Holder's Big Day: The confirmation vote on Attorney General-designate Eric Holder Jr. is set for today, and his chances improved yesterday with an endorsement by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) Check back here for coverage through the day.
Dancing With Ms. Ledbetter: Congress gave final approval Tuesday to the Lilly Ledbetter bill, named for the Alabama tire worker who lost a Supreme Court decision in 2007 on her pay discrimination claim against Goodyear. The bill, which relaxes the statute of limitations for filing such claims, will likely be the first major piece of legislation signed by President Obama. The New York Times story notes that Obama danced with Ledbetter at one of last week's inaugural balls.
Pfizer's advisers: There's no doubt pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. will cut staff when and if it merges with Wyeth, but what about Wyeth's 300 in-house lawyers, and its passel of outside firms? Sibling publication The Legal Intelligencer takes a look at that question in this story via law.com.
Associate's Dream: Lindsay Harrison, a fifth-year associate at Jenner & Block, made her first appellate argument last week -- at the Supreme Court. In an online interview at the Above the Law blog, Harrison says she was calm and making jokes until the justices took the bench. "That moment is terrifying." She argued pro bono for an immigrant from Cameroon fighting deportation in the case Nken v. Filip (which likely will be renamed Nken v. Holder before too long.)
Cruz Control: If things had gone differently in last November's presidential election, R. Ted Cruz would have been on the short list for attorney general or even the Supreme Court. The former Rehnquist clerk and Texas solicitor general, currently appellate partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, is a rising star. Now, our sibling publication Texas Lawyer is reporting that Cruz has taken the first steps toward running for Texas AG in 2010. At age 38, Cruz could dive into Texas politics and still end up on a short list for a federal post in a future Republican Administration.
Comments