Litigation Funding

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.21.19

* Accountants are the new bakers when it comes to discriminating against gay people. I guess this means tax prep is more a matter of artistic interpretation, which in fairness explains Amazon's tax bill last year. [Fox News] * Tesla GC self-driven back to Williams & Connolly after two months. [National Law Journal] * "Lawyer likens R. Kelly to Beethoven to explain studio move." Who can forget that "immortal beloved" letter about urolagnia? [Star Tribune] * A good look at the renewed effort to undermine the litigation finance business for doing the unconscionable and allowing regular folks to afford to bring meritorious claims against big companies. [CDR Magazine] * A call for law schools to be accredited based on post-graduation job prospects. It seems like a certain website's been calling for that for years now... [Law.com] * Strip club copyright suits are the lucrative niche practice no one knows about. [Law360] * Rosen likely to succeed Rosenstein. [Courthouse News Service] * Direct call for quotas to improve Biglaw diversity -- for women anyway. [Legal Cheek]

By Joe Patrice
Non-Sequiturs

Non Sequiturs: 02.17.19

* I share Allahpundit's take on the retirement buzz around Justice Clarence Thomas (recently discussed by Jeffrey Toobin, but also in the air at last November's Federalist Society conference): it's certainly possible, and if it happens, Judge Amy Coney Barrett and Judge Amul Thapar are the two top picks. [Hot Air] * And Judge Barrett is protecting her prospects for Supreme Court confirmation: she just joined the opinion of a fellow shortlister, Judge Diane Sykes, that dutifully applies Hill v. Colorado, the shaky but not-overruled Supreme Court precedent about free-speech rights outside abortion clinics. [Bench Memos / National Review] * Speaking of SCOTUS, which amici boast the best track recorders in filing certiorari-stage amicus briefs in business cases? Adam Feldman crunches the numbers -- and the dominance of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce should come as no surprise. [Empirical SCOTUS] * And speaking of the Chamber, it also seems to be making progress on its goal of forcing more disclosure of litigation-funding arrangements, with the reintroduction of the Litigation Funding Transparency Act (LFTA). [Institute for Legal Reform] * Litigation funders don't reflexively oppose any and all disclosure requirements; Michael German of Vannin Capital, for example, argues for a sensible and limited disclosure regime. [New York Law Journal] * If you're looking for an interesting new podcast (besides Wondery's exploration of the Dan Markel case), consider Bound by Oath from the Institute for Justice (Eugene Volokh is a fan). [Institute for Justice] * Should Roger Stone be gagged? Joel Cohen weighs the pros and cons. [The Hill] * Are you a lawyer who enjoys poker? Mark your calendar for February 23! [Attorney Poker Tour]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.01.19

* King & Spalding expended a lot of effort to make the Super Bowl the most soulless corporate event of the year. [Daily Report Online] * "Iowa prison porn" is a three-word phrase I never thought I'd have to string together. [Courthouse News Service] * Trump lays out more appellate nominees with paper trails full of racist stuff about voting rights, so 2019's off to a rousing start. [National Law Journal] * Bar Association to seriously study litigation funding. [Law360] * Defense Distributed gets smacked around by federal courts. [Ars Technica] * El Chapo wants your sympathy. [Time]

By Joe Patrice