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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

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INFIGHTING - Here at The Morning Minute, we love a good fee fight, and the plaintiffs lawyers involved in the transvaginal mesh litigation are not disappointing. Amanda Bronstad reports that lead plaintiffs' lawyers, including Henry G. Garrard III of Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley in Georgia, have fired back at four law firms objecting to their share of an estimated $550 million in fees, accusing the law firms of making false attacks and submitting bills “riddled with excessive entries, duplicative billing.” For a handy chart showing where all those fees are going, take a look here.

WHEEL OF FORTUNE - Some 26 lawyers representing defendants charged in the college admissions scandal are accusing prosecutors of using improper judge-shopping tactics. Jack Newsham reports the lawyers, who come from firms including Boies Schiller, Orrick, Ropes & Gray and Nixon Peabody, sent U.S. District Judge Patti Saris a letter saying they're concerned that prosecutors are trying to subvert the random judge-assignment process known as the “wheel,” by adding defendants to a case in which a judge has already been assigned. Andrew Lelling, the U.S. Attorney in Boston, signed the government's response, calling the defense lawyers' letter “procedurally inappropriate and disingenuous.”

COLLEAGUES - Jeffrey Rosen, the ex-Kirkland & Ellis partner, is set to appear today before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing for deputy U.S. attorney general. Rosen would move over to Main Justice from the Transportation Department, where he's served as the deputy secretary. AG William Barr overlapped with Rosen at Kirkland, where Rosen joined as an associate in 1982. Rosen would succeed Rod Rosenstein, who has stuck around a bit longer as Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election is prepared for public release.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

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Quinn Emanuel Tapped to Defend Naomi Osaka in Fight with Tennis Trainer

Legal Community Split Over Emory Law Professor's Use of Racial Slur

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

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CHOOSY - The European Union has agreed to changes that are designed to create more efficiency in the appeals process at the EU Court of Justice, which has seen a huge increase in the number of cases brought before it. Simon Taylor reports that the court, which is the supreme legal authority for EU law, now will use a screening process that determines whether a case “is significant with respect to the unity, consistency or development of EU law.” The court received 849 new cases in 2018—a record number.

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WHAT YOU SAID

“I try to keep my Superman shirt and cape underneath my suit coat when I'm in the office, but I think my secret identity has gotten out.”

— CARMELO CHIMERA, STAFF LAWYER AT MCGUIREWOODS WHO OWNS A COMIC BOOK STORE THAT HE'S GIVING AWAY TO THE PERSON WRITING THE BEST ESSAY ABOUT WHAT MAKES A GOOD COMIC BOOK SHOP.

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