Federal Judges
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Federal Government, Federal Judges, Marijuana
Duby-ous Federal Ruling Leaves Marijuana On Schedule I
On this 4/20, lovers of cannabis and cannabis businesses still have not seen the de-scheduling of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance. -
Federal Judges, Rudeness
Federal Prosecutor Says Ticking Off Judges Is His 'Public Interest' Duty
Why you gotta be so rude, Preet? - Sponsored
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 04.17.15
* “The top is eroding and the bottom is growing.” Even as class sizes get smaller and tuition gets lower, the law school brain drain continues. America’s best and brightest won’t be fooled into studying law when the job market is still so unstable, but others have been. [Bloomberg]
* Attorneys for California’s sex workers have filed suit to overturn the state’s ban on prostitution, claiming that “[t]he rights of adults to engage in consensual, private sexual activity (even for compensation) is a fundamental liberty interest.” Yeah, okay. [AP]
* “The simple story is that $160,000 as a starting salary at large law firms is less prevalent than it was immediately prior to the recession.” You can scream “NY TO 190K!” all you want, but starting salaries have remained flat. Sowwy. [DealBook / New York Times]
* U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York has involved himself in an “escalating war of words” with members of the federal judiciary that he may come to regret. Will this “petulant rooster” be able to kiss and make up? [New York Times]
* Per a recently filed lawsuit, Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees still hasn’t paid a single law firm for their representation in the Biogenesis case. He allegedly owes Gordon & Rees $380,059 in unpaid fees. Come on, A-Rod. You’ve got the cash. [New York Daily News]
* Infamous plaintiffs’ attorney Steven Donziger of the $9.5 billion Chevron / Ecuador kerfuffle decided that if he can’t win his case in a court of law, he might as well try to win it in the court of public opinion. Check out his side of the story. [Law360 (sub. req.)]
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Benchslaps, Federal Judges, Funny Headlines
Federal Judge Benchslaps Litigant For Acting Like An Ostrich
Pull your head out of the sand, unless you want to lose your appeal. -
Environment / Environmental Law, Quote of the Day
Federal Judge Doesn't Trust Southern Lawyers
A judge delays sentencing in an environmental case. But not before quoting a Golden Oldie. -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 04.15.15
* Sorry, Chicago Law, but it looks like you’re going to lose your dean. Michael Schill, the school’s departing dean, will leave to assume the presidency at the University of Oregon. It’s an upgrade for UO, and a potential downgrade for UChiLaw. Yikes… [Willamette Week]
* FYI, D.C. Circuit litigants, you really need to “avoid using acronyms that are not widely known.” This is your second warning, your colleagues have already been benchslapped for this behavior, and the clerk’s office literally can’t even anymore. [National Law Journal]
* After six months spent completing a domestic violence program, the battery charge against Judge Mark Fuller has been dropped and expunged from his record. Whether he’ll be allowed to keep his job on the federal bench is another story entirely. [Reuters]
* Your law school application is a great place to explain why your undergraduate GPA is so damn low, because at this point in the process, the law school of your choice may be happy that you actually have a pulse. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News & World Report]
* Theo Shaw, a member of the “Jena Six” who had to spend 7 months in jail because he couldn’t afford bail for his alleged participation in a gang-beating, is going to law school on a full ride. He’s “profoundly grateful” to Washington Law. Congrats! [Business Insider]
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Clerkships, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Clerks
Supreme Court Clerk Hiring Watch: Shout-Outs From Justice Kagan, And The Leading 'Feeder Firm'
Which law firms are on a roll when it comes to producing SCOTUS clerks? -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 04.14.15
* Georgetown Law is teaming up with DLA Piper and Arent Fox to open a low bono law firm. The firm will provide two things for those in need: affordable legal services and jobs to bolster GULC’s employment stats. [Am Law Daily]
* Michigan Law will provide summer funding for all of its 1Ls for law-related internships — but there’s a catch. The cash is a loan, and students may have to pay it back if they earn Biglaw money the following summer. [Michigan Law]
* Judge Jed Rakoff sounded off on the judicary’s problem with mass incarceration at a recent conference at Harvard Law, calling for his colleagues and bar associations across the nation to take a stand for the accused with a gentler justice system. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]
* “It’s positive news. I think it indicates there’s some slight opening of financial services to marijuana-related businesses.” Some banks have finally decided to provide services to weedpreneurs, but others are leaving marijuana moguls high and dry. [WSJ Law Blog]
* “Students should seriously consider going to law school in a state where they plan to practice law.” Unless you like wasting your time, you’d do well to listen to this advice, even if you’re going to a school with national name recognition. [U.S. News & World Report]
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 04.07.15
* Which Biglaw firm just raised its starting salary for associates? Will this be the beginning of a revolution? Don’t you wish your firm would follow this firm’s lead? We’ll have more on this exciting salary news later today. [Legal Intelligencer]
* “With the decline of lawyers and law students, we were looking for new avenues to attract students.” William Mitchell Law may say its hybrid J.D. program was for its students’ benefit, but it was really only to put asses in seats — even digital ones. [CNBC]
* It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday… when you’re a Biglaw partner trying to escape the terms of your contract by making a lateral move. Some firms are even holding capital contributions hostage to discourage partners from leaving. [Recorder via ABA Journal]
* Potential penalties for Supreme Court protesters seem to be getting stiffer. Perhaps federal prosecutors are pissed about 99Rise’s persistence, because this time, members of the social justice group are facing jail time for “haranguing” our justices. [Legal Times]
* According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida was the most productive federal trial court in the nation last year. When Flori-duh is kicking your ass, it’s time to reevalute your life. [WSJ Law Blog]
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Money, Paul Clement, Small Law Firms
Federal Judge Says Paul Clement Isn't Special Enough To Command Insane Hourly Rates
How much was this superstar attorney trying to charge his client? -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 04.03.15
* Even more law schools are doing away with their LSAT requirements. Let’s give a great big welcome to Drake Law and St. John’s Law, who are joining the likes of SUNY Buffalo Law and Iowa Law. Woohoo, welcome aboard the bandwagon, folks! [U.S. News & World Report]
* Judge James W. Haley Jr. of the Virginia Court of Appeals held a drunk intruder at gunpoint while he waited for the police to arrive. This unwanted houseguest was only wearing one shoe as he wandered through the judge’s home. Oopsie! [Free Lance-Star]
* Well, that was quick. Fried Frank has hired away James “Jamie” Wareham, DLA Piper’s $5 million man, about four years after he lateraled to the firm from Paul Hastings. April Fools’ Day was his last day at the firm… or was it? J/K, it was for real. [Am Law Daily]
* J. Michael Farren, the ex-White House lawyer who was convicted of attempting to murder his wife and sentenced to 15 years in prison, is now facing the loss of his law license. This should really be the very least of his worries. [Connecticut Law Tribune]
* The U.S. Marshals Service has increased the reward for tips related to the shooting of U.S. District Judge Terrence Berg. Now you’ll get $50,000 if you’ve got information that’ll lead to arrests and convictions of the suspects who shot a federal jurist. [Detroit News]
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Clerkships, Federal Judges, Sponsored Content, Technology
7 Rising Star Judges You Want To Clerk For
Based on data and analysis from Ravel, the emerging legal research company, here are 7 new judges who are quickly winning the respect and acclaim of their peers. -
10th Circuit, Benchslaps, Federal Judges, Neil Gorsuch
Benchslap Of The Day: No More Mr. Nice Guy
"At some point, this court has a duty to do more than observe, record, and warn. It has a duty to act."
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Biglaw, Federal Judges, Small Law Firms
Federal Judge Begs Lawyers To STFU In 'Behemoth' Pleadings
Lawyers, your pleadings are supposed to be "short and plain" -- not 303 pages long! -
Federal Judges, Job Searches, Law Schools
Confused Law Student Applies For Job With Federal Court That Doesn't Exist
Holy crap. This is embarrassing. -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.16.15
* Last week in court, a murder suspect in Louisiana apparently pooped his pants during a case status hearing, wiped said poop all over his face, and muttered to himself that “life is like a box of chocolates.” Sorry about that crappy candy, dude. [New Orleans Advocate]
* According to early Am Law 100 data, New York’s most elite and prestigious firms have once again broken away from the rest of the pack when it comes to both revenue and partner profits. Biglaw’s best may be back to models and bottles. [Am Law Daily]
* Michelle Lee, the first woman to ever serve as director of the USPTO, was sworn in on stage at SXSW Interactive. Michelle Lee, who worked with the Girl Scouts to issue a patent patch (instead of more makeup and sewing patches), is pretty damn awesome. [Mashable]
* The federal judiciary has plans to decrease the word limit of appellate briefs from 14,000 to 12,500, and lawyers are pissed. Lawyers from Brown Rudnick say it could result in more acronyms, confusing construction, and less “punctilious citation,” oh my! [WSJ Law Blog]
* Lee Smolen, the ex-Sidley Austin partner who faked $69,000 in travel expenses while at the firm (and possibly $379K more), has been suspended from practice for one year and will have to undergo psychiatric treatment. [Legal Profession Blog via ABA Journal]
* Taking New York’s lead, California is considering requiring all would-be attorneys in the state to complete 50 hours of pro bono work within one year of being admitted. Leave it to people who don’t know what they’re doing yet to close the justice gap. [Los Angeles Times]
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Federal Judges, Technology
Today's Tech: A Federal Judge On Trial Presentation Technology In His Courtroom
Why is this Sixth Circuit judge so excited about the use of trial presentation technology in his courtroom? -
Federal Judges, Guns / Firearms
Federal Judge Shot At His Home In Botched Attack
Was this a targeted attack on the judge? -
5th Circuit, Death Penalty, Federal Judges, Legal Ethics
Speaking Truth To Power Is Only Noble When You Are Actually Speaking The Truth: The Failed Complaint Against Judge Edith Jones
For Judge Jones, the victory must be bittersweet. -
2nd Circuit, Books, Federal Judges
Judging Statutes: 5 Thoughts About The Use Of Legislative History
A federal judge offers a spirited defense of using legislative history in statutory interpretation.