Supreme Ambitions

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 02.02.16

* Yup, the criminal justice system is super broken. After being jailed for 2 years in Rikers and still fighting to clear his name for a crime even the victim's family doesn't think he committed, Enger Javier now wants to be a lawyer. [Gawker] * Emotional tale of the lives behind mandatory minimums, though this one might have a happy ending. Demaryius Thomas's mother, recently released from prison after 15 years after being pardoned by President Obama, is going to the Super Bowl. [ESPN] * Should conservatives accept the delegation of legislative power? Heresy! [Library of Law and Liberty] * Is there an issue with cognitive decline on the U.S. Supreme Court? And will anyone do anything about it? [Los Angeles Times] * It's a jungle out there: If you're a lawyer, when you wake up, you better be running. [Associate's Mind] * Yup, a law student is suing over a wafer-less Kit-Kat. [Yahoo] * We previously mentioned Orrick's opening up in Houston; here are the identities of 13 of the new partners. [Legal Business] * Great advice for making the most of networking opportunities. [Rebooting Your Law Practice] * ATL managing editor David Lat will be in San Francisco a week from today, and you're cordially invited to meet him at this cocktail reception and Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link) book signing. [FBANC via Eventbrite]

By Kathryn Rubino
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 01.19.16

* The most difficult thing to inherit may just be an Apple ID -- a widow is told by the technology behemoth she needs a court order to continue playing her games on a jointly owned iPad. [Digital Passing] * Your trusty Bluebook is going to need some help if it is going to continue to be the bane of law students' existence. [Harvard Crimson] * Is it too much to ask for a picture of RBG playing Xbox? A class action over Xbox's tendency to scratch discs heads to the Supreme Court. [Forbes] * Orrick is casting its lot with the energy market -- they are opening up a Houston office with the addition of 20 new partners. [WSJ Law Blog] * Is threatening someone with blackmail merely a courtesy? [Associates Mind] * ATL managing editor David Lat will be in San Francisco next month, and you're cordially invited to meet him at this cocktail reception and Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link) book signing. [FBANC via Eventbrite]

By Kathryn Rubino
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By Barbri
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 09.28.15

* Marriage equality, religious freedom, voting rights, campaign finance reform, racial justice... one civil rights issue outweighs them all: the composition of the Supreme Court. [Talking Points Memo] * Reminder to all the fresh lil' 1Ls out there: you just might find love. [Go Knoxville] * I'm glad someone is fact-checking How To Get Away With Murder; watching that show was getting exhausting. [Refinery 29] * How quickly what is considered "offensive" changes. [What About Paris?] * The latest review of Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link), by Katelyn Kye of Major, Lindsey & Africa (note: some spoilers). [In Brief] * Try not to let the misery of the courtroom get you down. [Katz Justice] * Taking a look at the process of adopting legal tech. [Law Technology Today] * A tribute to how Doug Kendall changed the way liberals talk about the constitution. The founder of the Constitutional Accountability Center, Kendall passed away this weekend. [Think Progress]

By Kathryn Rubino
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 09.21.15

* That Anheuser-Busch/SABMiller deal is going to make a lot of people a lot of money in fees. [Dealbreaker] * Thank you, John Oliver! Publicity from Last Week Tonight helped the Orleans Parish Public Defenders Office meet their fundraising goals. Though why a public defenders officer has to resort to crowdfunding in the first instance just boggles the mind. [New Orleans Advocate (last story)] * More states release the bar passage rate for the July exam -- which means more bad news. [Bar Exam Stats] * The battle over whether Kim Dotcom should be extradited to the United States to face racketeering and copyright infringement charges begins, with legal heavyweights taking sides. [Computer World] * GOP candidates are throwing Justice Roberts under the bus faster than a contestant on Big Brother. [Jost on Justice] * This is how to handle typos Biglaw style. [Daily Lawyer Tips] * If you're in the Boston area, check out Lat's latest event for his book Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link) on Thursday. [Supreme Ambitions]

By Kathryn Rubino
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 04.06.15

* The law prof who sent anal-bead porn to her students is making headlines beyond the legal media. [Inside Higher Ed; Total Frat Move] * You've been served -- via Facebook. How do you "Like" them apples? [New York Daily News] * Making a federal -- or at least state -- case out of teaching yoga to schoolchildren. [ATL Redline] * Bad idea: taking someone's identity and accepting money on their behalf. (Or: the dangers of launching a startup without legal advice.) [Associate's Mind] * Also a bad idea (if the allegations are true, that is): a men-only golf retreat at a large law firm. [ABA Journal] * "Sperm Donor Scandal Lawsuit: How One Man with Schizophrenia Allegedly Fathered 36 Children." [People] * Getting revenge on a revenge-porn magnate: an 18-year sentence for Kevin Christopher Bollaert. [Los Angeles Times] * How can healthcare startups protect their intellectual property? [MedCity News] * Debt-saddled law students love free stuff -- so how about free membership in the ABA? [American Bar Association] * In addition to our April 23 reception, I'll also be doing an event on April 25 for Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link), to which you are all most cordially invited. [Seminary Co-Op Bookstore; Facebook]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.24.15

* Mary Jo White's sizable net worth is causing sizable headaches over at the SEC. [DealBook / New York Times] * If you work at a law firm and take way too long to perform simple tasks in Microsoft Word or Excel, shape up: a new test, developed by former in-house lawyer Casey Flaherty, could expose your weaknesses -- and lead to your work being discounted. [Capital Business / Washington Post] * More from Howard Bashman about the misadventures of Howard Shipley, the Foley & Lardner partner who might get spanked by SCOTUS for a bizarre filing. [How Appealing] * An S.D.N.Y. jury held the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization liable for supporting six terrorist attacks and issued a verdict of $218.5 million -- an award that will under the law get tripled (collected remains to be seen). [WSJ Law Blog] * Wall Street banks and their law firms are getting serious about cybersecurity. [New York Times] * Thanks to Emily Kelchen for her review of Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link), which she calls "a true legal thriller." [Wisconsin Lawyer]

By David Lat
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 12.16.14

* Law firm suffers Viagra hack. If it persists for more than four hours... [Legal Cheek] * An in-depth and frightening look at "Witness 40" in the Ferguson Grand Jury proceedings: a bipolar woman with a long history of making racist comments who lived nowhere near Ferguson and testified only after Officer Wilson's story was revealed -- which she parroted back. Bob McCulloch thought this was a stellar witness. Bob McCulloch is also bad at his job. [The Smoking Gun] * Charleston local government wants InfiLaw out of town. Is there anyone left who wants InfiLaw to take over Charleston? [TaxProf Blog] * Congratulations to U.S. Attorney Sarah Saldaña on her confirmation as head of ICE. [International Business Times] * Pet piercing will soon be illegal in New York, so get that dope nose ring for your dog today! [Lowering the Bar] * Canadian "band" Skinny Puppy demands $660,000 from the U.S. government for using their music as torture material without permission. As a compromise can we just pledge to strap Dick Cheney down and force him to listen to 15 consecutive hours of Skinny Puppy and call it a day? [Gawker] * Cleveland WR Andrew Hawkins pens a thorough, even-handed takedown of butthurt police union leaders demanding he apologize for taking the stance that police should try not to kill unarmed 12-year-olds. So apparently this is what the Browns are good at. [Talking Points Memo] * David chats about the backstory behind Supreme Ambitions (affiliate link).

By Joe Patrice
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 12.10.14

* An Assistant DA in Barrow, Alaska, was shot and killed the other day, allegedly by a man jealous that his ex-girlfriend had started dating the ADA. [KTUU] * Legislature amends law "to protect quacks." That sounds like a good use of their time. [Slate] * David appeared on Today's Verdict to discuss his new book, Supreme Ambitions. Also on the show was the creator of Lawsuit -- The Game, featured in our holiday gift guide for lawyers. [BronxNet] * "How Many Bites Do Sloppy Lawyers Get At The Apple?" Oh. I get it. [Redline] * Lawrence Mitchell is back and talking about inequality. It's much more what you'd expect from a legal academic than poetry about ogling women in the park. [Washington Post] * Sometimes even squishy toys take a hit: Nerf ordered to pay $73 million in back royalties. [North Dallas Gazette] * Congrats to Gawker General Counsel Heather Dietrick on her new role as President. [New York Observer] * Sad news: Kirkland associate and Northwestern Law '13 grad Jeremy Adler died unexpectedly last week. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. [Inside Bay Area]

By Joe Patrice