] * Linda Burrow leaves Boies Schiller to Netflix and chill and then litigate. [Corporate Counsel] * Judge seems to think Stormy Daniels doesn't have a defamation claim against Trump over one of his Tweets. [Law360] * PwC makes a deal with Fragomen. The Big 4 invasion of the legal sector continues unchecked. [LegalCheek] * Lost in the shuffle of everything happening yesterday, Bill Cosby's sentencing hearings kicked off. [Courthouse News Service]