Blawg is on Holiday: Maybe for now, maybe for longer ...

Circle of life - and blawgging? I hate to have the site succumb to a blog statistic, but this blawg will be temporarily suspended. I am not certain now when it will be resumed.

While I cannot write for other Authors who have contributed to the blawg, personally I enjoyed the outlet: it was nice to have a place I could post my thoughts and work on my writing. Professionally, I found value in investigating topics that interested me: collecting information and presenting it in a way that I thought was both interesting and informative. Too, I have met a number of really talented attorneys who have Authored here, and am happy to say they are now in my professional network. I earnestly hope they were able to benefit from their writing here, as well. We're young now, but I'm confident some of these people will be fabulous practitioners as they grow into their profession. I am happy to have met and worked with them, and am grateful for their contribution here.

And I am grateful for the folks who logged-in to watch updated posts and discussion. Hopefully you enjoyed the chatter while it was running.

But blawgs eat up time, and energy, and effort, and patience. As like so many of my legal peers who have recently entered the industry, I am looking for permanent placement. Recent events have persuaded me to focus all of my time and energy on securing this placement. While I find legal research and writing a vital part of practicing law, I feel my writing over the last year sufficiently illustrates my ability and interests. It is vital right now I shift that ability and secure proper employment. While I feel this is the most appropriate decision for me at the moment, it by no means suggests that I will not research and publish again in the future - be it blawgging or traditional paper publications. And so ...

I am closing comments on the blawg as of this post. All Authors' work, however, is accessible via the menu on the right-hand side of your screen. In most instances, contact information for those Authors is also available. Kind thanks for Everyone's time and support. Take care - Sls.

Jason will be back soon

A quick post: Jason and I have spoken a few times over the last two weeks, and he is currently dealing with a private matter that will prevent him from writing on the blog. Jason regretted having to table his writing at the moment, but we both hope that he can guest blawg at a later date this spring.

Best wishes, Jason.

Introducing Guest Blawger Jason Silberberg

I am happy to write that Jason Silberberg will be guest blawgging on the site for the next month.

Jason is a graduate of both NYU, and separately, the George Washington University Law School. He studied in Spain while an undergrad and participated in Moot Court and the Project for Older Prisoners Clinic while in law school. Jason has a wide research and writing background; his accomplishments include:

• A legal journal document discussing the right to withdraw consent under the Fourth Amendment.
• A research document and presentation to the English and Dramatic Literature Organization's Annual Conference, entitled Jewish American Participation in the Spanish Civil War: a Socio-Historical Study.
• A number of published articles while working as an intern at The Jewish Daily Forward, including "Mameloshn Thriving in Montreal" and "Debate Rages Over Deafness Test."

Jason's work experience includes interning at both the FCC Enforcement Bureau and FEMA's Office of Chief Counsel. At the FCC Jason researched and wrote on matters ranging between over-the-air-threats and fraud to administrative procedural matters. At FEMA Jason researched and wrote to defend the agency against employment discrimination and equal protection suits. Jason also spent a summer as an associate at the firm Gebhardt & Associates, LLP. He worked on litigation matters, principally research and writing as regards employment litigation.

Apart from the law, Jason is also a musician. He is currently a songwriter to the musical group Steeplechase, and separately, has published and licensed his musical work to various television series. He also founded and performed as Co-President to the record label Argento Records.

Jason is licensed to practice in New Jersey.

Welcome Jason! I am very happy you're writing on the blawg this month - please enjoy your time here!

We're Published! Hastings Business Law Journal

Gratuitous self-congratulatory note to me and Allen as we celebrate a recent offer of publication from the Hastings Business Law Review! The document Litigation and Recoupment of Executive Compensation has been updated since the NYBLJ run, and will appear in the spring edition of the HBLJ.

Introducing Guest Blawger Emily Walsh

I am quite happy to introduce Emily Walsh here as a Guest Blawger for the next month.

Emily graduated from St. John's University School of Law just this summer; she resides and is licensed in New York state. While in law school, Emily was a senior staff member of the New York International Law Review and has had her legal research and writing published. See Microsoft v. Commission: An Article 82 EC Analysis, 21 N.Y. INT'L L. Rev. 77 (Summer 2008). She also sat on the Executive Board of the Moot Court Honor Society and acted as Special Events and Budget Coordinator. Emily was a Semi-Finalist in the Judge Milton Mollen Moot Court Competition and a Quarter Finalist in the Roy L. Reardon Moot Court Competition. She has also excelled academically, qualifying for Dean's List during several semesters at St. John's, and completing her Bachelors with honors from the University of Mary Washington.

Emily's work experience includes her most recent summer at the law firm of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. She was extended a post-graduate offer after working on matters including securities and litigation. Separately, Emily has worked as a Business and Legal Affairs Intern with RCA Music Group, researching and writing on matters of intellectual property and the performing arts.

Welcome Emily! Am happy you're here this month - have fun!

Published! Allen and I scored a Special Feature on Law.com

(Gratuitous self-congratulations - please forgive! - but wanted to drop a quick post: Allen and I have been working hard to get several short articles into legal publication, and one of our pieces was picked up this week. Very exciting!)

Executive Compensation at a Turning Point >> please check it out if the topic interests you!

Introducing Guest Blawger Jennifer Lee

I am happy to announce Jennifer Lee will be writing here for the next month as a Guest Blawger. Jenn has only just graduated law school and has successfully completed her licensing exams; I’m pleased she’s agreed to contribute to the blawg.

Jenn previously worked at law firms Jenner Block and Thompson Coburn, working on litigation and research and writing projects. She has also worked with Bloomberg LLP on their "BLAW" project, and while in law school she researched and drafted legislation for the City Government of St. Louis. Currently Jenn interns with two judges in the Hackensack County Courthouse in New Jersey.

Jenn completed undergraduate work at the University of Michigan, taking second place at the Delta Epsilon Chi ("DECA") State Conference International Business Division competition. She completed her legal studies at the Saint Louis University School of Law, receiving a Certificate in Health Law. Jenn has a number of professional accolades from her legal studies, including Editor of the Saint Louis University Law Journal, Teacher’s Assistant and participation in Moot Court, as well as Vice President of the Asian American Law Student Association ("AALSA").

Jenn lives in New Jersey and is licensed to practice in the states of New Jersey and New York. Welcome Jenn! I hope you have a great time while here – I am looking forward to your writing!

Introducing Guest Blawger Seth Hopkins

I am pleased to present Seth Hopkins as a Guest Blawger this month. Seth comes to the site with a broad number of professional accomplishments.

Seth has clerked at both the state and federal level, with the 14th Judicial District Court of Louisiana and the in Western District Court of Louisiana, respectively. Satisfying a personal goal he set for himself while an undergrad, Seth has interned or worked in all three branches of the federal government: the White House, the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He has practiced law from his own legal offices, but more recently worked with the law firm Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman on environmental and anti-trust litigation. Seth has also played a role in the classroom throughout his career, including teaching positions at Kaplan University and the Delta School of Business. As an entrepreneur, Seth established a number of online speech writing and litigation support companies, including WriteMySpeech, MediateMyCase, and OpeningStatement.

Seth has a BA and JD from Louisiana State University. He resides in Houston, Texas and is licensed to practice in both Louisiana and Texas. His publication credentials include: former member of the Editorial Board for the Louisiana Bar Journal; former Editor of the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association's Bar Journal, The Sidebar; and personal publication in the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys’ Journal. While an undergrad, Seth acted as Executive Editor of the McNeese State University newspaper, The Contraband. His public presence is not limited to paper publication, however, as Seth has also appeared as a rotating attorney on the NBC affiliate’s Sunrise Show Ask the Expert, providing legal advice during the call-in program.

Welcome Seth! Am sure you have a lot of great information to share – have fun while here!

VOTE for the best ABA Blawg

ABA Journal Editors have selected and are featuring 100 law blogs / blawgs in their annual review. They have selected 40, however, that they are accepting votes on as to readers' "favorites."

Check it out and vote here!

Vlad's Post on Russian Corruption was Picked-Up by Blawg Review!!

Well done, Vlad! You can see the original post here. Blawg Review # 237 is here (Vlad's reference is in the sixth paragraph below the Smokey the Bear picture).

Introducing Guest Blawger, Keyana Jones

I am very pleased to announce Keyana Jones will be blawgging here for the next month. Keyana is the first of this site's Authors to focus on Criminal Law, so I really am eager to see what she chooses to discuss.

Keyana is currently competing for criminal law clerkships in California, but previously has worked with both the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office and the San Diego Public Defender's Office. Apart from the research and writing required by her work, she has also argued before the courts, and in fact has second-chaired two jury trials.

Keyana is a high honors graduate of the University of California at Irvine, and earned her law degree at the Pepperdine University School of Law. Keyana has written throughout her academic career, acting as Editor-in-Chief of the African Student Union's Newsletter while an undergrad, and sitting on the Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship and the Law while a law student.

Welcome Keyana! You have intimated an active interest in blawgging, so am really happy you could join us here as an Author. Have fun!

Introducing Guest Blawger, Vlad Frants

I am very pleased to welcome Vlad Frants to the blawg. Vlad is a new attorney and will be guest blawgging at here for the next month.

I'm particularly excited to have Vlad blawg here as his research and publication has been quite active over the last two years. His recent publications include:

• Taxation of Nerves: Understanding Innocent Spouse Relief from Joint Return Liability, 41 FAMILY LAW REVIEW 3 (forthcoming) (Fall 2009).
• A Functionalist Perspective on the Effectiveness of the Gramm-Leach-Blilely Networking Exception and its Related Regulation R Provisions, New York Business Law Journal, New York State Bar Association (forthcoming) (Winter 2009).
• Russian Corporations Law: Is "Self-Enforcement" Still the Way to Go? 13 UCLA J. INT'L L. & FOR. AFF. 435 (2008).

Vlad graduated with high honors from Stony Brook University. While a law student at Brooklyn Law School, he sat on the Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial and Commercial Law. He has taken courses through the Harvard University Extension School, but is currently a full-time graduate student at Fordham University's School of Business, working towards a M.S. in Taxation. While at Fordham, Vlad started and is acting President of the Fordham Tax and Accounting Society.

Outside of his research and professional studies, Vlad has undertaken and founded a not-for-profit that fosters ties between the larger New York community and those facing health issues, The Good Heart Group.

Welcome, Vlad! I am pleased that you could join us and am excited to see what research you contribute here.

We're PUBLISHED!(!*&#!( New York Business Law Journal

Totally gratuitous, but if you can't write this sort of news here as Administrator, then the give-and-take of the position has to be re-evaluated ...

I am thrilled to announce the research document Allen and I put together, Litigation and Recoupment of Executive Compensation, has been accepted for PUBLICATION in the December issue of the New York Business Law Journal!!

As a young attorney on the prowl for new work, it's encouraging to have this acknowledgment from an organization of more experienced peers. As an Author, however, it is a complete relief to have our efforts validated.

Well done Allen >> well done Us!!

Introducing Guest Blawger, Alok Kumar

I am very pleased to introduce Alok Kumar as a Guest Blawger here for the next month. Alok has only just left law school, and is residing in Massachusetts awaiting Bar results.

Alok comes to the blawg with several Moot Court and oral advocacy awards. Among them, awarded at the Jessup International Moot Court Competition for the Mid-Atlantic Region in 2009: 2nd Best Oral Advocate, 3rd Best Memorial, and a Quarterfinalist. Also at the Jessup International Moot Court Competition in 2008, Alok was awarded 10th Best Oral Advocate. Alok's legal work experience includes summering with Edwards Angell, working on transactional matters related to intellectual property. He also worked during law school, for instance with a local District Attorney's office, researching and drafting appellate briefs.

Alok's talents are not limited to law alone, however, as preceding law school Alok was a professional opera singer and toured throughout the United States and Europe. This includes venues such as the Opera Institute in the U.S., the Marinsky Theater in Russia, and the Israeli Opera in Israel.

Alok has a Bachelors from John Hopkins, a Masters from Rice University, and a law degree from Suffolk University Law School.

Welcome Alok! I hope you enjoy blawgging here!!

Congratulations Rory! Your post was picked-up by Blawg Review

Congrats, Rory! Your post on dueling music industry IP rights was picked-up this past week by Blawg Review. Well done, You!

Re-Introducing Guest Blawger, Ehi Oviasu

Ehi joined us last month to blawg, but was prevented by outside events from writing. I am quite happy to post, however, that she and I have recently been in contact and she not only is yet eager to blawg, but feels the coming month will allow her greater opportunity to explore topics on the site.

Am quite happy to collaborate with you Ehi - welcome, and have fun!

Introducing Guest Blawger, Rory O'Sullivan

I am pleased to be able to introduce one of our first international attorneys, Mr. Rory O'Sullivan. Rory will be blawgging here for the next month, and is interested in matters of Entertainment Law, Intellectual Property, and Media Law.

Rory attended the St. Louis University School of Law, graduating from the National University of Ireland, University of Cork, earning a BCL and LLM. His publishing accolades include Don't Be Evil, which discussed the Google Book Search Project and was short-listed for the prestigious Matheson Ormsby Prentice Prize in Information Technology Law. Rory also blawgs at a separate site he administers, the Internet Television Blog. Rory is licensed to practice in New York State.

Welcome Rory! Am eager to see what posts you develop here.

Introducing Guest Blawger, Ann Lee

I am happy to write Ms. Ann Lee will be blawgging here for the next month. Ann is a new attorney, having just sat the New York state Bar and residing in New York City. Congratulations, Ann! Her current practice interests include Art and Environmental Law.

Ann is a graduate of New York University and the University of Colorado Law School. While studying, Ann acted as Casenote Editor for the Journal of Telecommunications and High Technology Law. While at NYU, Ann studied abroad and is proficient in both Italian and Korean.

Welcome Ann! Am happy you could join us this month and am looking forward to your posts.

Totally gratuitous: Sls mention on ATL

Good Morning! Am having the hardest time coming back from the Holiday weekend, so will make a real effort today to post content. But was excited that an email I sent to ATL Blogger Roxanna St. Thomas was used in her most recent post regarding attorneys and their activities in light of the legal employment market. FWIW - thanks. Sls.

Congratulations Richard! Your blawgging was discussed on "Blawg Review!"

Congratulations to Richard!(!*&# He is the first Author from this blawg to be discussed on the well-known Blawg Review. Last week's Host has her write-up here. She devotes a full paragraph to Richard's post last week on the Waxman-Markey legislation. (Richard was written-up before Althouse, Co-Op, and ATL!!).

Well done, Richard!