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Legal Ethics
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July 18, 2024
Colo. Judge Ends Voter Intimidation Case Midtrial
A Colorado federal judge on Thursday put an abrupt end to a bench trial in a lawsuit accusing members of a 2020 election denier group of illegal voter intimidation, concluding there was not enough evidence to back up the claims brought by voting rights groups.
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July 18, 2024
Ex-BigLaw Atty Gets Nearly 2 Years For Election Crimes
A former BigLaw attorney was sentenced to 21 months in prison Thursday after being convicted of campaign finance violations tied to a failed run for U.S. Congress, with a Boston federal judge citing the defendant's legal acumen and experience as a law clerk as evidence he "should have known" better.
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July 17, 2024
Special Counsel To Appeal Ax Of Trump Classified Docs Case
Special Counsel Jack Smith told a Florida federal court Wednesday that he was challenging U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon's order earlier this week tossing the classified documents criminal case against Donald Trump, according to a notice of appeal.
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July 17, 2024
'Inflammatory' Atty Statement Axes $11M Stanley Injury Verdict
A Missouri appellate court has tossed an $11 million jury verdict in a suit alleging a Stanley Black & Decker unit caused a man to lose an eye due to a defective staple gun, saying plaintiff's counsel made improper "inflammatory" references to Stanley as a "billion-dollar company."
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July 17, 2024
Dykema Faces Sony Sanctions Bid In Baseball Game TM Suit
Sony has urged a Texas federal court to sanction a baseball training company and its counsel in a trademark dispute over the digital giant's use of the phrase "future star series" in a popular video game, claiming they launched a lawsuit without investigating material facts and refused to eliminate false allegations.
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July 17, 2024
'Rust' Fiasco Shows Harm Of Gatekeeping Evidence, Attys Say
The dismissal of Alec Baldwin's criminal charges in the "Rust" movie shooting serves as a "glaring example" of how a case can tumble off the rails when prosecutors decide whether evidence is valuable to the defense, experts say.
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July 17, 2024
Ex-Cognizant Execs Bemoan Access Woes In Bribery Case
Former Cognizant executives accused of authorizing a bribe to a government official in India have told a New Jersey federal court that obstacles to their access to evidence and overseas witnesses undermine their right to a fair trial and could warrant the dismissal of the case.
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July 17, 2024
Benesch Accused Of Summons Error In Hospital Challenge
Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP and two of its attorneys are facing a malpractice lawsuit by a nonprofit hospital alleging they failed to issue timely summonses in a lawsuit, leading to hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal expenses.
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July 17, 2024
UMich Ducks Black Law Prof's Bias, Retaliation Suit
A Michigan federal judge released the University of Michigan on Wednesday from a Black law professor's lawsuit accusing the school of harshly disciplining her after she complained about race discrimination, saying she failed to rebut the university's argument that she was punished because she threatened staff members.
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July 17, 2024
Burr & Forman Accused Of Aiding Health Insurance Fraud
Burr & Forman LLP has been hit with a malpractice suit in Georgia federal court by the liquidating trustees of two purported health insurance companies after the firm allegedly aided in a scheme to defraud customers by charging exorbitant fees and denying promised coverage, saying the attorneys helped create a web of LLCs to which it siphoned off millions.
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July 17, 2024
Two Days In, New Judge In Young Thug Trial Bails Out
Just days after taking over the long-running racketeering trial of rapper Young Thug after its last judge was forced out over bias concerns, the case's new judge said Wednesday she was stepping down due to one of her former deputies' romantic involvement with a co-defendant.
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July 17, 2024
Colo. Firm Says Ex-Director Stole Clients While On Payroll
Colorado boutique Whitcomb Selinsky PC is accusing one of its former directors of trying to steal clients while he was still employed with the firm to take with him to his new practice.
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July 17, 2024
Judge Says Atty Shouldn't Be Deported For Crash Scheme
A Michigan federal judge on Wednesday urged federal officials not to deport a Canadian attorney sentenced for his involvement in an illegal crash victim solicitation scheme, saying that outside of the scheme, the attorney has a "hell of a lot" to offer the community.
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July 17, 2024
Ex-Fed. Judge Likely Conflicted In 23 Cases, Say Prosecutors
Disgraced District of Alaska Judge Joshua Kindred presided over at least 23 criminal cases in which attorneys appearing before him may have had inappropriate relationships with the judge, according to an email sent by federal prosecutors and obtained Wednesday by Law360.
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July 17, 2024
Calif. Judge Admonished For Saying Victim Smelled Of Pot
A California state judge was publicly admonished for making a series of inappropriate remarks in court, including one instance where he said a victim smelled of marijuana, according to a decision by the California Commission on Judicial Performance.
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July 17, 2024
High Court Rulings Don't Nix Judge Romance Suit, Court Told
An investor suing Jackson Walker LLP over an ex-employee's secret romantic relationship with a former Texas bankruptcy judge told the court Tuesday that, despite what the firm says, recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on standing do not change the fact that he suffered real harm from the firm.
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July 17, 2024
Hogan Lovells, Saul Ewing Exit Camshaft's, Byju's Ch. 11 Fight
Two law firms representing Camshaft Capital Fund LP and principal William Morton in the bankruptcy actions tied to the Chapter 11 of education tech company Byju's Alpha have petitioned a Delaware judge to approve their withdrawal as counsel, citing undisclosed Camshaft party failures to "uphold their obligations."
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July 17, 2024
After #MeToo, Report Suggests Judiciary Workplace Reforms
A report released on Wednesday makes 34 suggested reforms for the federal judiciary to better protect its approximately 30,000 employees, including clerks, building off changes made following the #MeToo movement.
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July 17, 2024
Ex-Partners Fight 'Cynical' Lin Wood's Judge DQ Attempt
Former colleagues of retired Georgia attorney Lin Wood slammed a bid to have the judge presiding over a defamation trial next month disqualified over his ties to Alston & Bird LLP, calling the effort "another last-minute, 'Hail Mary' attempt to delay the upcoming trial."
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July 17, 2024
Judge Cautiously OKs $1.5M Georgetown Tuition Refund Deal
A $1.5 million settlement resolving class action claims over Georgetown University's move to remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic scored initial approval, but a D.C. federal judge said he has concerns about the limited payout class members will receive after accounting for attorney fees.
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July 16, 2024
Smirnov Wants David Weiss DQ'd After Trump Docs Ruling
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov said Monday that a Florida federal judge's order disqualifying the special prosecutor in the Donald Trump classified documents case means special counsel David Weiss should also be disqualified from Smirnov's case, according to a motion filed in California federal court.
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July 16, 2024
Trump Special Prosecutor Ruling Could Find Favor On Appeal
When U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the criminal case against former President Donald Trump in Florida over what she said was an unconstitutional appointment of a special prosecutor, she staked out a position that few other jurists have taken, but that could find support among some appellate judges, experts said.
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July 16, 2024
EB-5 Investors Seek Sanctions Over 'Flight Risk' Defendant Info
Two dozen Chinese investors who alleged that $13.2 million worth of their investments in a Hawaii resort went missing has urged an Illinois federal judge to sanction developers for not giving them important case information, including contact information for one defendant who they said is an "obvious flight risk."
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July 16, 2024
Fed. Circ. OKs Judge Connolly's Fine Against IP Biz Owner
A precedential ruling from the Federal Circuit on Tuesday found that Delaware's top judge has the right to fine a Texas paralegal who is the sole owner of patent litigation outfit Backertop Licensing LLC $200 a day for refusing to show up in court as part of the judge's investigation into whether Backertop and others hid their connection to big-name intellectual property consulting firm IP Edge.
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July 16, 2024
Judge's Emails To Prosecutor Unethical But Didn't Taint Trial
A judge should have recused herself after emailing the elected prosecutor during trial to complain that an officer "didn't do a very good investigation," but the ethical lapse didn't warrant a new trial, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
Expert Analysis
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5 Ways Firms Can Rethink Office Design In A Hybrid World
As workplaces across the country adapt to flexible work, law firms must prioritize individuality, amenities and technology in office design, says Kristin Cerutti at Nelson Worldwide.
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A Midyear Look At How AI Is Affecting Lawyers
The past six months have been a notable period for advancements in artificial intelligence and generative AI, and as we head into the second half of the year, we must review the implications that AI has for the legal industry, including how lawyers will be advising clients on use of AI technology, says Natasha Allen at Foley & Lardner.
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Opinion
Bar Score Is Best Hiring Metric Post-Affirmative Action
After the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling striking down affirmative action admissions policies, law firms looking to foster diversity in hiring should view an applicant's Multistate Bar Examination score as the best metric of legal ability — over law school name or GPA, says attorney Alice Griffin.
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New Health Data Compliance Considerations For Pa. Lawyers
Given the regularity with which attorneys handle private health information, it is important for Pennsylvania firms to understand recent significant amendments to the state's data breach law, which address information not currently covered by federal law, says Mark Mattioli at Post & Schell.
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Ghosting In BigLaw: How To Come Back From Lack Of Feedback
Junior associates can feel powerless when senior colleagues cut off contact instead of providing useful feedback, but young attorneys can get back on track by focusing on practical professional development and reexamining their career priorities, says Rachel Patterson at Orrick.
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Steps To Success For Senior Associates
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Adriana Paris at Rissman Barrett discusses the increased responsibilities and opportunities that becoming a senior associate brings and what attorneys in this role should prioritize to flourish in this stressful but rewarding next level in their careers.
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Legal Profession Must Do More For Lawyers With Disabilities
At the start of Disability Pride month, Rosalyn Richter at Arnold & Porter looks at why lawyers with disabilities are significantly underrepresented in private practice, asserting that law firms and other employers must do more to conquer the implicit bias that deters attorneys from seeking accommodations.
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Opinion
Appellate Funding Disclosure: No Mandate Is Right Choice
The Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules' recent decision, forgoing a mandatory disclosure rule for litigation funding in federal appeals, is prudent, as third-party funding is only involved in a minuscule number of federal cases, and courts have ample authority to obtain funding information if necessary, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.
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Case Law Is Mixed On D&O Coverage For Gov't Investigations
As the Fourth Circuit’s recent decision in Brown Goldstein v. Federal Insurance Co. demonstrates, federal appeals courts take different approaches to determine whether government investigations are covered by directors and officers liability insurance, so companies and individuals must review their policy language, say Chloe Law, Jan Larson and Caroline Meneau at Jenner & Block.
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How Attys Can Avoid Exposing Their Firms To Cyberattacks
Attorneys are the weakest link in their firms' cyberdefenses because hackers often exploit the gap between individuals’ work and personal cybersecurity habits, but there are some steps lawyers can take to reduce the risks they create for their employers, say Mark Hurley and Carmine Cicalese at Digital Privacy & Protection.
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Virginia 'Rocket Docket' Slowdown Is Likely A Blip
After being the fastest or second-fastest federal civil trial court for 14 straight years, the Eastern District of Virginia has slid to 18th place, but the rocket docket’s statistical tumble doesn't mean the district no longer maintains a speedy civil docket, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
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Indemnification In Exec Separation Deals: Read The Fine Print
The Delaware Chancery Court’s recent decision denying the former CEO of space infrastructure company Momentus the advancement of legal fees highlights the importance of considering post-employment indemnification and advancement rights in executive separation agreements, says Daniel Morgan at Blank Rome.
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5 Management Tips To Keep Law Firm Merger Talks Moving
Many law firm mergers that make solid business sense still fall apart due to the costs and frustrations of inefficient negotiations, but firm managers can increase the chance of success by effectively planning and executing merger discussions, say Lisa Smith and Kristin Stark at Fairfax Associates.
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Rethinking In-Office Attendance For Associate Retention
The hybrid office attendance model doesn't work for all employees, but it does for many — and balancing these two groups is important for associate retention and maintaining a BigLaw firm culture that supports all attorneys, says Summer Eberhard at Major Lindsey.
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The Crucial Privilege Exception At Play In Trump Indictment
Following Donald Trump’s recent indictment for retaining classified documents, Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG explains how his attorney’s notes of their conversations became admissible in the case, what it means for the attorney's representation of Trump, and what obligations lawyers have in similar circumstances.