Legal Ethics

  • February 25, 2025

    Family Of Wife Killed By Ex-BigLaw Atty Still Fighting For Funds

    The cousins of the woman killed by her former BigLaw partner husband urged a Georgia state court to reject a bid to deprive them of the settlement proceeds from the underlying wrongful death suit, saying the court shouldn't rely on the ex-lawyer's assertions that she wanted the funds to go to her godson.

  • February 25, 2025

    Calif. Bar Touts Reduction In Racial Disparity In Atty Discipline

    The State Bar of California has reported what it calls "significant" shifts toward equity in attorney discipline in the five years since a watershed study showed a decades-long trend of disparity, including that Black male attorneys were more than three times as likely to be placed on probation or disbarred compared to their white counterparts.

  • February 25, 2025

    Patent Exec Says Starbucks Is Liable For Atty's Statements

    A patent-licensing company executive pushed back on Starbucks Corp.'s attempt to exit his defamation lawsuit over statements from counsel for Starbucks, arguing the Florida federal court has jurisdiction partly because the executive lives in the district.

  • February 25, 2025

    King & Spalding Beats Bias Suit Over Summer Program

    King & Spalding LLP won't have to face a discrimination suit filed by a straight white woman who says she was dissuaded from applying to a summer associate program open only to "diverse" applicants, a Maryland federal court has ruled, saying she has not sufficiently demonstrated a real intent to apply to the position and therefore lacks standing.

  • February 25, 2025

    Lawyer Who Became Client's 'Punching Bag' Scores Case Exit

    A Connecticut attorney who claimed he became his Massachusetts client's "punching bag" can exit her medical negligence lawsuit against two doctors accused of misplacing or destroying her embryos, a Milford judge ruled Tuesday.

  • February 25, 2025

    10th Circ. Asked To Rethink Denying Atty's Racing Deductions

    A Denver personal injury lawyer asked the Tenth Circuit to reconsider its decision barring his $300,000 tax deduction for car-racing costs as professional advertising, saying the court deprived him of due process in dismissing his argument that the IRS wrongly denied him a chance to settle.

  • February 25, 2025

    High Court Orders New Trial In Okla. Death Row Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a new trial for an Oklahoma inmate whose conviction and death sentence for a 1997 murder, the state confesses, was the product of prosecutors withholding evidence and knowingly presenting false testimony.

  • February 24, 2025

    Ex-Judge Hopes To Avoid Testimony In Atty Romance Probe

    Former Texas bankruptcy judge David R. Jones said Monday that he's been talking with the U.S. Trustee with the aim of avoiding "live trial testimony" in the probe of his undisclosed romantic relationship with a former Jackson Walker LLP partner, arguing that he's already given a deposition.

  • February 24, 2025

    Injury Attys Sanctioned Over AI-Hallucinated Case Citations

    A Wyoming federal judge overseeing a personal injury lawsuit against Walmart sanctioned the plaintiffs' attorneys from Morgan & Morgan PA and the Goody Law Group after they filed pretrial motions containing case law hallucinated by artificial intelligence, but acknowledged Monday their "remedial steps, transparency and apologetic sentiments."

  • February 24, 2025

    Okla. Attorneys Say Tribes Can't Intervene In Jurisdiction Row

    Two Oklahoma district attorneys are fighting bids by the Cherokee, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations to intervene in the federal government's challenges to the DAs' attempts to prosecute tribal citizens for crimes committed in Indian Country, saying the tribes are adequately represented by the United States.

  • February 24, 2025

    Judge Who Ordered Pages Restored Put On Impeachment List

    A Republican U.S. congressman announced Monday he has introduced articles of impeachment against a Washington, D.C., federal judge, following the judge's ruling ordering public health agencies temporarily to restore the web pages they took down in response to a Trump administration order to scrub pages of "gender ideology."

  • February 24, 2025

    Lloyd's Says Cadwalader's Suit Claims Nonexistent Tort

    A Lloyd's of London syndicate has urged a North Carolina judge to toss part of Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP's coverage lawsuit stemming from a data breach, saying there's no tort remedy for the allegation that the insurer exposed the firm's confidential information in a court filing.

  • February 24, 2025

    Trump Media Co. Wants TRO Against Brazilian Justice

    President Donald Trump's media company and online video sharing platform Rumble Inc. have asked a Florida federal court for a temporary restraining order blocking a Brazilian Supreme Federal Court justice's gag orders, arguing they illegally suppress political speech in the United States.

  • February 24, 2025

    Conn. Solo Wants Willkie Partner's $27K Fee Bid Slashed

    A Connecticut solo practitioner who lost a First Amendment lawsuit after leaking a Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP's partner's landlord-tenant dispute to the New York Post on Monday criticized the partner's bid to recoup his legal fees, arguing $8,250 is more reasonable than his current $27,000 demand.

  • February 24, 2025

    DA Willis Says 'Makes No Sense' To DQ Her From Trump Case

    Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis is arguing to the Georgia Supreme Court that her disqualification from prosecuting the Georgia election interference case against President Donald Trump and others was unprecedented, asserting that her ousting over the appearance of impropriety creates a dangerous precedent.

  • February 24, 2025

    Atty Faces $190K Demand After Losing Malicious Litigation Trial

    A trio of Blank Rome LLP attorneys and an aviation company told a Pennsylvania federal court on Friday they are owed combined costs of nearly $200,000 from an attorney who lost a malicious litigation jury trial against them in December.

  • February 24, 2025

    Law Firm Must Face Malpractice Suit Over Home Project Case

    The New Jersey Appellate Division reinstated a malpractice suit against a Garden State firm on Monday in a published decision finding that the plaintiff was allowed to assign some of the proceeds of the case to third parties ahead of time.

  • February 24, 2025

    Texas Atty Dinged For AI-Generated Fake Citations In Briefs

    A Texas lawyer could face a $15,000 personal sanction and other potential discipline for filing three separate briefs using generative artificial intelligence that included fake citations in an Indiana ERISA case, according to a report and recommendation by a federal judge in the Hoosier State.

  • February 24, 2025

    High Court Rejects Dish's Bid For Atty Fees For PTAB Work

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned down Dish Network's appeal arguing that, after being cleared in a patent infringement case, it was entitled to attorney fees for its successful Patent Trial and Appeal Board challenge, and from the plaintiff's attorneys.

  • February 21, 2025

    DOJ Hits Judge Weighing Trans Troops Ban With Complaint

    The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday filed a misconduct complaint against the D.C. federal judge overseeing litigation challenging President Donald Trump's executive order ostensibly banning transgender troops from serving in the military, accusing her of bias after she hammered government attorneys for answers they provided during a hearing earlier this month.

  • February 21, 2025

    Ex-Trump Atty Powell Can't Dodge Michigan Ethics Claims

    The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has denied Sidney Powell's latest attempt to shake misconduct claims over a legal challenge to Michigan's 2020 presidential election results and advancing Donald Trump's election fraud theories, finding that a Texas disciplinary board's decision not to discipline Powell isn't binding on the Michigan proceedings.

  • February 21, 2025

    Death Row Case Offers Window Into Prosecutors' Gender Bias

    As she stood trial for orchestrating her estranged husband's 2001 murder, Brenda Andrew faced an uphill battle convincing an Oklahoma jury of her innocence. The evidence was stacked against her, but perhaps the most powerful weapon in the prosecutors' arsenal wasn't the evidence itself — it was their ability to portray her as a deviant, unfaithful woman who deserved to be executed.

  • February 21, 2025

    9th Circ. Revives Atty's Ownership Claims Over Calif. Winery

    A Ninth Circuit panel on Friday revived an attorney's ownership claims over a California winery, finding factual disputes over an alleged oral agreement with the winery's former owner require a trial, while also upholding a jury's verdict that found a breach fiduciary duty claim against the attorney that awarded no damages.

  • February 21, 2025

    Officers Say NJ Attorney General Can't Avoid Retaliation Suit

    A New Jersey state judge should reject a bid from the state Attorney General's Office to reconsider the denial of its bid to escape a lawsuit accusing the Warren County Prosecutor's Office of retaliating against two officers for their part in uncovering an alleged fraud scheme, the officers told the court this week.

  • February 21, 2025

    Paul Hastings Seeks To End GenapSys Malpractice Action

    Paul Hastings LLP has moved for summary judgment in a malpractice action from GenapSys Inc., saying the case is barred because the genomic sequencing company failed to disclose its possible claim until after confirmation of its bankruptcy plan.

Expert Analysis

  • Unpacking Executive Privilege, Contempt In Recent Cases

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    The U.S. House of Representatives’ recent move to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress is the latest example in a growing trend of executive privilege disputes, and serves as a warning to private citizens and corporate leaders who are in communication with the president, says Kristina Moore at Womble Bond.

  • 3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture

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    Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents

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    Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

  • Series

    Teaching Scuba Diving Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    As a master scuba instructor, I’ve learned how to prepare for the unexpected, overcome fears and practice patience, and each of these skills – among the many others I’ve developed – has profoundly enhanced my work as a lawyer, says Ron Raether at Troutman Pepper.

  • Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act

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    As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.

  • How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market

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    Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.

  • Series

    Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step

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    From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Avoiding Legal Ethics Landmines In Preindictment Meetings

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    U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez's recent bribery conviction included obstruction charges based on his former lawyer's preindictment presentation to prosecutors, highlighting valuable lessons on the legal ethics rules implicated in these kinds of defense presentations, say Steve Miller and Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG.

  • Series

    Being A Luthier Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    When I’m not working as an appellate lawyer, I spend my spare time building guitars — a craft known as luthiery — which has helped to enhance the discipline, patience and resilience needed to write better briefs, says Rob Carty at Nichols Brar.

  • Lead Like 'Ted Lasso' By Embracing Cognitive Diversity

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    The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” aptly illustrates how embracing cognitive diversity can be a winning strategy for teams, providing a useful lesson for law firms, which can benefit significantly from fresh, diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: July Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy considers cases touching on pre- and post-conviction detainment conditions, communications with class representatives, when the American Pipe tolling doctrine stops applying to modified classes, and more.

  • Opinion

    Now More Than Ever, Lawyers Must Exhibit Professionalism

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    As society becomes increasingly fractured and workplace incivility is on the rise, attorneys must champion professionalism and lead by example, demonstrating how lawyers can respectfully disagree without being disagreeable, says Edward Casmere at Norton Rose.

  • Series

    Serving In The National Guard Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My ongoing military experience as a judge advocate general in the National Guard has shaped me as a person and a lawyer, teaching me the importance of embracing confidence, balance and teamwork in both my Army and civilian roles, says Danielle Aymond at Baker Donelson.

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