Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Headlines June 25, 2008

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: NLJ.com, June 25, 2008.

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FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  Steady expansion secures Husch Blackwell's Midwest presence
"While some of the nation's biggest law firms are eyeing international expansion or the energy-focused Houston market, one firm has quietly moved into position to become a major player in the Midwest. Husch Blackwell Sanders, created in January by the merger of Kansas City-based Blackwell Sanders and St. Louis-based Husch & Eppenberger, now has about 675 lawyers after its merger this week with a Chicago intellectual property boutique. Husch Blackwell is an example of smaller regional law firms joining forces to stay competitive as a super-regional firm."

FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  New AG assoc. president promotes child safety initiatives
"Taking the advice of his school-age son, the new president of the National Association of Attorneys General Patrick P. Lynch takes Spiderman's credo of "with great power comes great responsibility" as his own motto. Lynch, who took office on June 19 at the national association's annual meeting, plans to focus on legal issues involving children and technology such as cyberbullying and online predators. 'I've referred to it as the year of the child,' Lynch said. "

WEB-ONLY  |  Two judges confirmed to 6th Circuit in deal between White House and Dems
"As part of a compromise deal, the U.S. Senate confirmed two judges to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, including Helene White, one originally nominated by President Clinton 11 years ago. The Senate approved Michigan state appeals Judge Helene N. White by a 63-32 vote and Raymond M. Kethledge to seats on the 6th Circuit and a third nominee in the deal, Steven Murphy, as a district judge for the Eastern District of Michigan."

WEB-ONLY  |  Massachusetts panel recommends 23% hike for state judges
"A compensation panel tapped by the Massachusetts State legislature to study high-ranking officials' salaries recommended 23% pay raises for high-level state court judges. The June 20 report recommended raising Supreme Judicial Court justice salaries to $180,097, Appeals Court judge's salaries to $166,653 and trial court judge salaries to $160,000."

WEB-ONLY  |  Corporate chief legal officers plan to hire more lawyers in next 12 months
"Corporate chief legal officers plan to hire more lawyers and do more corporate legal work in-house over the next 12 months, according to a new survey from legal consultancy Altman Weil Inc. Forty nine percent of responding chief legal officers plan to add in-house attorneys over the next year, up from 40% who indicated similar plans during last year's Chief Legal Officer Survey."

OPINION:

DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION  |  Enact the ADARA
"Seventeen years after the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), Representative Stenny Hoyer, D-Md., introduced the ADA Restoration Act (ADARA). (Its clone is pending in the Senate.) Happily, the ADARA seems to be on the legislative front burner. Indeed, it is high time that Congress give back what the U.S. Supreme Court has taken away. As a result of grudging construction, the ADA's workplace provisions fall far short of furnishing the protective umbrella envisioned by the act's architects."

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on June 25, 2008 (boomark / email).