Dollars and Sense

I was scanning the Legal Writing Prof Blog this afternoon, and I noticed a post stating that, in an effort to save money, one large law firm is now requiring its attorneys to use Loislaw, rather than Lexis or Westlaw, for some of their research.  Evidently, the firm has imposed a three-part policy:

  • All non-billable legal research involving case law, statutes, or regulations at both the state and federal level should first be performed using Loislaw.
  • Loislaw should also be used for billable research where appropriate, resulting in a much lower cost to the client.
  • If additional research is required on Lexis or Westlaw, that research must be billed to a client/matter.

This post raised two issues for me.  First, it made me think about what sources I should be including in my first-year courses.

Continue ReadingDollars and Sense

Ask God What Your Grade Is

This morning I have mostly questions.

A student has filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles City College, claiming that he was giving a class-assigned speech on same sex marriage (which he apparently opposes) and his instructor interrupted him calling him a “fascist bastard.” The instructor then dismissed the class without allowing the student to finish and, on his evaluation sheet, did not enter a final score. Instead, he wrote that the student should  “ask God what your grade is.”

I have to admit that there is part of me that admires the attempt to recruit divine assistance at grading time, but this is a serious matter. It does not appear that the college is defending the instructor and claims that it will take appropriate steps to deal with the instructor and protect the student. It says, however, that the instructor’s privacy must be respected and any disciplinary action may not be made public.

A few things interest me.

Continue ReadingAsk God What Your Grade Is

New Issue of Marquette Law Review Available

Congratulations to the editors of the Marquette Law Review, who have just posted the final versions of the articles for their winter issue (volume 92) here.  Here is the table of contents:

ARTICLES

CRAWFORD, RETROACTIVITY, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
J. Thomas Sullivan: Published on Page 231

WHAT’S SO FAIR ABOUT THE FAIR AND ACCURATE CREDIT TRANSACTIONS ACT?
Michael E. Chaplin: Published on Page 307

SPEECH

INDEPENDENCE V. ACCOUNTABILITY: FINDING A BALANCE AMIDST THE CHANGING POLITICS OF STATE-COURT JUDICIAL SELECTION
The Honorable Diane S. Sykes: Published on Page 341

COMMENTS

LEDBETTER V. GOODYEAR: LETTING THE AIR OUT OF THE CONTINUING VIOLATIONS DOCTRINE?
Allison Cimpl-Wiemer: Published on Page 355

HOW TRIBE AND STATE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS CAN SAVE THE ADAM WALSH ACT FROM ENCROACHING UPON TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY
Brian P. Dimmer: Published on Page 385

Continue ReadingNew Issue of Marquette Law Review Available
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