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Legal Ethics
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July 01, 2024
8th Circ. Reverses Sanctions On Ark. Firm Over Fee Award
The Eighth Circuit has reversed a district court's sanction barring a law firm from participating in Fair Labor Standards Act lawsuits in the Eastern District of Arkansas over reported violations of the rules of civil procedure.
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July 01, 2024
Texas Attorney Serving 15-Year Sentence Is Disbarred
The State Bar of Texas announced Monday that it has yanked the license of a criminal defense attorney who was sentenced in 2021 to more than 15 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of cheating big-time Colombian drug trafficking clients.
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June 28, 2024
Paxton 5th Circ. Doc. Signals 'Unprecedented' Move By AG
The recent publication of a Fifth Circuit opinion indicating that federal agencies are moving forward with a corruption investigation against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, while not unusual, suggests an "unprecedented" attempt from the state's chief legal officer to block witnesses from having to give grand jury testimony, experts told Law360.
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June 28, 2024
Quinn Slammed By Columbia For Its 'Continuing Audacity'
Columbia University shot back Friday against arguments from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP that Federal Circuit judges should disregard arguments made by the firm's former client, who says the firm lied to a federal court in Virginia to avoid damaging testimony in a $600 million patent case.
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June 28, 2024
Split SCOTX Revives Judge's Same-Sex Wedding Challenge
A split Texas Supreme Court revived a judge's lawsuit against the state judicial ethics commission over sanctions for her refusal to officiate same-sex marriages, with the majority finding the judge's claims are not barred because she did not go through the administrative process.
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June 28, 2024
Girardi Wins Bid To Offer Mental Condition Testimony At Trial
Tom Girardi's defense team can call a doctor to testify at his upcoming trial as to a potential "mental condition" that they say might indirectly have bearing on his intent to defraud clients, a California federal judge ruled Thursday, rejecting prosecutors' argument that the testimony is irrelevant.
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June 28, 2024
Eagles' Don Henley Wants 'Hotel California' Lyrics Returned
Eagles frontman Don Henley is seeking to retake possession of handwritten lyric sheets that were seized by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in a now-dismissed criminal case over the sale of the allegedly stolen album notes, asking a New York federal judge Friday to declare that he is the legal owner.
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June 28, 2024
Texas Bank Wants Ramey Sanctioned For 'Incoherent' IP Suit
A Texas-based bank has asked a federal judge to sanction Ramey LLP in a patent infringement case the firm's client filed against it, saying the litigation is frivolous and should be tossed.
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June 28, 2024
Calif. Panel Won't Toss Trial Win By AT&T's Cricket
Cricket Communications Inc. won't have to worry about a 2018 jury trial win being kiboshed after a California appeals court ruled that when it overturned a pretrial ruling because a previous judge failed to disclose that he owned AT&T stock, it didn't mean the entire trial should be undone.
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June 28, 2024
Judge Rejects Collusion Claim In Contested Foreclosure Deal
A Michigan federal judge approved on Thursday a class settlement between 43 Michigan counties and people who lost their homes in tax foreclosure, putting to bed accusations of collusion between the settling lawyers.
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June 28, 2024
Girardi's Ch. 7 Evidence Fight May Raise Novel Issues
Tom Girardi told a California federal judge that FBI agents violated his constitutional rights by obtaining evidence from his law firm's bankruptcy trustee without a search warrant, an argument that, if successful, could hamstring prosecutors in his upcoming wire fraud trial and shake up law enforcement's dealings with trustees.
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June 28, 2024
Baldwin Loses Third Bid To Dismiss 'Rust' Shooting Case
A New Mexico state judge on Friday rejected Alec Baldwin's argument that his indictment on involuntary manslaughter charges in the "Rust" film shooting case should be thrown out because forensic tests damaged the actor's gun, a key piece of evidence in the case.
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June 28, 2024
Buchanan Ingersoll Can't Dump Harrisburg Incinerator Row
A Pennsylvania appellate court won't let Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC exit long-running litigation over a trash incinerator project that sent the state's capital city into financial distress, ruling Friday that there was still ambiguity about whether the law firm's advice had been correct.
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June 28, 2024
NY Law Firm Botched Gas Co. Sale, Ex-Client Says
Albany, New York-based Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP is facing a lawsuit in New York federal court alleging it failed to properly structure the sale of a gas company and caused its owner to incur an avoidable tax liability.
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June 28, 2024
Retired Calif. Judge Known For Ethics Work Dies At 87
Retired Los Angeles County Judge David M. Rothman, known for writing three editions of the California Judicial Conduct Handbook, died Tuesday in Berkeley, California, at age 87.
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June 28, 2024
Eric Trump Can Shield Most Docs In Ex-Aide's Retaliation Suit
Eric Trump can assert attorney-client privilege to avoid turning over most of a batch of emails sought by Trump 2016 campaign aide Arlene "AJ" Delgado in her pregnancy retaliation suit claiming she was banished from former President Donald Trump's orbit after a fellow staffer got her pregnant.
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June 28, 2024
GOP Rep. Says 'Inherent Contempt' Vote Coming After Recess
The Republican lawmaker spearheading a new inherent contempt effort for Attorney General Merrick Garland said it has the backing of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and would occur after the July 4 congressional recess.
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June 28, 2024
Pashman Stein Can't Escape Negligence Claims, NJ Atty Says
A New Jersey attorney who countersued Pashman Stein Walder Hayden PC after the firm accused him of ducking a nearly $100,000 legal bill is urging a state court to reject what he says are the firm's "frivolous" calls to toss his negligence counterclaims.
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June 28, 2024
Indicted Brown & Connery Atty Removed From Rutgers Board
Brown & Connery LLP partner William Tambussi, who was indicted last week for his alleged role in a wide-ranging extortion scheme led by powerful Garden State businessman George Norcross III, has been removed from his seat on the Rutgers University Board of Governors, officials confirmed Friday.
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June 28, 2024
Bannon Can't Dodge Prison In Contempt Appeal
Steve Bannon must go to prison Monday, according to a U.S. Supreme Court order Friday rejecting the former Trump White House chief strategist's bid to stave off his four-month sentence for contempt of Congress.
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June 28, 2024
High Court Enters July With 3 Rulings To Go
In a rare move, the U.S. Supreme Court will issue opinions into the beginning of July as the court tries to clear its merits docket of three remaining cases dealing with presidential immunity, whether governments can control social media platforms' content moderation policies and the appropriate deadline to challenge agency action.
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June 27, 2024
Ozy Media's Gov't Misconduct Claims Won't Derail Fraud Case
A New York federal judge on Thursday rejected a bid by Ozy Media and the defunct company's founder to toss the criminal fraud case against them, saying they hadn't shown they were prejudiced by a U.S. attorney's office's social media post or that documents obtained by prosecutors were protected by attorney-client privilege.
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June 27, 2024
Roche Freedman, Ousted Ex-Partner Settle Ahead Of July Trial
The law firm formerly known as Roche Freedman LLP and ousted partner Jason Cyrulnik informed a New York federal judge Thursday they've cut a confidential deal to resolve their contentious legal battle over Cyrulnik's departure, ending the litigation weeks before the case was set to go to a jury trial.
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June 27, 2024
Criticism Of Fla. Judge's Order Is Free Speech, ACLU Says
The American Civil Liberties Union came to the defense of two Florida attorneys facing discipline before the state's high court over critical remarks about an Orlando judge's order in a discrimination case, arguing that suspending their licenses for 30 days would violate the First Amendment.
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June 27, 2024
Paxton Attys To Testify In Federal Probe, 5th Circ. Indicates
A federal grand jury impaneled to weigh Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's alleged abuses of office is set to continue hearing witness testimony next week, a recently published Fifth Circuit opinion indicates.
Expert Analysis
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Trump Hush Money Case Offers Master Class In Trial Strategy
The New York criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump typifies some of the greatest challenges that lawyers face in crafting persuasive presentations, providing lessons on how to handle bad facts, craft a simple story that withstands attack, and cross-examine with that story in mind, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Series
Teaching Yoga Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Being a yoga instructor has helped me develop my confidence and authenticity, as well as stress management and people skills — all of which have crossed over into my career as an attorney, says Laura Gongaware at Clyde & Co.
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A Vision For Economic Clerkships In The Legal System
As courts handle increasingly complex damages analyses involving vast amounts of data, an economic clerkship program — integrating early-career economists into the judicial system — could improve legal outcomes and provide essential training to clerks, say Mona Birjandi at Data for Decisions and Matt Farber at Secretariat.
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E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Text Message Data
Electronically stored information on cellphones, and in particular text messages, can present unique litigation challenges, and recent court decisions demonstrate that counsel must carefully balance what data should be preserved, collected, reviewed and produced, say attorneys at Sidley.
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'Fat Leonard' Case Shows High Bar For Rescinding Guilty Plea
Prosecutors’ recent move in the “Fat Leonard” bribery case, supporting several defendants’ motions to withdraw their guilty pleas, is extremely unusual – and its contrast with other prosecutions demonstrates that the procedural safeguards at plea hearings are far from enough, says Sara Kropf at Kropf Moseley.
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Series
Swimming Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Years of participation in swimming events, especially in the open water, have proven to be ideal preparation for appellate arguments in court — just as you must put your trust in the ocean when competing in a swim event, you must do the same with the judicial process, says John Kulewicz at Vorys.
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As Arbitrator Bias Claims Rise, Disclosure Standards Evolve
The growth in post-award challenges based on arbitrators' alleged conflicts of interest has led to the release of new guidance and new case law on the topic — both supporting the view that professional familiarity alone does not translate to a lack of impartiality, say attorneys at Skadden.
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Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert
As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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Series
Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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Series
Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.
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4 Ways To Refresh Your Law Firm's Marketing Strategy
With many BigLaw firms relying on an increasingly obsolete marketing approach that prioritizes stiff professionalism over authentic connection, adopting a few key communications strategies to better connect with today's clients and prospects can make all the difference, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law.
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What Law Firms Should Know Amid Rise In DQ Motions
As disqualification motions proliferate, law firms need to be aware of the types of conflicts that most often lead to disqualification, the types of attorneys who may be affected and how to reduce their exposure to these motions, says Matthew Henderson at Hinshaw.
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Data Protection Steps To Consider After Biden Privacy Order
A recent White House executive order casts a spotlight on the criticality of securing sensitive content communications, presenting challenges and necessitating a recalibration of practices, especially for lawyers, says Camilo Artiga-Purcell at Kiteworks.