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Legal Ethics
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September 23, 2025
Atty-Trustee Conflicts Doom Scaife Estate's $26M Tax Refund
A Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky attorney was also acting as Mellon heir Richard Scaife's lawyer, trustee and media executive when he signed releases that kept Scaife's spending of his inheritance secret from his children, so a resulting $200 million settlement between the children and Scaife's estate was not a bona fide tax-exempt expense, a Pennsylvania appeals court ruled Tuesday.
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September 23, 2025
Conn. Atty Denies Blame For Title Co.'s $920K Refinancing Loss
A Connecticut lawyer sought to fend off arguments in state court by Fidelity National Title Insurance Co. that his alleged mistakes on a $2.5 million refinancing led to a $920,000 loss for the insurer, claiming he and the company owed distinct duties to a policy-holder.
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September 23, 2025
Law Firms Sued Over La. Hurricane Claim Fee Scheme
Two law firms and certain attorneys engaged in a scheme to "grossly and blatantly" inflate damages estimates for hurricane-related property insurance claims in order to "collect an exorbitant fee which they would all share," a group of seven Louisiana residents told a Louisiana federal court.
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September 23, 2025
Former NJ Workers' Comp Judge's Firing Suit Trimmed
New Jersey has been granted partial summary judgment in its defense of a suit from a former workers' compensation judge who alleges that she was unconstitutionally removed from her job, with a state judge tossing her due process claims but letting certain discrimination claims proceed.
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September 23, 2025
Ga. Atty Can't Block State Bar's Revived Bid To Toss Bias Suit
A Georgia federal court has rejected an attorney's bid to stop the state bar's request to expand its motion to dismiss her racial discrimination lawsuit to include information about her disciplinary proceedings being resolved with no discipline.
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September 23, 2025
NJ Justices Won't Hear Challenge To State Bar Diversity Plan
The New Jersey Supreme Court has allowed to stand an appellate decision approving a New Jersey State Bar Association system for fostering diversity in its leadership, which a state attorney accused of being a discriminatory quota system.
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September 23, 2025
Fla. Judge Denies NY Atty's Early Exit From Malpractice Suit
A Miami federal judge has denied a New York lawyer an early win in a malpractice case stemming from advice she gave a client in an underlying SEC action, finding "reasonable minds" may disagree on whether the lawyer's actions breached the duty of care.
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September 22, 2025
Trump Appoints 'Loyal' Aide Following Va. US Atty's Exit
One of President Donald Trump's White House aides and former personal attorneys Monday was sworn in as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, a day after the resignation of the office's previous Senate-approved top prosecutor, who had declined to bring charges against two of the president's foes.
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September 22, 2025
Baker McKenzie Says Atty Is 'Trolling' Firm With Assault Claims
A former Baker McKenzie tax associate who has flooded social media with allegations that she was sexually assaulted by the leader of the international law firm's D.C. office is now facing a defamation lawsuit accusing her of "trolling" the firm with false claims.
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September 22, 2025
Newman Urges Full DC Circ. To Let Judges Sue Their Courts
U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman has invoked a D.C. Circuit panel's "implicit invitation" for the full court to reconsider precedent limiting the rights of disciplined judges, as she continues to fight her suspension.
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September 22, 2025
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Last week, Match.com secured approval for a $30M settlement over its 2019 reverse spinoff from IAC, and Vice Chancellor Morgan T. Zurn urged decorum among Delaware lawyers, comparing recent legal turmoil to dark times in British monarchy history. Here's the latest from the Chancery Court.
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September 22, 2025
Calif. County Defender To Pay $200K In Harassment Probe
A California public defender's office has agreed to pay $200,000 to an employee to resolve the worker's claims that a superior sexually harassed them on the job through inappropriate comments and unwanted touching, the state's Civil Rights Department announced Monday.
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September 22, 2025
Conn. Board Seeks To Cement Win Over Tax Atty's Firing
The Connecticut Employees' Review Board has asked an appellate court not to rehear a fired tax attorney's unsuccessful appeal en banc, arguing that she has failed to show any fatal flaws in a three-judge panel's decision against her.
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September 22, 2025
Girardi Loses Bid To Avoid Prison During Appeal
Disgraced attorney Tom Girardi will have to wait in prison while he appeals his wire fraud conviction for stealing from his own clients, a California federal judge has ruled.
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September 22, 2025
Crime-Fraud Exemption Applies To Eletson Docs, Judge Says
Reed Smith LLP has until the end of the day on Monday to turn over a dozen client files related to its prior representation of shipping company Eletson Holdings amid a dispute with rival Levona, after a Manhattan federal judge found probable cause that a fraud was committed in an underlying arbitration.
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September 22, 2025
Social Media Co. Calls For Disqualification Of Influencer's Atty
A social media optimization company has moved to disqualify a social media influencer's attorney from a copyright infringement suit in Texas federal court, saying attorneys from the same firm had previously met with the company in meetings where confidential information was discussed.
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September 22, 2025
Law Firms Spar Over Affidavit In Cannabis Malpractice Fight
Trif & Modugno LLC faced repeated questioning at a Monday hearing in New Jersey state court over its argument that Lowenstein Sandler LLP's claims against the firm must be dismissed because Lowenstein Sandler never filed an affidavit of merit in a suit over the collapse of a cannabis dispensary.
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September 22, 2025
3rd Circ. Slams Attys For Debt Disputes Designed To Fail
Pittsburgh law firm J.P. Ward & Associates sent rambling, handwritten debt dispute letters in its clients' names that were intended to fail so the attorneys could sue collectors for not recognizing the dispute, a Third Circuit panel said Monday in upholding sanctions against the firm in a pair of lawsuits.
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September 22, 2025
Floridians Defend Moore & Van Allen Malpractice Claims
A proposed class of Floridians accusing Moore & Van Allen PLLC of mishandling their employee stock ownership trust have told a federal court that a change in venue is unwarranted, and that despite the law firm's claims to the contrary, they have personal standing to sue on behalf of the trust.
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September 22, 2025
Pa. Court Backs Toss Of Malpractice Suit Against NY Atty
A Pennsylvania appellate court won't revive a paint removal chemical company's malpractice suit against an intellectual property attorney it had hired to review one of its products, saying there weren't enough ties to the commonwealth for the case to proceed there.
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September 19, 2025
Va. US Atty Quits Amid Trump's 'Blue-Slip' Removal Bid
Erik Siebert on Friday resigned as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, just hours after President Donald Trump pondered ousting him from the position because Siebert received blue-slip approval from the commonwealth's two Democratic senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, according to media reports.
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September 19, 2025
Nevada Trust Accuses Texas Firms Of $9M Crypto Scheme
A Nevada-based trustee accused a Texas law firm and various other companies and residents of the Lone Star State, Wyoming and Florida of carrying out an "audacious, multi-layered scheme" to steal $9 million meant to be used for Bitcoin trades.
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September 19, 2025
NC Atty Charged With Embezzlement, Elder Fund Exploitation
A North Carolina attorney is facing 14 charges of embezzlement related to funds he allegedly rerouted to personal accounts that belonged to both his former law firm Walker Kiger PLLC and former clients.
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September 19, 2025
Estate Filed Dupe Suit Against McCarter & English, Court Told
McCarter & English LLP on Friday urged a Connecticut state judge to toss a lawsuit accusing it of mismanaging a $4.6 million estate, arguing it's essentially a duplicate of a pending lawsuit.
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September 19, 2025
Bankruptcy Firm Fined, Banned For 3 Years Over Disclosures
A Michigan bankruptcy judge has hit Recovery Law Group, a national consumer bankruptcy law firm, with a fine of about $392,000 and a three-year ban on bringing insolvency cases in the Eastern District of Michigan, finding it violated fee disclosure requirements in 220 cases.
Expert Analysis
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9 Considerations For Orgs Using AI Meeting Assistants
When deciding to use artificial intelligence meeting assistants, organizations must create and implement a written corporate policy that establishes the do's and don'ts for these assistants, taking into account individualized business operations, industry standards and legal and regulatory requirements, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.
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A Reminder On Avoiding Improper Venues In Patent Cases
A Texas federal court's recent decision in the Symbology and Quantum cases shows that baseless patent venue allegations may be subject to serious Rule 11 sanctions, providing venue-vetting takeaways for plaintiffs and defendants, say attorneys at Bond Schoeneck.
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7 Tips For Associates To Thrive In Hybrid Work Environments
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
As the vast majority of law firms have embraced some type of hybrid work policy, associates should consider a few strategies to get the most out of both their in-person and remote workdays, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.
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Series
Playing Beach Volleyball Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My commitment to beach volleyball has become integral to my performance as an attorney, with the sport continually reminding me that teamwork, perseverance, professionalism and stress management are essential to both undertakings, says Amy Drushal at Trenam.
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How Law Firms Can Counteract The Loneliness Epidemic
The legal industry is facing an urgent epidemic of loneliness, affecting lawyer well-being, productivity, retention and profitability, and law firm leaders should take concrete steps to encourage the development of genuine workplace connections, says Michelle Gomez at Littler and Gwen Mellor Romans at Herald Talent.
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5 Keys To Building Stronger Attorney-Client Relationships
Attorneys are often focused on being seen as the expert, but bonding with clients and prospects by sharing a few key personal details provides the basis for a caring, trusted and profoundly deeper business relationship, says Deb Feder at Feder Development.
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What SDNY Judge Can And Can't Do In Adams Case
The federal judge in the Southern District of New York overseeing the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams deferred making a decision on the government's motion to dismiss the indictment, and while he does have limited authority to deny the motion, that would ultimately be a futile gesture, says Ethan Greenberg at Anderson Kill.
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Series
Racing Corvettes Makes Me A Better Lawyer
The skills I use when racing Corvettes have enhanced my legal practice in several ways, because driving, like practicing law, requires precision, awareness and a good set of brakes — complete with the wisdom to know how and when to use them, says Kat Mateo at Olshan Frome.
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Opinion
Attorneys Must Act Now To Protect Judicial Independence
Given the Trump administration's recent moves threatening the independence of the judiciary, including efforts to impeach judges who ruled against executive actions, lawyers must protect the rule of law and resist attempts to dilute the judicial branch’s authority, says attorney Bhavleen Sabharwal.
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Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises
“No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.
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How Design Thinking Can Help Lawyers Find Purpose In Work
Lawyers everywhere are feeling overwhelmed amid mass government layoffs, increasing political instability and a justice system stretched to its limits — but a design-thinking framework can help attorneys navigate this uncertainty and find meaning in their work, say law professors at the University of Michigan.
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Series
Competitive Weightlifting Makes Me A Better Lawyer
The parallels between the core principles required for competitive weightlifting and practicing law have helped me to excel in both endeavors, with each holding important lessons about discipline, dedication, drive and failure, says Damien Bielli at VF Law.
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Opinion
Inconsistent Injury-In-Fact Rules Hinder Federal Practice
A recent Third Circuit decision, contradicting a previous ruling about whether consumers of contaminated products have suffered an injury in fact, illustrates the deep confusion this U.S. Supreme Court standard creates among federal judges and practitioners, who deserve a simpler method of determining which cases have federal standing, says Eric Dwoskin at Dwoskin Wasdin.
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In-House Counsel Pointers For Preserving Atty-Client Privilege
Several recent rulings illustrate the challenges in-house counsel can face when attempting to preserve attorney-client privilege, but a few best practices can help safeguard communications and effectively assert the privilege in an increasingly scrutinized corporate environment, says Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics.
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Applying ABA Atty Role Guidance To White Collar Matters
The American Bar Association’s recently published guidance, clarifying the duties outside counsel owes to both organizational clients and those organizations' constituents, provides best practices that attorneys representing companies in white collar and other investigative matters should heed, say attorneys at MoFo.