COVID-19

Western Michigan University trustees vote to end affiliation with Cooley Law, calling it ‘a distraction’

Western Michigan University’s board of trustees voted Thursday to end its affiliation with the Cooley Law School. The meeting was livestreamed on the university’s YouTube channel.

Nov 5, 2020 1:55 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Judge requires report disclaimer; $2.1B baby powder verdict allowed to stand

Judge requires disclaimer in cop commission report U.S. District Judge John Bates of the District of Columbia has said President Donald Trump’s national commission on policing can’t release a report unless it carries a disclaimer saying the group didn’t comply with federal requirements for advisory committees. The disclaimer must say…

Nov 4, 2020 3:28 PM CST

8 tips for lawyers on how to build resilience

A popular keyword for psychologists and transformational leaders these days is “resilience.” The dictionary definition of resilience is the ability to recover. Synonyms are “perseverance,” “elasticity,” “toughness,” “flexibility” and “durability.”

Nov 4, 2020 2:44 PM CST

Bankruptcy filings decreased by 21% in the past year, but trouble might lie ahead

Bankruptcy filings decreased by 21.1% in the year ending Sept. 30, largely driven by a decrease in nonbusiness bankruptcies.

Nov 3, 2020 1:56 PM CST

It’s ‘absurd and flat-out wrong’ to suggest late pay raises were from cash-flow issues, Boies Schiller says

Boies Schiller Flexner is flatly denying a suggestion that cash-flow problems could be the reason why some associate pay raises were delayed.

Nov 3, 2020 12:16 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Texas courts allow count of drive-thru votes; 8th Circuit questions extended ballot deadline

Drive-thru votes can be counted in Texas, 2 courts say The Texas Supreme Court and a federal judge in Houston have refused to stop the counting of nearly 127,000 votes cast in drive-thru voting in Harris County, Texas. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen of the Southern District of Texas said…

Nov 2, 2020 4:36 PM CST

Firm sues for rent abatement; landlord decries law firms trying to ‘weasel out’ of commitments

Schulte Roth & Zabel has filed a $10 million lawsuit claiming that its Manhattan landlord failed to abide by lease provisions requiring rent abatement in an emergency.

Oct 29, 2020 12:14 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Lawyer says he was stopped for jogging while Black; public defender held in contempt

Lawyer says he was racially profiled while jogging A Black lawyer says he was racially profiled during a late-night jog in his new gated community in Parkland, Florida. Lawyer Josiah Graham, 31, says a security SUV—driven by a Black guard—did a U-turn and began to follow him. Graham has written…

Oct 28, 2020 4:29 PM CDT

Many BigLaw firms are quietly laying off staff members, recruiters say

Reports of staff layoffs at a handful of large law firms don’t provide the whole picture.

Oct 28, 2020 9:30 AM CDT

Judge acknowledges his disparaging reference to governor was ‘idiotic’

In an April order that is just now gaining exposure, a judge in Mobile, Alabama, referred to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey as "Gov. MeMaw."

Oct 27, 2020 2:47 PM CDT

Law student debt averages about $165K at graduation, creating stress and restricting choices, survey says

Young lawyers are so impacted by student debt that they are making life-changing decisions, such as delaying children and, in some cases, choosing a job because of its higher pay, according to a survey posted online Monday.

Oct 27, 2020 12:19 PM CDT

SCOTUS refuses to reinstate extended deadline for absentee ballots in Wisconsin

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday evening refused to reinstate a judge’s extended deadline to count absentee ballots in Wisconsin.

Oct 27, 2020 9:46 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: BigLaw partner in mansion rent dispute; 115 court employees have COVID-19

BigLaw partner is accused of failing to pay mansion rent A affidavit filed in housing court alleges that Willkie Farr & Gallagher partner A. Mark Getachew has stiffed his landlord on rent of $11,000 per month for a Connecticut mansion since arriving in June. Getachew and his wife said the…

Oct 26, 2020 4:36 PM CDT

BigLaw firm lays off 43 business staffers

Hogan Lovells has laid off 43 members of its business services staff in the United States and Mexico.

Oct 26, 2020 9:27 AM CDT

How to maximize your business development during the COVID-19 crisis

Plenty of lawyers in private practice worry about business development during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there may be more opportunities to discover new clients than they realize. And that is thanks to an increase in online events, says Karen Kaplowitz, a lawyer and business development coach.

Oct 26, 2020 8:56 AM CDT