Legal Ethics

  • October 22, 2024

    Ga. Justices Toss Young Thug Atty's Contempt Conviction

    The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out the contempt conviction of the attorney representing the rapper Young Thug over the lawyer's refusal to disclose how he learned about a judge's closed-door meeting with prosecutors and a witness, saying that judge was "involved in the controversy" and thus should not have handled the contempt hearing.

  • October 21, 2024

    Ex-Holland & Knight Atty Slams 'Incendiary' Client Info Suit

    A former Holland & Knight LLP partner asked a Pennsylvania federal judge Monday to toss a lawsuit alleging he unlawfully accessed a client's confidential documents in order to gain an upper hand in his contentious divorce, saying the "incendiary and defamatory" complaint is vague and fails to state viable claims.

  • October 21, 2024

    Target Wants Sanctions For 'Bogus' BIPA Suit

    An Illinois federal judge should sanction a group of Target customers and their lawyers for pursuing a facial recognition privacy case even though the plaintiffs had seen evidence their legal theory was "bogus," the retail giant says.

  • October 21, 2024

    Firm Fired HR Manager Because Of Pregnancy, Fla. Jury Told

    The lawyer for a former human resources manager at a South Florida law firm told a federal jury Monday that she was fired for being pregnant, saying that her ex-employer made her come into work despite a doctor's note telling her to stay home after determining that she had a high-risk pregnancy.

  • October 21, 2024

    Wade Says Trump Probe Plans Began Before Willis Took Office

    Former Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade told Georgia House Judiciary Committee staff last week that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis planned to pursue charges against former president Donald Trump before she officially took the job and admitted to meeting with White House officials at least twice during the Georgia investigation.

  • October 21, 2024

    Calif. Atty Disbarred For Gambling With Client Cash

    A California attorney has been disbarred after misappropriating almost $117,000 from his clients and using much of that money for his gambling habit while claiming to be terminally ill with cancer.  

  • October 21, 2024

    Disbarred Conn. Atty Owed $52K In Fees, Appeals Court Told

    An attorney disbarred for making false claims in a judicial recusal motion is seeking $52,100 in fees derived from a State Farm car accident settlement and various other sources, telling the Connecticut Appellate Court on Monday that a trial judge improperly weighed the fees during her later discipline case.

  • October 21, 2024

    Atty's Brother Says Sibling Feud Is Harassment Campaign

    A Michigan attorney's brother and former business partner has accused the attorney of filing baseless lawsuits and harassing his employees in an attempt to squeeze money out of him, as the businessman countered a motion to block him from attending depositions.

  • October 21, 2024

    Seton Hall Ex-Chair Fights Transfer Of Whistleblower Suit

    Seton Hall University's former board chair on Monday sought to prevent the transfer of a whistleblower case from the school's former president out of New Jersey's Essex County state court due to a supposed conflict of interest, following a similar motion last week from the university itself.

  • October 21, 2024

    Ex-Florida Bar Prez Accused Of Malpractice In Divorce Case

    A former Florida Bar president has been sued in state court by an ex-client who accused the attorney of legal malpractice in a divorce case, saying she breached her duty by dragging out the proceeding and causing damages stemming from a disagreement over a marital residence.

  • October 21, 2024

    Last-Minute Letter Delays Mich. Atty's Voting Machine Trial

    A Michigan state judge delayed a jury trial Monday for a lawyer accused of unlawfully accessing 2020 voting machines, after the attorney accused prosecutors overnight of hiding a letter outlining county clerks' "prerogative" to release the machines to some parties.

  • October 21, 2024

    9th Circ. Revives Atty's ADA Suit Against Calif. Bar

    The State Bar of California may not have sovereign immunity that would allow it to duck an attorney's federal lawsuit claiming it failed to provide him with adequate disability accommodations during a bar exam amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ninth Circuit said Monday.

  • October 21, 2024

    Ga. Atty Admits To Role In $1.3B Tax Shelter Scheme

    A Georgia attorney has pled guilty in federal court related to helping orchestrate a $1.3 billion tax scheme involving fraudulent conservation easements, making him the 12th person convicted over the plot, including another attorney who was handed a 23-year prison sentence.

  • October 21, 2024

    Philly Judge Challenges Sanction For Unapproved Absence

    A Philadelphia Municipal Court judge is appealing sanctions ordered by a Pennsylvania disciplinary court which found she had committed an ethical violation when she prematurely signed court paperwork in order to take an unapproved personal day to travel to Florida.

  • October 21, 2024

    Judge Cites University Ties To Bow Out Of Aid-Fixing Suit

    An Illinois federal judge has recused herself from a proposed antitrust class action against 40 private colleges, reasoning that she has a relationship with one of the university defendants.

  • October 21, 2024

    Conn. Firm Says Attys, Restaurants Filed 'Malicious' Suit

    A restaurant chain and its attorneys abused the legal process by "frivolously and maliciously" suing a plaintiff-side firm after it ran ads alerting workers they might have wage claims against the restaurant, a lawsuit filed in Connecticut state court has alleged.

  • October 21, 2024

    Justices Pass On Cohen Suit Blaming Trump For Prison Stint

    The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a case brought against Donald Trump by his former personal attorney Michael Cohen, who claimed that he was vindictively put in prison for writing a memoir that painted the former president in a negative light.

  • October 21, 2024

    Nurick Law Group Settles NJ Suit Over Whistleblower Case

    Pennsylvania-based Nurick Law Group LLC has settled a legal malpractice case brought by a former employee of an HVAC company who claimed that the firm mishandled his whistleblower case.

  • October 21, 2024

    Litigation Funding Firms Aim To Escape Hurricane Ad Suit

    Two litigation funders are urging a Texas federal court to adopt a magistrate judge's recommendation to toss claims against them in a proposed class action alleging a law firm deceptively advertised to hurricane victims.

  • October 21, 2024

    Fla. Dept.'s Ex-GC Says Gov.'s Office Directed TV Ad Letters

    The former general counsel for the Florida Department of Health said Monday that he was directed by Gov. Ron DeSantis' office to send out letters threatening television stations with criminal prosecution if they did not pull a campaign ad promoting an abortion rights ballot initiative.

  • October 18, 2024

    Law360 MVP Awards Go To Top Attys From 74 Firms

    The attorneys chosen as Law360's 2024 MVPs have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.

  • October 18, 2024

    Texas Federal Judge Owned Tesla Stock After Taking X Suit

    A Texas federal judge overseeing a high-profile case between X Corp. and a media watchdog bought and sold shares of Elon Musk's automotive company Tesla the same year that X filed the suit, according to financial disclosure reports.

  • October 18, 2024

    9th Circ. Judge Doubts AI 'Robot Judges' Can Replace Jurists

    Ninth Circuit Judge William Fletcher expressed skepticism Friday that artificially intelligent "robot judges" should replace jurists, saying during a conference on complex litigation ethics that judges understand how to creatively apply the law to best serve justice, and "I don't trust the AI system to break the law when it should."

  • October 18, 2024

    Jan. 6 Witness Said Trump Speech May Have Been 'Political'

    Donald Trump's speech at a rally before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol may have been "political" rather than in his official capacity as president, witness testimony unsealed Friday in his D.C. election interference case said.

  • October 18, 2024

    Judge Slams 'Lazy Lawyering' In Amazon Biometric Data Suit

    The judge overseeing a proposed biometric privacy class action against Amazon Web Services Inc. in Delaware federal court chastised the plaintiffs' counsel for identically repleading a previously dismissed claim, calling the move "lazy lawyering" and warning of potential ramifications for "lying to the court."

Expert Analysis

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.

  • Series

    Playing Competitive Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing competitive tennis has highlighted why prioritizing exercise and stress relief, maintaining perspective under pressure, and supporting colleagues in pursuit of a common goal are all key aspects of championing a successful legal career, says Madhumita Datta at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.

  • Considerations For Lawyer Witnesses After FTX Trial

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    Sam Bankman-Fried's recent trial testimony about his lawyers' involvement in FTX's business highlights the need for attorney-witnesses to understand privilege issues in order to avoid costly discovery disputes and, potentially, uncover critical evidence an adversary might seek to conceal, says Lawrence Bluestone at Genova Burns.

  • Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

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    Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.

  • Series

    Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.

  • Opinion

    History Reveals Folly Of Absolute Presidential Immunity

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    As a federal appeals court grapples with former President Donald Trump’s claims that he’s immune from prosecution on election interference charges, it’s a fitting time for lawyers to reflect on the rule of law — from 13th century jurisprudence to Watergate and the Clinton impeachment — and how the idea of absolute presidential immunity is unwise, says attorney Steven Reske.

  • Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument

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    Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.

  • Perspectives

    6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Series

    Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

  • Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?

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    Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.

  • Wachtell-X Ruling Highlights Trend On Arbitrability Question

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    A growing body of case law, including a California state court's recent decision in X Corp. v. Wachtell, holds that incorporation of specific arbitral body rules in an arbitration provision may in and of itself constitute clear and unmistakable evidence of delegation of arbitrability to an arbitrator, and thus such clauses should be drafted carefully, say attorneys at Norton Rose.

  • 7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond

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    The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.

  • On The Edge: Lessons In Patent Litigation Financing

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    A federal judge's recent request that the U.S. Department of Justice look into IP Edge patent litigation, and that counsel be disciplined, serves as a reminder for parties asserting intellectual property rights — and their attorneys — to exercise caution when structuring a litigation financing agreement, say Samuel Habein and James De Vellis at Foley & Lardner.

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