Legal Ethics

  • July 24, 2026

    Disciplinary File Opened On Atty Repping Trump In IRS Fight

    A disciplinary file was opened recently on one of the attorneys representing President Donald Trump who helped him reach a deal with the Internal Revenue Service to settle a lawsuit that a Florida federal judge said was meant to "manipulate the judicial process."

  • July 24, 2026

    Ala. State Bar Sets Guidance For Atty AI Use, Billing

    The Alabama State Bar has released a formal opinion to guide attorneys on the ethical use of artificial intelligence, cautioning lawyers to be transparent with their clients about their use of AI to avoid unethically inflated billing while encouraging attorneys to utilize the evolving technology.

  • July 23, 2026

    Lenovo Wants 'Bad Faith' Infringement Claims Shut Down

    Lenovo on Wednesday asked a North Carolina federal judge to step in and halt a "coordinated campaign of bad faith patent assertions" from Longhorn IP, claiming that the state's Abusive Patent Assertions Act was designed to protect Lenovo from "precisely this kind of conduct."

  • July 23, 2026

    Insurer Denies Duty To Defend Texas Firm In 14 Barratry Suits

    Everest National Insurance Co. told a Texas federal court it has no duty to pay for Bush & Bush Law Group PC's defense in 14 barratry lawsuits, but the firm has taken to litigation to try to strong-arm it into doing so.

  • July 23, 2026

    Firm Must Share Sanctions In Door IP Suit, Fed. Circ. Says

    The Federal Circuit on Thursday refused to let a law firm off the hook for about $23,000 in sanctions implemented by a federal judge for not complying with a discovery order in a door manufacturing patent case, ruling that the judge did not improperly rely on a letter the firm said he did.

  • July 23, 2026

    Ex-Girardi Atty Says Probation's Enough For Role In Theft

    A former Girardi Keese attorney argued Thursday that probation would be a sufficient punishment for his admitted role in helping once-celebrated plaintiffs' attorney Tom Girardi steal millions of settlement dollars from clients whose family members died in a plane crash.

  • July 23, 2026

    Team Systems Execs Seek Recusal In Ch. 7 Clawback Suit

    Former executives of bankrupt government contractor Team Systems International asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to recuse himself from the contractor's Chapter 7 case and a $14 million clawback case against the executives by the Chapter 7 trustee.

  • July 23, 2026

    Judge Sends Swimmer's Visa Suit To Texas, Warns Lawyer

    A D.C. federal judge on Thursday transferred to Texas a Brazilian ultra-distance open-water swimmer's lawsuit challenging the denial of her visa petition for athletes of extraordinary ability, and criticized her attorney for citing nonexistent cases and misstating the law in others.

  • July 23, 2026

    Ex-Client Can't Revive Brach Eichler Malpractice Suit

    A New Jersey appellate panel on Thursday affirmed a lower court ruling granting summary judgment to Brach Eichler LLC in a suit accusing the firm of legal malpractice from its work in a long-running real estate dispute.

  • July 23, 2026

    Philly Judge Says Keller Postman Slowing Zantac Litigation

    A Pennsylvania state court judge has said Keller Postman LLC's "crusade" to remove him from presiding over several matters has ground to a halt the Zantac cancer mass tort in Philadelphia, leaving the plaintiffs' cases to "languish."

  • July 23, 2026

    NJ Rule Change Proposed To Shield AG's Atty Training Docs

    A potential rule change would exempt New Jersey's attorney general from having to publicly release certain government attorney training materials, like those at the center of a government watchdog's recent lawsuit.

  • July 23, 2026

    Fla. High Court Rejects Public Reprimand For Judge

    The Florida Supreme Court decided Thursday that a public reprimand for a Florida state judge who made a series of demeaning remarks, including questioning whether a Black defendant had "chopped cotton," was not the appropriate discipline.

  • July 23, 2026

    Simpson Thacher Warned Co. About Deal Terms, Jury Told

    A retired Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP partner who handled the fundraising vehicle alleged to have destroyed Patriot National Inc. told a Florida jury Thursday that he flagged deal terms that later became detrimental to the insurance services company.

  • July 23, 2026

    Conn. Banking Dept. Says Debt Servicer Lacks Key Atty Ties

    An Illinois servicing company that says it provides administrative services to debt relief lawyers cannot avoid Connecticut Department of Banking enforcement efforts because it does not appear to be connected to licensed in-state attorneys, the department has said, urging a state judge to dismiss a challenge to its authority.

  • July 23, 2026

    NJ Justices Adopt Atty Rule Barring Sex With Clients

    New Jersey attorneys will be prohibited from having sexual relationships with current clients beginning Sept. 1 under a new ethics rule that the state's highest court approved Thursday, replacing New Jersey's case-by-case approach with a bright-line prohibition.

  • July 23, 2026

    Jack Smith's Lawyers Say Criminal Referral Twists Testimony

    Former special counsel Jack Smith's legal team has said the criminal referral a U.S. Congress member sent the Department of Justice to investigate Smith is based on a "spurious claim."

  • July 23, 2026

    ABA Rips DOJ's 'Absurd' Firm Subpoenas In Documents Fight

    The American Bar Association has blasted as "absurd" the government's move to subpoena law firms as an attempt to avoid a documents request from the organization amid allegations the Trump administration worked to intimidate law firms into conforming with his policy goals through executive orders last year.

  • July 23, 2026

    500-Member NYC Public Defender Union Ends Strike

    The first and so far only New York City public defender union to go on strike this year announced on Wednesday that its approximately 500 members are returning to work after reaching a tentative agreement with their managers.

  • July 22, 2026

    J&J Talc Plaintiffs Must Back Up Cancer Link Or Risk MDL

    Plaintiffs alleging Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer must show they can offer expert opinions on the link between the disease and talc use or risk having their lawsuits tossed, a New Jersey federal judge ruled Wednesday.

  • July 22, 2026

    Late Emails Undercut BCBS Pricing Suit, Walgreens Says

    Walgreen Co. is urging an Illinois federal judge to again sanction a Blue Cross Blue Shield insurer and its subsidiary for allegedly failing to produce key email evidence the pharmacy retailer says "upends" the insurers' 6-year-old claim that it intentionally overcharged them for prescription drugs.

  • July 22, 2026

    Ex-Mich. Defender Couldn't Use Illness Claim To Save Bias Suit

    A former public defender's discrimination and retaliation suit was dismissed with prejudice Wednesday after a Michigan federal judge found that she repeatedly ignored discovery orders, prejudiced the defendants and improperly sent a process server to an attorney's home on a Sunday.

  • July 22, 2026

    Russia Cites Arbitrator Removal In Bid To Pause $1.1B Suit

    Russia is urging a D.C. federal court to pause litigation filed by one of Ukraine's largest banks to enforce a $1.1 billion arbitral award, pointing to a French court decision questioning the impartiality of one of the arbitrators who co-authored an amicus brief critical of the Kremlin.

  • July 22, 2026

    Insurer Sanctioned For Destroying Opioid Coverage Evidence

    An Illinois federal court Wednesday sanctioned an insurer in a drug wholesaler's suit seeking coverage for underlying opioid litigation, finding that the carrier intentionally destroyed key emails and underwriting records in order to deprive the wholesaler of that information.

  • July 22, 2026

    UFC Wants Pay-Per-View Monopolizing Case Tossed

    Ultimate Fighting Championship is asking the district court in Nevada to toss out a proposed class action filed by fans accusing it of monopolizing the market for pay-per-view mixed martial arts events.

  • July 22, 2026

    Retired Judges Rip Bid To Ban Foreign-Born Federal Judges

    A group of 58 retired federal judges, appointed by presidents of both parties, on Wednesday came out strongly against recent proposals from Republican lawmakers that would require federal judges to be natural-born U.S. citizens and relinquish any citizenship that is not of the United States.

Expert Analysis

  • Considerations In Building Guardrails For AI Use In Arbitration

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    A recent California federal court case involving allegations of artificial intelligence ghostwriting an arbitration award, prior analogous practice on tribunal delegation, and emerging generative AI recommendations all support building a forward-looking framework for arbitration rules to minimize the risk of AI-based challenges, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Series

    Fly-Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Much like skilled attorneys, the best anglers prize preparation, presentation and patience while respecting their adversaries — both human and trout, says Rob Braverman at Braverman Greenspun.

  • 4 Ways GCs Can Manage Growing Service Of Process Volume

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    As automation and arbitration increase the volume of legal filings, in-house counsel must build scalable service of process systems that strengthen corporate governance and manage risk in real time, says Paul Mathews at Corporation Service Co.

  • Series

    The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Forming Measurable Ties

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    Relationship-building should begin as early as possible in a law firm merger, as intentional pathways to bringing people together drive collaboration, positive client response, engagements and growth, says Amie Colby at Troutman.

  • Wis. Sanctions Order May Shake Up Securities Class Actions

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    A Wisconsin federal court’s recent decision to impose sanctions on a plaintiffs law firm for filing a frivolous Private Securities Litigation Reform Act complaint in Toft v. Harbor Diversified may cause both plaintiffs and defendants law firms to reconsider certain customary practices in securities class actions, says Jonathan Richman at Brown Rudnick.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2026 And Beyond

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    2026 will likely be shaped by issues ranging from artificial intelligence regulatory turbulence to potential evidence rule changes, and e-discovery professionals will need to understand how to effectively guide the responsible and defensible adoption of emerging tools, while also ensuring effective safeguards, say attorneys at Littler.

  • Series

    Judges On AI: How Courts Can Boost Access To Justice

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    Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Samuel A. Thumma writes that generative artificial intelligence tools offer a profound opportunity to enhance access to justice and engender public confidence in courts’ use of technology, and judges can seize this opportunity in five key ways.

  • Opinion

    The Case For Emulating, Not Dividing, The Ninth Circuit

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    Champions for improved judicial administration should reject the unfounded criticisms driving recent Senate proposals to divide the Ninth Circuit and instead seek to replicate the court's unique strengths and successes, says Ninth Circuit Judge J. Clifford Wallace.

  • 3 DC Circ. Rulings Signal Shift In Search And Seizure Doctrine

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    A trio of decisions from courts in the District of Columbia Circuit, including a recent order compelling prosecutors to return materials seized from James Comey’s former attorney, makes clear that continued government possession of digital evidence may implicate the Fourth Amendment, says Gregory Rosen at RJO.

  • 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.

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