International Trade

Suddenly, ALJs Become Political Appointees

Less than three weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court decided Lucia v. Securities and Exchange Commission, President Donald Trump signed an executive order applying the court’s rationale in Lucia to the hiring — and firing — of all administrative law judges in the federal government, making them entirely beholden to the heads of their agencies or the president for their jobs, says Brian Casey of Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

Congressional Forecast: July

While Senate hearings on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court will draw much attention during July, Congress remains very busy with fiscal year 2019 appropriations bills. The chambers may go to conference this month on the first of several appropriations "minibuses," says Layth Elhassani of Covington & Burling LLP.

What Kavanaugh's Writing Tells Us About His Personality

People with certain personality traits tend to use certain words. A computer analysis of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s D.C. Circuit opinions reveals that he is highly extraverted, which means that he would be a prominent voice on the U.S. Supreme Court, says Matthew Hall, a professor at the University of Notre Dame.

Opinion

3 Pros, 3 Cons Of Litigation Finance

An educated guess puts the number of new litigation funders launched in the past 18 months at 30 — an astonishing number, with more to come. Is this a blessing to our legal system or something more akin to tulip mania? Maybe both, says Ralph Sutton, founder and CEO of litigation funding firm Validity Finance LLC.

Modern Communication Brings E-Discovery Challenges

As new communications platforms displace email, the legal industry is awkwardly grappling with complex e-discovery questions. Fortunately, this environment provides a very fertile ground of incentives for innovation in both e-discovery technology and service offerings, says Thomas Bonk of Epiq.

Opinion

It's Not All About The Benjamins, Baby (Lawyer)

Notwithstanding the latest salary war among prominent law firms, I urge my middle-aged and older colleagues to help the recent graduates we know focus on the long term. Even if the salary is the same, there is a big difference between an institutional firm and the relatively younger firms matching BigLaw, says J.B. Heaton, a University of Chicago business law fellow and former partner at Bartlit Beck.

Series

Judging A Book: Hood Reviews 'Lawyering From The Inside Out'

Law professor Nathalie Martin's new book, "Lawyering From the Inside Out: Learning Professional Development Through Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence," can be of value to any lawyer aiming to achieve greater productivity, relieve the stress of the legal profession and focus on goals, says U.S. District Chief Judge Denise Page Hood of the Eastern District of Michigan.

Acetris Case Clarifies Definition Of 'US-Made End Product'

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims' decision in Acetris Health v. U.S. is important to all suppliers of products to the government because it interprets the interplay of the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act in contracts subject to the trade agreements clause, say Stephen Ruscus and Donna Lee Yesner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP.

3 Top E-Discovery Case Law Lessons Of 2018 (So Far)

The blockbuster e-discovery cases, with big sanctions and bigger controversies, have been few and far between this year. But that doesn’t mean the legal questions around e-discovery have been answered. Let’s take a closer look at three cases worthy of our attention, says Casey Sullivan, an attorney at discovery technology provider Logikcull.

Opinion

Law Schools Must Take A Stand Against Mandatory Arbitration

Later this week, Harvard Law students will begin bidding on interview slots with the nation’s top law firms. Our institutions owe it to their students not only to require firms to disclose mandatory arbitration provisions in new associate contracts, but also to bar employers from on-campus recruiting if they require these provisions, says Isabel Finley, a third-year student at Harvard Law School and president of the Harvard Women’s Law Association.