Recent Articles

Avvo: "No Concern" Over Convicted Sex Offender

January 06, 2009 04:02

Avvo, the lawyer rating service, says it has "no concern" over a convicted New York sex offender, whose license was suspended last week. Steven J. Lever, a former Kirkland & Ellis associate, was the subject of a sharply divided opinion from New York's Appellate Division, First Department, with...

My Blawg Review of the Year Nominations

January 02, 2009 18:16

The anonymous Editor of Blawg Review has once again foisted upon those that have written a Blawg Review (or are currently signed up to write one) the miserable job of picking the "best" of the year.The problem, of course, is that picking the "best" is highly subjective. There's no scale to weigh...

Chief Judge Kaye Keeps Door Open On Hillary's Senate Seat

December 31, 2008 18:33

Dan Slater from the WSJ Law Blog interviewed New York's chief Judge Judith Kaye today on what she will do next now that she is retiring.Two weeks ago I said she should be considered for Hillary's Senate seat, with Caroline Kennedy being a particularly bad choice. (See, Chief Judge Judith Kaye --...

Sex Offender Keeps Law License (Updated)

December 31, 2008 04:19

In a decision released today, a sharply divided panel of the Appellate Division, First Department determined that an admitted sex offender will keep his New York law license. A majority of three justices suspended the license of the admitted offender for three years. Two dissenters insisted he...

Chief Judge Judith Kaye, for US Senate, Gets A Bit of Attention

December 30, 2008 21:49

The accolades for retiring New York Chief Judge Judith Kaye continue, with a story in today's New York Times. There is also a humble tribute to Kaye by Lawrence Cunningham at Concurring Opinions, calling her "One of the country's greatest contemporary judges." She leaves the bench January 15, 2009,...

Blawg Review of the Year?

December 30, 2008 02:42

The anonymous Editor of Blawg Review is once again setting up the selection of Blawg Review of the Year as a contest.Since I did a Thanksgiving-themed Blawg Review (#188), with a little extra help from Arlo Guthrie on guitar, I have a vested interest in who wins.Ed. has thankfully provided a short...

Chamber of Commerce Flubs Tort "Reform" Propaganda Campaign

December 19, 2008 11:52

The Chamber of Commerce has blown its own propaganda campaign regarding frivolous lawsuits. At this website designed to spread the myth of the frivolous lawsuit as a bona fide problem, they mistakingly included a pro-consumer eight-minute video called Mr. Fancy Pants. If you hold your cursor over...

"Pants" Pearson Loses Bid for New Trial Against Dry Cleaner

December 18, 2008 16:29

Former administrative judge Roy "Pants" Pearson, who infamously brought a $67M lawsuit against a dry cleaner for allegedly losing a pair of trousers, has lost his bid for a new trial. That he subsequently lowered his demand to only $54M didn't seem to matter (Previously: Pants Lawsuit Ends in...

The Bubbe Maisse Report (aka "Judicial Hellholes")

December 17, 2008 22:39

A bubbe maisse is a Yiddish expression for a grandmother's tale. In the electronic era we call them urban legends. And the American Tort "Reform" Association, a business group dedicated to making sure consumers can't seek fair damages for harm that was caused to them, has issued its annual...

Madoff Fallout--Liablity of Third Party Money Managers

December 17, 2008 17:22

While investors who lost tons of money by directly investing in the Madoff Ponzi Scandal may be unable to recover any money from his firm, those whose funds were invested indirectly through money managers may be able to proceed under a negligence theory.While money management isn't the focus of...