Another Year, another Hair Posted By : llaptop 3

Whose body is this? Certainly this couldn't be me in the mirror? When I went to bed last night I was 32. When I awoke I was 55. What the hell happened? It is more than just "ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER HAIR"! It looks more like a lot of years and lots of hairs!!! I want the mind, body, and energy of that 32 year old person I remember back. You know the one. The one that thinks they will never grow old and the one that says "that will never happen to me". Guess what? IT DOES!

Climb Every Mountain

I'm live-blogging the shuttle ride from the main terminal at Dulles to Concourse C!!! The wonders of technology -- I should Tweeter this, or Twooter it, or Meeper it, or whatever they call that thing where people trained for decades in the Literature of Fact wind up extruding less-than-140-word thought bubbles for the clicking masses. (Not that I'm above it! I've always said: Tell me how low to go and I'll go lower.) [My favorite Tweeter: Thomas Pynchon writing "Isn't that Salinger?"]

FYI, I'm going to Wyoming...hence the photo...oops, we're here! More later...Boarding plane...

[Oh, and about McCain. My expert take is that he did fine. You can quote me.]

[Another thought while I wait for the command to shut down this laptop: I thought, all told, that the GOP convention had an angry streak, and I wonder how that will play out there in voterworld. McCain softened that tone a bit in what was a pretty unspectacular speech. So this wasn't Houston 1992, the Pat Buchanan convention. But from Thompson to Romney to Giuliani to Palin, the barbs were quite sharp. But please weigh in with your thoughts -- all opinions welcome. Gotta go...]

more to come....maybe some pix of giant mountains and stuff...

Some IP Attorneys Look to Make Their Mark as Patent-Holders

Having seen the fortunes earned by small patent-holding companies, some lawyers are playing the patent litigation game as principals, not just advisers. At least 10 law firm lawyers have filed suits to protect their own "inventions" in recent years. Firms seem to have been caught flat-footed by the trend: They have systems to avoid conflicts of interest when it comes to client matters, but they haven't routinely required IP attorneys to disclose patents they own or litigation they're pursuing as individuals.

Abramoff Gets Four Years for Corruption

Jack Abramoff, the once-powerful lobbyist at the heart of a far-reaching political corruption scandal, was sentenced on Thursday to four years in prison, a term longer than had been sought by prosecutors. Abramoff appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down the sentence, saying later, "My name is the butt of a joke, the source of a laugh and the title of a scandal." Abramoff could appeal the sentence because Justice Department infighting is partly responsible for the lengthy prison term.

What's Next for Wolf Block After Second Failed Merger Attempt?

Now that Wolf Block and Akerman Senterfitt have announced that merger talks are off, there's speculation as to what killed the talks and what's next for Wolf Block. The more than $426 million deal was called off, according to Wolf Block Chairman Mark Alderman, due to about $10 million each in insurance work for both firms -- but not everyone believes that's the full story. As for what's next, Alderman says that in February the firm will refocus on its strategic plan, which could still mean a merger.

What This Associate Believes

In honor of the young gunners out there aiming for the top rung of the big-firm ladder, humor columnist The Snark offers an ode to big-firm life, as told from their hypothetical perspective. What do associates believe in? The power of large law firms to make the world a better place in six-minute increments, that recording billable activities memorializes the greatness of attorneys' work and waterproof BlackBerrys so that lawyers with greater ambition are always accessible -- even while on vacation.

Going Beyond the Law Degree

The more degrees you have, the greater your options will be in your career, right? "Maybe," says Noah Newitz, a partner in the New York office of Cahill Gordon & Reindel and chair of the hiring committee. While a dual J.D.-MBA degree may enable an associate to hit the ground running with skills that might otherwise need to be developed on the job over time, it wouldn't help, say, someone litigating environmental cases. And then there are the substantial costs to weigh of adding another year of school.

Laptop Add-Ons: Taking the Taste Test

There was a time when buying a laptop wasn't necessarily as complicated as buying a car. Now, laptop buyers must often wade through lists of options long enough to rival those on Ford Broncos. Freelance writer Alan Cohen passes judgment on three of the most popular add-ons.

Attorney-Client Privilege Becomes Key Issue in Suit Against Law Firm

Positive Software Solutions upped the ante in its request for sanctions against Susman Godfrey by filing a pleading that includes once-privileged attorney-client communications between Susman and New Century, a former Susman client and longtime adversary with which the software developer entered into a settlement. Positive Software's use of information from that settlement could have serious consequences if attorney-client privilege becomes a "marketable commodity," says David Beck, who represents Susman.

Federal Judge Dismisses Suit Alleging Cancer Risk From Cell Phone Use

In a major victory for cellular phone manufacturers and service providers, a federal judge has dismissed a consumer class action suit that accused the companies of conspiring to hide evidence that the radio frequency emissions from cell phones pose biological hazards including the risk of brain cancer. The judge concluded that the suit is pre-empted by federal law because the Federal Communications Commission has the exclusive power to set the standards for radio frequency radiation in cell phones.

Culvahouse Emerges From O'Melveny Fray

O'Melveny & Myers' policy committee has selected Arthur Culvahouse to lead the firm for another four-year term, according to a Thursday morning e-mail to the partnership. Current and former partners expect the selection to be ratified, despite Culvahouse not winning a majority of support in the informal survey. When he was first elected chairman in 2000, Culvahouse faced a similarly swamped field, but was re-elected without opposition in 2004.

Tax Attorney Charged in Prostitution Case

The Manhattan DA's office on Thursday announced the indictment of a tax lawyer for allegedly promoting prostitution. Prosecutors claim solo practitioner Louis Posner and his wife ran an unlicensed strip club at which dancers offered to have paid sex with customers, including undercover police officers. The Posners also allegedly falsified business records and used sham corporations to cover up their illegal activities.

If a Scratch-Off Is a Rip-Off, Litigation May Be the Prize

If your scratch-off is a rip-off, prepare to pay up. A host of lawsuits have been filed by disgruntled lottery and sweepstakes consumers, including a business professor who is suing the Virginia Lottery for allegedly selling roughly $85 million in defective scratch-offs where the top prizes had already been claimed. Similar lawsuits are pending in four other states. Private attorneys are warning companies that want to use lottery tickets as a way to boost sales to beware of botched-up games.

Judge Tentatively Refuses to Dismiss Internet Suicide Case

A federal judge has tentatively rejected two motions to dismiss charges against a woman in a MySpace hoax that allegedly led to a 13-year-old girl's suicide and said he will consider a third motion to dismiss. The government wants to prosecute Lori Drew under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which has never before been used in connection with a Web site's terms of service prohibiting misrepresentation by users setting up new accounts. The statute has mainly been used for crimes like computer hacking.

$10 Million Settlement Reached in Class Action Over Overtime, Work-Break Pay

Fastenal Co. says it will pay a $10 million class action settlement to former employees who sued the company last year for unpaid overtime wages and work-break pay. According to estimates made by an attorney for the plaintiffs, more than 2,000 current and former employees of the Minnesota-based industrial supplies seller may have been entitled to back pay from as far back as 2003.

In Possible First for Texas, Woman Sues Over Predatory Lending

Alpha Mortgage USA and American Home Mortgage Servicing engaged in a racially targeted predatory lending practice called "reverse redlining," according to a lawsuit filed in federal court by a black suburban Houston woman. The woman alleges she refinanced the adjustable rate mortgage on her family's first home purchase, only to be victimized by a loan with onerous terms because of her skin color. The lawsuit may be the first of its kind in Texas.

Lawyer Pleads Guilty in $35 Million Foreclosure Fraud Scheme

A lawyer has pleaded guilty in what prosecutors have described as a $35 million dollar scheme to defraud homeowners facing foreclosure. Authorities say the conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud occurred while Richard Allison did legal work for companies that offered services to homeowners in financial trouble.

Wilson Sonsini Helps Beverly Hills Baker Protect Trademark Treats

Palin's Lawyer Has Already Questioned Two Witnesses

Thelen in Merger Talks With Nixon Peabody