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Morning Minute

What You Need to Know

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Leigh Jones

Mar 28, 2019

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING


MORE JUDGES - President Trump is poised to gain his fifth and sixth judicial appointments to the Ninth Circuit. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled today to vote on the confirmations of Daniel Collins, a partner at Munger Tolles, and Kenneth Lee, a partner at Jenner & Block. California’s Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris have declined to return blue slips that indicate their sign-off. If confirmed by the full Senate, Collins and Lee will join four other Trump appointees to the Ninth Circuit, which has 29 judicial slots. The court currently has four vacancies.

BACK TO REALITY - Where will Mueller and his team land now that their report into Russian election tampering is wrapped up? Ryan Lovelace reports that including Mueller, 74, the special counsel team had four former Wilmer partners. The legendary tight lips of the group are not revealing their next move, but odds are that Wilmer could get at least some of them back. Other team members are expected to return to their previous government posts.

FOR REALS - Gonzaga takes on Florida State University this evening to earn a spot in the Elite Eight, but the Spokane, Washington, university’s law school has already emerged as a big winner in this year’s NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. Karen Sloan reports on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance that Gonzaga law dean Jacob Rooksby and about 50 of its law students made this week to help prove that the university actually exists. Kimmel has been joking on air about the fact that he doesn’t believe Gonzaga University actually exists and that it’s an imaginary campus intended only to win basketball games.

Sponsored By NAM (National Arbitration and Mediation)

Taking Control of ESI in Arbitration

As time has passed, Arbitration, which is a creature of contract, has evolved, and efforts have been made to bring over some of the more positive aspects of litigation to the Arbitration forum – without the attendant delay and cost. But reaching and maintaining this “best of both worlds” balance becomes difficult when we begin talking about Electronically Stored Information or ESI. Read More

EDITOR’S PICKS


Monsanto Hit With $80M Verdict in First Federal Roundup Trial
By Amanda Bronstad

More Firms Snag Defense Roles in College Admissions Cases
By Jack Newsham

9th Circuit to Review Lead Plaintiff Appointment in Suits Over Elon Musk Tweets
By Amanda Bronstad

How In-House Leaders Build Close Relationships With Foreign Lawyers
By Phillip Bantz

US Law Firms Are Falling Behind in the UK M&A Market
Krishnan Nair

Another Ex-Partner Sues Milberg, Successor Firm Over Stopped Payments
By Jack Newsham

 
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING


NEW BENEFIT - Two Magic Circle firms are offering gender reassignment surgery for transgender staff under their private medical insurance plans. Hannah Roberts reports that Linklaters said the move was aimed at supporting staff with gender dysphoria, a medical condition where a person experiences discomfort and distress from a mismatch between their biological sex assigned at birth and their gender identity. Clifford Chance also has agreed to update its medical insurance policy to cover gender reassignment surgery.

 
WHAT YOU SAID

“I didn’t mean to say that we don’t care about the outcome of this case, because we deeply care about the rights of our veterans and we do care about the outcome of all of these types of cases.”

NOEL FRANCISCO, U.S. SOLICITOR GENERAL, AFTER SAYING DURING SCOTUS ORAL ARGUMENTS THAT HE WAS LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SPECIFIC RESULT IN KISOR V. WILKIE AND MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OVERTURNING PRECEDENT THAT DIRECT COURTS TO DEFER TO AN AGENCY’S INTERPRETATION OF ITS OWN AMBIGUOUS REGULATIONS.

 

Morning Minute is produced by Law.com editor Leigh Jones and supported by Law.com's global news team.

Have a tip? Contact us: David Bario (law firms), Nate Robson/Michael Riccardi (litigation), Michael Scarcella (policy/regulation), Karen Sloan (law schools), Rhys Dipshan (legal tech).

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