Legal Ethics

  • May 06, 2026

    Federalism Probed In Suit Over Judge's MAGA Op-Ed Ouster

    An Illinois federal judge said Wednesday he may have to abstain from exercising jurisdiction over a retired Illinois state court judge's claims that was wrongfully removed from the bench over protected speech in a political opinion column, saying the prospect of a federal court in the first instance instructing the state's top jurists about who can be a judge "seems to break the respect that federalism demands for state government."

  • May 06, 2026

    Feds Say Stolen BigLaw Deal Info Aided Huge Trading Scheme

    Federal prosecutors on Wednesday unveiled indictments outlining a massive insider trading scheme that allegedly netted tens of millions of dollars using nonpublic information about mergers and acquisitions worked on by some of the nation's biggest law firms.

  • May 06, 2026

    Mass. Justices Push For An End To AG-Auditor Deadlock

    Massachusetts' top court on Wednesday seemed to agree that an ongoing dispute between the state attorney general and auditor over a voter-backed audit of the legislature needs to come to an end, even as justices dinged both sides for the stalemate.

  • May 06, 2026

    NJ Prosecutor Gets OK To Trim Suit Over Alleged Interference

    Atlantic County Prosecutor William E. Reynolds can narrow his suit seeking independent outside counsel to represent his office due to the alleged attempts made by county counsel to interfere with prosecutions, a New Jersey state judge ruled.

  • 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.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Judges On AI: Practical Use Cases In Chambers

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    U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison Goddard in the Southern District of California discusses how she uses generative artificial intelligence tools in chambers to make work more efficient and effective — from editing jury instructions for clarity to summarizing key documents.

  • Series

    Trail Running Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Navigating the muddy, root-filled path of trail marathons and ultramarathons provides fertile training ground for my high-stakes fractional general counsel work, teaching me to slow down my mind when the terrain shifts, sharpen my focus and trust my training, says Eric Proos at Next Era Legal.

  • Malpractice Claim Assignability Continues To Divide Courts

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    Recent decisions from courts across the country demonstrate how different jurisdictions balance competing policy interests in determining whether legal malpractice claims can be assigned, providing a framework to identify when and how to challenge any attempted assignment, says Christopher Blazejewski at Sherin & Lodgen.

  • Series

    Teaching Logic Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Teaching middle and high school students the skills to untangle complicated arguments and identify faulty reasoning has made me reacquaint myself with the defined structure of thought, reminding me why logic should remain foundational in the practice of law, says Tom Barrow at Woods Rogers.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Practicing Resilience

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    Resilience is a skill acquired through daily practices that focus on learning from missteps, recovering quickly without internalizing defeat and moving forward with intention, says Nicholas Meza at Quarles & Brady.

  • NYC Bar Opinion Warns Attys On Use Of AI Recording Tools

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    Attorneys who use artificial intelligence tools to record, transcribe and summarize conversations with clients should heed the New York City Bar Association’s recent opinion addressing the legal and ethical risks posed by such tools, and follow several best practices to avoid violating the Rules of Professional Conduct, say attorneys at Smith Gambrell.

  • Series

    The Biz Court Digest: Dispatches From Utah's Newest Court

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    While a robust body of law hasn't yet developed since the Utah Business and Chancery Court's founding in October 2024, the number of cases filed there has recently picked up, and its existence illustrates Utah's desire to be top of mind for businesses across the country, says Evan Strassberg at Michael Best.

  • 4 Quick Emotional Resets For Lawyers With Conflict Fatigue

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    Though the emotional wear and tear of legal work can trap attorneys in conflict fatigue — leaving them unable to shake off tense interactions or return to a calm baseline — simple therapeutic techniques for resetting the nervous system can help break the cycle, says Chantel Cohen at CWC Coaching & Therapy.

  • Series

    Playing Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    An instinct to turn pain into purpose meant frequent trips to the tennis court, where learning to move ahead one point at a time was a lesson that also applied to the steep learning curve of patent prosecution law, says Daniel Henry at Marshall Gerstein.

  • Series

    Judges On AI: How Judicial Use Informs Guardrails

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    U.S. Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell at the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado discusses why having a sense of how generative AI tools behave, where they add value, where they introduce risk and how they are reshaping the practice of law is key for today's judges.

  • Presidential Pardon Brokering Can Create Risks For Attys

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    The emergence of an apparent “pardon shopping” marketplace, in which attorneys treat presidential pardons as a market product, may invite investigative scrutiny of counsel and potential criminal charges grounded in bribery, wire fraud and other statutes, says David Klasing at The Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: 5 Tips From Ex-SEC Unit Chief

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    My move to private practice has reaffirmed my belief in the value of adaptability, collaboration and strategic thinking — qualities that are essential not only for successful client outcomes, but also for sustained professional satisfaction, says Dabney O’Riordan at Fried Frank.

  • Prisoners' Access To Health Info Should Have No Bars

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    To safeguard against unnecessary deaths in custody, courts and policymakers should clarify that incarcerated individuals’ constitutional right to medical care also includes access to sufficient information about their medical conditions, lifting current restrictions that can lead to crucial information being withheld, says Jaehyun Oh at Jacob Fuchsberg Law.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: How To Start A Law Firm

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    Launching and sustaining a law firm requires skills most law schools don't teach, but every lawyer should understand a few core principles that can make the leap calculated rather than reckless, says Sam Katz at Athlaw.

  • Series

    Hosting Exchange Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Opening my home to foreign exchange students makes me a better lawyer not just because prioritizing visiting high schoolers forces me to hone my organization and time management skills but also because sharing the study-abroad experience with newcomers and locals reconnects me to my community, says Alison Lippa at Nicolaides Fink.

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