John Attanasio

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.23.15

* In a story we've been following for years, a federal judge has put down the most notorious copyright troll in the world: "Happy Birthday To You" is now in the public domain. [LA Times] * Former SMU Dean John Attanasio, hit with a prostitution arrest back in February, is looking at a pre-trial diversion program if he's willing to admit the charge. [CBS DFW] * Just weeks after his brother took over hosting duties on The Late Show, Edward Colbert has been named managing partner of Kenyon & Kenyon LLP. [Law360] * The Republic of Guinea may have to cough up a lot of guineas in unpaid legal fees to Dentons after Judge Royce Lamberth rejected its sovereign immunity request. [Legal Times] * Honestly, who doesn't bring a couple dildos along when visiting a Rent-A-Center? [Courthouse News Service] * Dewey know what horrors await law firm managers if convicted? It's more than a little troubling that a couple million people face this fate, but we only get glossy coverage of these conditions when some millionaire lawyers might end up there. [The Am Law Daily] * Gibson Dunn under fire for not keeping original notes of its Bridgegate interviews because defense lawyers don't know how these new-fangled "computer" things work. [The Record]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.04.15

* When we first reported on this former law school dean's arrest for prostitution, we weren't sure if he was the alleged john. Now we know: SMU Law's John Attanasio allegedly offered to pay an undercover officer $100 for "specific sexual acts." [Dallas Morning News] * It seems that a lawyer in Nebraska lost his "special pen" at the courthouse, and he'd really like it to be returned to him. It's not just any pen -- it's a $500 Montblanc Meisterstück. Help this man get his prestigious pen back. [Omaha World-Herald] * The early numbers on Cadwalader's ranking in the Am Law 100 seems to indicate that would-be chair James Woolery got the hell out while the getting was still good. The firm's profits per partner dropped by 15.3 percent in 2014. Ouch. [Am Law Daily] * "Being in the law school business looked like a good idea. Those days are over." Enrollment continues to decline at law schools across the country, and in Virginia, class sizes are about 20 percent smaller than they were in 2011. [Roanoke Times] * When it comes to the recent murder-suicide of two Tulane Law students, "[p]eople are really surprised and baffled about what happened" because they say there were no warning signs. If you’re depressed, please seek help. [New Orleans Advocate] * Given the fact that children's vaccinations have become a topic presidential candidates are debating, you should know that almost half the states allow anti-vaxxer parents to opt-out. Thanks for the measles, everyone! [WSJ Law Blog]

By Staci Zaretsky
Job Searches

SMU Will Pay You To Hire Their Graduates

It was only a matter of time. SMU Dedman School of Law is now officially willing to pay law firms to hire its graduates. The school is calling its new program “Test Drive,” which adds a nice layer of hilarity: Toyota wouldn’t pay me to test drive a Camry. Even the logo for this program […]

By Elie Mystal