Legal Ethics

  • February 26, 2025

    No DQ For Norton Rose In Texas Competition Row, Court Says

    Norton Rose Fulbright shouldn't be disqualified in a competitive spat between two industrial maintenance companies even though the firm has represented both entities in recent years, a state appeals court has ruled.

  • February 26, 2025

    Conn. Judge Tosses False Origin Claims In Atty's Firing Suit

    A Connecticut federal judge has dismissed an attorney's lawsuit against his former firm and a litigation finance group described as its biggest client, nixing false designation and false origin claims surrounding the firm's alleged use of his name to lure clients after firing him.

  • February 26, 2025

    Judge Won't Disqualify Firm In Solar Co. Fraud Fight

    A federal judge denied Michigan residents' attempt to disqualify attorneys representing a bankrupt solar company's former founding CEO in their fraud case, holding that the law firm's allegedly obstructionist discovery tactics don't amount to an actual conflict of interest.

  • February 26, 2025

    Foley & Lardner Can't End Claims It 'Strung Along' Recruiter

    A legal recruiting firm can continue to pursue its claim that Foley & Lardner LLP strung it along by implying it was considering a request to bump up the recruiter's fee for placing a high-value attorney at the Boston firm, a Massachusetts state court judge ruled on Tuesday.

  • February 26, 2025

    Investor Says Lowenstein Sandler Violated Dispensary Deal

    An investment group involved in a complex dispute between Lowenstein Sandler LLP and a cannabis dispensary has asked a New Jersey state judge to enforce a settlement order and sale order, alleging the firm has violated previous legal rulings while pursuing its claim for purportedly unpaid legal fees.

  • February 26, 2025

    Michigan Counties Say Firm's Client Solicitations Merit DQ

    Michigan counties sought to disqualify plaintiff firm Visser & Associates PLLC Tuesday, telling a federal judge that the lawyers went back on their word by soliciting potential class members in a suit claiming the government entities improperly kept a surplus of foreclosed home sales.

  • February 26, 2025

    Defunct Fla. Law Firm Can't Revive Suit Over Theft Case

    A Florida state appeals court has refused to revive defunct law firm Glary & Israel PA's malpractice suit against another firm for failing to sue a bank over theft by Glary & Israel's bookkeeper's.

  • February 26, 2025

    JPMorgan Paying For Lawyers On Both Sides Of Javice Trial

    JPMorgan Chase, the bank allegedly duped by Frank founder Charlie Javice into paying $175 million for her education startup, is paying legal fees for defense counsel as well as for lawyers representing prosecution witnesses, according to statements in court Wednesday.

  • February 26, 2025

    Texas Atty Accused Of Stealing Homeowner's Insurance Win

    A Houston attorney recently threatened with criminal charges over the filing of a document signed by a dead expert witness has been accused in a new suit of representing a homeowner without his consent and stealing his appraisal award.

  • February 26, 2025

    DA Willis Loses 'Absurd' Bid To Nix Trump Probe Subpoenas

    A Georgia state judge has denied Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis' bid to quash multiple subpoenas against her from a state Senate committee investigation into her prosecution of President Donald Trump in an election interference case, finding that her argument would set "an absurd" precedent.

  • February 26, 2025

    Texas Judge Tosses Law Firm's Claims Of Unfair Competition

    A Houston federal court has trimmed a trade secrets suit a Washington state-based immigration firm is pursuing against a Texas rival, finding two of seven claims are preempted by the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act.

  • February 26, 2025

    Mass. High Court Reaffirms No Private Right To Atty Discipline

    Massachusetts' highest court on Wednesday reaffirmed that there is no private right of action to compel the state bar to open an investigation or disciplinary proceedings.

  • February 26, 2025

    Paralegal Wants Firm's Counterclaim In OT Suit Axed

    An El Paso, Texas, law firm's accusation that a paralegal's suit for unpaid overtime is an "attempt to extort money" should not stand, the worker told a Texas federal court, arguing the counterclaim she is facing has nothing to do with her allegations.

  • February 26, 2025

    Adams Says SDNY Memo Leaks Doom His Bribery Case

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams opened up a new line of attack against his federal corruption case Wednesday, arguing that the judge must dismiss the charges due to the "extreme prejudice" caused by leaked Justice Department memos alleging a quid pro quo between the mayor and the Trump administration.

  • February 26, 2025

    NJ RICO Case Toss Leaves AG Irate, Defense Attys Elated

    The erasure of a massive racketeering indictment against New Jersey power broker George E. Norcross III, politically connected attorneys and others on Wednesday drew a sharp rebuke from Attorney General Matt Platkin while defense attorneys gloated.

  • February 25, 2025

    Walgreens Inks $595M Deal To End COVID-19 Testing Suit

    Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. has agreed to pay $595 million to a lab testing and diagnostics company to put to rest a dispute over COVID-19 tests, according to a Monday filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

  • February 25, 2025

    Apple Litigation Director Threatened With Sanctions At Hearing

    A California federal judge presiding over a high-stakes evidentiary hearing into whether Apple has complied with her 2021 antitrust injunction threatened to sanction Apple's commercial litigation director Tuesday, telling counsel she has "significant concerns" about Apple's over-designation of attorney-client privilege, saying, "Your client is not entitled to have you engage in unethical conduct."

  • February 25, 2025

    Trump Targets Covington Attys For Repping Special Counsel

    President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered the immediate suspension of security clearances held by Covington & Burling LLP attorneys who represent former special counsel Jack Smith, with the president citing the attorneys' supposed roles in the "weaponization of the judicial process."

  • February 25, 2025

    Pa. Biotech Co. Can't Escape $4M Trade Secrets Award

    A Delaware vice chancellor declined Monday to nix a nearly $4 million arbitral award issued to Finnish company UPM-Kymmene Corp. in a long-running trade secrets dispute, ruling that a link between the arbitrator and the Finnish company's counsel at DLA Piper was "at most, an attenuated connection."

  • February 25, 2025

    Judge Who Shot Wife Admits Hundreds Of Gun Law Violations

    A California judge accused of killing his wife admitted on the witness stand Tuesday to breaking the law at least hundreds of times by drinking alcohol while carrying a concealed weapon, but insisted her shooting was an accident and denied shedding crocodile tears to gain the jury's sympathy.

  • February 25, 2025

    Karen Read Attys Say Expert Bill Came 'Out Of The Blue'

    Lawyers for Karen Read, the Massachusetts woman accused of running down her Boston police officer boyfriend three years ago, pushed back Tuesday on accusations by the prosecution that they intentionally misled a jury about their connection to two expert witnesses.

  • February 25, 2025

    Jay-Z's Claims Against Buzbee May Get Trimmed, Judge Says

    A California state judge said Tuesday that he's inclined to toss Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter's extortion claims against personal injury lawyer Tony Buzbee and some, but not all, of the rapper's defamation allegations stemming from a now-abandoned rape lawsuit.

  • February 25, 2025

    Houston Atty's Alleged Sex Tape Going To FBI Before Defense

    A woman suing a Houston attorney in Texas state court has permission to turn over to the FBI a video that she claims may show the lawyer committing child sexual abuse, before she provides the video to the defense team.

  • February 25, 2025

    Newman Says Fed. Circ. Doctors Undermine Suspension Case

    Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman has said the court's other judges have undermined their claims about why they suspended her, by retaining experts who questioned reports from her own doctors finding her fit to serve as a judge.

  • February 25, 2025

    Judge Says Brazilian Justice's Orders Not Properly Served

    A Florida federal judge on Tuesday denied a request by President Donald Trump's media company and online video sharing platform Rumble Inc. for a temporary restraining order blocking a Brazilian Supreme Federal Court justice's gag orders, ruling that the companies are not obligated to comply with the Brazilian justice's directives because they were not properly served.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Boxing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Boxing has influenced my legal work by enabling me to confidently hone the skills I've learned from the sport, like the ability to remain calm under pressure, evaluate an opponent's weaknesses and recognize when to seize an important opportunity, says Kirsten Soto at Clyde & Co.

  • Opinion

    Industry Self-Regulation Will Shine Post-Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper decision will shape the contours of industry self-regulation in the years to come, providing opportunities for this often-misunderstood practice, says Eric Reicin at BBB National Programs.

  • 3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • After Chevron

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    Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard in June, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 37 different rulemaking and litigation areas.

  • Opinion

    Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem

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    The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: June Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy considers two recent decisions from the Third and Tenth Circuits, and identifies practice tips around class action settlements and standing in securities litigation.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

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    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

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    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

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    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • Money, Money, Money: Limiting White Collar Wealth Evidence

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    As courts increasingly recognize that allowing unfettered evidence of wealth could prejudice a jury against a defendant, white collar defense counsel should consider several avenues for excluding visual evidence of a lavish lifestyle at trial, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

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    When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

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