Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Law - More on: US News Law School ranking system may be changed
If you read the entry earlier today with interest, you may want to check it again -- I've updated it several times now with more information....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Law - US News Law School ranking system may be changed [Updated]
The WSJ reports today, in a front-page story by Amir Efrati headlined "Law School Rankings Reviewed to Deter 'Gaming,'" that:The most widely watched ranking of U.S. law schools may move to stop an increasingly popular practice: schools gaming the system...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Law - Still more on "Loan repayment assistance programs progress"
Updating earlier ILB entries on the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Act, Julianna Parker of the Norman Oklahoma Transcript reported Aug. 18th in a story headed "Law students being offered debt relief for picking public service roles:"Law students who...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Law - "E-book publisher to pay $50K to settle piracy claim"
Tom Spalding of the Indianapolis Star reports in a story that begins:Web-based self-publishing specialist Author Solutions of Bloomington has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of computer software installed on its computers. The Business...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, August 25, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Law - Legal resumes of potential vice presidential candidates
American Lawyer has a story looking at the legal resumes of potential vice presidential candidates. For examples:[Evan] Bayh, 52, started his legal career at the University of Virginia's law school. He clerked for U.S. District Court Judge James Noland in...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Law - "Plaintiffs' Lawyers Fight Restrictions On Product-Liability Suits"
From today's WSJ, an article by Alicia Mundy on the upcoming:Supreme Court case, Wyeth v. Levine, which is to be heard Nov. 3, could affect lawsuits involving products such as cars, toys and flammable mattresses. Corporate defense lawyers are also...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Law - "Are Contingency-Fee Arrangement Between an Attorney General and a Private Law Firm Illegal?"
Tobacco litigation. Asbestos litigation. Lead paint litigation. An interesting article today on Findlaw.com by Anthony J. Sebok, a Professor at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City, titled "Should State Attorneys General Use Private Law Firms to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Law - More on "Loan repayment assistance programs progress"
Updating this ILB entry from March 27th, the AP is reporting, in a story with an Oklahoma slant, but one that I believe is applicable nationally:A federal law awaiting President Bush's signature will allow Oklahoma prosecutors and public defenders to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, August 11, 2008
Law - Kentucky prosecutor charges husband with murder after wife kills herself; likened to Indiana case
From a long story today by Jason Riley in the Louisville Courier Journal:During a drunken argument with her husband on Sept. 10, Katherine Mae Simpson put a loaded handgun to her head and pulled the trigger. Nearly a year after...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, August 11, 2008
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Law - Law librarian comments on the law student "search" mentality
The Houston Chronicle had a feature August 1st on DeCarlous Spearman, law library director at Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law. A quote:Q: What is your goal as the TSU law library director? A: My goal is to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Ind. Law - Attorney Alan T. Nolan, 85, dies
Today's Indianapolis Star contains the obituary of Alan T. Nolan, prominent Indianapolis attorney and historian, who practiced 45 years with the firm of Ice Miller. His brother Val Nolan Jr., 87, eminent ornithologist and Indiana University Professor Emeritus of Law...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Monday, August 04, 2008
Law - Employee cellphones a fringe beneifit, per IRS
From a July 28th story by Jim Puzzanghera of the Los Angeles Times:Times and technology have changed. Federal tax rules have not. The Internal Revenue Service still considers cellphones to be a pricey fringe benefit and has started enforcing regulations...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, August 04, 2008
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Law - Strict Construction & Judicial Acitivism.
Lawrence B. Solum, John E. Cribbet Professor of Law & Professor of Philosophy at the University of Illinois College of Law, has a useful entry this weekend in his Legal Theory Lexicon, titled Strict Construction & Judicial Acitivism....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, August 03, 2008
Law - "If You Run a Red Light, Will Everyone Know?"
That is the headline to an essay today in the NY Times, written by Brad Stone, who covers Internet trends and consumer technology for the Times. Some quotes:WANT to vet a baby sitter? Need to peek into the background of...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, August 03, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Law - "Workers' Religious Freedom vs. Patients' Rights"
Rob Stein of the Washington Post has a lengthy story today that begins:A Bush administration proposal aimed at protecting health-care workers who object to abortion, and to birth-control methods they consider tantamount to abortion, has escalated a bitter debate over...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Law - "Conflicting Gay Marriage Laws Cause Headaches for Companies"
Some quotes from an article by Sherry Karabin in Corporate Counsel:California wasn't the first state to legalize same-sex marriage; Massachusetts did so four years ago. (Six countries, including Canada, also allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.) But ever since...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Law - More on "Who Killed Chandra Levy?"
The Washington Post's multi-part series on the Chandra Levy murder has now concluded. Today the Post's ombudsman, Deborah Howell, begins her column:The Chandra Levy series, on Page 1 for 13 days, has provoked these kinds of comments: Lurid! Appalling! A...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Law - Killer countertops?
"What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? " was the headline to this NY Times story by Kate Murphy yesterday. Some quotes from the lengthy story:As the popularity of granite countertops has grown in the last decade — demand for them has...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, July 25, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Law - "Perverted Justice" praised in Kentucky
"Online sex stings in Kentucky win praise" is the headline to a lengthy story by Jason Riley Riley in today's Louisville Courier Journal. Some quotes:[Twenty-eight men were] arrested in Kentucky between late 2006 and 2007 in three Internet sex stings...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, July 21, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Law - "Who Killed Chandra Levy?"
The Washington Post today begins a 12-part investigation into the death of Washington intern Chandra Levy. From "About this Series":The Post series provides a rare look at an unsolved homicide case from the inside, following the twists and turns of...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, July 13, 2008
Law - Soul singer James Brown and the right of publicity
NPR's Morning Edition last Friday had a fascinating, nearly 6-minute feature on the right of publicity. You may read or listen to it. A quote:You've likely seen a concert photo of Brown — sweat pouring off his face, his features...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, July 13, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Law - Chicago: "The winners in city scandals? The lawyers "
A long story today by Tim Novak, Art Golab and others today in the Chicago Sun-Times begins:As City Hall's scandals mount, so do the legal bills for taxpayers. Since January 2004, Mayor Daley's administration has spent more than $625,000 on...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, July 10, 2008
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Ind. Law - More on: "Indy Law Firm moves beyond its nightmare"
This morning the ILB quoted from John Ketzenberger's story in the Indianapolis Star:The partners made an undisclosed cash payment to the state, then gave Department of Insurance Commissioner Jim Atterholt the right to sue ProNational. The state's attorneys, Irwin Levin...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Law - "In One Ohio County, Golf Carts Patrol Streets"
From NPR's All Things Considered yesterday, this story, to which you may listen here:Some sheriff deputies in Fairfield County, Ohio, are using golf carts to save gas and money. Deputies in the community of Bremen (pop. 1,200) use the electric...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Law - Do sex offender laws make homelessness a crime?
Bill Rankin of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported yesterday:Georgia's sex-offender registry law should be struck down as unconstitutional because it makes being homeless a crime, a lawyer told the state's highest court on Monday. "The law is fundamentally unfair to homeless...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Law - "Ave Maria School of Law Dodges Bullet, Retains Accreditation"
For those following news of the Ave Maria Law School (which the ILB covered for a time last year because of brief speculation it was moving to Fort Wayne - see the last line of this June 4th entry for...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, July 03, 2008
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Law - Indiana-born civil rights lawyer Thomas Atkins dies
In an article today in the South Bend Tribune, Laureen Fagan, writes:Elkhart native and nationally prominent civil rights lawyer Thomas I. Atkins used to say that power was colorless. "It's like water. You can drink it or you can drown...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
Law - "N.C. legislators debate golf carts as transportation as gas prices remain near $4 a gallon"
The Wilmington NC StarNews had this story Sunday, reported by Joe Johnson, that begins Raleigh | Golf cart owners who want hit the highways instead of the fairways in an attempt to beat $4 gas prices should wait until regulations...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Law - Northwestern University School of Law plans to offer 2-year program [Updated]
Jodi S. Cohen of the Chicago Tribune reports today in a story that begins:In a move that could shake up legal education, Northwestern University School of Law plans to announce Friday that it will begin offering students a chance to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Law - "California cellphone law may be more costly than the $20 fine"
Another California story, but something to keep in mind. Indiana has no state-wide law, but Gary has an ordinance - see this Oct. 8, 2007 ILB entry. Ralph Vartabedian of the Los Angeles Times reports today in a long story...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Law - E-mail has changed the legal landscape
NPR's Morning Edition had an interesting story this morning titled "E-Mail, the Workplace and the Electronic Paper Trail" by Ari Shapiro. It began: E-mail and other electronic communications have dramatically changed the contemporary legal landscape. By some estimates, more than...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Law - Kentucky state government changes policy on blogs
From the Lexington Herald-Leader, a brief report today:A political blogger whose Web site was blocked on state government computers by former Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration has settled his First Amendment lawsuit against the state. Mark Nickolas, who operated the blog...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Law - Interesting procedural details of NCAA infraction hearing
Mark Alesia of the Indianapolis Star had a lengthy, detailed story Friday on the NCAA Committee on Infractions meeting Friday to "deliberate charges of four potentially major rules violations against the IU men's basketball program." Some quotes:How does the hearing...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, June 14, 2008
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Law - More on: DOJ moves to improve immigration judges, after months of criticism
This Aug. 10, 2006 ILB entry is essential background for today's entry. Today's entry is a speech given by Judge Richard A. Posner, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, on April 21st before the Chicago Bar Association, Administrative Law Judges...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, June 07, 2008
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Law - Lawsuits Test Associational Discrimination Under the ADA
"Lawsuits Test Disabilities Act: Two Cases Cite Little-Known Protections For People Who Aren't Disabled But Care For Those Who Are," was the headline of this article yesterday by Jane Zhang of the Wall Street Journal.. Some quotes:Two lawsuits now pending...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, June 05, 2008
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Law - "A Deluge of Law Schools"
Leigh Jones of The National Law Journal writes today:As many as 10 new law schools are in the works, with the majority of them proposed in the eastern part of the country. While their proponents insist that the schools will...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Monday, June 02, 2008
Law - "Gossip blogs bedevil law firms"
Leigh Jones of the National Law Journal has a long article today that begins:Many of the nation's most renowned law firms have felt the public relations wallop delivered by law gossip blogs, those online tabloids that can turn an interoffice...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, June 02, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Law - More on: E-mails and the statutes of frauds
Updating this ILB entry from May 22nd, FindLaw has an article by law prof Anita Ramasastry titled "A New York Appellate Court Holds that an Email Message Can Amend an Employment Contract: Why the Decision Was Correct, and What It...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Law - "37 fired attorneys at Sonnenschein represent about 5 percent of the firm's 691 lawyers"
The Chicago Tribune reports today:Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, one of Chicago's biggest corporate firms, broke with that tradition Wednesday, acknowledging that the lackluster economy is taking a toll on billings and that it has laid off 124 employees, including 37...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Law - "Technical glitch" necessitates farm bill do-over
This ILB entry is not about the pros or cons of the farm bill, but about how a technical glitch can impact an enrolled bill, and is aimed at pulling this information together for legislative process wonks. (It also serves...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, May 26, 2008
Law - "Exemptions for Charities Face New Challenges"
So reads the headline to this lengthy, front-page story by Stephanie Strom in today NY Times. Some quotes:RED WING, Minn. — Authorities from the local tax assessor to members of Congress are increasingly challenging the tax-exempt status of nonprofit institutions...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, May 26, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Law - E-mails and the statutes of frauds
Although based on New York law, this article, "E-Mail Meets the Statute of Frauds", by Stephen M. Kramarsky New York Law Journal, takes a good look at an issue of growing importance....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, May 22, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Law - "U.S. Legal Work Booms in India: New Outsourcing Industry Is Growing 60 Percent Annually" triggered by E-discovery rules
Rama Lakshmi of the Washington Post Foreign Service reports today:GURGAON, India -- When Aashish Sharma graduated from law school two years ago, his father had visions of seeing him argue in an Indian court and eventually become an honorable judge....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, May 11, 2008
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Courts - "Having access to case status throughout the pipeline is enabling lawyers to better advocates"
My friend Diana Skaggs, of the excellent Kentucky Divorce Law Journal, has an entry today that is applicable to all practitioners, regardless of jurisdiction:Having access to case status throughout the pipeline is enabling lawyers to better advocates. How? Well, if...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, May 08, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Law - Interesting juxtaposition of legal views this week
Earlier this week the ILB pointed to Justice Scalia's 60 Minutes interview. After reading Jon Murray's story in the Indianapolis Star this morning headed "Brizzi aims to expand fetal homicide laws: Deaths of unborn twins lead prosecutor to seek language...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Law - More on "Ave Maria Law Wants To Sell Its Naming Rights"
Updating this entry from Dec. 19, 2007, a brief article by Julie Kay in today's National Law Journal is headed "Ave Maria to Relocate Law School Once Again." Some quotes:Ave Maria School of Law, apparently unable to sell naming rights...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, April 28, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Law - U.S. Senate kills bill to right the wrongs of Ledbetter
Remember Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co ., the Supreme Court decision from last May, where, to quote Steven Greenhouse of the NYT, "the Supreme Court ruled that workers generally lose their right to sue for pay discrimination unless...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, April 26, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Law - Another update on efforts to receive compensation for land taken to build Kentucky Camp Breckenridge
This ILB entry from May 22, 2007 began:The ILB has had four earlier entries about Kentucky families' "long legal fight to get compensation for land taken from their families by the federal government to make way for a World War...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, April 20, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Law - "Law Firms Curtail Associate Programs As Economy Slows"
That is the headline to this story ($$$) this morning by Ashby Jones of the WSJ. It begins:For associates at law firms, how quickly things have changed. This time last year, salaried lawyers at many of nation's largest firms had...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, April 14, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Law - Interesting business model
Sheri Qualters of The National Law Journal has a story today that begins:E. James Perullo realized that switching from an information technology career to the law would be daunting at age 42, so he's keeping his day job while building...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, April 10, 2008
Monday, April 07, 2008
Law - Look at your charge receipt; it's likely you too can bring a class action
"Landslide of Suits Over Data on Receipts: 16-month-old statute decried as a 'gotcha' law brings 300 class actions," is the headline to this story today by Tresa Baldas of The National Law Journal. It begins:A 16-month-old federal law designed to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, April 07, 2008
Law - More on "High Stakes for Regulated Industry in Supreme Court Pre-emption Cases"
Updating this ILB entry from Dec. 1, 2007, and this list of entries on protecting drug makers from lawsuits, Gardiner Harris Alex Berenson had this report in Sunday's NY Times. The article begins:For years, Johnson & Johnson obscured evidence that...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, April 07, 2008
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Law - Adam Liptak to succeed Linda Greenhouse at NYT
Updating this March 27th ILB entry reporting that Linda Greenhouse had accepted a buyout package from the NYT, there is news of her successor. The SCOTUSBlog's Lyle Denniston had this report yesterday that begins:The New York Times indicated on Friday...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, April 05, 2008
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Law - "Lawyers Fight DNA Samples Gained on Sly"
A long and very interesting front-page NY Times article today on “surreptitious sampling” of DNA, reported by Amy Harmon. Some quotes:The two Sacramento sheriff detectives tailed their suspect, Rolando Gallego, at a distance. They did not have a court order...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, April 03, 2008
Law - "Private data tossed in the trash by businesses trigger a crackdown"
Tresa Baldas of The National Law Journal writes today in a story that begins:Shred it, or regret it. That's the message that attorneys, and state and federal authorities, are sending out to companies that throw sensitive and confidential information into...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, April 03, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Law - "Foreclosure Machine Thrives on Woes"
The NY Times had a very long, front-page article Sunday explaining how mortgage servicers and law firms specializing in default have been profiting from the mrotgage crisis. Some quotes:NOBODY wins when a home enters foreclosure — neither the borrower, who...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Law - "Loan repayment assistance programs progress"
From a February article in the ABA's "Your ABA":The House of Representatives passed its version of the Higher Education Act on Feb. 7, which includes two critical programs designed to ease the burden of student loan debt for prosecutors, public...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, March 27, 2008
Law - "Rising toll revives helmet issue"
The Indianapolis Star has a story today by John Yaukey and Robert Benincasa of Gannett News Service reporting:WASHINGTON -- Death rates from motorcycle crashes have risen steadily since states began weakening helmet laws about a decade ago, according to a...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, March 27, 2008
Law - More on: NYT reporter Linda Greenhouse may move on
Updating this Feb. 29 ILB entry quoting an AP story that "Linda Greenhouse, who has covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times for 30 years, said Wednesday that she has accepted a buyout package from the newspaper" --...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Law - "1.8 million pages of federal case law online, free of copyright or other restrictions, including all U.S. Supreme Court cases and all federal circuit decisions since 1950"
Robert J. Ambrogi of Law Technology News has a very informative column today on the "Online Legal Research Revolution."...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Law - A primer on how subprimes "work"
The Volokh Conspiracy this afternoon points to an "informative and amusing cartoon guide to the subprime debacle."...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Law - Pretty astonishing
The NYT is reporting: "ALBANY - Gov. Eliot Spitzer has informed his most senior administration officials that he had been involved in a prostitution ring, an administration official said this morning." [More] ALBANY - Gov. Eliot Spitzer has been caught...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, March 10, 2008
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Law - "Legal Aid Society of Evansville, and other members of the association offered their services as busboys, servers and dishwashers"
Kate Braser of the Evansville C&P reports:A group of about 30 attorneys participated in the event, which kicked off the Legal Aid Society's yearlong 50th anniversary celebration. The Legal Aid Society is a not-for-profit agency funded by the city of...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Law - NYT reporter Linda Greenhouse may move on
The AP reported yesterday:Linda Greenhouse, who has covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times for 30 years, said Wednesday that she has accepted a buyout package from the newspaper. Greenhouse joined the Times in 1968 and started covering...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Law - Metadata, can you get it, can you use it?
Marcia Coyle of The National Law Journal reported an interesting story on metadata last week. Some quotes from the long survey article:All of the state bars to address the metadata issue agree that a sending lawyer has a duty to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Law - WSJ Law Blog interviews Sampson's lawyer
Dan Slater of the WSJ Law Blog has posted an entry this afternoon titled "A Q&A With Mike Glazer: The NCAA Defender to the Stars." Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union scored an exclusive interview with former IU President Adam Herbert....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Law - Professor says suits over formaldehyde in trailers are likely to focus more on manufacturers than dealers
Updating this ILB entry from Jan. 19th ("FEMA offers refunds on toxic trailers") and this one from Sept. 28, 2005 ("Trailers flow from Indiana to Gulf Coast"), see this story today by Ben Zion Hershberg of the LCJ, headlined "Lawsuits...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Law - New movie about the legal profession
A review of the George Clooney movie, Michael Clayton, appears in today's Slate....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Law - Incredible but true! "Kentuckians rejected Lincoln presidency"
Louisville Courier Journal columnist Bob Hill writes today:Somewhere in Kentucky's mad bicentennial birthday rush toward further deification of Abraham Lincoln, it must be said his native state gave him just 0.9 percent of the vote in the pivotal 1860 presidential...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, February 14, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Law - "Feeling Misled on Home Price, Buyers Are Suing Their Agent"
An interesting story reported by David Streitfeld in the Tuesday, Jan. 22nd NY Times. Are are some quotes:CARLSBAD, Calif. — Marty Ummel feels she paid too much for her house. So do millions of other people who bought at the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, January 26, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Law - New blog on criminal law launched
The Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law has started a blog, OSJCL Amici: Views from the Field, described as:A first-of-its-kind, online resource for timely and critical commentaries on the cutting edge of criminal law. Our hope in creating this resource...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, January 25, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Law - "Foreclosures Prompt Cities to Make Plea for Aid"
A troubling article today in the NY Times, reported by Ian Urbina, on how the subprime collapse is crippling the budgets of the nation's cities. It is not difficult to envision the impact on Indiana's cities, already in the midst...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, January 24, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Law - "Federal regulators have proposed requiring the alcoholic-beverage industry to put nutrition and alcohol-content labels on their containers"
"Alcohol Labeling Proposal Sets Off a Brawl" is the headline of Cindy Skrzycki's Washington Post column, The Regulators, this week. It begins:After more than 30 years of deliberation, federal regulators have proposed requiring the alcoholic-beverage industry to put nutrition and...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Law - Should government employees be deleting their emails?
This month's issue of Governing.com has an important article by Ellen Perlman titled "Delete at Your Own Risk: Governments need a system for managing their mountains of e-mail. Very few have one." Some quotes:For several months last fall, the St....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Law - "Bella is bewildered about blogs"
A reader has pointed me to this 26-page booklet by a Wisconsin reference librarian. It begins:Once upon a time, in the great city of Milwaukee, lived a brilliant legal professional named Bella. Bella was part of the litigation practice...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, January 21, 2008
Law - "Reading the law" not enough to take bar exam in most states
A story by Jerry Harkavy of the AP, that appeared this weekend in the Boston Globe, reported:Self-taught lawyers have all but vanished in recent years, ending a tradition stretching back to frontier days, when prospective attorneys "read the law" under...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, January 21, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Law - "Lawyer-Client Relationships Can Arise From Legal Hotline Calls, NJ Panel Rules"
Mary Pat Gallagher'sreport today via the New Jersey Law Journal begins:Lawyers who answer legal hotlines can't rely on a disclaimer to avoid forming an attorney-client relationship, even with one-time callers, a New Jersey Supreme Court ethics committee held on Thursday....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, January 18, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Law - More on: Mortgage servicing company "recreates" letters
Updating this ILB entry from Jan. 8th, Peter Lattman of the WSJ Law Blog reports today that a number of judges are raising concerns over practices of mortgage servicer Countrywide. Some quotes:Today Law Blog colleague Amir Efrati reports that more...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, January 14, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Law - "The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet"
The Washington Post this morning had a Q & A with:Daniel J. Solove, associate law professor at George Washington University and author of "The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor and Privacy on the Internet," [He discusses] the Megan Meier-MySpace suicide...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, January 10, 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Law - Mortgage servicing company "recreates" letters
Don't miss this, especially if you do any consumer bankruptcy work. It involves lenders pursuing "borrowers for additional money after their bankruptcies have been discharged," a not uncommon situation. It also touches on mortgage servicers who discard borrowers' monthly payments...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Law - "Most political law schools"
The new National Jurist (Jan. 2008) has an article titled "Most Political Law Schools." In the "Students Lean to the Right" column, Notre Dame ranks #5, behind #1 Regent University, and #2 Ave Maria School of Law. No Indiana or...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Law - "Law School Ranking by Starting Salaries of Graduates"
TaxProf Blog today quotes from the new National Jurist article ranking law schools by starting salaries of grads. The chart shows top average starting salaries of $135,000 from grads of Chicago, Duke, Michigan and Northwestern. Ranking 156 is South Dakota...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Law - How the professions of law and medicine are changing
A feature today in the NY Times by Alex Williams is headlined "The Falling-Down Professions." If is about how the professions of law and medicine are changing:Make no mistake, law and medicine — the most elite of the traditional professions...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, January 06, 2008
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Law - "A Taxing Issue: What to Render Unto Whom?"
A timely article today ($$$) on the front page of the Marketplace section of the Wall Street Journal, given the interest in this issue evidenced by members of the 2008 General Assembly. Suzanne Sataline reports:With expansion-minded churches managing real-estate portfolios,...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Law - "Same-Sex Divorce Challenges the Legal System: Most States Lack Law, Precedent To Settle Issues"
Dafna Linzer of the Washington Post has a lengthy report today -- here are some quotes:When her three-year-old marriage broke up, the 44-year-old doctor assumed she and her ex would split their property and jointly parent their two children. Her...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
Law - Does anyone else find this off-putting?
On Dec. 14, 2007, I received a letter from LexisNexis headed "Martindale-Hubbell Institutes a Peer Review Ratings Administration Fee." About half-way into the letter about its "database of rated lawyers," the letter announces:In order to provide this same level of...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, December 31, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Law - "Attorneys often avoid medical malpractice suits because California limits 'pain and suffering' awards to $250,000"
The caption under the photo or a doctor in surgical gear on today's LA Times front-page reads:Once an advocate of the California medical malpractice law, Dave Stewart, an anesthesiologist, now opposes it. His 72-year-old mother died after a double knee-replacement...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, December 29, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Law - "Documents of Library in Boston to Go on Web"
John Markoff reports today in the NY Times:The historical record of the United States government will soon be more accessible. A digital library partnership, including two nonprofit organizations and the Boston Public Library, is preparing to begin making digital copies...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, December 27, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Law - Where do the presidential candidates stand on signing statements?
Charlie Savage of the Boston Globe has written an article on where the candidates stand on signing statements, based on a Globe survey. The article is titled "Candidates on executive power: a full spectrum - They assess use of signing...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, December 23, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Law - More on "Louisville panel opposes panhandling ordinance"
"Metro Council OKs restrictions on panhandling" is the headline to a story today in the Louisville Courier Journal reported by Dan Klepal. An earlier story was reported in this Dec. 11th ILB entry. From today's story:The ordinance, approved 18-8, will...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, December 21, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Law - "Ave Maria Law Wants To Sell Its Naming Rights"
Here are links to some earlier ILB entries on Ave Maria Law School. Today it looks like there is chance the school will be renamed. If, that is, someone with $20 million picks up the naming rights, according to this...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Law - Proposal would give the administration veto power over any JAG promotion or appointment
Fort Wayne native and Pulitzer prize-winning Boston Globe reporter Charlie Savage (presidential signing statements), wrote Sunday that the Bush administration is seeking control over JAG lawyers. Some quotes:WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is pushing to take control of the promotions...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, December 17, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Not Law - "The National Press Club has elected The Journal Gazette’s Sylvia Smith as its next president"
Pretty prestigious! And we can expect to see a lot of her on C-SPAN now. Read the story here....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, December 15, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Law - "Misclassification of Independent Contractors and Employees Can Be Expensive"
This is a useful article by Carla J. Rozycki and Darren M. Mungerson of Jenner & Block, setting out the tests and recent cases about an issue many of us run into frequently, where there are many misconceptions. One I...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, December 14, 2007
Law - "GPS Privacy Concerns Hard to Navigate"
NPR's Talk of the Nation had a very interesting 30 minute segment earlier this week titled "GPS Privacy Concerns Hard to Navigate." The blurb:The Global Positioning System is a great tool for traveling through a maze of unfamiliar city streets...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, December 14, 2007
Law - 4th Amendment Roadmap Podcasts
Check it out - recommended by Orin Kerr of the Volokh Conspiracy: The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center podcasts providing a roadmap on the 4th Amendment....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, December 14, 2007
Law - "Dealing With the Legal Profession's Generation Gaps"
Here are some quotes from an enlightening article by Douglas B. Richardson of the Law Firm Partnership & Benefits Report newsletter:The generation gap is nothing new. In a pattern as old as time, the successor generation has always viewed its...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, December 14, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Law - "Bankruptcy Lawyers Behaving Badly"
Robert Loblaw of the blog, Decision of the Day, had an interesting entry yesterday on the 9th Circuit's decision in Hale v. U.S. Trustee. Here is a sample:Bankruptcy attorneys complained, arguing that the certification clause put them in the awkward...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Law - "Louisville panel opposes panhandling ordinance"
Dan Klepal of the Louisville Courier Journal has a story today about a proposed ordinance in Louisville:which aims to outlaw so-called aggressive panhandling by making it illegal for people to ask for money within 20 feet of an automated teller...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Law - Another take on massive suits against lead paint manufacturers
NY Times business columnist Joe Nocera's Saturday column in the NY Times is headed "The Pursuit of Justice, or Money?" Some quotes:Although lead was outlawed in paint in 1978 — and though many industry players had removed it even earlier...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, December 09, 2007
Law - Lawyers Probed in ‘Pretext’ ID Theft
Martha Neil reports in the ABA Journal blog:Lawyers throughout the country reportedly may be investigated as part of a Washington state-based probe of an alleged scheme in which a local firm, BNT Investigations, was hired by private detectives all over...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, December 09, 2007
Friday, December 07, 2007
Law - More on "Justice Is Unequal for Parents Who Host Teen Drinking Parties"
Updating this ILB entry from July 4th, which quoted stories about cases in Virginia and Maryland, here is a story from the Providence Rhode Island Journal, dated Dec. 6th and headlined "Law intended to curb teen drinking not working". Amanda...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, December 07, 2007
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Law - "Other countries have done away with the felony murder rule"
I remember how amazed many of us in Dean Cleon Faust's first-year Wrongs class in the 60s were to learn about the felony murder rule. This was, of course, before shows like Law and Order. Yesterday Adam Liptak of the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Law - "High Stakes for Regulated Industry in Supreme Court Pre-emption Cases"
Marcia Coyle of the The National Law Journal wrote Friday on pre-emption cases before the Supreme Court this term:A concerted effort by the business community to have federal law preclude, or "pre-empt," state personal injury laws and other regulations has...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, December 01, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Law - Friday reading: How students enter law school with high-minded ideals and walk out the doors avaricious corporate lawyers
Two good posts this afternoon in the WSJ Blog: "Law Blog Advice Column: What Should Beirne Do?" is the first; "Has 'The Legal Profession' Gone the Way Of the Dodo?" is the second....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Law - More on "Georgia's top court overturned a state law Wednesday that banned registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools, churches and other areas where children congregate"
Updating this ILB entry from November 21st, Laura Bauer of the Kansas City Star reports today under the headling "Georgia ruling on sex offenders prompts other states, including Missouri, to re-examine laws." The story begins:A Georgia Supreme Court ruling has...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, November 29, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Law - Brooke Russell Astor and Anna Nicole Smith
The Brooke Astor estate dispute promises to become the stuff of trusts and estates casebooks, moving along-side the Anna Nicole Smith estate fight. (See this March 11, 2007 ILB entry titled "Anna Nicole Smith bankruptcy and estate issues become law...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Law - Resources on electronic discovery
Robert Ambrogi, Law Technology News, has posted two valuable columns linking to e-discovery resources: this one from Oct. 8, 2007, and this one from Nov. 26, 2007....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Law - "Missouri high court to weigh the legality of at-home births" [Updated]
Kirsten Scharnberg of the Chicago Tribune reports today on midwifery in a long story datelined Kansas City, Mo. Here is a brief quote[I]n Missouri, where the Kerr baby was born in a carefully planned home birth, the experienced midwife hired...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, November 25, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Environment - An update on outdoor wood-fired boilers
The ILB's first entry on wood-fired boilers was nearly two years ago. (Here is a list of all entries.) IDEM had posted a notice in the Indiana Register asking for written comments on whether a new rule should be developed...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, November 24, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Law - A good Friday story, 18-year-old easily passes dreaded California bar
The WSJ Blog had this entry earlier this week, about 18-Year-Old Kathleen Holtz passing the California Bar. By now there are plenty of reader comments, many of them asking why someone that smart would jump immediately into law firm practice:Two...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, November 23, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Law - Arizona ruling involving move to Indiana may derail grandparents' visitation rights in that state
Howard Fischer of the Arizona Business Gazette reports:A new court ruling could set back more than two decades of efforts by grandparents to secure visitation rights in divorce cases. In a unanimous decision, the state Court of Appeals acknowledged that...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, November 22, 2007
Law - As the volume of e-mail to Congress skyrockets, questions arise about computer generated messages
A long story in the Washington Post today by Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Kim Hart begins by looking at e-mails sent "to the Federal Communications Commission opposing the proposed merger between the satellite radio networks XM and Sirius":A check by...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, November 22, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Law - "Georgia's top court overturned a state law Wednesday that banned registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools, churches and other areas where children congregate" [Updated]
The AP report this afternoon by Greg Bluestein continues:"It is apparent that there is no place in Georgia where a registered sex offender can live without being continually at risk of being ejected," read the unanimous opinion, written by presiding...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Law - "Women Lawyers to Watch"
The WSJ had a whole section yesterday on "50 Women to Watch." I think it is available online to non-subscribers - check here. As pointed out today in the WSJ Law Blog:The woman at the very top, we’re pleased to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Law - "Even as symbolism, legal notice advertising in newspapers smells of another era, of telegrams and carbon paper"
A quote from Adam Liptak's "Sidebar" column today in the NY Times:Even the lawyer who placed the ad concedes that Ms. Johnson will never see it. No one reads legal notice ads, first of all, and Ms. Johnson, presumably, does...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, November 19, 2007
Law - "Lawyer Groups to Flag Cases Needing Review"
John Solomon reports in the Washington Post today:Two umbrella groups for criminal defense lawyers announced yesterday that they will independently review cases nationwide where the FBI used a discredited bullet-matching science and will try to assist defendants who might have...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, November 19, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Law - "Legal champion for the middle class"
The LA Times today has a "Sunday profile" by Kathy M. Kristof of "Ralph 'Jake' Warner [who] took the mystery out of the law for the masses when he co-founded Nolo Press 36 years ago.." Some quotes:In 1971 Warner and...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, November 18, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Law - "In mass torts, who but the plaintiffs' lawyers really win?"
The NY Times business columnist, Joe Nocera, today has written a very interesting column on "the Vioxx litigation, which the drug’s manufacturer, Merck, settled late last week for the tidy sum of $4.85 billion." Here are a few quotes:When the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, November 17, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Law - "Report urges open access to records for adult adoptees"
Bonnie Miller Rubin of the Chicago Tribune writes today in a lengthy story that begins:Few issues are more heatedly debated in child-welfare circles than whether adopted citizens should have access to their original birth certificates and other legal documents. In...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, November 12, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Ind. Law - "Should the Indiana General Assembly order a return to the 'certificate of need' program for hospitals?"
So asks this editorial today in the NWI Times. Some quotes:The question of how many hospitals Porter County needs -- and how many it can support -- is one that needs to be asked before the county's health care suffers...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, November 11, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Law - Stll more on: Lawyer in Kentucky schools case seeks fees, bonus
Updating this ILB entry from Sept. 25th, Chris Kenning of the Louisville Courier Journal has a lengthy story this morning that begins:Louisville attorney Ted Gordon will receive $210,000 for leading the five-year legal fight to overturn Jefferson County Public Schools'...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, November 10, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
Law - The life of a temp attorney
Reading for a Friday afternoon. This Volokh Conspiracy entry, and some interesting comments, all based on a story today in the Washington City Paper on temp attorneys....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, November 09, 2007
Law - Trusts for pets, and other pet law information
"Lawyer Makes It Easier to Provide for Pets After Death" is the headline to an AP story dated Nov. 8th by Mike Nolan. Some quotes:As a lawyer concentrating in estate planning, Peter Canalia was frequently was asked by clients to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, November 09, 2007
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Not law but interesting - "Reagan library can't fully account for 80,000 artifacts"
C-SPAN has been running a wonderful series every Friday evening on hidden treasures in the Presidential Libraries. My favorite so far has been home movies Lady Bird Johnson took on the ranch in Texas. Many shots are of carefully dressed...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, November 08, 2007
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Law - Bankruptcy law changes and mortgage servicing fraud may heighten impact of mortgage crisis
"Bankruptcy Reform Bites Back:For consumers, debt relief is harder to come by. And that's adding to housing woes," is the headline to a Business Week story that begins: Score one for the law of unintended consequences. In past periods of...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
Law - More on: Lafayette native Brian Lamb will be presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom this morning [Updated]
Updating the ILB entry from earlier today, you can now watch this morning's award ceremony here, via Real Video. See the Brian Lamb award at 24:50 minutes and at about 35:00 minutes. At the latter point, Brian is joined on...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, November 05, 2007
Law - Lafayette native Brian Lamb will be presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom this morning
Max Showalter of the Lafayette Journal & Courier reports today:Twenty-eight years after C-SPAN was first broadcast on America's television sets, the founder of the cable TV staple that covers government, politics and public affairs events will be on the other...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, November 05, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Law - Still more on: Does Avowal of Fatherhood Impose an 'Equitable Paternity'
This lengthy ILB entry from March 18th began:Last month the ILB had an entry on this issue, noting that there had cases in New York and Illinois where a "father" who has been paying child support later learns he is...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, November 03, 2007
Friday, November 02, 2007
Law - Two interesting Wal-Mart stories for a Friday afternoon [Updated]
Both from the WSJ Blog: "Wal-Mart Strikes Back at Associate Salary Increases" - an entry this afternoon that begins:Before any more law firms match the latest bump in associate compensation, they may want to take stock of this memo issued...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, November 02, 2007
Law - "Lobbying rule changes have companies thinking twice about interaction with public officials"
Sonia P. Fois of Legal Times writes today under the headline "Companies, Beware! Taking a Congressman to Lunch Can Land You in a Heap of Trouble: Lobbying rule changes have companies thinking twice about interaction with public officials." The story...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, November 02, 2007
Law - "Law Firms Backing Away From Affiliate Businesses: A strategy that started in the '80s and '90s begins to fade with sell-offs"
An interesting article by Lynne Marek from The National Law Journal begins:Law firms once dreamed of owning separate businesses to bring in new streams of revenue, and while some achieved that goal, the industry is now largely backing away from...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, November 02, 2007
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Law - "Woman to appeal decision against Muslim marriage contract"
Emily Zeugner of the AP reports, in a story that begins:COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A woman plans to challenge Ohio's first court ruling involving a traditional Muslim marriage agreement in a case that could set a precedent about how such...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, November 01, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Law - Two worth reading entries from WSJ Blog
" Should Law Schools Adopt the B-School Case Method?" posted Oct. 30, 2007 at 5:21 pm, with 42 comments so far. "Law Blog News You Can Use: How to Get a BigLaw Job" posted Oct. 30, 2007 at 9:36 am,...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Law - "Many Teens Don't Know the Law About Sex"
Shannon McCaffrey of the AP had a story yesterday, dateline Atlanta, that reported:The tough Georgia law that sent Genarlow Wilson to prison for having oral sex with a fellow teenager has been watered down. But in Georgia — and in...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Law - Controversy over voting machines in Pennsylvania cites 2003 Indiana election
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review today has a story about problems with voting machines in some western Pennsylvania counties. A quote:"I don't see how they can say the machines are reliable when they have no way of showing whether the machines are...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, October 21, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Law - More on: Troubles continue for law school founded in 2000 by Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan
Updating this ILB entry from Sept. 10th, the WSJ Blog is reporting this afternoon continued troubles at the school, in an entry that begins:Three former professors of Ave Maria School of Law are suing the school, its dean and its...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, October 18, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Law - PBS' Frontline tonight explores VP Cheney's efforts to expand power of the presidency
Here is the blurb:For three decades, Vice President Dick Cheney has waged a secretive, and often bitter battle to expand the power of the presidency. Now in a direct confrontation with Congress, as the administration asserts executive privilege to head...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Law - "Competing for Clients, and Paying by the Click"
This story from yesterday's NY Times amazed me. Legal columnist Adam Liptak writes this week about Google "per per click" lawyer ads. Some quotes:You can do cool things with Google, like take the pulse of the legal profession. Google is,...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Law - Beyond googling: More and more, lawyers are using social networking sites as litigation tools
Vesna Jaksic of The National Law Journal has an informative article today, available via Law.com. Some quotes:At Malbrough & Lirette in Houma, La., a secretary browses MySpace and Facebook Web sites each day. She's not checking the online social networking...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, October 15, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Law - A survey of several state public access laws, including Indiana's
Columnist Rox Laird of the DesMoines Register had a column this week on state public access laws, because an Iowa legislative committee is "studying the possibility of creating a state agency to aid Iowa citizens with open-government questions and problems."...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, October 14, 2007
Ind. Gov't. - NYT article surveys efforts to lease or sell state lotteries
Don't miss this major story in the NYT today (Sunday) by Nelson D. Schwartz and Ron Nixon. The story includes links to documents such as J.P. Morgan's Proposal for Private Operation of Indiana's Lottery, and a survey of the states...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, October 14, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Law - Wine shipping and the dormant commerce clause
See this entry by Howard Bashman of How Appealing....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, October 12, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
Law - "Security Officials Seek to Block Some Online Maps"
An interesting story this morning on NPR, although not the first time it has come up .... Freedom of information vs. government officials seeking to take information off the record. Here is the blurb:Morning Edition, October 8, 2007 · With...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, October 08, 2007
Friday, October 05, 2007
Law - "In Age-Bias Suit, Sidley To Pay Ex-Partners $27.5 Million"
So reports Peter Lattman in the WSJ Law Blog this afternoon. Some quotes:In a case closely followed by the legal community, Sidley will pay $27.5 million to 32 former partners who the EEOC alleged were forced out of the partnership...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, October 05, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Law - "Ohio Wine Lovers to be Cut-off October 1" [Updated]
A press release from Free the Grapes begins:NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new law effective Monday, October 1 will prevent Ohio wine lovers from continuing to purchase wines directly from many popular mid-sized wineries, according to Free the Grapes! (www.freethegrapes.org) During the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, September 28, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Law - NYT review of Charlie Savage's book on presidential power
Michiko Kakutani of the NY Times has a good review today of a new book the ILB has been reading, Takeover: The Return of the Imperial Presidency and the Subversion of American Democracy, by Boston Globe reporter and Fort Wayne...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Law - More on "The Dark Side of the Legal Job Market"
Updating yesterday's ILB entry on the WSJ story about the job market awaiting new attorneys, a reader has pointed out to me that at least one of the charts provided by the WSJ website "was first presented, by IU Law...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Law - More on: Lawyer in Kentucky schools case seeks fees, bonus
The SCOTUS ruling on June 28, 2007, where, per this Louisville Courier Journal story dated June 29th: "In a 5-4 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts said that by classifying students by race, the Louisville and Seattle school districts perpetuated unequal...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Law - "The Dark Side of the Legal Job Market"
"A Stingier Job Market Awaits New Attorneys" is the headline to the top story today (perhaps $$$) in the Wall Street Journal. A couple brief quotes from the long and comprehensive story reported by Amir Efrati that gives the other...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, September 24, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Law - Pro-business interest group proposes "transparency code" for state attorneys general
Quotes from a press release issued yesterday by the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA):WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a commentary published today in the National Law Journal, American Tort Reform Association president Sherman "Tiger" Joyce proposed new voluntary standards...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Law - Tax profs say Bill Belichick Can Deduct His $500,000 Fine under IRS Sec. 162 as a “trade or business expenses.”
See this WSJ Blog entry for details....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, September 17, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Law - "New York Subpoenas 5 Energy Companies"
Felicity Barringer and Danny Hakim report today in the NY Times in a story that begins:Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo of New York has opened an investigation of five large energy companies, questioning whether their plans to build coal-fired power...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, September 16, 2007
Law - "In Turnaround, Industries Seek U.S. Regulation"
Eric Lipton and Gardiner Harris of the NY Times have a lengthy story today. Here are some quotes:WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 — After years of favoring the hands-off doctrine of the Bush administration, some of the nation’s biggest industries are pushing...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Law - How electonic evidence has transformed divorce
An important story today by Brad Stone on the front page of the NY Times. Some quotes:The age-old business of breaking up has taken a decidedly Orwellian turn, with digital evidence like e-mail messages, traces of Web site visits and...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, September 15, 2007
Law - "Who pays if your neighbor's tree damages your house? Va. High Court Breaks New Ground on Tree Liability"
Brigid Schulte of the Washington Post reports today in a lengthy story that begins:In the suburbs, there are few issues that can cause as much rancor and neighborhood discord as a deep-rooted, mature tree that has no regard for the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, September 15, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Law - "Brokers welcome in Kentucky: Ruling opens state for real estate deals"
Here is a story the ILB missed last week -- the Louisville Courier Journal reported:In a sweeping ruling that frees up Kentucky real estate to the national market, U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III has overturned a state law...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Law - "Regulatory Preemption: Are Federal Agencies Usurping Congressional and State Authority?"
Cindy Skrzycki, who writes the weekly column, The Regulators, for the Washington Post, writes today about:the Bush administration's increasing use of federal health and safety regulations in defense of manufacturers trying to fend off multimillion-dollar liability claims from consumers in...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Law - Troubles continue for law school founded in 2000 by Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan
The ILB started covering Ave Maria law school last winter when there was a fleeting rumor that it might relocate in Fort Wayne. According to the WSJ Law Blog today, trouble continues:The recent turmoil at Ave Maria School of Law,...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, September 10, 2007
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Law - Perfect storm hits real estate industry
A story in Friday's NY Times, reported by Katie Hafner, reports:“It’s a perfect storm for real estate agents,” said Glenn Kelman, chief executive of Redfin, an online brokerage in Seattle. “Not only have unprecedented numbers flocked to the profession, but...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, September 08, 2007
Law - More on: Attorney who represented Seattle parents in a race-based lawsuit aims to recover his pro bono legal costs
More on this ILB entry from July 2, 2007, which included this quote from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:Seattle Public Schools, already stung from losing its long-running legal fight over voluntary desegregation measures, now faces a new trial: paying the seven-figure legal...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, September 08, 2007
Law - Gun laws in court
"D.C. Case Could Shape Gun Laws: Supreme Court Is Asked to Uphold Ban" is the headline to a lengthy Sept. 5th story by Robert Barnes and David Nakamura in the Washington Post. Some quotes:The District asked the Supreme Court yesterday...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, September 08, 2007
Friday, September 07, 2007
Law - There is hope for old lawyers!
"Desperately Seeking Seniors" is the heading of a long and fascinating story by Elizabeth Goldberg in The American Lawyer. It begins:When Howrey decided to open a New York office, CEO Robert Ruyak knew that the firm needed lawyers wise to...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, September 07, 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Law - Ohio federal judge rules sex offender living near school can't be evicted
Joe Milicia of Associated Press reports in a story in the Cincinnati Post:CLEVELAND - Authorities cannot evict a convicted rapist whose home is near a school, a federal judge in Akron ordered Tuesday, ruling that the state's law limiting where...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, September 06, 2007
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Law - " Authenticating E-Discovery As Evidence"
The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel has an article today on authenticating electronic evidence. A quote from the introduction: Recent precedent confirms that courts are requiring rigorous electronic record authentication. In Lorraine v. Markel American Insurance Co ., 241 F.R.D. 534 (D....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Law - Federal Election Commission applies media exemption to political blogs
In a news release this afternoon, the FEC announcement begins:WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission announced today that it has unanimously resolved two complaints alleging that Internet blog activity is subject to Commission regulation, finding that the activity is exempt...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Law - Two fascinating economics articles today in NY Times
The ILB has spent a lot of mornings sitting around in waiting rooms lately, reading the paper. This diligence was rewarded today by really interesting stories, one on electricity deregulation and one on the rise of milk, in the NY...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Law - Legal aid in Louisville offering do-it-yourself divorce packet
Jason Riley reports today in the Louisville Courier Journal:[E]ase and affordability, along with the goal of reducing crowded dockets, led the Jefferson Circuit Court Clerk's office -- working with Legal Aid, Family Court and the Louisville Bar Association, among others...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Monday, September 03, 2007
Law - "Is the Future of Legal Scholarship in the Blogosphere?"
Margaret A. Schilt of Legal Times had an interesting article Friday titled "Is the Future of Legal Scholarship in the Blogosphere?" The focus is on law professor blogs....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, September 03, 2007
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Law - Starting law school this month?
Then check out the WSJ Blog's entry "Advice For One Ls," which solicited advice from readers and so far has 94 responses. In earlier entries, editor Peter Lattman asked for suggestions from authors including Jeffrey Toobin and Scott Turow....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, September 02, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Law - Illinois Governor sues over special sessions
Earlier this summer there were stories out of Illinois that the Governor had called their General Assembly into special session, but one house had then simply convened, adjourned, and gone home. Today Jeffrey Meitrodt of the Chicago Tribune reports:SPRINGFIELD -...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Law - Retirement planning for same-sex couples
Martha M. Hamilton, business columnist for the Washington Post, has a comprehensive article today on retirement planning for same-sex couples. A few quotes:Unmarried couples lack the automatic legal protections that kick in when one member of a married couple dies....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, August 26, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Not law but interesting - "At a Family Gathering, an Internet Cafe Breaks Out"
Here is a fun article from today's NY Times, by Robert Mummert. It begins:I’VE always enjoyed filling our home with family guests, but when a special event brought together our extended clan recently, a new wrinkle emerged. “Do you mind,”...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, August 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Law - "Lawyers Gear Up Grand New Fees"
Nathan Koppel has a story ($$$) in the Wall Street Journal today on hourly rates of $1,000 per hour. It begins:The hourly rates of the country's top lawyers are increasingly coming with something new -- a comma. A few attorneys...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Law - Unsettled times at Ave Maria Law School
"Controversy Escalates Over Mich. Law School's Move: Professor suspended, and faculty protests intensify" is the headline to this story by Tresa Baldas in The National Law Journal. It begins:A decision to move Michigan's Ave Maria School of Law to Florida...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Law - Update on lead paint lawsuits
The ABA Journal has a brief but comprensive article today by Debra Cassens Weiss headed "Setbacks in Lead Paint Suits." See earlier ILB lead paint entries here....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Law - Outlawing video game violence
"Courts Block Laws on Video Game Violence" is the headline to a story today by Seth Schiesel in the NY Times. Some quotes from the lengthy report:As video games have surged in popularity in recent years, politicians around the country...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Law - "A Quest to Get More Court Rulings Online, and Free"
John Markoff, technology reporter for the NY Times, writes today about "A Quest to Get More Court Rulings Online, and Free." As he notes, this effort has been ongoing for years now. "The two companies control the bulk of the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, August 20, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Ind. Law - New York has a good idea here
The ILB has posted many articles about interstate wine shipping, including this August 4th entry quoting from a Fort Wayne Journal Gazette column titled "Severe impact of 2006 wine-shipping law changes on small, family-owned wineries." This article from the Long...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, August 19, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Law - "Multiple Lawsuits Allege Laxative Causes Kidney Failure"
Steve Karnowski of the AP has a story today that begins:A popular over-the-counter laxative used to flush out patients' bowels before procedures such as colonoscopies has caused serious kidney damage and even death, a series of lawsuits filed across the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, August 17, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Law - Expanding a firm's pro bono services
"Lessons Learned in Boosting Pro Bono: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher figured out what works best in a recent expansion of volunteer hours and commitment" is the title to a story today by Daniel Cantu in Legal Times. Some quotes from...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Law - "Anti-Same-Sex Marriage Laws and Their Intended and Unintended Consequences"
Joanna Grossman, a professor of law at Hofstra University, has a Findlaw column this week on the Ohio Supreme Court Case interpreting that State's anti-same-sex-marriage amendment. Here is the lengthy article's concluding section:At this point, almost every state in the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, August 12, 2007
Ind. Law - "Sorrell to teach journalism, English at city private school"
A story today by Megan Hubartt in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette begins: A local teacher who was barred from teaching journalism in East Allen County Schools after allowing an opinion piece on tolerance toward homosexuals to be printed in...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, August 12, 2007
Law - "A little-noted side effect of the property boom of the past decade has been the real-estate-enabled divorce"
That is a quote from a story today in the NY Times titled "Buy Low, Divorce High." More from the story:Home values might have slid in some markets, but in the New York City region, where prices remain high, divorce...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, August 12, 2007
Law - "Students pay; Sallie Mae pays off big"
The ILB has had a number of entries on Sallie Mae, the nationwide student loan scandals, and the crisis in student debt. Today the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette has an editorial about the impending $25 billion buyout of Sallie Mae,...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, August 12, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Law - Nationally known conservative lawyer hired by Rhode Id. Governor to file a legal brief opposing same-sex marriage
Indiana Daily Insight this morning picked up on an interesting controversy going on in Rhode Island. The Providence Journal reports today:PROVIDENCE — State Democratic Party Chairman William Lynch is questioning Governor Carcieri’s decision to pay a nationally known conservative lawyer...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, August 10, 2007
Law - "A massive hot dog clogged Chicago's main artery Thursday morning"
This story, complete with photo illustration, in the Chicago Tribune this morning tickled me. From the story:A massive hot dog clogged Chicago's main artery Thursday morning. In a rare occurrence of an encased-meat vehicle committing a traffic violation, Chicago police...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, August 10, 2007
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Law - "Homeowners Insurers' Secret Tactics Cheat Fire Victims, Hike Profits"
Bloomberg.com has a very long story by David Dietz and Darrell Preston revealing the shoddy practices of the home insurance industry. Some quotes from the lengthy and detailed report: ``It was devastating; I stood there and cried,'' says Tunnell, 42,...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, August 04, 2007
Friday, August 03, 2007
Law - Katrina Flood Victims Lose Insurance Appeal [More]
The ILB has a long list of earlier posts on flood insurance and Katrina coverage. Yesterday the 5th Circuit issued its 52-page opinion in In re: Katrina Canal Breaches Litigation, involving Louisiana litigants. According to an AP story in the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, August 03, 2007
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Law - More on: "Annual Survey Shows the New Reality of Associate Life"
Following up on yesterday's entry , see this entry and comments today in the blog Above the Law. Above the Law also has this posting today that begins:Clerkship Bonus Watch: Dewey Ballantine. Please welcome a new member to the $50K...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, August 02, 2007
Law - A neat story today about a family law firm
Peter Lattman of the WSJ Law Blog did a great interview today under the heading "Here’s a Story . . . of a Firm Called Munley" about an "8-lawyer Scranton personal injury firm comprised of seven Munleys and a Cartwright."...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, August 02, 2007
Law - "High-tech billboards targeted: Kentucky officials want them gone"
Tony Lang reports today in a lengthy story in the Cincinnati Enquirer:Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet has told outdoor advertising companies operating in Northern Kentucky that the digital boards should be torn down, turned off or converted back to static displays. No...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, August 02, 2007
Law - "High-tech billboards targeted: Kentucky officials want them gone"
Tony Lang reports today in a lengthy story in the Cincinnati Enquirer:Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet has told outdoor advertising companies operating in Northern Kentucky that the digital boards should be torn down, turned off or converted back to static displays. No...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Thursday, August 02, 2007
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Law - "Annual Survey Shows the New Reality of Associate Life" [Updated]
The American Lawyer has an article today on "the state of associate life." The article begins with some findings:# Associates aren't miserable, except perhaps in certain high-pressure New York precincts. The average satisfaction score hit a record high this year:...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Law - In Kentucky "Clash builds on benefits for domestic partners"
Nancy C. Rodriguez and Tom Loftus of the Louisville Courier-Journal report today:FRANKFORT, Ky. -- While 200 opponents rallied yesterday for a ban on state universities offering domestic-partner benefits to employees, Attorney General Greg Stumbo said the University of Louisville has...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Law - More on the student loan program
The ILB has had a number of entries about student loans - here is a list. Sunday's NY Times special education supplement included several interesting stories. Joe Nocera, a Times business columnist, has this article titled "The Profit and the...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Monday, July 30, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Law - Lawyer in Kentucky schools case seeks fees, bonus
Early this month the ILB had an entry headed "Attorney who represented Seattle parents in a race-based lawsuit aims to recover his pro bono legal costs," and including this quote from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:Seattle Public Schools, already stung from losing...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, July 29, 2007
Law - "Sex offender limits: Too far?"
This ILB entry from last Wednesday, July 25th, reported on a suit in Lafayette challenging Indiana's law requiring that convicted sex offenders living within 1,000 feet of certain properties such as schools must move. The entry also referenced several successful...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Sunday, July 29, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Law - Recovering damages from Chinese companies
The Washington Post today has a story reported by Xiyun Yang headlined "Liability Lawyers Struggle to Pierce the Chinese Curtain." A few quotes:While suing companies in foreign countries is always more difficult than pursing a domestic lawsuit, the complexities of...Posted by Marcia Oddi on Saturday, July 28, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Law - Boston law firm uses web videos to attract new associates
The WSJ Blog has an entertaining entry this morning about Choate Hall & Stewart LLP, a Boston firm using videos to attract new legal talent....Posted by Marcia Oddi on Friday, July 27, 2007