Sexual Misconduct

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.02.18

* In case you missed it, Linda Greenhouse of the New York Times has noticed a trend when it comes to Chief Justice Roberts and who he's been aligning himself with at the Supreme Court. He may not yet be a moderate, but he seems to be shying away from "the reliably right-wing triumvirate" of Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch. [New York Times] * “The document speaks for itself.” All three of former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates’s lawyers are withdrawing as counsel, and will only explain why in documents filed under seal. Only his Biglaw attorney who is known for his plea deals remains. Gates is under indictment in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. [POLITICO] * According to the latest year-end report from the Wells Fargo Private Bank’s Legal Specialty Group, law firm revenue and profits were up in 2017, and demand had increased for legal services. As usual, the most profitable firms at the top of the market outperformed their smaller counterparts. [American Lawyer] * Trump administration policies having to do with immigration, specifically the H-1B visa program for foreign workers, may force many Biglaw firms to move to their practices to the cloud sooner than they would have liked. In times of "political uncertainty" like these, Biglaw can't rely on "offshore labor arbitrage" for IT outsourcing. [TechTarget] * The GC of the American Red Cross has resigned following the publication of a report that he praised a former colleague who was the subject of an internal investigation and pushed out of the organization for alleged instances sexual misconduct. [Corporate Counsel] * Disgusting: A Georgia lawyer who asked a witness to recant an eyewitness account of her son's molestation has politely gave up his license to practice law after pleading guilty to felony witness tampering and attempting to suborn perjury. [Big Law Business]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.06.17

* What's it like to be the "tweetingest judge in America"? Justice Don Willett of the Texas Supreme Court tells us what it's like to live a week in his life in this endearing column. From letting us know where he spends much of his time (the local Chick-fil-A) to revealing the reason he Tweets so much (to get reelected) to describing his love for his children, Justice Willett is a true gem of the judiciary. [Wall Street Journal] * Judge Timothy Parker of the Carroll County District Court in Arkansas has resigned from his post and agreed to never serve as a judge again to avoid being charged with ethical misconduct. Judge Parker was accused of arranging for defendants' pretrial releases in exchange for sexual favors, but says he never contested the allegations on the record because he has kids and "[didn't] want them exposed to that kind of crap." [AP] * The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund has threatened to file suit against the National Park Service for "stonewalling and refusing to release permits that are vitally needed by organizers in order to plan and execute peaceful, lawful free-speech activities" -- that is, protests and rallies -- of Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. Only three groups out of 26 have received permits, and the inauguration is in two weeks' time. [Reuters] * "While it is encouraging to see small gains in most areas this year, the incredibly slow pace of change continues to be discouraging." The most recent National Association for Law Placement report has revealed that as usual, women and minorities are just barely making progress at the nation's largest law firms when it comes to their representation as a whole and their presence in firm partnerships. [DealBook / New York Times] * Per Altman Weil's latest report on law firm mergers, there were six fewer mergers in 2016 than in 2015. Although just 85 deals were announced last year compared to 91 in 2015, they were "better" than those announced in years prior, and in fact, some of the biggest names in Biglaw agreed to combine, including the Eversheds and Sutherland Asbill merger and the Arnold & Porter and Kaye Scholer merger. [Big Law Business]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.16.15

* John Stamos of Full House fame was formally charged with driving under the influence earlier this week following his arrest for erratic driving this summer. He faces up to six months in jail if convicted. We have faith that his beautiful hair will survive time in the slammer. [USA Today] * While the vast majority of the law school lawsuits containing allegations related to deceptive employment statistics have been dismissed, a few are still alive and kicking. The very first one filed -- Alaburda v. Thomas Jefferson School of Law -- is heading to trial in 2016. [WSJ Law Blog] * Trick or treat? Per federal prosecutors, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert will plead guilty before Halloween as part of a deal in his ongoing sexual misconduct hush-money case, but whether he’ll serve time is a question that’s yet to be answered. [Reuters] * Headcount at real estate firms with once-prominent foreclosure practices continues to shrink thanks to the recession's end. To that effect, two Chicago firms have eliminated hundreds of positions for legal professionals since 2013. [Chicago Business Journal] * Thanks to a new online system, Northwestern Law will be able to interview prospective students any time, anywhere. The school is the first in the country to offer awkward casting couch sessions as part of its admissions process. [Northwestern University News]

By Staci Zaretsky
Affirmative Action

Morning Docket: 10.09.12

* “I don’t think that we even need to have a race box on the application.” Abigail Fisher is getting even more time in the spotlight thanks to this media interview, which is sure to be the first of many. [New York Times] * “[T]hey didn’t do anything wrong civilly — and they certainly didn’t do anything wrong criminally.” Tell that to the prosecutors who are looking into the circumstances of Dewey & LeBoeuf’s epic fail. [Wall Street Journal] * Lateral hiring in midsize/regional firms seems to be up for those with “real-world experience,” but the starting salaries aren’t anything to write home about — they’re still on the “low” side. [Connecticut Law Tribune] * Jerry Sandusky’s sentencing hearing is today, and in addition to the tape he already released, he’s planning to read a statement before he receives what’s likely to be a life sentence. WE ARE… kind of tired of hearing about his supposed innocence. [CNN] * “There are fewer interviews and fewer schools interviewing.” This week, would-be law profs who attend the AALS “meat market” will get a taste of what recent graduates have been experiencing. [National Law Journal] * Sarah Jones, aka “The Dirty Bengals Cheerleader,” reached a plea agreement in her sexual misconduct case. She won’t get jail time, but she wants to go to law school. Same difference, amirite? [Washington Post] * Alicia Guastaferro, the pageant princess-cum-alleged prostitute, will plead not guilty later this week. If Wife Swap had a “Where Are They Now” edition, this girl would assure good ratings. [Democrat and Chronicle]

By Staci Zaretsky