Floyd Abrams

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 07.17.17

* Ty Cobb, a former federal prosecutor, has resigned from his post as a partner at Hogan Lovells to join President Trump's legal team as the investigation into the campaign's possible collusion with Russia continues to expand. Cobb, who's related to the baseball player of the same name, leaves behind more than 30 years of history at the firm to collaborate with Marc Kasowitz, which should be interesting, to say the least. Dat stache, tho... [Bloomberg; New York Times] * In other news, yet another member of President Trump's legal team, Jay Sekulow, appeared on NBC's Meet the Press and CBS's Face the Nation yesterday in an attempt to solidify claims that his client, the commander-in-chief, had no knowledge of Don Jr.'s emails and meeting with the Russians, and that "there was nothing illegal to cover up" anyway. [Newsweek] * Meanwhile, it looks like Trump's lawyers knew about Don Jr.'s emails and meeting with the Russians more than three weeks ago, which makes the president's assertion that he'd learned of it "a couple of days ago" all the more far fetched. In fact, per a recent FEC filing, President Trump’s reelection campaign paid $50,000 to Don Jr.'s criminal-defense lawyer, Alan Futerfas, on June 26, two weeks before the email scandal was made public. [Yahoo News; Daily Beast] * "I think a politician or a public figure of note can have a Twitter account of public note which would not be deemed to be a public forum. But in the Trump Administration, what he says on his tweets are as much public in nature as a press conference." Renowned First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams explains why the litigants who sued President Trump for blocking their Twitter accounts might just have a shot when it comes to winning their case. [Big Law Business] * "I wouldn’t rent to u if u were the last person on earth. One word says it all. Asian." An Airbnb host has been taken to task by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing after canceling a UCLA School of Law student's cabin reservation based on race. Airbnb must also develop a discipline system for discriminatory hosts. We may have more on this later. [The Recorder]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 07.11.17

* We welcome Alan Futerfas to the party. This administration said it would create jobs, but I don't think any of us expected they'd all be jobs for criminal defense attorneys. [The Independent] * Witness says Martin Shkreli's focus reminded him of Raymond Babbitt from Rain Man. That's funny, because his smarmy appearance and despicable greed reminded me of Charlie Babbitt. [Law360] * The CFPB wants to ban clauses that prevent consumers from opting out of arbitration. Conservative groups vow to block the rule because freedom requires waiving your rights through adhesion contracts. [Law.com] * Speaking of how financial institutions never do anything wrong so people shouldn't have the right to sue them, Wells Fargo tentatively set to pay $142 million to settle claims arising from its fake accounts scandal. [Courthouse News Service] * An interview with Floyd Abrams discussing his new book, The Soul of the First Amendment (affiliate link). [Coverage Opinions] * In case you missed it, the judge has tossed the University of Texas faculty members' challenge to the state's "an armed classroom is a polite classroom" law. [Texas Tribune] * A real-time experiment testing which in-house practices and law firm attributes tend to produce the strongest relationships, satisfaction, and results. So we'll finally be able to quantify "give me the moon and charge me nothing." [Corporate Counsel] * If you're going to San Diego Comic Con next week, be sure to hit up these legal panels. There's the mock trial of Luke Cage on Friday and an omnibus Star Wars panel featuring California Supreme Court Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, Ninth Circuit Judge John B. Owens, former Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal and other jurists discuss the legal issues of a galaxy far, far away. [The Legal Geeks]

By Joe Patrice
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 05.19.17

* Holy smokes! What subject just led the en banc Eleventh Circuit to issue almost 300 pages worth of opinions? [How Appealing] * I'm all in favor of anonymous blogging, but there's no denying that it can be hazardous to one's Article III ambitions. [BuzzFeed] * It's not just President Donald Trump's handshakes that can be dangerous (just ask Justice Neil Gorsuch); he's weaponized the hug as well, as James Comey learned. [Althouse] * A high-profile visitor over at the Volokh Conspiracy: renowned First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams will be blogging about his new book, The Soul of the First Amendment (affiliate link). [Volokh Conspiracy / Washington Post] * Speaking of books, here's Professor Lisa Pruitt on J.D. Vance's (critically acclaimed, bestselling) memoir, Hillbilly Elegy (affiliate link): "I knew Yale law degrees were valuable, but Vance’s seems to be working miracles." * And here are some reflections from Professor Andrew Guthrie Ferguson on whether fear should be part of the law school experience. [PrawfsBlawg] * Mark your calendars: June 14 in San Francisco, Battle of the (Law Firm) Bands! [Family Violence Appellate Project]

By David Lat
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