C & D
So…I just got a cease and desist e-mail from Kenyon & Kenyon LLP telling me I could no longer blog under the name “LawSchoolBlogger.” Being April 1st, I assumed this was an April Fools’ Day joke set up by one of my classmates. Long story short: it wasn’t.
Here’s what happened: I just got off the phone with Kenyon & Kenyon attorney David Darschlaw, who told me that a guy named Phillip Roth, who owns and operates LawSchoolBlog.com, owns right to the name “LawSchoolBlogger” too.
My dad says he’s not so sure that Roth has a valid claim against me, but that this is a battle not worth fighting. So right now, I’m not sure whether I’ll continue to blog under a different name or whether this order is maybe a sign that it’s time for me to stop blogging and focus more on school, the Bar Exam, and promoting Lawyer Boy.
Either way, this will be my last post on “LawSchoolBlogger.com.” So let me say, thank you so much for all the time you’ve spent on this blog. Thanks so much for reading, and thanks so much for all your great comments. In writing them, you’ve actually helped me a lot with lots of things.
That’s all for now.
-Rick Lax
Posted in General, YOU be the Lawyer, Law School Life, These Posts Defy Categorization!, Classroom Observations, Law School 101 | 
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April 1st, 2008 at 1:24 am
no, thank you, sir.
the blog was starting to get really good. starting to get really into it. i’ll miss this. but good luck to you.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:25 am
Yes, I’ll miss this too.
-Jennie
April 1st, 2008 at 1:55 am
Thanks, Counselors.
And I forgot to mention in the post, but before anybody asks, no this is not an April Fools’ Day joke itself. Hmmm…I probably should have waited until tomorrow for this post….
April 1st, 2008 at 7:42 am
Is there something going around? I got a letter from The Williams Firm, who runs mayitpleasethecourt.com alleging trademark infringement for the use of the words on the top of my page (wikilaw.blogspot.com).
I say fuck em. I got no money anyway, and I don’t think they have a valid claim. Bring it on.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:26 am
Why don’t you just change the web link to Lawyer Boy? That way, you can keep the web page and do instant publicity for your book.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:37 am
Counselor “Wikilaw,” I got a letter from Williams Firm saying that you had agreed to take down the mayitpleasethecourt stuff. They asked me to take down your post on LSB as well, and I did without asking you because the attorney told me that you had agreed to the order. Is this not the case?
And Counselor Anna, sadly “LawyerBoy.com” is taken already.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:30 am
Eh, probably not worth fighting. Just blog under Lawyer Boy somewhere else. Don’t leave yet!
April 1st, 2008 at 10:42 am
Are they claiming a trademark?
He’s not using lawschoolblog or lawschoolblogger.
He’s cybersquatting.
I think you ought to just open up “RickLax.com” and keep blogging on there.
Also, if you want to use JollyRickLax.com, I won’t sue.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:57 am
will the real law school blogger please stand up
April 1st, 2008 at 10:58 am
It was a privilege and pleasure to post your blog’s very first comment, and it’s with the same honor that I post one of its last.
The picture of you above says it all… you served your readers honorably, battling through blogger war wounds, never afraid to turn a minor scrape into a legal drama.
For all the legal speculation and hypotheticals posted, there’s no more fitting way to end this blog than under threat of an actual lawsuit.
Counselor Lax, This is not just the end of a great blog, but the beginning of a great career!
April 1st, 2008 at 11:19 am
Thanks, Counselors Elliott and Pirates and LJT. Thanks again to you three.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am
But…but…but…I like your blog.
I’m just a little California cinema major who enjoys her dose of Law School student angst/triumph/absurdity/etc through your blog. It’s a good thing your book is coming out in a few short months or I might have to get…aggressive.
But in all seriousness, your entries have always been a fantastic read; you’re a fantastic writer and I like to think you’ll be quite successful (even though I know virtually nothing about law school other than what I have read here). Best of luck!
April 1st, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Good riddance. One less internet charlatan.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:36 pm
On second thought, a lawsuit might be the perfect publicity stunt for LAWYER BOY.
A frivilous lawsuit brought against your frivolous efforts to make law LESS frivolous! Just think about it…
April 1st, 2008 at 1:43 pm
In all seriousness, would not a person who owned the right to a name also take affirmative steps to register the domain as well?
April 1st, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Counselor RIC,
Yeah, that was my first thought too. What I told the lawyer…who didn’t really respond to that point. Our conversation was quick…and then, yeah…I honestly don’t think the case is good at all, I think i’d probably win…but as my dad pointed out, I just can’t be fighting this case at this point in my life.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:26 pm
When did he register his domain name in relation to you?
I really think you should just open up a new domain and ghost over all of the old posts.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:50 pm
So I might be wrong… but I don’t think so…I’m gonna stick to my guns for today and guess that this is an April Fools joke. I spent five minutes poking around, and I found some odd coincidences. I won’t go into details, but they involve lawschoolblog.com and the supposed owner and operator “Philip Roth.” Strange that name, Philip Roth, as in the Chicago based author. Tomorrow we will see I reckon. (PS if I’m right, I expect a signed copy of your book, thank you very much. If I’m wrong, my sincere apologies.)
April 1st, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I am hoping for an April Fool’s gag.
I am also hoping for a tame pygmy bear cub.
I will settle for one or the other.
April 1st, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I refuse to take anything seriously until tomorrow.
And Steve Pirates, you should know that a pygmy bear cub, tamed or otherwise, is forever wild at heart.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Yeah, I’ve read Roth. If I was making up a name, I would have come up with something more random/believable.
Wish this was an April Fools’ day prank too…
If I do start to blog again, by the way, I’ll list my new e-mail address as a comment to this post.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Aah, that book is gonna be a nice addition to my collection (so I can look smart when I’m older and have a library). Anywho, David Dershaw huh? What firm was he from again? That’s odd, doesn’t show up on the directory. Wow, just realized two things. 1) too much time on my hands 2)I’m pooping on his April Fool’s parade.My B counselor Rick
April 1st, 2008 at 6:46 pm
that domain *is* registered.. it’s just forwarded to another one.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:26 am
I’ll miss you, sir. I started reading your blog just before I got accepted to law school and, as I am sure others could attest, has served some interesting purposes.
On top of pointing out the humor, frustration, and general goings-on of law school, it also helped me adjust to my triumphant return to school. Seriously though, your blog helped me get a clearer picture of what law school looks like. I owe you, as do many of your readers.
Sadly, your grand experiment is over (I agree with Counselor Chuck - why fight it, especially in light of the fact that you seemed to be planning an exit anyway). Your efforts have been appreciated.
I look forward to your book.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:08 am
There is no David Darschaw at Kenyon. Why would they send a C&D email, not a letter?