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Legal Ethics
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July 23, 2024
NY Judge OKs Public Disclosure In Atty Misconduct Cases
A New York federal judge ruled Monday that the First Amendment does allow those who filed grievances against attorneys to access disciplinary hearings before the Appellate Division's Second Judicial Department, records related to those hearings and some of the grievance committee's final dispositions.
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July 24, 2024
UPDATED: NJ Firm Malpractice Dismissal Order Filed In Error
A New Jersey state court has deleted an order dismissing a malpractice suit against Nurick Law Group LLC, saying Tuesday it was "uploaded in error."
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July 23, 2024
Ga. Judge Slams Ethics Charges As Demands For 'Perfection'
A Georgia state judge has denied violating ethical rules, arguing that her call to a personal friend about a pending child custody case — and other actions — shouldn't amount to public sanctions and said the judicial ethics watchdog's charges violate the state's constitution.
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July 23, 2024
Schnader Harrison Must Face Ex-Firm Atty's Class Action
The former equity partners of defunct law firm Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP must face a proposed class action accusing them of improperly spending employee money intended for the firm's retirement plan, after a Pennsylvania federal judge shot down their motion to dismiss.
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July 23, 2024
Brennan Center Gets $30M For High Court Reform Unit
The Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law announced Tuesday that philanthropist and businessman Jim Kohlberg has committed $30 million for the establishment of a new unit focused on U.S. Supreme Court reform.
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July 23, 2024
Chamber Rips Multibillion-Dollar Atty Fee Bid In Musk Pay Suit
The nation's largest business organization has urged Delaware's Court of Chancery to adopt sweeping curbs to jumbo plaintiff attorney fee awards, declaring a multibillion-dollar fee bid following the cancellation of Tesla CEO Elon Musk's stock-based pay plan "shocks the conscience."
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July 23, 2024
Firm Says Rival's Trademark Merely 'Common Spanish Phrase'
A Houston-based immigration law firm wants claims trimmed in a suit brought by a rival Washington state firm claiming unfair competition and trademark violation, also filing a counterclaim for declaratory judgment that calls the supposed trademark a "common Spanish phrase."
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July 23, 2024
11th Circ. Should Uphold Tax Court Protection, IRS Says
The Eleventh Circuit should uphold a U.S. Tax Court ruling that denied a widow tax relief and also rejected her claim that Tax Court judges have unconstitutional job protection, the Internal Revenue Service told the circuit court.
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July 22, 2024
Chicago Firm Seeks $2M For Ex-Atty's Alleged Client Poaching
Chicago firm Loftus & Eisenberg Ltd. has filed suit in Illinois state court accusing a former attorney's new firm of helping the lawyer poach clients by encouraging them to leave with him, even though the new firm couldn't support his practice.
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July 22, 2024
Wash. Atty Accused Of Offering Witness Incentive Resigns
A Washington attorney has resigned after he was accused of offering a witness a substantial financial incentive to back his clients who were seeking millions of dollars in damages in a civil suit, according to a Washington State Bar Association document.
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July 22, 2024
LegalForce Says Legal Finance Group Is Infringing Its Logo
LegalForce RAPC Worldwide PC has filed a federal trademark infringement suit against Law Finance Group Inc. in the San Francisco Bay Area, accusing it of violating the firm's "LF" trademark in providing legal services.
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July 22, 2024
Lack Of 'Smoking Gun' Sinks J&J's Bid To DQ Beasley Allen
The Beasley Allen Law Firm may represent plaintiffs in multicounty talc injury litigation in New Jersey state court, after a judge found Johnson & Johnson failed to show a former Faegre Drinker outside counsel shared information he learned representing the company in earlier talc litigation.
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July 22, 2024
Judge Limits Girardi Clients' Injury Details In Upcoming Trial
Jurors in former celebrity lawyer Tom Girardi's upcoming fraud trial will be spared detailed testimony about the severe injuries that drove his alleged victims to hire his law firm, a Los Angeles federal judge has ruled, saying the former clients' injuries are a key part of their stories, but graphic details are not necessary.
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July 22, 2024
Ex-NJ Judge Wants Chief Justice Deposed In Pension Suit
A former Bergen County Superior Court judge told a New Jersey state court that she must be allowed to depose Chief Justice Stuart Rabner of the New Jersey Supreme Court because he has information about the state's decision to deny her disability benefits application that no one else has.
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July 22, 2024
Morgan & Morgan Unit Faces Malpractice Class Claims
Personal injury giant Morgan & Morgan PA's Jacksonville, Florida, unit allegedly misled a Georgia deputy sheriff in his back injury case, costing him potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a proposed class action the firm has removed to federal court.
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July 22, 2024
Ex-Fed. Judge's Misconduct Prompts New Criminal Trial Bid
Alleged misconduct by former Alaska federal Judge Joshua Kindred and a prosecutor he had a relationship with should undo a defendant's recent cyberstalking conviction in the judge's court, that defendant has said.
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July 22, 2024
After Kindred Case, Questions Linger About Clerk Safeguards
When Alaska federal Judge Joshua Kindred resigned, it was the culmination of an 18-month inquiry into a hostile and inappropriate work environment he'd fostered in chambers. During that investigation, it seems he continued to supervise law clerks. Experts say that may signal a gap in protections for clerks.
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July 19, 2024
Utility, Attys 'Colluded' On $178M Ore. Wildfire Deal, Court Told
Berkshire Hathaway-owned utility PacifiCorp is facing allegations from plaintiffs firms that it "colluded" with a trio of other law firms to reach a "paltry" $178 million settlement with survivors of deadly Oregon wildfires allegedly sparked by the utility's equipment, according to a filing in Oregon state court.
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July 19, 2024
Bankruptcy Judge's Affair Sank Barge Company, Ex-CEO Says
The former CEO of a now-defunct barge company claims that a Houston bankruptcy judge's affair with a Jackson Walker attorney helped destroy his business, saying that Jackson Walker shouldn't escape racketeering claims because it hid its part in the lucrative relationship.
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July 19, 2024
'Texit' Atty Sues State Rep., Judge Over Defamation Fees
A civil rights attorney who has represented the group behind the "Texit" movement filed a lawsuit against a state representative and court officials in a North Texas county, accusing the group of colluding to run up attorney fees against him in a defamation case connected to the pro-Texas-secession group.
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July 19, 2024
Tweeting Holdout Ga. Juror's Removal Demands New Trial
The Georgia Court of Appeals on Thursday ordered a new trial for a man convicted of child molestation, ruling that the trial judge wrongly replaced a holdout juror even though he'd described himself on social media as "walking grounds for a mistrial."
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July 19, 2024
McCarter & English Pushes To End Biotech Malpractice Row
McCarter & English LLP faced accusations Friday in New Jersey state court that it was making "fictitious" defenses in a malpractice suit by a biotechnology company, saying in response that it was being treated as a "scapegoat."
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July 19, 2024
NYC Bar OKs Attys' Financial Stakes In Alternative Biz Entities
A new ethics committee report says a New York City lawyer may hold a financial interest in alternative business structures in jurisdictions that let them provide legal services, provided the lawyer is merely a financial investor, not practicing law through the entity.
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July 19, 2024
DOJ Seeks Probe Of Ex-Fed. Judge After 9th Circ. Report
The U.S. Department of Justice has asked its internal watchdog to look into allegations made by the Ninth Circuit that now-resigned Alaska federal Judge Joshua Kindred had inappropriate relationships with several attorneys and created a hostile work environment, the DOJ confirmed to Law360 Friday.
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July 19, 2024
Judge Recuses As Tech Firm Slams Dow Chemical's Request
An Ohio federal judge has recused himself from a trade secrets case brought against Dow Chemical Co. after the technology firm that sued it showed the court a settlement offer without approval that would grant Dow Chemical's recusal motion, which the tech firm said was a "cavalier approach to a drastic remedy."
Expert Analysis
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Data-Driven Insights Are Key To Attracting Today's Clients
As law firm growth slows and competition for clients increases, modern firms must rely on robust data analytics to develop the sector-based expertise and industry insights that clients increasingly prioritize in relationships with counsel, says Lavinia Calvert at Intapp.
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Ghosting In BigLaw: Why Better Feedback Habits Are Needed
Not giving assignments or constructive criticism to junior associates can significantly affect their performance and hours, potentially leading them to leave the firm, but partners can prevent this by asking the right questions and creating a culture of feedback, says Rachel Patterson at Orrick.
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Calif. Ruling Adds Employer Considerations On Email Policies
Following a California appellate court's recent decision disqualifying an attorney in Militello v. VFarm 1509, companies should take steps to explicitly inform employees of email monitoring, as it could affect the admissibility of email evidence if a dispute arises, say Shawn Ogle and David Sarfati at Atkinson Andelson.
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Rebuttal
Law Needs A Balance Between Humanism And Formalism
A recent Law360 guest article rightly questions the pretextual pseudo-originalism that permits ideology to masquerade as judicial philosophy, but the cure would kill the patient because directness, simplicity and humanness are achievable without renouncing form or sacrificing stare decisis, says Vanessa Kubota at the Arizona Court of Appeals.
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How The Circuit Split Over CFPB Funding May Play Out
The Second Circuit created a circuit split last month when it found that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding structure doesn't violate the U.S. Constitution and clashed with the Fifth Circuit's holding that the CFPB itself is unconstitutional, but the U.S. Supreme Court may find a middle ground, say Andrew Braunstein and Casey Howard at Locke Lord.
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Short Message Data Challenges In E-Discovery
As short message platforms increasingly dominate work environments, lawyers face multiple programs, different communication styles and emoji in e-discovery, so they must consider new strategies to adapt their processes, says Cristin Traylor at Relativity.
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Opinion
Thomas Report Is Final Straw — High Court Needs Ethics Code
As a recent report on Justice Clarence Thomas' ongoing conflicts of interest makes evident, Supreme Court justices should be subject to an enforceable and binding code of ethics — like all other federal judges — to maintain the credibility of the institution, says Erica Salmon Byrne at Ethisphere.
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Joint Representation Ethics Lessons From Ga. Electors Case
The Fulton County district attorney's recent motion to disqualify an attorney from representing her elector clients, claiming a nonconsentable conflict of interest, raises key questions about representing multiple clients related to the same conduct and highlights potential pitfalls, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Grace Wynn at HWG.
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Lawyer Discernment Is Critical In The World Of AI
In light of growing practical concerns about risks and challenges posed by artificial intelligence, lawyers' experience with the skill of discernment will position them to help address new ethical and moral dilemmas and ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a way that benefits society as a whole, says Jennifer Gibbs at Zelle.
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Don't Forget Alumni Engagement When Merging Law Firms
Neglecting law firm alumni programs after a merger can sever the deep connections attorneys have with their former firms, but by combining good data management and creating new opportunities to reconnect, firms can make every member in their expanded network of colleagues feel valued, say Clare Roath and Erin Warner at Troutman Pepper.
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Without Stronger Due Diligence, Attys Risk AML Regulation
Amid increasing pressure to mitigate money laundering and terrorism financing risks in gatekeeper professions, the legal industry will need to clarify and strengthen existing client due diligence measures — or risk the federal regulation attorneys have long sought to avoid, says Jeremy Glicksman at the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.
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Insureds' Notice Pleading May Be Insufficient In Federal Court
A recent New Jersey federal court ruling in Bauman v. Hanover Insurance held that bare-bones notice pleading was insufficient and dismissed the policyholder's coverage complaint, a reminder that courts may require more than an expression of general disagreement with an insurance company's denial letter to proceed with the case, says Eugene Killian at The Killian Firm.
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Every Lawyer Can Act To Prevent Peer Suicide
Members of the legal industry can help prevent suicide among their colleagues, and better protect their own mental health, by learning the predictors and symptoms of depression among attorneys and knowing when and how to get practical aid to peers in crisis, says Joan Bibelhausen at Minnesota Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers.
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Building On Successful Judicial Assignment Reform In Texas
Prompt action by the Judicial Conference could curtail judge shopping and improve the efficiency and procedural fairness of the federal courts by implementing random districtwide assignment of cases, which has recently proven successful in Texas patent litigation, says Dabney Carr at Troutman Pepper.
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Opinion
Ga. Needs To Resolve Cannabis Counsel Confusion
Georgia’s medical cannabis regulator finally adopted rules for low-THC oil last month, but a 2021 ethics ruling prohibits lawyers from advising participants in the state’s legal program and creates a confounding landscape that the state bar and courts must address, say Whitt Steineker and Mason Kruze at Bradley Arant.