The Impact Of The McDonald’s ‘Hot Coffee’ Case On Its 30th Anniversary
There are still things to learn about the Liebeck v. McDonald’s case, even three decades after it was decided.
Since When Should Happy Meals Burn A Little Kid’s Legs?
Meals that burn are decidedly unhappy.
Billables Are Not The Same As Cash Flow. Here’s Why That’s Important.
Findings from the MyCase 2025 Legal Industry Report.
Morning Docket: 07.21.21
* McDonald's facing $500M class action sexual harassment suit. I thought this was a family establishment? [Bloomberg Law] * Missouri continues very American tradition of discussing how to talk about race with no spoken input from Black folk. [Kansas City] * Suddenly, vaccinations are bipartisan. Should we expect more mandates? [The Atlantic] * District Judge blocks Arkansas law that bans most abortions. [PBS] * Balancing Privacy and Profit is hard to do amid COVID, but it will get done. Hopefully. [Bloomberg Law]
Morning Docket: 06.10.21
* A lawsuit between the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee and the national organization is reportedly imperiling cookie sales. The Samoas must flow... [Tennessee Lookout] * A Colorado lawyer's discipline for using an anti-gay slur has been upheld. [Colorado Politics] * A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against McDonald's by black franchisees claiming racial discrimination. [CNBC] * The Texas State Bar is purportedly investigating whether efforts by the Attorney General of Texas to allegedly undermine the 2020 election violated ethical rules. [AP] * Roblox, the popular videogame company, is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by a group of music publishers. Seems like they aren't playing "games"... [Fox Business]
Morning Docket: 05.06.21
* A new lawsuit alleges a New Jersey family ate feces-covered food at a McDonald's. One heck of a special sauce... [Patch] * Harvey Weinstein has sued his former lawyer to recover supposedly unearned legal fees. [Hill] * San Diego County will provide lawyers to immigrants facing deportation proceedings. [Minnesota Lawyer] * A man has been convicted of stalking a high-profile Texas attorney. [Dallas Morning News] * Rudy Giuliani's allies are allegedly asking that Donald Trump's team help pay Rudy's legal bills. A family that pays together, stays together...[Hill]
Morning Docket: 11.11.20
* The former CEO of McDonald's is asking to be dismissed from a discrimination lawsuit filed by two former executives. Sounds like he could use a Happy Meal... [Restaurant Business] * A Connecticut lawyer has been sentenced to prison for allegedly fleecing donors of a veterans' charity. [Hartford Courant] * Sources suggest that Senator Amy Klobuchar is being considered as a potential Attorney General in the Biden Administration. [CNBC] * The first woman has been elected to become the new Maricopa County Attorney, leading the third-largest prosecutorial agency in the country. [Arizona Republic] * The Los Angeles Times and Tribune Publishing have settled a longstanding pay disparity lawsuit. It must be interesting for the Times to write an article about itself... [Los Angeles Times]
Your Definitive Resource On Decrypting Crypto, Digital Assets, And Web3
"Decrypting Crypto" is a go-to guide for understanding the technology and tools underlying Web3 and issues raised in the context of specific legal practice areas.
Morning Docket: 10.08.20
* McDonald's is paying $26 million to settle a wage-theft lawsuit. That would go a long way on the dollar menu... [Business Insider] * Senate Democrats met with Judge Amy Coney Barrett yesterday ahead of Supreme Court confirmation hearings next week. [Fox News] * A new ABA ethics opinion suggests that lawyers need to disclose friendships and intimate relationships they have with opposing counsel to their clients. But some of us try to be friends with everyone... [Bloomberg Law] * A lawyer for Britney Spears has purportedly likened Britney's mental state to a comatose patient, and says that she is unable to give testimony. Maybe this lawyer is watching too much South Park. [TMZ] * An Ohio lawyer has been suspended for calling another attorney a "complete idiot" and making other purportedly inappropriate responses. They must have some strict civility standards in the Buckeye State... [ABA Journal]
Morning Docket: 09.02.20
* A group of fireworks companies has agreed to dismiss a lawsuit involving New York's COVID-19 restrictions. Guess the litigation didn't start off with a "bang"... [New York Law Journal] * President Trump has won a motion to temporarily delay the release of his tax records. [Fox News] * A new lawsuit alleges that McDonald's discriminates against black franchisees. [Reuters] * A new global settlement plan has been advanced to dispose of claims accusers have against Harvey Weinstein. [Hollywood Reporter] * A 105-year-old woman is leading a lawsuit seeking reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. [Guardian] * Kanye West is suing to appear on the ballot for president in Wisconsin and Ohio. Maybe Kim K can put her law classes to good use... [Business Insider]
Morning Docket: 09.01.20
* A lawsuit says it is unfair patrons can't dine indoors in New York City, but can feast indoors in other New York counties. This lawsuit is important, since NYC has many good restaurants, including some people's favorite New York pizza joint... [New York Post] * A federal appeals court has ruled that former White House Counsel Don McGahn does not need to testify before a congressional committee. [Yahoo News] * A class action in New York has been filed by wedding venues questioning the state's 50-person limit on events in light of the fact that large protests were permitted. [Times Union] * A federal judge had some harsh words for the Kentucky Bar for making a lawyer jump through hoops to be licensed because she had bipolar disorder. [Bloomberg Law] * McDonald's has called its former CEO "morally bankrupt" for attempting to dismiss a lawsuit stemming from alleged sexual misconduct by the former leader. [Eater]
Morning Docket: 08.11.20
* A lawsuit filed by McDonald's alleges that its former CEO sent nude pics from his work email, destroyed evidence related to sexual relationships with employees, and committed other illicit acts. Looks like Ronald wasn't the only clown at McDonald's... [Business Insider] * A federal judge in New York has allowed a lawyer to withdraw from representing Michael Avenatti in a criminal case. [Fox News] * A disbarred Beverly Hills lawyer has pleaded guilty to stealing over $500,000 from a former client. [CBS News] * Susman Godfrey has elected the first female managing partner in the history of the firm. [Bloomberg Law] * A lawyer is apparently accused of billing his client 40 hours in one day. Maybe he had a time machine? [Texas Lawyer]
Why Some Firms Are Leading The Market With Generative AI
A culture of innovation with strategic AI like Lexis+ AI is revolutionizing law firms by boosting efficiency and deepening client relationships.
Morning Docket: 05.20.20
* A teenager in Alabama is on track to be the youngest lawyer in that state's history. Hollywood should turn this lawyer's story into "Doogie Howser, JD"... [NBC News] * Attorneys for Michael Flynn have filed a petition for a writ of mandamus asking that the judge overseeing his case be recused. [Fox News] * Singer John Legend "sang" the praises of a candidate seeking a district attorney's office. [Oregonian] * Workers at McDonald's have sued the company for an allegedly insufficient response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [NBC News] * The NCAA has lost a major antitrust lawsuit, which could open the way for college athletes to receive more compensation. As a Division Three athlete myself, I was happy to just get meal money... [USA Today]
Morning Docket: 04.14.20
* A judge is complaining that some attorneys are appearing shirtless and in bed for court conferences held via Zoom because of COVID-19. Of course, this is happening in Florida... [Local 10] * Speaking of which, the Supreme Court will be conducting oral arguments by remote means next month. It seems that there will be no on-camera component to the arguments, so counsel might get away with participating in their underwear. [CNN] * Check out this Texas lawyer who traded a suit for scrubs and volunteered to help COVID-19 patients at a New York hospital. [Dallas Morning News] * A federal judge has ruled that ICE must allow detainees to have private phone calls with their attorneys during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Los Angeles Times] * McDonald's employees have filed a class-action lawsuit against the fast food chain alleging that the company has a systematic sexual harassment problem. [Business Insider] * The North Carolina Attorney General is investigating someone for price gouging for offering to sell a roll of toilet paper for $100. Maybe it was just super premium toilet paper? [AP]
Morning Docket: 11.22.19
* A former White & Williams lawyer has pleaded guilty to stealing portions of settlements from insurance litigation. Hopefully he didn't defraud his malpractice insurer. [Philadelphia Business Journal] * A former FBI lawyer is under fire for altering a document related to 2016 surveillance of a Trump campaign adviser. [CNN] * McDonald's has been sued over allegations that it has not adequately protected employees from dangerous customers. Never knew McDonald's are so dangerous, maybe more people should have a Happy Meal. [USA Today] * The ex-office manager of a lawyer to the stars has been accused of embezzling millions of dollars from her former employer. [New York Post] * An ex-assistant U.S. attorney has pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars by falsifying time cards. There is a lot of greed in the Morning Docket today! [Commercial Appeal]
Brand Protector Or Bully? 3 Takeaways From The Supermac’s/McDonald’s Trademark Dispute In The EU
Was the McDonald’s ‘Big Mac’ trademark canceled because of the company’s bullying legal tactics?
Morning Docket: 04.06.18
* Easing older partners out the door presents all sorts of problems in eat-what-you-kill firms. [American Lawyer] * Doctor saves juror's life during med mal trial. [ABA Journal] * Remember the cyclist who flipped off the Trump motorcade and then got fired from her job at a government contractor? Yeah, she's suing over that BS. [Courthouse News Service] * Do you want fries with that? NLRB's top-notch customer service bends over backward to help McDonald's avoid answering for labor law infractions. [Law360] * South Korea's former president gets 24 years in corruption case. [Reuters] * State supreme court releases its opinion allowing Tarra Simmons to take the bar exam. [Seattle Times] * Legal aid is moving into doctor's offices to help pregnant women fight for their rights. [Slate]