FPT Law Blog

Federal Weapons of Mass Destruction Laws: A Contradiction?

2013-05-02T00:07:00.003-04:00

In light of the bombings that rocked the Boston marathon on April 15th, the United States - for the first time ever - has charged 19-year-old suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with using weapons of mass destruction (under 18 USC § 2332a). The bombs used by the Tsarnaev brothers are described as "pressure cookers" containing bits of metal, nails, and ball bearings. Officials have described the...

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Florence/Rome/Siena Summer Law Program

2013-01-14T15:12:00.001-05:00

Penn State Law hosts its Florence/Rome/Siena Summer Program at the University of Florence School of Law in Florence, Italy. Members of our faculty collaborate with European scholars and practitioners to offer fully accredited courses in Separation of Powers; Comparative Law In a Globalized World — Transnational Perspectives; International Arbitration; International and Comparative Family Law; and...

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Proposed Senate Bill Would Allow Government to Access Your Email, Facebook, and Twitter Without a Warrant

2012-11-20T12:10:00.004-05:00

A new Senate bill that is scheduled for a vote next week increases the government's surveillance power and allows it to access your e-mail and other digital files. Senator Patrick Leahy has written a bill that would allow government agencies -- including the SEC and the FCC -- to access Americans' e-mail, Facebook wall posts, Twitter direct messages, and Google Docs files without a search...

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Jay Z’s "99 Problems" Used to Teach Fourth Amendment Rights

2012-07-30T17:05:00.000-04:00

Southwestern Law School Professor Caleb Mason has authored a law review article entitled “Jay-Z’S 99 Problems, Verse 2: A Close Reading With Fourth Amendment Guidance For Cops And Perps”, which has been recently highlighted on the SCOTUSblog. Professor Mason’s article dissects rapper Jay Z’s lyrics and uses them to examine each moment of a traffic stop, as described in the second verse of “99...

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“A Mistakenly Designated Arbitration Forum Clause is Null And Void” (Case Watch)

2012-07-30T13:34:00.000-04:00

Control Screening, LLC, a New Jersey-based manufacturer, and Tecapro, a Vietnam-based company, had a dispute over the proper interpretation of an arbitration forum selection clause in their contract. Tecapro entered into a contract with Control Screening for the purchase of twenty-eight customized X-ray machines with a total purchase price of over one million dollars. Each company alleged that...

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Mitt Romney to Address the NAACP Convention [Houston, TX - July]

2012-06-29T10:57:00.001-04:00

(Washington, DC) – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will address the upcoming 103rd NAACP Annual Convention in Houston, TX. The convention will run from July 7 – July 12 at the George R. Brown Convention Center under the theme “Your Power, Your Decision – VOTE”. “Every four years we invite the presidential candidates to address our convention, and we are delighted that Governor...

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Facebook's Payment System is Coming to Your Smart Phone - For Better or For Worse?

2012-06-07T17:12:00.000-04:00

Facebook to release its payment system to mobile phones in the U.S., some attorneys claim that the company is breaking the law. If you have ever played a game on Facebook's platform, such as The Sims Social or Words With Friends, then you are familiar with its virtual currency called Facebook Credits. Facebook Credits allows game developers to accept payment from users on in-game content (like...

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Who Really Owns Facebook Anyway? [Stakeholder Analysis]

2012-06-06T11:09:00.003-04:00

[Info-graphic Courtesy of Thomson Reuters] As Facebook's stock valuation continues to slide (currently $25.87 as of June 5, 2012, take a look at its current stakeholders. Note that Facebook employees make up a 32.4% of the current stakeholders, which may drastically change in the coming weeks when they soon will be allowed to sell their shares. Market analysis predict further...

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And The Class Action Lawsuits Begin ... Facebook "Unlikes"

2012-05-24T19:25:00.000-04:00

Two class action lawsuits have been filed in California and New York in the wake of Facebook's (Nasdaq: FB) botched IPO this week. The first complaint alleges that underwriters, including Morgan Stanley, alerted certain clients that they cut earnings projections ahead of the IPO. A second lawsuit was filed in NY federal court against the Nasdaq, claiming that the stock exchange...

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3 Reasons Why Facebook May Fail

2012-05-24T13:05:00.000-04:00

This week the social media goliath, Facebook, made its initial price offering (IPO) amid two major controversies involving Nasdaq's mishandling of investor' stock orders and Morgan Stanley's unfair dissemination of performance forecasts solely to industrial investors. Although most media attention has centered on these developing scandals, there might be more bad news ahead for Facebook. In...

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The National Bar Association is Calling for Nominations!

2012-05-09T08:32:00.004-04:00

The National Bar Association is calling for nominations for the following awards: C. Francis Stradford Award The C. Francis Stradford Award, named after a founding member and past president of the National Bar Association is the highest award given by the Association. The award is given to a member whose leadership, integrity, legal skills and devotion to duty has been an inspiration to his...

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Exclusive Interview with Trolley Pub Co-Founder - Kai Kaapro

2012-05-08T20:46:00.003-04:00

FPT Law Blog sits down with Kai Kaapro, Co-Founder/Managing Partner, of Trolley Pub (trolleypub.com). Mr. Kaapro discusses how he is able to run the day-to-day business and activities of his start-up company, all while earning his law degree at Penn State Law.

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Law Reviews Cite to Wikipedia at Alarming Rates - Writer Beware!

2012-04-29T12:28:00.001-04:00

According to a law librarian at the University of Houston Law Center, there has been an increasing trend of law review articles citing to Wikipedia. "Between 2002 and 2008, American law review articles contained more than 4800 citations to Wikipedia", writes Daniel J. Baker in a recent article. Law professors warn against the practice because of the risk of unreliable/fictional source...

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NY Law Firm, Klapper & Fass, Internship Opportunity [For 1Ls & 2Ls]

2012-04-26T19:40:00.004-04:00

The New York law firm of Klapper & Fass, which specializes in commercial litigation and landlord-tenant law, is seeking a 1L or 2L for an unpaid internship that will run from June 1, 2012 to August 10, 2012. The selected candidate will assist in the drafting of affidavits and affirmations, aid in the legal research of various questions of law, support the firm in drafting other...

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Why Law Schools Are Not Admitting African-American Students [Video]

2012-04-26T15:54:00.004-04:00

Charlottesville, VA - UVA Law Professor Alex Johnson discusses why African American students are not being admitted into law schools. He argues that the LSAT test is not discriminatory, but that law school policies established just before the Grutter v. Bollinger decision and the influence of U.S. News & World Report Rankings are to blame for the ethnic...

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Google Maps Will Blur Images of Homes, Cars and People - Upon Request!

2012-04-25T14:39:00.001-04:00

State College, PA - Google Maps Street View feature has revolutionized how internet users get directions and use maps. Aside from providing an enhanced-search map, it allows you to get a panoramic "street view" of most streets throughout the U.S. and abroad, making it much easier for travelers to get familiar with their destinations before ever leaving the couch. Some people however...

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5 Tips on How To Pick A Lawyer

2012-04-25T07:23:00.001-04:00

Here are 5 characteristics that are important when selecting a lawyer: 1. Reputation - Recommendations from friends, professional associates, and other lawyers is a great sign that a particular lawyer is effective. You should can also visit the Martindale-Hubbell website for peer-reviews of lawyers. Lastly, checking with a lawyer's past clients can give you a greater sense of his/her work...

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Publisher, Dave Dambreville, Welcomes You to the FPT Law Blog! [Video]

2012-04-23T23:46:00.001-04:00

University Park, PA - In light of FPT Law Blog's recent upsurge in Facebook fans, we have released a welcome video for all of our loyal supporters. Please check it out below:

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Latham & Watkins Diversity Scholars Program

2012-04-23T12:50:00.000-04:00

The Latham & Watkins Diversity Scholars Program is designed to increase the number of diverse law students studying at ABA-accredited law schools who want to pursue a career in a global law firm, and intend to practice law in the United States. The program was launched in 2005, and for the first six years, the firm selected four Diversity Scholars each year to receive $10,000 scholarships. In...

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Civil Action for Deprivation of Rights, Defined [42 USC § 1983]

2012-04-22T22:44:00.000-04:00

The Civil Action for Deprivation of Rights Act, commonly known as Section 1983, was enacted as part of the Civil Rights Act. The Act was intended to provide a private remedy for violations of federal law, it reads:Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any...

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National Pro-Life Legal Writing Award

2012-04-22T22:18:00.000-04:00

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2012 Download Application: here The Pro-life Legal Scholarship Competition recognizes outstanding legal scholarship published by students in law journals through a cash award of $750 provided to the author(s) of the winning entry. The Competition rewards innovative writing and legal research that focuses on issues relevant to the pro-life movement or...

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DRI Announces the 2012 Diversity Law Student Scholarship

2012-04-22T22:08:00.000-04:00

DRI announces its annual Law Student Diversity Scholarship program, open to incoming second- and third-year African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American students. The goal of these scholarships is to provide financial assistance to two worthy law students from ABA accredited law schools in order to promote, in a tangible way, the DRI Diversity Statement of...

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Zelle Hofmann Announces Diversity In Law Scholarship - 2012

2012-04-22T22:01:00.000-04:00

Zelle Hofmann is pleased to announce the firm's Diversity in Law Scholarship will be offered again in 2012. The keystone of the firm's Diversity Outreach Plan, the Diversity in Law Scholarship was created for law students who either (1) are a member of a diverse group (broadly defined to include race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical disability or...

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The Legal Pad, Spring 2012 Issue Has Been Released!

2012-04-20T15:47:00.002-04:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Spring Issue of The Legal Pad publication has been released today and it features many interesting articles that focus on topics such as Obamacare, Tweet Stalking, and various other interesting subject matters. The Legal Pad is the official publication of the National Black Law Students Association and serves as an excellent resource for learning about the...

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Law School Vigil for Trayvon Martin

2012-03-31T00:18:00.001-04:00

On March 26th, law students at NBLSA chapters across the country held a vigil in honor of Trayvon Martin at their respective law schools. (Photos are displayed below).

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