Thelen

Morning Docket: 11.24.14

* Want to see a group of assistant district attorneys from the Bronx throwing up gang signs in their holiday photo? Of course you do! How seriously is the Bronx DA's office taking the picture even though local defense attorneys are pissed? Not very! [New York Daily News] * "What he did was out of line, inappropriate, unnecessary, and hurtful." There's a scandal brewing over at Mercer Law, where a professor apparently thought it would be prudent to use the "N-word" during his constitutional law class. [Macon Telegraph] * Gilberto "Cannibal Cop" Valle wants his conviction for illegally accessing NYPD databases to be overturned to improve his chances of getting into law school. He shouldn't be worried -- some schools accept convicted murderers. [New York Post] * Thelen LLP's bankruptcy case, first filed way back in 2009, is finally moving towards its conclusion. The last holdout partners who refused to settle must now pay back their monthly draws from the firm's final year. Too bad, so sad. [National Law Journal] * Ladies, have a pudding pop: Martin D. Singer of Lavely & Singer, better known these days as Bill Cosby's lawyer, wants the media to stop publishing "unsubstantiated, fantastical stories" about the comedian's alleged rape victims. [Chicago Tribune] * The grand jury in the Michael Brown shooting is still undecided on the case. Perhaps they'll have a decision before Thanksgiving so everyone in Ferguson can enjoy their turkey in peace (or in protest, depending on how it comes out). [CNN]

Morning Docket: 07.02.14

* The New York Court of Appeals put the hurt on defunct firms seeking unfinished business fees from former partners who left for greener pastures. Sorry, I didn’t follow ATL protocol: “Dewey think firms should collect unfinished business fees?” [Wall Street Journal Law Blog] * We reported on the Tinder lawsuit yesterday. Here’s a collection of all the messed up texts involved. [Valleywag] * Facebook’s lawyer is now calling the emotional manipulation study it recently conducted “customer service.” Dear Internet: Despite all your rage, you’re still just rats in a cage. [The Atlantic] * So if you’re studying for the MPRE, blow jobs aren’t the preferred legal fee. [Legal Profession Blog] * How did your last cell phone bill look? Because the FTC says T-Mobile knowingly added hundreds of millions of charges on. At least that girl in pink was cute, huh? [USA Today] * BNP Paribas is confident it can pay its record fine. [Dealbook / New York Times] * Meanwhile, Putin accused the U.S. of trying to use the BNP fine to blackmail France into turning its back on Russia. Because conspiracy theories are awesome. [Bloomberg] * Lawsuit filed because right-wingers totally miffed that black people voted for a Republican. [Sun Herald (Mississippi)]

Morning Docket: 11.20.12

* Who will represent General David Petraeus as he continues to battle the fallout from his scandalous affair with Paula Broadwell? None other than Williams & Connolly partner Robert Barnett, a lawyer for Washington, D.C.’s most elite. [Blog of Legal Times] * Just in case you weren’t somehow aware, it costs quite a pretty penny to make bankrupt Biglaw firms go away. For example, more than 40 firms have paid off Brobeck, Coudert, Heller, Howrey, and Thelen with settlements of more than $35.5M. [Am Law Daily] * Hostess and the striking Bakers’ Union have agreed to go to mediation to prevent the company’s wind down. Judge Drain should force feed them delicious Ding Dongs to make them see the error of their ways. [Wall Street Journal] * “Even without a so-called affirmative-action ban, law schools aren’t doing great in terms of diversity.” That’s probably why admissions officers are so worried about the verdict in Fisher v. Texas. [National Law Journal] * For the last time, going to law school isn’t the solution for having no idea what you want to do with your life after college. And you don’t need a JD/MBA, either. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News & World Report] * Sometimes, when people from LSAC deny you extra time on the LSAT, you sit back and deal with it. Other times, you sue their pants off because your dad is a power litigator — and then you settle. [New York Post]

A Welcome Ruling for the New Law Firms of Refugees from Bankrupt Firms

A decision just handed down by a judge of the Southern District of New York has important implications for law firm dissolutions.

Inside Straight: Dewey Know Who’s Next?

Mark Herrmann believes it’s a near certainty that another firm will collapse within the next year or two. Who will it be?

Morning Docket: 05.09.12

* Dewey get the chance to reap revenge against all of the partners who defected? Only in bankruptcy clawback suits. Many are keeping an eye on the Coudert and Thelen Chapter 11 cases to see if they’ll have to pay up. [Thomson Reuters News & Insight] * “People have bigger concerns on their mind than whether Elizabeth Warren is 1/32 Cherokee.” Well, Scott Brown isn’t most people. He wants all of her job records from her career as a law professor. [Washington Wire / Wall Street Journal] * “We are not anti-gay, we are pro-marriage.” I don’t think “pro-marriage” means what you think it means. Last night, North Carolina voters passed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in the state. [CNN] * Mike McQueary is filing a whistleblower lawsuit against Penn State. Hate to say it, but that’s definitely not the first time Penn State’s seen a lawsuit over something being blown in the locker room. [Centre Daily Times] * Washington University in St. Louis Law is launching an online LL.M. program for foreign lawyers for the low, low price of $48K. The exchange rate surely can’t be good enough for that to be worth it. [New York Times] * Joran van der Sloot will likely be extradited to the United States from Peru this summer. His lawyer, Maximo Altez, isn’t a fan, because he thinks that we’ll charge his client with murder. America, f**k yeah! [ABC News] * Oh, of course a member of the Village People’s claim just had to be the test case for 35-year copyright transfer termination. Well, kudos to you, Mr. Motorcycle Cop. You’re a real “Macho Man.” [Bloomberg]

Quote of the Day: Lawyer, Poet, Salesman

He was clearly the salesman-in-chief, and he did a darn good job at it. I remember being told that despite the fact that the economy was essentially collapsing around everyone’s heads, 2008 was going to come in well over budget with record revenues and profits. — Andrew Ness, former managing partner of the D.C. office […]

Howrey Met Your Mother (Then Lost Her to Another Firm)

Yesterday we reported on talks last week between Jones Day and key partners in the construction group of Howrey. It appears that the talks have borne fruit. As reported yesterday by the Daily Journal (subscription), a group of seven Howrey partners — led by prominent construction lawyer Steve O’Neal, former chairman of the now-defunct Thelen […]

Howrey Losing More Partners? Construction Lawyers Might Be Next to Leave

After all, there are fewer partners for Howrey to lose with each passing day, as the Howrey lawyer diaspora continues to grow. Let’s review the recent activity — and discuss some possible future defections. On Friday we reported that IP litigator Mark Whitaker would be joining Baker Botts. That news has now been publicly announced. […]

Winston & Strawn Tries To Rewrite History By Editing Out a Problematic Partner

It’s clear that Winston & Strawn isn’t happy about all the publicity it’s getting over Jonathan Bristol, the Winston partner — or former partner? — who has gotten entangled with Kenneth Starr In case you haven’t been following the case of Kenneth Starr — not the one who brought us the delectable Starr Report, but […]