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Legal Ethics
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June 17, 2025
'Is Anybody Home?': Ex-Judge Faces Ethics Case Over Delays
A former California state appellate justice whose persistent backlog subjected hundreds of cases, including some involving juveniles, to delays of four, five, even eight years is now facing a state ethics proceeding alleging neglect of duty and willful misconduct in office.
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June 17, 2025
Gemini Says CFTC Enforcement Went 'Trophy-Hunting' In Suit
The crypto exchange Gemini on Tuesday slammed the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Enforcement Division and the attorneys who pursued a now-settled case against the firm, calling the division "out of control" and accusing its attorneys of engaging in "trophy-hunting lawfare."
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June 17, 2025
Hyundai Dealership Sues Snell & Wilmer Over 'Botched' Filing
A Los Angeles Hyundai dealership has hit Snell & Wilmer with a professional negligence lawsuit in California state court, accusing the firm and three attorneys of lying about an allegedly obviously "botched" arbitration motion in underlying litigation and then pursuing a meritless appeal costing Hyundai over $725,000 in unwarranted fees.
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June 17, 2025
Burford Blasts Interference Claim In Chicken Price-Fix Case
The Illinois federal judge handling consolidated price-fixing litigation against the nation's largest chicken producers should throw out the settlement interference counterclaim Tyson lodged alongside its answer in the case because it is no more than a speculation-based "fishing expedition," litigation funder Burford Capital argued.
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June 17, 2025
NJ Supreme Court Rejects Judicial Privacy Law Challenge
The New Jersey Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out a journalist's constitutional challenge to the judicial privacy measure Daniel's Law, finding it serves "a state interest of the highest order" in seeking to keep certain public officials out of harm's way.
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June 17, 2025
Judge OKs Deal To End LeClairRyan Founder Tax Claims
A Virginia bankruptcy judge Tuesday approved a settlement striking LeClairRyan PLLC founder Gary LeClair from the list of owners of the defunct firm, relieving him of responsibility for a share of the firm's nearly $21 million in tax liabilities.
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June 16, 2025
Davis Wright Must Face Employment Atty's Defamation Claim
A Washington state judge refused to toss in their entirety an employment attorney's defamation claims against Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and other firm partners, finding Washington's Uniform Public Expression Protection Act shields the firm from some of the attorney's allegations, but not all.
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June 16, 2025
Telecoms Shareholder Gets Sanctions Lifted In Control Fight
A New York federal judge has vacated his order sanctioning an investor in telecommunications infrastructure firm Continental Towers LATAM Holdings Ltd. for ignoring arbitral awards issued in a bitter, yearslong dispute over control of the company, saying the man wasn't properly served.
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June 16, 2025
Canadian Atty Must Pay SEC $323K Over Stock Promotion
A Canadian securities attorney will pay over $323,000 to resolve U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that he drafted and executed sham consulting agreements at the heart of a scheme to conceal pay-for-play promotion of two so-called Regulation A offerings.
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June 16, 2025
TM Registration Co. Sanctioned Over Attorney Signatures
A Mumbai-based business that offers trademark registration services was blocked by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from submitting any more trademark documents, after an investigation found it forged counsel signatures.
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June 16, 2025
Colo. Justices Allow Malicious Prosecution Case To Proceed
The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday ruled unanimously that a plaintiff may still have probable cause in a malicious prosecution case even if they were unable to win in the original case at summary judgment.
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June 16, 2025
Fla. Justices To Weigh 'Blindfolded' Jury Selection Procedure
The Florida Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether a so-called blindfolded jury selection method was fair to a man serving a life sentence for a murder conviction.
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June 16, 2025
Winery Can't Overcome Ex-Atty's 'Negligence' In Noise Suit
The Pennsylvania Superior Court held in a precedential ruling that the negligence of a winery's former counsel in failing to communicate with the winery during litigation over operating in a neighborhood isn't a good enough reason to reverse an order shutting it down.
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June 16, 2025
Convict's Outbursts Didn't Warrant DQ, Conn. Justices Rule
A Connecticut trial court judge acted within his power to consider and then add three criminal contempt sentences to a murder convict's prison term after the defendant hurled a series of racial and profane attacks at the court when a habeas corpus hearing concluded, the state's highest court ruled Monday.
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June 16, 2025
Ga. Judge Won't Revive Attorney's Lien On Former Client
The former attorney of a onetime Georgia county auditor cannot recover attorney fees from her earlier representation of the auditor in a whistleblower suit, a federal judge has ruled, finding she failed to prove she was prevented from fully and fairly litigating her case.
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June 16, 2025
NJ Atty Disciplined For Private Law Work On GC Role Time
A former general counsel for a New Jersey public agency previously fined for ethics breaches has now been censured, with the state Supreme Court issuing the discipline after finding he operated a private law practice out of his office at the agency.
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June 16, 2025
Firm Slams Insurer's Bid To Exit Malpractice Coverage Suit
A Berkshire Hathaway unit can't use misdirection to duck a negligence suit claiming the insurer's failure to defend a negligence lawsuit against a Georgia personal injury law firm led to a $2.6 million default judgment against the firm, according to a recent filing in Georgia federal court.
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June 16, 2025
Calif. Bar Panel Upholds Recommending Eastman Disbarment
A panel of the California State Bar Court's Review Department has affirmed the March 2024 recommended disbarment of President Donald Trump's former attorney, John Eastman, over attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
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June 16, 2025
Fake NY Lawyer Admits To Stealing Over $290K From Clients
A New York man admitted Monday that he posed as a lawyer to steal over $290,000 from people who thought he was doing class action, discrimination and other legal work, copping to larceny and fraud charges in state court.
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June 16, 2025
Biz Seller Seeks Atty Fees After Win In 'Frivolous' Fraud Case
The former owner of a North Carolina concrete company is seeking attorney fees after defeating a buyer's fraud suit in a rare midtrial victory, saying her opponent should have to cover her legal costs for bringing claims to trial that were both "frivolous" and "malicious."
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June 16, 2025
Fla. Judge Denies Ethics Breach Over Fake Recording
A judge in Broward County, Florida, pushed back on ethics charges accusing her of publicly sharing a fabricated recording of a chief judge disparaging another judge in her 2024 election campaign, saying her actions did not violate the Code of Judicial Conduct.
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June 16, 2025
Texas Bar Limits Attorney Nondisparagement Clauses
In a formal ethics opinion this month, the State Bar of Texas said nondisparagement clauses dealing with the practice of law cannot apply to lawyers licensed in the state, but attorneys could be subject to provisions involving their personal speech.
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June 13, 2025
Wash. Judge Tosses IUD Suit Against Bayer For Good
Bayer has beat a negligence lawsuit filed by a woman who claims its Mirena IUD perforated her uterus and migrated after the patient failed to oppose the company's motion to dismiss, a Washington federal judge ruled.
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June 13, 2025
Quinn Emanuel Drops Binance Founder Amid $8M Fraud Suit
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP has withdrawn as counsel for the founder of Binance amid an $8.1 million lawsuit against him, telling a Massachusetts federal judge that the former cryptocurrency exchange executive has breached an agreement with the law firm and moved for arbitration against it.
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June 13, 2025
Calif. State Bar Is Immune From Atty's ADA Suit, 9th Circ. Says
The Ninth Circuit on Friday declined to revive an attorney's claims alleging the California State Bar violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not granting extra time to respond to disciplinary action based on outstanding debt, finding the bar, as an arm of the state, is entitled to sovereign immunity.
Expert Analysis
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Series
Gardening Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond its practical and therapeutic benefits, gardening has bolstered important attributes that also apply to my litigation practice, including persistence, patience, grit and authenticity, says Christopher Viceconte at Gibbons.
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Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review
For attorneys — new ones especially — there is much fulfillment to find in document review by reflecting on how important, interesting and pleasant it can be, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Rank-And-File DOJ Attorneys Will Keep Calm And Carry On
Career prosecutors at the U.S. Department of Justice often pride themselves on their ability to remain apolitical in order to ensure consistency and keep the department’s mission afloat, and the incoming Trump administration is unlikely to upend this tradition, says Michael Landman at Bird Marella.
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California Supreme Court's Year In Review
Attorneys at Horvitz & Levy highlight notable decisions on major questions from the California Supreme Court's last term, including voter initiatives, hostile work environment and the economic loss rule.
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What Lawyers Can Learn From High School AI Suit
A pending Massachusetts lawsuit regarding artificial intelligence use in an academic setting underscores the need for attorneys to educate themselves on AI technology and tools that affect their clients so they can advise on establishing clear expectations and limits around the permissible use of AI, say attorneys at Hinckley Allen.
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Service Providers Must Mitigate 'Secondary Target' Risks
A lawsuit recently filed in an Illinois federal court against marketing agency Publicis over its work for opioid manufacturers highlights an uptick in litigation against professional service providers hired by clients that engaged in alleged misconduct — so potential targets of such suits should be sure to conduct proper risk analysis and mitigation, say attorneys at Dechert.
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Series
Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.
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Mitigating Defamation Liability Risks Of AI-Generated Content
Until Congress and the courts provide clear guidance about defamation liability stemming from generative artificial intelligence tools, companies should begin building controls to prevent the creation of defamatory content, says Michael Gerrity at Accenture.
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Series
Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer
Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.
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When Investigating An Adversary, Be Wary Of Forged Records
Warnings against the use of investigators who tout their ability to find an adversary’s private documents generally emphasize the risk of illegal activity and attorney discipline, but a string of recent cases shows an additional danger — investigators might be fabricating records altogether, says Brian Asher at Asher Research.
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3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less
Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.
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Opinion
Why States Should Adopt ABA's 'Duty To Inquire'
State bars should codify the American Bar Association's proposed rule on a lawyer's duty to scrutinize each representation as it provides guardrails for lawyers, supports self-regulation of the profession, and helps avert money laundering and other crimes, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.
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The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule
Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.
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Trump Faces Uphill Battle If He Tries To Target Prosecutors
On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump promised to go after the state and federal prosecutors who had investigated and prosecuted him, but few criminal statutes would be applicable — to say nothing of the evidence required to substantiate any charges against prosecutors, says William Johnston at Bird Marella.
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Series
Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.