Law in Popular Culture

‘Lawyer Norman Tugwater’ Ready to Sue for Pro Athletes’ Fantasy Rights

“Lawyer Norman Tugwater” is fighting mad because fantasy sports leagues are misappropriating the bragging rights of pro athletes. “I’m getting ready to clean up with the mop of justice,” Tugwater proclaims in his YouTube video. “If you refuse to pay our athletes, we’ll come find you, and squeeze it out…

Aug 30, 2010 1:24 PM CDT

Not Worried About a Career-Ending Exit? Snark Offers Ideas for Leaving the Law

Former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater has hogged the headlines lately, following his sudden exit from a 20-year job via an airplane emergency slide. But attorneys who aren’t worried about flushing their legal career down the toilet also have options for a dramatic departure, writes the Snark in a Fulton…

Aug 26, 2010 9:02 PM CDT

Social Networking Can Be a Great Marketing Arena, Says ATL Columnist

A number of attorneys fear or dislike marketing in general and social media networking in particular. The thought of tweeting about the law or maintaining a Facebook page sends shivers down their spines. But “social media can be a powerfully effective tool for professionals when used correctly. It needs to…

Aug 23, 2010 5:47 PM CDT

Immigration Lawyer Is a Hero in ‘Mao’s Last Dancer’ Movie to Open Friday

Taken from his family in China at age 11 to be trained as a ballet dancer, Li Cunxin worked hard and became a star. In the 1980s, having traveled to Texas, as part of a cultural exchange program, he fell in love and decided to stay in the United States.…

Aug 19, 2010 11:29 PM CDT

Federal Judge’s Book to Focus On Her Prior Work as ‘Unrepentant Advocate’

A biographical book by a federal judge in Boston won’t be published until next year. But already it is igniting controversy, reports the Boston Globe. Although U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner focuses on her previous work as a criminal defense and civil rights lawyer, before she took the bench in…

Aug 19, 2010 9:39 PM CDT

Ex-Associate Says ‘Unbillable Hours’ at Latham Made the Job Worthwhile

Having gone to law school at the University of Texas for lack of a better career option, Ian Graham turned out to be a stellar student. A BigLaw job was his virtually by right, and when Graham was interviewing, Latham & Watkins stood out, he recounts in a recently published…

Aug 17, 2010 11:02 AM CDT

Will Jurors Vote Blagojevich Off the Island? Fact and Fiction Blur in Media Spotlight

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich didn’t retreat after his indictment on charges of political corruption, appearing on Celebrity Apprentice, making the rounds of the talk shows and signing autographs for his fans. The media barnstorming is creating confusion and blurring reality, the Chicago Tribune suggests, quoting university professors and other observers.…

Aug 11, 2010 11:00 AM CDT

Flight Attendant Slides to Notoriety on Exit Chute After Passenger Dispute

It isn’t all that unusual to hear of an airline passenger being arrested after a confrontation with a flight attendant. But a JetBlue attendant has become something of an unlikely folk hero following his arrest after a confrontation with a passenger. During the incident, Steven Slater allegedly suffered a head…

Aug 10, 2010 9:04 PM CDT

ABA Honors ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and Atticus Finch

The ABA’s House of Delegates paused in its consideration of the legal issues of the day on Tuesday to honor To Kill a Mockingbird, the novel by Harper Lee that was published 50 years ago. The 561-member House praised “the positive role that the book has played in the lives…

Aug 10, 2010 5:40 PM CDT

Int’l Law Section Hopes Nuclear Test Ban Proposal Doesn’t Bomb a Second Time in ABA House

What business does the ABA have taking a position on whether the United States should ratify a treaty that bans testing of nuclear weapons? The Section of International Law hopes to answer that question when the ABA House of Delegates convenes a two-day session on Monday during the association’s 2010…

Aug 9, 2010 12:50 AM CDT

Wife Says She Learned From Facebook That Her Hubby Had Another Wedding

Lynn France thought her husband might be having an affair. But she found out from Facebook, she says, that the situation was even worse. Although Lynn France, who is now 41, had married John France in Italy in 2005, wedding photos posted on the social networking site showed had married…

Aug 5, 2010 11:17 PM CDT

Beyond Big Brother: Some Web Hosts Are Watching Your Every Keystroke

There’s a cost to that free content you probably enjoy on the Internet—a loss of privacy. Web hosts are watching what you read, what you say, what you buy and where you go online, via cookies and other tracking tools that enable them to assemble—and sell—detailed profiles to other companies,…

Aug 2, 2010 11:02 PM CDT