Legal Ethics

  • September 16, 2024

    McCarter & English's Misstatement Won't Nix Malpractice Win

    A New Jersey state judge has refused to toss his decision dismissing a biotechnology company's legal malpractice lawsuit against McCarter & English LLP, finding that the firm's misstatement about the chronology of earlier litigation — repeated in the judge's opinion — did not warrant reviving the case. 

  • September 16, 2024

    Ex-Atty In Fla. Charged With Pilfering $650K From Estate

    A Florida attorney who was disbarred this year now faces criminal charges alleging that he embezzled nearly $650,000 from a former client's estate.

  • September 16, 2024

    Law Firm Director Dishonestly Misled Insurer, SRA Says

    The solicitors' watchdog told a disciplinary tribunal on Monday that a law firm director had dishonestly concealed the fact that his company had acquired another firm's work and staff after his insurer declined to offer cover for the change.

  • September 15, 2024

    Top Atty For NYC Mayor Resigns As Fed. Investigations Mount

    As investigations and high-profile departures continue around New York City's embattled Mayor Eric Adams, his chief counsel resigned Saturday.

  • September 13, 2024

    The 2024 Regional Powerhouses

    The law firms on Law360's list of 2024 Regional Powerhouses reflected the local peculiarities of their states while often representing clients in deals and cases that captured national attention.

  • September 13, 2024

    Conn. High Court Snapshot: Firm's Bill Battle Rages In Sept.

    The Connecticut Supreme Court's September case lineup tasks the justices with helping a federal court judge decide if McCarter & English LLP can fetch punitive damages in a billing battle with an ex-client, and if parents suing Target and others can be compensated for the impairment of their relationship with their injured child. Here, Law360 previews some highlights of the high court's argument schedule for the month.

  • September 13, 2024

    Bankman-Fried Lays Blame On Trial Judge In 2nd Circ. Appeal

    FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried on Friday launched an appeal of his fraud conviction over the cryptocurrency exchange's historic collapse, issuing a broadside against the judge who oversaw his trial and saying FTX's debtor counsel Sullivan & Cromwell LLP acted as an arm of the prosecution.

  • September 13, 2024

    Judiciary Panel Dems Endorse Amicus Funding Disclosure

    A plan to overhaul required financial disclosures in appellate amicus briefs has generated strong early reaction, including from two key congressional Democrats who endorsed the proposals.

  • September 13, 2024

    Fed. Judges Urged To Stop Clerks From Seeking Political Jobs

    Federal judges should prohibit their law clerks from applying for postclerkship jobs with political organizations, as that may connect the judges' chambers to political activity, a judiciary committee said in ethics guidance issued this week. 

  • September 13, 2024

    Trio Of BigLaw Mergers Expected To Drive More Deal Talks

    After months of a relatively steady pace of law firm mergers and acquisitions, the trio of proposed BigLaw tie-ups announced in recent days will likely spur more firms toward entertaining similar deal talks, experts say. Here, Law360 offers a snapshot of the proposed deals.

  • September 13, 2024

    Doctor Charged In DOJ Fraud Suit Gets 6 Months Probation

    One of the defendants accused in a healthcare fraud suit that ended in a mistrial in 2022 was sentenced Thursday to six months of probation after pleading guilty in June to one count of aiding and abetting the conversion of public money in connection with the alleged fraud.

  • September 13, 2024

    Ga. Lawyers Group Blast 'Chill' Of Young Thug Atty Contempt

    A Georgia criminal defense lawyers group has called on the state Supreme Court to erase the contempt conviction of an attorney representing rapper Young Thug for the lawyer's refusal to reveal how he learned about a judge's closed-door meeting with prosecutors and a witness, saying the sanction could have a chilling effect on attorneys' ability to represent criminal defendants.

  • September 13, 2024

    Lawyers To Face Tribunal Over Allegations Of Asylum Lies

    Two more solicitors must face a London disciplinary tribunal over allegations they advised clients to provide fake stories in their asylum claims following an undercover Daily Mail investigation into bogus asylum applications.

  • September 13, 2024

    Ex-Fla. Law Prof's Retaliation Suit Moved North To Tallahassee

    A central Florida federal judge has transferred a retaliation and breach of contract case brought by a former law professor at Florida A&M University College of Law to another Florida federal district court, finding that the dispute's ties to the Tallahassee area overcame arguments for keeping the case in Orlando.

  • September 12, 2024

    Trump Gets Counts Cut From Ga. Election Interference Case

    Donald Trump and his co-defendants in the sprawling Georgia election interference case scored a partial victory Thursday when a judge dismissed three charges from the 41-count indictment, pointing to a 134-year-old U.S. Supreme Court holding that states can't pursue criminal conduct in connection with federal matters.

  • September 12, 2024

    2nd Circ. Rejects Another Trump Bid To Halt Hush Money Case

    The Second Circuit on Thursday rejected former President Donald Trump's request for an emergency order pausing his criminal hush money case, citing New York state court Justice Juan M. Merchan's decision to push his sentencing hearing from Sept. 18 until after the election.

  • September 12, 2024

    Senate Preps Vote On 6th Circ. Nom Opposed By Tenn. GOP

    The U.S. Senate is set to vote Monday on the nomination of Kevin Ritz to join the Sixth Circuit bench despite strong objection from the senior senator from Tennessee, one of the circuit's four states.

  • September 12, 2024

    Paxton Deputy Says Ethics Claim Is Dangerous To Other Attys

    The Texas attorney general's office told the Texas Supreme Court Thursday that the State Bar of Texas had "transgressed the Constitution" by filing an ethics charge against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's first assistant, warning that allowing him to face action would put every attorney who files civil suits in danger.

  • September 12, 2024

    Jones Foster Defeats Bid To Revive Fla. Malpractice Suit

    A Florida federal judge on Thursday shot down a bid from onetime clients of Jones Foster PA to revive their malpractice lawsuit against the firm over its handling of trust litigation and ordered them to pay the firm more than $140,000 for unpaid legal fees. 

  • September 12, 2024

    Feds Eye Nixing Girardi's Ill. Case After Calif. Theft Conviction

    The federal government might drop its criminal charges in Illinois against disbarred attorney Tom Girardi following his recent conviction in California on similar charges of stealing millions from clients, a prosecutor indicated Thursday during a status hearing in the Prairie State matter.

  • September 12, 2024

    Ex-CBA Chief Jo Sidhu KC Accused Of Sexual Harrassment

    A former chair of the Criminal Bar Association is reportedly facing allegations of sexual harassment before a professional tribunal.

  • September 12, 2024

    Beasley Sues Fellow Talc Firms Over Joint Venture Gone Awry

    Beasley Allen is going after its law firm partner in a joint venture that has represented thousands in talcum powder litigation against Johnson & Johnson, claiming in a new federal lawsuit that the firm is partially responsible for more than $1 million in owed expenses and, driven by its own financial woes, has unilaterally been negotiating with the pharmaceutical giant to the detriment of clients.

  • September 12, 2024

    NY Top Court Rejects Trump's Latest Challenge To Gag Order

    New York's highest court on Thursday rebuffed Donald Trump's latest effort to strike down a gag order in his hush money case, saying the appeal didn't involve a "substantial constitutional question."

  • September 12, 2024

    Slater & Gordon Beats Former Analyst's Redundancy Appeal

    Slater & Gordon has defeated a cost analyst's appeal against the firm's decision to make him redundant, persuading a London judge on Thursday that a lower tribunal did not botch its investigation into the factors leading to his dismissal.

  • September 12, 2024

    Barrister Cleared Of Misconduct Over Touching Paralegal

    A One Essex Court barrister accused of touching a paralegal's thigh during a dinner has been cleared of misconduct, as a tribunal found on Thursday that he genuinely believed he was reciprocating her flirtation.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    A Tale Of 2 Trump Cases: The Rule Of Law Is A Live Issue

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision this week in Trump v. U.S., holding that former President Donald Trump has broad immunity from prosecution, undercuts the rule of law, while the former president’s New York hush money conviction vindicates it in eight key ways, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • Series

    Boxing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Boxing has influenced my legal work by enabling me to confidently hone the skills I've learned from the sport, like the ability to remain calm under pressure, evaluate an opponent's weaknesses and recognize when to seize an important opportunity, says Kirsten Soto at Clyde & Co.

  • Opinion

    Industry Self-Regulation Will Shine Post-Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper decision will shape the contours of industry self-regulation in the years to come, providing opportunities for this often-misunderstood practice, says Eric Reicin at BBB National Programs.

  • 3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Roundup

    After Chevron

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    In the month since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 26 different rulemaking and litigation areas.

  • Opinion

    Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem

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    The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: June Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy considers two recent decisions from the Third and Tenth Circuits, and identifies practice tips around class action settlements and standing in securities litigation.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

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    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

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    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

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    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • Money, Money, Money: Limiting White Collar Wealth Evidence

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    As courts increasingly recognize that allowing unfettered evidence of wealth could prejudice a jury against a defendant, white collar defense counsel should consider several avenues for excluding visual evidence of a lavish lifestyle at trial, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

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