Legal Ethics

  • May 06, 2026

    'Varsity Blues' Coach 'Not Close' In New Trial Bid, Judge Says

    A former University of Southern California water polo coach convicted in the "Varsity Blues" college admissions case missed the goal by a wide margin in his bid to secure a new trial, a Massachusetts federal judge said.

  • May 05, 2026

    DOJ Atty Faces Possible Discipline Over DHS 'Lack Of Candor'

    A Rhode Island federal judge, whom the U.S. Department of Homeland Security criticized for releasing a noncitizen with an alleged overseas warrant for homicide, on Tuesday said she is referring an assistant U.S. attorney for disciplinary proceedings for not disclosing the warrant to her beforehand.

  • May 05, 2026

    Potato Co. Gets Defense Attys DQ'ed In Benefits Plan Suit

    A Washington federal judge disqualified Cicotte Law Firm PLLC on Tuesday from representing a consultant accused of mismanaging Oregon Potato Co.'s employee benefits plan, concluding the food processor has shown a potential conflict of interest based on the reasonable belief that it was previously a client of the firm.

  • May 05, 2026

    Bike Trainer Co. Accuses Rival Of 'Hallucinations' In Brief

    A maker of bike trainers has alleged that a rival included "hallucinations" while reciting the language of claims from a patent in a Georgia federal suit seeking to toss a complaint before the U.S. International Trade Commission.

  • May 05, 2026

    Miner Looks To DQ Dorsey Under The 'Hot Potato' Doctrine

    A uranium mining company is looking to disqualify Dorsey & Whitney LLP as counsel for potential intervenors in a lawsuit in Colorado federal court over an arbitration initiated by another mining company based on a mineral assets purchase, saying Dorsey can't drop it like a "hot potato."

  • May 05, 2026

    NC Law Firm Can Pursue Coverage In $510K Loan Fraud Row

    A North Carolina federal judge on Tuesday said a professional liability insurer must face claims that it has to defend a law firm against allegations it was responsible for a $510,000 fraudulent home loan, finding documents in the closing package could preserve coverage. 

  • May 05, 2026

    Ga. Justices Sanction Asst. DA For AI Errors In Murder Case

    The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday sanctioned a Clayton County assistant district attorney for filing briefs that contained nonexistent case citations generated by artificial intelligence in a murder defendant's bid for a new trial, saying the prosecutor's misconduct has "sidetracked" the justices from delving into the merits of the appeal.

  • May 05, 2026

    Bankruptcy Atty Sued By Debtor After Ch. 11 Turns To Ch. 7

    A Houston real estate holding company said its former bankruptcy lawyer negligently handled its Chapter 11 case and broke attorney-client privilege, which the company said helped lead the federal bankruptcy judge to convert the case to Chapter 7.

  • May 05, 2026

    4th Circ. Says USPTO Doesn't Have To Cough Up PTAB Docs

    The Fourth Circuit on Tuesday said it won't force the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to hand over certain information requested by a nonprofit volunteer about drafts of a decision in a Patent Trial and Appeal Board hearing involving a cybersecurity patent.

  • May 05, 2026

    SEC Lifts NY Atty's Lifetime Practice Ban

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday lifted a lifetime ban preventing a New York attorney from practicing before the agency, following an attempt to leverage a client's testimony before the SEC.

  • May 05, 2026

    Colo. Nonprofit Law Firm Hit With Race Bias, Retaliation Suit

    A former paralegal supervisor for a Colorado nonprofit law firm that represents tenants facing eviction sued the organization in federal court, alleging she was selected for a layoff after repeatedly complaining about race discrimination and racially offensive comments.

  • May 05, 2026

    SPLC Faces Fla. Probe Over Donations Amid Fed. Indictment

    Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced a civil investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center for alleged deceptive and unfair practices related to charitable solicitations and fundraising, just weeks after the organization was hit with a federal indictment.

  • May 05, 2026

    Ex-McCarter & English Atty Pushes To Keep Alive Bias Suit

    A former McCarter & English LLP attorney suing the firm for discrimination against veterans is trying to fight off several motions to dismiss his New Jersey federal suit, arguing the firm is relying on a rehash of rejected arguments.

  • May 05, 2026

    Approach The Bench: Justice Bacon On School Accreditation

    State high courts are responsible for regulating the legal profession in their jurisdictions, and so New Mexico Supreme Court Justice C. Shannon Bacon thinks it's only right that justices reevaluate the principles behind law school accreditation.

  • May 04, 2026

    Apple Asks High Court To Pause Epic Games App Store Order

    Apple on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay a mandate directing a lower court to move forward with determining exactly what Apple can charge developers on in-app purchases, arguing there are important questions that need to be resolved by the justices first.

  • May 04, 2026

    2nd Circ. Raises Concern Over Challenge To NY US Atty's DQ

    A Second Circuit panel on Monday voiced concern over the U.S. Department of Justice's argument that a now-former acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York was serving lawfully when he subpoenaed the New York Attorney General's office over a pair of cases disfavored by President Donald Trump.

  • May 04, 2026

    Wash. Bar Task Force Spotlights Atty Mental Health Issues

    A Washington State Bar Association wellness survey of roughly 900 members found that nearly 10% said they experienced suicidal thoughts or self-harm in the past year, and about 20% expressed concerns about their alcohol consumption, a task force reported to bar leadership on Saturday.

  • May 04, 2026

    DOJ's In-House Detention Legal Aid Plan Is MIA

    A year ago, U.S. Department of Justice officials said the government would be taking over a program historically run by nonprofits to provide legal orientations and referrals for pro bono representation for adults in immigration detention facilities. But those involved in the program say the Trump administration hasn't taken any steps to run the program.

  • May 04, 2026

    Calif. Firm Accused Of Withholding Fees From Dying Partner

    The wife of a late Carpenter & Zuckerman LLP partner says the firm withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees from her husband before he died of cancer, claiming he spent his final months "pleading for funds" and living in "constant fear" that he would die without securing financial security for his family.

  • May 04, 2026

    AI Hallucinations Kill Montreal Arbitrator's Decision

    A Canadian court annulled a Montreal arbitrator's award in a healthcare dispute, saying that in writing his decision, he wrongly relied on numerous "hallucinated" legal authorities provided to him by a generative artificial intelligence tool.

  • May 04, 2026

    Lee & Hayes Wins Liability Ruling In Fee Fight With Ex-Client

    An Idaho-based 3D printing firm broke a fee contract with its former legal counsel at Lee & Hayes PC, a Washington federal judge ruled Monday, rejecting the company's contention that the firm had agreed to reduce its $7.2 million contingency fee to a $3 million fixed rate.

  • May 04, 2026

    Gas Stations Bound To Visa Swipe Fee Deal, 2nd Circ. Says

    A Second Circuit panel refused Monday to let a group of gas stations separately sue Visa and Mastercard over their swipe fees, holding the would-be plaintiffs cannot get out of a $5.6 billion antitrust settlement the credit card giants inked with merchants.

  • May 04, 2026

    Wells Fargo, Lloyd's Beat $900B Fraud Suit Over Wire Error

    A Maryland federal judge has permanently tossed a lawsuit brought by Alliance Global Capital Fund and a cheese shop that sought $900 billion in damages alleging Wells Fargo refused to redirect funds it knew were credited to the wrong account, finding a majority of the case's claims were brought too late.

  • May 04, 2026

    Texas Bar Says Atty, Now Judge, Took $15K But Ignored Client

    The State Bar of Texas' disciplinary arm said Monday that a Harris County lawyer who later became a criminal judge accepted $15,000 to handle a DWI case while in private practice, then stopped handling the case and ignored a refund request.

  • May 04, 2026

    Split 7th Circ. Refuses To Revive Kohl's Consumer Arbitration

    The Seventh Circuit has declined to revive arbitration claims against Kohl's over alleged false discounts that were nixed by the American Arbitration Association after the department store chain refused to register its arbitration agreement, a prerequisite for the claims to proceed.

Expert Analysis

  • Analyzing AI's Evolving Role In Class Action Claims Admin

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    Artificial intelligence is becoming a strategic asset in the hands of skilled litigators, reshaping everything from class certification strategy to claims analysis — and now, the nuts and bolts of settlement administration, with synthetic fraud, algorithmic review and ethical tension emerging as central concerns, says Dominique Fite at CPT Group.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Mastering Time Management

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    Law students typically have weeks or months to prepare for any given deadline, but the unpredictability of practicing in the real world means that lawyers must become time-management pros, ready to adapt to scheduling conflicts and unexpected assignments at any given moment, says David Thomas at Honigman.

  • How Hyperlinks Are Changing E-Discovery Responsibilities

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    A recent e-discovery dispute over hyperlinked data in Hubbard v. Crow shows how courts have increasingly broadened the definition of control to account for cloud-based evidence, and why organizations must rethink preservation practices to avoid spoliation risks, says Bree Murphy at Exterro.

  • Series

    Writing Musicals Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experiences with writing musicals and practicing law have shown that the building blocks for both endeavors are one and the same, because drama is necessary for the law to exist, says Addison O’Donnell at LOIS Law.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Va. AUSA To Mid-Law

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    Returning to the firm where I began my career after seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia has been complex, nuanced and rewarding, and I’ve learned that the pursuit of justice remains the constant, even as the mindset and client change, says Kristin Johnson at Woods Rogers.

  • 7 Document Review Concepts New Attorneys Need To Know

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    For new associates joining firms this fall, stepping into the world of e-discovery can feel like learning a new language, but understanding a handful of fundamentals — from coding layouts to metadata — can help attorneys become fluent in document review, says Ann Motl at Bowman and Brooke.

  • Agentic AI Puts A New Twist On Attorney Ethics Obligations

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    As lawyers increasingly use autonomous artificial intelligence agents, disciplinary authorities must decide whether attorney responsibility for an AI-caused legal ethics violation is personal or supervisory, and firms must enact strong policies regarding agentic AI use and supervision, says Grace Wynn at HWG.

  • Series

    Being A Professional Wrestler Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Pursuing my childhood dream of being a professional wrestler has taught me important legal career lessons about communication, adaptability, oral advocacy and professionalism, says Christopher Freiberg at Midwest Disability.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Adapting To The Age Of AI

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    Though law school may not have specifically taught us how to use generative artificial intelligence to help with our daily legal tasks, it did provide us the mental building blocks necessary for adapting to this new technology — and the judgment to discern what shouldn’t be automated, says Pamela Dorian at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Ch. 11 Ruling Voiding $2M Litigation Funding Sends A Warning

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    A recent Texas bankruptcy court decision that a postconfirmation litigation trust has no obligations to repay a completely drawn down $2 million litigation funding agreement serves as a warning for estate administrators and funders to properly disclose the intended financing, say attorneys at Kleinberg Kaplan.

  • Demystifying The Civil Procedure Rules Amendment Process

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    Every year, an advisory committee receives dozens of proposals to amend the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, most of which are never adopted — but a few pointers can help maximize the likelihood that an amendment will be adopted, says Josh Gardner at DLA Piper.

  • Parenting Skills That Can Help Lawyers Thrive Professionally

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    As kids head back to school, the time is ripe for lawyers who are parents to consider how they can incorporate their parenting skills to build a deep, meaningful and sustainable legal practice, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Teaching Trial Advocacy Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    Teaching trial advocacy skills to other lawyers makes us better litigators because it makes us question our default methods, connect to young attorneys with new perspectives and focus on the needs of the real people at the heart of every trial, say Reuben Guttman, Veronica Finkelstein and Joleen Youngers.

  • Navigating Conflicts Of Interest In H-1B Worker Terminations

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    Given a current uptick in removal proceedings and shortened lawful grace periods for terminated H-1B workers, immigration attorneys should take specific steps in order to effectively manage dual representation and safeguard the interests of both employers and employees, says Cyrus Mehta at Cyrus D. Mehta & Partners.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Texas AUSA To BigLaw

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    As I learned when I transitioned from an assistant U.S. attorney to a BigLaw partner, the move from government to private practice is not without its hurdles, but it offers immense potential for growth and the opportunity to use highly transferable skills developed in public service, says Jeffery Vaden at Bracewell.

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