Legal Ethics

  • December 02, 2024

    Girardi Won't Get New Fraud Trial Despite Memory Claims

    A California federal judge on Monday denied Tom Girardi's bid for a new trial after a jury found he misappropriated $15 million worth of client settlement funds, standing by a prior assessment that the disbarred attorney was "exaggerating" symptoms of mild cognitive impairment.

  • December 02, 2024

    Government Mole Faces Tough Cross From Madigan's Atty

    An attorney for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan got his chance Monday to question the ex-Chicago alderman who recorded his client while cooperating with the government, pushing him to admit that Madigan never explicitly conditioned his support on legal business for his law firm or told the alderman to vote against developers who didn't hire him for tax work.

  • December 02, 2024

    Judge OKs Fla. Law Firm's $229K Fee In Chiquita MDL

    A Florida federal judge on Monday approved a fee of more than $229,000 to a law firm for its work in reaching a settlement in the long-running multidistrict litigation over Chiquita Brands International Inc.'s funding of Colombian paramilitaries following a recommendation from a magistrate.

  • December 02, 2024

    Hagens Berman Sued For Slice Of Atty Fee From Effexor Deal

    A pharmaceutical reseller's in-house counsel and founder lodged a breach of contract suit against Hagens Berman in Mississippi federal court, accusing the law firm of refusing to pay him his share of a $13 million attorney fees award stemming from an antitrust class settlement with Pfizer Inc. unit Wyeth.

  • December 02, 2024

    Lowenstein Sandler Seeks Judge DQ In Pot Dispensary Suit

    Lowenstein Sandler LLP has asked an Essex County Superior Court judge to recuse himself over his social connections with the parties and counsel on the firm's $800,000 fee suit against a New Jersey cannabis dispensary

  • December 02, 2024

    New Jersey Panel Upholds $140K Legal Fee In Divorce Case

    A New Jersey law firm is owed more than $140,000 in legal fees from a divorce action after it merged with the firm that originally handled the case, a state appellate panel ruled Monday.

  • December 02, 2024

    Ex-BigLaw Atty Who Killed Wife Faces Depo Over Settlement

    Former Fisher Phillips partner Claud "Tex" McIver, who is serving a prison sentence for killing his wife, is set to be deposed as soon as Tuesday as part of the legal battle in Georgia state court over who is entitled to the settlement of the wrongful death suit brought by his wife's estate.

  • December 02, 2024

    FedEx Wants To Sanction 'Cavalier' Attys Behind OT Litigation

    FedEx on Monday asked a Massachusetts federal judge to dismiss one of a handful of overtime lawsuits brought by drivers working for intermediate employers as a sanction to the lawyers for rushing to file the "ocean of claims" to harass it and drain its pockets through endless litigation.

  • December 02, 2024

    Couple Say Texas Law Firm Let Disbarred Atty Represent Them

    A Texas couple say in a lawsuit filed in Harris County court that a Houston-area law firm allowed a disbarred attorney to represent them in a case against the seller of their home, alleging he botched the case and failed to prevent their eviction.

  • December 02, 2024

    'Malicious' Intent Testimony Nixed From Blank Rome Suit

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Monday prohibited certain expert witnesses from opining on the alleged "malicious" intent an aircraft parts maker, represented by Blank Rome LLP, had when suing a onetime defense attorney who defected to the plaintiffs bar.

  • December 02, 2024

    EB-5 Visa Scam Suit Against Fla. Immigration Atty Ends

    A Florida federal judge on Monday dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit against an immigration attorney over a $500,000 visa scam after the two parties filed a stipulation of dismissal.

  • December 02, 2024

    Fla. Judge Suspended For Pro-Cop Campaign Remarks

    A Florida state judge will face a 25-day suspension without pay for showing bias in favor of law enforcement during his campaign by making or approving statements such as, "Criminals won't be happy to see me on the bench."

  • December 02, 2024

    Attorney Disbarred In NJ For Stealing $170K From Father

    The New Jersey Supreme Court has disbarred a Pennsylvania attorney following her conviction in Pennsylvania for stealing nearly $170,000 from her father, according to a recently filed order.

  • December 02, 2024

    Miss America CEO Files $500M Suit Alleging Bankruptcy Fraud

    The producer of the Miss America pageant and its related entities have filed a $500 million racketeering suit in Florida accusing developer Glenn Straub of fraudulently pushing the organization into bankruptcy in an effort to take over its assets.

  • December 02, 2024

    Jackson Walker 'Extinguished' Privilege Over Judge Romance

    An Oregon federal judge has said Holland & Knight LLP lawyers must turn over documents regarding their advice to Jackson Walker LLP on how to handle the "debacle" of a former firm partner's intimate relationship with a former bankruptcy judge, finding Jackson Walker has "utterly extinguished" any claim to attorney-client privilege.

  • December 02, 2024

    Atty Seeks DEA Communications On Rescheduling

    An attorney is suing the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration under the Freedom of Information Act, seeking communications between the agency and anti-legalization activists as the agency holds a hearing on whether to reschedule the drug under the Controlled Substances Act.

  • December 02, 2024

    NJ Siblings Say Fox Rothschild Must Face Malpractice Suit

    Two siblings have called on a New Jersey state court to reject Fox Rothschild LLP's bid to exit their malpractice suit alleging a lawyer now at the firm bungled a 1984 property deed and 1993 trust belonging to their late stepfather, depriving them of a lucrative land parcel.

  • November 27, 2024

    Starbucks, Baker Botts Partner Accused Of Defaming Inventor

    An executive for a patent-licensing company that's pursuing infringement litigation against numerous restaurants over a patent that lets customers place mobile orders using a real-time menu that can make personalized suggestions accused Starbucks and its Baker Botts LLP attorney in a lawsuit Wednesday of making defamatory statements about him.

  • November 27, 2024

    Dad Can Sue Over Atty Sons' Alleged Fraud In Death Deal

    A Florida appeals court reinstated Wednesday a suit seeking to change terms of a trust agreement regarding a multimillion-dollar wrongful-death settlement amid claims that a Miami attorney and his Morgan & Morgan attorney brother defrauded their father of his rightful share, holding that a fraud claim warrants a second look.

  • November 27, 2024

    Atty Censured For Posts Criticizing Town Council Clients

    A Colorado attorney has been publicly censured for taking to social media to criticize a town council that hired him to conduct an investigation, according to a disciplinary opinion that said the lawyer betrayed the confidence of his former clients by disclosing information he learned during the investigation.

  • November 27, 2024

    Indicted NH Justice Pushes To DQ AG's Office, Nix Charges

    A New Hampshire Supreme Court justice charged with trying to interfere with a criminal investigation into her husband is seeking to have the state attorney general disqualified from prosecuting her and the charges dropped, with a hearing scheduled for Monday.

  • November 27, 2024

    Injury Law Firm Accuses Rival Of Stealing 'Call Sam' Slogan

    Michigan-based personal injury law firm Sam Bernstein Law has launched a trademark infringement lawsuit in California federal court against rival personal injury law firm Sam & Ash LLP, alleging its competitor has ripped off its longtime advertising taglines, "Call Sam" and "1-800-Call-Sam."

  • November 27, 2024

    Stephenson Harwood Says Trade Export Co. Owes $100K In Fees

    U.K.-based Stephenson Harwood LLP has sued an Alabama trade export company that specializes in Latin America, saying it owes more than $100,000 in legal fees after the law firm pursued arbitration on the company's behalf against London-based accountancy firm Parker Lloyd Ltd.

  • November 27, 2024

    Conn. High Court Snapshot: Bank Regulation, Workers' Comp

    When it convenes for the third term of the season, the Connecticut Supreme Court will hear cases that could affect the scope of the state banking department's authority to determine its own jurisdiction and clarify a workers' compensation benefits law.

  • November 27, 2024

    Fla. Atty Vows To Fight Litigation Funder's Law Firm Stock Win

    A Florida attorney is planning to challenge a state appellate decision issued Wednesday that he must turn over stock interest in his law firms to a litigation finance company to help cover tobacco settlement funds, asserting that the ruling must be vacated in light of a recent Texas appellate decision that invalidated an underlying judgment.

Expert Analysis

  • California Supreme Court's Year In Review

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    Attorneys at Horvitz & Levy highlight notable decisions on major questions from the California Supreme Court's last term, including voter initiatives, hostile work environment and the economic loss rule.

  • What Lawyers Can Learn From High School AI Suit

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    A pending Massachusetts lawsuit regarding artificial intelligence use in an academic setting underscores the need for attorneys to educate themselves on AI technology and tools that affect their clients so they can advise on establishing clear expectations and limits around the permissible use of AI, say attorneys at Hinckley Allen.

  • Service Providers Must Mitigate 'Secondary Target' Risks

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    A lawsuit recently filed in an Illinois federal court against marketing agency Publicis over its work for opioid manufacturers highlights an uptick in litigation against professional service providers hired by clients that engaged in alleged misconduct — so potential targets of such suits should be sure to conduct proper risk analysis and mitigation, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Series

    Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.

  • Mitigating Defamation Liability Risks Of AI-Generated Content

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    Until Congress and the courts provide clear guidance about defamation liability stemming from generative artificial intelligence tools, companies should begin building controls to prevent the creation of defamatory content, says Michael Gerrity at Accenture.

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • When Investigating An Adversary, Be Wary Of Forged Records

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    Warnings against the use of investigators who tout their ability to find an adversary’s private documents generally emphasize the risk of illegal activity and attorney discipline, but a string of recent cases shows an additional danger — investigators might be fabricating records altogether, says Brian Asher at Asher Research.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

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    Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.

  • Opinion

    Why States Should Adopt ABA's 'Duty To Inquire'

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    State bars should codify the American Bar Association's proposed rule on a lawyer's duty to scrutinize each representation as it provides guardrails for lawyers, supports self-regulation of the profession, and helps avert money laundering and other crimes, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.

  • The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule

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    Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.

  • Trump Faces Uphill Battle If He Tries To Target Prosecutors

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    On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump promised to go after the state and federal prosecutors who had investigated and prosecuted him, but few criminal statutes would be applicable — to say nothing of the evidence required to substantiate any charges against prosecutors, says William Johnston at Bird Marella.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

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    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

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