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Legal Ethics
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October 29, 2024
Ex-Boston University Law Prof Settles IP Suit With School
A former Boston University School of Law instructor has settled a copyright infringement suit with the school that he filed in August accusing it of pilfering his course materials in violation of a prior settlement agreement.
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October 29, 2024
Legal Marketer Sues To Halt New Pa. Atty Text Solicitation Ban
A marketing company focused on soliciting criminal defendants on behalf of attorneys has filed suit in Pittsburgh federal court looking to overturn a new Pennsylvania ethics rule barring lawyers from using text messages to recruit clients.
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October 29, 2024
Circuit Judge Rips Atty's 'Unearned Windfall' In Liability Case
Although the Sixth Circuit has affirmed a decision awarding roughly $353,000 to a Texas attorney in a decadelong fee dispute over his representation of a client in a product liability case, one circuit judge expressed "extreme disapproval" over the lawyer's conduct in the matter.
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October 28, 2024
Apple Withholding Docs In Monopoly Row, Epic Says
Epic Games and Apple continued on in a discovery dispute in Epic's suit accusing Apple of monopolizing the iOS app distribution and in-app payment processing markets, with the video game company saying in a joint letter filed Friday that Apple is withholding "tens of thousands" of responsive documents.
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October 28, 2024
Partner Sues Over Firm Breakup After $100M Conn. Verdict
Ryan C. McKeen, the former CEO of a trial firm known for high-dollar verdicts, is wrongfully trying to arbitrate a dispute over the terms of the practice's breakup, his former law partner Andrew P. Garza alleged in a state court showdown between the two 50% owners and their families.
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October 28, 2024
DC Circ. Won't Revisit Quinn Emanuel's $486M Award Fight
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP lost its bid to get the D.C. Circuit to reconsider its decision in a dispute over the firm's authority to represent a port operating in a long-running legal spat with the Republic of Djibouti, according to an order issued Monday by a divided panel of judges.
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October 28, 2024
Monsanto Attys Fined $20K For Late Reports In PCB Trial
A Washington state judge has ordered eight attorneys defending Monsanto in a Seattle PCB poisoning trial to pay $2,500 each to the local bar foundation for late disclosure of expert reports, saying the "sting" of personal sanctions should deter any future bad behavior causing "chaos and disruption."
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October 28, 2024
Calif. High Court Says Judicial DQ Bids Must Be Timely
The California Supreme Court on Monday held that an appellate court got it wrong by determining a timeliness requirement doesn't apply when a party alleges that a judge is disqualified due to bias, in a case that resulted in a $43.5 million judgment for hundreds of title company employees.
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October 28, 2024
Judge Leaves Patent Case After Fed. Circ. Undoes Ruling
A Minnesota federal judge has recused himself from a patent dispute between Teleflex and Medtronic he has handled since 2019, saying he was "at a loss" on how to proceed after the Federal Circuit faulted his interpretation of terms in Teleflex's catheter patents.
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October 28, 2024
Colo. Will Decide How Judges Are Judged
The Colorado Supreme Court could soon lose some of its control over judicial discipline, from the rules governing the process to who doles out punishment, as voters decide whether to adopt constitutional reforms following a scandal over hush-money allegations that ensnared a former chief justice and other top judiciary officials.
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October 28, 2024
Ex-Fox Rothschild Clients Push To Revive Malpractice Suit
Two former clients of Fox Rothschild LLP asked a New Jersey federal judge to reject the firm's bid to dismiss a third amended complaint alleging attorneys deceived them into opening credit cards and engaging in a fake marriage under the guise of trying to secure a U.S. visa.
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October 28, 2024
Conn. Justices Eye Lesson For Attys In Deathbed Will Case
Connecticut's highest court on Monday seemed skeptical of an attorney's bid to avoid negligence and contract law claims by three people who did not receive portions of a combined $845,368 gift from a TD Ameritrade account because bank beneficiary forms stymied a testator's deathbed will.
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October 28, 2024
Denver Law Firm Faces Class Action Over Data Breach
The former spouse of a Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC client has launched a putative class action in Colorado state court alleging that sensitive information she provided to the Denver-based family law firm, including her Social Security number, ended up on the dark web following a data breach.
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October 28, 2024
NY Firm Sued Over Botched $5M Art Collector Ch. 7 Dispute
A family enmeshed in New York's art world is suing their former attorneys in relation to a dismissed bankruptcy proceeding with an art collector over a breach of contract, alleging the attorneys' incompetence lost them $5 million when they moved the case from state court to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing.
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October 28, 2024
Ozy Media CEO Wants Conviction Nixed Over Judge's Assets
The New York federal judge who presided over the fraud and identity theft trial of former Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson should be disqualified from the case because he failed to disclose that he had investments in four of the companies victimized by Watson, according to the onetime executive, who is trying to get his conviction overturned.
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October 28, 2024
Philly Attys Sued For Allegedly Botching Bias Lawsuit
A malpractice suit filed in Philadelphia court alleges that attorneys at the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore did not properly manage a pair of federal employment discrimination cases for a power plant engineer, causing the dismissal of one complaint and a diminished jury verdict in the second.
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October 28, 2024
Tesla Atty Faces Sanctions Bid Over Mediation Appearance
Tesla and an in-house attorney are facing a sanctions bid in California federal court for reportedly appearing at a mediation in a wrongful death case despite lacking settlement authority, causing "delay and unnecessary expense" to the widow of a man who died when his Tesla allegedly ran off the road, crashed and ignited.
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October 28, 2024
Mich. Firm Can't Get More Fees From Nassar Suits, Jury Finds
A Michigan federal jury said Monday a personal injury firm already got what it was owed as local counsel for survivors of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's abuse, rejecting the firm's claims against a Colorado firm for another $500,000.
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October 28, 2024
NJ Suspends Ex-Carter Ledyard Partner After NY Disbarment
The New Jersey Supreme Court has ordered the indefinite suspension of a former Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP partner, two years after a New York state appeals court disbarred the lawyer for ignoring subpoenas and failing to cooperate in a fee investigation.
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October 25, 2024
Fla. Bar Seeks 2-Year License Suspension Against Klayman
The Florida Bar is asking the state's high court for a two-year license suspension of conservative activist attorney Larry Klayman due to alleged ethical violations in another jurisdiction, saying a more than reciprocal term of punishment is needed in the Sunshine State because Klayman continues to dispute the findings.
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October 25, 2024
VLSI Urges Fed. Circ. To Punish OpenSky After Vidal Didn't
U.S. Patent Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal vowed to sanction OpenSky Industries "to the fullest extent of [her] power" for filing a bad faith patent challenge, but then imposed sanctions that, if anything, rewarded the misconduct, VLSI Technology has told the Federal Circuit.
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October 25, 2024
Bangladesh Rips DC Judge's Arrest Warrant On IMF Officials
The government of Bangladesh said Friday it is "unprecedented" that a D.C. federal judge ordered the arrest of two high-ranking Bangladeshi officials to force their depositions in a power company's lawsuit to enforce $31.9 million in arbitration awards.
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October 25, 2024
Eternal Optimism Is Key To A Mediator's Mind, Top Judge Says
Colorado's chief federal magistrate judge told mediators on Friday that after holding more than 1,400 settlement conferences, he's learned to remain steady even when parties are "going crazy" from last-minute revelations, citing an instance in which a former postal worker confronted with evidence of illegal gun possession ran from the courthouse.
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October 25, 2024
2nd Circ. Says Man Can't Challenge Removal Over Atty Failure
The Second Circuit on Friday denied a man's bid to reopen removal proceedings based on his former attorney's failure to submit important documents, saying the man should have provided evidence supporting his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel earlier.
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October 25, 2024
Ga. Court Admin Says Retaliation Suit Must Go Ahead In Full
A former Georgia municipal court administrator who said she was forced out of her position after reporting corruption by a city council member has asked a federal judge to preserve her suit in full, arguing a federal magistrate misapplied a sexual harassment standard to what was better characterized as retaliation claims.
Expert Analysis
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Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age
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.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing
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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Series
Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer
There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.
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Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians
Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent
As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.
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Series
Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge at Robinson Bradshaw.
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A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence
The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.
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To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef
To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?
Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.
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Perspectives
Trauma-Informed Legal Approaches For Pro Bono Attorneys
As National Trauma Awareness Month ends, pro bono attorneys should nevertheless continue to acknowledge the mental and physical effects of trauma, allowing them to better represent clients, and protect themselves from compassion fatigue and burnout, say Katherine Cronin at Stinson and Katharine Manning at Blackbird.
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Opinion
NY Should Pass Litigation Funding Bill To Protect Plaintiffs
New York state should embrace the regulatory framework proposed in the Consumer Litigation Funding Act, which would suppress the unregulated predatory lenders that currently prey on vulnerable litigants but preserve a funding option that helps personal injury plaintiffs stand up to deep-pocketed corporate defendants, says Alan Ripka at Alan Ripka & Associates.
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Series
Playing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My deep and passionate involvement in playing, writing and producing music equipped me with skills — like creativity, improvisation and problem-solving — that contribute to the success of my legal career, says attorney Kenneth Greene.
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How Attys Can Avoid Pitfalls When Withdrawing From A Case
The Trump campaign's recent scuffle over its bid to replace its counsel in a pregnancy retaliation suit offers a chance to remind attorneys that many troubles inherent in withdrawing from a case can be mitigated or entirely avoided by communicating with clients openly and frequently, says Christopher Konneker at Orsinger Nelson.
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High Court Injunction Case Could Shake Up Fee-Shifting Rules
In agreeing to review a Virginia case rendered statutorily moot before final judgment, the U.S. Supreme Court could finally settle the question of if — and when — a preliminary injunction can win attorney fees for a prevailing party, but all possible answers could disrupt fee-shifting schemes written into major laws, says Laurens Wilkes at Winston & Strawn.
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Using A Children's Book Approach In Firm Marketing Content
From “The Giving Tree” to “Where the Wild Things Are,” most children’s books are easy to remember because they use simple words and numbers to tell stories with a human impact — a formula law firms should emulate in their marketing content to stay front of mind for potential clients, says Seema Desai Maglio at The Found Word.