Legal Ethics

  • November 01, 2024

    Manufacturer Says Atty Turned Tiff Into 'Slow Motion Disaster'

    A Colorado electronics manufacturer says a law firm turned a minor dispute into a "slow motion disaster," resulting in a $1 million bill that threatens to sink the business, filing a malpractice suit one day before seeking bankruptcy protections.

  • November 01, 2024

    Atty Suing Ex-Partner Asks Judges For 'Fairly Nominal' Bond

    An attorney suing his ex-CEO over the breakup of their law firm has asked a Connecticut Superior Court judge to clear up two orders from different jurists by explaining how much bond he'll be required to post, saying a "fairly nominal" bond would ensure he keeps the case on track.

  • November 01, 2024

    Fitbit Knocks Out Cellspin Litigation Campaign At Fed. Circ.

    Fitbit and others defeated a pair of appeals on Friday in patent litigation over ideas involving programming automatic social media posts, with the Federal Circuit ruling to reject arguments that a California federal judge should have decided patent suits differently and should have recused herself anyway because of her husband's ties to Fitbit parent Google.

  • November 01, 2024

    Judge Skeptical Of NYC Mayor's Bid To Dismiss Bribery Count

    A Manhattan federal judge on Friday voiced skepticism of New York City Mayor Eric Adams' motion to dismiss his bribery charge, and set an April trial date in a case accusing the mayor of taking travel perks from Turkish officials in exchange for official favors.

  • November 01, 2024

    GRSM50 Won't Be Disqualified In Detroit Hotel Firing Suit

    A Michigan federal judge has refused to disqualify Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP from representing an upscale Detroit hotel in a retaliation suit filed by three fired employees, but flagged the firm for being "negligent" in its handling of discovery in the case.

  • November 01, 2024

    What Happens To Ga. Election Case If Trump Wins?

    The fate of the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump is on the ballot this November, according to legal experts, who told Law360 that a Trump victory would likely mean any trial would have to wait until he completes his term in office.

  • November 01, 2024

    Ex-Mohawk IT Exec Cops To $1.8M Ripoff Of Flooring Co.

    Days before he was set to face trial, flooring giant Mohawk's former head of information technology pled guilty Friday to eight wire fraud and conspiracy charges for running a third-party vendor scheme that ripped off his employer to the tune of $1.8 million.

  • November 01, 2024

    Judge In Philly Inquirer Data Sharing Case Won't Join Class

    The Pennsylvania federal judge overseeing a consolidated action accusing the Philadelphia Inquirer of sharing subscribers' video viewing habits with Meta is eligible to join the class, but has decided to renounce his right to class membership in order to continue being the judge.

  • November 01, 2024

    How 2024 Election Litigation May Look Different From 2020

    Courts are fielding a flood of lawsuits over the 2024 presidential election, with more certainly to come, but those suits may have some significant differences from the ones that played out in 2020, according to experts.

  • November 01, 2024

    Jackson Walker Rips Trustee's Judge Romance Fee Clawback

    The U.S. Trustee's Office is exceeding its authority as a "watchdog" in seeking to claw back money paid to Jackson Walker LLP in bankruptcy cases because the judge presiding over those cases was having a secret relationship with a firm partner, the firm told a Texas federal bankruptcy court.

  • November 01, 2024

    Dentons, Boies Schiller Want Out Of 'Absurd' $300M RICO Suit

    Dentons and Boies Schiller Flexner LLP have asked a Manhattan federal court to toss a $300 million racketeering lawsuit brought against them by a former client and his companies following what they called a botched power plant contract in Senegal, with Dentons further requesting Rule 11 sanctions against the plaintiffs and their counsel for bringing "frivolous" claims.

  • November 01, 2024

    Danish Tax Agency To Settle With Atty In $2.1B Tax Fraud Suit

    Denmark's tax authority has agreed to settle with an attorney whom it has accused of helping clients claim fraudulent tax refunds in a sprawling $2.1 billion case, according to a letter by its attorney in New York federal court.

  • November 01, 2024

    Conn. Judge Hacks Up Ex-Town Atty's Defamation Suit

    A Connecticut state court judge has dismissed all claims against the town of Newington and most claims against its tax assessor from a wide-ranging lawsuit brought by a group of former officials, including the former town attorney, who alleged that they were disparaged in a series of "false" ethics complaints and public comments.

  • October 31, 2024

    Judge 'Duped' By BigLaw Attys Urged To Preserve Sanctions

    Guardant Health urged a California federal judge Thursday to reject a request from Natera's Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP attorneys to lessen sanctions barring clinical trial evidence in Guardant's false advertising case, noting the court said it had been "duped" by false and misleading statements from Natera's expert and counsel.

  • October 31, 2024

    Ex-Trump Atty Chesebro's Law License Suspended In NY

    Kenneth Chesebro's law license was suspended in New York State on Thursday over his role supporting former President Donald Trump's alleged efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results, with the suspension a result of his guilty plea last year for conspiracy to commit filing false documents.

  • October 31, 2024

    Atty Can't Dodge All Claims In $14.6M Tribal RICO Suit

    An Oklahoma federal judge has partly denied a bid by a tribe's general counsel and his law firm to toss accused fraudsters' claims against them in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act lawsuit, finding he may have breached his fiduciary duty when serving both parties in the suit.

  • October 31, 2024

    Latham Hit With Sanctions In Banc Of California Securities Suit

    A California federal judge found Latham & Watkins LLP and its ex-client, former Banc of California CEO Steven A. Sugarman, in civil contempt for "flagrant violations" of a protective order covering discovery produced by investment firm Muddy Waters Capital in a securities fraud class action, according to an order unsealed this week.

  • October 31, 2024

    $268K Fee Challenge Nixed In 9th Circ. Chevron Award Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday refused to reconsider its order slapping a six-figure fine against a Seattle attorney for fabricating a news article to bolster his clients' efforts to enforce an allegedly fraudulent $18 billion arbitral award against Chevron, effectively ending the long-running saga for now.

  • October 31, 2024

    Seyfarth Argues Against DQ From Amazon COVID Pay Case

    Seyfarth Shaw urged a Colorado federal judge on Wednesday to reject a bid to disqualify the law firm from representing Amazon in a putative class action after representing former managers who are allegedly presumed class members, arguing there was no real harm since its attorneys quickly dropped the former employees after discovering potential conflicts.

  • October 31, 2024

    Scott + Scott Sues Robins Kaplan For $5M In Swipe Deal Fees

    Scott + Scott Attorneys at Law LLP alleged in a New York state court lawsuit that Robins Kaplan LLP, its co-counsel in antitrust litigation over Visa Inc. and Mastercard's interchange fees, is withholding $5 million in promised payouts from the case's $5.6 billion settlement.

  • October 31, 2024

    Judge Axes Disbarred NC Atty's Suit After Late Objection

    A North Carolina federal judge has thrown out a disbarred attorney's suit against the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, stating that the former lawyer failed to timely object to a recommendation that the case be dismissed and that his stated reason for missing the deadline was "not credible."

  • October 31, 2024

    Oversight GOP Reps. Take Big Swing At FTC Chair

    House Republicans on Thursday accused Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan of becoming a "political tool" of the Biden administration, which they say has undermined the independent nature of the agency.

  • October 31, 2024

    Combs 'Grasping At Straws' In Leak & Gag Motions, Feds Say

    Manhattan federal prosecutors rejected Sean "Diddy" Combs' arguments that his sexual assault accusers should be forbidden from speaking out and that the government had leaked grand jury secrets, saying his motions lack evidence or any proper legal basis.

  • October 31, 2024

    Jones Day Pushes To Shield Memo In Parental Leave Case

    As two former Jones Day associates who are challenging the firm's family leave policy prepare to potentially go to trial in late 2025, Jones Day has told a D.C. federal court that a memorandum stating business reasons for a personnel decision shouldn't lose its status as privileged communication just because it references legal issues.

  • October 31, 2024

    Suit Against Indicted NJ Power Broker Sent To Biz Court 

    A New Jersey state court on Wednesday granted indicted Garden State power broker George E. Norcross III's request to transfer the civil racketeering suit brought against him and his attorney brother by a Philadelphia developer to the state's complex business litigation program.

Expert Analysis

  • Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

    Author Photo

    Experiencing a crash-landing on a recent flight underscored to me how much difference empathy makes in times of crisis or stress, including during mediation, says Eydith Kaufman at Alternative Resolution Centers.

  • Series

    Being An Artist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    My work as an artist has highlighted how using creativity and precision together — qualities that are equally essential in both art and law — not only improves outcomes, but also leads to more innovative and thoughtful work, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.

  • How Judiciary Can Minimize AI Risks In Secondary Sources

    Author Photo

    Because courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence and other safeguards do not address the risk of hallucinations in secondary source materials, the judiciary should consider enlisting legal publishers and database hosts to protect against AI-generated inaccuracies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment

    Author Photo

    Ambitious attorneys can sometimes experience career enmeshment — when your sense of self-worth becomes unhealthily tangled up in your legal vocation — but taking the time to discover and realign with your core personal values can help you recover your identity, says Janna Koretz at Azimuth Psychological.

  • Ex-Chicago Politician's Case May Further Curb Fraud Theories

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to hear Thompson v. U.S. to determine whether a statement that is misleading but not false still violates federal law, potentially heralding the court’s largest check yet on prosecutors’ expansive fraud theories, with significant implications for sentencing, say attorneys at the Law Offices of Alan Ellis.

  • Lawyers With Disabilities Are Seeking Equity, Not Pity

    Author Photo

    Attorneys living with disabilities face extra challenges — including the need for special accommodations, the fear of stigmatization and the risk of being tokenized — but if given equitable opportunities, they can still rise to the top of their field, says Kate Reder Sheikh, a former attorney and legal recruiter at Major Lindsey & Africa.

  • Opinion

    Judicial Committee Best Venue For Litigation Funding Rules

    Author Photo

    The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules' recent decision to consider developing a rule for litigation funding disclosure is a welcome development, ensuring that the result will be the product of a thorough, inclusive and deliberative process that appropriately balances all interests, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.

  • The Strategic Advantages Of Appointing A Law Firm CEO

    Author Photo

    The impact on law firms of the recent CrowdStrike outage underscores that the business of law is no longer merely about providing supplemental support for legal practice — and helps explain why some law firms are appointing dedicated, full-time CEOs to navigate the challenges of the modern legal landscape, says Jennifer Johnson at Calibrate Strategies.

  • Series

    Beekeeping Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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.

  • Perspectives

    Pop Culture Docket: Justice Lebovits On Gilbert And Sullivan

    Author Photo

    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.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!