Goodwin Liu Explains Genesis of American Constitution Society

ABA Journal, March 1, 2009 by Leslie A. Gordon
http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/left_turn_permitted/print/

“We had seen a departure by strict constructionists, who promoted expanded government with little accountability, excessive assertions of presidential authority, and a perverse doctrine of equal protection,” explains Goodwin Liu, chair of the ACS and an associate dean at the University of California at Berkeley’s Boalt Hall. “We believe there’s room for refashioning the legal culture to meet contemporary challenges. The Constitution is meant to be a simple and spare document that adapts to the many changes the country would confront.”

Paul Schwartz Calls for Reform of Telecommunications Surveillance Laws

San Francisco Chronicle, March 1, 2009 by Paul M. Schwartz
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/01/INDK164GNR.DTL&type=printable

“Sadly, rational inquiry about telecommunications surveillance is prevented by the haphazard and incomplete information that the government collects about its own behavior. Neither the government nor outside experts know the basic facts about our surveillance practices.”

Richard Frank Reviews Jeff Benedict’s Novel Little Pink House

Daily Journal, March 1, 2009 by Richard M. Frank
http://www.dailyjournal.com (requires registration; go to G:\Law School in the News\News Clips for article)

Little Pink House is by no means a neutral, dispassionate account of this legal and political conflict. The book has a point of view, and an ax to grind. As portrayed by Benedict, Kelo and her neighbors are noble, oppressed citizens, and their attorneys are visionary and principled advocates. The municipal officials of New London, by contrast, come across as a combination of Boss Tweed and Darth Vader, and their lawyers as both naive and ineffective. This, unfortunately, reduces the difficult and nuanced issues that were at the heart of the Kelo litigation to little more than caricature.

Elisabeth Semel Notes Death Penalty Inconsistencies in California

The Times-Standard, March 1, 2009 by Thadeus Greenson
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_11812800

“It’s like a patchwork quilt,” said Elisabeth Semel, a clinical professor of law at U.C. Berkeley who directs the school’s death penalty clinic…. “Someone once said, ‘California has 58 counties and 58 death penalties,’ and that’s a very apt statement.”

Stephen Barnett Says Decision to Close Rocky Mountain News Violates Anti-Trust Law

The Denver Post, February 26, 2009 by Aldo Svaldi
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11794045

“The whole point of the Newspaper Preservation Act is to keep two papers in publication. It violates the anti-trust laws to close one,” he said.

Christopher Edley Describes Benefits of New UCDC Law Program

Contra Costa Times Political Blotter, February 26, 2009 by Josh Richman
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2009/02/26/california-law-students-nab-dc-internships/

“This is a direct and powerful way to expose students to aspects of lawyering in Washington and thereby broaden their thinking about professional paths available to them,” says Berkeley Law Dean Chris Edley Jr., who recently advised President Barack Obama’s transition team. “Our new classroom technology will also enable us to connect our students and experts in Washington with law students on campus, combining resources for dynamic interactive instruction.”

Stephen Sugarman Explains Berkeley Law’s Grading Policy

The National Law Journal, February 26, 2009 by Vesna Jaksic
http://www.law.com/jsp/law/LawArticleFriendly.jsp?id=1202428588174

The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law uses high honors, honors and pass designations and has no intention of changing that policy, said Stephen D. Sugarman…. “If you give everyone A’s and there aren’t any A-pluses, or if you don’t give honors and high honors, you just wouldn’t have a way to easily distinguish the best 25 or the best 10 percent of your students,” Sugarman said. “So I think you need in some ways to help the judges and help yourself decide who to promote as the best students.”

Goodwin Liu Shares his Favorite Crock Pot Recipe

Los Angeles Times, February 25, 2009 by Noelle Carter
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-slowcookers25-2009feb25,0,3451809,print.story

His expertise includes constitutional law and education policy, but in his spare time the associate dean and professor of law at UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall likes to experiment with his slow cooker. A favorite discovery? Sweet potatoes. “I like to cook sweet potatoes over low heat—they come out to a lovely mash.”

Christopher Hoofnagle Applauds FCC’s Move to Enforce Privacy Rules

Wired Epicenter, February 25, 2009 by Ryan Singel
http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/02/fcc-threatens-t.html

Longtime phone privacy advocate Chris Hoofnagle … thinks the FCC is laying the groundwork for actually doing something about rogue data selling and pre-texting. “The agency will start its enforcement actions by ensuring that all carriers are filing a security plan, and then will move on to evaluating the substance of the security plans,” Hoofnagle said.

Kenneth Bamberger and Andrew Guzman Want Companies Liable for Unsafe Imports

San Francisco Chronicle, February 25, 2009 by Kenneth A. Bamberger and Andrew T. Guzman
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/25/EDDK164HUP.DTL&type=printable

Where imports are likely to pose a threat to consumers, higher legal penalties should be imposed on U.S. companies trading in these unsafe products, making these firms liable for the true costs of their foreign activity.