Legal Ethics

  • February 19, 2025

    Franchise Group Gets Tentative Deal On Ch. 11 Voting Process

    Retail chain operator Franchise Group Inc. and a group of lenders told a Delaware bankruptcy judge on Wednesday they were close to agreeing on a disclosure statement for Franchise Group's Chapter 11 plan that will let the debtor take votes on the proposed debt-for-equity and liquidation deal.

  • February 19, 2025

    Ga. Judge Faces Another Round Of Misconduct Charges

    A Georgia state judge is facing a new set of ethics violation charges ahead of her ethics case trial next month and is now accused of improperly helping her uncle seek an extension to file an answer in a matter and locking up a woman during her parents' divorce hearing without justification.

  • February 19, 2025

    McCarter & English Says 'Offensive' Post Backs Atty's Firing

    McCarter & English LLP has moved to dismiss a fired ex-associate's suit alleging discrimination based on his status as a veteran, telling a New Jersey state court that it had the right to terminate the at-will attorney for an allegedly offensive LinkedIn post.

  • February 19, 2025

    3rd Circ. Hints County's Probation Detainers Need Scrutiny

    Civil rights advocates told the Third Circuit that Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is jailing defendants for probation violations too hastily, and the panel appeared open Wednesday to reviving a lawsuit against several county judges for more developments.

  • February 19, 2025

    Adams, DOJ Quizzed On Dismissal Bid By Wary Judge

    A Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday scrutinized the U.S. Department of Justice's motion to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, rankling attorneys on both sides as he declined to "shoot from the hip" and immediately rule.

  • February 19, 2025

    Jay-Z's Roc Nation Aims To Exit Buzbee Conspiracy Suits

    Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter's company Roc Nation has asked a Texas federal court to let it escape two lawsuits against it and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP alleging that they recruited former clients to bring malpractice claims against the Buzbee Law Firm in retaliation for accusing the rap star of rape.

  • February 19, 2025

    Ex-Defender Again Tries To Revive Sex Bias Suit At 4th Circ.

    A former assistant public defender in North Carolina is urging the Fourth Circuit to reverse a bench ruling that dashed her long-running bias suit against the federal judiciary, saying the indifference she allegedly endured after she reported being sexually harassed proves her case.

  • February 19, 2025

    Trump Media Co. Sues Brazilian Supreme Court Justice

    President Donald Trump's media company and online video sharing platform Rumble Inc. filed suit Wednesday, accusing a Brazilian Supreme Federal Court justice of illegally suppressing political speech in the United States by ordering X and other social media platforms to block accounts spreading disinformation.

  • February 18, 2025

    Law Schools, Attys Defend Judiciary Amid Gov't Attacks

    More alarm bells rang Tuesday over the Trump administration's recent remarks questioning the judiciary's authority to keep the executive branch's power in check, as more than 2,000 American lawyers and a group representing U.S. law schools voiced concern about the need to uphold the country's constitutional democracy.

  • February 18, 2025

    Jury Won't Tour Living Room Where Calif. Judge Shot Wife

    A California state judge facing trial this week on charges of murdering his wife lost his bid to have jurors tour the living room of the house where she was shot to death, after a Los Angeles County judge ruled Tuesday that there's sufficient photographic evidence of the scene.

  • February 18, 2025

    Reed Smith Removed In $102M Shipping Group Award Fight

    A New York federal judge granted a request by the purported new owners of Eletson Holdings Inc. and removed Reed Smith LLP as counsel in a $102 million breach of contract suit the firm brought on behalf of the international shipping group in 2023.

  • February 18, 2025

    Car Dealer Can't Depose Government In 'Deceptive' Price Suit

    A Nissan dealer cannot depose the Federal Trade Commission or the state of Connecticut in a dual enforcement action alleging that it charged consumers "deceptive" price add-ons, a federal magistrate judge has ruled, agreeing that the government had already provided all relevant discovery or was planning to do so.

  • February 18, 2025

    Convicted Pharma Exec Seeks Trial Redo, Citing Feds' Error

    A former pharmacy executive convicted on criminal charges over a healthcare scheme that defrauded the government of $160 million has urged a Texas federal court to grant him a new trial, arguing an admission of error by the federal government necessitates a redo.

  • February 18, 2025

    Judiciary Dems Denounce Ethics Watchdog Changes At DOJ

    Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday objected to what they said is a plan for political appointees at the Department of Justice to oversee agency ethics decisions instead of career officials.

  • February 18, 2025

    NY High Court Upholds Ethics Commission In Cuomo Case

    New York's highest court on Tuesday affirmed the constitutionality of the state's recently revamped ethics commission in an order reversing a lower court ruling that sided with embattled former Gov. Andrew Cuomo amid an investigation related to his use of government employees to help him publish and promote a book.

  • February 18, 2025

    Ex-BigLaw Atty Who Killed Wife Joins Fray Over Deal Funds

    The former BigLaw partner who fatally shot his wife has entered a Georgia state court dispute over the distribution of wrongful death proceeds related to her death, saying he was required to assign the proceeds to his wife's godson as part of his plea deal but took no position on the validity of that assignment.

  • February 18, 2025

    Georgia Justices Revive Defamation Suit Against Atty

    An orthopedic surgeon in Georgia will get another chance to prove he was defamed by a defense attorney, after the Supreme Court of Georgia found a state appellate court mistakenly used the well-known "actual malice" standard to toss the case instead of the relevant state law standard.

  • February 18, 2025

    Baker Botts Partner Says Inventor's Atty Is Threatening Her

    A Baker Botts LLP lawyer being sued over her comments in a news article about a patent suit against Starbucks Corp. accused opposing counsel of threatening her in an email exchange over the details of a deposition.

  • February 18, 2025

    Ga. Atty Chastised For Pasting Judge's Signature On Order

    The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday reprimanded an attorney who cut and pasted a judge's signature on a proposed order in a case, in a move the lawyer later claimed was done in the name of "increasing the efficiency" of his filings.

  • February 18, 2025

    NJ High Court Rejects Ban On Out-Of-State Atty Referral Fees

    The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that state-certified attorneys are allowed to pay referral fees to out-of-state lawyers even if they are not licensed in the Garden State, overturning an ethics committee's advisory opinion that said the payments were forbidden.

  • February 18, 2025

    Adams, Feds Ordered To Explain Dismissal Bid At Hearing

    A Manhattan federal judge demanded details Tuesday and scheduled a hearing after the Justice Department asked to dismiss criminal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, signaling that the court would not rubber-stamp the request following allegations of a corrupt bargain and mass resignations of prosecutors in protest.

  • February 14, 2025

    DaBaby Gets Fla. Atty Sanctioned For 'Frivolous' Claims

    A Florida federal judge has sanctioned a Florida lawyer for "objectively frivolous" civil conspiracy claims brought against rapper DaBaby following an alleged altercation that happened before a scheduled performance, saying that his conduct "causes the court to question whether [he] should be appearing before any court in our district or state."

  • February 14, 2025

    Almost Everyone Hates The Judiciary's Amicus Rule Revamp

    Policymakers for the federal judiciary Friday did what often seems impossible in a polarized nation, uniting powerful advocates for defense counsel, trial lawyers, corporations and consumers on a controversial issue. Unfortunately for the policymakers, those advocates were united by antipathy for major rule changes affecting amicus brief filers.

  • February 14, 2025

    FTC Political Appointees Told To Break Up With 'Leftist' ABA

    Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew N. Ferguson told agency staff in a letter that political appointees cannot hold leadership positions in the American Bar Association, attend its events or renew their memberships, citing the ABA's "leftist advocacy and its recent attacks" on the Trump administration's agenda.

  • February 14, 2025

    NJ Appeals Court Confirms Officials' Votes Were Conflicted

    A New Jersey state appeals court on Friday ruled a trial court was right to find local officials were in conflict when they voted to terminate an attorney because the trio had defamed him during their campaigns.

Expert Analysis

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

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    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

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    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

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    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • Money, Money, Money: Limiting White Collar Wealth Evidence

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    As courts increasingly recognize that allowing unfettered evidence of wealth could prejudice a jury against a defendant, white collar defense counsel should consider several avenues for excluding visual evidence of a lavish lifestyle at trial, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

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    When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Series

    Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians

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    Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent

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    As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence

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    The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.

  • To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef

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    To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?

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    Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.

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