Unemployment

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.27.15

* The job market may be "improving," but people aren't going to start applying to law school in droves any time soon. There's been a 40 percent drop in applicants since 2005, and according to LSAC's latest data, "the downward spiral is still… spiraling." [WSJ Law Blog] * Lines to see what could be one of the most historic arguments before the Supreme Court started forming last Friday, but the rest of the country will have to sit back and wait until June to see if a constitutional right to same-sex marriage will be declared. [Reuters] * Kris Jenner was just hit with a six-figure lawsuit thanks to model Kendall Jenner's 19th birthday party, which was allegedly complete with more than 100 guests and a male stripper. Don't worry, mom, the stripper already spanked your daughter. [Ministry of Gossip / Los Angeles Times] * The latest edition of the Am Law 100 rankings are out, and it looks like gross revenue, revenue per lawyer, and profits per partner are on the way up at most firms. You'll never believe which firm is the new No. 1. We'll have more on this later. [American Lawyer] * Hey, here's some info you've never heard before now! People who graduated from law school in 2010 are still screwed because they're drowning in debt and some have never worked as lawyers! Never fear, the New York Times is on it! [DealBook / New York Times] * “Obviously, the concussion affected my judgment — oops, I shouldn’t say that, given my day job." At 92 years of age, Judge Robert Sweet of the S.D.N.Y. splits his time between legal pirouettes in the courtroom and skating pirouettes on the ice. [New York Times] * "It’s time for restraint of the federal government’s over-aggressive weed warriors.” States that have legalized pot are tired of the Feds prosecuting their citizens, and that's what the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2015 aims to stop from happening. [High Times] * "[L]awyers are naturally drawn to writing because we spend our days working with words." If you're a lawyer thinking about writing a legal thriller in your spare time, you're not alone. Just ask Scott Turow and our very own David Lat. [National Law Journal]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.06.15

* Justice Ginsburg is concerned that "our system is being polluted" by the deluge of money that's being dumped into election campaigns, including judicial elections. "Something is terribly wrong" and it needs to be fixed. [Legal Times] * A Suffolk Law professor says laptops should be banned from law school classrooms because of a recent study that says taking verbatim notes makes student comprehension suffer. But then they wouldn't be able to play online! :( [ABA Journal] * “It is virtually inevitable that some or many of the carriers will challenge the rules." It's highly likely that net neutrality will be headed back to the courts, no matter what the Federal Communications Commission has to say about it. [WSJ Law Blog] * "I think that a law degree is a worthwhile investment for students that have a goal. I don’t know if it’s good for students trying to figure things out." Enrollment is down at Elon Law, but you should go if your goal is to be employed... eventually. [Pendulum] * "Trying to make a claim there's negligence when there are lawful exemptions is very problematic." Also problematic are the measles outbreaks across the country, and it may soon be harder for parents to opt out of vaccinations. [National Law Journal]

By Staci Zaretsky