Legal Ethics

  • February 27, 2025

    NJ Republicans Look To Oust AG After Failed RICO Case

    Republican leaders in the New Jersey Assembly moved Thursday to impeach Attorney General Matthew Platkin, accusing him of overstepping his authority, including by pursuing his now-dismissed racketeering indictment against political power broker George E. Norcross III and his allies. 

  • February 27, 2025

    Texas Atty Seeks Woman's Employment Docs In Sex Tape Case

    A Houston attorney accused of filming a sexual encounter with a woman and sharing it without her consent has asked a Texas state court for permission to subpoena the woman's employment records to help him defend against her suit.

  • February 27, 2025

    McCarter & English Wants $3.8M, Ex-Client Wants New Trial

    Scarcely a month after the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that McCarter & English LLP is not entitled to $3.6 million in punitive damages from a federal fee feud with ex-client Jarrow Formulas Inc., the firm has requested a nearly $3.8 million judgment against the supplement company, while Jarrow has requested reimbursement and a new trial.

  • February 27, 2025

    Colo. Justice Warns Attys Not To Dodge Tough Questions

    A Colorado Supreme Court justice told lawyers Wednesday not to pivot after being asked a question during oral arguments, saying justices can sense a lawyer is avoiding a topic and will go after it with a "great, invisible hook."

  • February 26, 2025

    Apple Comms Director's Texts Reveal Criticisms Of Judge

    An Apple communications director's text messages came to light Wednesday on the last day of a high-stakes hearing into whether Apple complied with a 2021 antitrust injunction, revealing the director had criticized the judge extensively when the hearing began in May.

  • February 26, 2025

    Legal Groups Call Out Trump's 'Outrageous' Covington Attack

    Defense attorney groups on Wednesday expressed concern over President Donald Trump's retaliation against Covington & Burling LLP attorneys for representing former special counsel Jack Smith, asking the wider legal community to join their members in condemning the president's "outrageous action."

  • February 26, 2025

    Walmart Injury Suit Wrongly Axed For Fraud, Panel Says

    A Florida state appeals court on Wednesday revived a suit seeking to hold Walmart liable for injuries suffered by a woman who allegedly ate contaminated chicken from the store, saying possible lies the woman told during a deposition didn't warrant dismissal.

  • February 26, 2025

    Calif. AG's Hiring Of Lieff Cabraser In Climate Suit Challenged

    California Attorney General Rob Bonta improperly hired Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP to assist with the state's climate deception suit against fossil fuel companies when attorneys in his office were capable of handling the litigation, the union representing the public lawyers contended in a newly filed state court complaint.

  • February 26, 2025

    Debt Collectors Accused Of Preying On Fla. Military Members

    Two debt collectors operating in Florida are accused of repeatedly violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by filing lawsuits to collect consumer debt from military service members after the statutes of limitation expired on claims, according to a proposed class action filed Wednesday in federal court in Jacksonville.

  • February 26, 2025

    GOP Reps. Criticize Judges At 'Impeachathon'

    A trio of House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a list of federal judges they're targeting for impeachment as they, along with presidential adviser Elon Musk, go after those who rule against the Trump administration's executive actions.

  • February 26, 2025

    No DQ For Norton Rose In Texas Competition Row, Court Says

    Norton Rose Fulbright shouldn't be disqualified in a competitive spat between two industrial maintenance companies even though the firm has represented both entities in recent years, a state appeals court has ruled.

  • February 26, 2025

    Conn. Judge Tosses False Origin Claims In Atty's Firing Suit

    A Connecticut federal judge has dismissed an attorney's lawsuit against his former firm and a litigation finance group described as its biggest client, nixing false designation and false origin claims surrounding the firm's alleged use of his name to lure clients after firing him.

  • February 26, 2025

    Judge Won't Disqualify Firm In Solar Co. Fraud Fight

    A federal judge denied Michigan residents' attempt to disqualify attorneys representing a bankrupt solar company's former founding CEO in their fraud case, holding that the law firm's allegedly obstructionist discovery tactics don't amount to an actual conflict of interest.

  • February 26, 2025

    Foley & Lardner Can't End Claims It 'Strung Along' Recruiter

    A legal recruiting firm can continue to pursue its claim that Foley & Lardner LLP strung it along by implying it was considering a request to bump up the recruiter's fee for placing a high-value attorney at the Boston firm, a Massachusetts state court judge ruled on Tuesday.

  • February 26, 2025

    Investor Says Lowenstein Sandler Violated Dispensary Deal

    An investment group involved in a complex dispute between Lowenstein Sandler LLP and a cannabis dispensary has asked a New Jersey state judge to enforce a settlement order and sale order, alleging the firm has violated previous legal rulings while pursuing its claim for purportedly unpaid legal fees.

  • February 26, 2025

    Michigan Counties Say Firm's Client Solicitations Merit DQ

    Michigan counties sought to disqualify plaintiff firm Visser & Associates PLLC Tuesday, telling a federal judge that the lawyers went back on their word by soliciting potential class members in a suit claiming the government entities improperly kept a surplus of foreclosed home sales.

  • February 26, 2025

    Defunct Fla. Law Firm Can't Revive Suit Over Theft Case

    A Florida state appeals court has refused to revive defunct law firm Glary & Israel PA's malpractice suit against another firm for failing to sue a bank over theft by Glary & Israel's bookkeeper's.

  • February 26, 2025

    JPMorgan Paying For Lawyers On Both Sides Of Javice Trial

    JPMorgan Chase, the bank allegedly duped by Frank founder Charlie Javice into paying $175 million for her education startup, is paying legal fees for defense counsel as well as for lawyers representing prosecution witnesses, according to statements in court Wednesday.

  • February 26, 2025

    Texas Atty Accused Of Stealing Homeowner's Insurance Win

    A Houston attorney recently threatened with criminal charges over the filing of a document signed by a dead expert witness has been accused in a new suit of representing a homeowner without his consent and stealing his appraisal award.

  • February 26, 2025

    DA Willis Loses 'Absurd' Bid To Nix Trump Probe Subpoenas

    A Georgia state judge has denied Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis' bid to quash multiple subpoenas against her from a state Senate committee investigation into her prosecution of President Donald Trump in an election interference case, finding that her argument would set "an absurd" precedent.

  • February 26, 2025

    Texas Judge Tosses Law Firm's Claims Of Unfair Competition

    A Houston federal court has trimmed a trade secrets suit a Washington state-based immigration firm is pursuing against a Texas rival, finding two of seven claims are preempted by the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act.

  • February 26, 2025

    Mass. High Court Reaffirms No Private Right To Atty Discipline

    Massachusetts' highest court on Wednesday reaffirmed that there is no private right of action to compel the state bar to open an investigation or disciplinary proceedings.

  • February 26, 2025

    Paralegal Wants Firm's Counterclaim In OT Suit Axed

    An El Paso, Texas, law firm's accusation that a paralegal's suit for unpaid overtime is an "attempt to extort money" should not stand, the worker told a Texas federal court, arguing the counterclaim she is facing has nothing to do with her allegations.

  • February 26, 2025

    Adams Says SDNY Memo Leaks Doom His Bribery Case

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams opened up a new line of attack against his federal corruption case Wednesday, arguing that the judge must dismiss the charges due to the "extreme prejudice" caused by leaked Justice Department memos alleging a quid pro quo between the mayor and the Trump administration.

  • February 26, 2025

    NJ RICO Case Toss Leaves AG Irate, Defense Attys Elated

    The erasure of a massive racketeering indictment against New Jersey power broker George E. Norcross III, politically connected attorneys and others on Wednesday drew a sharp rebuke from Attorney General Matt Platkin while defense attorneys gloated.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Beekeeping Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The practice of patent law and beekeeping are not typically associated, but taking care of honeybees has enriched my legal practice by highlighting the importance of hands-on experience, continuous learning, mentorship and more, says David Longo at Oblon McClelland.

  • Opinion

    Legal Institutions Must Warn Against Phony Election Suits

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    With two weeks until the election, bar associations and courts have an urgent responsibility to warn lawyers about the consequences of filing unsubstantiated lawsuits claiming election fraud, says Elise Bean at the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy.

  • How Cos. Can Build A Strong In-House Pro Bono Program

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    During this year’s pro bono celebration week, companies should consider some key pointers to grow and maintain a vibrant in-house program for attorneys to provide free legal services for the public good, says Mary Benton at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Home Canning Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Making my own pickles and jams requires seeing a process through from start to finish, as does representing clients from the start of a dispute at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board through any appeals to the Federal Circuit, says attorney Kevin McNish.

  • Use The Right Kind Of Feedback To Help Gen Z Attorneys

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    Generation Z associates bring unique perspectives and expectations to the workplace, so it’s imperative that supervising attorneys adapt their feedback approach in order to help young lawyers learn and grow — which is good for law firms, too, says Rachael Bosch at Fringe Professional Development.

  • Opinion

    Congress Can And Must Enact A Supreme Court Ethics Code

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    As public confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court dips to historic lows following reports raising conflict of interest concerns, Congress must exercise its constitutional power to enact a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the high court, says Muhammad Faridi, president of the New York City Bar Association.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Justice Lebovits On Gilbert And Sullivan

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    Characters in the 19th century comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan break the rules of good lawyering by shamelessly throwing responsible critical thought to the wind, providing hilarious lessons for lawyers and judges on how to avoid a surfeit of traps and tribulations, say acting New York Supreme Court Justice Gerald Lebovits and law student Tara Scown.

  • State Of The States' AI Legal Ethics Landscape

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    Over the past year, several state bar associations, as well as the American Bar Association, have released guidance on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in legal practice, all of which share overarching themes and some nuanced differences, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law Group.

  • 8 Childhood Lessons That Can Help You Be A Better Attorney

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    A new school year is underway, marking a fitting time for attorneys to reflect on some fundamental life lessons from early childhood that offer a framework for problems that no legal textbook can solve, say Chris Gismondi and Chris Campbell at DLA Piper.

  • Opinion

    This Election, We Need To Talk About Court Process

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    In recent decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has markedly transformed judicial processes — from summary judgment standards to notice pleadings — which has, in turn, affected individuals’ substantive rights, and we need to consider how the upcoming presidential election may continue this pattern, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Series

    Playing Diplomacy Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    Similar to the practice of law, the rules of Diplomacy — a strategic board game set in pre-World War I Europe — are neither concise nor without ambiguity, and weekly gameplay with our colleagues has revealed the game's practical applications to our work as attorneys, say Jason Osborn and Ben Bevilacqua at Winston & Strawn.

  • Mental Health First Aid: A Brief Primer For Attorneys

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    Amid a growing body of research finding that attorneys face higher rates of mental illness than the general population, firms should consider setting up mental health first aid training programs to help lawyers assess mental health challenges in their colleagues and intervene with compassion, say psychologists Shawn Healy and Tracey Meyers.

  • Revisiting The Crime-Fraud Exception After Key Trump Cases

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    Evidence issues in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and classified documents cases involving former President Donald Trump offer an opportunity to restudy elements and implications of the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege and the work product doctrine, noting the courts' careful scrutiny of these matters, say Robert Hoff and Paul Tuchmann at Wiggin and Dana.

  • Series

    Collecting Art Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The therapeutic aspects of appreciating and collecting art improve my legal practice by enhancing my observation skills, empathy, creativity and cultural awareness, says attorney Michael McCready.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Honoring Your Learned Profession

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    About 30,000 people who took the bar exam in July will learn they passed this fall, marking a fitting time for all attorneys to remember that they are members in a specialty club of learned professionals — and the more they can keep this in mind, the more benefits they will see, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

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