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Legal Ethics
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May 02, 2024
Attys Due For Spam Suit Sanction, But Not $750K, Judges Say
Class counsel's misconduct in helping instigate a spam text suit against stock-trading app Robinhood Financial LLC warranted sanctions, a Washington state appeals court panel ruled Thursday, but the judges said the $750,000 penalty went over the top in deterring the bad behavior.
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May 02, 2024
Suspended Detroit Judge Running To Get Her Seat Back
A Detroit judge suspended by the Michigan Supreme Court for "repeated, deliberate misconduct" is running for an open judicial seat at her former court in the August primary election.
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May 02, 2024
Split 10th Circ. Spikes $17.3M Atty Fee Over Class Notice
A split Tenth Circuit panel has vacated for a second time a $17.3 million attorney fee award for reaching a $52 million class action settlement over gas well royalty payments, with the majority writing that the lower court erred by not requiring a new class notice regarding the revised fee bid.
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May 02, 2024
Law Professor Gets $361K Illegal Recording Verdict Axed
A New Jersey federal judge has agreed to vacate a $361,000 verdict against a law professor who a jury determined illegally wiretapped her former son-in-law and invaded his privacy.
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May 02, 2024
Coverage Recap: Day 6 Of Trump's NY Hush Money Trial
Law360 reporters are providing live updates from the Manhattan criminal courthouse as Donald Trump goes on trial for allegedly falsifying business records related to hush money payments ahead of the 2016 election. Here's a recap from day six.
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May 02, 2024
Rules Against Judge Shopping Move Forward At Fed Agency
Federal appellate courts should review most government agency actions, and cases involving those actions that wind up in district courts should be subject to district-wide assignment to avoid judge shopping, according to recommendations approved Thursday by a committee of the federal agency charged with improving government rulemaking.
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May 02, 2024
11th Circ. 'Emphatically' Upholds JCPenney's Sanctions Win
The Eleventh Circuit has affirmed a $63,000 sanction against an Alabama shopping mall amid its lease dispute with JCPenney, finding that the mall acted in bad faith by not notifying the court of a lack of diversity jurisdiction, eventually sinking the case — only after JCPenney won partial summary judgment and a later mediation failed.
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May 02, 2024
Atty Facing Gag Order Bid Says He's Not 'Ambulance-Chasing'
Tyrone Blackburn, the attorney for two men suing Fox Rothschild LLP for malpractice, has hit back at the firm after it called attention to a recent ruling referring him to a grievance committee, saying he is "not an ambulance-chasing attorney who lives in front of a camera."
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May 02, 2024
Dilworth Paxson Attys Disciplined Over NJ Eatery Conflict
Two Dilworth Paxson LLP partners were sanctioned by the New Jersey Supreme Court this week for investing in a restaurant on the campus of The College of New Jersey at the same time they were legally representing another investment group on the project.
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May 02, 2024
Moses & Singer, Ex-Partner Settle Pregnancy Bias Suit
A New York federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed against litigation firm Moses & Singer LLP by a former partner who accused it of wrongfully firing her after she requested workplace accommodations for her pregnancy, saying the parties have reached "a settlement in principle."
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May 02, 2024
Feds Want Prison For Ex-Public Defender For Tax Fraud
A former chief public defender in Minneapolis who in seeking leniency said he resigned in disgrace amid accusations that he failed to pay taxes for years on his private law firm should nonetheless spend eight months in prison after pleading guilty, prosecutors told a Minnesota federal court.
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May 02, 2024
Schumer Reups Call For His Judge Shopping Bill
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday that a suit filed in a controversial Texas court challenging a new firearms policy from the Biden administration underscores the need for his bill to restrict so-called "judge shopping."
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May 01, 2024
Eastman Denied Stay Of Inactive Status To 'Safeguard' Public
A State Bar Court of California judge on Wednesday denied a request from Donald Trump's onetime attorney John Eastman to delay placing him on inactive enrollment while he appeals the recommendation for his disbarment, saying he hasn't shown that "he no longer presents a threat to the public."
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May 01, 2024
Amazon Can't Sanction Atty In Chinese Seller Award Case
Amazon can't sanction a Manhattan lawyer for her alleged history of using "frivolous" legal arguments to try to send back to state court litigation to vacate arbitral awards involving Chinese sellers, a New York federal judge ruled Wednesday.
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May 01, 2024
NY Lawmakers Call For Cop-Shoving Judge's Replacement
New York State Senate Judiciary Committee members said that either the governor or senate should ensure Justice Mark Grisanti is ousted after an ethics panel opted not to remove the Buffalo judge who brawled with neighbors, shoved a cop and invoked his ties to power, among other unethical behavior.
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May 01, 2024
Trump's Firm Can't Yet Withdraw After Atty-Client 'Breakdown'
A Manhattan federal judge won't yet allow the attorneys representing Donald Trump's campaign to withdraw from a pregnancy retaliation suit brought by a former campaign aide over what they called an "irreparable breakdown in the attorney-client relationship," but on Wednesday set a conference to review the request behind closed doors.
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May 01, 2024
Fed. Judge's Handcuffing Of Girl Was Misconduct, Panel Says
The Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit found Wednesday that a California federal judge who ordered a crying 13-year-old girl in his courtroom be handcuffed engaged in judicial misconduct, issuing a reprimand for his actions and ordering that the judge not be assigned new criminal cases for three years.
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May 01, 2024
Mich. Atty Can't Avoid Suspension For Frivolous Cases
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has said a 100-day suspension is appropriate for an attorney accused of filing frivolous claims and misleading federal and state courts while representing clients in cases against governmental entities and elected government officials.
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May 01, 2024
More Withdraw From Conn. Atty Hacked Payment Lawsuits
A series of withdrawals has cut into a voluminous pile of lawsuits surrounding a real estate attorney's wiring of money to the wrong people in connection with several real estate sales, with First American Title among the parties that filed recent withdrawal notices in the myriad matters.
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May 01, 2024
Former Calif. Law Student's ADA Suit Gets Tossed
A California federal judge has thrown out a long-running suit by a former student at the John F. Kennedy College of Law's Northern California campus, who accused the university of failing to provide the pro se litigant with reasonable accommodations, finding the student received more help than he requested.
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May 01, 2024
NJ Atty Fights 'Hare-Brained' Malpractice Claims In RE Dispute
A suspended New Jersey attorney is seeking summary judgment and sanctions for a "hare-brained" attempt by Chaitman LLP to mount a third-party complaint holding him liable for allegedly providing bad legal advice that prompted a malpractice case between Chaitman and former clients.
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May 01, 2024
Kirkland Rips 'Tortured' Theory In Texas Judge Romance Suit
Kirkland & Ellis LLP's inclusion in a Texas federal suit accusing it of conspiring with Jackson Walker LLP, a disgraced Texas bankruptcy judge and a former Jackson Walker partner who was his romantic partner to oust a CEO is based on "a tortured theory" and "flimsy facts," the firm declared.
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May 01, 2024
In Trump Staredown With NY Judge, 'Somebody Has To Blink'
Experts say Donald Trump will likely continue to ignore warnings from the court, and possibly his own attorneys, as his Manhattan hush money trial resumes Thursday with a fresh set of arguments over the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's out-of-court statements.
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May 01, 2024
Ex-Seton Hall President Fights Bid To Toss Whistleblower Suit
Seton Hall University's former president is fighting to keep his explosive whistleblower suit against the school alive, arguing that he should be allowed to pursue his claims in court despite terms in his severance agreement stating otherwise because Seton Hall already violated that agreement by slashing his salary.
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May 01, 2024
Law Firm Fabiani Hit With Race, Gender Bias Suit
A Black female insurance and construction law attorney sued Fabiani Cohen & Hall LLP and its three name partners Tuesday in New York federal court, alleging she was subjected to a "despicable campaign" of harassment for more than a decade.
Expert Analysis
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Why Incorporating By Reference Is Rarely Good Practice
The Federal Circuit’s recent ruling in Promptu Systems v. Comcast serves as a reminder that while incorporating by reference may seem efficient, it is generally prohibited by courts and can lead to sanctions when used to bypass a word count limit, says Cullen Seltzer at Sands Anderson.
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Series
Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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Trump's NY Civil Fraud Trial Spotlights Long-Criticized Law
A New York court’s recent decision holding former President Donald Trump liable for fraud brought old criticisms of the state law used against him back into the limelight — including its strikingly broad scope and its major departures from the traditional elements of common law fraud, say Mark Kelley and Lois Ahn at MoloLamken.
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Opinion
Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
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4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
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Series
Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer
Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.
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Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.
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Stay Interviews Are Key To Retaining Legal Talent
Even as the economy shifts and layoffs continue, law firms still want to retain their top attorneys, and so-called stay interviews — informal conversations with employees to identify potential issues before they lead to turnover — can be a crucial tool for improving retention and morale, say Tina Cohen Nicol and Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.
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The Fed. Circ. In February: A Reminder On Procedure Rule 28
Because the Federal Circuit does not often issue a sua sponte precedential order emphasizing an important rule of practice, it is useful to look at how the court applied the restrictions of appellate procedure Rule 28 in Promptu v. Comcast last month, and in cases that preceded it, say Jeremiah Helm and Sean Murray at Knobbe Martens.
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Opinion
DOJ Press Office Is Not Fulfilling Its Stated Mission
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs’ apparent practice of issuing press releases when someone is indicted or convicted, but not when a defendant prevails, undermines its stated mission to disseminate “current, complete and accurate” information, and has negative real-world ramifications, says Sara Kropf at Kropf Moseley.
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Series
Spray Painting Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My experiences as an abstract spray paint artist have made me a better litigator, demonstrating — in more ways than one — how fluidity and flexibility are necessary parts of a successful legal practice, says Erick Sandlin at Bracewell.
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Opinion
Litigation Funding Needs Regulating To Meet Ethics Standards
Third-party litigation funding can provide litigants with access to the legal system, but, as recent cases show, the funding agreements carry the potential for exploitation and may conflict with core aspects of the attorney-client relationship, making the need for a balanced regulation self-evident, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.
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Opinion
Judicial Independence Is Imperative This Election Year
As the next election nears, the judges involved in the upcoming trials against former President Donald Trump increasingly face political pressures and threats of violence — revealing the urgent need to safeguard judicial independence and uphold the rule of law, says Benes Aldana at the National Judicial College.
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Series
Riding My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Using the Peloton platform for cycling, running, rowing and more taught me that fostering a mind-body connection will not only benefit you physically and emotionally, but also inspire stamina, focus, discipline and empathy in your legal career, says Christopher Ward at Polsinelli.