Tag: Casetext

* Here’s the truth behind what some saw as Zina Bash making a “white power” sign at the confirmation hearings of her former boss, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. [Washington Post]

* With the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings in the rearview mirror, now is a good time to look back at the last four Supreme Court confirmation hearings. [Empirical SCOTUS]

* Thomas Jipping summarizes research showing that the American Bar Association does tilt leftward in rating judicial nominees — which is why its unanimous “well qualified” rating for Judge Brett Kavanaugh is especially impressive. [Bench Memos / National Review]

* Jonathan Adler argues that claims of a Justice Kavanaugh threatening the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare have been greatly exaggerated. [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason]

* But a Justice Kavanaugh likely would affect the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence on presidential authority and the separation of powers. [Instapundit]

* Speaking of the Supreme Court, conservative (and tiny) Hillsdale College punches above its weight in producing SCOTUS clerks — so Paul Rahe wants to know, why can’t his school get any love from the U.S. News Wall Street Journal rankings? [Ricochet]

* President Donald Trump’s “radically direct” tweets about pending prosecutions threaten the rule of law, according to Gerald Lefcourt and Joel Cohen. [Law & Crime]

* Legal research smackdown: Lexis v. Casetext! [Dewey B Strategic]

* And in other notable news from the world of legal tech, iManage just acquired business-process company Elegrity, which works in the risk and compliance management space. [Artificial Lawyer]

* When it comes to the retrial of sexual-assault charges against Bill Cosby, there are many women — 19, to be exact — willing to testify #MeToo. [Jezebel]

* Best friends: which organizations file the most amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court? [Empirical SCOTUS]

* Judicata just ranked the brief-writing skills of 20 top California law firms; how did your firm fare? [Dewey B Strategic]

* How will artificial intelligence transform society? Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer of Microsoft, and Harry Shum, executive VP of Microsoft’s AI and research Group, share their insights. [Microsoft]

* Speaking of AI, how will it affect the world of legal practice? Jake Heller, CEO of AI pioneer Casetext, has answers.
[Artificial Lawyer]

* Professor Noah Feldman identifies the shortcomings of Twitter as a forum for legal discussion (but has some kind words for legal blogs, including the one you’re reading right now). [Bloomberg]

* Message boards are also valuable resources — like this one, “where all the unemployed lawyers go to cry.” [The Outline]

* Marc Randazza is a commendably fierce defender of the First Amendment, but this latest case might be a bridge too far. [Huffington Post]

* Check out this fascinating profile of a Mormon lawyer who lost his faith searching for an archaeological site. [Science]

* Why do we need people from s**thole countries? Meet five lawyers who prove the merits of immigration. [Lawfuel]

* Think twice before asking your accountant buddy to do your taxes for you. [Going Concern]

* Speaking of taxes, we’ve finally uncovered the real victims of the new tax scheme — partners who want a break on sports tickets. [Accounting Today]

* The Ninth Circuit, President Donald Trump’s judicial archnemesis, affirms Judge Derrick Watson’s (modified) preliminary injunction against the “grandma ban.” [How Appealing]

* Donald Trump Jr. opens up to the Senate Judiciary Committee about that infamous June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer. [New York Times]

* Consolidation continues in the legal-services world: Counsel On Call acquires e-discovery company DSicovery LLC (DSi). [ABA Journal]

* The Trump administration sides with the anti-gay-marriage baker in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case that will be decided this coming Term by SCOTUS. [How Appealing]

* ICYMI: Deborah Farone — Cravath’s chief marketing director for the past 14 years, and the “gold standard” in legal marketing — is leaving Cravath to start her own consulting firm and to write a book on law firm marketing (to be published next year by the Practising Law Institute). [Law.com]

* Cooley raids Wilson Sonsini for talent for the second time in three months, this time hiring emerging growth specialists Jon Avina, Calise Cheng, and Rachel Proffitt. [Big Law Business]

* Legal research startup Casetext — led by CEO Jake Heller, COO Laura Safdie, and VP Pablo Arredondo — continues on its upward trajectory. [ABA Journal]