Student Debts

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 06.07.17

* Ben Wittes on James Comey's prepared testimony (which he'll deliver tomorrow): "the most shocking single document compiled about the official conduct of the public duties of any President since the release of the Watergate tapes." [Lawfare] * Could the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program be eliminated -- retroactively? Thoughts from Professor Gregory Crespi. [SSRN] * The California Supreme Court appears less than enthused about a ballot measure that would compel the courts to decide death penalty cases more quickly. [How Appealing] * Behind every great bestseller is... a tiger mother? How Amy Chua mentored J.D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy (affiliate link). [The Atlantic] * Picking up on Shannon Achimalbe's post from earlier today, here's additional financial advice for young lawyers. [SoFi] * Legal technology is a godsend -- but what do you do when problems arise? [Reboot Your Law Practice] * Mark your calendars: one week from today, on June 14 in San Francisco, it's the Battle of the (Law Firm) Bands! [Family Violence Appellate Project]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.26.17

* The Russia investigation now turns to President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner -- proud holder of a law degree from NYU (and a really great set of abs). [Washington Post] * Former Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), currently senior counsel at Kasowitz Benson, has withdrawn from consideration as FBI Director (as my colleague Staci Zaretsky predicted, after Marc Kasowitz got hired by President Trump to represent him in the Russia probe). [New York Times] * Congratulations to Judge Amul Thapar, President Trump's first lower-court nominee, on his confirmation to the Sixth Circuit -- although it's disappointing that no Democrats voted in favor of this eminently qualified (and diverse) candidate. [How Appealing] * Despite allegedly roughing up a reporter (for which he's apologized), Republican Greg Gianforte won the race for Montana's sole seat in the House of Representatives (as my colleague Joe Patrice predicted he would). [New York Times] * How did Michelle Obama react when Barack Obama declined to pursue a coveted Supreme Court clerkship? Tony Mauro tells the tale. [Law.com] * The ABA continues to fight the good (or not so good?) fight in defense of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. [ABA Journal] * It seems that some folks on Capitol Hill like my proposed solution to the use of "blue slips" in the judicial confirmation process. [Washington Post via How Appealing] * The Brooklyn District Attorney's office concludes that a slew of murder convictions based on dubious evidence from embattled detective Louis Scarcella must be thrown out -- and yet Scarcella engaged in no wrongdoing. [New York Times] * Biglaw firms are suffering from an oversupply of lawyers, and a quarter of respondents to a recent survey said their associates don't have enough work -- which might explain why at least one firm has turned to laying off first-year associates. Yikes. [ABA Journal]

By David Lat