Harvard Law

Harvard Law Professor Defends Yale’s Decision To Keep Slave Owner’s Name On Building

Bucking the trend of outrage over Yale's decision to keep a slave owner's name on a building.

Non-Sequiturs: 03.30.16

* As HBO prepares its take on the 1991 Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings starring Kerry Washington as Anita Hill, it seems they were inundated with complaints from politicians, concerned over how they look in the real life drama. [Hollywood Reporter] * Geek out over the Supreme Court Style Guide (affiliate link) and note it “frequently deviates from Bluebook style.” [Lawyerist] * They were fired, but now they’re baaack. Amid declining enrollment, seven professors are back at Charleston Law. [Tax Law Prof] * A 2013 paper from Harvard Law professor Matthew C. Stephenson arguing that a Supreme Court justice can be appointed without a confirmation hearing has been making the social media rounds as the non-action on Merrick Garland’s nomination continues. [Yale Law Journal] * Does this disbarred attorney have information from the DC Madam that will change the 2016 election? Probably not, but let the speculation begin! [Gawker]

High-Flying Harvard Law Grad Charged With $95 Million Fraud Scheme

His family has quite the thing for Harvard Law: his father and three brothers are all HLS alums.

Morning Docket: 03.21.16

* What's the difference between the late Justice Antonin Scalia and Chief Judge Merrick Garland, his potential replacement? "[He] always sounds the same. Most of the time, he is very even-toned, not aggressive.” For starters, Scalia's dissents were usually fiery and entertaining, while Garland's dissents tend to be very respectful and courteous. [Washington Post] * "[T]here were errors and flaws in the way Thomas Jefferson carried out their research." An expert retained by Anna Alaburda in her suit against Thomas Jefferson Law testified that the methods the law school used to collect grads' job data were improper and could have caused some inaccurate info to be reported. [Courthouse News Service] * Donald Trump's presidential campaign -- and his path to the White House -- may be interrupted by a pesky fraud trial over his now defunct real estate school. The Donald will likely be asked to testify by New York AG Eric Schneiderman, and if he pleads the Fifth, it could have YUGE implications on his defense strategy. [WSJ Law Blog] * “When someone — or something — is going away, there are usually some people that want to get it before it goes away, for whatever reason." Racist memorabilia? Harvard Law is trying to quickly eliminate all ties to its controversial shield, but its bookstore will be slowly selling off all remaining merchandise bearing the symbol. [Boston Globe] * "The average graduate cannot expect to make enough in the years following graduation to even hope to make a dent in the student loans they take on from going to law school. And that's if they can even pass the bar and find a job as an attorney." Law profs face buyouts, but their students aren't in a much better position. [Northwest Indiana Times]

Morning Docket: 03.15.16

* The Harvard Corporation agreed with the recommendation of Harvard Law's faculty committee to scrap the official crest based on the sygil of a slaveowner. Will this address every instance of institutional racism? No. But that's a pretty stupid reason to stick to a drawing. [Boston.com] * Good news for Steven Rattner: The SEC says the former Quadrangle chief can be an investment banker again! Will this interrupt his present career repeating Obama administration talking points on Morning Joe? [Law 360] * U.S. Biglaw offices in London have caught up to their U.K. peers in revenues and profits. When reached for comment, London Mayor Boris Johnson found some way to make this all the EU's fault. [Legal Week] * Sullivan & Cromwell buys up its office building, making it one of the larger landlords in lower Manhattan. [The Am Law Daily] * What worries Trust & Estate partners? Mostly that there aren't yet enough idle rich to keep the industry afloat now that everyone else moved online to write their wills. [Forbes] * Microsoft will have to reboot its GC position with Horacio Gutierrez moving to Spotify next month. [Corporate Counsel] * Congratulations to Camille Nelson, who will take up the deanship of American University Law School. [National Law Journal]

Non-Sequiturs: 03.01.16

* It really isn’t okay that there are children that go hungry. Harvard Law student Thomas Tobin knows there is something that can be done to alleviate the problem. [Arkansas Online] * The Supreme Court rejected requests for expedited audio in today’s two big cases: Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt and U.S. v. Texas. When are we going to be able to force them to put cameras in there and be done with it? [Fix the Court] * Are the lawyers to blame for the giant Sharp / Foxconn deal falling through at the last second? And what can be done to salvage it? The clock is ticking and stock prices are falling. [Quartz] * Remember a few months ago when Republican governors were all butthurt about Syrian refugees? U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ruled Indiana Governor Mike Pence was way outta line about the whole mess. [Wonkette] * The EEOC is going after employers that discriminate on the basis of sexuality, saying such actions are banned under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. About time. [Buzzfeed] * Looking back at one of the worst Supreme Court decisions of all time to understand how important filling Justice Scalia’s seat really is. [Huffington Post] * A Sikh officer in the Army is suing, complaining his religious observations have subjected him to increased testing. [New York Times] * For those of you who missed last week's event at NYU Law, here's video from "Love, Law, and... Clerkships," featuring Professor Barry Friedman, Judge Alison Nathan (S.D.N.Y.), and our very own David Lat. [YouTube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjX6wLQmMIM&index=1&list=PLBC7DDA1DA3578169

Controversy At Harvard Law Over The Bluebook?

Discontent on the Harvard Law campus.

Would You Become An Actor After Graduating From Harvard Law?

You don't expect acting to be the next stop for a Harvard Law grad.

Non-Sequiturs: 01.05.16

* British trainee lawyer arrested for Christmas Eve murder of a young teacher. [Legal Cheek] * Judge John Gleeson is stepping down and returning to private practice. [New York Daily News] * 31 law professors think this case about the right of publicity and video games should be heard by the Supreme Court. [The Volokh Conspiracy] * Are Harvard Law professors unfairly going after a former student and alleged sexual assault survivor? [Huffington Post] * Even people in liberal states should care about the erosion of reproductive freedom rights in Red States: NYC, joined by a coalition of other cities, has filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to strike down Texas's restrictive abortion law. [Jezebel] * Looks like legal work won't be outsourced to the robots any time soon. [New York Times] * If you are on the criminal defense side of things, you'd always better be ready for a battle. [Katz on Justice]