Justice Stevens on 60 Minutes

Justice Stevens gives his opinions on Bush v. Gore, Citizens United, Padilla, and Babe Ruth's called shot. He also takes the cameras behind the scenes to the Supreme Court library and robing room. Even Justice Souter makes a cameo appearance to praise Stevens' work. Video here.

Georgetown Law = Beautiful

In case TSA pat downs get you upset over Thanksgiving break, or if you are just missing the way campus looks during Fall, this video is sure to cheer you up.

The clock tower gets a lot of attention and the music sounds like an old Nintendo game soundtrack, but overall it is a good film. The handshake at 1:05 is the second strangest handshake of 2010.

30th Annual National Student Convention

It is time to sign up for the National Student Convention in Charlottesville, VA on February 25 & 26, 2011. The topic this year is "Capitalism, Markets, and the Constitution." Register to attend and pay here. Transportation is partially funded but hotel accommodations are your own responsibility. Click on the image above for full details. Info about Charlottesville and area hotels is at the bottom of this page.

Fed Soc Annual Lawyers Dinner Recap

Last Thursday, Justice Scalia was interviewed by CBS News Chief Legal Correspondent Jan Crawford. Above the Law has a nice summary here. Special thanks to Professor Randy Barnett for inviting some Georgetown Law students to attend. Check here for video and audio from the entire National Lawyers Convention.

Federalist Society Lawyers Convention

The Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention is this weekend and in case you cannot make it, Josh Blackman is streaming some of the events on his blog.

UPDATE: The Federalist Society is also live blogging the event at fedsocblog.com. Georgetown Professor Randy Barnett was on a health care panel this morning. Recap here. 

Charlie Rangel Needs a Lawyer, Pockets are Empty

Anyone needing some pro bono hours could lend a hand to Mr. Rangel. His previous counsel stepped down after Mr. Rangel racked up huge bills that he probably cannot pay. From the AmLaw Daily:

On Monday, Rangel complained that the two-year investigation caused him to rack up a legal tab of nearly $2 million, with another $1 million in fees for the House hearing alone, the Times reports. After failing to convince his Zuckerman lawyers of his ability to pay them, the firm withdrew its representation earlier this fall.


The story is here. Be sure to watch the video as well if you have 12 spare minutes. Rangel, who has a law degree from St. John's, does not do a great job representing himself. He is not sure whether he raises a motion to continue even with some help from ethics panelist Congressman G.K. Butterfield D-NC. Exasperated, Butterfield makes his own motion to continue which was subsequently denied.

Is Litigation Finance a Good Idea?

The NYT had a good article today about the growth of litigation finance in funding plaintiffs' lawsuits. Article is here. The Chamber of Commerce, per the Institute for Legal Reform does not seem thrilled with this trend.

UPDATE: Professor Epstein offers his take on the subject here.

Richard Redding: November 17

LAST EVENT OF THE SEMESTER

On Wednesday November 17th from 4-5pm, Professor Richard Redding will be talking about the ill effects of political correctness in American academia. The presentation will also highlight the costs of the lack of intellectual diversity in the professoriate. Professor Redding is an editor and contributor to the most important book on the subject. The event is McD 206. As always, free food and drinks.

TONIGHT: Veterans Day Panel

Please join the Military Law Society as we honor Veterans Day with a panel and happy hour reception. The Veterans Day Panel will include Georgetown Law students who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan since 9/11. Panelists will share their experiences and opinions on military and veterans issues. Pizza and soda will be provided at the event. A happy hour reception will follow the panel at the Billy Goat.

Please promote this event amongst your friends, classmates, and professors. This is the most meaningful event MLS puts on every year.

What: Veterans Day Panel

Who: Georgetown Law veterans--details below

Where: McDonough 205

When: Thursday, 11/11 at 6pm

Why: Because one way to honor all who have served is to share the stories of a few.

Panelist include:

Thomas Leary: Commander, U.S. Navy, Judge Advocate General Corps, legal advisor to a 3-star Joint Special Operations Task Force, headquartered in Iraq, in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and then back to Afghanistan in 2010 after we shifted our headquarters to support the surge. Previously, legal advisor to an O-6 level Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan in 2002 and 2004, and in Iraq in 2003 (initial combat operations in OIF)

Aaron Pennekamp: First Lieutenant, Army National Guard, Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader in Iraq from March to August 2010

William Sloan: Captain, USMC, Company Excutive Officer, Fallujah, Iraq from September 2007 to April 2008, and Platoon Commander, Fallujah, Iraq from October 2005 to September 2006

Andy Moore: First Lieutenant, Army National Guard, Embedded Tactical Trainer to the Afghanistan National Army and Police from January 2007 to January 2008

Panel Moderator: Gordon Griffin, Captain, USMC, Aviation Officer, Iraq 2006-2007

Health Care Challenge Not Ready For SCOTUS

From the WSJ:
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a long-shot request for a review of the Obama administration's health-care overhaul before the matter has been fully litigated. The high court's rejection of the health-care challenge, brought by a conservative legal group in California, wasn't a surprise, but it yielded one notable piece of information: Justices Elena Kagan and Clarence Thomas participated in the court's decision not to hear the case.


Full Story here. 

AEI Election Results Panel

The American Enterprise Institute is hosting a panel on Thursday to discuss today's elections results. Info and registration here: http://www.aei.org/event/100322. For those who have not been to AEI before, it is only a block north from Farragut North Metro on 17th NW. The event is free; lunch will be provided.

Date: Thursday, Nov. 4

Time: 12-2

Place: AEI, 17th Street NW (Farragut North metro)

Election Night Viewing Party

On Tuesday, November 2nd from 7-10 the Georgetown Federalist Society is co-sponsoring an election viewing party in the Gewirz first floor lounge. Free pizza, soda, beer, and democracy. The event co-sponsored by Law Republicans, Law Democrats, and the Georgetown Election Law Society.

UPDATE: great guide to today's election from WSJ here. 

DATE: November 2nd
TIME: 7-10pm
PLACE: Gewirz first floor lounge