Law schools that give preferences to minorities and women in admissions and hiring risk getting sued by American First Legal, a nonprofit group headed by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, the conservative legal group warned in a letter to 200 U.S. law schools following last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on affirmative action. Read more about the letter.
Last week Reuters reported that while law schools are reevaluating admission policies to keep diversity numbers up, they remain wary of individual legal challenges that may come their way.
More from the legal industry …
More law firm mergers were completed in the first half of 2023 than in the same period in 2022 and 2021 … President Joe Biden said he intends to nominate a senior counsel at GE HealthCare to serve as the next U.S. attorney in Chicago … Harvard faces claims that its ‘legacy’ policy overwhelmingly benefits white students … Crowell & Moring got the greenlight to go ahead with its lawsuit against its D.C. landlord … A federal judge dismissed 50 Cent’s claims of legal malpractice against Reed Smith and a former partner … This conservative law firm is racking up wins as the Supreme Court shifts right … And columnist Jenna Greene asks: Why would anyone want to be a law firm managing partner?
Moves:
- In Washington, D.C. …
Retiring U.S. appeals court judge David Tatel will return to Hogan Lovells as a special counsel following his departure from the bench. Tax partner Sam Guthrie rejoined Akin from Allen & Overy. Nelson Mullins added a antitrust partner from Hogan Lovells.
- In New York …
Dechert added two partners to its financial services and investment management practice. Sanford Heisler hired Andrew Macurdy, a former senior counsel to the New Jersey attorney general, as co-chair of the firm’s trial practice.
- In Boston …
Two patent attorneys joined Burns & Levinson as partners in its IP group.
- In Denver…
Akerman hired a partner in its consumer financial services, data and technology practice.
- In Dallas …
Bracewell added a litigation partner from Locke Lord.
- In Silicon Valley …
Rimon hired two new partners to work in its venture capital, intellectual property and M&A practices.
- In Los Angeles …
Gibson Dunn added Kevin Bettsteller, an investment funds regulatory partner from DLA Piper.
- In London …
Private equity fund lawyer Sam Kay joined Dechert as a partner in the firm’s financial services and investment management practice.
More moves to share? Please drop us a note at LegalCareertracker@thomsonreuters.com” style=”text-decoration: underline; color: #404040;” rel=”noopener”>LegalCareerTracker@thomsonreuters.com
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The U.S. Supreme Court may have opened a Pandora’s box with its ruling for a Colorado graphics designer who does not want to create websites for same-sex weddings. In a 6-3 decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Aubrey Elenis, the court’s conservatives ruled that Colorado website designer Lorie Smith has a First Amendment right to refuse to design wedding websites for same-sex couples, despite the state’s law barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, among other factors. The court agreed with Smith and her lawyers at the Alliance Defending Freedom that the state cannot compel Smith to express a view she opposes via a website she has created. Alison Frankel writes that the court’s broad conclusions about Smith’s right to control her business’ expressions is expected to embolden other companies to challenge anti-discrimination laws — and not just in the context of LGBT weddings.
Check out other recent pieces from all our columnists: Alison Frankel, Jenna Greene and Hassan Kanu
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Additional reporting by Nimitt Dixit, Tanvi Shenoy and R Rohit.
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