Law School Applicants

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 10.30.15

* Even Jordan Weissmann of Slate, who is relatively pro-law school, accepts that there are some people who shouldn't bother going. [Slate] * Yet another prosecutor with a temper: sorry he whipped out a gun at the office, but "Assistant Prosecutor Chris White is really [really, really] afraid of spiders." [Charleston Gazette-Mail] * Moot Court: the movie! Unleash your inner gunner and check out this documentary next month. [DOC NYC] * Roadkill: it's what's for dinner (and apparently there's no law or regulation against this). [Grub Street / New York Magazine] * Professor Michael Koehler on "The Uncomfortable Truths and Double Standards of Bribery Enforcement" (beyond the FCPA). [FCPA Professor] * Nationwide Layoff Watch: sports bloggers. Grantland, RIP. [Bloomberg] * ICYMI, here's your chance to be a D.C. judge (Superior Court, not D.D.C. or D.C. Cir.). [D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission] * Elsewhere in interesting employment opportunities, Practical Law / Thomson Reuters is looking for an experienced IP lawyer to join its Intellectual Property & Technology Service. [Glassdoor] * We wish all our readers a happy (and safe) Halloween -- and remind you to submit legally themed costumes in our annual competition. [Above the Law]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.28.15

* Good news, everyone! Legally Blonde 3 is supposedly in the works, and Reese Witherspoon says that the movie may involve Elle Woods becoming a Supreme Court justice or some kind of an elected official. It's really too bad that SCOTUS robes aren't pink. [Washington Post] * Biglaw firms aren't the only ones that are downsizing when it comes to their headcount. Case in point, Lear Corporation's in-house legal department has dropped from 20 attorneys to 11, but its GC Terry Larking says it's working for the company. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA] * Cornell Law School will be teaming up with Cornell Tech to launch a new LL.M. degree in law, technology, and entrepreneurship. Like most LL.M. degrees, we imagine that it will cost a pretty penny, but that its overall value on the market will be low. [Cornell Chronicle] * "Do we really need to protect people from trying to achieve their dreams?" Professor Noah Feldman of Harvard Law thinks we shouldn't coddle law school applicants who are unlikely to pass a bar or try to "save" them from a lifetime of debt. [Bloomberg View] * She shoots, she scores? An ex-cheerleader filed suit against the Milwaukee Bucks under the Fair Labor Standards Act because she alleges she was paid less than minimum wage to cheer for the team. The suit is the first of its kind filed against an NBA team. [ABC News]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.21.15

* Arizona Summit Law wasn't the only law school to post an embarrassing passage rate on the July 2015 administration of the bar exam. Only 28 percent of test-takers from this law school passed, but its dean says that the scores don't "reflect a problem with the school's quality." Hey, whatever helps you get to sleep at night. [Tennessean] * Speaking of bar passage rates, if you're applying to law school, should you care about them? Job statistics are probably a more telling measurement when comparing schools, but then again, it's harder to get a job when you can't pass the bar exam. [U.S. News] * “It’s a huge blow to his tenure as DA." The mistrial in the criminal case against Dewey & LeBoeuf's former executives is putting a major damper on what was supposed to be Manhattan DA Cy Vance's crackdown on corporate crime. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg] * Thanks to the Department of Education's "gainful employment rule," for-profit law schools could be in trouble when it comes to eligibility for federal student loans under the "debt-to-earnings" test. This certainly may put a crimp in Infilaw's style. [Huffington Post] * The vast majority of all class members in the Subway "footlong" lawsuit aren't likely to see a dime. This is fine because they don't need to see any "dough," but a guarantee that the company's next spokesperson won't be a child predator would be nice. [WSJ Law Blog]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.08.15

* We mentioned earlier this week that Charleston School of Law may suspend enrollment of first-year students next year. Perhaps the law school's ultimate failure wouldn't be a bad deal for students -- a closed school loan discharge would actually be a blessing for them. [WSJ Law Blog] * With law school graduation right around the corner, you can kiss your dreams of a Supreme Court justice delivering your commencement speech goodbye. Thus far, not a single SCOTUS jurist will deliver remarks at a 2015 ceremony. [National Law Journal] * Per the latest report from Citi Private Bank’s Law Firm Group, law firm expenses outpaced revenue in the first quarter of 2015. Some of the biggest expenses are salaries, so maybe this is another reason why some firms are resorting to layoffs. [Am Law Daily] * They should've just watched The Wire? Under Attorney General Loretta Lynch's leadership, the Department of Justice is going to launch an investigation into whether the Baltimore Police Department has been involved in any discriminatory police work. [NPR] * If you're still trying to decide which law school to attend, you may want to consider one that has robust practicum offerings. Being "practice ready" after graduation supposedly does wonders for your job prospects. (Just kidding.) [U.S. News & World Report]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.27.15

* The job market may be "improving," but people aren't going to start applying to law school in droves any time soon. There's been a 40 percent drop in applicants since 2005, and according to LSAC's latest data, "the downward spiral is still… spiraling." [WSJ Law Blog] * Lines to see what could be one of the most historic arguments before the Supreme Court started forming last Friday, but the rest of the country will have to sit back and wait until June to see if a constitutional right to same-sex marriage will be declared. [Reuters] * Kris Jenner was just hit with a six-figure lawsuit thanks to model Kendall Jenner's 19th birthday party, which was allegedly complete with more than 100 guests and a male stripper. Don't worry, mom, the stripper already spanked your daughter. [Ministry of Gossip / Los Angeles Times] * The latest edition of the Am Law 100 rankings are out, and it looks like gross revenue, revenue per lawyer, and profits per partner are on the way up at most firms. You'll never believe which firm is the new No. 1. We'll have more on this later. [American Lawyer] * Hey, here's some info you've never heard before now! People who graduated from law school in 2010 are still screwed because they're drowning in debt and some have never worked as lawyers! Never fear, the New York Times is on it! [DealBook / New York Times] * “Obviously, the concussion affected my judgment — oops, I shouldn’t say that, given my day job." At 92 years of age, Judge Robert Sweet of the S.D.N.Y. splits his time between legal pirouettes in the courtroom and skating pirouettes on the ice. [New York Times] * "It’s time for restraint of the federal government’s over-aggressive weed warriors.” States that have legalized pot are tired of the Feds prosecuting their citizens, and that's what the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2015 aims to stop from happening. [High Times] * "[L]awyers are naturally drawn to writing because we spend our days working with words." If you're a lawyer thinking about writing a legal thriller in your spare time, you're not alone. Just ask Scott Turow and our very own David Lat. [National Law Journal]

By Staci Zaretsky