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Legal Ethics
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April 09, 2024
Ga. Firm Fights Sanctions Bid For Pursuing COVID-19 Suit
A Georgia law firm has urged a federal court to reject a sanctions motion against it for pursuing claims that businesses failed to protect a worker against catching COVID-19, arguing the bid is untimely and saying the companies made misleading statements about the case in their request.
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April 09, 2024
Ex-DraftKings Exec Loses Bid For $310K In Atty Fees
A California federal judge will not award the $310,000 in attorney fees a former DraftKings executive claims it cost to handle the ping-ponging of his lawsuit between federal and state court, ruling the removal at the behest of his ex-employer was "suspect" but not unreasonable.
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April 09, 2024
Ex-Client Wants Records Of Seward & Kissel Calls In NJ Suit
The wife of a billionaire hedge fund founder is fighting to keep a subpoena alive for phone records of calls between her husband and Seward & Kissel LLP, telling a New Jersey state court they will show the firm helped cheat her out of marital assets when she filed for divorce.
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April 09, 2024
Atty Gets 5-Year Suspension After Tax Fraud Conviction
Citing the case's harm to the reputation of lawyers, a Connecticut state court judge has suspended a real estate, personal injury and criminal defense lawyer for five years over a federal income tax fraud conviction, issuing a punishment beyond what disciplinary authorities suggested.
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April 09, 2024
Nonprofit Seeks Over $300K Atty Fees Over X Defamation Win
A nonprofit organization focused on challenging hate speech asked a California federal judge to approve more than $300,000 in attorney fees following a successful defense against Elon Musk and social platform X Corp.'s claims over an allegedly defamatory article.
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April 09, 2024
'Education Lawyers' Challenge Isn't Over At TTAB, Firm Says
Jacobson & John LLP's claim that its use of the marketing phrase "The Education Lawyers" has gone unchallenged for five years blatantly misled a Pennsylvania federal court about the phrase's incontestability as a trademark, according to a rival firm's bid to keep its trademark challenge alive there.
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April 09, 2024
Ex-Legal Tech Exec Says Co. Sued Just To Preempt Her Suit
A former business executive at a Texas law firm and legal technology company called on a Texas federal court Monday to toss her former employer's lawsuit against her, claiming the company and its founders attempted to preempt her New York lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and unlawful termination.
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April 09, 2024
Ex-Prosecutor Intruded In NJ Grant Money Probe, Report Says
A New Jersey investigator looking into allegations of grant fund misuse in the Warren County Prosecutor's Office found sufficient evidence that James Pfeiffer, who abruptly resigned Friday as county prosecutor, made statements that could have intimidated witnesses, the state attorney general's office said in a new report.
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April 09, 2024
Locke Lord Slams 'Faulty' Stance On Malpractice Row Venue
Texas-based Locke Lord LLP has objected to an oil company's expert affidavit filed amid a malpractice suit alleging the firm and its former attorney bungled a transaction involving a North Dakota oil refinery project, redoubling its argument that New Jersey state court is not a proper venue for the complaint.
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April 09, 2024
Trump Loses 2nd Appellate Bid To Pause NY Criminal Trial
A New York state appellate judge refused Tuesday to delay Donald Trump's upcoming criminal hush-money trial while the former president challenges a gag order, just one day after a different appeals judge declined to halt the trial due to supposed jury pool bias.
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April 08, 2024
Fed. Circ. Says Law Taken Out Of Context In IP Fraud Defense
U.S. Circuit Judge Todd Hughes on Monday told the attorney for the owner of a patent enforcement company that his attempt to beat a contempt order for his client involved reading a key rule out of context.
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April 08, 2024
Feds Tell Justices Trump's Immunity Bid Would Upset Framers
Former President Donald Trump's claim to absolute presidential immunity from criminal charges related to official acts contradicts the text and intent of the U.S. Constitution and would've been "anathema" to the document's framers, special counsel John L. "Jack" Smith told the U.S. Supreme Court late Monday.
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April 08, 2024
Canadian Atty Settles SEC's Penny Stock Claims For $335K
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has inked a $335,000 settlement with a Canadian lawyer to end claims that he enabled a penny stock fraud scheme by working with a California trader as an unregistered broker, court filings on Monday show.
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April 08, 2024
Attys Have Duty To Defend Judges, ABA President Says
The American Bar Association's president on Monday warned that attacks on judges and the U.S. court system have skyrocketed in recent years and urged lawyers to stand up for the judicial process by defending judges who are unjustly criticized.
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April 08, 2024
Norton, Quinn Emanuel Rip Contempt Order In $600M IP Case
A more than $600 million judgment against NortonLifeLock for infringing Columbia University patents, based partly on a contempt finding against its former law firm, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, is "indefensible" and cannot stand, the company and the firm have told the Federal Circuit.
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April 08, 2024
District Judge Upholds Kwok Daughter, Law Firm Sanctions
A Connecticut federal judge has upheld a bankruptcy judge's $83,370 sanction against the daughter of bankrupt Chinese exile Ho Wan Kwok, saying the record is "abundantly clear" that she, her company and her lawyers stalled and tried to avoid subpoenas from Kwok's bankruptcy trustee.
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April 08, 2024
Wells Fargo Knew Of Ex-Texas Atty's Fraud, Victims Claim
Victims of a former Texas attorney's multimillion-dollar fraud urged a Lone Star State federal court on Monday to keep alive their lawsuit accusing Wells Fargo Bank NA of enabling the scheme, arguing the bank was aware the lawyer was misusing clients' money and profited from the arrangement.
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April 08, 2024
Sheriff Wants Out Of Civil Rights Suit Over NC Court Software
A North Carolina sheriff has asked for an early exit from a proposed class action alleging the state's new digital court system has led to unlawful arrests and detentions, saying most of the claims pertain to state officials and the company that built the software rather than any wrongdoing on his part.
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April 08, 2024
Trump Allies Rip 'Odor Of Mendacity' In Pushing Willis DQ
A Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group has urged the Georgia Court of Appeals to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis from prosecuting former President Donald Trump and other defendants in the 2020 election interference case, saying her romantic relationship with a since-resigned special prosecutor created "an odor of mendacity."
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April 08, 2024
Trump Seeks Appeal On 1st Amendment Grounds In Ga. Case
Former President Donald Trump and his remaining 13 co-defendants asked a Georgia state court judge for permission to appeal a decision in which he refused to drop the criminal charges leveled against them in the state's election interference case on free speech grounds.
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April 08, 2024
Ex-BigLaw Atty Takes Stalking Injunction Bid To State Court
A former Greenberg Traurig LLP partner suing a social media influencer in a $150 million case alleging the influencer falsely accused the attorney of abuse in online videos on Monday moved to Florida state court an injunction petition to have the videos taken down.
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April 09, 2024
CORRECTED: Ex-SDNY Clerk, Atty Get Prison For Referral Scheme
A former court clerk in the Southern District of New York was sentenced to two years in prison Monday and a disbarred defense attorney was hit with a year-long term for an alleged cash-for-referrals scheme.
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April 08, 2024
Ex-Paralegal Launches Whistleblower Suit Against NJ Firm
An ex-paralegal at New Jersey personal injury law firm Brandon J. Broderick LLC says his former employer created an uncomfortable work place when he reported alleged ethical violations to management.
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April 08, 2024
Atty Can't Slip Willkie Partner's Suit Over NY Post Story
A Connecticut federal judge has declined to toss a Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP partner's abuse of process case against a Constitution State attorney who allegedly orchestrated an unflattering New York Post article as retaliation for an underlying disqualification bid, ruling that the suit is not blocked by litigation privilege.
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April 08, 2024
Mo. Atty Loses Last-Ditch Bid To Dodge NC Tax Fraud Trial
A St. Louis attorney lost a last-minute attempt to escape his upcoming tax fraud trial based on claims that the prosecution was never properly authorized, with a North Carolina federal judge finding that the government did mislead the court but nonetheless had the right stamp of approval.
Expert Analysis
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Ghosting In BigLaw: Why Better Feedback Habits Are Needed
Not giving assignments or constructive criticism to junior associates can significantly affect their performance and hours, potentially leading them to leave the firm, but partners can prevent this by asking the right questions and creating a culture of feedback, says Rachel Patterson at Orrick.
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Calif. Ruling Adds Employer Considerations On Email Policies
Following a California appellate court's recent decision disqualifying an attorney in Militello v. VFarm 1509, companies should take steps to explicitly inform employees of email monitoring, as it could affect the admissibility of email evidence if a dispute arises, say Shawn Ogle and David Sarfati at Atkinson Andelson.
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Rebuttal
Law Needs A Balance Between Humanism And Formalism
A recent Law360 guest article rightly questions the pretextual pseudo-originalism that permits ideology to masquerade as judicial philosophy, but the cure would kill the patient because directness, simplicity and humanness are achievable without renouncing form or sacrificing stare decisis, says Vanessa Kubota at the Arizona Court of Appeals.
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How The Circuit Split Over CFPB Funding May Play Out
The Second Circuit created a circuit split last month when it found that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding structure doesn't violate the U.S. Constitution and clashed with the Fifth Circuit's holding that the CFPB itself is unconstitutional, but the U.S. Supreme Court may find a middle ground, say Andrew Braunstein and Casey Howard at Locke Lord.
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Short Message Data Challenges In E-Discovery
As short message platforms increasingly dominate work environments, lawyers face multiple programs, different communication styles and emoji in e-discovery, so they must consider new strategies to adapt their processes, says Cristin Traylor at Relativity.
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Opinion
Thomas Report Is Final Straw — High Court Needs Ethics Code
As a recent report on Justice Clarence Thomas' ongoing conflicts of interest makes evident, Supreme Court justices should be subject to an enforceable and binding code of ethics — like all other federal judges — to maintain the credibility of the institution, says Erica Salmon Byrne at Ethisphere.
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Joint Representation Ethics Lessons From Ga. Electors Case
The Fulton County district attorney's recent motion to disqualify an attorney from representing her elector clients, claiming a nonconsentable conflict of interest, raises key questions about representing multiple clients related to the same conduct and highlights potential pitfalls, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Grace Wynn at HWG.
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Lawyer Discernment Is Critical In The World Of AI
In light of growing practical concerns about risks and challenges posed by artificial intelligence, lawyers' experience with the skill of discernment will position them to help address new ethical and moral dilemmas and ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a way that benefits society as a whole, says Jennifer Gibbs at Zelle.
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Don't Forget Alumni Engagement When Merging Law Firms
Neglecting law firm alumni programs after a merger can sever the deep connections attorneys have with their former firms, but by combining good data management and creating new opportunities to reconnect, firms can make every member in their expanded network of colleagues feel valued, say Clare Roath and Erin Warner at Troutman Pepper.
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Without Stronger Due Diligence, Attys Risk AML Regulation
Amid increasing pressure to mitigate money laundering and terrorism financing risks in gatekeeper professions, the legal industry will need to clarify and strengthen existing client due diligence measures — or risk the federal regulation attorneys have long sought to avoid, says Jeremy Glicksman at the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.
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Insureds' Notice Pleading May Be Insufficient In Federal Court
A recent New Jersey federal court ruling in Bauman v. Hanover Insurance held that bare-bones notice pleading was insufficient and dismissed the policyholder's coverage complaint, a reminder that courts may require more than an expression of general disagreement with an insurance company's denial letter to proceed with the case, says Eugene Killian at The Killian Firm.
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Every Lawyer Can Act To Prevent Peer Suicide
Members of the legal industry can help prevent suicide among their colleagues, and better protect their own mental health, by learning the predictors and symptoms of depression among attorneys and knowing when and how to get practical aid to peers in crisis, says Joan Bibelhausen at Minnesota Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers.
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Building On Successful Judicial Assignment Reform In Texas
Prompt action by the Judicial Conference could curtail judge shopping and improve the efficiency and procedural fairness of the federal courts by implementing random districtwide assignment of cases, which has recently proven successful in Texas patent litigation, says Dabney Carr at Troutman Pepper.
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Opinion
Ga. Needs To Resolve Cannabis Counsel Confusion
Georgia’s medical cannabis regulator finally adopted rules for low-THC oil last month, but a 2021 ethics ruling prohibits lawyers from advising participants in the state’s legal program and creates a confounding landscape that the state bar and courts must address, say Whitt Steineker and Mason Kruze at Bradley Arant.
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Patent Litigants Should Be Vigilant After Rare Retrial Order
A California federal court's recent unusual order for a new trial for attorney misconduct in Pavemetrics v. Tetra Tech should remind patent litigants to be careful about arguments that frame an infringement case in a way that does not fairly reflect the dispute at hand, say Ranganath Sudarshan and Yuval Mor at Covington.