Good News for the Legal Profession: Practice over Theory at W&L Law

Many of the “elite” law schools produce legions of lawyers who seem to be able to do everything, except practice law. They can change the world but they can’t draft a motion.

Washington and Lee in Virginia has established a 3L curriculum designed to serve as the exact opposite of the theory driven ideology posing as law at many American law schools. The Washington and Lee 3L program emphasizes practical application of law, taught by lots of adjunct professors with real world experience in the profession, not just in the the world of academia where academics talk to other academics and few others.  And the results are in.

Roll Tide: Speaking at University of Alabama Wednesday


Along with Jack Park, I’ll be speaking on a panel at the University of Alabama School of Law.  The event is sponsored by the Federalist Society. We will discuss the Shelby case and Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.  I’ll have a couple copies of my book Injustice, also.

Time: Noon.  January 30, 2013
Place: University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa AL.

My march through the SEC law schools continues next Wednesday with USC.  Ole Miss later this semester.  Details to follow.

New Virginia Senate District, Unconstitutional?

There is some chance that the new Virginia Senate district created by Senate Republicans on a 20-19 vote is unconstitiuonal.  First of all, the argument that the district was necessary to avoid a Section 2 lawsuit sounds questionable.  For starters, the geographic contortions of the Virginia Senate districts are rather obvious. Secondly, and more importantly, there are numerous proponents of the new district speaking in terms of a racial purpose in creating the district beyond purported Section 2 compliance.  Expect a lawsuit if the districts become effective.

Virginia creates new senate district with black majority

Details at Tidewater.com:

The new redistricting plan approved by senators features the first
new majority-minority district in the Virginia Senate since 1991.

District 25 stretches from Danville to Franklin and includes Southampton and Isle of Wight counties and a portion of Franklin.


Sen. John Watkins, R-Chesterfield, said the new district has an African-American population of 56.2 percent.


“Stretching across Southside Virginia, it will provide the
opportunity for rural African-Americans in Virginia to elect their own
representative to the Senate,” Watkins said. “And it has been drawn
without an incumbent senator to truly provide an opportunity for this
community.”

“Kentucky House moving forward with legislative redistricting”

At Kentucky.com, House Speaker Greg Stumbo has asked state House members to propose new
boundaries for their legislative districts by next Friday, disregarding a
request by Gov. Steve Beshear to delay redistricting until later this
year.

…Stumbo said he would like to accommodate Beshear’s request, “but we
must realize this is strictly a legislative responsibility and I believe
we should attempt to put together a plan that can pass the House and
comply with the latest court decision.”

He was referring to the
Kentucky Supreme Court’s decision to throw out last year’s legislative
redistricting attempt after the maps were challenged by House
Republicans and Sen. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington.

North Carolina: “Voter ID likely to pass; will photo be needed?”

Link to the story.  Aversion to photographs and common sense in North Carolina.  Excerpt below:

The legislature seems poised to once again pass a voter
identification bill, legislation that has sharpened partisan lines and
sparked heated debate regarding voter fraud and voting rights.

The GOP-controlled legislature passed a bill in 2011 requiring
voters to show a photo ID at the polls, only to have Democratic Gov. Bev
Perdue veto it. That won’t be a problem this year, because Republican
Gov. Pat McCrory has voiced his support for such a measure.

But it is still not clear what form the voter ID bill will take.

…Earlier this month, House Speaker Thom Tillis of Cornelius and McCrory
voiced support for a compromise measure that would allow voters to show
forms of identification that don’t include a photo, such as a
registration card or other government documents.