Donald Trump transition

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.15.16

* The Supreme Court takes on an issue of major importance to the patent bar (and the Eastern District of Texas): where can an infringement suit be filed? [How Appealing] * And SCOTUS also grants cert to a case raising the scope of what prosecutors must disclose to the defense under Brady v. Maryland and a case about a criminal lawyer's erroneous advice to his client about immigration consequences of a guilty plea. [New York Times via How Appealing] * Sheriff of Wall Street Preet Bharara loses another deputy to private practice: Katherine Goldstein, head of the S.D.N.Y.'s securities-fraud unit, will join several of her former colleagues -- Adam Fee, Antonia Apps and George Canellos -- at Milbank Tweed. [WSJ Law Blog] * President-elect Donald Trump won't take office for a few weeks, but he's already inspiring new law school courses. [National Law Journal] * And Trump might also trigger new lawsuits from state attorneys general seeking to rein in his administration. [New York Times] * As for existing litigation between Trump and celebrity chefs José Andrés and Geoffrey Zakarian, both the real estate tycoon and his adversaries are repped by big Biglaw names: Seyfarth Shaw and Steptoe & Johnson. [BuzzFeed] * Speaking of Seyfarth, it's the firm representing ExxonMobil in litigation alleging anti-gay discrimination in its hiring practices -- litigation that continues even as CEO Rex Tillerson prepares to leave the company to head the Trump State Department. [Washington Blade]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.09.16

* President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of labor, fast-food executive Andrew Puzder, is a critic of the Obama Administration's regulation in this area (and he's a former litigator, interestingly enough). [Washington Post] * Judge Bill Pryor (11th Cir.), a top SCOTUS contender in a Trump Administration, is beloved by conservatives -- but confirming him could be a battle. [Bloomberg BNA via How Appealing] * The Arkansas Supreme Court rules that married lesbian couples can't put the names of both spouses on their children's birth certificates. [WSJ Law Blog] * SEC enforcement chief Andrew Ceresney will leave the agency by the end of this year; where might he wind up? [Law.com] * Governor Andrew Cuomo met with the feds in connection with the corruption case brought against some of his former aides. [New York Times] * Michael Jordan's latest court victory -- in an IP case in China. [Bloomberg] * Alabama prisoner Ronald Smith is executed after the Supreme Court denies a stay, leaving SCOTUS review of the state's unique "judicial override" system for another day. [New York Times via How Appealing]

By David Lat
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 11.25.16

* Orin Kerr isn't persuaded by Larry Lessig's argument in favor of the Electoral College picking Hillary Clinton as president. [Volokh Conspiracy / Washington Post] * What do people think of President-elect Donald Trump's appointments so far? Survey says.... [Instapundit] * If the justice(s) Trump appoints to SCOTUS end up overturning Roe v. Wade, what would happen next? [New York Times via How Appealing] * Speaking of the Donald, not everything is his fault. [Guile is Good] * No, this wasn't said by Trump: "I am not a racist and my voters are neither. They are people who want their country back and who are sick and tired of not being listened to." [Althouse] * Congratulations to the 177 lawyers from 76 firms who were just named Law360’s 2016 MVPs! [Law360]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 11.25.16

Ed. note: As mentioned on Wednesday, we will be publishing today, but at a reduced level. We'll be back in full force on Monday. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! * President-elect Donald Trump will likely pick a lawyer as his nominee for Secretary of State: Rudy Giuliani (NYU Law '68) or Mitt Romney (Harvard Law '75). [New York Times] * Where do broken hearts go? Some precedents for Chief Judge Merrick Garland to follow from unsuccessful Supreme Court nominees. [Associated Press via How Appealing] * A pre-Thanksgiving ruling from the Florida Supreme Court that gave one prisoner something to be grateful for could signal more upheaval to come in the nation’s second largest death row. [BuzzFeed] * Three more judges participated in Pennsylvania's "Porngate" email exchanges -- but it seems that Bruce Beemer, the state's new attorney general, won't be naming names. [ABA Journal] * What does the future hold for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and its chief, Chicago Law grad and former SCOTUS clerk Richard Cordray? [New York Times] * It's not just a plot line from Suits: Reginald Taylor, accused of posing as a lawyer by stealing an attorney's bar number, apparently delivered decent results for his clients. [The Daily Beast] * Don't mess with (federal judges from) Texas, Mr. President; Judge Amos Mazzant, who blocked President Obama's proposed extension of overtime pay, isn't the first Lone Star jurist to cause problems for the Obama Administration. [New York Times via How Appealing] * Thinking of hitting the movies over the long weekend? Tony Mauro shares our own Harry Graff's enthusiasm for Loving. [National Law Journal]

By David Lat