Department of Homeland Security

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.16.20

* Peloton has been hit with a patent infringement lawsuit by a competitor. It's not like they "reinvented the wheel" or anything... They must be "cycling" through legal fees... (I can go all day!) [Business Insider] * A federal judge has overruled the rejection of New York residents from programs run by the Department of Homeland Security that make it easier to process through airport security. [Minnesota Lawyer] * A law firm, which bought a practice from a retired lawyer who then passed away, has been approved to use the deceased lawyer's name on its letterhead. Sounds a little like Weekend at Bernie's... [Bloomberg Law] * A U.S. Attorney in New York has announced that he will be stepping up efforts to clamp down on violent crime in New York City because crime rates in the Big Apple have increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [Daily News] * A couple has been charged for allegedly attacking a teenage worker at Sesame Place for enforcing a mask policy. People need to stop acting like Oscar the Grouch... [Philadelphia Inquirer]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 08.06.18

* You know your client sucks when...: This weekend, President Trump admitted on Twitter that his eldest son's 2016 Trump Tower meeting was held to "get information on an opponent," not to discuss "a program about the adoption of Russian children," as he'd dictated in his son's earlier account. His lawyer, Jay Sekulow, then had to walk back a statement he'd made earlier to get in line with Trump's comments, because "over time facts develop." [Daily Beast] * A federal judge has ruled for the second time that the Trump administration’s decision to end the DACA program was unlawful, referring to the DHS’s reasoning as “a hodgepodge of illogical or post hoc policy assertions.” Not only that, but the judge ordered that DACA be restored. Ouch. [National Law Journal] * In other immigration news, a federal judge has rejected the Trump administration's request that the ACLU locate deported parents for reunification with their children, noting that "for every parent who is not located, there will be a permanently orphaned child, and that is 100 percent the responsibility of the administration." [USA Today] * Dean Elizabeth Magill of Stanford Law School will be leaving her job at the end of the upcoming academic year to become the provost of the University of Virginia. Stanford will begin the search for her replacement in September. [The Recorder] * After news of the class of 2017’s success in the job market comes last month’s loss of 2,100 jobs in the legal sector. Sorry ‘bout that, class of 2018. For those not entering Biglaw, you better hope those were all administrative jobs. [American Lawyer]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.27.17

* Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore has won the Republican primary runoff election for the Senate seat that was once occupied by AG Jeff Sessions. Perhaps we can look forward to history repeating itself and Moore being twice suspended if he wins the special election. [New York Times] * Senate Republicans don't have the votes for the Graham-Cassidy effort to repeal Obamacare to pass, but not to worry, because they'll be back at it again soon via the 2019 budget reconciliation process, and next time, they're going to be transparent, hold committee hearings, and even consult Democrats. [CNN] * The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security has refused to waive Jones Act shipping restrictions that are preventing Puerto Rico from getting the gasoline and supplies that are so desperately needed for the island's recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria. Senator John McCain is pissed, and says it's time to repeal the "archaic and burdensome" Act. [Reuters] * Freedom hangs in the balance for Making a Murderer's Brendan Dassey, whose case was heard before the full Seventh Circuit yesterday. According to court watchers, the judges seemed split, and we can't help but to wonder what Judge Richard Posner would have thought. [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel] * Irell & Manella's Andrei Iancu, President Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is awaiting confirmation. There's no better way to bide our time while we wait than to discuss the fact that he'd been pulling down a $4 million paycheck at the firm. We'll have more on this later. [Am Law Daily] * "How can you expect companies to do the right thing when you[r] agency has not?" U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton is taking heat over the fact that his agency was hacked in 2016, but nothing was mentioned about it until last week. He's set a great example. [Big Law Business] * According to a recent study, no matter what women do, in most cases, they'll continue to earn less than men. The ban on asking employees about their salary history is doing nothing for women; in fact, they're being penalized for refusing to disclose their salaries, while men are being rewarded. [The Careerist]

By Staci Zaretsky
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 08.03.17

* You can shake a female co-worker's hand and not get cooties, I promise. [Adequate Man] * Why did you decide to go to law school? [Corporette] * A Freedom of Information Act request has revealed the stunning way the Department of Homeland Security ordered its agents to treat Congresspeople and lawyers in the aftermath of the travel ban. [Daily Beast] * How will you survive if your legal job is replaced by artificial intelligence? [Law and More] * Oliver Stone has gotten to the CIA. [Politico] * Like true crime TV shows? You'll appreciate Netflix's new spoof. [Salon] * The Trump administration does not understand the whole concept of popularity. [Lawyers, Guns & Money] * Who can help Governor Cuomo solve his transit woes? [Cityland]

By Kathryn Rubino
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 07.31.17

* So... who is in charge of Homeland Security now? Asking for all the immigration lawyers who need to fill out the "named defendants" section of their filings. [Politico] * The Gawker effect is real. Maybe Buzzfeed will save us? [Washington Post] * Florida law will allow parents to object to the content of their children's textbooks. I would be in favor of this law if it also required Florida residents to READ children's textbooks before they object. [Law Street News] * We're now at the point where people are reporting on seating arrangements at cabinet meetings. Trump makes us pathetic. [Newsmax] * Here's some stuff about trash human, Pete Rose. [The Score] * Here's some stuff about trash human, Joe Arpaio. [AZ Central]

By Elie Mystal