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Legal Ethics
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June 30, 2025
Ex-Defender Tells 4th Circ. Bias Hearing Would've Been Futile
A former assistant public defender looking to revive her bias suit fought Monday to convince the Fourth Circuit that it would have been futile to wait for a final hearing on her sexual harassment claim through the judiciary's internal complaint process before quitting, citing in part her boss's alleged favoritism of the accused party.
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June 30, 2025
4 Mass. Rulings You May Have Missed In June
A now-shuttered Boston firm scored a win in a legal malpractice lawsuit by a youth soccer program, while a securities brokerage found that the old adage "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" doesn't apply to litigation, among other recent noteworthy decisions in Massachusetts state court.
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June 30, 2025
Ga. Judge Can't Quash Ethics Charges, Watchdog Panel Says
A Georgia superior court judge has lost her bid to quash the charges brought against her by the state's judicial watchdog, with the state's Judicial Qualifications Commission saying investigators' financial backing of one of her political opponents does not justify tossing the charges.
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June 30, 2025
Trump Admin Appeals Perkins Coie Case To DC Circ.
The Trump administration announced in D.C. federal court on Monday that it's not giving up on its effort to punish Perkins Coie LLP through an executive order, even after losing four court rulings that found its actions in this and three similar cases are unconstitutional.
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June 30, 2025
Fla. Law Firm Accused Of Holding Deal Funds 'Hostage'
Florida personal injury firm Brotman Nusbaum Ibrahim PLLC has been hit with a state court malpractice suit claiming it held a client's settlement funds "hostage" and then duped his daughter into signing a release to try to block him from suing a surgeon over an allegedly botched surgery.
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June 30, 2025
Law Firm Aims To Exit Lowenstein Sandler Suit Over Affidavit
Trif & Modugno LLC asked a New Jersey state judge to dismiss Lowenstein Sandler LLP's claims against the firm as part of its legal battle with a cannabis dispensary, saying the claims fail because Lowenstein Sandler did not file an affidavit of merit.
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June 30, 2025
McCarter & English Says Developer Estate Suit Is A Duplicate
McCarter & English LLP and the estate of a deceased attorney should not have to face a new lawsuit over the alleged mismanagement of a Connecticut retail developer's trust because it seeks to "derail" a pending case that is already teed up for trial, the defendants told a state court.
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June 30, 2025
Lin Wood Can't Avoid Legal Costs In Defamation Case
A Georgia federal judge has found that retired attorney L. Lin Wood can't escape paying his former law partners $750,000 in attorney fees and costs related to a $3.75 million defamation verdict against him, rejecting his argument that the statute governing attorney fees was unconstitutional.
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June 30, 2025
Judge Hits Pause On Civil RICO Suit Against NJ Power Broker
A New Jersey judge has entered a consent order pausing a real estate developer's civil racketeering suit against influential South Jersey businessman George Norcross III, holding the parties' dispute in stasis until an appeal over the dismissal of a related criminal indictment can be resolved.
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June 30, 2025
Calif. Panel Chides Attys Who Hid Opponent's Inactive Status
In a precedential ruling, a California appellate panel found a party whose counsel's license was made inactive should have been treated as though the attorney had died or been suspended, overturning a $70,000 fee award levied against a woman who was not informed that her lawyer was inactive.
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June 30, 2025
Fox Rothschild Beats RICO Suit From 2 Former Clients
A New Jersey federal judge has tossed federal racketeering and state law claims lodged against Fox Rothschild LLP by two former clients who accused the firm of "knowingly and willfully robbing their immigration clients."
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June 30, 2025
Conn. Firm Settles Ex-Client's Malpractice Suit Over Biz Sale
Connecticut law firm Oberst DeFala Law PC and a former client have settled a malpractice lawsuit alleging attorney Sharon Oberst DeFala improperly represented both parties in a restaurant buyout and drafted an agreement that favored the seller, court records show.
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June 27, 2025
Trump's Susman Godfrey 'Sword Of Damocles' Order Tossed
A Washington, D.C., federal judge Friday struck down as unconstitutional President Donald Trump's executive order targeting Susman Godfrey LLP, saying it was issued in retaliation for the firm's representation of clients and causes with which the president disagrees, while hanging "like the sword of Damocles" over the BigLaw firm.
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June 27, 2025
Ga. Panel Says Court's Tech Glitch Shouldn't Kill Appeal
The Georgia Court of Appeals on Friday revived a tenant's appeal of an eviction action, saying the trial court wrongly dismissed the matter when it failed to explain why evidence of a delay caused by the court's electronic filing system did not save the appeal.
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June 27, 2025
2nd Circ. Mulls Arguments In NY Atty Grievance Privacy Suit
A Second Circuit panel has questioned whether a pathway exists to limit the scope of "presumptive public access" to attorney grievance documents in New York, as the panel considers the state's appeal of a federal district court ruling that would make records related to attorney misconduct cases public.
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June 27, 2025
Sunbeam Says 'Reptile Theory' Tactics Doom $8.8M Verdict
Sunbeam Products Inc. and parent company Newell Brands Inc. want a new trial in a case where a woman won an $8.8 million verdict on claims that a slow cooker made by the companies left her with burns, asserting that her attorneys committed misconduct aimed at using "Reptile Theory" to inflame the jury.
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June 27, 2025
Court Urged To Push Ex-GC To Provide Co. Laptop Password
E-commerce company Storehouse In A Box has asked a federal judge in Michigan to issue a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order against its former general counsel and chief operating officer, arguing he refused to give the company access to a laptop that the company provided and used the company's trade secrets for his benefit.
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June 27, 2025
Calif. Panel Tosses Hacking Case Against Ex-LA Prosecutor
A California state appeals court has ordered the dismissal of criminal claims against former Los Angeles Assistant District Attorney Diana Teran over her use of public sheriff's deputy files contained in a "confidential" database.
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June 27, 2025
Ga. Panel Fines Atty For 'Blatant Lack Of Professionalism'
The Georgia Court of Appeals on Friday backed the dismissal of a lawyer's libel suit against opposing counsel over a discovery dispute in a personal injury case, going so far as to slap the attorney with a fine for wasting its time with the "frivolous" appeal.
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June 27, 2025
2 Firms Accused Of Vexatious Litigation Over Property Liens
Law firms Neubert Pepe & Monteith PC and Cuddy & Feder LLP have been sued by a Greenwich, Connecticut, couple who claim the firms misused the court system in order to delay payouts they were owed by a property owner, including a stake in a $7.9 million judgment in New York.
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June 27, 2025
BNP Alleges 'Coaching' In Refugee Case Sanctions Bid
BNP Paribas has asked a Manhattan federal judge to open a sanctions investigation into plaintiffs' attorneys leading a long-running suit alleging the bank had a hand in funding human rights violations perpetrated by the former Sudanese government, accusing the attorneys of "coaching" prospective class members to submit potentially falsified claims.
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June 27, 2025
NC Biz Court Bulletin: Last-Minute Settlements Head Off Trials
Untouched by the summer slump, the North Carolina Business Court kicked off June with a sanctions order against a biogas company caught spurning court orders and a new complaint by a former NFL player accusing his longtime financial adviser of defrauding him for decades.
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June 26, 2025
Kirkland Stops Repping Novartis After Regeneron Sought DQ
A New York federal judge accepted the withdrawal Thursday of the entire Kirkland & Ellis LLP team that recently joined Novartis Pharma's legal team battling antitrust allegations over the eye medication Eylea, just a week after plaintiff Regeneron Pharmaceuticals sought their disqualification over an "unthinkable" conflict of interest by the lawyers, whose firm previously represented Regeneron.
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June 26, 2025
Fla. Lawyers Suspended For Online Criticism Of Judge
Florida's high court on Thursday approved a one-month suspension for a father-daughter team of attorneys for their online comments criticizing a judge who reversed a $2.75 million jury verdict in favor of a doctor who sued for discrimination, finding that there were also mitigating factors in the attorneys' cases.
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June 26, 2025
Ex-Trump Atty Chesebro Disbarred In NY For Fake Elector Plot
President Donald Trump's former attorney Kenneth Chesebro, the so-called "architect" in the plot to use fake electors to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results, has been disbarred from practicing law in the state of New York, according to a unanimous decision issued on Thursday.
Expert Analysis
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E-Discovery Quarterly: The Perils Of Digital Data Protocols
Though stipulated protocols governing the treatment of electronically stored information in litigation are meant to streamline discovery, recent disputes demonstrate that certain missteps in the process can lead to significant inefficiencies, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Series
Law School's Missed Lessons: Preparing For Corporate Work
Law school often doesn't cover the business strategy, financial fluency and negotiation skills needed for a successful corporate or transactional law practice, but there are practical ways to gain relevant experience and achieve the mindset shifts critical to a thriving career in this space, says Dakota Forsyth at Olshan Frome.
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A Cold War-Era History Lesson On Due Process
The landmark Harry Bridges case from the mid-20th century Red Scare offers important insights on why lawyers must be free of government reprisal, no matter who their client is, says Peter Afrasiabi at One LLP.
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Series
Improv Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Improv keeps me grounded and connected to what matters most, including in my legal career where it has helped me to maintain a balance between being analytical, precise and professional, and creative, authentic and open-minded, says Justine Gottshall at InfoLawGroup.
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How BigLaw Executive Orders May Affect Smaller Firms
Because of the types of cases they take on, solo practitioners, small law firms and public interest attorneys may find themselves more dramatically affected by the collective impact of recent government action involving the legal industry than even the BigLaw firms named in the executive orders, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Opinion
Lawsuits Shouldn't Be Shadow Assets For Foreign Capital
Third-party litigation financing amplifies inefficiencies from litigation and facilitates national exposure to foreign influence in the U.S. justice system, so full disclosure of financing arrangements should be required as a matter of institutional integrity, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
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How To Accelerate Your Post-Attorney Career Transition
Professionals seeking to transition to nonattorney careers may encounter skepticism as nontraditional candidates, but there are opportunities for thought leadership and to leverage speaking and writing to accelerate a post-attorney career transition, say Janet Falk at Falk Communications and Evgeny Efremkin at Toronto Metropolitan University.
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Series
Law School's Missed Lessons: Be An Indispensable Associate
While law school teaches you to research, write and think critically, it often overlooks the professional skills you will need to make yourself an essential team player when transitioning from a summer to full-time associate, say attorneys at Stinson.
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Series
Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.
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Series
Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Leadership To BigLaw
The move from government service to private practice can feel like changing one’s identity, but as someone who has left the U.S. Department of Justice twice, I’ve learned that a successful transition requires patience, effort and the realization that the rewards of practicing law don’t come from one particular position, says Richard Donoghue at Pillsbury.
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Law Firm Executive Orders Create A Legal Ethics Minefield
Recent executive orders targeting BigLaw firms create ethical dilemmas — and raise the specter of civil or criminal liability — for the government attorneys tasked with implementing them and for the law firms that choose to make agreements with the administration, say attorneys at Buchalter.
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Firms Must Embrace Alternative Billing Models Or Fall Behind
As artificial intelligence tools eliminate inefficiencies and the Big Four accounting firms enter the legal market, law firms that pivot from the entrenched billable hour model to outcomes-based pricing will see a distinct competitive advantage, says attorney William Brewer.
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How Attorneys Can Master The Art Of On-Camera Presence
As attorneys are increasingly presented with on-camera opportunities, they can adapt their traditional legal skills for video contexts — such as virtual client meetings, marketing content or media interviews — by understanding the medium and making intentional adjustments, says Kerry Barrett.
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Series
Baseball Fantasy Camp Makes Me A Better Lawyer
With six baseball fantasy experiences under my belt, I've learned time and again that I didn't make the wrong career choice, but I've also learned that baseball lessons are life lessons, and I'm a better lawyer for my time at St. Louis Cardinals fantasy camp, says Scott Felder at Wiley.
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Series
Adapting To Private Practice: From Fed. Prosecutor To BigLaw
Making the jump from government to private practice is no small feat, but, based on my experience transitioning to a business-driven environment after 15 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, it can be incredibly rewarding and help you become a more versatile lawyer, says Michael Beckwith at Dickinson Wright.