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Legal Ethics
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July 31, 2024
DOD Says 9/11 'Mastermind,' 2 Accomplices Reach Plea Deals
The man accused of planning the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and two of his accused accomplices have reached plea agreements in their military commission cases, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Wednesday.
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July 31, 2024
Live Nation Says In-House Attys Can't Access DOJ Docs
As it warned would be the case, Live Nation is telling a New York federal judge that it has no in-house counsel that will be able to meet his rules on counsel access to highly confidential material in the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust suit against the live events company.
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July 31, 2024
Lewis Brisbois TM Foe Can't Ax Injunction, 5th Circ. Says
The Fifth Circuit on Wednesday upheld an injunction against three Texans accused of ripping off the Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP name, saying it's clear the only reason the defendants created the infringing entity "was to ride on the back" of the BigLaw firm's reputation.
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July 31, 2024
Ghanaian Oil Co. Hit With Sanctions In Discovery Fight
A Texas federal judge has slapped sanctions against an African energy company after finding that it lied in Ghanaian court about a discovery dispute related to a case in Ghana, saying attorney fees and costs are appropriate in relation to several proceedings.
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July 31, 2024
Calif. Bar Says Atty Can't End Billing Scandal's Hacking Claim
A San Fernando Valley attorney cannot escape an ethics charge alleging he plotted to hack the email and phone of a judge overseeing a public utility class action, the California Bar has told the State Bar Court, urging the court to reject the attorney's argument that merely "discussing plans" for a hack is not an offense.
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July 31, 2024
Kenyan Firm Sues Ill. Attys Over Ethiopian Airlines Crash Fees
A small Kenyan law firm seeking attorney fees from a 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash victims settlement with Boeing is accusing Jenner & Block LLP and another Chicago firm of coaxing its former client into firing the firm, allegedly through misinformation and forged signatures, according to a suit filed in Illinois federal court this week.
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July 31, 2024
Ga. Panel Strikes Sanctions Without Day In Court In HOA Row
A Georgia Court of Appeals panel said Wednesday a Fulton County trial judge wrongly entered sanctions against a woman without holding a hearing after she failed to attend depositions with an Alpharetta homeowners association.
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July 31, 2024
4 Mass. Rulings You May Have Missed In July
Massachusetts state court judges refereed a damages dispute between a real estate titan and a Big Four consultant, ruled in favor of allegedly underpaid healthcare workers and untangled a defamation suit over a labor executive's old social media posts, among other notable rulings during the month of July.
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July 31, 2024
Rutgers 'Caught Red Handed' In Discovery Row, Ex-Student Says
A Jewish law student who filed a discrimination suit against Rutgers pressed a New Jersey state court to sanction the university for moving ahead with disciplinary measures against him, arguing it "got caught red handed" in trying to circumvent a court order to get discovery from him.
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July 31, 2024
Second Ex Parte Convo Adds To Chaos In Young Thug Trial
Defense counsel in the increasingly disarrayed gang trial of Atlanta rapper Young Thug accused the case's former judge on Wednesday of being a "co-conspirator" with the state, after learning of yet another ex parte conversation with prosecutors that had been concealed.
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July 31, 2024
Ex-Chicago Alderman Should Serve Full Supervision, Feds Say
A former Chicago alderman and attorney convicted of tax crimes should not be allowed an early reprieve from his court-ordered supervision because it has become his main form of punishment following his compassionate release from prison, the government has told an Illinois federal court.
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July 31, 2024
Fox Rothschild Faces Malpractice Suit Over Land Row
Two siblings have brought legal malpractice claims against Fox Rothschild LLP and a firm partner in New Jersey state court, accusing the lawyer of bungling a 1984 property deed and a 1993 trust belonging to their stepfather.
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July 31, 2024
Ga. Judge Gets Suspension And Reprimand In Harassment Case
Georgia state Superior Court Judge Robert "Bobby" Reeves will be suspended for 30 days and has promised not to run for reelection for numerous counts of misconduct, the Georgia Supreme Court decided Tuesday.
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July 31, 2024
5 Trials To Watch In The 2nd Half Of 2024
Upcoming high-profile trials over star lawyer Tom Girardi's alleged fraud, Hunter Biden's taxes and Washington state's "patent troll" law are among the cases to watch in the latter half of the year.
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July 31, 2024
Judge Refuses To Rethink Injury Firm Conflict Of Interest DQ
A law firm was properly disqualified from a family's design defect lawsuit against Home Depot USA Inc. and makers of a lawn mower, a New Jersey federal judge has ruled, confirming a prior finding that a conflict of interest arose between the father and daughter when the companies countersued the father.
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July 31, 2024
Firms Must Justify $1.4M Fee Bid In State Street Settlement
A Massachusetts federal judge who oversaw a yearslong attorney overbilling scandal and slashed a fee bid in another case over alleged false and misleading statements ordered a pair of firms to tell him why they should get one-third of a $4.3 million settlement with State Street Corp.
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July 30, 2024
FTX Users Say Sullivan & Cromwell Must Face Abetting Claims
FTX customers told a Florida federal judge on Tuesday that Sullivan & Cromwell LLP can't dismiss customer claims it aided and abetted the defunct cryptocurrency exchange's fraud as "speculative allegations" when the customers' complaint "paints a much more detailed and nefarious picture."
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July 30, 2024
Judge Refuses To DQ Attys In Group Home Sex Abuse Case
A Washington federal judge rejected a group home's bid to disqualify counsel representing former residents alleging sexual abuse, ruling Tuesday that any conflicts between alleged victims now at odds with one another would not harm the group home.
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July 30, 2024
Young Thug's 3rd Judge Denies Mistrial For Bench Swaps
A Georgia judge who recently became the third presider in rapper Young Thug's sprawling racketeering trial ruled Tuesday there will be no mistrial on grounds of judge substitution, but said rulings on other mistrial motions are still to come.
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July 30, 2024
Sidney Powell Settles Dominion Exec's Election Lies Suit
Sidney Powell, a former attorney to Donald Trump, has settled a defamation lawsuit brought by a former executive for Dominion Voting Systems accused of taking part in unfounded 2020 election conspiracy theories.
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July 30, 2024
NJ Judge Off The Bench For Cursing, Gifting Giants Tickets
A New Jersey municipal judge accused of using profanity in the courtroom, fraternizing with police officers at a Hooters restaurant and gifting New York Giants tickets to the town's code enforcement officer has been removed from the bench, the state Supreme Court said Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
Fed. Circ. Backs Ga. ALJ's Firing For 'Unbecoming' Conduct
The Federal Circuit has upheld the removal of a Georgia administrative law judge over a pattern of "deficiencies" uncovered in his rulings, insubordination, and a workplace tirade in which he reportedly told a supervisor she was "worse than a Nazi," the court said Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
Lewis Brisbois Settles One LA Bias Suit, Another Continues
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP has ended a former partner's race and disability bias suit, announcing a settlement in Los Angeles Superior Court, while continuing to push for arbitration in a separate discrimination suit, also filed in Los Angeles, where a former equity partner has accused the firm of gender discrimination and "unethical billing."
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July 30, 2024
GAO Says Courts Should Improve Staff Complaint Collection
The federal judiciary, which has over 30,000 employees, has taken actions to address misconduct in the workplace since 2017, but one area in need of improvement is its data collection, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report released Tuesday.
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July 30, 2024
Dominion Again Pushes DQ Bid For Ex-Overstock CEO Atty
Attorneys for Dominion Voting Systems are again urging a D.C. federal judge to disqualify a Michigan attorney from representing former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne in a defamation lawsuit, saying she and her client "lack any respect for the rule of law" and pose risks to Dominion employees.
Expert Analysis
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Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument
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.
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Perspectives
6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice
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.
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Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga
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.
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Series
Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer
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.
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Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?
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.
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Wachtell-X Ruling Highlights Trend On Arbitrability Question
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.
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7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond
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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On The Edge: Lessons In Patent Litigation Financing
A federal judge's recent request that the U.S. Department of Justice look into IP Edge patent litigation, and that counsel be disciplined, serves as a reminder for parties asserting intellectual property rights — and their attorneys — to exercise caution when structuring a litigation financing agreement, say Samuel Habein and James De Vellis at Foley & Lardner.
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5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2024
Over the next year and beyond, litigation funding will continue to evolve in ways that affect attorneys and the larger litigation landscape, from the growth of a secondary market for funded claims, to rising interest rates restricting the availability of capital, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.
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Opinion
Stronger Attorney Rules Are Needed To Avoid A Jan. 6 Repeat
Given the key role lawyers played in the events leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, the legal profession must shore up its rules before this year’s presidential election to make clear that lawyers who undermine the rule of law will face severe penalties, including disbarment, says Ray Brescia at Albany Law School.
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4 Legal Ethics Considerations For The New Year
As attorneys and clients reset for a new year, now is a good time to take a step back and review some core ethical issues that attorneys should keep front of mind in 2024, including approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution and care, and avoiding pitfalls in outside counsel guidelines, say attorneys at HWG.
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What The Law Firm Of The Future Will Look Like
As the legal landscape shifts, it’s become increasingly clear that the BigLaw business model must adapt in four key ways to remain viable, from fostering workplace flexibility to embracing technology, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.
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4 PR Pointers When Your Case Is In The News
Media coverage of new lawsuits exploded last year, demonstrating why defense attorneys should devise a public relations plan that complements their legal strategy, incorporating several objectives to balance ethical obligations and advocacy, say Nathan Burchfiel at Pinkston and Ryan June at Castañeda + Heidelman.
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Why Fed. Circ. Affirmed Attorney Fee Award In PersonalWeb
A recent Federal Circuit decision to leave a $5.2 million fee award in place in the PersonalWeb patent case underscores district courts' discretion to sanction unreasonable arguments and litigation tactics under the U.S. Code's attorney fee provision, say attorneys at Shearman.
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Law Firm Strategies For Successfully Navigating 2024 Trends
Though law firms face the dual challenge of external and internal pressures as they enter 2024, firms willing to pivot will be able to stand out by adapting to stakeholder needs and reimagining their infrastructure, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Consultants.