Want to get this daily news briefing by email? Here's the sign-up. 

|

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

BURDENSOME – A decision by the chief bankruptcy judge of New York's Southern District is throwing cold water on conventional wisdom that law student loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy, and it could influence how other judges determine whether borrowers face undue hardships. Karen Sloan reports that Judge Cecelia Morris' decision to discharge the loan debt of a Cardozo law grad-turned-hiking guide says judges have made it more onerous on borrowers to wipe out student loan debt than the law intends.

BACK IN ACTION – Today marks the first conference for the U.S. Supreme Court justices in the new year, and as Marcia Coyle and Mike Scarcella report, some major petitions are awaiting action. Among them are a state assault weapons ban, grand jury secrecy, health care, religious job discrimination and immigrant sanctuary laws. The justices are arriving soon at that point of no return in which the high court typically stops adding cases to the term's argument docket.

COSTS - The California Consumer Privacy Act will cost small businesses about $50,000 each, says Thomas Donohue, CEO of U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Sue Reisinger reports that Donohue, in laying out the group's agenda in its State of American Business 2020 presentation Thursday, criticized California and other states for passing local laws to deal with national issues, saying they are "creating conflict for businesses, confusion for consumers and increased costs for everyone."

WEEK ONE – The pre-screening phase of jury selection in the Harvey Weinstein criminal case that began this week in New York is expected to last well into next week.

|

EDITOR'S PICKS

Shh! Don't Talk About the Rivalry in the Sisterhood

Just How Scared of FaceApp Should You Be?

|

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

BRUSSELS-BOUND – Reed Smith is set to open an office in Brussels this year, its first new base in continental Europe since 2015. Simon Lock reports that the new office, expected to launch in the first quarter, will add to the firm's European footprint that includes Munich, Frankfurt, Athens and Paris.

|

WHAT YOU SAID

"Everything we've worked for may be at risk because of where we were born, and that doesn't seem right." Sheila Mortazavi, partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth and member of the Iranian American Bar Association, on concerns about  rising discrimination against Iranian Americans amid conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

—  ===

 ➤➤ Sign up here to receive the Morning Minute straight to your inbox.