f/k/a archives . . . real opinions & real haiku

 

spring cleaning
leaving the rosin
on papa’s fiddle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

first tree buds
the list of baby names
not chosen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cutting biscuits
spring sun
through the blinds

 

 

  W.F. Owen

“spring cleaning” tiny words (March 15, 2004)

“first tree buds”  tiny words (March 10, 2004)

“cutting biscuits” tiny words (March 30, 2004)

 

 

 

 

 

• 
  
  by dagosan:  

waiting

for the alarm to buzz —

sunbeams warm my ear

 

                [April 12, 2005]

 

 

  The lastest edition of the Harvard Law Bulletin (Spring 2005) features a

cover that reads “Giving Back: Harvard Law School wants all lawyers to get involved in

public service.”   I recommend “Sowing the seeds of public service at HLS”, as well as

Requirement connects law students to the practice of public service, which  describe

the HLS pro bono requirement, its purpose, and the flexible ways it can be fulfilled.  The

program, which apparently helps attract some of the very best students, hopes to make

even the most skeptical student see how fulfilling it can be to make public service a part

of your life (by following your bliss).  There are some good anecdotes.

  I was surprised to read about the comprehensiveness of the

HLS Low Income Protection Plan — as you can see from

this chart, it offers loan help to any alumnus who makes less

than $87,000 and still has student loan debt (expecting an

annual contribution of $0 toward loan payments, if you make

$37,000 or less).  Any fulltime job for a non-profit, governmental,

or educational entity is eligible for the program and — this

will make Carolyn‘s heart beat fast — so are law-related jobs in

the private sector (like at small law firms or firms in locations that

are less desirable geographically).   What a difference this would

have made for me back in 1976!

  The Ask the Professor feature of the Spring 2005 edition of the Harvard Law

Bulletin asked HLS Professor David Barron, an expert on local government law, to explain

what’s at stake in the U.S. Supreme Court’s pending case, Kelo v. City of New London, and

what he thinks the Court should do.  Here’s part of Prof. Barron’s reply: 

“By affirming New London’s exercise of the power of eminent domain on

the ground that it constitutes a legitimate land-use planning effort, the Court

would protect private property rights and provide a check against cities using

takings as simply a fiscal tool. Tying a planning requirement to the ‘public use’

test would stimulate local government planning because, whenever a transfer

of the condemned land to a private party was involved, the taking could pass

muster only when it was part of a real urban land-use plan.”

 

  Ben Cowgill at the Legal Ethics [We]Blog, gives “Congratulations to Carolyn Elefant

of MyShingle.com for well-deserved recognition in JD Bliss, the on-line journal devoted

to ‘balancing life and law’.”  See “Success Story: Carolyn Elefant: How to Go Solo” at

JD Bliss.  Ben credits Carolyn’s weblog and leadership for helping to forge new kinds

of networking between and among solo practitioners.  Ben and Carolyn have been using

the term “independent practitioners” to describe this new breed of lawyers.  In true Yabut

fashion, I have left a Comment at Ben’s palce, asking for more helpful terminology.  Please

leave your suggestions, too.

 

 

  As usual, Bob Ambrogi points today to an interesting new website — this time, it’s Patricia

M. Dugan’s ElectaPope.com, at which the “practicing Catholic canon lawyer and civil lawyer”

has collected lots of information on the process and history of papal selection (and more). 

 Since Prof. Yabut was feeling cranky again today, he pointed out the use by

Lawyer Dugan of one of his least favorite phrases:  In her Bio, Dugan claims she is

“one of the only” laywomen to ever hold both degrees.  Prof. Y has always thought

the phrase should be used only by lazy reporters on short deadlines.  When

confronted by the term, Alfred M. Kriman at Stammtisch Beau Fleuve asks:

“Which one of the only?”  We add “what’s an only?”

• 
  
  
  

  The SBF site also explains that “one of my favorite” is the:

  
  

  “Diplomatic declension of ‘my favorite’.”
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  And, “one size fits all” means:  We don’t have your size.

  Evan Bling-Bling Schaeffer just saved me time and money with his review of Justice

magazine.  Thanks, Evan, but aren’t you being too hard on morons?