Legal Ethics

  • July 01, 2026

    Mazie Slater Beats Benicar Fees Sanctions Row Discovery Bid

    A New Jersey federal judge has blocked the latest bid by former Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman clients to conduct more discovery in order to fight the firm's sanctions bid in their suit over allegedly excessive attorney fees, finding they failed to show exceptional circumstances existed.

  • July 01, 2026

    Wash. Atty Loses Bid For Jury In Dispute Over Bar Sanctions

    A Washington lawyer sanctioned and disciplined for bringing a "frivolous" election suit in 2021 against then-Gov. Jay Inslee has lost her bid to have her ethics charges heard by a jury, with a state appeals panel finding no error in a trial court's ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to take on the disciplinary matter.

  • July 01, 2026

    Pullman & Comley Escapes Challenge To Municipal Tax Work

    Pullman & Comley LLC has escaped claims that a Connecticut town illegally delegated its tax collection authority to it and one of its attorneys, with a judge agreeing to dissolve an order blocking a home sale and dismiss the action at the request of the parties.

  • July 01, 2026

    Whistleblower's Ex-Atty Must Pay $111K For Fighting DQ

    A New Jersey magistrate judge on Wednesday refused to revisit sanctions against an attorney removed from a business dispute for mishandling privileged documents, ordering him to pay nearly $111,000 in legal fees to a South Korean company for the costs of litigating his disqualification and failed appeal.

  • July 01, 2026

    White House Recordkeeping Suit Paused While Gov't Appeals

    A D.C. federal judge has paused a suit accusing the Trump administration of skirting White House recordkeeping rules while the government appeals the preliminary injunction granted last month.

  • July 01, 2026

    Texas Federal Judge Requires Confirmation Of AI Checks

    Attorneys and self-represented parties appearing before U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez of the Western District of Texas are now required to certify that they have independently verified the contents of any filings created or edited using artificial intelligence.

  • June 30, 2026

    Pot Co. Fights To Keep Defamation Claims Against Atty Alive

    A Montana intellectual property attorney and his wife shouldn't be allowed to escape a cannabis cultivator's defamation lawsuit accusing them of posting falsehoods on social media, the company told a federal court, saying it could prove the posts were lies and resulted in $700,000 in losses.

  • June 30, 2026

    Claims Full Of 'Fog' Cloud Pa. Nurse's Racial Bias Suit

    An employment lawsuit argued Tuesday in Pittsburgh could raise questions of a joint employer's obligation to investigate and oppose alleged racial bias by another employer, but a federal judge said the claims were obscured by "a bunch of fog" and sharply challenged the plaintiff's lawyer to state the case more clearly.

  • June 30, 2026

    Morgan & Morgan Wins Bid To Arbitrate Ga. Malpractice Suit

    A Georgia appellate panel on Tuesday sent to arbitration a legal malpractice case accusing Morgan & Morgan of inducing a former auto collision client to accept a $750,000 settlement when the case was purportedly worth more, saying a broad arbitration clause in the representation agreement was valid and enforceable.

  • June 30, 2026

    McCarter Atty Says He Didn't Know NY Law Before $20M Deals

    A onetime McCarter & English LLP partner in Hartford testified Tuesday that he did not research New York's municipal contracting laws before helping two insurers enter into doomed $20 million loan repayment agreements with a Long Island town, but contended that he was under no obligation to do so.

  • June 30, 2026

    NJ Assembly Passes Litigation Funding Disclosure Bill

    The New Jersey Assembly passed a bill requiring the disclosure of third-party litigation funding arrangements on Tuesday by an overwhelming margin after similar pending legislation in the state Senate received pushback from trial lawyers and litigation finance representatives.

  • June 30, 2026

    Law Firm Permitted $63M Cannabis Ponzi Scheme, Suit Says

    The court-appointed receiver for a California cannabis cultivation company at the center of a $63 million Ponzi scheme has filed suit against Murchison & Cumming LLP in Los Angeles federal court, accusing the business litigation firm of looking the other way while a junior associate allowed the fraud conspiracy to continue by ignoring red flags.

  • June 30, 2026

    Ex-Morgan Lewis Atty Not Restored Over 'Dishonest Conduct'

    A former Morgan Lewis attorney suspended for his handling of a tax case and making misrepresentations to disciplinary authorities investigating his conduct failed to prove he was morally qualified to return to the practice of law, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed Tuesday.

  • June 30, 2026

    Ohio Accounting Firm Escapes Holtec's Fraud Claims

    A New Jersey state court judge tossed Holtec International's claims against an accounting firm in its suit alleging fraud against its former general counsel and others accused of embezzling tens of millions of dollars from the company, according to a court order.

  • June 30, 2026

    Ga. Justices Refuse To Take Up Drew Eckl's Arbitration Fight

    The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday denied Drew Eckl & Farnham LLP's bid to require a breakaway firm — founded by former Drew Eckl partners and others — to participate in arbitration in the fee dispute between the firm and ex-partners.

  • June 30, 2026

    Eletson Ex-Owners Ordered To Pay $296K In Fraud-Tainted Feud

    A New York federal judge has told the former majority owners of Eletson Gas to pay nearly $300,000 in sanctions after he vacated an underlying $102 million arbitration award over alleged fraud.

  • June 30, 2026

    Uber, FedEx Slam Pa. Law Firm Counterclaims In RICO Suit

    Philadelphia-based personal injury firm Simon & Simon PC and its founder have failed to support a counterclaim in Pennsylvania federal court saying Uber Technologies Inc. and FedEx Corp. filed a sham litigation and abused the legal process with their ongoing RICO complaint against the firm, the companies argued Monday.

  • June 30, 2026

    NC City Beats Ex-Paralegal's Besmirched Reputation Suit

    A North Carolina city's characterization of how a fired paralegal allegedly misused city resources is not enough to sustain her suit accusing the city of trampling on her reputation and using her as a scapegoat for her boss's misdeeds, a federal judge said in throwing out the case.

  • June 30, 2026

    Ex-Name Partner Drops Suit Over 'Toxic' Workplace At NJ Firm

    A former name partner at the personal injury firm now known as Corradino & Partners LLC dropped a suit against the firm and its remaining principal over allegations the partner was forced out of the firm by being subjected to a "toxic and intolerable environment."

  • June 30, 2026

    2 Ex-Clifford Chance Attys Say Firm Wants To Claw Back $6M

    Two former practice group leaders at Clifford Chance LLP have sued in New York federal court alleging the firm is trying to claw back nearly $6 million in total from the pair after they moved to Sidley Austin LLP early this year.

  • June 30, 2026

    Rhodium Seeks Sanctions Over Ch. 11 Patent Claim

    Bankrupt bitcoin miner Rhodium Encore on Tuesday asked a Texas bankruptcy judge to impose sanctions on cooling technology firm Midas Green Technologies, saying it spent more than $6 million fighting over Midas Green patent claims a district court judge had already dismissed.

  • June 30, 2026

    6th Circ. Says Insurers Needn't Cover Malpractice Suit

    A woman's legal malpractice claim against a Michigan law firm that represented her in a medical malpractice action is excluded under the firm's professional liability policies, the Sixth Circuit ruled, affirming the toss of her suit seeking to recoup coverage.

  • June 30, 2026

    Apple Gets High Court Review Of Epic Case Sanctions

    The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to take up Apple's challenge to a California federal court contempt order against it for violating a ban, won by Epic Games, on company policies that barred app developers from steering users to outside payment options.

  • June 29, 2026

    Calif. Firm Can't Arbitrate Ex-Clients' Sex-Abuse Deal Claims

    A California appellate court Monday said McGrath Kavinoky LLP can't arbitrate allegations it "bullied" two women into accepting a $374 million settlement for hundreds of clients claiming sexual abuse by a UCLA Health gynecologist, saying the firm's failure to obtain consent to the foreseeable conflicts made its engagement agreements unenforceable.

  • June 29, 2026

    Ore. Top Court Takes PacifiCorp Case As Judge Won't Recuse

    The Oregon Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of a decision overturning PacifiCorp's classwide liability for wildfire damages affecting about 2,000 property owners, days after an appeals judge who did work for the utility in private practice declined to recuse herself.

Expert Analysis

  • The Metamorphosis Of The Major Questions Doctrine

    Author Photo

    The so-called major questions doctrine arose as a counterweight to Chevron deference over the past few decades, but invocations of the doctrine have persisted in the year since Chevron was overturned, suggesting it still has a role to play in reining in agency overreach, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Series

    Playing Mah-Jongg Makes Me A Better Mediator

    Author Photo

    Mah-jongg rewards patience, pattern recognition, adaptability and keen observation, all skills that are invaluable to my role as a mediator, and to all mediating parties, says Marina Corodemus.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Navigating Client Trauma

    Author Photo

    Law schools don't train students to handle repeated exposure to clients' traumatic experiences, but for litigators practicing in areas like civil rights and personal injury, success depends on the ability to view cases clinically and to recognize when you may need to seek help, says Katie Bennett at Robins Kaplan.

  • Opinion

    4 Former Justices Would Likely Frown On Litigation Funding

    Author Photo

    As courts increasingly confront cases involving hidden litigation finance contracts, the jurisprudence of four former U.S. Supreme Court justices establishes a constitutional framework that risks erosion by undisclosed financial interests, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

  • How Attys Can Use AI To Surface Narratives In E-Discovery

    Author Photo

    E-discovery has reached a turning point where document review is no longer just about procedural tasks like identifying relevance and redacting privilege — rather, generative artificial intelligence tools now allow attorneys to draw connections, extract meaning and tell a coherent story, says Rose Jones at Hilgers Graben.

  • Opinion

    State Bars Must Probe Misconduct Claims, Even If It's The AG

    Author Photo

    The Florida Bar’s recent refusal to look into misconduct allegations against Attorney General Pam Bondi is dangerous for the rule of law, and other lawyer disciplinary bodies must be prepared to investigate credible claims of ethical lapses against any lawyer, no matter their position, say attorneys James Kobak and Albert Feuer.

  • Series

    Playing The Violin Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Playing violin in a string quartet reminds me that flexibility, ambition, strong listening skills, thoughtful leadership and intentional collaboration are all keys to a successful legal practice, says Julie Park at MoFo.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Practicing Self-Care

    Author Photo

    Law schools don’t teach the mental, physical and emotional health maintenance tools necessary to deal with the profession's many demands, but practicing self-care is an important key to success that can help to improve focus, manage stress and reduce burnout, says Rachel Leonard​​​​​​​ at MG+M.

  • ABA Opinion Makes It A Bit Easier To Drop A 'Hot Potato'

    Author Photo

    The American Bar Association's recent ethics opinion clarifies when attorneys may terminate clients without good cause, though courts may still disqualify a lawyer who drops a client like a hot potato, so sending a closeout letter is always a best practice, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

  • Series

    My Opera And Baseball Careers Make Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Though participating in opera and the world of professional baseball often pulls me away from the office, my avocations improve my legal career by helping me perform under scrutiny, prioritize team success, and maintain joy and perspective at work, says Adam Unger at Herrick Feinstein.

  • 8 Ways Lawyers Can Protect The Rule Of Law In Their Work

    Author Photo

    Whether they are concerned with judicial independence, regulatory predictability or client confidence, lawyers can take specific meaningful actions on their own when traditional structures are too slow or too compromised to respond, says Angeli Patel at the Berkeley Center of Law and Business.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Communicating With Clients

    Author Photo

    Law school curricula often overlook client communication procedures, and those who actively teach this crucial facet of the practice can create exceptional client satisfaction and success, says Patrick Hanson at Wiggam Law.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From US Rep. To Boutique Firm

    Author Photo

    My transition from serving as a member of Congress to becoming a partner at a boutique firm has been remarkably smooth, in part because I never stopped exercising my legal muscles, maintained relationships with my former colleagues and set the right tone at the outset, says Mondaire Jones at Friedman Kaplan.

  • Opinion

    Senate's 41% Litigation Finance Tax Would Hurt Legal System

    Author Photo

    The Senate’s latest version of the Big Beautiful Bill Act would impose a 41% tax on the litigation finance industry, but the tax is totally disconnected from the concerns it purports to address, and it would set the country back to a time when small plaintiffs had little recourse against big defendants, says Anthony Sebok at Cardozo School of Law.

  • Series

    Performing As A Clown Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    To say that being a clown in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has changed my legal career would truly be an understatement — by creating an opening to converse on a unique topic, it has allowed me to connect with clients, counsel and even judges on a deeper level, says Charles Tatelbaum at Tripp Scott.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Legal Ethics archive.