The Wall Street Journal reports that the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling’s appeal. Now we’ll see if there is any prospect that reason and fairness will prevail in the Enron witch hunt.
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Congratulations, Vice Chancellor Laster
I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate my good friend, Travis Laster, on becoming the newest member of the Delaware Court of Chancery. Travis was sworn in today, and replaces retired Vice Chancellor Lamb on the nation’s premier business law court. Travis is an exceptionally talented lawyer, and a good man. I have every [...]
Episcopal Church Takes a Kick in the Teeth in South Carolina Property Case
The South Carolina Supreme Court gave the national Episcopal Church (“TEC’) a good kick in the teeth last week when it ruled that one of the former parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, All Saints Church on Pawley’s Island, is the rightful owner of its church buildings and other real property. All Saints, which [...]
Scrap the SEC
That’s basically the position that Professor Larry Ribstein takes. Market forces (including the media) are more effective in ferreting out and punishing wrongdoing than the folks who somehow missed the Bernie Madoff scam. As usual, I agree with Ribstein
Cuomo Tries to Steamroll Bank of America
New York Attorney General apparently does not have much respect for the rule of law or the rights of the individuals and institutions that his office investigates. According to this post in the New York Times blog Dealbreaker, Cuomo recently wrote to Bank of America’s outside counsel regarding the status of his office’s investigation into [...]
Kudos to Overlawyered
I’d like to extend my belated congratulaions to Walter Olson and the crew at Overlawyered on their 1oth anniversary which, I understand, was yesterday. Overlawtered is generally acknowledged as the first legal blog ( or blawg, as some misguided souls insist). After 10 years its still must reading, thanks in large part to Walter Olson, [...]
Fumo Guilty
Former Pennsylvania State Senator Vince Fumo was convicted yesterday on all 137 corruption related charges in which he had been indicted. The Philadelphia Inquirer has a lengthy story regarding the verdict that can be found here. I am not surpised that umo was convicted, although I am slightly surprised that he was convicted on ALL [...]
Killing The Billable Hour: Cravath And Me
Evidently the chairman of America’s most august law firm agrees with me. In an essay published in the December 25, 2008 issue of Forbes, Evan Chesler, the managing partner at Cravath Swain & Moore, essentially calls for the end of hourly billing. While I find certain particular points in Mr. Chesler’s piece either silly (such [...]
Who Is More Dangerous?
The man on the right is Salim Ahmed Hamdan. He was Osama bin Laden’s driver. He was convicted of materially aiding terrorists. He was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison. The man on the left is Jamie Olis. He was an accountant for Dynergy Corp., and was convicted of materially aiding activities that were [...]
Bad News For Fumo
Another of State Senator Vice Fumo’s former aide’s has agreed to plead guilty and testify against their former boss. Looks like the rats are deserting the ship – with emphasis on the word rat. The Philly.com has the story:
In another blow to State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, a computer technician who prosecutors said carried out [...]