Legal Ethics

  • September 18, 2025

    Ex-Trump Atty Says Fla. Discipline Case Is Over 'Void' Charges

    Former Trump campaign attorney Kenneth Chesebro told the Supreme Court of Florida this week to reject a push to discipline him over his conviction in Georgia's election interference racketeering case, arguing his name was cleared by a court order invalidating the charge to which he pled guilty.

  • September 18, 2025

    Law Firm Files Fee Suits Over Texas Mass Shooting Litigation

    A law firm has launched two separate Texas state court lawsuits alleging it is owed more than $2 million in legal fees for work it performed on behalf of victims of a 2017 mass shooting at a Lone Star State church in Sutherland Springs.

  • September 18, 2025

    Jay-Z, Buzbee Conspiracy Suits Sent To Texas State Court

    A Texas federal judge has sent two conspiracy lawsuits brought by clients of Texas personal injury attorney Tony Buzbee against Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter's company Roc Nation and his attorneys back to state court in Houston, finding the court lacks jurisdiction in the case despite the defendant's argument that law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP was "improperly joined."

  • September 18, 2025

    Ga. Bar Again Seeks To Shut Down Atty's Racial Bias Suit

    The State Bar of Georgia has asked an Atlanta federal judge to toss a proposed class action alleging it engaged in a pattern of racial discrimination in disciplining Black attorneys, arguing that even though the Eleventh Circuit revived the claims on jurisdictional grounds, the parties have immunity.

  • September 18, 2025

    Fla. Supreme Court Disbars Atty For Misusing Client Funds

    The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday disbarred an Orlando-area attorney for misconduct, including improperly diverting funds from homebuyers he represented in real estate closings to a construction marketing entity he was affiliated with that was the seller in the transactions.

  • September 18, 2025

    Atty Apologizes For Bribery Accusation In Defamation Case

    A former Holland & Knight LLP partner has formally apologized for communicating with his ex-wife, less than a week after his text to her — suggesting a Philadelphia federal judge had taken a bribe while presiding over a personal injury firm's lawsuit — prompted the judge to stay the case.

  • September 18, 2025

    NJ Atty Sanctioned For Citing AI-Generated Fake Case Law

    A New Jersey federal judge on Thursday issued a $3,000 monetary sanction on an attorney for violating Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure by submitting a reply brief including fabricated case law citations and later acknowledging that his use of generative artificial intelligence contributed to the errors.

  • September 18, 2025

    Dems Demand Even More Funds For Courts, Judicial Security

    An alternative continuing resolution unveiled by the Democrats in the House and Senate on Wednesday evening includes more funding for judicial security and the courts than the Republicans' version, but it's unlikely it will be adopted as is.

  • September 18, 2025

    Auto Co. Accuses Conn. Revenue Dept. Of Fumbling Depos

    An auto wholesaler accusing Connecticut's tax commissioner of levying a double tax on warranties attached to vehicles sold out of state wants the Department of Revenue Services sanctioned for failing to properly prepare two witnesses for Sept. 12 depositions.

  • September 18, 2025

    Uber Says Philly Law Firm, Doctors Fabricated Injuries

    Ride-sharing company Uber has accused personal injury firm Simon & Simon PC and a network of healthcare providers of fabricating medical records to inflate accident complaints, according to a RICO suit filed in Philadelphia federal court.

  • September 18, 2025

    Florida Judge Accused Of Making Improper Political Donations

    A Florida state judge who donated almost $30,000 in more than 900 total contributions to political organizations — thereby becoming the "most prolific offender" of the rule barring judges from making those types of donations — may receive a public reprimand for her actions.

  • September 17, 2025

    Winston & Strawn Blamed For 'Anti-Woke' Fintech $1.7B Crash

    The trustee of bankrupt "anti-woke" financial technology startup GloriFi on Wednesday launched malpractice litigation against Winston & Strawn LLP in Texas bankruptcy court, accusing the firm and one of its managing partners of putting the interests of the company's founder first and costing the business $1.7 billion in valuation.

  • September 17, 2025

    Feds Want 3 Years For Girardi Son-In-Law's Chicago Contempt

    Tom Girardi's son-in-law should receive a three-year prison sentence for his admitted role in helping the once-celebrated plaintiffs' lawyer steal millions from Lion Air crash victims, federal prosecutors in Chicago argued Wednesday.

  • September 17, 2025

    Del. Judge's US Atty Application Plan Draws Blanche's Ire

    Delaware's chief district judge, a Trump appointee, is seeking applications for the state's U.S. attorney position to prepare for an upcoming vacancy in the interim position, a move that drew the ire of Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday.

  • September 17, 2025

    Morgan & Morgan Hauls Disney Into Court Over TM Concern

    Law firm Morgan & Morgan sued Disney on Wednesday, asking a Florida federal court to declare that an advertisement it plans to run featuring elements from the animated short film "Steamboat Willie" does not infringe on Disney's intellectual property because the work entered the public domain last year.

  • September 17, 2025

    Judges Pan Chris Cuomo's Arbitrator Bias Claim On Appeal

    A majority of the justices on a New York appellate court panel voiced skepticism of ex-CNN anchor Chris Cuomo's arguments that the arbitrator was biased against him in his $125 million wrongful termination case against the news network.

  • September 17, 2025

    House Votes To End DC Judicial Nominations Commission

    The U.S. House of Representatives voted 218-211 along party lines on Wednesday to eliminate the commission that vets and picks potential judicial nominees for Washington, D.C.'s local courts.

  • September 17, 2025

    Magistrate Says Cloud IP Suit Dismissal Should Be Permanent

    A federal magistrate judge in Texas has recommended that the voluntary dismissal of a patent infringement suit between two cloud computing companies be made permanent after one side complained a doctored screenshot was used as evidence.

  • September 17, 2025

    2nd Circ. Won't Block Eletson Doc Transfer In Shipping Row

    The Second Circuit on Wednesday declined Reed Smith LLP's emergency request to block the turnover of client files created amid its representation of Greece-based shipping company Eletson Holdings prior to an October 2024 reorganization, but agreed to refer the stay motion to a three-judge panel for consideration.

  • September 17, 2025

    Ex-Calif. Judge Gets 35 Years For Shooting Wife To Death

    Former California state court judge Jeffrey M. Ferguson lost his bid for a new trial Wednesday and was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison for shooting his wife to death at home in a drunken rage, with the presiding judge expressing sympathy for his "extraordinary" son who tried to save his mother's life.

  • September 17, 2025

    Fla. Judge's DQ Not Required Over Prior Sheriff's Office Work

    A Florida state judge who previously worked for a sheriff's office is not required to disqualify themself from a criminal case in which sheriff's deputies are witnesses, according to an opinion published by the Florida Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee.

  • September 17, 2025

    Ga. City, Ex-Court Admin Seek Quick Wins In Retaliation Case

    A Georgia city and its former municipal court administrator have each asked a federal judge for wins in a whistleblower suit the administrator brought alleging she had been unlawfully fired in retaliation for reporting a city council member's attempt to pressure the court for a favor.

  • September 17, 2025

    Giuliani Must Pay Attys $1.4M After Missing Bills Claim Fails

    A New York state judge has awarded nearly $1.4 million to Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP in its lawsuit accusing former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani of racking up unpaid legal bills for the firm's work in various criminal, civil and administrative matters.

  • September 17, 2025

    Del. High Court Probes Reviving Gellert Seitz Malpractice Case

    A Delaware justice took aim at an argument she seemed to suggest wasn't fleshed out enough in appellate filings as a homebuilder's attorney urged the state Supreme Court on Wednesday to undo Gellert Seitz Busenkell & Brown LLC's win in a legal malpractice case.

  • September 17, 2025

    Retired Judges Speak Out On 'Threats' To Constitution

    More than 40 retired federal judges appointed by presidents of both parties released an open letter Wednesday, the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, saying they sought to underscore the importance of the rule of law at a time when the nation's ideals "are under historic strain."

Expert Analysis

  • How Judiciary Can Minimize AI Risks In Secondary Sources

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    Because courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence and other safeguards do not address the risk of hallucinations in secondary source materials, the judiciary should consider enlisting legal publishers and database hosts to protect against AI-generated inaccuracies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment

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    Ambitious attorneys can sometimes experience career enmeshment — when your sense of self-worth becomes unhealthily tangled up in your legal vocation — but taking the time to discover and realign with your core personal values can help you recover your identity, says Janna Koretz at Azimuth Psychological.

  • Ex-Chicago Politician's Case May Further Curb Fraud Theories

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    The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to hear Thompson v. U.S. to determine whether a statement that is misleading but not false still violates federal law, potentially heralding the court’s largest check yet on prosecutors’ expansive fraud theories, with significant implications for sentencing, say attorneys at the Law Offices of Alan Ellis.

  • Lawyers With Disabilities Are Seeking Equity, Not Pity

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    Attorneys living with disabilities face extra challenges — including the need for special accommodations, the fear of stigmatization and the risk of being tokenized — but if given equitable opportunities, they can still rise to the top of their field, says Kate Reder Sheikh, a former attorney and legal recruiter at Major Lindsey & Africa.

  • Opinion

    Judicial Committee Best Venue For Litigation Funding Rules

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    The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules' recent decision to consider developing a rule for litigation funding disclosure is a welcome development, ensuring that the result will be the product of a thorough, inclusive and deliberative process that appropriately balances all interests, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.

  • The Strategic Advantages Of Appointing A Law Firm CEO

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    The impact on law firms of the recent CrowdStrike outage underscores that the business of law is no longer merely about providing supplemental support for legal practice — and helps explain why some law firms are appointing dedicated, full-time CEOs to navigate the challenges of the modern legal landscape, says Jennifer Johnson at Calibrate Strategies.

  • Series

    Beekeeping Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The practice of patent law and beekeeping are not typically associated, but taking care of honeybees has enriched my legal practice by highlighting the importance of hands-on experience, continuous learning, mentorship and more, says David Longo at Oblon McClelland.

  • Opinion

    Legal Institutions Must Warn Against Phony Election Suits

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    With two weeks until the election, bar associations and courts have an urgent responsibility to warn lawyers about the consequences of filing unsubstantiated lawsuits claiming election fraud, says Elise Bean at the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy.

  • How Cos. Can Build A Strong In-House Pro Bono Program

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    During this year’s pro bono celebration week, companies should consider some key pointers to grow and maintain a vibrant in-house program for attorneys to provide free legal services for the public good, says Mary Benton at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Home Canning Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Making my own pickles and jams requires seeing a process through from start to finish, as does representing clients from the start of a dispute at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board through any appeals to the Federal Circuit, says attorney Kevin McNish.

  • Use The Right Kind Of Feedback To Help Gen Z Attorneys

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    Generation Z associates bring unique perspectives and expectations to the workplace, so it’s imperative that supervising attorneys adapt their feedback approach in order to help young lawyers learn and grow — which is good for law firms, too, says Rachael Bosch at Fringe Professional Development.

  • Opinion

    Congress Can And Must Enact A Supreme Court Ethics Code

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    As public confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court dips to historic lows following reports raising conflict of interest concerns, Congress must exercise its constitutional power to enact a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the high court, says Muhammad Faridi, president of the New York City Bar Association.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Justice Lebovits On Gilbert And Sullivan

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    Characters in the 19th century comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan break the rules of good lawyering by shamelessly throwing responsible critical thought to the wind, providing hilarious lessons for lawyers and judges on how to avoid a surfeit of traps and tribulations, say acting New York Supreme Court Justice Gerald Lebovits and law student Tara Scown.

  • State Of The States' AI Legal Ethics Landscape

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    Over the past year, several state bar associations, as well as the American Bar Association, have released guidance on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in legal practice, all of which share overarching themes and some nuanced differences, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law Group.

  • 8 Childhood Lessons That Can Help You Be A Better Attorney

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    A new school year is underway, marking a fitting time for attorneys to reflect on some fundamental life lessons from early childhood that offer a framework for problems that no legal textbook can solve, say Chris Gismondi and Chris Campbell at DLA Piper.

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