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Legal Ethics
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August 26, 2024
NJ Couple Admit To Preparing False Asylum Applications
A Garden State couple admitted Monday in New Jersey federal court that they participated in a conspiracy to prepare and submit fraudulent asylum applications, the U.S. attorney announced.
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August 26, 2024
Colo. Atty Posed As Judge, Ex-Prosecutor In Blog Comments
A Colorado attorney and former public defender has been placed on a stayed suspension after he impersonated a Mesa County Court judge and former prosecutor in fabricated comments on a blog.
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August 26, 2024
9th Circ. Chief Judge Cleared Of Judicial Misconduct Claims
The Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit on Friday cleared its chief judge of judicial misconduct claims alleging she failed to timely investigate a Los Angeles judge's decision to have a lawyer handcuffed and detained during contempt proceedings, finding the allegations were unfounded.
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August 26, 2024
DC Judge Says Missouri AG Can't Investigate Media Matters
A D.C. federal judge has again blocked a Republican attorney general from demanding a slew of records from liberal media watchdog Media Matters, this time halting a probe from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.
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August 26, 2024
Conn. Judge Hints Split Fee Collection Case May Be Too Late
A Connecticut judge on Monday said he was leaning toward dismissing a case seeking to access an alleged fee split in a $25,000 personal injury case, hinting that the Law Office of Justin C. Freeman LLC likely waited too long to file its lawsuit before dissolving.
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August 26, 2024
Substitute Atty Must Get Access To Discovery, NJ Panel Says
The attorney representing the estate of a murdered New Jersey mobster-turned-informant must be given access to confidential discovery information that was provided to a previous attorney on the case, the state Appellate Division ruled today.
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August 26, 2024
Racial Gaps In Mich. Judicial Discipline Process, Audit Finds
Black judges in Michigan are more likely to be subject to a full misconduct investigation and receive "significantly" more grievances than their white counterparts, according to a preliminary audit from the National Center for State Courts.
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August 26, 2024
Cadwalader Fears Unsealing Financial Info May Harm Firm
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP has argued in North Carolina Business Court that unsealing financial details related to a November 2022 data breach and its insurance policy with a Lloyd's of London syndicate would put the firm at further risk from competitors and bad actors.
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August 26, 2024
Texas Cases To Watch In Last Half Of 2024
Courts across the state are poised to make decisions in several high-stakes cases over the next several months, including ruling on whether Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton can be deposed in a long-running employment retaliation suit and whether a challenge to Texas' floating Rio Grande barrier must be tried before a jury.
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August 26, 2024
Insurer Wants Out Of Pa. Wig Widow's $4.5M Benefit Dispute
Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. asked a Pennsylvania state court to let it bow out of a dispute between a Pittsburgh wig and healthcare magnate's widow and his family partnership, arguing Monday that the court, not the insurer, had to choose between competing claims for a $4.5 million policy payout.
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August 26, 2024
Ex-Branscomb Atty Must Comply With Arbitration Award
A Texas appellate court said that a former attorney with Branscomb PC must abide by an arbitration award issued in his dispute over his termination from the firm, writing that if he had an issue with the award, he should have raised it with the arbitrator.
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August 26, 2024
New Jersey Cases Attorneys Are Watching In 2024
Jersey City is fighting the Garden State's cannabis legalization law and argues it conflicts with federal gun control legislation, while the bankrupt former chief financial officer of McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP is facing civil claims he defrauded the firm and paid himself millions in unauthorized salary.
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August 23, 2024
Del. Chief Judge Tells IP Biz Owner To Show Up, Pay $53K
Delaware's top federal judge Friday ordered a Texas-based patent litigation business owner to appear before him to address what he called a "potential fraud on the court" and "misconduct" by the firm's counsel, adding she'll have to pay $53,000 in accrued sanctions for refusing to show up in-person since last year.
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August 23, 2024
Girardi Says High Court Holding Should Gut His Fraud Case
Tom Girardi has urged a California federal judge to toss the majority of the wire fraud charges he is facing ahead of closing arguments in his trial, saying a 1960 U.S. Supreme Court case demonstrates he was charged for nothing more than receiving legally required wire transfers.
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August 23, 2024
Former Snyder Aide Says No Immunity For Flint Prosecutors
A top aide to former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder who had faced criminal charges for the Flint water crisis is fighting Michigan prosecutors' attempts to dodge a lawsuit claiming that they violated his due process rights.
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August 23, 2024
NC Justice Dept. Atty's Promotion Bias Suit Cleared For Trial
The North Carolina Department of Justice will face an attorney's race and sex discrimination claims at trial after a federal judge rejected the agency's bid for summary judgment, finding that a dispute remains about whether there was a legitimate reason for not promoting her.
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August 23, 2024
Wash. Justices Affirm Convicted Ex-State Auditor Disbarment
The Washington Supreme Court affirmed a recommendation to disbar convicted former state auditor Troy X. Kelley after he was imprisoned on felony theft charges, finding that Kelley's crimes justified the disbarment sanction.
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August 23, 2024
Ex-Reed Smith Atty Wants Pay Data In Bias Suit Against Firm
A former Reed Smith LLP attorney suing the firm for gender discrimination has told a New Jersey state court that the firm must turn over pay data for nonequity partners stretching back years for her to make her case.
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August 23, 2024
Client Wants Atty's Wife Held In Contempt In Malpractice Case
A couple awarded a $1.2 million default malpractice judgment against their former lawyer have asked a Colorado state judge to hold the attorney's wife in contempt after she said in a deposition she failed to check whether she and her husband had joint bank accounts or to bring documents, as required by a subpoena.
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August 23, 2024
Young Thug Atty Says Contempt Charge Must Be Overturned
An attorney representing Atlanta rapper Young Thug urged the Georgia Supreme Court on Thursday to reverse the 20-day jail sentence and contempt of court conviction he received after refusing to divulge how he learned about a closed-door meeting between prosecutors, a witness and the original judge presiding over the rapper's racketeering trial.
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August 23, 2024
JPMorgan's $26K Atty Fee Award Overturned By Conn. Panel
A Connecticut appeals court on Friday reversed JPMorgan's nearly $26,000 attorney fee-shift and cost award in a case involving a $250,000 promissory note, holding a trial judge improperly awarded the recovery because the bank waited "more than one year" to seek it after scoring summary judgment.
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August 23, 2024
Mich. Atty Guilty Of Murdering Client Faces Disbarment
The Michigan Supreme Court's prosecutorial arm on Friday urged the state's attorney watchdog to disbar a lawyer who was sentenced to spend life in prison for conspiring to kill his wealthy client to gain access to the client's trust, saying the attorney's conduct was "heinous and reprehensible."
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August 23, 2024
Former NY Atty Gets Prison For Theft Of $800K From Clients
A disbarred New York real estate attorney has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution for stealing over $800,000 from three former clients by taking their money from his escrow account.
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August 23, 2024
ABA Guides Lawyers On Avoiding Criminal Transactions
Just over a year after the American Bar Association formalized long-standing due diligence rules for attorneys' interactions with clients, an ABA committee on Friday released its first ethics opinion providing guidance on interpreting the rules amendment.
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August 23, 2024
Georgia Cases To Watch In The Last Half Of 2024
The prosecutions of former President Donald Trump and his election interference case codefendants, along with Atlanta rapper Young Thug's bid to have the judge overseeing his racketeering trial removed from the case, will take center stage in Georgia's courts as we enter the second half of 2024.
Expert Analysis
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How Duty Of Candor Figures In USPTO AI Ethics Guidance
The duty of candor and good faith is an important part of the artificial intelligence ethics guidance issued last week by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and serious consequences can visit patent and trademark applicants who violate that duty, not just their attorneys and agents, says Michael Cicero at Taylor English.
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Series
Whitewater Kayaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Whether it's seeing clients and their issues from a new perspective, or staying nimble in a moment of intense challenge, the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking transcend the rapids of a river and prepare attorneys for the courtroom and beyond, says Matthew Kent at Alston & Bird.
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This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener
As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.
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Weisselberg's Perjury At Trial Spotlights Atty Ethics Issues
Former Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg’s recent guilty plea for perjury in the New York attorney general's civil fraud trial should serve as a reminder to attorneys of their ethical duties when they know a client has lied or plans to lie in court, and the potential penalties for not fulfilling those obligations, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease
This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.
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Why Incorporating By Reference Is Rarely Good Practice
The Federal Circuit’s recent ruling in Promptu Systems v. Comcast serves as a reminder that while incorporating by reference may seem efficient, it is generally prohibited by courts and can lead to sanctions when used to bypass a word count limit, says Cullen Seltzer at Sands Anderson.
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Series
Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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Trump's NY Civil Fraud Trial Spotlights Long-Criticized Law
A New York court’s recent decision holding former President Donald Trump liable for fraud brought old criticisms of the state law used against him back into the limelight — including its strikingly broad scope and its major departures from the traditional elements of common law fraud, say Mark Kelley and Lois Ahn at MoloLamken.
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Opinion
Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
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4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
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Series
Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer
Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.
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Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.
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Stay Interviews Are Key To Retaining Legal Talent
Even as the economy shifts and layoffs continue, law firms still want to retain their top attorneys, and so-called stay interviews — informal conversations with employees to identify potential issues before they lead to turnover — can be a crucial tool for improving retention and morale, say Tina Cohen Nicol and Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.
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The Fed. Circ. In February: A Reminder On Procedure Rule 28
Because the Federal Circuit does not often issue a sua sponte precedential order emphasizing an important rule of practice, it is useful to look at how the court applied the restrictions of appellate procedure Rule 28 in Promptu v. Comcast last month, and in cases that preceded it, say Jeremiah Helm and Sean Murray at Knobbe Martens.