On a three-week family vacation to Greece and Croatia, Andrew Giacomini left his phone in his room to disconnect from his litigation practice. Although Giacomini, the managing partner at Hanson Bridgett in San Francisco, checked emails, his colleagues probably didn’t know—because Giacomini never responded. He billed zero hours during his 21-day trip and focused on …
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The Stories Behind Two Houston-Area Law Graduates Whose Social Posts Went Viral and Inspired a Country
Two Houston law graduates who defied tough odds to succeed in law school have inspired people across the country. Other law students can learn about resilience and the power of priorities through the stories of May graduates Ieshia Champs of Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law and Shartory Brown of South Texas College …
BigLaw firms are working together to influence how blockchain technology will operate in the future
The cryptocurrency and blockchain technology industry is already crowded with firms eager to nab high-tech startups as clients or help legacy clients navigate a brave new world. But some BigLaw firms have gone further. Over the past 2½ years, several of the largest firms in the world have joined legal working groups aimed at bringing …
Lawsuit accuses sheriffs of underfeeding inmates, pocketing meal money
When Alabama inmates asked what’s for dinner, the sad answer was often a plate with spoiled meat or food contaminated with rodent droppings. Meanwhile, the state’s sheriffs charged with their upkeep were reportedly pocketing inmate food funds—spending the money on things such as beach homes, personal investments, electronics and home lawn services. These allegations are …
This One MtGox Creditor Might Recover $61 Million Dollars – or Some Other Amount of Dollars or Possibly No Dollars
This article first published on Popula.com on July 12, 2018. It is available for reprints. PDF: this-one-mtgox-creditor-might-recover-61-million-dollars “You can open the champagne now.” Joyful celebration lit up online groups for creditors of the bankrupt MtGox exchange on June 22, when a Japanese court decided to move the company into “civil rehabilitation,” a new legal process that …
Preparation Tips to Ensure Business Continuity in the Event of a Disaster
In the midst of a hurricane season capable of producing half a dozen or so hurricanes, having a disaster recovery plan is tantamount for firms operating on the East Coast and gulf—whether you’re a solo lawyer or a big law firm. As Houston still recovers from Hurricane Harvey, several panels at the State Bar of …
Why 3 BigLaw firms ended use of mandatory arbitration clauses
by Angela Morris (ABA Journal, June 2018) Like many things these days, it all started with a tweet. On March 24, Harvard Law School lecturer Ian Samuel tweeted out select provisions of a leaked copy of a mandatory arbitration agreement from Munger, Tolles & Olson. According to the tweets, summer associates working for the firm …
Baylor Law Dean Brad Toben Quietly Outpaces Texas Law School Dean Tenure
In 1991 when Brad Toben became dean of Baylor University School of Law, the Lone Star State was headed by Texas Gov. Ann Richards, the U.S. president was George H.W. Bush and the Soviet Union dissolved, ending the Cold War. Now on the job for more than 26 years, Toben is the second longest-serving law …
TX Bar President Challenges Attorneys to Take Up Cause for Separated Families
State Bar of President Joe Longley issued a call to arms for Texas attorneys to put their minds together and find a way to reunite immigrant children with their parents and protect their rights to due process. Just after taking the oath of office to become this year’s bar president—a historic event, as Longley is …
Texas LGBT Judges Bring Empathy, Wisdom and Life Lessons
Being an openly LGBT judge in Texas has its challenges, but also benefits. At a panel discussion at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Houston, four LGBT judges—from municipal court to district court benches—talked about their pathways to the bench, how they can be role models and help other LGBT lawyers and litigants, …