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An Oklahoma restaurant owner isn’t letting the law or human decency stop him from refusing to serve gays or the disabled. Gary James, owner of Gary’s Chicaros in Enid, told Oklahoma City’s KFOR-TV that he “really [doesn’t] want gays around.” And some purported former patrons allege that the same goes for blacks, Hispanics, and people with disabilities. Is there much the law can do for a charmer like James? In the eyes of Oklahoma law, and in a great many states, this kind of “no gays” policy used by Gary James may actually be perfectly legal....

As the weather gets warmer, law students can be sure of two things: final exams and summertime. For some students, “summertime” means relaxing on a beach, but many 2Ls will find themselves making adult amounts of cash as summer associates. If they say their prayers and eat their vegetables, they might just leave the firm in August with a job offer following graduation. Then again, this is a prime opportunity for a royal screw-up....

For most law students, it is no surprise that the moral character and fitness examiners might take a look at their social media. And depending on what’s found, it could actually matter significantly. One prominent example involved a prospective Maryland lawyer who, in addition to having a criminal record, also had made numerous posts on social media that would make one wonder if he wasn’t just some rude online teenage troll....

The prescription painkiller epidemic has led to more medical malpractice lawsuits against doctors for negligently prescribing pain medication. Those claims have begun to bleed into sports as well, with hundreds of former NFL players accusing the league and team doctors of illegally providing painkilling drugs to players and encouraging them to play despite serious injuries. So can athletes sue doctors for prescribing opiates or painkillers? And what do they need to prove to win?...

According to a report that appeared in The Bar Examiner, law students are hiding their crippling depression and binge drinking because they think it will hurt their chances at becoming a lawyer. Unfortunately, it’s perhaps indicative of our profession when we say that we’re not at all surprised by this. Your Future Lawyer: Binge Drinker According to Jerome Organ, one of the report’s co-authors, law students are reluctant to seek help because “they don’t perceive seeking help as being beneficial to their bar admission process....

A couple of weeks ago, I was watching my dear Kansas City Royals run through yet another team in the playoffs (we won’t talk about last night) when I noticed a curious sight: Amidst a sea of blue paraphernalia, there was a lone man in neon Florida Marlins orange. And not only was he wearing the gear of a team that was nowhere near the playoffs, but he had a front-row seat directly behind the catcher....

Wealthy foreigners who buy at least 250,000 euros of special Hungarian government bonds may be able to obtain Hungarian permanent residency if a new law passes. Lawmakers in the indebted country proposed legislation that would grant the permanent residency and ultimately Hungarian citizenship to outsiders who have that kind of money (e.g.; Chinese investors). While the returns of Hungarian government bonds may not be that favorable, investors who receive the Hungarian passport would be entitled to live and work throughout the European Union - which can be very attractive to certain wealthy individuals - reports Reuters....

When a person dies, the deceased may still have some legal rights when it comes to how their body is handled and treated. In most if not all states, there are criminal penalties, as well as potential civil liability, for desecrating a dead body. Desecration of a deceased individual can include actions such as: Stealing from the deceased Misplacing, losing, or mixing the remains of the deceased Treating the deceased’s remains in a disrespectful manner If a deceased’s family, executor, or next of kin, learns that their loved one has been mistreated, they may have a civil legal action against the individual who committed the bad act, and even potentially the mortuary, funeral home, or other entity that had possession of the deceased when the misdeed occurred....

There’s the letter of the law, and then there’s the spirit of the law. And Amanda Lawson-Ross hopes that she can prevail, based on the latter. Lawson-Ross is a psychologist at the University of Florida. She believed that her employment position would qualify her for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which forgives certain student loans for those employed in non-profit and government positions for 10 years, so long as they have made on-time payments....

In fact, a recent study by Susan Wawrose, of University of Dayton School of Law, established exactly the opposite. According to The Wall Street Journal, prospective employers are more interested in “the softer skills, like work ethic, collegiality and a sense of individual responsibility,” rather than seeking graduates with great practical skills.Back in December I gave five tips on how to be a great associate – now, I’ll share how you show you are a great associate on paper, and/or in an interview....

Tuesday, California voters approved Proposition 35, a measure to increase fines and prison sentences for sex trafficking, as well as require convicted human traffickers to register as sex offenders and disclose internet activities and identities, the Huffington Post reports. The measure would affect approximately 73,000 currently-registered sex offenders in the state, and require human trafficking convicts to register as sex offenders. At first blush, it seems like a no-brainer. Human trafficking is bad, and we should punish it....

In a $7.5 million settlement agreement arising from a wage and hour class action lawsuit, trial court judge’s order vacating an earlier ruling that the 140 late-identified class members should receive notice and then recusing himself from any further proceedings in the matter is affirmed where: 1) when a judge is not disqualified at the time of making the first ruling, the first ruling does not become void just because the judge later disqualifies himself in the interests of justice and encapsulates both rulings in one minute order; and 2) defendant’s argument that the judge’s order vacating the prior ruling about the 140 late-identified class members must be reversed is rejected....

If you’ve gotten sick in the past 30 or so years, odds are that you’ve been prescribed Cipro, the antibiotic that is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. From 1987 to 2003, Bayer was the sole producer of Cipro in the United States – a position which helped it generate billions of dollars in gross sales until its patent expired in 2003. Part of the reason Bayer was able to maintain such a lucrative position, according to an antitrust class action suit, was because the company paid a manufacturer $398 million to keep a generic version off the market until Bayer’s patent expired....

Cybersecurity is becoming a significant concern for companies pursuing mergers and acquisitions. And it’s not just with M&As in consumer-face industries, where lost credit card numbers, passwords, or medical information can lead to significant liability. Almost all businesses have some data security risks. Thus, looking into a company’s cybersecurity practices is an increasingly important aspect of risk management and M&A due diligence. Here’s what that means for in-house attorneys. Companies are approaching cybersecurity with more seriousness when considering acquisitions....

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has proposed an amendment to Circuit Rule 35 regarding the time limits for filing a petition for panel or en banc rehearing. The proposed amendments were made to conform to expected changes to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure (FRAP) 40, which the Supreme Court has approved. The Circuit anticipates that FRAP 40 will become effective on December 1, 2011. The proposed version of Rule 35 states: In all cases in which a party is one of those listed in FRAP 40(a)(1)(A)-(D), the time within which any party may seek panel rehearing or rehearing en banc is 45 days after entry of judgment or other form of decision....

In an appeal from the trial court’s order quashing service of summons and process on the Archdiocese of Cashel & Emly in Ireland regarding alleged sexual molestation by clergy, the order is affirmed where: 1) plaintiff waived the issue by his failure to fairly and completely set forth, discuss, and analyze the relevant facts under the applicable substantial evidence standard of review; and 2) substantial evidence supported the trial court’s ruling that defendant had insufficient contacts with the State of California to support an exercise of either general or specific jurisdiction....

Trial court’s grant of School District’s petition for writ of mandate to proceed with termination of a High School music teacher’s refusal to obtain certification to teach English learners is affirmed as the District had the authority under Education Code section 35160 to require teachers to obtain the certification in order to comply with the mandates imposed on it by the Legislation. Therefore, defendant’s specific arguments are rejected. Read Governing Bd....

One of the most frequent questions I heard back in my LSAT teaching days was, “How many schools should I apply to?” Obviously, you’ll want a safety school or two. And if you’ve ever dreamed of attending a specific school, you should add that to the list as well. But what is the sweet spot? The answer, like many questions in law, is “it depends.” Beyond scholarships, the number of applications you send should depend on which camp of applicants you belong to:...

Here’s a secret to getting the new Chris Cornell Scholarship at UCLA: If you are going for the money, you don’t get it. This scholarship is for students who are dedicated to human rights. It requires a commitment like the late singer/songwriter showed when he donated proceeds from his most famous song to an international rescue group. Now do you get it? This is a scholarship that isn’t about money....

National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day is approaching. That’s the day when dozens of Americans declare, “Hey, I’m showing up for work, but I’m sure not going to dress for it.” Even some celebrities have worn pajamas on the job, including the queen of decorum, Martha Stewart. So, attorneys, is it ever okay to wear pajamas to your work? Sorry pajama fans, esquires in footed jammies is not okay. The key to being a legal professional is being professional....