Legal Ethics

  • November 07, 2024

    Firm That Took Hurricane Victim Cases Wants Out Of Fee Row

    A Louisiana law firm that took over now-bankrupt Houston plaintiffs firm MMA Law's hurricane victim cases is appealing a Houston bankruptcy's court's decision not to free it from a lawsuit claiming that it cut MMA out of its share of settlement fees.

  • November 07, 2024

    'Where Have You Been?' Conn. Judge Asks About Late DQ Bid

    A motion to remove a Shipman & Goodman LLP partner from a court battle over a garbage sorting facility permit because he is allegedly an important fact witness could have come much sooner, a Connecticut state court judge suggested Thursday while working to nail down why the plaintiff waited until a trial was imminent.

  • November 07, 2024

    NC Court Refuses Law Firm Sanctions In Bankruptcy Fee Fight

    A North Carolina business bankruptcy law firm and its founder have escaped sanctions for allegedly lying to a trial court about its communications in a fee dispute, as a state appellate court said the former client's sanctions motion must fail as a matter of law because he "unreasonably delayed" filing it.

  • November 07, 2024

    Conn. Injury Atty Beats Referral Fee Claims At Jury Trial

    A Connecticut jury has handed Milford attorney Jill M. McGoldrick a victory in a contract and consumer protection claim by Donald M. Brown, a lawyer who sought a cut of a settlement McGoldrick obtained for a personal injury client who originally hired Brown.

  • November 07, 2024

    Attys For Solar Co. Ex-CEO Should Be DQ'd, Plaintiffs Say

    The lawyers representing the former CEO of a bankrupt solar energy company should be disqualified, attorneys for the plaintiffs in a suit against him said Wednesday, arguing that the firm had multiple conflicts of interest with its work as in-house counsel for the solar energy company and was intentionally delaying discovery because of its "obvious web of conflicting obligations."

  • November 07, 2024

    Two Cook Co. Judges Referred To Watchdog After Election

    Cook County's top judge referred two Cook County judges to the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board Wednesday, a month after a news report suggested they did not live in the county as required and one day after they appeared on the ballot for retention. 

  • November 07, 2024

    Greenberg Glusker Wins Bid To Arbitrate Ex-Client's Suit

    A judge in California state court on Thursday granted a motion by Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP and two partners to arbitrate an investor's allegations that they bungled his defense in an underlying civil suit, finding some of the ex-client's arguments against arbitration were "frivolous" and "not credible."

  • November 07, 2024

    NJ Atty Accused Of Ending Assault Suit Without Client's OK

    A New Jersey lawyer has been slapped with a malpractice suit from a former client who alleges he not only mishandled her claims surrounding a supposed sexual assault she endured on a work trip to Atlantic City, but that he agreed to dismiss a lawsuit without informing her.

  • November 07, 2024

    Feds Say Fla. Atty Can't Shake COVID Relief Fraud Conviction

    In a case involving a Florida lawyer serving a 75-month sentence for a COVID-19 loan fraud scheme, federal prosecutors are arguing that the trial judge was correct to allow a witness to testify that the defendant had talked about having another co-conspirator killed.

  • November 07, 2024

    Indicted Power Broker Says Civil Suit Repeats Earlier Claims

    Indicted Garden State power broker George E. Norcross III and his attorney brother have urged a New Jersey state judge to toss the civil racketeering suit brought against them by a Philadelphia developer, arguing that the developer's claims are time-barred and should have been filed in previously litigated and resolved actions.

  • November 07, 2024

    Fla. Law Firms Accused Of Mishandling Brain Injury Case

    Three Florida law firms are facing a malpractice suit by the victim of a car accident who claims his attorney blew his chance at a $2.5 million recovery by failing to respond to at least nine discovery requests and repeatedly missing court deadlines.

  • November 07, 2024

    Atty Says Ex-Colleague Can't Escape Assault Claim

    A former Young Conaway attorney has argued that a onetime colleague he sued did not provide enough evidence to claim she was defending her friend when she allegedly assaulted him, urging a Pennsylvania federal court to toss the defendant's motion for summary judgment.

  • November 07, 2024

    Ex-Pa. Judge Censured Over Misconduct With 3 Teens

    The Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline this week censured a former Allegheny County judge accused of misconduct with three teenage boys, ordering that the former judge's resignation and pledge to never again serve as a judge be binding and irrevocable.

  • November 07, 2024

    NC Panel Affirms Axing Sex Abuse Suit As Sanction For Delay

    A North Carolina appeals panel found in a precedential ruling that a trial court was right to toss a man's sex abuse suit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh as an appropriate sanction for his counsel having "deliberately and unreasonably delayed service of process." 

  • November 07, 2024

    Boston Firm Says Atty Diverted Leads To Keches Law Group

    Personal injury firm Keches Law Group has been hit with a Massachusetts state court complaint alleging it secretly worked with an associate at a smaller firm to obtain leads on potential cases.

  • November 07, 2024

    Trump's Victory Muddles NY Sentencing: 'No Playbook Here'

    The fate of President-elect Donald Trump's criminal conviction in New York remains unclear following his resounding electoral victory Tuesday night, as last-minute motions, a pending decision on presidential immunity and appeals may derail or delay a punishment slated to be handed down before Thanksgiving.

  • November 06, 2024

    Chicago Pol Urges Narrow Reading Of False Statement Law

    The U.S. Supreme Court should narrowly interpret the federal statute barring people from using false statements to influence certain financial institutions because backing the government's broad reading could expose borrowers to criminal liability that was never intended, former Chicago alderman Patrick Daley Thompson argued Wednesday.

  • November 06, 2024

    Seattle Judge Wants Plaintiff's Comms In IPad Antitrust Suit

    A Seattle federal judge has ordered Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP to produce its communications with a client who allegedly ghosted the firm before determining if the attorneys may withdraw from representing the class representative in a proposed antitrust class action against Apple and Amazon.

  • November 06, 2024

    Ex-Ga. DA To Face Arbery Obstruction Charges In January

    The former Georgia district attorney accused of obstructing the investigation of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery will stand trial in January, a state court judge said Tuesday, after her defense attorney was recently freed up by the conclusion of the prosecution of Atlanta rapper Young Thug.

  • 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."

Expert Analysis

  • Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

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    The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.

  • Opinion

    Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

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    To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.

  • Series

    Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.

  • What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance

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    Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories

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    The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.

  • Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Asserting 'Presence-Of-Counsel' Defense In Securities Trials

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    As illustrated by the fraud trial of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, defense attorneys in securities trials might consider arguing that counsel had some involvement in the conduct at issue — if the more formal advice-of-counsel defense is unavailable and circumstances allow for a privilege waiver, say Joseph Dever and Matthew Elkin at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Key Takeaways From DOJ's Recent FARA Advisory Opinions

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    The U.S. Department of Justice recently published several redacted advisory opinions on the Foreign Agents Registration Act, clarifying its current thinking on when a person or entity is required to register as a foreign agent under the statute, and when they may qualify for an exemption, says Tessa Capeloto at Wiley Rein.

  • The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms

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    In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

  • Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary

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    The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.

  • AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier

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    Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

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    As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.

  • General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

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    With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

  • Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

  • Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

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    Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

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