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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

 

WAITING GAME - The fate of the Harvard admissions programs rests with U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, for now. Bill Lee and Seth Waxman, representing the university, faced off against Adam Mortara, the lawyer for Students for Fair Admissions, in closing arguments that wrapped up Wednesday evening in Boston. The SFFA alleges that the university discriminates against Asian-American applicants in its admissions process. The Careerist Vivia Chen delivers the details on the clash of legal titans in the case that's likely destined for the U.S. Supreme Court.

SUITS EXPECTED - Plaintiffs lawyers are poised to file thousands lawsuits on behalf of U.S. military members in a battle over what they claim are defective earplugs that 3M sold for more than a decade. Amanda Bronstad reports that 3M currently faces more than 50 lawsuits by individual service members, primarily veterans, who allege its dual-ended earplugs used in both training and in combat caused their hearing loss and tinnitus. More than 800,000 former service members now suffer from hearing damage, according to the lawsuits. Last year 3M agreed to pay $9.1 million to settle similar allegations by the DOJ.

WAIT, WHAT? Chief Justice John Roberts has declared himself the First Amendment's “most aggressive defender” at the Supreme Court. Tony Mauro reports that Roberts made the remarkable comment during a recent public appearance to prove the point that members of the court should not be pigeonholed as liberal or conservative. As Mauro notes, it's rare for justices to attach themselves to certain lines of jurisprudence, and his comment, made at Belmont University College of Law, was one that most people would not associate with conservatives. Needless to say, some constitutional scholars disagree with his declaration.

EDITOR'S PICKS

 

Mueller Prosecutors Are Unleashed From Paul Manafort Plea Agreement

Matt Fawcett of NetApp Brings Law's Mental Health Conversation In-House

Marijuana Banking Goes to Washington, as House Holds First-Ever Hearing

Skadden's DOJ Deal Is Off-Limits for Russian Company Claiming Mueller Abuses

Fox Rothschild's New CMO Quietly Joins, Quickly Departs

Walmart's Phyllis Harris Leaving to Become General Counsel of American Red Cross

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

 

RIVAL HIRE - As heavyweight accounting firms continue to expand their head counts abroad, EY has hired Big Four rival PwC's head of financial services regulation Martin Sandler. Rowan Bennett reports that the hiring of Sandler, who was at PwC Legal for almost two years, comes amid a global ramp up at KPMG and Deloitte, too.

WHAT YOU SAID

“[M]ake sure that you take time to pause and reflect about whether you really love what you're doing. It's a long process that obviously requires tremendous dedication and commitment.”

— ADAM BANKS, LAWYER AT WEIL, GOTSHAL & MANGES, ON ADVICE HE WOULD GIVE TO ASSOCIATES WANTING TO MAKE PARTNER.

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