Texas A&M University School of Law

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.20.16

* Justice Judy? According to a poll conducted by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, about 10 percent of college graduates think that Judith Sheindlin, aka Judge Judy, serves on the bench of the Supreme Court. [CNN] * If you haven't heard, Houston-based firm Bracewell & Giuliani lost one of its famous name partners this week. Former New York Mayor and founding New York partner Rudy Giuliani is taking his nouns and verbs about 9/11 and heading to presumably greener pastures at Greenberg Traurig. [DealBook / New York Times] * Yeehaw! Ride 'em, partners! Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe is the latest Biglaw firm to open an outpost in Houston, Texas, and there's no better way to staff an office in the Wild Wild West than to poach 20 partners from your competitor firms. [Texas Lawyer] * Texas Wesleyan Law graduates have officially lost the diploma war they've been waging against Texas A&M Law. A judge recently dismissed their case for want of any evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever. [National Law Journal via Courthouse News Service] * Martin Shkreli is sick and tired of being depicted as nothing more than a "pharma bro" in the press, so he's decided to get new legal representation in his securities fraud case, as if that'll somehow solve all of his problems. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.11.15

* "[W]e refuse to be distracted by disgruntled employees or frivolous lawsuits." Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby is being accused of firing a handful of prosecutors due to their political associations in a newly filed lawsuit. [Baltimore Sun] * Texas Wesleyan wants to dismiss a suit filed by its "disavowed" law school grads because it says its obligation "ended with their graduation," so it doesn't need to grant them alumni status with Texas A&M Law. Harsh. [Courthouse News Service] * Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy will soon sign an executive order banning those on the federal no-fly list from purchasing guns in the state. Professor Eugene Volokh thinks that this policy is constitutionally controversial. Do you agree? [WSJ Law Blog] * Vinson & Elkins is moving its Dallas headquarters to a fancy $200 million building, where it'll fill up 80,000 sq ft of office space in 2018. How nice for you! Now be nice to your associates and announce your Cravath bonus matches. [Dallas Morning News] * What's the best way to get out of paying millions of dollars to lawyers who you hired to perform complex legal work? If you're hurting for cash, then take a cue from this New Jersey firm and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to ditch your drama. [Bergen Record]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.09.15

* Charlie Sheen, not one to beat around the bush, got right down to business in a motion to dismiss his ex-fiancée's lawsuit, calling her an “extortionist who gets paid for sex as a prostitute and porn star.” Looks like someone could use some anger management. [Fox News] * If you've been following the circus sideshow that is Donald Trump's presidential campaign, you know that he's proposed a ban on Muslims entering the country. Needless to say, this is likely completely unconstitutional, and many law profs agree on this point. [WSJ Law Blog] * The GC of Allstate says law firm billing rates are way too damn high. Her pet peeve? "[T]he way law firms bill, the hourly rate system, and the fact that rates go up, or at least they try to have them go up year, after year, after year." [Big Law Business / Bloomberg] * Everything's bigger in Texas, except for this law school's tuition: Texas A&M Law has announced that it will be lowering its in-state tuition by more than 15 percent, and then freezing it at that level for four years for all entering and current students. [PRNewswire] * If you're a minority who's thinking about applying to law school, there are several important things you ought to take into consideration, including which schools will provide you with a "supportive, nurturing, mentoring environment." [U.S. News]

By Staci Zaretsky