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Yale Law students Sierra Stubbs and Gavin Jackson had sued the university and law dean Heather Gerken in November, alleging they lost networking and career opportunities for refusing to aid their investigation into high-profile law professor Amy Chua, who rose to fame in 2011 with the publication of her controversial parenting book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother."
Because they refused to corroborate the allegations against Chua, Stubbs and Jackson allege administrators pressured a professor not to select them for a prestigious research post that could pave the way to federal clerkships and other opportunities.
Yale's lawyers at Wiggin and Dana have filed a motion to dismiss the complaint arguing that the students can’t point to any specific losses they suffered as a result of the school’s actions:
“They speculate that they will ‘potentially suffer losses in the form of clerkships,’ but they don’t allege what they actually lost. In fact, they admit they haven’t even applied for clerkships.”
The law school investigated Chua in the spring of 2021 for allegedly violating an agreement not to socialize with students off campus. Chua has denied any wrongdoing.
Defunct intellectual property law firm Kenyon & Kenyon, now part of Hunton Andrews Kurth, lost its bid to recover more than $9.3 million in attorney fees from ex-client SightSound Technologies because its claims were raised belatedly, a New York state appeals court ruled.
Kenyon began representing SightSound in IP litigation in 1999, thereafter suing music pioneer Napster in 2004 for patent infringement. Running out of money, SightSound – with Kenyon's blessing – struck a deal with General Electric Co in 2005, ensuring that GE would fund its patent litigation efforts.
The Napster litigation restarted in 2011, and the companies settled the case for $3.1 million in 2012. SightSound told Kenyon the settlement proceeds would go to GE, and the law firm didn't raise any objections until 16 months later, which sealed the now-defunct law firm's claim against its ex-client in court.
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The Federal Circuit will return to live oral arguments in March as Omicron cases ease, joining a growing list of other courts, including the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit, that have announced similar plans.
The Washington, D.C.-based court cited "changing public health conditions" in the region in its?announcement.
The Federal Circuit clarified it would still restrict in-person oral arguments to attorneys arguing before the court and one other "necessary attendee," and will require proof of a negative COVID-19 test for those attending.
On the flip side, the Boston-based 1st Circuit?said?it will hold its March arguments remotely, and the Chicago-based 7th Circuit?said?it will remain remote through March 25.
Tech-heavy Salt Lake City, Utah continues to see law firm expansion with Milwaukee-founded Foley & Lardner the latest to add to its ranks with four partners from Stoel Rives: Ken Black, Monica Call, David Jordan and David Mortensen.?
The firm's Salt Lake City office, which opened in October, now has 16 lawyers, Foley said.
Other large law firms have recently launched in the Utah capital, seeing opportunities with technology and venture capital clients. Kirkland & Ellis ?and?Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati ?opened Salt Lake City offices in 2021 and?Mayer Brown ?kicked off 2022 with a new outpost.
Experienced firms in the city are aware of the competition that comes with Big Law coming in, says Stoel Rives managing partner Melissa Jones:
"Having been in the Salt Lake City market for 30 years, we are keenly aware of the challenges that Big Law faces conducting business in what is a unique market, especially as it relates to billing Big Law rates and diversity,"
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