The Bachelorette

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.20.15

* Thus far, five law schools -- Hawaii, Iowa, St. John's, Drake, and Buffalo -- have decided to drop the LSAT for top-performing applicants, and it's no surprise that all five law schools have watched their enrollment numbers take traumatic tumbles. [Bloomberg Business] * "[E]veryone calls colleagues for advice, particularly when we get gnarly jury notes." As it turns out, judges in the Southern District of New York are big proponents of the "phone a friend" lifeline for their trickier cases. FYI, those friends are never law profs. [New York Times] * Well, that was incredibly quick! Josh Seiter, the 2013 graduate of Chicago-Kent Law who's built a successful career stripping, working as an escort, and appearing on reality TV shows, didn't even make it past the first rose ceremony on The Bachelorette. [Heavy] * Without WARNing? Butler & Hosch, one of the largest foreclosure firm's in the country, decided to abruptly close up shop, leaving hundreds of attorneys and staff members of out work. Sources have told us that the firm was unable to make payroll. [Orlando Sentinel] * Sorry, boutiques, but according to Lexis/Nexis CounselLink's Enterprise Legal Management Trends report, the biggest of all Biglaw firms are controlling the market when it comes to performing specialized IP litigation work. [DealBook / New York Times] * As we mentioned previously, Sam Kamin of Denver Law is the first professor to hold a pot law professorship. Here's an interesting Q&A with the law firm partner who came up with the idea. See Prof. Kamin at our marijuana law event in June. [National Law Journal]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.09.15

* Per New York City's gossip rag of record, an alleged "bed-pooping, cokehead" banker and his "alcoholic" wife were called out by the judge in their divorce case for involving their kids in a "horrible fiasco." [New York Post] * For time infinitum, the structure of Wachtell Lipton's billing was "cloaked in mystery." Thanks to an errant fee agreement, however, we have an idea of what the prestigious firm charges for its "distinctive service." [Am Law Daily] * Hey guys, Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and there's a newly single Bachelorette on the prowl. The lovely Andi Dorfman called off her reality TV stunt engagement. Perhaps the ADA will return to prosecuting cases? [E! Online via TODAY] * “We are in the end game on the freedom to marry for same-sex couples." Later today, we may find out whether the Supreme Court intends to take up any of the same-sex marriage disputes that have been presented to it this Term. [Bloomberg] * It looks like the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law is starting an LL.M. program in gambling law. Step right up, because we're now taking bets to see whether this degree will be advantageous for its graduates in the job market. [National Law Journal] * California's foie gras ban was recently struck down by a judge as an illegal encroachment upon the federal government's regulatory domain. Please remember that while it's delicious... it's supposedly only "for assholes." [San Francisco Chronicle]

By Staci Zaretsky
Biglaw

Morning Docket: 03.03.14

* If your firm has not yet given in to the demands of corporate clients for more reasonable billing structures, please be aware that a) your firm is behind the times, and b) you better be prepared to get your white shoes scuffed. [Boston Globe] * Mirror, mirror, on the wall, which is the fairest firm of them all? According to the 2014 Acritas Brand Index survey, Skadden is the firm on everyone’s mind — for the third year in a row. They must be doing something right. Congrats! [Am Law Daily] * Part of this former staff attorney’s discrimination suit against Quinn Emanuel was dismissed, but as our editor, Elie Mystal, mused when he first heard of this case, it’s likely “the only color Quinn cares about is green.” [New York Law Journal] * Trendspotting: Because fast-growing technology equals fast-growing money when it comes to the law, LeClairRyan is the second firm in the U.S. to open up a drone practice group. [Richmond Times-Dispatch] UPDATE (1:00 p.m.): Actually, Kramer Levin launched its Unmanned Aircraft Systems Practice Group back in December 2013, as noted by the ABA Journal and Bloomberg News. * Bachelorette-in-waiting Andi Dorfman was granted an unpaid leave of absence from her job as an ADA to star in this summer’s edition of the reality show. We guess her boss gave her career a rose. [Daily Report]

By Staci Zaretsky
Law Schools

Non-Sequiturs: 02.27.14

* If you want male-strippers dressed as cops to come by the house, don’t call 911. [Legal Juice] * These look like some fun Biglaw recruiting events over in England. Too bad if you’re not an Oxford or Cambridge student… [Legal Cheek] * For the comic-loving lawyers out there, Marvel has kicked off a new run of the preeminent lawyer to the superheroes, She-Hulk. [Law and the Multiverse] * How should we judge our prisons? Low incidence of rape and torture would be a good start. [The Volokh Conspiracy / Washington Post] * You can’t use your failing company’s Facebook account to poach opportunities for your new company. [IT-Lex] * More coverage of the tensions at UCLA Law School. [Huffington Post] * University ordered to pay $2.5 million to former lawyer it fired for not rubber-stamping some questionable dealings. [Chronicle of Higher Education] * Andi from this season’s The Bachelor has disappeared from the murder trial she was running in Atlanta to take over as next season’s Bachelorette. Maybe she won’t dumb herself down as much when she’s the star of the show. Video of her in court after the jump… [TMZ]

By Joe Patrice