Analysis

Appeal Of US Atty Invalidations May Be 'Devastating' To DOJ

By Phillip Bantz

As the list of interim and acting U.S. attorneys found to be unlawfully appointed under President Donald Trump grows, so too does the pressure on his administration to make the next move, which could force a risky strategic decision on whether to push the issue up to the U.S. Supreme Court, experts said.

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NJ Panel OKs Cell Data In Rape Case Despite Flawed Warrants

By Elizabeth Daley

Cellphone tower data is admissible evidence against two men accused in a robbery and rape case, a New Jersey state appeals court ruled Thursday, clarifying requirements for "tower dump warrants" while concluding that the initially ill-gotten data would have been obtained by lawful means.

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NJ High Court Backs DVR Seizure In Murder-Arson Case

By Elizabeth Daley

A man accused of murdering four of his family members, then trying to cover his tracks by setting houses ablaze, cannot suppress evidence taken by police from his burning property without a warrant, New Jersey's highest court said in a reversal Thursday, finding an exception applied.

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9th Circ. To Decide Agents' Immunity In Fatal Ariz. Shooting

By Joyce Hanson

An Arizona federal judge has agreed to let three U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents pause a lawsuit against them until the Ninth Circuit weighs in on whether they are immune from the suit claiming they wrongfully shot and killed a Tohono O'odham Nation man.

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SDNY Judge Unsure Of Jurisdiction In Maurene Comey Suit

By Pete Brush

A Manhattan federal judge said Thursday he may not have jurisdiction over former prosecutor Maurene Comey's suit claiming President Donald Trump's rivalry with her father, former FBI Director James Comey, led to her firing.

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Suspension Over For Pa. Judge Accused Of COVID Fraud

By P.J. D'Annunzio

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday ended a suspension without pay for a county judge who was accused of COVID-19 employment relief fraud following his entrance into a diversion agreement with federal prosecutors that ended with the indictment being dismissed. 

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Texas Justices Weigh Fraud Claims Against Defense Attys

By Spencer Brewer

Texas justices had qualms with a law firm's argument that a former client and his mother can't bring fraud claims for a fee dispute, asking during oral arguments Thursday if the firm was contending that it is impossible for a defense lawyer to defraud their client.

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2nd Circ. Restores Ex-Union Boss' Bribery Sentence

By Rae Ann Varona

The Second Circuit on Thursday ordered a Manhattan federal court to reinstate a nearly five-year prison sentence for a former boss in New York City's largest correction officers union, saying disparities between his bribery sentence and those given to his co-defendants didn't warrant his early release.

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Trans Defendants Deserve 'Basic Respect,' Experts Say

By Parker Quinlan

The case of Justice Brett Kavanaugh's would-be assassin, who came out as a transgender woman following her arrest, illustrates how criminal courts can be unprepared for, or even hostile to, trans defendants, and experts tell Law360 that courts can make significant inroads by showing trans people a modicum of respect.

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Series

Preaching Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Becoming a Gospel preacher has enhanced my success as a trial lawyer by teaching me the importance of credibility, relatability, persuasiveness and thorough preparation for my congregants, the same skills needed with judges and juries in the courtroom, says Reginald Harris at Stinson.

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Immigration Lawyers Battle Burnout Amid Deportation Surge

By Daniel Connolly

As the Trump administration carries out a mass deportation campaign across the country, immigration attorneys faced with heavy demand and changing norms are feeling the impact of burnout and stress on their practices and emotions, they told Law360.

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Calif. Agency Hires Ex-DOJ Crypto Enforcement Director

By Sarah Jarvis

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation has brought on a new general counsel who previously served in leadership positions with the U.S. Department of Justice, including director of its cryptocurrency enforcement team.

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Fla. Judge OKs Release Of Epstein Grand Jury Transcripts

By Rae Ann Varona

A Florida federal judge on Friday ordered the release of grand jury transcripts from an investigation of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, citing a newly enacted law that the government said overrides a prohibition on disclosing the documents to the public.

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Bonus Spotlight

Katten Exceeds Market Bonus Scale, Orrick Matches

By Tracey Read

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP has joined a select few law firms that have gone beyond the BigLaw norm for year-end and special bonuses.

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Brief

Holland & Knight Adds Ex-House Speaker's Adviser In DC

By Tracey Read

Holland & Knight LLP has added the former senior policy adviser and counsel to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., as a public policy and regulation practice group partner.

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Roundup

GC Cheat Sheet: The Hottest Corporate News Of The Week

By Michele Gorman

An SEC panel has asked the agency to adopt regulations that could standardize the way publicly traded companies report details about AI use. Meanwhile, the FCC approved AT&T's $1 billion UScellular deal after AT&T became the latest of the big three mobile carriers to agree to do away with diversity, equity and inclusion policies. These are some of the stories in corporate legal news you may have missed in the past week.

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Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Kevin Penton

Gupta Wessler LLP and Block & Leviton LLP lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the Eleventh Circuit revived a proposed class action against NextEra Energy Inc. that seeks to hold the energy company liable for a share price drop that followed political interference allegations involving a subsidiary.

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Mass. IOLTA Panel Says It's Owed Slice Of Residual Funds

By Julie Manganis

A Massachusetts panel that oversees Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts asked the state's highest court Friday to at least partially unwind a $4 million class action settlement, saying a lower court didn't give it a chance to argue for a portion of what it says are "significant" residual funds.

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Judges Beat Ethics Suits For Dropping Retirement Post-Trump

By Jake Maher

A Fourth Circuit judge and two district court judges have defeated ethics complaints from a conservative legal organization alleging they improperly reversed their decisions to take senior status after President Donald Trump was elected.

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Court Staff Attys Settle Claims Of Undermining Colleague

By Julie Manganis

Six months after Massachusetts' highest court revived some of a former Appeals Court staff attorney's claims in a suit alleging two supervisors intentionally undermined him, the parties have reported reaching a settlement in the case.

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