Legal Ethics

  • October 09, 2025

    Ga. Prosecutors Get More Time To Replace DA In Trump Case

    A Georgia state judge has extended its deadline requiring a prosecutors group to replace a disqualified district attorney to oversee the election interference case against President Donald Trump and others, rejecting two defendants' opposition to anything beyond the original two-week deadline.

  • October 09, 2025

    False-Statement Case Puts Comey In Rare Company

    Former FBI director James Comey is the latest addition to the relatively short list of government officials who have been criminally charged over the past several decades with making false statements to Congress.

  • October 09, 2025

    Sullivan & Cromwell Impersonators Hit With NY Fraud Claims

    New York Attorney General Letitia James is attempting to take down a slew of businesses whose names are variants of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, accusing them of attempting a scheme to fraudulently redirect checks meant for the global corporate law firm.

  • October 09, 2025

    Judge Rejects Sanctions Bid In Ace Fire Loss Suit

    A Georgia federal court has rejected a Chubb unit's sanctions bid in a fire loss coverage dispute, finding that although its insureds failed to adequately join two individual defendants in a broader attempt to defeat the court's diversity jurisdiction, such conduct wasn't frivolous nor amounted to bad faith.

  • October 09, 2025

    Ga. Panel Revives Broad & Cassel Malpractice Claims

    The Georgia Court of Appeals has partially revived a legal malpractice suit filed against Broad & Cassel LLP over allegations that one of its partners blew an auto dealership's lawsuit in the midst of a mental health crisis, ruling that the claims may not have been filed too late after all.

  • October 09, 2025

    Fintech Exec May Claim Double Jeopardy Amid Judge Shuffle

    A former executive of payment processor Allied Wallet has filed a double jeopardy motion after the initial Massachusetts federal judge overseeing the fraud case recused himself, a second declared a mistrial and exited due to a family emergency, and a third flagged a potential conflict with a prosecutor.

  • October 09, 2025

    6th Circ. Says Facebook Posts About Firm Not Defamation

    The Sixth Circuit has declined to revive a defamation suit over social media posts alleging an unethical connection between a New Jersey-headquartered law firm and members of the Flint, Michigan, city council.

  • October 08, 2025

    LA County Probes Firm's Conduct In $4B Sex Abuse Deal

    The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to launch an investigation into a record $4 billion sex abuse settlement it approved earlier this year following claims that the Downtown L.A. Law Group paid people to file complaints.

  • October 08, 2025

    Software Co.'s Ex-Chair Faces Jurist Ire Over 'Sloppy' Practices

    A New York federal judge expressed frustration with the former chairman of The Resource Group International Ltd. in his bid to challenge his ouster from the software investment company following a widely reported sexual harassment scandal, criticizing the executive's "sloppy and irresponsibly careless practices" in the proceeding.

  • October 08, 2025

    Texas Atty Indicted On 5 Counts Of Cyberstalking

    A Texas attorney was indicted on five counts of cyberstalking Tuesday along with two charges of transmitting communications in interstate commerce, accused in federal court of harassing five people including attorneys via various forms of digital media.

  • October 08, 2025

    Mass. Atty Gets 9 Years For $3.5M Theft Schemes

    A Massachusetts attorney was sentenced on Wednesday by a federal judge to nine years in prison for stealing nearly $3.5 million from friends and two vulnerable relatives, including one who ended up in subsidized housing struggling to afford food.

  • October 08, 2025

    Arnall Golden Sanctioned For Giving Feds ERISA Suit Docs

    A California federal judge has ordered Arnall Golden Gregory LLP to pay a $50,000 penalty for giving the U.S. Department of Labor confidential documents United Behavioral Health turned over in a class action accusing the insurer of overcharging workers for out-of-network substance use disorder treatments.

  • October 08, 2025

    Ill. Judge Trims Dispute Over Firm's IOLTA Disbursement

    An Illinois federal judge on Wednesday ruled a New York man may proceed with a claim that a Chicago firm stiffed him out of a $500,000 repayment he was owed from a settlement, finding the creditor plausibly alleged conversion, but throwing out other claims for breach of fiduciary duty and fiduciary fraud.

  • October 08, 2025

    Lender, Servicer Fight Bid To 'Relitigate' Foreclosure Claims

    A state-run mortgage lender and a servicer asked a New York federal court to dismiss a proposed class action alleging that they schemed to inflate interest calculations in foreclosure cases, arguing that the borrower is attempting to improperly relitigate a state court's foreclosure judgment.

  • October 08, 2025

    Black Atty Hits Ga. Public Defender Council With Bias Suit

    The Georgia Public Defender Council and chief public defender in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit were sued by a former assistant public defender who claimed he was fired and faced an "unwarranted" bar complaint after expressing concerns about a demotion that would deprive his unit of its "sole Black male attorney."

  • October 08, 2025

    NJ US Atty Appointment Was 'Shell Game,' 3rd Circ. Told

    Two New Jersey criminal defendants this week blasted the Trump administration's attempt to name Alina Habba as U.S. attorney for the state after her interim term ended, telling the Third Circuit that the government's plan was a "shell game."

  • October 08, 2025

    Georgia Public Defender's Office Must Face Atty's Bias Suit

    A Georgia federal judge on Tuesday allowed an attorney's claims of race and gender bias against the Chattahoochee Circuit Public Defender's Office and its leader to move forward, but dismissed claims against the state's Public Defender Standards Council and its leader.

  • October 08, 2025

    Panel Wants 3-Month Suspension For Ex-DC Prosecutor

    An attorney disciplinary committee in the nation's capital has recommended a three-month suspension for a former federal prosecutor accused of withholding key evidence in criminal cases against hundreds of people arrested at protests of President Donald Trump's first inauguration in 2017.

  • October 08, 2025

    NJ Court Urged To Keep $3M Ice-Cream-Biz Malpractice Suit

    A Florida physician is fighting bids to dismiss his legal malpractice suit against Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis LLP, Fox Rothschild LLP and several attorneys whom he accused of botching documents in a low-calorie ice cream business project, arguing the $3 million suit belongs in New Jersey, where the attorneys were based.

  • October 08, 2025

    Colo. Justices Rule Newspaper Is 'Citizen,' Can Get Atty Fees

    The Colorado Supreme Court weighed in on a local newspaper's battle against the city of Aurora, ruling for the first time that a corporation is a "citizen" under the state's open meetings law and can recover litigation costs.

  • October 08, 2025

    Comey Pleads Not Guilty, Will Contest US Atty's Appointment

    Former FBI Director James Comey pled not guilty Wednesday to one count of false statements and another count of obstructing a congressional hearing, appearing in a Virginia federal courthouse for the first time after a shake-up at the U.S. attorney's office netted a grand jury indictment last month.

  • October 07, 2025

    11th Circ. Rules Atty Privacy Invasion Suit Can't Be Arbitrated

    The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday denied two Florida attorneys' request for the out-of-court resolution of a lawsuit brought by former clients alleging their private legal information was disclosed in public court dockets, ruling that the claims against the lawyers aren't covered by a retainer agreement's arbitration clause.

  • October 07, 2025

    Chamber Asks 9th Circ. For Clarity In Trade Secrets Cases

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce backed Boeing's bid for the Ninth Circuit to reconsider a panel's decision to reinstate a $72 million jury verdict against the company, saying the panel's "swift treatment" of such a complex issue threatens creating confusion.

  • October 07, 2025

    Goldstein's $968K Border Cash Claim To Be Admitted At Trial

    A Maryland federal jury will hear claims from prosecutors that SCOTUSblog publisher Tom Goldstein told Dulles International Airport border guards that the $968,000 in cash he brought into the country in 2018 had been gambling winnings, after a judge shot down his efforts to suppress his alleged statements Tuesday.

  • October 07, 2025

    6th Circ. OKs Contested Deal In Foreclosure Class Action

    The Sixth Circuit on Monday affirmed the approval of a contested settlement to resolve claims that 43 Michigan counties illegally kept the proceeds from the sales of tax-foreclosed properties, although one judge's concurrence said he did so "with the greatest reluctance."

Expert Analysis

  • What Lawyers Can Learn From High School AI Suit

    Author Photo

    A pending Massachusetts lawsuit regarding artificial intelligence use in an academic setting underscores the need for attorneys to educate themselves on AI technology and tools that affect their clients so they can advise on establishing clear expectations and limits around the permissible use of AI, say attorneys at Hinckley Allen.

  • Service Providers Must Mitigate 'Secondary Target' Risks

    Author Photo

    A lawsuit recently filed in an Illinois federal court against marketing agency Publicis over its work for opioid manufacturers highlights an uptick in litigation against professional service providers hired by clients that engaged in alleged misconduct — so potential targets of such suits should be sure to conduct proper risk analysis and mitigation, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Series

    Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.

  • Mitigating Defamation Liability Risks Of AI-Generated Content

    Author Photo

    Until Congress and the courts provide clear guidance about defamation liability stemming from generative artificial intelligence tools, companies should begin building controls to prevent the creation of defamatory content, says Michael Gerrity at Accenture.

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • When Investigating An Adversary, Be Wary Of Forged Records

    Author Photo

    Warnings against the use of investigators who tout their ability to find an adversary’s private documents generally emphasize the risk of illegal activity and attorney discipline, but a string of recent cases shows an additional danger — investigators might be fabricating records altogether, says Brian Asher at Asher Research.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

    Author Photo

    Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.

  • Opinion

    Why States Should Adopt ABA's 'Duty To Inquire'

    Author Photo

    State bars should codify the American Bar Association's proposed rule on a lawyer's duty to scrutinize each representation as it provides guardrails for lawyers, supports self-regulation of the profession, and helps avert money laundering and other crimes, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.

  • The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule

    Author Photo

    Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.

  • Trump Faces Uphill Battle If He Tries To Target Prosecutors

    Author Photo

    On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump promised to go after the state and federal prosecutors who had investigated and prosecuted him, but few criminal statutes would be applicable — to say nothing of the evidence required to substantiate any charges against prosecutors, says William Johnston at Bird Marella.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

    Author Photo

    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

    Author Photo

    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Metadata

    Author Photo

    Several recent rulings reflect the competing considerations that arise when parties dispute the form of production for electronically stored information, underscoring that counsel must carefully consider how to produce and request reasonably usable data, say attorneys at Sidley.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Legal Ethics archive.