Legal Ethics

  • February 13, 2026

    Bogus Citations Show 'Lack Of Respect' For Legal Profession

    In recommending $10,000 in sanctions for a lawyer who submitted multiple briefs with nonexistent or misrepresented citations, a federal judge in Indiana lamented that the blunders show a "lack of respect for the profession."

  • February 13, 2026

    Another Atty Ordered To Explain Fake Case Citations

    Another attorney has been ordered to explain himself, after a California federal judge found his filing to contain nonexistent case citations that the court suspects were hallucinated by generative artificial intelligence.

  • February 13, 2026

    Mass. Judge's 'Show Me The Fentanyl' Dismissal Vacated

    A Boston judge overstepped by dismissing a narcotics case on the grounds that prosecutors, adhering to court rules, failed to bring dangerous fentanyl-containing drugs into the courtroom, a Massachusetts appeals court determined on Friday.

  • February 13, 2026

    Cayuga Tribe Slams Pot Shops' Request For Fees In RICO Suit

    The Cayuga Nation is urging a New York federal court to reject a motion by cannabis shop owners for attorney fees in a racketeering suit it brought, saying the owners didn't prevail on those claims.

  • February 12, 2026

    Judiciary Issues 'Rule Of Law' Ethics Guidance For Judges

    Federal judiciary advisers Thursday sought to clarify ethical boundaries for judges wading into politically charged legal waters, saying jurists can rebut "illegitimate criticism" and urge stronger security amid fears of violence while also eschewing "demeaning" or "acerbic" rhetoric.

  • February 12, 2026

    Goldman Sachs' CLO Resigns After Epstein Email Revelations

    Kathryn Ruemmler, the chief legal officer for Goldman Sachs, announced plans Thursday to step down, after the U.S. Department of Justice released emails showcasing her relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

  • February 12, 2026

    Affairs, Spending Come Out In Goldstein Cross-Examination

    SCOTUSblog founder Thomas Goldstein was confronted Thursday with allegations of extramarital affairs, lavish spending and lies on asset disclosures, all in front of the jury in his ongoing tax fraud trial.

  • February 12, 2026

    Law Firm Shouldn't Have To Give Up 1MDB Docs, Judge Says

    A federal magistrate judge has recommended denying former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's bid to obtain discovery from a Manhattan law firm in connection with his efforts to challenge his conviction in Malaysia, finding that the request would impose an "enormous" burden on defense counsel involved in the prosecution of the 1MDB bond bribery scandal.

  • February 12, 2026

    Hegseth Blocked From Reducing Sen. Kelly's Navy Rank

    Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., secured a court order on Thursday blocking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from reducing his U.S. Navy rank after he told members of the military they don't have to follow unlawful orders.

  • February 12, 2026

    Rein Tech Prez Again Sanctioned For Patent Order Violations

    A Delaware federal judge on Thursday permanently barred a patent attorney from participating in water meter patent prosecutions and barred his company from asserting water meter patent claims against a rival it claims infringed them, saying "serious" sanctions were warranted for a repeat violation of a protective order.

  • February 12, 2026

    9th Circ. Judges Doubt AG-Picked Nevada US Atty Can Serve

    Two judges on a Ninth Circuit panel doubted Thursday the government's argument that a lower court erred by finding the U.S. Attorney General wrongly appointed Nevada's top federal prosecutor, with both judges repeatedly noting that the government's legal theory suggests that U.S. attorneys could circumvent the nomination process indefinitely.

  • February 12, 2026

    NY Court Orders Ineffective-Counsel Hearing In Murder Case

    A New York appeals court ordered a lower court to hold a hearing for a man convicted of murder to present his case that he was given ineffective assistance of counsel when his trial attorney refused to request a lesser included offense in his case.

  • February 12, 2026

    Inventor Says Claims Against Baker Botts Atty Should Remain

    Inventor Leigh M. Rothschild and Analytical Technologies LLC are taking issue with a Florida federal judge recommending tossing some claims in their lawsuit alleging a patent attorney defamed him, arguing Rothschild's words should be considered commercial speech.

  • February 12, 2026

    IP Firms Are Navigating AI Era With Range Of Guardrails

    Intellectual property law firms are taking various approaches to implementing artificial intelligence into their professional routines, with some developing their own tools, others limiting what external AI platforms that lawyers can access and one firm saying it has banned attorneys from using AI to draft legal briefs.

  • February 12, 2026

    McCarter & English Can't Tank $22M Suit, Insurer Says

    Two insurance companies have urged a Connecticut Superior Court judge to maintain a $22.3 million professional negligence lawsuit against McCarter & English LLP, saying document production delays don't warrant killing the case less than a month before trial.

  • February 12, 2026

    Watchdog Defends Ex-Alex Jones Atty's Conn. Suspension

    A Connecticut judge did not abuse her discretion when she suspended an attorney who formerly represented conspiracy broadcaster Alex Jones in a $1.4 billion defamation case, the state's professional misconduct watchdog has told the Connecticut Supreme Court in asking the justices to skip Norman A. Pattis' appeal.

  • February 12, 2026

    NYC Board Fines Atty $8.5K For Use Of Laptop, Role With City

    A former special adviser to a New York City Human Resources Administration deputy commissioner has been hit with an $8,500 fine after admitting to use of his city laptop to send personal emails and invoking his role at a public meeting on behalf of a cannabis dispensary application.

  • February 12, 2026

    NY Senators Criticize DOJ Over US Attorney Firing

    New York's senators blasted the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday for abruptly firing the newly appointed U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York.

  • February 12, 2026

    Judge Says Utah Tribal Court Cures Still Exist In Contract Row

    A federal judge has determined that a Utah Indigenous nation's former energy manager has yet to exhaust all tribal court remedies in a 12-year-long breach of contract dispute, saying time and the case's increased complexity can't resurrect his challenge.

  • February 11, 2026

    SC High Court Probes Clerk's Misconduct In Murdaugh Appeal

    The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday closely inspected Alex Murdaugh's appeal claiming the jury in his high-profile double-murder trial was biased because of comments made by a clerk of court, voicing questions and statements favorable to the disgraced lawyer's arguments.

  • February 11, 2026

    Goldstein Says He Lost Millions On Poker In 2016

    SCOTUSblog founder Thomas Goldstein told the Maryland federal jury in his tax fraud trial Wednesday that he lost nearly $3 million playing poker in 2016, directly contradicting charges that he underreported his gambling winnings, and pinned the blame for tax filing errors on his own miscalculations and shoddy work from his accountants.

  • February 11, 2026

    Wash. Atty 'Vehemently' Denies Using AI In Supplement Suit

    A Washington state plaintiff's attorney "vehemently" denied allegations that she submitted filings riddled with artificial intelligence hallucinations in a product liability case, as defense counsel countered during a hearing Wednesday that the misconduct has persisted and called on a Washington federal judge to "stop the bleeding."

  • February 11, 2026

    Ford Slams Lemon Law Attys' Bid To Escape Billing Fraud Suit

    Ford Motor Co. urged a California federal judge to keep alive its lawsuit accusing three Knight Law Group LLP-affiliated attorneys of orchestrating a massive fraudulent legal billing scheme, scoffing at the attorneys' argument that they are immunized from liability related to lemon law litigation they have pursued.

  • February 11, 2026

    Former In-House Atty To Colo. Court: Fees Suit Isn't Frivolous

    A former in-house attorney petitioned a Colorado Court of Appeals panel Wednesday to not find "frivolous" his request for the court to reverse a lower court's decision ordering attorney fees as a sanction against the attorney and his counsel in an underlying legal malpractice lawsuit.

  • February 11, 2026

    Not 'Your Dad's DOJ': Recapping Year 1 Under Bondi

    Even before her contentious congressional testimony on Wednesday, few U.S. attorneys general had been embroiled in so many controversies so early into their tenures as Pam Bondi, who critics and supporters alike say embodies a new era at the Justice Department.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Muay Thai Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Muay Thai kickboxing has taught me that in order to win, one must stick to one's game plan and adapt under pressure, just as when facing challenges by opposing counsel or judges, says Mark Schork at Feldman Shepherd.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Intentional Career-Building

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    A successful legal career is built through intention: understanding expectations, assessing strengths honestly and proactively seeking opportunities to grow and cultivating relationships that support your development, say Erika Drous and Hillary Mann at Morrison Foerster.

  • 2nd Circ. Ruling Shows Procedural Perils Of Civil Forfeiture

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    The Second Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Ross decision, partially denying the return of an attorney's seized funds based on rigid standing requirements, underscores the unforgiving technical complexities of civil asset forfeiture law, and provides several lessons for practitioners, says Elisha Kobre at Sheppard Mullin.

  • 4 Developments That Defined The 2025 Ethics Landscape

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    The legal profession spent 2025 at the edge of its ethical comfort zone as courts, firms and regulators confronted how fast-moving technologies and new business models collide with long-standing professional duties, signaling that the profession is entering a period of sustained disruption that will continue into 2026, says Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG Law.

  • Navigating AI In The Legal Industry

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    As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly integral part of legal practice, Law360 guest commentary this year examined evolving ethical obligations, how the plaintiffs bar is using AI to level the playing field against corporate defense teams, and the attendant risks of adoption.

  • How Fractional GCs Can Manage Risks Of Engagement

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    As more organizations eliminate their in-house legal departments in favor of outsourcing legal work, fractional general counsel roles offer practitioners an engaging and flexible way to practice at a high level, but they can also present legal, ethical and operational risks that must be proactively managed, say attorneys at Boies Schiller.

  • Health, Legal Employers Face Unique Online Speech Hurdles

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    Employers in the legal and healthcare industries must consider distinctive ethical obligations and professional requirements when disciplining employees for social media posts, while anticipating an area of the law in flux as courts seek to balance speech rights and the workplace function, say attorneys at FordHarrison.

  • Series

    Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Practical Problem Solving

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    Issue-spotting skills are well honed in law school, but practicing attorneys must also identify clients’ problems and true goals, and then be able to provide solutions, says Mary Kate Hogan at Quarles & Brady.

  • Opinion

    A Uniform Federal Rule Would Curb Gen AI Missteps In Court

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    To address the patchwork of courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence, curbing abuses and relieving the burden on judges, the federal judiciary should consider amending its civil procedure rules to require litigants to certify they’ve reviewed legal filings for accuracy, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.

  • 3 Defense Strategies For Sporadically Prosecuted Conduct

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    Not to be confused with selective prosecutions, sporadic prosecutions — charging someone for conduct many others do without consequences — can be challenging to defend, but focusing on materiality, prosecutorial motivations and public opinion can be a winning strategy, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • Series

    The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Integrating Practice Groups

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    Enacting unified leadership and consistent client service standards ensures law firm practice groups connect and collaborate around shared goals, turning a law firm merger into a platform for growth rather than a period of disruption, says Brian Catlett at Fennemore Craig.

  • Opinion

    Supreme Court Term Limits Would Carry Hidden Risk

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    While proposals for limiting the terms of U.S. Supreme Court justices are popular, a steady stream of relatively young, highly marketable ex-justices with unique knowledge and influence entering the marketplace of law and politics could create new problems, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

  • Series

    Knitting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Stretching my skills as a knitter makes me a better antitrust attorney by challenging me to recalibrate after wrong turns, not rush outcomes, and trust that I can teach myself the skills to tackle new and difficult projects — even when I don’t have a pattern to work from, says Kara Kuritz at V&E.

  • Series

    The Biz Court Digest: Welcome To Miami

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    After nearly 20 years in operation, the Miami Complex Business Litigation Division is a pioneer upon which other jurisdictions in the state have been modeled, adopting many innovations to keep its cases running more efficiently and staffing experienced judges who are accustomed to hearing business disputes, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

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