Legal Ethics

  • June 17, 2025

    Justice Jackson Tops Royalties And Trip Disclosures In 2024

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackon wasn't the only member of the high court to make a stage-related debut in the past year: Justice Sonia Sotomayor had a hand in helping a Missouri theater company create a musical adaptation of one of her children's books, according to financial disclosure forms released Tuesday.

  • June 17, 2025

    Ex-Stone Hilton Employee Adds Sexual Harassment Claim

    A onetime executive assistant has expanded a federal lawsuit against her ex-employer Stone Hilton PLLC — founded by former top prosecutors in the Texas attorney general's office — to include a sexual harassment claim after the Texas Workforce Commission found there is reasonable cause.

  • June 17, 2025

    'Is Anybody Home?': Ex-Judge Faces Ethics Case Over Delays

    A former California state appellate justice whose persistent backlog subjected hundreds of cases, including some involving juveniles, to delays of four, five, even eight years is now facing a state ethics proceeding alleging neglect of duty and willful misconduct in office.

  • June 17, 2025

    Gemini Says CFTC Enforcement Went 'Trophy-Hunting' In Suit

    The crypto exchange Gemini on Tuesday slammed the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Enforcement Division and the attorneys who pursued a now-settled case against the firm, calling the division "out of control" and accusing its attorneys of engaging in "trophy-hunting lawfare."

  • June 17, 2025

    Hyundai Dealership Sues Snell & Wilmer Over 'Botched' Filing

    A Los Angeles Hyundai dealership has hit Snell & Wilmer with a professional negligence lawsuit in California state court, accusing the firm and three attorneys of lying about an allegedly obviously "botched" arbitration motion in underlying litigation and then pursuing a meritless appeal costing Hyundai over $725,000 in unwarranted fees.

  • June 17, 2025

    Burford Blasts Interference Claim In Chicken Price-Fix Case

    The Illinois federal judge handling consolidated price-fixing litigation against the nation's largest chicken producers should throw out the settlement interference counterclaim Tyson lodged alongside its answer in the case because it is no more than a speculation-based "fishing expedition," litigation funder Burford Capital argued.

  • June 17, 2025

    NJ Supreme Court Rejects Judicial Privacy Law Challenge

    The New Jersey Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out a journalist's constitutional challenge to the judicial privacy measure Daniel's Law, finding it serves "a state interest of the highest order" in seeking to keep certain public officials out of harm's way.

  • June 17, 2025

    Judge OKs Deal To End LeClairRyan Founder Tax Claims

    A Virginia bankruptcy judge Tuesday approved a settlement striking LeClairRyan PLLC founder Gary LeClair from the list of owners of the defunct firm, relieving him of responsibility for a share of the firm's nearly $21 million in tax liabilities.

  • June 16, 2025

    Davis Wright Must Face Employment Atty's Defamation Claim

    A Washington state judge refused to toss in their entirety an employment attorney's defamation claims against Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and other firm partners, finding Washington's Uniform Public Expression Protection Act shields the firm from some of the attorney's allegations, but not all.

  • June 16, 2025

    Telecoms Shareholder Gets Sanctions Lifted In Control Fight

    A New York federal judge has vacated his order sanctioning an investor in telecommunications infrastructure firm Continental Towers LATAM Holdings Ltd. for ignoring arbitral awards issued in a bitter, yearslong dispute over control of the company, saying the man wasn't properly served.

  • June 16, 2025

    Canadian Atty Must Pay SEC $323K Over Stock Promotion

    A Canadian securities attorney will pay over $323,000 to resolve U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that he drafted and executed sham consulting agreements at the heart of a scheme to conceal pay-for-play promotion of two so-called Regulation A offerings.

  • June 16, 2025

    TM Registration Co. Sanctioned Over Attorney Signatures

    A Mumbai-based business that offers trademark registration services was blocked by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from submitting any more trademark documents, after an investigation found it forged counsel signatures.

  • June 16, 2025

    Colo. Justices Allow Malicious Prosecution Case To Proceed

    The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday ruled unanimously that a plaintiff may still have probable cause in a malicious prosecution case even if they were unable to win in the original case at summary judgment.

  • June 16, 2025

    Fla. Justices To Weigh 'Blindfolded' Jury Selection Procedure

    The Florida Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether a so-called blindfolded jury selection method was fair to a man serving a life sentence for a murder conviction.

  • June 16, 2025

    Winery Can't Overcome Ex-Atty's 'Negligence' In Noise Suit

    The Pennsylvania Superior Court held in a precedential ruling that the negligence of a winery's former counsel in failing to communicate with the winery during litigation over operating in a neighborhood isn't a good enough reason to reverse an order shutting it down.

  • June 16, 2025

    Convict's Outbursts Didn't Warrant DQ, Conn. Justices Rule

    A Connecticut trial court judge acted within his power to consider and then add three criminal contempt sentences to a murder convict's prison term after the defendant hurled a series of racial and profane attacks at the court when a habeas corpus hearing concluded, the state's highest court ruled Monday.

  • June 16, 2025

    Ga. Judge Won't Revive Attorney's Lien On Former Client

    The former attorney of a onetime Georgia county auditor cannot recover attorney fees from her earlier representation of the auditor in a whistleblower suit, a federal judge has ruled, finding she failed to prove she was prevented from fully and fairly litigating her case.

  • June 16, 2025

    NJ Atty Disciplined For Private Law Work On GC Role Time

    A former general counsel for a New Jersey public agency previously fined for ethics breaches has now been censured, with the state Supreme Court issuing the discipline after finding he operated a private law practice out of his office at the agency.

  • June 16, 2025

    Firm Slams Insurer's Bid To Exit Malpractice Coverage Suit

    A Berkshire Hathaway unit can't use misdirection to duck a negligence suit claiming the insurer's failure to defend a negligence lawsuit against a Georgia personal injury law firm led to a $2.6 million default judgment against the firm, according to a recent filing in Georgia federal court.

  • June 16, 2025

    Calif. Bar Panel Upholds Recommending Eastman Disbarment

    A panel of the California State Bar Court's Review Department has affirmed the March 2024 recommended disbarment of President Donald Trump's former attorney, John Eastman, over attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

  • June 16, 2025

    Fake NY Lawyer Admits To Stealing Over $290K From Clients

    A New York man admitted Monday that he posed as a lawyer to steal over $290,000 from people who thought he was doing class action, discrimination and other legal work, copping to larceny and fraud charges in state court.

  • June 16, 2025

    Biz Seller Seeks Atty Fees After Win In 'Frivolous' Fraud Case

    The former owner of a North Carolina concrete company is seeking attorney fees after defeating a buyer's fraud suit in a rare midtrial victory, saying her opponent should have to cover her legal costs for bringing claims to trial that were both "frivolous" and "malicious."

  • June 16, 2025

    Fla. Judge Denies Ethics Breach Over Fake Recording

    A judge in Broward County, Florida, pushed back on ethics charges accusing her of publicly sharing a fabricated recording of a chief judge disparaging another judge in her 2024 election campaign, saying her actions did not violate the Code of Judicial Conduct.

  • June 16, 2025

    Texas Bar Limits Attorney Nondisparagement Clauses

    In a formal ethics opinion this month, the State Bar of Texas said nondisparagement clauses dealing with the practice of law cannot apply to lawyers licensed in the state, but attorneys could be subject to provisions involving their personal speech.

  • June 13, 2025

    Wash. Judge Tosses IUD Suit Against Bayer For Good

    Bayer has beat a negligence lawsuit filed by a woman who claims its Mirena IUD perforated her uterus and migrated after the patient failed to oppose the company's motion to dismiss, a Washington federal judge ruled.

Expert Analysis

  • Despite Political Divide, FEC Found Common Ground In '24

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    The Federal Election Commission, although evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, reached consensus in consequential advisory opinions, enforcement actions and regulations last year, offering welcome clarity on some key questions facing campaigns, PACs and parties, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Rethinking Litigation Risk And What It Really Means To Win

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    Attorneys have a tendency to overestimate litigation risk before summary judgment and underestimate risk after it, but an eight-stage litigation framework can clarify risk at different points and help litigators reassess what true success looks like in any particular case, says Joshua Libling at Arcadia Finance.

  • Public Corruption Enforcement In 2024 Has Clues For 2025

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    If 2024 activity is any indication, the U.S. Supreme Court will likely continue to rein in expansive prosecutorial theories of fraud in the year to come, but it’s harder to predict what the new administration will mean for public corruption prosecutions in 2025, says Cathy Fleming at Offit Kurman.

  • Series

    Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

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    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2025 And Beyond

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    In the year to come, e-discovery will be shaped by new and emerging trends, from the adoption of artificial intelligence provisions in protective orders, to the proliferation of emojis as a source of evidence in contemporary litigation, say attorneys at Littler.

  • Key Ethical Issues For Gov't Attys Moving To Private Practice

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    Transitioning from government service to private practice presents complex ethical challenges for attorneys, including navigating conflicts of interest, confidential information rules and post-employment restrictions, say attorneys at HWG.

  • 7 Ways 2nd Trump Administration May Affect Partner Hiring

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    President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House will likely have a number of downstream effects on partner hiring in the legal industry, from accelerated hiring timelines to increased vetting of prospective employees, say recruiters at Macrae.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Custodian Selection

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    Several recent rulings make clear that the proportionality of additional proposed custodians will depend on whether the custodians have unique relevant documents, and producing parties should consider whether information already in the record will show that they have relevant documents that otherwise might not be produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Series

    Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

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    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

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    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

  • Series

    Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • Making The Pitch To Grow Your Company's Legal Team

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    In a compressed economy, convincing the C-suite to invest in additional legal talent can be a herculean task, but a convincing pitch — supported by metrics and cost analyses — may help in-house counsel justify the growth of their team, say Elizabeth Smith and Roger Garceau at Major Lindsey.

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