Brian Leiter's Law School Reports

April Fool's Day at Legal Theory Blog

Larry Solum always has some very funny parodies.  This is my favorite from yesterday's batch.  Several years ago, Solum published such a good April Fool's parody of me that for two years afterwards I would get e-mails from overseas asking for copies of the paper!

Paul Campos admits he doesn't "even [know] what it means" to think like a lawyer

This probably explains a lot.  Fortunately, Fred Schauer has recently written a book that could help him with his questions, like, "What does it mean to teach people to think like lawyers?  How is thinking like a lawyer different from ordinary thinking?" 

(Thanks to Nick Smith for the pointer.)

UPDATE:  A senior legal academic, who has been involved extensively with legal education reform, writes:  "Keep up the Campos bashing.  I think that some of the law school critics have done a good service.  Even when I don't agree with everything, it was necessary for legal educators to give up a bit of complacency.  I've never met Campos, but he is disgraceful."  It's hard to disagree with any of that, but I don't really plan to keep up the "bashing," since, as we saw a few weeks back, by Campos's own admission, there really isn't much content to his routine. 

 

Loans and the end of the world: legal issues

Reader Ben Schewel shares this handy "Default Clause" just in case (author unknown):

12.7 END OF WORLD.  In the event that the world as known to mankind shall come to an end, whether through natural forces (including, without limitation, plague, drought, earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods), manmade forces (including, without limitation, nuclear or biological war, pollution and global warming), or divine forces (including, without limitation, the Second Coming, the Mayan Cataclysm, and the Rapture, regardless of religious affiliation of Bank or Borrower), then, in such event, all outstanding principal, interest, fees and charges remaining under the Loan Documents shall immediately become due and payable to Bank at Bank’s offices or designated shelter, without notice of any kind of character, all such notice being hereby waived by Borrower, and Borrower agrees that the end of the world shall not be deemed or construed to constitute a valid excuse or defense to payment; provided further, that in the event that the end of the world shall be divinely inspired, then, in such event, Borrower further agrees that Bank shall be aligned with forces of goodness and light, and Borrower shall be aligned with the forces of evil and darkness, and that Borrower shall be cast into a pit of fire until all sums owing under the Loan Documents, including attorney fees, shall be fully paid; provided further, that in the event that Borrower should be reincarnated subsequent to the end of the world, whether as an animal, vegetable or mineral, then, in such event, Bank shall have and possess, in addition to the collateral stated in the Loan Documents, a security interest in all of Borrower’s useful products, including, without limitation, any and all fur, hide, meat, edible portions, medicinal properties, and mineral rights, to further secure the prompt payment of all sums owing under the Loan Documents.  

More cutting-edge empirical work

"Please pass the salt":  Download SALT research

(Thanks to Richard Stith for the pointer.)

With Harvard's Elizabeth Warren Heading to the U.S. Senate...

...are the floodgates now open for bankruptcy scholars to ascend to the halls of power?  Senator Baird from Illinois?  Senator Rasmussen from California?  And, dare I say it, Senator Zywicki from Virginia?

Mottos for law blogs

This is pretty funny, though it overstates my hostility to some of the crazies at the Volokh blog--though I do enjoy making fun of some of them, for the reasons suggested by the motto proposed for that blog!

ADDENDUM:  And by the same author, book reviews Judge Posner might have written.

Billing by the hour: a view from England

Here.

A logic lesson for an anonymous fool

A philosopher who blogs as "Spiros" (and who really hates the music of Billy Joel) takes down an anonymous commenter who was angry at him.   It's very funny.

UVA Board of Visitors Issues "Declaration"...

...with some help from Duke sociologist Kieran Healy.  The spear of satire was never better wielded.

(Thanks to Matt Lister for the pointer.)

ADDENDUM:  This is also apt on the lack of "business" sense among the business-people on the BOV.

For your amusement...

Knowing my affection for law professor blogs by right-wing crazies, several different readers sent me this link, so I dutifully post it for your amusement.