FBI

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.03.18

* "BREAKING: President Donald Trump repeatedly mocks Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault." When I got this alert on my phone last night, I couldn't help myself but to blurt out, "F**k that guy." That's our president! Not sure why I expected more. [NBC News] * According to Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate will vote on Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh just as soon as the F.B.I. wraps up its investigation -- which could be as early as sometime today. Gee, it's almost as if they don't care about what the results are. [New York Times] * In the meantime, more than 500 law professors have signed onto two letters that will be presented to the Senate, each condemning Kavanaugh's "lack of judicial temperament" and "lack of respect for our democratic institutions and women in positions of power in particular." At least they're trying. [Guardian] * Sedgwick closed up shop sometime around the beginning of 2018, and the failed firm finally got around to filing for bankruptcy, and the court documents read like a Greek Biglaw tragedy. We have have more on this later. [Law360 (sub. req.)] * Which Biglaw firm has the strongest brand? It's not the firm with the highest revenue, and it's not the firm with the largest headcount, but this firm has that certain je ne sais quoi that makes clients love their attorneys. [American Lawyer]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.01.18

* President Trump asked the FBI to investigate the claims of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez, the first two women to accuse would-be SCOTUS justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault and misconduct, leaving out Julie Swetnick's claims to the chagrin of her lawyer. [Wall Street Journal] * So, just how limited in scope will the FBI's new Kavanaugh inquiry be? Trump claims that the bureau has "free rein," but no one who has contradicted the judge's claims about his drinking and partying as a high school and college student are going to be interviewed. [New York Times] * HLS is second best at feeling shame: Following student protests against Kavanaugh teaching at Harvard Law, the elite law school's dean won't come out and say whether the accused jurist will still have a job in legal academia come 2019. [HuffPost] * ICYMI amid the Kavanaugh craziness, a judge ruled that the plaintiffs in Blumenthal v. Trump -- the 201 Democratic members of Congress -- have standing to sue the president for his alleged violations of the emoluments clause. [National Law Journal] * That was quick! In the span of just a few days, Elon Musk settled the securities fraud lawsuit filed against him by the SEC, and the deal calls for him to pay a $20 million fine and step down as Tesla's chairman for the next three years. [New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.22.18

* A full 85 percent of companies aren't ready for the GDPR implementation deadline later this week, meaning... well probably nothing, but let's freak out about it anyway. [Corporate Counsel] * Jones Day's Dana Baiocco tabbed by Trump administration to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to end Democratic leadership on that board. So get ready for exploding bottles and nails just sticking out of stuffed animals... because "freedom." [National Law Journal] * DOJ tests new investigative tactic of just telling suspected criminals everything before interviewing them. [Huffington Post] * We're deregulating banks again because that's historically worked out so well. [Wall Street Journal] * South Carolina has repealed its "disturbing school" law, which was really just a vague catch-all provision to allow cops to harass and imprison black kids. [ACLU] * Paul Manafort looks to suppress more evidence. Hey it's worth a shot. [Courthouse News Service] * In sad news, groundbreaking attorney Dovey Johnson Roundtree has passed away at 104. [Washington Post]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.20.18

* Welcome Rudy Giuliani to the Trump legal team. Reminder that the last time he offered Trump legal advice he inadvertently built the strongest case against the travel ban, so this should go well. [CNN] * Overshadowed by the Rudy announcement, Trump also hired married Miami duo Marty and Jane Serene Raskin. They're actually competent criminal defense attorneys, so I don't expect them to last long. [McClatchy] * Alexander Hamilton earns honorary degree from Albany Law School. Upon learning he'll have the same degree as Megyn Kelly, Hamilton decided Aaron Burr might have done him a favor. [Law.com] * Officials have moved the "Fearless Girl" statue citing "safety" though the fear of a completely frivolous lawsuit from the sculptor of "Charging Bull" may be the real culprit. So a woman took a bold stand and will therefore be shuffled off to another office out of the way... that may be the most iconic depiction of Wall Street yet. [Dealbreaker] * In the wake of the horrific Larry Nassar cover up, Michigan State's GC Robert Noto nabbed $436000 in severance pay. Because accountability is important. [Corporate Counsel] * James Comey keeps receipts. [Huffington Post] * If you're looking for your daily dose of wackiness, here's a $100M lawsuit from Jason Lee Van Dyke against the man trying to get him disbarred. [Daily Beast] * Chuck Schumer's going to introduce a bill to decriminalize marijuana. Because it's 4/20. Chuck Schumer is making 4/20 jokes now. [NPR]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.13.18

* Hooooo boy, this just got even better! President Trump and his attorney Michael Cohen plan to file a motion to stay the Stormy Daniels suit on the grounds that in the wake of the FBI raid on Cohen's office and the ensuing criminal investigation, continuing the Daniels litigation could violate Cohen's right not to incriminate himself under the Fifth Amendment. [THR, Esq. / Hollywood Reporter] * In other news, President Trump is set to pardon Scooter Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney‘s former chief of staff, who was convicted in 2007 of lying to the FBI and obstruction of justice in the investigation into the leak of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity. [ABC News * When the AP was investigating a $30K payout that American Media Inc. made to a doorman to keep quiet about a rumor involving President Trump's love child with a former employee, reporters had some trouble with a Biglaw firm that was recently involved in another sexual misconduct case -- Boies Schiller. [American Lawyer] * HoLove learning to show love? The firm is ditching its "broken" associate performance review system for its new "Pathways" program, which will provide them with "flash feedback" from partners about how they're doing on a year-round basis. [National Law Journal] * Your tuition dollars actually at work: Georgia State Law is using predictive modeling and data analytics to identify students who may be at risk for failing the bar exam after their first year of studying law. Administrators at the school want to be able to help students before it's too late. [Daily Report Online] * Savannah Law School may not be closing after all? It seems that talks are underway to donate the law school's charter to another college or university, like Savannah State and Georgia Southern. Savannah Law's new owner would get everything but the law school building itself. [Fox 28 Media]

By Staci Zaretsky