Michigan State University College of Law

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.29.18

* Robert Bowers, the suspect in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that left 11 dead and six wounded, has been charged with 29 federal criminal counts including hate crimes and using a firearm to commit murder and 36 state criminal counts including homicide and ethnic intimidation. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who lost their lives this weekend. [New York Times] * According to the criminal complaint filed against Cesar Sayoc, the pipe bomb he allegedly tried to mail to former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was addressed to his office at a "certain law firm" -- a certain law firm that's better known as Covington & Burling. Good thing the package never made it there. [National Law Journal] * When asked to reflect on the misconduct allegations against Yale Law School Professor Jed Rubenfeld, alumni from the school are not the least bit shocked. "It was not a surprise to basically any woman in my class that this investigation is going on," said one 2015 graduate. Will the school take appropriate action? [Yale Daily News] * Partners from Allen & Overy and O'Melveny & Myers are cozying up to each other as merger talks between the two firms continue, but there may be trouble in paradise. "There is some opposition in London," said a former A&O partner, "but it’s fairly disorganised—there’s a lot of moaning but nobody leading a charge." [International] * In case you missed it, after the involuntary revocation of its accreditation, Arizona Summit Law School will eventually close its doors. But first, the school must finalize a teach-out plan for its remaining students, and when it's all over, "that would be the life of the school." What a sad little life. Farewell to AZ Summit Law. [Arizona Republic] * You might not have known it, but the Michigan State University College of Law has been operating as a private school for all these years. Soon, the school will be fully integrated into the university, and you know what that means: in-state tuition costs will be coming to the MSU Law. Congratulations! [Lansing State Journal] * RBG is my Patronus, and a course on Harry Potter and the Law is coming to a law school near you -- if you live in India, that is. The National University of Juridical Sciences will be teaching the class, and muggles students are "expected [to] have already read all the books at least twice, if not more." [The Guardian]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.30.15

* Next time on Nancy Grace: A recent graduate of Michigan State Law allegedly got a master's degree student from the school pregnant twice before he left the country. The woman allegedly murdered one of the babies, and the other is now missing. [Detroit Free Press] * I'll just leave this right here so I won't get fined. It looks like a partner from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton helped Marshawn Lynch trademark his nickname “Beast Mode" -- a trademark that may lead to Lynch getting a $100,000 fine from the NFL. [Am Law Daily] * In other trademark news, Taylor Swift got approval for catchphrases from her album. “Nice to Meet You, Where You Been?” Her IP lawyers “Could Show You Incredible Things,” but you could've been getting down to "This Sick Beat.” [WSJ Law Blog] * Gibson Dunn earned $459,000 for successfully challenging Virginia's ban on same-sex marriage, which was apparently a "sharp cut" in the fees the firm initially requested for star litigator Ted Olson's time. Poor Teddy. [National Law Journal] * According to Am Law's latest Lateral Partners Survey, there was a 7 percent increase in lateral moves -- 2,736, to be precise -- between Oct. 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2014. Guaranteed pay packages, though, seem to be a thing of the past. [American Lawyer] * The K&L Gates Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project, a clinic that's perhaps better known as the firm's revenge porn project, is assisting a California law student whose nude pictures and videos were allegedly put online by an ex. [DealBook / New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky
Death Penalty

Non-Sequiturs: 11.25.13

* At MSU Law, a couple of law professors are getting serious about figuring out how to leverage technology in the profession. They envision making legal hiring into “Moneyball” with MSU Law representing Oakland. So they plan to raise false hopes and ultimately fail too? [Lansing State Journal] * A real estate attorney is hosting a boot camp to train slumlords. Yay? [SF Gate] * If you never thought electing state judges was a matter of life and death, read this. [Huffington Post] * Here’s a fun one: Should TheDirty.com be liable for encouraging readers to submit gossip? Our old friend Sarah Jones hopes so. [Forbes] * The Steubenville rape case is back in the news after a grand jury has indicted four school officials for covering up the school’s infamous rape. [Jezebel] * A couple of former Harvard Law roommates have a fashion startup called ShopRagHouse that allows customers to design their own clothes. They’re seeking some additional funding for their next collection with a Kickstarter campaign now. [Kickstarter] * If you’re in New York and interested about legal careers in banking, swing by the Fordham Law amphitheater tonight from 6 to 8 for a free panel discussion featuring representatives from some of the largest banks in the world hosted by the Chinese Business Lawyers Association. [Eventbrite]

By Joe Patrice