Wake Up Call: ICE Lawyers Go Anonymous in Immigration Court

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• Some immigration judges in New York are refusing to publicly name ICE attorneys during deportation hearings, citing vague privacy concerns. The unprecedented practice, which lacks formal guidance and appears to be spreading, has raised alarms among immigration lawyers who say it undermines transparency and accountability in an already opaque immigration court system. (The Intercept)
• Former President Barack Obama criticized Big Law firms who struck deals with the Trump administration, accusing them of abandoning legal principles to protect their careers and luxury lifestyles. Obama, who briefly worked at Sidley Austin early in his career, said some lawyers were giving way to Trump not because they would “be thrown in jail, but because they might lose a few clients and might not be able to finish that kitchen rehab at their Hampton house.” (Business Insider)
• Attorneys Jeffrey Kessler and Steve Berman, who helped negotiate the House v. NCAA settlement, are in a disagreement with the College Sports Commission over how to interpret rules around NIL collectives. Kessler and Berman sent a letter demanding the CSC retract guidance they say wrongly limits collectives from paying athletes for valid NIL activities, like promotional appearances. (Sportico)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Jesse Betts, Jessica Hammons, and Nathan Meredith joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher as partners in Dallas. Betts and Hammons join from Akin, and Meredith joins from A&O Shearman.
• Seth Ivey joined K&L Gates as a partner in its finance practice in Charlotte. He joins from Dechert.
• Martha Coakley joined Zucker Law Group as a partner. She comes from Foley Hoag.
• Pierre-Arnoux Mayoly and Shirin Deyhim joined Linklaters as partners in its leveraged finance practice in Paris. They join from McDermott Will & Emery.
• Elissa Gysi joined Thompson Coburn as a partner in its labor and employment practice in Los Angeles.
• Vanessa Turner joined O’Melveny as a partner in its antitrust & competition practice group in Brussels. She joins from BEUC.
• Edward Holmes joined Cadwalader as a partner in its leveraged finance practice in London.