Great news for recent law school grads! Not only are firms around the country laying off new lawyers and is the supply of lawyers rapidly outpacing the demand, a California judge ruled that law school grads clerking before entering the bar are not eligible for overtime pay. A Northern California lawyer sued Brayton Purcell LLP, […]
News
US Lawyers scammed for $31 million
At one time or another, we’ve all received generous offers in our inboxes from Nigerian princes looking to compensate someone for transferring money to a US bank account. Just send them your personal information and bank account number! Most have been wise to that scam from the start, but dozens of lawyers and firms were […]
Barry Bonds seeking to overturn obstruction ruling
Baseball has moved on from Barry Bonds. Players, besides Prince Fielder, are shrinking back to the size of regular humans, and the epic home run totals of the 1990s and early 2000s have subsided. But if fans are eager to push the years so obviously tainted by steroids from their minds, the courts have not […]
Attorneys Discuss Legal Ethics of Social Media Evidence
But before the hegemonic rise of social media, lawyers couldn’t use all evidence available to them simply because it existed. There are ethical rules that attorneys must abide by, and that doesn’t change simply because social media marks new and untested territory. Writing for the New York Law Journal, Christopher Boehning and Daniel Toal point to three recent ethics decisions that may shed a light on the future of social media use for lawyers. These ethical quandaries include the debate over social media use among jurors, propriety issues surrounding social media, and the prospect of “friending” potential witnesses.
Supreme Court Sends Mixed Signals on EPA Enforcement
Supreme Court justices are notoriously opaque when it comes to detailing why they take up some cases but reject seemingly similar appeals. This trait was pushed front and center this week as the Supreme Court decided to hear debate on EPA enforcement of the Clean Water Act despite rejecting a similar case brought by General Electric Co. just three weeks earlier, reports the New York Times. Both cases claimed that the EPA routinely violates due process under the Fifth Amendment, but environmental lawyers predict the Supreme Court decided to hear Sackett v. EPA because it included the question of wetlands regulation, to which the Court has previously shown “overt hostility.”
Law Schools React to Downturn With Practical Skills
It’s undeniable that the legal profession is in limbo. The recession forced the country’s largest law firms to cut corners and lay off hoards of new lawyers. And for aspiring attorneys currently working hard in law schools across the country, prospects for employment look grim while loan commitments continue to rise. To adapt to the changing market, a number of law schools have developed a new set of curricula designed to teach practical legal experience rather than rely on academic teachings that often don’t prepare lawyers for real world situations.
Supreme Court Rejects Wal-Mart Class Action Lawsuit
In a controversial decision in mid-June, the Supreme Court rejected class action status for 1.6 million women who sought to sue mega-store Wal-Mart for employment discrimination in what would have been history’s largest class action lawsuit. More than a year earlier, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals approved the lawsuits, arguing that the #1 company on Fortune’s list of 500 largest companies must address claims that women are paid less than men for the same jobs and are less likely to receive promotions. But by a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court said it was a stretch to decide the fate of 1.6 million discrimination lawsuits at once, a major set back for Wal-Mart discrimination plaintiffs.
Drunk Driving Statistics Urge DUI Enforcement
Forth of July weekend is a great chance for Americans to chow down on hot dogs on their day off, enjoy the sun, and relax with friends. But holiday celebrators who have had a little too much to drink often abuse the holiday by driving drunk. Getting behind the wheel while intoxicated is incredibly dangerous and leads to thousands of car accident deaths and even more injuries each year. Over 4th of July weekend this year, state and local law enforcement agencies will crack down on drunk drivers, but the challenge lies with individuals to decide not to drive drunk, and to stop their friends and family members from making that same mistake.
Teen Drivers Most Vulnerable to Summer Car Accidents
For parents, there are many reasons to be concerned about teen car accidents. Teens are less experienced drivers than adults, they are more prone to reckless behavior, and teens are the demographic most likely to drive distracted. But it may come as an unwelcome surprise that parents have reason for additional concern during the summer months, which have a track record as the most dangerous for teen drivers. According to AAA, for example, seven of the ten most fatal driving days for teens fall in the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day.