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Legal Ethics
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October 31, 2024
Atty Can't Dodge All Claims In $14.6M Tribal RICO Suit
An Oklahoma federal judge has partly denied a bid by a tribe's general counsel and his law firm to toss accused fraudsters' claims against them in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act lawsuit, finding he may have breached his fiduciary duty when serving both parties in the suit.
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October 31, 2024
Latham Hit With Sanctions In Banc Of California Securities Suit
A California federal judge found Latham & Watkins LLP and its ex-client, former Banc of California CEO Steven A. Sugarman, in civil contempt for "flagrant violations" of a protective order covering discovery produced by investment firm Muddy Waters Capital in a securities fraud class action, according to an order unsealed this week.
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October 31, 2024
$268K Fee Challenge Nixed In 9th Circ. Chevron Award Suit
The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday refused to reconsider its order slapping a six-figure fine against a Seattle attorney for fabricating a news article to bolster his clients' efforts to enforce an allegedly fraudulent $18 billion arbitral award against Chevron, effectively ending the long-running saga for now.
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October 31, 2024
Seyfarth Argues Against DQ From Amazon COVID Pay Case
Seyfarth Shaw urged a Colorado federal judge on Wednesday to reject a bid to disqualify the law firm from representing Amazon in a putative class action after representing former managers who are allegedly presumed class members, arguing there was no real harm since its attorneys quickly dropped the former employees after discovering potential conflicts.
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October 31, 2024
Scott + Scott Sues Robins Kaplan For $5M In Swipe Deal Fees
Scott + Scott Attorneys at Law LLP alleged in a New York state court lawsuit that Robins Kaplan LLP, its co-counsel in antitrust litigation over Visa Inc. and Mastercard's interchange fees, is withholding $5 million in promised payouts from the case's $5.6 billion settlement.
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October 31, 2024
Judge Axes Disbarred NC Atty's Suit After Late Objection
A North Carolina federal judge has thrown out a disbarred attorney's suit against the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, stating that the former lawyer failed to timely object to a recommendation that the case be dismissed and that his stated reason for missing the deadline was "not credible."
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October 31, 2024
Oversight GOP Reps. Take Big Swing At FTC Chair
House Republicans on Thursday accused Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan of becoming a "political tool" of the Biden administration, which they say has undermined the independent nature of the agency.
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October 31, 2024
Combs 'Grasping At Straws' In Leak & Gag Motions, Feds Say
Manhattan federal prosecutors rejected Sean "Diddy" Combs' arguments that his sexual assault accusers should be forbidden from speaking out and that the government had leaked grand jury secrets, saying his motions lack evidence or any proper legal basis.
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October 31, 2024
Jones Day Pushes To Shield Memo In Parental Leave Case
As two former Jones Day associates who are challenging the firm's family leave policy prepare to potentially go to trial in late 2025, Jones Day has told a D.C. federal court that a memorandum stating business reasons for a personnel decision shouldn't lose its status as privileged communication just because it references legal issues.
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October 31, 2024
Suit Against Indicted NJ Power Broker Sent To Biz Court
A New Jersey state court on Wednesday granted indicted Garden State power broker George E. Norcross III's request to transfer the civil racketeering suit brought against him and his attorney brother by a Philadelphia developer to the state's complex business litigation program.
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October 31, 2024
Conn. Firm Beats Ex-Client's Negligence, Conversion Claims
Connecticut law firm Evans & Lewis PC and partner Douglas J. Lewis have prevailed in a professional negligence lawsuit in state court alleging that their incompetence caused a former client's home to go into foreclosure and that they pocketed a $1,500 fee for services that they didn't provide.
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October 31, 2024
NJ High Court Sets Rules For Judges' Social Media Use
The New Jersey Supreme Court approved a new social media policy for judges in the state this week in the aftermath of a Superior Court judge being suspended for posting vulgar lip-syncing TikToks.
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October 31, 2024
3rd Circ Rejects Charter Co. Exec's Ineffective Counsel Claims
The co-founder and former executive of a now-defunct public air charter operator has lost a bid to escape a fraud conviction on the grounds her lawyers provided ineffective counsel in her criminal trial, with a unanimous Third Circuit panel determining the jury would not have been swayed by a different trial strategy.
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October 31, 2024
The 2024 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard
Check out the Law360 Pulse Leaderboard to see which firms made the list of leaders in all-around excellence this year.
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October 31, 2024
Firms' Hiring Strategies Are Evolving In Fight For Top Spot
Competition for top talent among elite law firms shows no signs of slowing down, even amid economic uncertainty, with financially strong firms deploying aggressive strategies to attract and retain skilled professionals to solidify their market position.
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October 31, 2024
Firms Fight Bid To Revive Malpractice Suit Over Liability Case
Two firms are asking the Delaware Supreme Court to affirm the dismissal of a malpractice suit filed by parents over damages sought for their child's "catastrophic injuries," allegedly caused by contamination from a chicken plant.
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October 30, 2024
DC Firms Say They Must Be Allowed To Exit $120M Iraq Row
Two boutique firms are fighting a construction company's effort to make them stay on as counsel to Iraq in a D.C. federal court case related to a nearly $120 million arbitral award, saying Wednesday the country has stopped paying fees.
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October 30, 2024
Judge Stops Arbitration Of Connecticut Trial Firm Breakup
A Connecticut Superior Court judge has issued an emergency order temporarily restraining the CEO of a law firm known for high-dollar trial verdicts from arbitrating a dispute over the practice's breakup after onetime partner Andrew P. Garza filed suit late last week.
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October 30, 2024
Alleged Kickback Plotters Can Waive Conflict Over Attorney
A Colorado federal judge on Wednesday concluded that a lab testing company owner charged with participating in a kickback scheme to defraud Medicare and a man who pled guilty to participating in a connected conspiracy could waive any conflicts that might arise from both using the same attorney.
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October 30, 2024
Ill. Atty Faces 6-Month Suspension For Creating Fake Emails
The Illinois Supreme Court's attorney watchdog on Wednesday called for a six-month suspension of an attorney accused of creating bogus emails to bolster false claims that the insurance company he worked for had approved the denial of clients' insurance claims.
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October 30, 2024
No Ruling On Zeta DQ Bid After Second Marathon Hearing
A Houston judge declined Wednesday to decide whether to disqualify Transocean's counsel from Hurricane Zeta litigation following the second hearing on a former Arnold & Itkin LLP law clerk-turned-defense-lawyer's work with the plaintiffs' firm, indicating she needed time to figure out when the parties reasonably should have learned of the potential conflict of interest.
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October 30, 2024
10th Circ. Upholds Sanctions Against Northwestern Law Prof
A panel of the Tenth Circuit on Wednesday affirmed a Colorado district court's sanctions against a Northwestern University law professor for his frivolous attempt to remove a probate dispute with his sister to federal court, finding in a brief, unpublished opinion that the sanctions were not an abuse of discretion.
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October 30, 2024
Wash. Boys' Group Home Gets Sanctions In Sex Abuse Case
A Washington federal judge on Tuesday sanctioned a boys' group home for failing to prepare its CEO to give evidence in a case involving sexual abuse claims dating back to the 1980s, in an order saying the home acted without court permission to limit the CEO's testimony during a deposition.
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October 30, 2024
US Sanctions Swiss Attys For Handling Illicit Russian Funds
The U.S. on Wednesday hit two Swiss lawyers with sanctions for taking advantage of a loophole in Switzerland's anti-money laundering law that officials said allowed them to discreetly move cash for Russians also sanctioned for aiding Moscow's military-industrial base.
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October 30, 2024
Calif. Judge Scolded For Public Fight Over School Renaming
A California state judge has been publicly disciplined for leading a monthslong crusade against the renaming of his old high school, during which he spoke at rallies and fundraisers, called opponents "morons" on social media and generally "demeaned the judicial office."
Expert Analysis
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How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market
Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.
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Series
Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step
From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Avoiding Legal Ethics Landmines In Preindictment Meetings
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez's recent bribery conviction included obstruction charges based on his former lawyer's preindictment presentation to prosecutors, highlighting valuable lessons on the legal ethics rules implicated in these kinds of defense presentations, say Steve Miller and Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG.
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Series
Being A Luthier Makes Me A Better Lawyer
When I’m not working as an appellate lawyer, I spend my spare time building guitars — a craft known as luthiery — which has helped to enhance the discipline, patience and resilience needed to write better briefs, says Rob Carty at Nichols Brar.
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Lead Like 'Ted Lasso' By Embracing Cognitive Diversity
The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” aptly illustrates how embracing cognitive diversity can be a winning strategy for teams, providing a useful lesson for law firms, which can benefit significantly from fresh, diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: July Lessons
In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy considers cases touching on pre- and post-conviction detainment conditions, communications with class representatives, when the American Pipe tolling doctrine stops applying to modified classes, and more.
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Opinion
Now More Than Ever, Lawyers Must Exhibit Professionalism
As society becomes increasingly fractured and workplace incivility is on the rise, attorneys must champion professionalism and lead by example, demonstrating how lawyers can respectfully disagree without being disagreeable, says Edward Casmere at Norton Rose.
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Series
Serving In The National Guard Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My ongoing military experience as a judge advocate general in the National Guard has shaped me as a person and a lawyer, teaching me the importance of embracing confidence, balance and teamwork in both my Army and civilian roles, says Danielle Aymond at Baker Donelson.
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Lawyers Must Be Careful When Using Listservs
The American Bar Association's formal opinion from May correctly states that attorneys must obtain clients' consent before posing related questions to listservs, but potential risks and drawbacks of using listservs go beyond those highlighted by the ABA, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.
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A Midyear Forecast: Tailwinds Expected For Atty Hourly Rates
Hourly rates for partners, associates and support staff continued to rise in the first half of this year, and this growth shows no signs of slowing for the rest of 2024 and into next year, driven in part by the return of mergers and acquisitions and the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, says Chuck Chandler at Valeo Partners.
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Opinion
States Should Loosen Law Firm Ownership Restrictions
Despite growing buzz, normalized nonlawyer ownership of law firms is a distant prospect, so the legal community should focus first on liberalizing state restrictions on attorney and firm purchases of practices, which would bolster succession planning and improve access to justice, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.
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Series
Solving Puzzles Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Tackling daily puzzles — like Wordle, KenKen and Connections — has bolstered my intellectual property litigation practice by helping me to exercise different mental skills, acknowledge minor but important details, and build and reinforce good habits, says Roy Wepner at Kaplan Breyer.
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Texas Ethics Opinion Flags Hazards Of Unauthorized Practice
The Texas Professional Ethics Committee's recently issued proposed opinion finding that in-house counsel providing legal services to the company's clients constitutes the unauthorized practice of law is a valuable clarification given that a UPL violation — a misdemeanor in most states — carries high stakes, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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In Memoriam: The Modern Administrative State
On June 28, the modern administrative state, where courts deferred to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes, died when the U.S. Supreme Court overruled its previous decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council — but it is survived by many cases decided under the Chevron framework, say Joseph Schaeffer and Jessica Deyoe at Babst Calland.