Practice Pointers

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 02.17.16

* Bill Cosby may be trying to avoid a criminal trial, but even his $$$ may not be able to stop it. [Jezebel] * Apple is taking on the FBI and it should matter to everyone. [Gizmodo] * You know how Justice Scalia died on a hunting trip? Yeah, it was a free trip provided by someone who got a favorable Supreme Court result last year. Move along, nothing to see here. [Washington Post] * No, you didn’t learn it in law school, but negotiation is an essential skill to lawyering. [The Anxious Lawyer] * Quails -- yup, the birds Justice Scalia was hunting when he died -- react to Justice Scalia’s passing. [Medium] * The Fair Labor Standards Act won’t be of any help to NCAA athletes trying to get paid. [USA Today] * Are Scalia bobbleheads going up in value in the wake of the Justice's passing? [Ebay]

By Kathryn Rubino
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 07.22.15

* Taylor Swift has renegotiated her photography contract. Where her old contract allowed her to rough up photogs, there's now a blank space, baby. Ugh. [Poynter] * How much of a dick is this guy? At his federal criminal trial his sole character witness admitted, "we're not friends." [NY Post] * Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to practice in Florida without taking the bar exam. [South Florida Lawyers] * The Eighth Circuit just terminated the country's most restrictive abortion ban. [Jezebel] * Dewey witness breaks down on the stand. Let's just be excited that I managed to get that blurb written without being cajoled into making a "Dewey know..." joke. [Law360] * Negotiating salary and benefits for you folks not on lock-step. [Corporette] * Do you want a free copy of an LSAT Logic Games guide? Then act now... offer expires Friday. [Blueprint For LSAT] * A reminder that there are some crazies out there and sometimes you need to put in writing that you're not going to represent them. [What About Clients?] * An attorney doubled down on racist, offensive comments... and now he's been fired. [WHAS 11]

By Joe Patrice
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 07.14.15

* A positive review of Go Set a Watchman (affiliate link) from Professor Brophy. I haven't read it, but it strikes me as a weird choice to make Doctor Manhattan a racist in this one. [The Faculty Lounge] * Standard gun nut operating procedure is to stay quiet after a mass shooting, but this guy decided to explain why Dylann Roof didn't take advantage of a "loophole" to avoid a background check. And he's right. "Loophole" suggests there was a drafting mistake as opposed to an intentional, cynical effort to gut the one gun regulation pretty much everybody agrees on. [National Review] * Everyone knows that the federal government is comprised of three equal branches. But, why do you think that? The Constitution certainly never says that. An interesting question. [Concurring Opinions] * Arts students work harder than law students. Let that sink in. [Legal Cheek] * The Economist just can't help itself from writing contrarian reviews. They're like hipsters if hipsters were old-timey Tories with handlebar mustaches and... actually, wait, is The Economist run by hipsters? [Lawyers, Guns & Money] * The Welsh government responded to an official inquiry in Klingon. Which, admittedly, is easier to understand than Welsh. [Lowering the Bar] * Important practice tip when dealing with a new client: check out the last several complaints filed against them and search for a pattern. [What About Clients?]

By Joe Patrice
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 06.18.15

* It was First Amendment Day at SCOTUS this morning! Here's a recap. [PrawfsBlawg] * Exclusive report on the new CSOL president's meeting with students. He explained how Infilaw had a terrible track record and offered nothing to the school. Just kidding! But he did suggest introducing "a Boy Scout-inspired 'merit badge system'” to the school. So there's that. [SC Lawyers Weekly] * Facebook made this legislator vote the wrong way on a bill. #banBoomers. [Lowering the Bar] * Texas became the first state to ban fracking bans. Looks like they understand hierarchical government in some situations. [Breaking Energy] * Allegations of political influence peddling in Orange County pot industry. I didn't make it to the big ATL Business of Bud conference the other day, but this sounds scandalous. On the other hand, "drug trade influence peddling" used to involve fewer gavels and more Glocks, so this is a positive development. [OC Weekly] * Do you have strong feelings about FRCP 56(d)? You should. An excellent practice tip. [What About Clients?] * Tonight is the Family Violence Appellate Project's annual Battle of the Lawyer Bands. If you want to see bands from Google, O'Melveny, Latham, Jones Day, Lieff Cabraser, and Kirkland & Ellis -- and help a good cause -- then you'd best be in San Francisco and head over to 1015 Folsom. Buy tickets at the link. [Family Violence Appellate Project] * You know who aren't "Beliebers"? The Fourth Circuit. They swatted down Bieber and musical enabler Usher defending themselves against another artist's copyright claim. Read the full opinion on the next page. [Fourth Circuit]

By Joe Patrice