A selection of the need-to-know civil justice news for the week of October 31-November 6.

 

American Woman Sues Nike for 1.3 Million Dollars After Breaking her Leg While Running in Iceland

Iceland Magazine

An American runner has filed a 1.3 million dollar lawsuit against the sportswear company Nike over severe leg fractures she suffered while participating in a Nike sponsored “dream run” in Iceland.  The woman, Kate Martini Freeman, had won a trip to Iceland to participate in three runs which were part of Nike‘s #RunViking competition.

Full story.

 

10 People Who Could Also Sue Taylor Swift for Plagiarizing Lyrics to “Shake It Off”

Erin Keane | Salon

The haters keep coming for Taylor Swift. Last week, an R&B singer named Jesse Graham filed a lawsuit against Swift alleging that she swiped the “haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate / and the players gonna play, play, play, play, play” refrain that made her 2014 single “Shake It Off” such an instant earworm from his 2013 crooner “Haters Gone Hate,” which includes a version of the phrase as well. He’s seeking $42 million in damages — in Swift dollars, that’s about a week’s worth of work, or roughly 28,000 Scottish Fold kittens.

Full story.

 

Complex Business Litigation Program on the Right Track

New Jersey Law Journal Editorial

In November 2014, the New Jersey Supreme Court approved the implementation of the “Complex Business Litigation Program,” to become effective Jan. 1, 2015.

This program results from previous recommendations of the bench and bar (and from this Law Journal) for there to be judges specially trained to administer in each vicinage cases involving complex business, commercial and construction cases.

Full story. 

 

2015-16 Supreme Court Term – Is it Finally the End for Class Actions as We Know Them?

Paul Karlsgodt | ClassActionBlawg.com

The October 2015 United States Supreme Court Term is already well underway, and there are several cases on the docket that could have a significant impact on class action practice.  Here is a summary of the three cases this term that I think could have the biggest impact on class action practice going forward

Full story. 

 

Here Comes a National Plague of Dumb Lawyers

Joe Queenan | Wall Street Journal

Law schools are so desperate to fill classrooms that they are drastically lowering standards, according to a recent report by the nonprofit group Law School Transparency. The report says that many students may only pass the bar after numerous attempts—if at all. So America may soon suffer a plague of dumb lawyers who have trouble spelling their own names. Purry Mason. Ben Matchlock. Clarice D’Arrow. That sort of thing.

Full story. 

 

Silver, ‘Corrupt’ Doc Didn’t Have to be Friends to be Partners in Slime

Kyle Smith | NY Post

From opening statements on, Silver’s lawyer, Steven Molo, has tried to establish that Silver was pals with Taub, the cancer expert who steered his asbestos victims to Silver’s law firm because he hoped the Assembly speaker would reciprocate with funding for mesothelioma research — which Silver did, with $500,000 of taxpayer money.

Full story. 

 

On Friday, the First Thing We Do, Let’s Love All the Lawyers

Jacob Gershman | Wall Street Journal

For a profession sometimes held in contempt, it was a plaintive plea: Lawyers were looking for love.

Full story.

 

Follow us on Twitter for even more civil justice news.