{"id":3685,"date":"2005-03-16T22:30:31","date_gmt":"2005-03-17T02:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/the-volokh-contingency\/"},"modified":"2005-03-16T22:30:31","modified_gmt":"2005-03-17T02:30:31","slug":"the-volokh-contingency","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/the-volokh-contingency\/","title":{"rendered":"the Volokh Contingency?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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    Yabut’s Advice to the Law Lorn<\/FONT><\/STRONG><\/EM><\/P><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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               March 16, 2005<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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Dear Prof. Yabut:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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I know you’re retired and would rather be napping, but I really need advice.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Evan Schaeffer<\/FONT><\/A> has been very busy lately (and he seems to specialize <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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in advising young associates who have very little common sense), so I<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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hope you’ll help a gender-neutral person in distress.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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I’m a law student at UCLA and my problem involves a professor who is really<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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a big shot on campus and in the blogosphere, <\/FONT>Eugene Volokh<\/FONT><\/A>.  I’m a very big<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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fan of his, and plan to take all of his courses, so I need help being diplomatic.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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You see, Prof. V. made a big<\/EM> mistake at his weblog, the <\/FONT>Volokh Conspiracy<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A>,<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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two days ago, and I want to help him correct it, without antagonizing him. On <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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the other hand, I don’t want to be anonymous, since I’d like to get credit for my <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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knowledge, research and initiative.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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The mistake showed up in the <\/FONT>following posting<\/FONT><\/A> (March 14, 2005):<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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\"eugeneV\"  <\/FONT>Co-Bloggers<\/FONT><\/A>:<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/STRONG> <\/DIV>
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Occasionally, I get e-mail from new readers who haven’t <\/FONT><\/EM><\/DIV>
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noticed <\/FONT>that there are multiple bloggers here. Sometimes, <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/EM><\/DIV>
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it’s of the <\/FONT><\/EM>“How can you say X when yesterday you say Y?” <\/EM><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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variety, to which my <\/EM><\/FONT>response is “careful with that ‘you.'” <\/EM><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/EM> <\/DIV>
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More broadly, let this be a reminder <\/FONT>to new readers: <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/EM><\/DIV>
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It’s not just Volokh — it’s a Conspiracy.<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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Geez, on first reading, I almost thought this was an issue-spotting lesson<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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from Prof. V.   Since you’re <\/FONT>an antitrust expert, and hang out online with <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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criminal <\/FONT><\/FONT>law buffs like <\/FONT>Fed84<\/FONT><\/A>, I’m sure you saw the problem right off:  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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By definition<\/EM>, every member of a <\/FONT>conspiracy<\/FONT><\/A> is liable for<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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the actions of every other member of the conspiracy — they<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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each become partners or agents of eachother<\/EM>. (see <\/FONT>here<\/FONT><\/A><\/DIV>
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about 18 U.S.C.371; and <\/FONT>here<\/FONT><\/A> on Sherman Act Sec.1; and <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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there<\/FONT><\/A> on California conspiracy law) <\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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If Prof. Volokh doesn’t want to be responsible for his co-bloggers’ posts,<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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he’s going to have to stop holding himself out as being part of a<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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conspiracy, and he really needs a new name for the weblog.  That’s<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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my other problem: I want to be constructive and suggest a name, but<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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all us insiders refer to Prof. Volokh’s weblog as “VC<\/EM>“, so I feel very limited<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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in my options.   The  “c” words that I’ve learned in law school <\/FONT>have the same <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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problem as “conspiracy” — they suggest joint <\/FONT>action. <\/FONT>E.g.<\/EM>, contract, <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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combination, concert, consolidated, confederacy, and con-job.  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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Do you have any ideas?  Please hurry with your reply, because I really want <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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to be the first<\/EM> person <\/FONT>pointing out the issue and the solution.<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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                                                     s\/ Sweet Sixteen but Already 2L<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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the woodpecker
pecks it to death…
the post<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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             <\/FONT><\/EM>ISSA<\/FONT><\/A>, translated by <\/FONT>David G. Lanoue<\/FONT><\/A><\/DIV><\/FONT>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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“prof Yabut small flip”  Dear Already<\/EM>:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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I see you’re just as precocious as Prof. V., and you sound like a good <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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candidate <\/FONT>for the legal profession.  So, I’m <\/FONT>typing as fast as I can, to help <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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further your career.  However, I’m new to the advice-column game, so I need<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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to make a couple things clear, with this Disclaimer<\/EM>:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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This is not legal advice, and I make no warranty that it is<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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good advice or likely to achieve any of your goals.  By<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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submitting your question, you agree that you have read<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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a substantial amount of <\/FONT>my posting<\/FONT><\/A> at this site and are<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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aware of my eccentricities and ulterior motives.  Of course,<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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you hold me harlmess for any damage to your career or<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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reputation.<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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Your analysis of the word “conspiracy” <\/FONT>is flawless (couldn’t have done better <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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myself).  <\/FONT> I’d suggest <\/FONT>that you be as forthright as <\/FONT>possible and contact Prof. V. <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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directly about this <\/FONT>problem.  He might be young, but he’s a big boy with a <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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healthy ego.  I’m sure he’d prefer to deal with the issue, and maybe bury it, rather <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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than <\/FONT>have some smart-<\/FONT>aleck weblog editor (especially a professor) come along <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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and <\/FONT>try to put egg on his <\/FONT>face, for the sake of a few extra page hits.<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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I agree that you should bring Prof. V. suggestions for a new weblog name, and <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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that keeping the VC<\/EM> acronym is important.   Looking at the weblog’s lineup,<\/FONT>  I was <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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going to try to slip “<\/FONT>confederacy<\/FONT><\/A>” by you, but you’re too sharp.  “Independent<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Contractors” is the right notion, but VIC<\/FONT><\/A><\/EM> won’t do, despite the nifty counterpart<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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of Virtual Information Center.   After flipping through <\/FONT>my old desk dictionary, I <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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have wittled the possibilities down to two for the new VC<\/EM> name:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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First, The Volokh Club<\/A><\/EM> — just a bunch of folk under the same webroof, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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but <\/FONT>with no particular connotation of concerted action.  The other, <\/FONT>macho<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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meanings of a weapon, or a nightspot for entertainment <\/FONT>might also appeal <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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to <\/FONT>Prof. V and his crew.  <\/FONT> <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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Second, The Volokh Cabinet<\/A><\/EM> — a group of advisors, usually to a<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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head of state or important official.  Nobody<\/EM> expects cabinet members<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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to agree on much, nor act in unison.  The notion of a Big Shot appointing<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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a cabinet of distinguished advisors might appeal to the Professor. On<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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the other hand, the fact that a cabinet is a <\/FONT>milk shake<\/FONT><\/A> in Massachu-<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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setts might be a drawback.  <\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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I’m sure Professor Volokh will appreciate your bringing this issue to his attention.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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In case he doesn’t, and instead tries to remove the post from the website to save <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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face, <\/FONT>refer him to this Google cache page<\/A>.  And, don’t worry about Prof. V. finding<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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out you got a little help from me.  Trust me, he never<\/EM> reads this humble little weblog.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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One last thing: next time, run your problems past T. Evan Schaeffer, before waking<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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up the ol’ professor.  Evan’s young, talented, and will work on contingency.  [He <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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might not be available on St. Patrick’s Day, however.]<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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s\/ Prof. Yabut<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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\"noYabutsSN\"<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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rain is over–
on the post a splendid
mushroom<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/FONT><\/EM><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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        ISSA<\/FONT><\/A>, translated by <\/FONT>David G. Lanoue<\/FONT><\/A><\/FONT>
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<\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Yabut’s Advice to the Law Lorn                March 16, 2005 Dear Prof. Yabut:   I know you’re retired and would rather be napping, but I really need advice. Evan Schaeffer has been very busy lately (and he seems to specialize in advising young associates who have very little common sense), so I hope you’ll […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3685","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P6kP1R-Xr","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3685\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}