Legal Ethics

  • November 06, 2024

    9th Circ. Revives Retaliation Suit By Ex-Santa Clara Deputy DA

    The Ninth Circuit partially revived a lawsuit by a former Santa Clara County, California, deputy district attorney who alleged First Amendment retaliation when he was unlawfully transferred after publishing an op-ed that disagreed with the views of his boss, the district attorney.

  • November 06, 2024

    Tesla Defeats Sanctions Bid Over Atty's Mediation Appearance

    A widow suing Tesla Inc. for the wrongful death of her late husband can't pursue sanctions against the automaker for allegedly wasting her time in mediation, a California federal judge ruled Wednesday.

  • November 06, 2024

    Lawyer's Suit Against Ex-Partner Can Proceed, NJ Panel Says

    A New Jersey state appeals court ruled Wednesday that a lawyer who is suing a former law partner may continue pursuing the case in open court, because a contract signed years earlier between the lawyers doesn't require a private arbitration.

  • November 06, 2024

    Lowenstein Sandler Sues Firm Over Dispensary Fee Dispute

    A New Jersey law firm accused of helping forcibly dismantle a medical cannabis dispensary to deprive Lowenstein Sandler LLP of over $750,000 in fees for work on the dispensary's behalf has asked the New Jersey state court to let it exit the suit, arguing Lowenstein Sandler failed to state a claim.

  • November 06, 2024

    Fla. Judge Invokes Free Speech Protection In Ethics Case

    A Florida state judge facing ethics charges over previous campaign statements has again claimed that authorities should be blocked from presenting evidence or argument that her "philosophical beliefs" and comments violate judicial ethics guidelines, saying they are protected by the First Amendment.

  • November 06, 2024

    Texas High Court Delays Rule Changes For Non-Atty Services

    The Texas Supreme Court has delayed the effective date of rules for allowing non-attorneys to perform some legal services, saying it will take the extra time to "give due consideration to the comments received."

  • November 06, 2024

    Suit Over Legal Ads Was Abuse Of Process, Firm Says

    The Hartford law firm Hayber McKenna & Dinsmore said in a Connecticut state court complaint that opposing counsel in a class action lawsuit abused the legal process by accusing the firm of unfair trade practices when it advertised a search for more members of the class.

  • November 06, 2024

    Ga. Judge Cops To 9 Ethics Charges Over Case Delays

    A Georgia judge facing ethics charges for delaying a series of cases, the most severe of which has sat open for more than seven years, has admitted to nine of the 10 counts lodged against him but denied that his actions were prejudicial to the administration of justice.

  • November 05, 2024

    Trump Has Official Immunity. What About His Aides?

    Whether the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity extends to subordinates who follow a president's orders has become a more pressing question in the wake of Donald Trump's projected election win, according to legal experts.

  • November 05, 2024

    How Trump Can Quash His Criminal Cases

    Donald Trump's projected victory at the polls also translates to a win in the courts, as the second-term president will have the power to end both of his federal criminal cases. And the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity would shield him from any consequences for ordering his charges to be dismissed, experts say.

  • November 05, 2024

    An Early Look At Trump's Supreme Court Shortlist

    With former President Donald Trump projected to win the 2024 presidential election and the Republicans' success in securing the U.S. Senate majority, Trump may now get the chance to appoint two more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, cementing the court's conservative tilt for decades to come.

  • November 05, 2024

    GOP's Senate Win Hands Future Of The Judiciary To Trump

    Republicans were projected to take back the White House and Senate and possibly the House early Wednesday, putting the GOP in position to back Donald Trump's agenda and his slate of young, conservative judicial nominees. 

  • November 05, 2024

    The Firms With An Inside Track To A New Trump Admin

    Law firms that have represented Donald Trump and the Republican Party on everything from personal legal woes to election-related lawsuits could see the risks of that work pay dividends as Trump is projected to secure a second term in office.

  • November 05, 2024

    Colo. Voters OK Overhaul Of Judicial Discipline Process

    Colorado voters on Tuesday approved a series of constitutional changes aimed at limiting the state judiciary's influence over the judicial discipline process.

  • November 05, 2024

    'Fat Leonard' Gets 15 Years For Navy Bribery Scheme

    Leonard Francis, the Malaysian defense contractor and ex-fugitive known as "Fat Leonard" who led a sprawling bribery scheme that authorities say caused over $20 million in losses for the U.S. Navy, was sentenced Tuesday in California federal court to 15 years behind bars, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

  • November 05, 2024

    Feds Say Girardi's Behavior At Trial Shows He Is Competent

    Prosecutors told a California federal judge on Tuesday that Tom Girardi should not receive a new trial following his conviction for misappropriating $15 million in client settlement funds, saying the disbarred attorney's arguments that he was not competent to stand trial are completely undercut by his behavior during the trial.

  • November 05, 2024

    Father, Daughter Attys Ask To Avoid Prison For Tax Scheme

    Father and daughter attorneys convicted of participating in a multimillion-dollar tax avoidance scheme asked a North Carolina federal court to spare them prison sentences, with the daughter saying her father should have protected her and the father highlighting his mental illness.

  • November 05, 2024

    Hagens Berman Defends Bid To Ditch AWOL Apple Suit Client

    A Washington federal judge expressed skepticism on Tuesday that Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP was within its rights to substitute a proposed class representative in an antitrust case against Amazon and Apple earlier this year when the lead plaintiff stopped communicating with the firm.

  • November 05, 2024

    Paxton Seeks Sanctions In Immigration Nonprofit Row

    The office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked an El Paso federal judge to sanction an immigrant rights nonprofit, claiming that it resisted a civil investigation by making misrepresentations to the court.

  • November 05, 2024

    Connecticut High Court Will Hear Atty's Suspension Appeal

    The Connecticut Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of a personal injury and workers' compensation attorney's 90-day suspension for misconduct and consider whether he gave up his ability to argue that long delays in the proceedings violated his due process rights.

  • November 05, 2024

    Trustee Seeks Jackson Walker Docs In Judge Romance Probe

    Arguing that the issue "presents a matter of national importance" with implications for the integrity of the judicial system, a U.S. bankruptcy trustee has urged a Texas federal court to force Jackson Walker LLP to turn over documents related to a former firm attorney's secret romance with a onetime judge.

  • November 05, 2024

    Lab Owner's Atty DQ'd After Repping Doctor In Fraud Inquiry

    New Jersey prosecutors succeeded in disqualifying the lawyer for a lab owner accused of paying kickbacks to a New York City doctor in a $20.7 million fraud scheme because the attorney previously represented the doctor.

  • November 05, 2024

    Firm Alleges Damage From Holland & Knight's File Breach

    Hitting back at arguments that it had suffered no harm as a result of an ex-Holland & Knight LLP attorney's alleged unauthorized accessing of a client's confidential files, a Philadelphia personal injury firm countered Monday that it had been saddled with litigation costs and increased cybersecurity insurance premiums.

  • November 05, 2024

    Fla. Agency's Election Fraud Power Needs Review, Court Told

    A man accused of election fraud is asking the Florida Supreme Court to consider whether the Florida Office of Statewide Prosecution has the authority to pursue the claims against him.

  • November 05, 2024

    NJ Atty Must Face Malpractice Suit Over Real Estate Deal

    A New Jersey state appeals court on Monday said a Clifton-based attorney must face part of a legal malpractice action over his handling of a real estate transaction.

Expert Analysis

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Forget Everything You Know About IRAC

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    The mode of legal reasoning most students learn in law school, often called “Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion,” or IRAC, erroneously frames analysis as a separate, discrete step, resulting in disorganized briefs and untold obfuscation — but the fix is pretty simple, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • How Firms Can Ensure Associate Gender Parity Lasts

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    Among associates, women now outnumber men for the first time, but progress toward gender equality at the top of the legal profession remains glacially slow, and firms must implement time-tested solutions to ensure associates’ gender parity lasts throughout their careers, say Kelly Culhane and Nicole Joseph at Culhane Meadows.

  • 7 Common Myths About Lateral Partner Moves

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    As lateral recruiting remains a key factor for law firm growth, partners considering a lateral move should be aware of a few commonly held myths — some of which contain a kernel of truth, and some of which are flat out wrong, says Dave Maurer at Major Lindsey.

  • Series

    Cheering In The NFL Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Balancing my time between a BigLaw career and my role as an NFL cheerleader has taught me that pursuing your passions outside of work is not a distraction, but rather an opportunity to harness important skills that can positively affect how you approach work and view success in your career, says Rachel Schuster at Sheppard Mullin.

  • 6 Pointers For Attys To Build Trust, Credibility On Social Media

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    In an era of information overload, attorneys can use social media strategically — from making infographics to leveraging targeted advertising — to cut through the noise and establish a reputation among current and potential clients, says Marly Broudie at SocialEyes Communications.

  • A Post-Mortem Analysis Of Stroock's Demise

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    After the dissolution of 147-year-old firm Stroock late last year shook up the legal world, a post-mortem analysis of the data reveals a long list of warning signs preceding the firm’s collapse — and provides some insight into how other firms might avoid the same disastrous fate, says Craig Savitzky at Leopard Solutions.

  • Series

    Coaching High School Wrestling Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Coaching my son’s high school wrestling team has been great fun, but it’s also demonstrated how a legal career can benefit from certain experiences, such as embracing the unknown, studying the rules and engaging with new people, says Richard Davis at Maynard Nexsen.

  • SG's Office Is Case Study To Help Close Legal Gender Gap

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    As women continue to be underrepresented in the upper echelons of the legal profession, law firms could learn from the example set by the Office of the Solicitor General, where culture and workplace policies have helped foster greater gender equality, say attorneys at Ocean Tomo.

  • Verizon Benefits Ruling Clears Up Lien Burden Of Proof

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    A Rhode Island federal court recently ruled that a Verizon benefits plan could not recoup a former employee’s settlement funds from the attorney who represented her in a personal injury case, importantly clarifying two Employee Retirement Income Security Act burden of proof issues that were previously unsettled, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

  • Reimagining Law Firm Culture To Break The Cycle Of Burnout

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    While attorney burnout remains a perennial issue in the legal profession, shifting post-pandemic expectations mean that law firms must adapt their office cultures to retain talent, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

  • Series

    Competing In Dressage Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My lifelong participation in the sport of dressage — often called ballet on horses — has proven that several skills developed through training and competition are transferable to legal work, especially the ability to harness focus, persistence and versatility when negotiating a deal, says Stephanie Coco at V&E.

  • Opinion

    High Court's Gifts Problem Taints Public Corruption Cases

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    A history of U.S. Supreme Court justices failing to disclose luxurious gifts from wealthy donors coincides with a troubling line of court precedent overturning jury convictions in public corruption cases, indicating that perhaps justices aren't presently fit to be making these decisions, says Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.

  • 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.

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