Elizabeth Prelogar

Non-Sequiturs

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]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.20.17

* Martin Shkreli's attorney is frantically trying to undo the damage his client caused on social media. Shkreli is looking to get his bail reduced because of financial hardship... and offering big rewards on social media. For his part, attorney Benjamin Brafman is arguing that the judge just shouldn't believe Shkreli's social media claims. I guess this is the "seriously not literally" thing we've heard so much about. [Law360] * With the addition of yet another attorney, this time Elizabeth Prelogar -- a former Miss Idaho actually -- Robert Mueller's investigation of Donald Trump is now officially a Biglaw firm. [National Law Journal] * Are firms giving clients a good deal... or just a better deal than the inflated prices they advertise? [Corporate Counsel] * More professors join the gender discrimination suit against Denver Law School. [Law.com] * Norton Rose Fulbright tries to get its mind of the troubled Chadbourne merger... by executing another merger. [Legal Week] * On that note, should Biglaw generally step back and question the wisdom of mergers? [Am Law Daily] * What are you willing to wager that the FTC blocks the daily fantasy sports merger? [Litigation Daily]

By Joe Patrice