Michigan

  • October 24, 2024

    MSU Moves To Spike Ex-Football Coach's Termination Fight

    Michigan State University officials want a federal judge to toss the wrongful termination suit of its former football coach Mel Tucker, whom the school fired amid sexual misconduct allegations, arguing Wednesday it followed policy and has immunity based on state and federal law.

  • October 24, 2024

    IBM Pans Fired White Worker's Diversity Quota Claims

    IBM disputed a white former consultant's claim that the company fired him to fulfill diversity targets in a court filing Wednesday, saying the worker's allegations that the company has racial and gender-based hiring quotas are unsupported. 

  • October 23, 2024

    Thapar Flays Law Schools, Attys For Anti-Originalist Mindsets

    Despite the ascendance of conservative constitutional views, appellate attorneys are losing cases by failing to adapt, and the blame rests heavily with law schools that appear increasingly out of touch and undeserving of alumni donations, U.S. Circuit Judge Amul R. Thapar said Wednesday night in a bare-knuckle speech at a Heritage Foundation event.

  • October 23, 2024

    EPA's GHG Power Plant Rule Is Achievable, Scientists Say

    A half-dozen prominent scientists and engineers have told the D.C. Circuit that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan to tap carbon capture and sequestration technology to reduce power plants' greenhouse gas pollution is on point and readily achievable.

  • October 23, 2024

    Mich. Panel Reverses Insurer's $1.2M Fire Subrogation Win

    A Michigan state appeals court rejected a property insurer's subrogation bid against commercial tenants over a roughly $1.2 million building fire, finding that while the tenants' lease generally required them to keep their property in good condition, there was no specific provision holding them liable for their own negligence.

  • October 23, 2024

    'Where's The Puff?' Judge Asks In Little Caesars IP Battle

    An Illinois federal judge asked Little Caesars Wednesday what was so puffy about its recent "Crazy Puffs" products, as a Chicago-based company that makes "Pizza Puffs" argued the chain is infringing trademarks it has held for nearly half a century.

  • October 23, 2024

    Ameriprise, Ex-Worker Duo To Arbitrate Stolen Docs Claims

    Financial services company Ameriprise will arbitrate claims that a father-son pair of ex-employees took confidential records "in the dark of the night" on their way out the door to work for a competitor, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has determined.

  • October 23, 2024

    Insurers Slam Mich. No-Fault Ruling As 'Judicial Activism'

    A trade group representing Michigan insurers said an appellate court ruling in a medical provider's suit over nonpayment of auto insurance benefits could encourage gamesmanship in no-fault insurance litigation, in a friend-of-the-court brief filed on Tuesday with the state's top court.

  • October 23, 2024

    DC Judge Won't Let DQ'd Atty Back On Dominion Case

    A D.C. federal judge has refused to disturb an order disqualifying an indicted Michigan attorney from representing former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne against a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems.

  • October 22, 2024

    Media, Small Biz Orgs. Fight FTC's 'Click To Cancel' Rule

    The Michigan Press Association and the National Federation of Independent Businesses lodged a challenge Tuesday to the Federal Trade Commission's new "click to cancel" rule requiring that companies allow customers to ditch their subscriptions with a single click, telling the Sixth Circuit the commission has overstepped its authority.

  • October 22, 2024

    Judge Tells Firm To Tighten Up Testimony In Nassar Fee Trial

    A Michigan federal judge cautioned a local personal injury firm Tuesday to reel in the head of the firm on the witness stand, warning he was losing the jury in a long "inside baseball" legal discussion in his efforts to get a greater cut of fees from a Colorado firm for work on a Larry Nassar abuse settlement.

  • October 22, 2024

    11th Circ. Signals Fla. Gun Ban Turns On 'Age Of Majority'

    Whether the full Eleventh Circuit will strike down or uphold Florida's firearms sales ban to anyone under 21 appeared to hinge Tuesday on whether the court adopts modern notions of when adulthood begins or prior beliefs understood as "18-year-old Johnny on his way to the militia," circa 1789.

  • October 22, 2024

    Blakes, Wachtell Lead JM Smucker In $305M Cookie Biz Sale

    American food manufacturing giant The J.M. Smucker Co., advised by Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, on Tuesday announced that it has agreed to sell its Voortman cookie brand to private equity-backed Second Nature Brands in a $305 million cash deal.

  • October 22, 2024

    Detroit Judge Says He's Immune From Sleeping Teen's Suit

    A Michigan judge accused of having a teenage girl detained and handcuffed after she fell asleep during a field trip to his courtroom is arguing that he is entitled to immunity from the teen's lawsuit because he was acting in his judicial capacity when he disciplined her.

  • October 22, 2024

    The 2024 Prestige Leaders

    Check out our Prestige Leaders ranking, analysis and interactive graphics to see which firms stand out for their financial performance, attractiveness to attorneys and law students, ability to secure accolades and positive legal news media representation.

  • October 22, 2024

    How Law Firms Get And Keep Elite Status

    For decades, a handful of New York-based law firms thoroughly dominated the national consciousness when it came to power, profitability and prestige. But in today's legal market, increased movement of partners and clients from one firm to the next has begun to shake things up and create opportunities for go-getters to ascend the ranks.

  • October 21, 2024

    6th Circ. Won't Force Arbitration Of Kellogg 401(k) Fee Suit

    The Sixth Circuit on Monday revived a proposed class action against a Kellogg Co. subsidiary alleging mismanagement of an employee 401(k) plan, finding a Michigan federal court wrongly tossed the suit in favor of arbitration in April 2023.

  • October 21, 2024

    Ex-CFO Almost Pleads Guilty Before Snafu Snags Hearing

    The former chief financial officer of a Detroit nonprofit admitted in Michigan federal court on Monday that he is guilty of siphoning more than $40 million from the organization, but the plea hearing was derailed and adjourned after his attorney flagged an issue with the plea agreement to the court.

  • 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

    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 22, 2024

    The State Supreme Court Races To Watch In November

    With dozens of states holding elections next month for more than 80 seats on their courts of last resort, a number of races could prove critical for the courts' ideological balances and important cases relating to abortion, voting rights and possibly even the outcome of the presidential election.

  • October 21, 2024

    High Court Takes Case On Sentencing For Release Infractions

    The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to address a circuit split over what factors judges can consider when sentencing a person for violating conditions of supervised release, an issue estimated to affect thousands of defendants each year.

  • 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

    Classic Car Auctioneer Loan Fight Ends In $20M Award

    A collector car auction house backed by Sotheby's is asking a Michigan federal court to enforce an €18.69 million ($20.3 million) arbitral award against longtime client GTC SASU, a French collector and seller of classic cars, following a dispute over a loan deal.

  • October 18, 2024

    'Chaos' At New Mich. Jail Is Forcing Longer Stays, Suit Says

    A former detainee at Wayne County, Michigan's month-old jail alleged in a lawsuit that the center's "operational and administrative chaos," including staff shortages and computer system stoppages, has led to people getting lost in the system and being held for days after they were ordered released.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Being An EMT Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While some of my experiences as an emergency medical technician have been unusually painful and searing, the skills I’ve learned — such as triage, empathy and preparedness — are just as useful in my work as a restructuring lawyer, says Marshall Huebner at Davis Polk.

  • Exploring An Alternative Model Of Litigation Finance

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    A new model of litigation finance, most aptly described as insurance-backed litigation funding, differs from traditional funding in two key ways, and the process of securing it involves three primary steps, say Bob Koneck, Christopher Le Neve Foster and Richard Butters at Atlantic Global Risk LLC.

  • Airlines Must Prepare For State AG Investigations

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    A recent agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation and 18 states and territories will allow attorneys general to investigate consumer complaints against commercial passenger airlines — so carriers must be ready for heightened scrutiny and possibly inconsistent enforcement, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Series

    Teaching Yoga Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Being a yoga instructor has helped me develop my confidence and authenticity, as well as stress management and people skills — all of which have crossed over into my career as an attorney, says Laura Gongaware at Clyde & Co.

  • A Vision For Economic Clerkships In The Legal System

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    As courts handle increasingly complex damages analyses involving vast amounts of data, an economic clerkship program — integrating early-career economists into the judicial system — could improve legal outcomes and provide essential training to clerks, say Mona Birjandi at Data for Decisions and Matt Farber at Secretariat.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Text Message Data

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    Electronically stored information on cellphones, and in particular text messages, can present unique litigation challenges, and recent court decisions demonstrate that counsel must carefully balance what data should be preserved, collected, reviewed and produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Series

    Swimming Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Years of participation in swimming events, especially in the open water, have proven to be ideal preparation for appellate arguments in court — just as you must put your trust in the ocean when competing in a swim event, you must do the same with the judicial process, says John Kulewicz at Vorys.

  • Notable Q1 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

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    Mark Johnson and Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler discuss notable insurance class action decisions from the first quarter of the year ranging from salvage vehicle titling to rate discrimination based on premium-setting software.

  • 6th Circ. Bias Ruling Shows Job Evaluations Are Key Defense

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    In Wehrly v. Allstate, the Sixth Circuit recently declined to revive a terminated employee’s federal and state religious discrimination and retaliation claims, illustrating that an employer’s strongest defense in such cases is a documented employment evaluation history that justifies an adverse action, says Michael Luchsinger at Segal Mccambridge.

  • Social Media Free Speech Issues Are Trending At High Court

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision examining what constitutes state action on social media can be viewed in conjunction with oral arguments in two other cases to indicate that the court sees a need for more clarity regarding how social media usage implicates the First Amendment, say attorneys at Kean Miller.

  • Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert

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    As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.

  • Series

    Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic

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    Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Court Clerk Error Is No Excuse For A Missed Deadline

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    Two recent Virginia Court of Appeals decisions in which clerical errors led to untimely filings illustrate that court clerks can be wrong about filing deadlines or the date an order was entered, underscoring the importance of doing one's own research on filing requirements, says Juli Porto at Blankingship & Keith.

  • The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals

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    Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.

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