SBM Blog

The Economist, On Hope For Detroit

The Economist turns its focus to Detroit, where it finds hope in the fact that the city is now so cheap.  Conclusion: "Early days; but for the first time in decades, there are a few green shoots in Detroit’s grim streets."  A hopeful read.

Michigan Supreme Court Declines To Reschedule Nov. 8 Scott Recall Election

Citing the lack of authority for the proposition that the Supreme Court is authorized to 'adjourn' an election, the Michigan Supreme Court today without dissent rejected Rep. Scott's request that the Court order the recall election scheduled for Nov. 8 postponed until Feb. 28, the date of the Republican primary.  Here's the order (PDF).

A U.S. Supreme Court Emergency Operations Plan

It sounds like a John Grisham plot, but ... what if a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court were taken out in a terrorist strike, or, simply an unfortunate meteorite or space-junk accident?  Not to worry.  The AEI-Brookings Continuity of Government Commission has a plan  Here's the report (PDF).  In essence, the report recommends that rather than relying on the authority of President to appoint temporary justices on an emergency basis without congressional approval, which could raise enormous political resistance, we should provide in advance for an emergency contingency court with an agreed-upon panel of judges whose members would fill in empty seats and decide cases, along with the surviving justices, until the Court could resume its usual operations.

There.  Now you can sleep better at night.

HT: ABA Journal

PMRC Tip of the Week - Adobe Reader for Mobile Devices

October 17, 2011 Adobe released Adobe Reader for iDevices and Android phones, a free application available from the App Store and Android Market in a very quick download.  The application starts with “Getting Started with Adobe Reader,” a tutorial explaining the Adobe Reader interface.  Even if you have a PDF application on your mobile device, add this one to your arsenal of mobile tools.  It is quick, easy, and offers some of the classic Adobe Reader options not found in other applications.  Features included in the Reader are search, magnify, vertical and horizontal scroll control, and bookmarks.  It also supports password-protected PDF documents.  In any view, touching the middle of the screen brings up the toolbars, and touching the bookmark in the lower right corner will display an active bookmark window.  Opening a PDF file from your e-mail or a web page is easy.  In just 10 minutes, you can install this application, quickly run through the tutorial, and increase your PDF firepower.  This is a long-overdue solution for users who just want to open, read, and navigate PDF files on their mobile devices.

Every week, the Practice Management Resource Center posts a new Tip of the Week.  (Here are the archived tips.) To reach a practice management advisor, call the PMRC Helpline at (800) 341-9715 or e-mail your questions to pmrcHelpline@mail.michbar.org.

"Lincoln Was Self-Taught, So Why Go To Law School?"

That's the question discussed in this WSJ Law Blog post.  Lincoln also rode a horse.  So, why drive cars?

SBM Blog acknowledges the excellent additional observation of member Steven Dulan: "Also, you are not Lincoln."

In Memoriam: Hon. James J. Wood

James J. Wood, of Lansing, died October 20, at the age of 75. He was a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, and served for 30 years as a district judge in Lansing.  He is survived by his wife Judy, and son Steve.  Memorial donations may be made to Resurrection St. Vincent dePaul Society food bank.

41% of "Top" Law School Admissions Offices Report Googling Applicants

The statistic is from a survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep, which also reports that 37% of the admissions officers surveyed said they had checked out an applicant on Facebook or another social networking website. And guess what? "Nearly a third of admissions officers who researched an applicant online – 32% – said they discovered something that negatively impacted an applicant’s admissions chances."

It is no surprise, then, to find that LSAT applicants are not happy about the prospects of being checked out online:

In a separate survey of 869 Kaplan Test Prep students who took the October LSAT, 77% objected to having their online personae included as part of the admissions process (although only 15% said that there is something in their personal digital footprint that might negatively affect their application.)  Interestingly, the same percentage – 77% – also said that as future lawyers they should be held to a higher ethical standard than other professionals.

The advice seems obvious, doesn't it?  Clean up your act, folks, online and otherwise.

HT: ABA Journal

"Up or Out" in Law Firms On Its Way Out?

This post at Faculty Lounge says likely yes, forecasting:

a gradual transformation, already well underway, from large numbers of “up or out” partnership-track associates and accompanying high levels of turnover to much more modest numbers of entry-level hires and a partnership “track” of indeterminate length.  Larger numbers of nonpartners who prove themselves sufficiently skilled and hardworking will remain indefinitely (or move laterally to similar indefinite-term positions at other firms), and equity partnership will be reserved for those who actually attract and control substantial paying law business.  It is possible that the partnership “track” as such will vanish altogether, to be replaced by more generalized paths of advancement in responsibility and compensation based on accomplishment, skill, and success in business generation.  Whether or not we see the end of the partnership track at many firms, however, I predict that this trend combined with the evolving staffing model for legal process work discussed in my last post will result in distinctly smaller numbers of highly compensated entry-level hires in BigLaw for many years to come.

If You Could Change the U.S. Constitution, What Would You Change?

Read your fellow lawyers answers here, in the ABA Journal.  (Aiming low, how about the word "it's" in Article 1, Section 10?)

In Memoriam: James C. Cotant

James C. Cotant, Sr., of Gaylord, died October 17, at the age of 68.  Mr. Cotant was a 1970 graduate of the Detroit College of Law. In 2010 he received  the Roberts P. Hudson Award, the highest award conferred by the State Bar of Michigan.  Mr. Cotant served as chairman of the Attorney Grievance Board Gaylord Hearing Panel since 1980 and as a member of the SBM Alternative Dispute Resolution Section since 2000. He also served on the SBM Representative Assembly and is past president of the 46th Judicial Circuit Bar Association.  He is survived by his wife, Janice Mary; mother, Kathleen; children Maggie, James, Jr., Molly, Patrick; grandchildren Jacob, Simon, Sofia and Miles; and siblings John, Julie, Kathy, Chrissy, Sue Sue and Michael. Suggested memorial donations are Hospice of Little Traverse Bay, the Otsego Memorial Hospital Foundation or Guardian Gals through the Nelson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1548, Gaylord, MI 49734.