I learned earlier today that Grande Lum has accepted a position in the Small Business Administration, directing the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUB Zone) program.  A brief article appears here.  The HUB Zone program has faced a considerable scrutiny in recent years for some of  its practices, and I think it’s safe to say that … Continue reading Grande Lum (Hastings) to the Obama Administration →

I wonder if anyone can direct me to simulations / roleplays that take place in a criminal law setting.  I used one out of the PON Clearinghouse a long time ago, and I know of a second one.  Neither quite fits my purposes for this coming year, and I wonder if anyone out there has … Continue reading Simulations in a Crim Law setting ? →

Harvard’s Laurence Tribe is currently serving as a senior counselor in the Justice Department on access to justice. Last week he addressed the nation’s state chief justices at their annual conference, where he gave an impassioned plea to reform “a system in which the deck is stacked in favor of those who already have the … Continue reading Tribe on Private Dispute Resolution and Access to Justice →

Many lawyers seem to be constantly questioning whether they can be happy as lawyers.   A new book, The Happy Lawyer:  Making a Good Life in the Law takes a comprehensive look at this question and concludes that yes, it is very possible to be a happy lawyer.  Professors Nancy Levit and Douglas O. Linder do a … Continue reading Can Lawyers be Happy? →

Susan S. Raines, Director of the Master’s of Science in Conflict Management Program at Kennesaw State University in Georgia send around a notice earlier today that they are looking to make an entry level hire in their graduate program. According to the description: Minimum qualifications at the time of appointment include a Ph.D. in conflict … Continue reading Kennesaw State is Hiring →

I got my copy of the ABA Journal today with it’s list of the 25 greatest fictional lawyers, excluding Atticus Finch.  This kind of frivolity is good for competing with People Magazine for airplane reading, but not much else.  Later in the magazine, the Journal makes up for that by listing the 2010 ABA Award … Continue reading Kudos to the ABA Journal →

Last week I posted about a grant from the Obama Administration to support “judge-directed negotiations” in medical practice litigation in New York. The purpose of the grant was to build on the success of Judge Douglas McKeon, who has been using mediation techniques in med-mal cases involving NYC hospitals. Jeff Thompson at ADRHub has now … Continue reading Humanness in Med-Mal (Continued) →

I don’t really know much about the video appearing here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H8xzRNRKKE). One of my research assistants (I would name her, but I forgot to ask if she wanted credit or anonymity) forwarded me the link, along with the explanation that this comes from a show called “Home Movies.”  As she explains, it’s “about kids making … Continue reading Negotiation Over Points … a video not to miss →

In a closely-watched case, the Supreme Court of the State of Washington held today that statutes of limitation do not apply in arbitration.   Broom v. Morgan Stanley DW, Inc., No. 82311-1 (Sup. Ct. Wa. July 22, 2010).  In that case, an NASD arbitration panel dismissed investors’ garden-variety suitability claims against their brokers on state statute of … Continue reading Washington State Highest Court Rules Statutes of Limitations Do NOT Apply to Arbitration →

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled today, in an advisory opinion, that Kosovo’s 2008 unilateral declaration of independence did not violate international law.  It will be interesting to watch the impact from this decision.  In the short term the obvious hope is that the decision will not incite violence in Serbia or within Kosovo.  … Continue reading Not Illegal →