Author | Lightnews

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Oct 1

Yes - this is what I've been trying to say about the current state of legal ethics in the DOJ and the administration more widely, but haven't expressed it this clearly.

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Reposted by Brad Wendel

Hannah Walser @hkpmw.bsky.social · Sep 30

One of this administration’s core beliefs seems to be that no one would follow a code of conduct for any reason other than fear. Professional ethics, constitutional constraints, basic morality—no one actually *believes* in these things: everyone is just too weak or scared to discard them. 1/3

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Sep 26

Close to the top of my list of favorite REM songs

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Aug 1

RIP to the great Flaco Jimenez, here singing about him hometown (and mine).

Flaco Jimenez - Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio

YouTube video by juan8221

youtu.be

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 30

Cannabus, i.e. A220 or Bombardier C-series.

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 30

"In all, nearly 1,700 devices were purchased to distribute across the Army’s helicopter fleet. The device, called the Stratus ..."

Something is screwy when the Army is just now buying something I've flown with for years.

After deadly D.C. plane crash, Army expands use of navigation devices

Officials say they are prioritizing the Black Hawk helicopter unit from Fort Belvoir involved in the midair collision with an American Airlines passenger jet.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 28

WHY ARE LAWYERS STILL DOING THIS? This issue has been reported on and written about to death and somehow lawyers continue to crank slop out of consumer-grade AI products and FILE IT WITH COURTS. What the actual fuck?

Owen Barcala @obarcala.bsky.social · Jul 28

I see federal judges are starting to get serious about attorneys using AI hallucinations

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 28

Okay, I'll cop to this.

The Onion @theonion.com · Jul 28

Hundreds Of Years Of Race, Class Privilege Allow Man Extra Legroom theonion.com/hundred...

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 28

Trump Admin Making Another EO Appeal, Targeting WilmerHale www.law360.com/bankruptcy/a...

How are the lawyers in the district court proceedings going to decide who takes the lead on the appeal? Rock, paper, scissors? Counsel at trial include two former USSGs.

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 23

This is the most Alaska aviation story ever. Planes in the Lower 48 don't crash due to asymmetric drag caused by moose antlers strapped to the wing.

Plane in Alaska Crash Was Overloaded With Moose Meat and Antlers, N.T.S.B. Says

www.nytimes.com

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 23

This, definitely. If I had made up a case cite or a quote that ended up in an opinion by my judge, (1) he almost certainly would have caught it, and (2) I'd be out on my ass that very day.

JP Collins @profjpc.bsky.social · Jul 23

When I gave my judge a draft opinion, I had to include a hard copy of every case I cited with highlights showing where the relevant info or quote came from. Before a final opinion was issued, I would read it to my co-clerk, who would simultaneously check every quote, citation, etc.

JP Collins @profjpc.bsky.social · Jul 23

Yikes yikes yikes. Judge Withdraws Pharma Opinion After Lawyer Flags Made-Up Quotes:

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 15

The cruelty is the point.

Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · Jul 15

“A new memo from the Trump administration confirmed that migrants could now be deported to countries other than their own with as little as 6 hours’ notice — even where those countries offer no guarantees of safety.”

“It is really chaos,” says one lawyer.”

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

No time, no lawyer, no rights: ICE memo sparks panic over third-country deportations

Trump’s Rapid Deportation Memo Sparks Outcry in Miami Over Third-Country Removals

www.miamiherald.com

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 14

As it often does, the Onion is much clearer than the legacy media on this issue.

The Onion @theonion.com · Jul 14

DOJ Removes All Mentions Of Justice From Website

WASHINGTON—In the latest of a series of escalations in President Donald Trump’s highly publicized war on “woke,” the U.S. Department of Justice reportedly removed all mentions of justice from its webs...

theonion.com

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 14

I expect we'll soon have more details about what, exactly, he advised Pam Bondi she couldn't do.

Ben Penn @benjaminpenn.bsky.social · Jul 14

UPDATE: DOJ Ethic director Tirrell posts his termination letter on LinkedIn. Says his oath “did not come with the caveat that I need only support the Constitution when it is easy or convenient.”

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jul 14

I'm sure he's been like the Maytag washer repairman these last few months, just sitting there waiting for a call.

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 30

I'm no economist, but I think there may be a deal here.

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 27

Your caution may be reinforced by being a pilot. We've all had experiences of going "what's it doing now?" and taking control back from the automation.

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 17

Tailwinds to one of the great aviation journalists.

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · Jun 16

Oh, the most heartbreaking news:

The invincible-seeming, and unforgettable, William Langewiesche — friend, mentor, colleague — has died, at age 70.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/b...

William Langewiesche, the ‘Steve McQueen of Journalism,’ Dies at 70

www.nytimes.com

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 16

I have a Substack post from a few months ago on the ethics of drafting unenforceable executive orders: open.substack.com/pub/bradwend... /2

The Ethics of Drafting Unenforceable Executive Orders

One of the notable features of the early months of the Trump 2.0 administration is the sheer brazenness of so many of his actions, relative to the baseline of what we’ve all grown accustomed to thinki...

open.substack.com

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 16

Thanks, Gautam, although my point doesn't feel like much of an insight. From the get-go it was clear the EO's were lawless bullying efforts, not good faith assertions of valid legal claims. /1

Gautam Hans @gshans.bsky.social · Jun 16

My friend and colleague @bradwendel.bsky.social is the lead quote in this article on the law firm EOs. His insights into the state of the profession have been essential over the last few months. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/u...

Trump’s Strategy in Law Firm Cases: Lose, Don’t Appeal, Yet Prevail

www.nytimes.com

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 15

Surefire method for getting the lowest grade in the class on a law school exam.

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 15

Concise replacement for the ridiculous learning objectives we're supposed to provide:

Marcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · Jun 15

"We do hard shit together" would make for a very-efficient one-sentence syllabus 😂

Chanea Bond @heymrsbond.com · Jun 15

I’d argue that rigorous and academically challenging work builds a strong classroom rapport.

We do hard shit together 💛

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 11

I would be surprised if there were a conflict that was not waivable by the client involving a lawsuit against the university, but I'd want to see the waiver! /5

Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 11

This doesn't directly answer Orin's question, since there are other conflicts issues coming into the mix, including the university paying the salaries of clinic faculty. These are readily addressed with disclosure and informed consent, however. /4

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Brad Wendel @bradwendel.bsky.social · Jun 11

The Louisiana state legislature fought a years-long battle against an environmental justice clinic at Tulane Law School. The university stood up for the clinic, but (I think) it was eventually defunded. /3

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