Sea Dogs Game July 17th - Join the Gang!

UPDATE: THE "NLS" OPTION ON THE DROP DOWN MENU IS NOW WORKING. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

The annual Sea Dogs game get together hosted by yours trulies (the NLS) will be on Thursday, July 17th at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $24/person and include the following: a ticket to the game in the Picnic Area, which contains both stadium style and picnic table seating and unlimited hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, coleslaw, beans, assorted Coca-Cola products and Sea Dogs Ice Cream Biscuits (veggie burgers are also available upon request). Food will be served from one hour prior to the game until one hour after the first pitch. To purchase your tickets click on "NLS July 17," and select either NLS option in the Ticket Type drop-down menu via this link.

We'll see you on July 17th!

Fuel Cost - is it on your mind?

Maine is a large state with little public transportation so commuting and off-site meetings usually require some amount of driving. How are you dealing with the rising gas prices? Are you cutting back on off-site meetings? Do you still rely on the firm's mileage reimbursement programs? Are these programs being cut at all? How about commuting? Have you broached the subject of working from home a few days a week? Are you car-pooling?

It seems as though the Marginal Way commuter lot in Portland is getting more use these days and the nightly news certainly keeps us abreast of (if not panicked by) the rapidly rising fuel costs. So, Maine lawyers, how are you dealing?

Poll 3: Your Wish Granted - You Win!

31% of you now have the numbers needed to win the lottery, but for those of you that watch Lost, you know that having the right numbers is not always enough to win your heart's desire. . . but is usually enough to defeat a smoke monster.

25% jumped straight to a spending spree, and decided to jetset around the world. Bravo. Enjoy some sushi in Tsukiji for us during your Tokyo stopover en route to the Beijing Olympics.

Struggling Nerds and Artists split the next categories, with 12% interested in more assignments to make their billables and 12% absolutely ready to take their turn on the CW red carpet.

A resolution to rising gas prices would be soul-stirring for 6% of you, and at least 6% of you are fashionistas for whom a new work wardrobe would be tops. 6% of you are willing to share your dream with us in comments to this post ("Other"), and finally -- no one cares that much about a widescreen TV or visiting Presque Isle, perhaps because a chunk of you are watching yours in 'Almost Island' as we speak.

Law Court On Husson Law: Thumbs Down for Now

For those of you following this issue, on June 3rd the Law Court denied the Husson College School of Law Petition to allow its prospective graduates to sit for the Maine State Bar Examination. The Court identified three major defects in the Petition at this time, but did not foreclose the possibility that a future petition that remedies these defects could overcome the Court's concerns. The three major gaps in Husson's proposal were:

1. Lack of track record to provide a basis for evaluating the quality of the legal education offered. Cf. Massachusetts School of Law, which had been open 8 years before its Law Court petition.

2. Unaddressed concerns about the pedagogical method to be used at the school -- a core group of professional law professors using law school methodology may be required. The current proposal does not address concerns about teaching method and credentials of faculty raised by the Maine State Board of Education review team.

3. There should be a law-school-specific alternative to ABA accreditation, more than mere NESC accrediation, as a baseline requirement. Cf. Massachusetts School of Law review by the Massachusetts Board of Regents of Higher Education (specifically reviewing the level and quality of instruction, the quality of full-time faculty, the size and depth of the library collection, and the qualifications of the law librarian.) The MSBE has no such jurisdiction, but expressed concerns about the Husson proposal along these lines. No review can occur in any event before there is a class that has begun instruction at Husson College School of Law.

There are some interesting reader comments on the Maine Today site related to this case. Also, feel free to comment here!