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Rees Morrison’s Morsels #50 – additions to earlier posts

Horndal effect revisited. As described in Peter Watson, The Modern Mind: an Intellectual History of the 20th Century (HarperCollins 2001) at 648-9, Kenneth Arrow showed that there is a gain of about 30 percent because workers learn on-the-job: “They became more skilled, enabling them to complete tasks faster, and with fewer workers needed.” (See my post of July 5, 2006 on the Horndal effect.).

A network of small specialist firms. The NY Times, June 8, 2007 at C6, profiles the International Network of Boutique Law Firms. Founded in 2004, the network has 250 law firms as members, and 16 international strategic partners (See my post of June 20, 2007 about networks and associations of law firms.).

The skinny on fat in the brain. Humor me, a frustrated neurophysiologist (See my post of March 23, 2006). An item in 02138, Vol. 1, June 2007 explains that the brain is 20 percent fat, and a very special fat. “The brain is made up of arachidonic acid and docosoahexaenoic acid,” two fatty acids that can’t be substituted. Fat is good for brainy counsel.

Someone who has been a general counsel of five corporations. 3M has announced in a press release, June 14, 2007, that Marschall I. Smith, general counsel for Brunswick Corporation, will join 3M as senior vice president of legal affairs and general counsel, effective July 16. This will be Smith’s fifth general counselship (See my posts of June 19, 2006 about four-time general counsel; Oct. 2, 2006 #2; and March 24, 2007 on Marschall Smith.).