Weekly Briefs: Judge rules against DACA fix; Paul Weiss goes on hiring spree
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New rulemaking doesn’t save DACA
A new administrative rule intended to “preserve and fortify” the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program doesn’t cure its illegality, according to a Sept. 13 decision by U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen of the Southern District of Texas. The program, known as DACA, defers deportation and grants work permits for some immigrants who arrived here illegally before age 16. It is up to Congress, not the executive branch, to create such a program, Hanen said. The judge’s order allows DACA renewals while the case proceeds but bars approval of first-time applications. The order does not require deportations of DACA recipients or applicants. (Law360, Reuters, the New York Times, American Civil Liberties Union press release, Hanen’s decision)
Paul Weiss raids this firm for private-equity partners
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison has hired 13 private-equity partners, 12 of them from Kirkland & Ellis. Three partners—two from the United Kingdom and another in the United States—could earn as much as $20 million each, depending on how much business they bring with them, sources told Law.com. (Reuters, Bloomberg Law, Law.com)
Another BigLaw firm changes diversity scholarships
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has changed the eligibility criteria for its diversity and inclusion scholarships following lawsuits against two BigLaw firms over language that allegedly restricted applicants based on race. Gibson Dunn previously said the scholarship is available to applicants who “identify with an underrepresented group in the legal profession and who have demonstrated resilience and excellence on their path toward a career in law.” The revised version removes the “underrepresented group” language. Gibson Dunn’s chief diversity officer told Bloomberg that its program has always been open to all law students with a commitment to diversity in the profession. (Bloomberg Law, Law360)
Law students drop retaliation suit against Yale
Two law students who sued Yale Law School in 2021 have dropped their lawsuit alleging that they were blackballed from job opportunities because they refused to lie in an investigation of a law professor. The professor, Amy Chua, had agreed not to drink or socialize with students outside class after she and her husband were accused of telling female would-be law clerks that then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh preferred candidates who looked like models. The plaintiffs said they met with Chua because they wanted to discuss lack of support for students of color, but no meals were involved. The bulk of the students’ claims were dismissed last year. (Reuters, Law.com)
Lawyer drops $1.7M suit against Microsoft over email cutoff
A New York lawyer who sued Microsoft for $1.7 million over an email cutoff has dropped the lawsuit. The lawyer, David M. Schlachter, told Law360 that the matter had been settled, but he couldn’t comment further. Schlachter’s suit had alleged that he was unable to get his problem resolved, despite repeated calls to customer service, long waits on hold, and failed promises that he would receive callbacks or quick resolution of his problem. Schlachter had told the ABA Journal that he was without email from May 10 to June 1. (Law360)
