Legal Ethics

  • 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.

  • July 22, 2026

    Gov't Attys May Face Broader Duty To Report Misconduct

    Attorneys representing the government could face "more demanding" obligations to disclose misconduct by people within their client organizations than attorneys representing private entities, according to an ethics opinion issued Wednesday by the American Bar Association.

  • July 22, 2026

    Co. Turned Away Simpson Thacher's Deal Meeting, Jury Told

    A retired Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP partner who handled the fundraising round alleged to have destroyed Patriot National Inc. testified in a Florida state malpractice trial Wednesday that the insurance services company waved off his attempt to present details to the board.

  • July 22, 2026

    DOL IG Says Info-Sharing Pacts Lacked Safeguards

    U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D'Esposito testified Wednesday before a U.S. House subcommittee that during the Biden administration, the department shared confidential information with plaintiffs' attorneys without notifying the Wage and Hour Division or the Employee Benefits Security Administration.

  • July 22, 2026

    DLA Piper Says Deception, Not Bias, Cost Palestinian Atty Job

    DLA Piper urged an Illinois federal judge to toss a Palestinian attorney's suit claiming the firm revoked a job offer out of discrimination, arguing it rescinded the offer because she concealed allegations that she assaulted someone at a protest.

  • July 22, 2026

    DC Bar Leaders Say DOJ Ethics Suit Encourages Misconduct

    Washington, D.C., attorney regulators continue to garner support in their effort to toss a Justice Department lawsuit over alleged "weaponizing" of executive branch lawyer discipline, with D.C. bar organizations, scores of legal scholars and more than 500 former DOJ attorneys backing the disciplinary authorities.

  • July 22, 2026

    Holland & Knight Hit With $1.2B Malpractice Suit

    A real estate firm is accusing Holland & Knight LLP and three attorneys of malpractice in a new complaint filed in Florida state court and is seeking up to $1.2 billion in damages after more than 30 states opened investigations into the company's practices.

  • July 21, 2026

    7th Circ. Told To Keep Judge's MAGA Firing Fight In Fed. Court

    A retired judge looking to hold the Illinois Supreme Court liable for canceling his temporary reinstatement over a pro-MAGA opinion column told the Seventh Circuit Monday that his case belongs in federal court, saying he has no unbiased state court forum because his claims "would inevitably reach defendants themselves."

  • July 21, 2026

    Truck Bound By Pact Not To Sue Arbitrator, NY Judge Says

    A New York federal judge refused to remove a "side-switching" arbitrator from a dispute over coverage for millions of dollars' worth of asbestos bodily injury claims, ruling that Truck Insurance Exchange's lawsuit is barred under a "hold harmless" pact it inked with the counterparty, a group of foreign reinsurers.

  • July 21, 2026

    Atty Immunity Should Cut Firm From Fee Suit, Judge Says

    A Texas federal judge has recommended letting California law firm Bartko Pavia out of a lawsuit brought by litigation boutique Williams Simons & Landis PC over alleged unpaid legal fees, saying attorney immunity shields the California firm.

  • July 21, 2026

    Trump Must Produce Trust Records In BBC Defamation Suit

    A Florida federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust to produce financial records relating to $10 billion of damages allegedly caused by BBC's documentary about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, saying that Trump's properties and businesses are now issues in the case.

  • July 21, 2026

    Dems Press Skadden On Trump Pro Bono Pact, Intel Deal Work

    A group of Democrats demanded Tuesday that Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP disclose details of its pro bono arrangement with the Trump administration in light of allegations the firm advised both Intel Corp. and the U.S. Department of Commerce when the administration received a 10% company stake.

  • July 21, 2026

    Feds Seek 3 Months For Ex-Girardi Atty's Role In Theft

    A former Girardi Keese attorney who helped disgraced plaintiff's attorney Tom Girardi steal millions of settlement dollars from plane crash clients should serve three months in prison to account for the seriousness of his conduct, federal prosecutors in Chicago say.

  • July 21, 2026

    Pa. Justices Reverse Joint Fee Liability For Custody Atty

    An attorney representing a mother in a contentious child custody dispute does not owe the father and his attorney more than $10,000 in fees, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, finding the Superior Court misapplied a previous opinion.

  • July 21, 2026

    Bronx Public Defenders Set Strike Deadline

    More than 300 unionized workers at legal aid organization The Bronx Defenders are set to walk out on July 27 if they cannot agree on a contract with the legal nonprofit's management, according to a Tuesday announcement.

Expert Analysis

  • Considerations In Building Guardrails For AI Use In Arbitration

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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.

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.