FBI

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.03.18

* The possibility of Donald Trump turning the Russia case over to Alan Dershowitz is too delicious of a train wreck to imagine. Stop teasing me! [The Hill] * Andrew McCabe's GoFundMe has raised over half a million dollars. All you need is a righteous claim and a sophisticated lobbying firm behind you. [Slate] * LeBron has decided he holds intellectual property rights over barbershops or something. [National Law Journal] * While DLA Piper is out there swiping lawyers, they're also earning plaudits for a tech solution designed to retain clients. [American Lawyer] * Joon Kim returns to Cleary Gottlieb. [Wall Street Journal] * Jury selection underway in extortion case over Waffle House CEO's syrup. [Daily Report Online] * The Supreme Court declared it's ready, willing, and able to engage in linguistic gymnastics to get out of labor protections. So... we've got that going for us. [Law360]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.30.18

* Attorney General Jeff Sessions won't be appointing a second special counsel to examine political bias in the handling of investigations by the FBI and DOJ just yet, but not to worry, because the Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney for Utah are on the case. [Politico] * Lawyer.com spokesperson Lindsay Lohan lost her invasion of privacy case against the maker of "Grand Theft Auto V" at the New York Court of Appeals in a unanimous decision penned by Judge Eugene Fahey, who said the video game character LiLo alleged was based on her was "not reasonably identifiable as plaintiff."  [Reuters] * As it turns out, Savannah Law School won't be immediately ceasing operations in early June. Now, the law school plans to move to another location within the city, and will close over the next five years without admitting any new students. [Savannah Morning News] * Adnan Syed, the subject of the hit podcast "Serial," had his murder conviction vacated by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. His case has been remanded for a new trial on all charges. [New York Times] * "Mark, it hurts! You’re hurting me… Don't be so rough." In case you missed it, a juror fainted during trial after watching a video of graphic sex between a Texas attorney who traded sex for legal services and one of his clients. Yeehaw... [FOX News]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.20.18

* Supreme Court won't wade into Arizona's death penalty law so they can really concentrate on the important work of union busting. [NY Times] * Speaking of the Supreme Court, Mississippi has set up a date to discuss its new abortion ban whenever the Court totally changes its membership. [NPR] * Trump hired Joseph Digenova, a kooky conspiracy theorist who goes on cable news to claim that the FBI framed Trump. I really want to test a theory -- if CNN is willing to have me on to explain my belief that Robert Mueller is just George Soros in a mask, how many days would it take before I got added to the defense team. [CNN] * The average age of a baseball fan is 53 years old. Now Congress wants to make sure the future of the sport are paid like it's 1965. [Washington Post] * The Tex McIver trial continues with some unsettling testimony. [CBS News] * Trump's reliance on NDAs has hit a wall -- fired White House officials can't be silenced. [Reuters]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 08.02.17

* "We have a very crappy judicial system." Judge Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit says the Supreme Court has far too few justices, and is calling for 10 more to be added to the high court's ranks, as he thinks the current arrangement on the bench is "[m]ediocre and highly politicized." Tell 'em how you really feel, Your Honor. [Chicago Tribune] * "This is deeply disturbing." The Justice Department's civil rights division is planning to sue colleges and universities that engage in "intentional race-based discrimination" in their affirmative action policies -- that is, discrimination against white applicants. Hmm, wasn't this recently before SCOTUS... twice? [New York Times] * RIP, billables: Microsoft wants to completely eliminate the billable hour by entering into alternative fee arrangements with all of the firms it works with in the future. Twelve Biglaw firms and one intellectual property firm will spearhead this movement as the company's strategic partners. [Big Law Business] * The Department of Education has filed a motion for summary judgment in a suit brought by the ABA over public service loan forgiveness, claiming that its forgiveness eligibility determinations won't be final until 10 years have passed and that any eligibility letters sent thus far are nonbinding and merely advisory. How comforting for law grads drowning in debt? [Law.com; ABA Journal] * The Senate has confirmed King & Spalding partner Christopher Wray as the new director of the FBI. During his hearings, Wray said he'd resign if he were ever asked to do something immoral or illegal, as his "commitment is to the rule of law, to the Constitution, to follow the facts wherever they may lead." [CNN]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 07.27.17

* Bey and Jay-Z want to trademark their kids' names because nothing creates the nurturing environment of unconditional love children need like converting them into commodities. [The Recorder] * For lexicography nerds, a deep dive into the original definition of "emoluments." For the MAGA crowd, the English language itself is fake news. [National Law Journal] * The 2017 A-List is out! That's the American Lawyer's comprehensive ranking of law firms. No, not the Am Law 200, the other one. No, not the NLJ 500, the other one. Actually, what the f**k is the A-List? [American Lawyer] * Freshfields co-managing partner steps down. [Law.com] * Martin Shkreli not having the best of days. [Law360] * The Communications Director is calling on the FBI to investigate the Chief of Staff and put this news on Twitter. That's... not standard procedure. [Huffington Post] * A repeal and replace they can actually get done. Say goodbye to clean water regulations! [Courthouse News Service]

By Joe Patrice