Legal Ethics

  • February 05, 2025

    Ex-Ga. DA Beats Charges Over Ahmaud Arbery Murder Probe

    A Georgia state judge on Wednesday tossed a criminal case against a former Georgia district attorney who was accused of obstructing the investigation of the 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

  • February 05, 2025

    Lowenstein Sandler Aims To Combine Dueling Dispensary Suits

    Lowenstein Sandler LLP has moved in New Jersey state court to consolidate its $800,000 legal fee case against a cannabis dispensary with a malpractice suit that the dispensary recently filed against it and handle the cases in Essex County.

  • February 05, 2025

    Goldstein, Saying He's Mired In Debt, Asks To Redo Bail Terms

    Prominent U.S. Supreme Court attorney and SCOTUSblog publisher Tom Goldstein has a negative net worth of more than $3.3 million and is mired in debt to his attorneys, he said in a filing Wednesday seeking to modify the conditions of his release ahead of a trial on federal criminal tax evasion charges.

  • February 05, 2025

    Berger Singerman Aims To Sink Hurricane Malpractice Suit

    Berger Singerman LLP and one of its attorneys are hoping to escape a malpractice lawsuit related to hurricane damages brought by former client ARC Resorts LLC, saying its decision to list only the name of a property on particular notices was tactical and not negligent.

  • February 05, 2025

    Proskauer Fights Another DQ Bid In NJ Hospital Antitrust Suit

    A New Jersey federal magistrate judge was right to allow Proskauer Rose LLP to continue as counsel for RWJBarnabas Health Inc. since the firm's prior advice to CarePoint Health on its use of COVID-19 relief funds is unrelated to the antitrust lawsuit currently playing out between the two companies, according to the firm.

  • February 05, 2025

    Calif. Panel Revives Malpractice Suit Against Insurer Attys

    A California state appeals court revived an Allstate policyholder's legal malpractice suit against his insurer-appointed attorney, saying the policyholder sufficiently alleged the attorney's drafting of an underlying settlement in a wrongful death suit caused him damages.

  • February 05, 2025

    NC Software Co. Says DQ Of Rival's Atty Shouldn't Stall Trial

    An attorney being kicked off a bitter copyright case over source code shouldn't delay the fast-approaching trial, a U.S. software company told a North Carolina federal judge, arguing that its Dutch rival is trying to use the loss of its preferred counsel as a stalling tactic.

  • February 05, 2025

    Ex-CBD Co. Franchisee Says Magistrate Can't Rule On DQ Bid

    A former franchisee for CBD company American Shaman Franchise System LLC on Wednesday objected to an order from a magistrate judge rejecting his bid to disqualify her, saying that a magistrate judge has no authority to decide on a posttrial motion.

  • February 05, 2025

    As Adams Case Teeters, A DOJ 'Ideal' Hangs In The Balance

    The public courtship between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald Trump is worrying some white collar legal experts, who say that Trump influencing the U.S. Department of Justice to drop Adams' corruption case would depart from over 40 years of policies aimed at keeping politics out of prosecutorial decisions.

  • February 04, 2025

    OpenSky Defends Patent Challenge After Verdict Against Intel

    A company found using the patent review process to try to extort money from VLSI Technology LLC and Intel Corp. after a $2.18 billion jury verdict against the chipmaking giant is arguing it shouldn't have to pay legal fees, saying its efforts to revive a meritorious patent challenge is simply part of a "potentially profitable business model."

  • February 04, 2025

    Dems Call For Another Hearing For Patel Over FBI Upheaval

    Kash Patel had his nomination hearing to be FBI director less than a week ago, but Democrats and outside groups want him to appear before lawmakers again due to the agency officials fired and sidelined in recent days, and questions raised about Patel's past consulting work, according to letters written to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

  • February 04, 2025

    Ex-NY Real Estate Atty Gets 4½ Years For $3.3M Client Con

    A former New York City attorney on Tuesday was sentenced to over four years in prison, following his admission to stealing $3.3 million in client funds for purported real estate deals.

  • February 04, 2025

    Colorado Atty Says She's Blameless For Divorce Money Hack

    A Colorado divorce attorney wants out of a tangle of lawsuits that have sprung up since conservative radio personality and lawyer Randy Corporon mistakenly wired a client's $375,000 divorce settlement to Hong Kong, arguing that the claims are premature and statutorily barred, and that her malpractice insurer already covered damages.

  • February 04, 2025

    DLA Piper Partner To Testify At Cognizant Evidence Hearing

    Prosecutors told a New Jersey federal judge Tuesday that the managing partner of DLA Piper's Houston office will testify at a Feb. 18 evidentiary hearing in a criminal bribery case against two former executives of Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., which tapped the law firm for an internal investigation into the alleged corrupt scheme in India.

  • February 04, 2025

    SEC Receiver, Atty Agree To Settle Fraud Transfer Claims

    A court-appointed receiver for a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission case has reached a settlement with parties who allegedly received hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of transfers from a fraudulent foreign exchange trading scheme, including the attorney and family of a convicted executive.

  • February 04, 2025

    Exploration Co. Wants Sanctions Over Atty DQ Attempt

    An exploration company being sued by ocean salvage operation Maritime Research and Recovery LLC over a sunken Spanish galleon asked a Florida federal court on Tuesday to end the suit as a sanction for Maritime's "egregious misconduct," including trying to disqualify its counsel and filing frivolous motions.

  • February 04, 2025

    Guo Trustee Gets OK To Keep Law Firm Deal Sealed For Now

    The Chapter 11 trustee overseeing convicted Chinese fraudster Miles Guo's bankruptcy estate can keep secret for 180 days an adversary proceeding settlement with a New York law firm because similar clawback cases should proceed without being impacted by the terms of the deal, a Connecticut bankruptcy judge has ruled.

  • February 04, 2025

    Philly Firm Seeks $1.5M Fee, Denies 'Explosive' Malpractice

    Philadelphia firm Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC told a Philadelphia County jury on Tuesday that it was owed $1.5 million by metal fabricator M. Cohen & Sons Inc. for legal work, urging the jurors to reject allegations that the firm had a conflict of interest resulting in what the fabricator's lawyer called "explosive" consequences.

  • February 04, 2025

    Conn. Atty Sues Client, Lawyer Over State Farm Settlement

    A small Connecticut personal injury firm has sued a Bloomfield personal injury attorney and a former client in state court for breach of contract and unjust enrichment, accusing them of failing to hand over a one-third fee from a $35,000 State Farm insurance settlement.

  • February 04, 2025

    'Is This A Joke?' Judge Denies Atty Fees For Grocery Patrons

    A California federal judge had so little tolerance for shoppers claiming victory and seeking attorney fees from the abandoned Kroger-Albertsons merger that in tossing their motion and underlying lawsuit he noted with incredulity, "Plaintiffs are actually making these arguments."

  • February 04, 2025

    NJ Atty Avoids Disbarment After Bank Fraud Conviction

    A New Jersey attorney who was disbarred in New York and Colorado after copping to participating in a bank fraud conspiracy in 2017 has been handed a three-year license suspension in the Garden State, retroactive to the date of her guilty plea.

  • February 04, 2025

    Javice's Texts About Elizabeth Holmes Not Fair Game For Trial

    Frank founder Charlie Javice's sympathetic texts about healthcare-sector fraudster Elizabeth Holmes won't be seen by the jury hearing charges that the education startup executive faked data to dupe JPMorgan into a $175 million acquisition, a Manhattan federal judge said Tuesday.

  • February 03, 2025

    Gilstrap Tells Patent Atty To 'Relearn The Fundamentals'

    U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap has decided that a "public admonition" is a more appropriate punishment than legal fines for a lawyer whose client was called a "patent troll" by opponents, ordering the attorney to "relearn the fundamentals of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure."

  • February 03, 2025

    Yacht Building Co. Faces Sanctions For Hiding Hoist Failure

    A Washington federal judge has said yacht builder Delta Marine Industries owed sanctions over its failure to provide access to parts related to a boat hoist that failed during the launch of a yacht in a $3.4 million dispute between Lloyd's syndicates, underwriters and a Seattle boat builder.

  • February 03, 2025

    DC Circ. Rejects Newman's Bid To Unseal Suspension Docs

    The D.C. Circuit on Monday denied U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman's request to unseal documents about her suspension for refusing to participate in an investigation into her fitness, saying such documents are confidential unless both the judge under investigation and the chief judge agree to release them.

Expert Analysis

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.

  • Series

    Playing Competitive Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing competitive tennis has highlighted why prioritizing exercise and stress relief, maintaining perspective under pressure, and supporting colleagues in pursuit of a common goal are all key aspects of championing a successful legal career, says Madhumita Datta at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.

  • Considerations For Lawyer Witnesses After FTX Trial

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    Sam Bankman-Fried's recent trial testimony about his lawyers' involvement in FTX's business highlights the need for attorney-witnesses to understand privilege issues in order to avoid costly discovery disputes and, potentially, uncover critical evidence an adversary might seek to conceal, says Lawrence Bluestone at Genova Burns.

  • Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

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    Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.

  • Series

    Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.

  • Opinion

    History Reveals Folly Of Absolute Presidential Immunity

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    As a federal appeals court grapples with former President Donald Trump’s claims that he’s immune from prosecution on election interference charges, it’s a fitting time for lawyers to reflect on the rule of law — from 13th century jurisprudence to Watergate and the Clinton impeachment — and how the idea of absolute presidential immunity is unwise, says attorney Steven Reske.

  • Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument

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    Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.

  • Perspectives

    6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Series

    Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

  • Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?

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    Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.

  • Wachtell-X Ruling Highlights Trend On Arbitrability Question

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    A growing body of case law, including a California state court's recent decision in X Corp. v. Wachtell, holds that incorporation of specific arbitral body rules in an arbitration provision may in and of itself constitute clear and unmistakable evidence of delegation of arbitrability to an arbitrator, and thus such clauses should be drafted carefully, say attorneys at Norton Rose.

  • 7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond

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    The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.

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