Trials

  • August 06, 2024

    Ill. Jury Hits Cop With $22.5M Wrongful Conviction Verdict

    An Illinois federal jury awarded $22.5 million on Monday to the estate of a man who served 22 years in prison for a 1995 arson-murder he was later acquitted of committing.

  • August 06, 2024

    Feds Say Bid-Rigging Bros. Aren't Owed New Trial

    Federal prosecutors moved Monday to block two brothers' bids for a new trial after they were convicted last month of involvement in a coastal Georgia concrete bid-rigging and price-fixing scheme, telling a judge a few offhand remarks from witnesses can't topple the mountain of evidence behind the guilty verdict.

  • August 06, 2024

    Possible Juror Naps Don't Tank Conviction, Conn. Justices Rule

    A man's murder conviction and 65-year prison sentence will stand despite his protests that the trial judge should have intervened more strongly when a juror seemed to fall asleep several times on the first day of testimony, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

  • August 06, 2024

    NYC Prof Found Guilty Of Acting As A Secret Chinese Spy

    A Brooklyn federal jury on Tuesday unanimously convicted an academic and author of secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government by feeding information about Chinese dissidents and pro-democracy activists to China's intel service, following a weeklong jury trial, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.

  • August 06, 2024

    Ex-Pfizer Worker Who Traded On Paxlovid Secrets Gets 9 Mos.

    A Manhattan federal judge sentenced a former Pfizer Inc. statistician from New Jersey to nine months in prison Tuesday after a jury convicted him of insider trading on secrets about his former company's COVID-19 therapy trials for an illegal $272,000 profit.

  • August 06, 2024

    'Rust' Prosecutor Says Confused Judge Tossed Baldwin Case

    A New Mexico prosecutor has denied hiding exculpatory evidence or lying under oath during Alec Baldwin's botched trial in the "Rust" shooting, contending in a court filing that a confused judge wrongly threw out involuntary manslaughter charges against the actor.

  • August 06, 2024

    Exxon Assistant GC Jumps To Duane Morris As Trial Partner

    A longtime attorney at Exxon Mobil Corp. has made the move from in-house to private practice at Duane Morris LLP to begin the next chapter of his career.

  • August 06, 2024

    Feds Say Marathon Bomber Can't Oust Judge Amid Retrial Bid

    Federal prosecutors said lawyers for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev misconstrued a local rule in seeking a different judge to consider his bid for a new sentencing trial.

  • August 06, 2024

    NC Software Execs Can't Unravel Payroll Tax Fraud Conviction

    Two former software executives found guilty of failing to pay over $600,000 in employment taxes failed to clear a steep hurdle in trying to reverse their convictions, a North Carolina federal judge said in rejecting their bid for acquittal or a new trial.

  • August 05, 2024

    DOJ Wants Google Held Accountable For Deleted Chats

    The U.S. Department of Justice has told the Virginia federal court overseeing the government's case accusing Google of monopolizing key digital advertising technology the company needs to be held accountable for implementing policies that destroyed evidence.

  • August 05, 2024

    $96M Award Cut To $34M After Justices' Lanham Act Ruling

    An Oklahoma federal judge on Monday reduced a $96 million trademark infringement award that went to the U.S. Supreme Court to about $34.4 million after justices concluded last year the Lanham Act applies only to domestic conduct in commerce.

  • August 05, 2024

    Justices Reject Missouri's Bid To Block Trump's NY Gag Order

    The U.S. Supreme Court rejected on Monday an effort by Missouri's Republican attorney general to lift convicted former President Donald Trump's gag order on First Amendment grounds and delay sentencing in his New York criminal hush money case until after the general election.

  • August 05, 2024

    Ex-Virgin Islands Premier Gets 11 Years For Drug Conspiracy

    A Florida federal judge on Monday sentenced the former premier of the British Virgin Islands to more than 11 years in prison after a jury convicted him of charges related to a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine from South America to the U.S. following a trial earlier this year.

  • August 05, 2024

    Pegasystems Slams Appian's 'Animus' After $2B Verdict Axed

    Business software maker Pegasystems says rival Appian's "animus" is behind a series of what it says are irrelevant, premature and burdensome discovery requests, after a Virginia appeals court vacated a $2 billion trade secrets judgment against Pegasystems.

  • August 05, 2024

    GSK Wins Second Ill. Trial On Zantac Cancer Claims

    A Chicago jury held Monday that GlaxoSmithKline is not liable for a woman's colorectal cancer, handing the drugmaker a second straight trial victory in hundreds of Illinois suits targeting Zantac heartburn medication and its generic counterparts.

  • August 05, 2024

    Mattel Beats $46M Contract Suit Over Reality Show Idea

    A California jury has entered a verdict for Mattel Inc. in a $46 million contract suit brought against it by the company of "Lone Survivor" producer Norton Herrick alleging that the toy-maker stole its idea for a reality show in which inventors pitch toys to child judges, concluding there was no contract breach.

  • August 05, 2024

    Deficient Defense Warrants New Trial, Mich. Panel Says

    A split Michigan appellate panel has given a second chance at trial to a man accused of evading and resisting arrest, with judges finding his defense counsel was deficient in his first trial — failing to object to prosecutors' presentation of an unredacted warrant and assertion he is "a criminal."

  • August 05, 2024

    Girardi's Defense May Stand On His Deteriorating Mind

    Although a federal judge ruled disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi mentally competent to stand trial this month for wire fraud, the 85-year-old's defense team may use his dementia diagnosis to attack prosecutors' allegations he knowingly and intentionally stole millions of dollars from his clients, experts said.

  • August 05, 2024

    Google Abused Monopoly Over Search Market, Court Finds

    A D.C. federal judge ruled on Monday that Google is a monopolist in the general search market and has violated antitrust law by paying billions of dollars to make its search engine the default on devices made by Apple, Samsung and others.

  • August 05, 2024

    Meet The Attorneys In Tom Girardi's Criminal Fraud Trial

    When Tom Girardi's criminal fraud trial gets underway this week, the notorious disbarred attorney will be facing a team of seasoned federal prosecutors who've convicted several former Los Angeles City Council members, a sitting U.S. congressman, insider traders, Ponzi schemers and con artists who bilked millions from their victims.

  • August 05, 2024

    Yes Pain, Yes Gain, Fla. Court Rules In Hot Tub Burn Suit

    A Florida appeals court said a trial judge should have overruled a jury's decision to award zero damages for a man's pain and suffering in a suit over a hotel's scalding hot tub water that gave him second-degree burns, saying there was undisputed evidence he experienced pain.

  • August 05, 2024

    The 'No Nonsense' Calif. Judge Overseeing Girardi's Trial

    The California federal judge who will preside over the closely watched criminal trial of disgraced attorney Tom Girardi is a veteran jurist who runs a tight ship, but is also known for being extraordinarily thorough and thoughtful.

  • August 05, 2024

    What To Watch Out For During Girardi's Trial

    With evidence of allegedly stolen millions and attempted escapes to the Bahamas taking center stage, disgraced attorney Tom Girardi's criminal trial is set to begin Tuesday at the murky intersection of client theft and TV celebrity, where attorneys will grapple with novel legal issues like the use of evidence from a bankruptcy trustee.

  • August 05, 2024

    JetBlue, Spirit Scoff At Flyers' $34M Fee Bid Over Nixed Deal

    JetBlue and Spirit said air travelers who challenged their merger shouldn't get a cent of a late and exorbitant request for up to $34 million in attorney fees in a case where they simply "piggybacked" on the U.S. Department of Justice's successful effort to block the deal.

  • August 05, 2024

    Ga. Panel Affirms Docs' Trial Win In Fatal Stroke Suit

    The Georgia Court of Appeals has upheld a verdict in favor of two medical practices and several physicians accused of malpractice in the death of a stroke patient, ruling that grievances raised by the patient's family over expert witness qualifications and jury instructions didn't merit a new trial.

Expert Analysis

  • Lessons In High-Profile Jury Selection Amid NY Trump Trial

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    Richard Gabriel and Michelle Rey LaRocca at Decision Analysis consider how media exposure can affect a prospective juror in a high-profile case, the misunderstood nature of bias, and recommendations for jury selection in these unique situations as the Trump hush money trial continues in New York.

  • How Attys Can Avoid Pitfalls When Withdrawing From A Case

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    The Trump campaign's recent scuffle over its bid to replace its counsel in a pregnancy retaliation suit offers a chance to remind attorneys that many troubles inherent in withdrawing from a case can be mitigated or entirely avoided by communicating with clients openly and frequently, says Christopher Konneker at Orsinger Nelson.

  • Using A Children's Book Approach In Firm Marketing Content

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    From “The Giving Tree” to “Where the Wild Things Are,” most children’s books are easy to remember because they use simple words and numbers to tell stories with a human impact — a formula law firms should emulate in their marketing content to stay front of mind for potential clients, says Seema Desai Maglio at The Found Word.

  • How To Use Exhibits Strategically Throughout Your Case

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    Exhibits, and documents in particular, are the lifeblood of legal advocacy, so attorneys must understand how to wield them effectively throughout different stages of a case to help build strategy, elevate witness preparation and effectively persuade the fact-finders, say Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie and Colorado prosecutor Adam Kendall.

  • Crypto Mixer Laundering Case Provides Evidentiary Road Map

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    A Washington, D.C., federal court’s recent decision to allow expert testimony on blockchain analysis software in a bitcoin mixer money laundering case — which ultimately ended in conviction — establishes a precedent for the admissibility of similar software-derived evidence, say Peter Hardy and Kelly Lenahan-Pfahlert at Ballard Spahr.

  • 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.

  • 15 Quick Tips For Uncovering And Mitigating Juror Biases

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    As highlighted by the recent jury selection process in the criminal hush money trial against former President Donald Trump, juror bias presents formidable challenges for defendants, and attorneys must employ proactive strategies — both new and old — to blunt its impact, say Monica Delgado and Jonathan Harris at Harris St. Laurent.

  • 5 Lessons From Ex-Vitol Trader's FCPA Conviction

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    The recent Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and money laundering conviction of former Vitol oil trader Javier Aguilar in a New York federal court provides defense takeaways on issues ranging from the definition of “domestic concern” to jury instruction strategy, says attorney Andrew Feldman.

  • 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.

  • Trump Hush Money Case Offers Master Class In Trial Strategy

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    The New York criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump typifies some of the greatest challenges that lawyers face in crafting persuasive presentations, providing lessons on how to handle bad facts, craft a simple story that withstands attack, and cross-examine with that story in mind, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • 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.

  • Measuring Early Impact Of Rule 702 Changes On Patent Cases

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    Since Federal Rule of Evidence 702 was amended to clarify the standards for admitting expert witness testimony five months ago, emerging trends in patent cases suggest that it may be easier to limit or exclude expert testimony, and hold key practice takeaways for attorneys, say Manuel Velez and Nan Zhang at Mayer Brown.

  • 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.

  • 'Fat Leonard' Case Shows High Bar For Rescinding Guilty Plea

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    Prosecutors’ recent move in the “Fat Leonard” bribery case, supporting several defendants’ motions to withdraw their guilty pleas, is extremely unusual – and its contrast with other prosecutions demonstrates that the procedural safeguards at plea hearings are far from enough, says Sara Kropf at Kropf Moseley.

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