Law Professors

Should students call law professors by their first names?

It may seem odd—and perhaps uncomfortable—for an associate to use Mr. or Ms. when speaking with a partner. But few lawyers refer to judges by their first names, even if they’re friends. For law professors, the question of what students should call them can be a bit ambiguous. Shima Baradaran…

Aug 23, 2016 1:45 PM CDT

Conservative groups push for constitutional convention; would it open Pandora’s box of mischief?

Conservative groups pushing for a constitutional convention are just six states short of their goal. Thirty-four states are needed to call a constitutional convention under Article 5 of the Constitution. So far 28 states have adopted resolutions for a constitutional convention to consider an amendment that requires a balanced federal…

Aug 23, 2016 9:46 AM CDT

Judge in Dan Markel murder case approves subpoena for breast implant payment records

A judge in Florida has approved a subpoena for medical records showing who paid for breast enhancement surgery for a woman whose name has surfaced as a possible witness in the murder-for-hire case against two men accused of killing Florida State University law professor Dan Markel. Judge James Hankinson of…

Aug 22, 2016 3:23 PM CDT

Could members of the electoral college go rogue on Trump?

The election may not be decided in November, even if there are no hanging chads and disputed vote counts. That’s because the electoral college doesn’t cast votes for president and vice president until December, and the votes aren’t counted by Congress until January, Pepperdine University law professor Derek Muller wrote…

Aug 8, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

Ex-wife and her family deny involvement in law prof’s slaying

The ex-wife of slain law professor Dan Markel and her family members have released a statement denying any involvement in his death. The statement said that neither Markel’s ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, nor other Adelson family members “had anything to do with Dan’s murder.” The Associated Press, the Tallahassee Democrat, the…

Aug 4, 2016 12:40 PM CDT

Law clinic goes pro as students and profs launch startup practice

Eve J. Brown saw law students get a year's worth of client experience at the intellectual property clinics she ran at Suffolk University and Boston University, but few found jobs in the field after graduation. Small IP firms usually don’t hire first-year associates, and large firms for the most part weren’t interested in her students unless they were at the top of their class.

Aug 1, 2016 2:00 AM CDT

Recall effort for Brock Turner’s judge poses serious threat to rule of law, say law profs

California law professors including Pamela Karlan, Gerald Uelmen and Erwin Chemerinsky signed a support letter for the judge who presided over the recent Stanford University sexual assault trial, and is facing a recall petition. Of the 46 law professors opposing the recall of Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron…

Jul 28, 2016 2:00 PM CDT

7th Circuit judge has ‘penchant for confabulation,’ losing law prof alleges in law review article

A retired University of Chicago law professor who represented former Illinois Gov. George Ryan is striking out at a respected federal appeals judge for an alleged “penchant for confabulation,” “questionable” rulings and “bullying” of lawyers on both sides of the case. The former law professor, Albert Alschuler, unsuccessfully represented Ryan…

Jul 28, 2016 7:30 AM CDT

Georgetown law prof is hired as ACLU’s national legal director

Georgetown law professor David Cole has a new job as national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union. Cole will oversee the ACLU’s Supreme Court practice and manage the work of nearly 300 staff attorneys at the ACLU, according to a press release. He takes over the new job…

Jul 22, 2016 10:30 AM CDT

Law professor files ethics complaints against Baltimore prosecutors in Freddie Gray cases

A public-interest law professor is filing complaints seeking the disbarment of two prosecutors with the Baltimore City State’s Attorney Office for actions in the prosecution of police officers in the death of Freddie Gray, the Baltimore Sun reports. Professor John F. Banzhaf III of the George Washington University Law School…

Jul 19, 2016 4:00 PM CDT

Harvard law prof credits his faith for helping him cope with Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Harvard law professor Charles Ogletree revealed his Alzheimer’s diagnosis during a speech last week to members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Ogletree, 63, credited his faith for helping him cope with the diagnosis, the Religion News Service reports. “I’ve made up my mind to be thankful for what I…

Jul 12, 2016 1:28 PM CDT

Could a split Supreme Court cause a ‘constitutional nightmare’ in a presidential election standoff?

New York University law professor Burt Neuborne is no fan of Bush v. Gore, the 2000 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended a vote recount and paved the way for George W. Bush to become president. But the nation could have been worse off if the court were shorthanded a…

Jul 12, 2016 7:30 AM CDT

Obama can use pardon powers to stop deportations, law prof says in op-ed

President Barack Obama could use his pardon power to partly implement his deferred deportation program, according to a law professor’s op-ed. Writing in the New York Times, Benjamin Cardozo School of Law professor Peter Markowitz says the president’s pardon power extends to “all offenses against the United States,” which could…

Jul 8, 2016 7:30 AM CDT

Oyez website finds sponsors to take over its Supreme Court audio archives

The future of Oyez, the website devoted to audio recordings of U.S. Supreme Court proceedings, was up in the air earlier this year as founder Jerry Goldman approached retirement. At stake was a vault filled with Supreme Court history accessible free to the public.

Jul 1, 2016 2:40 AM CDT

Vigilant rental car company may have thwarted earlier attempt on law prof’s life

A rental car company may have prevented two murder suspects in the death of a Florida State University law professor from carrying out the crime in an earlier attempt, prosecutors say. According to Chief Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman, murder suspects Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera traveled to Tallahassee in…

Jun 24, 2016 2:58 PM CDT