Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Daily Headlines February 20, 2009

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: NLJ.COM, February 20, 2009.

Subscription needed for online access:

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/subscribe.jsp

FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  Hiring from top schools steady in '08
"Despite the economic nosedive that began gaining momentum in 2008, the nation's biggest law firms hired just about the same percentage of graduates from top schools last year as they did the year before. At the same time, NLJ 250 firms brought aboard more graduates from the 20 schools that they relied on the most, which themselves had larger classes. The development suggests that law firms were not well positioned for the recession they now face ? and that big firms may be forced to rethink the traditional hiring model."

FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  Study finds strong relationship between campaign contributions and decisions by state Supreme Court judges elected in partisan contests
"Is justice for sale? There is a strong relationship between campaign contributions and decisions by state Supreme Court judges in states that elect those judges, a recent study finds. Although they caution that their sample is small, researchers concluded that campaign contributions appear to affect the outcome of cases in states where judges are elected in partisan contests, but not where they are elected on a nonpartisan ballot."

WEB-ONLY  |  Major cuts at Allen & Overy sure to be felt across the Atlantic
"Major changes are afoot at Magic Circle firm Allen & Overy, and the impact of the shakeup is sure to be felt across the Atlantic. The U.K.-based firm announced on Thursday a major restructuring that includes cutting some 447 partner, staff and associate positions and freezing billing rates and associate and staff pay. It's not yet clear to what extent the massive changes will affect the firm's U.S. operations. "

WEB-ONLY  |  A white-collar defense attorney talks about how the UBS deal 'breaches the dam'
"White-collar defense attorney William Devaney, a New York partner at Washington, D.C.-based Venable, spoke with us about why the U.S. Department of Justice's probe of Swiss bank UBS is more of a criminal matter than a tax tangle. Devaney also analyzed the DOJ's use of a deferred prosecution agreement after last year's decline in such deals, and the consequences for UBS account holders and other offshore banks."

WEB-ONLY  |  Simpson Thacher sends some associates on year-long pro bono stints
"Amid a slowdown in funding for public interest legal work and a downturn in business at private law firms, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is sending some of its associates to year-long stints at nonprofit organizations. The starting salary for Simpson Thacher associates is $160,000. No layoffs have been reported at the 869-attorney firm during the recession, although legal blogs have reported rumors of associate cutbacks there."

WEB-ONLY  |  Immigration lawyers decry stimulus package provision that limits companies' ability to hire foreign labor
"A new provision tucked inside Congress' recently passed stimulus package will prevent some American companies from hiring top-flight global talent, which has immigration lawyers crying foul. The provision, formally known as the Sanders-Grassley amendment, prohibits financial institutions that receive certain federal funds from hiring foreign workers under the H-1B program for two years."

WEB-ONLY  |  Judge finds provisions of Wisconsin's judicial conduct code violate rights of judicial candidates
"In a decision drawing parallels to a key 2002 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, a federal judge has found that three provisions of the Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct violate the First Amendment in restricting the speech of judicial candidates."

WEB-ONLY  |  Ex-Virginia assistant AG wins First Amendment case involving 'mail order' bride
"A former Virginia assistant attorney general who found a foreign bride through the Internet and lost a custody battle for their child because of alleged domestic abuse has won a First Amendment argument in a Washington state appeals court. The court ruled that a family court order prohibiting former Assistant Attorney General Anthony P. Meredith from contacting any government agency regarding his ex-wife's immigration status was a unlawful prior restraint on his free speech rights."

WEB-ONLY  |  Blind law student sues Law School Admissions Council over accessibility
The National Federation of the Blind and a blind law school applicant filed a discrimination lawsuit against the national law school admissions test administrator, The Law School Admissions Council, in a California Superior Court. The lawsuit claims that the Newtown, Pa.-based admissions council violates two California laws requiring equal access to disabled persons because its Web site and LSAT preparation materials are inaccessible to the blind.

WEB-ONLY  |  New laws will stimulate economy ? and create headaches for employers
The stimulus legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama may spell relief for some, but it will lead to complex administrative headaches for employers. So forewarn management-side lawyers, who are advising employers about new federal legislation that will have them tracking down thousands of employees and notifying them of new health insurance rights, including government-funded discounts on health insurance.

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on February 20, 2009 (boomark / email).