Legal Ethics

  • October 22, 2025

    Baker McKenzie Partner Hired Security In Dispute With Ex-Atty

    The managing partner of Baker McKenzie's Washington, D.C., office told a Maryland state judge Wednesday that he has had to employ a protective detail because of harassment and threats from a former firm associate who he says falsely accused him of sexual assault.

  • October 22, 2025

    'Danger Zone': 9th Circ. Judge Warns Atty Battling L'Oreal

    A Ninth Circuit judge warned an attorney Wednesday he was in a "danger zone" and should have considered never appealing a district court's order throwing out his client's trade secrets case against L'Oreal USA Inc., saying the lower court's finding that his client fabricated evidence puts the attorney in the panel's crosshairs.  

  • October 22, 2025

    Phillips 66 Can't Undo $805M Trade Secrets Trial Loss

    Phillips 66 can't get a new trial after its $805 million loss on claims it stole startup Propel Fuels' intellectual property during due diligence for an acquisition, a California state judge has ruled, saying the jury's findings, including malicious misconduct, are well-supported.

  • October 22, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Faults PTAB Ax In Centripetal Case But Not Recusal

    The Federal Circuit on Wednesday vacated the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's invalidation of Centripetal Networks LLC cybersecurity patent claims challenged by Cisco Systems Inc. in a high-stakes dispute, but rejected Centripetal's argument that the case was tainted by a PTAB judge's ownership of Cisco stock.

  • October 22, 2025

    Ohio Derailment Attys Can Start Contempt Bid Before Audit

    An Ohio federal judge has granted a request from class counsel to advance a bid to hold the administrator of Norfolk Southern's $600 million derailment settlement in contempt without having to wait for the results of a court-ordered audit. 

  • October 22, 2025

    Tax Court Judge Warns Against Unchecked AI Use In Filings

    A U.S. Tax Court judge cautioned attorneys Wednesday against relying on artificial intelligence to write filings without verifying the information it generates, saying recent "unfortunate incidents" have prompted the court to double down on accuracy in using such tools.

  • October 22, 2025

    Privilege 'Dramatization' Won't Shield 7K Docs In Ads MDL

    An Illinois federal judge took Meredith, Nexstar, Sinclair and other broadcasters to task Monday for trying to withhold 6,893 documents in multidistrict litigation alleging a television advertising price-fixing scheme, finding it "necessary to level set with defendants" on their own failings to justify withholding the material from ad buyers.

  • October 22, 2025

    Feds Fight Early Release For Atty Convicted Of $550M Fraud

    Federal prosecutors on Tuesday opposed compassionate release of a Kentucky lawyer who fled the country after pleading guilty to a $550 million Social Security fraud scheme, telling the Sixth Circuit that the lawyer's medical conditions are being adequately treated in prison and the seriousness of his crimes warranted more time behind bars.

  • October 22, 2025

    NY Atty Shouldn't Bring FCA Suit Against Ex-Client, Bar Says

    A New York attorney has been cautioned that, in most cases, it is unethical to act as a relator in a qui tam False Claims Act suit against his former client, with new guidance warning against using information gained during representation to later bring such claims against former clients.

  • October 22, 2025

    Calif. Judge Censured For Delayed Rulings, Lying About Them

    A California state judge has been publicly censured for taking more than six months to issue some decisions and lying about those delays on his salary affidavits, according to the state's judicial ethics body.

  • October 22, 2025

    Ex-NY AGs Say James Case Will Rally Office: 'Fuel To The Fire'

    New York Attorney General Letitia James' criminal prosecution is unlikely to have any significant effect on the day-to-day operations of her office, including its suits against the federal government and an appeal in President Donald Trump's nearly $500 million civil fraud case, but former leaders of the office say it could strengthen the resolve of her staff.

  • October 21, 2025

    Apple Slams 'Fatally Broad' App Store Injunction At 9th Circ.

    Apple urged the Ninth Circuit Tuesday to scrap a mandate blocking it from charging any commission on iPhone app purchases made outside its systems, slamming the district court's "fatally broad" injunction and arguing that the court's zero-commission rule is "the antithesis of a proper civil contempt remedy."

  • October 21, 2025

    Uber MDL Judge Sets Litigation Funding Disclosure Deadline

    A California federal judge ruled Tuesday in multidistrict litigation accusing Uber Technologies Inc. of failing to prevent drivers from sexually assaulting passengers that plaintiffs' counsel must disclose any ties to third-party litigation funding companies by next week, but stopped short of ordering all plaintiffs' counsel to affirmatively deny any connection.

  • October 21, 2025

    Baker McKenzie Can't Get Illinois Malpractice Suit Tossed

    An Illinois state judge has refused to dismiss a private equity firm's malpractice suit accusing Baker McKenzie of botching a client's bid to reacquire a Russian coal mine, saying the plaintiffs have sufficiently pled claims sustainable under both Illinois and Russian law at this stage of the case.

  • October 21, 2025

    NY Courts Can't Shield Memos To State Judges

    The New York State Office of Court Administration may have to finally turn over a batch of "secret memos" that instruct state judges on how to interpret the law, the state's highest court ruled Tuesday.

  • October 21, 2025

    Cybersecurity Co. Wants Sanctions For 'Frivolous' Patent Suit

    A Georgia-based cybersecurity firm facing allegations that it ripped off a software developer's patent called for sanctions Tuesday against the developer for his "frivolous" lawsuit, arguing his complaint misrepresents the "clear and unmistakable" language of a deal to give the company use of the technology.

  • October 21, 2025

    Colo. Federal Courts Halt Atty Discipline For Shutdown

    The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado has suspended all attorney discipline investigations in light of the government shutdown.

  • October 21, 2025

    Fla. Investor Sues NY Atty Over Litigation Funding 'Scheme'

    A New York lawyer is facing state court claims alleging he scammed a Florida investor out of more than $2.5 million by "effectively running a Ponzi scheme" under the guise of a litigation finance investment.

  • October 21, 2025

    Georgia Atty Can't Shake Contempt Conviction For Tardiness

    An attorney who was hours late for jury selection in a felony case in Georgia received adequate notice that the matter was set for trial and cannot avoid a judge's criminal contempt finding, a state appellate panel ruled Tuesday.

  • October 21, 2025

    Connell Foley Hit With $40M Suit Over NJ Hotel Project

    A hotel developer is mounting a $40 million malpractice lawsuit against Connell Foley LLP in New Jersey state court, alleging the firm steered it into costly arbitration with a contractor on a hotel construction project.

  • October 21, 2025

    NJ Attys Face Greater Transparency For Client Testimonials

    New Jersey lawyers must follow new transparency requirements in using client testimonials in their advertising, according to a new opinion published on Tuesday.

  • October 21, 2025

    NY Atty Blames Another Lawyer For AI-Faked Case Citations

    A New York attorney on Tuesday denied ever having used artificial intelligence in his law practice and said the fake, AI-hallucinated cases cited in a motion to dismiss a case against his client were prepared by another attorney.

  • October 21, 2025

    Judge Won't Rush Ruling On Proposed Comey 'Filter Team'

    A Virginia federal judge rejected prosecutors' request for him to quickly rule on a proposed "filter team" to review potentially privileged evidence in their case against James Comey on Monday, ruling that the standard 14-day period for the former FBI director's team to fully respond to the proposal balances speed and fairness.

  • October 20, 2025

    'Unacceptable': NC DOJ Rebuked For Repeat Rule Violations

    A Raleigh, North Carolina, federal judge has sanctioned the state's Department of Justice, accusing one of its prosecutors of filing a frivolous motion in order to delay trial in an illegal detention lawsuit, while noting this isn't the first time the office has "tested the patience" of the federal judiciary.

  • October 20, 2025

    Miami Atty Accused Of Defamation For False Media Campaign

    A Miami luxury homebuilder is suing attorney Javier Lopez and his former firm Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton PA for defamation, claiming he made false statements to the press and to third parties calling the homebuilder a criminal who was under FBI investigation.

Expert Analysis

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

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    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

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    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

  • Series

    Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • Making The Pitch To Grow Your Company's Legal Team

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    In a compressed economy, convincing the C-suite to invest in additional legal talent can be a herculean task, but a convincing pitch — supported by metrics and cost analyses — may help in-house counsel justify the growth of their team, say Elizabeth Smith and Roger Garceau at Major Lindsey.

  • The Implications Of 2024's AI Rules And Regs For Patent Attys

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    Christina Huang, John Smith and Devin Stein at Faegre Drinker review this year's new rules and regulations on the development and use of artificial intelligence — from the Biden administration, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the American Bar Association and various states — as they apply to patent attorneys.

  • When US Privilege Law Applies To Docs Made Outside The US

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    As globalization manifests itself in disputes over foreign-created documents, a California federal court’s recent trademark decision illustrates nuances of both U.S. privilege frameworks and foreign evidentiary protections that attorneys must increasingly bear in mind, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • What 2024 Trends In Marketing, Comms Hiring Mean For 2025

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    The state of hiring in legal industry marketing, business development and communications over the past 12 months was marked by a number of trends — from changes in the C-suite to lateral move challenges — providing clues for what’s to come in the year ahead, says Ben Curle at Ambition.

  • Series

    Group Running Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The combination of physical fitness and community connection derived from running with a group of business leaders has, among other things, helped me to stay grounded, improve my communication skills, and develop a deeper empathy for clients and colleagues, says Jessica Shpall Rosen at Greenwald Doherty.

  • How White Collar Defense Attys Can Use Summary Witnesses

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    Few criminal defense attorneys have successfully utilized summary witnesses in the past, but several recent success stories show that it can be a worthwhile trial tactic to help juries understand the complex decision-making at issue, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • Opinion

    6 Changes I Would Make If I Ran A Law School

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    Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner identifies several key issues plaguing law schools and discusses potential solutions, such as opting out of the rankings game and mandating courses in basic writing skills.

  • Firms Still Have The Edge In Lateral Hiring, But Buyer Beware

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    Partner mobility data suggests that the third quarter of this year continued to be a buyer’s market, with the average candidate demanding less compensation for a larger book of business — but moving into the fourth quarter, firms should slow down their hiring process to minimize risks, say officers at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • Top 10 Legal Malpractice Defenses As Claims Tick Up

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    As legal malpractice claims and payouts increase, law firms should remember certain time-tested defenses, such as asserting no duty to nonclients, omissions beyond the scope of engagement or lack of proximate cause, say attorneys at Goulston & Storrs.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: 1 Type Of Case Complexity Stands Out

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    In contrast to some cases that appear complex due to voluminous evidence or esoteric subject matter, a different kind of complexity involves tangled legal and factual questions, each with a range of possible outcomes, which require a “sliding scale” approach instead of syllogistic reasoning, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Immigration Atty Tips For Avoiding Prosecution Under Trump

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    Under the incoming Trump administration, immigration attorneys may need to protect themselves from prosecution when advising clients who may not qualify for relief sought by choosing their words carefully and keeping other key factors in mind, says Michele Carney at Carney & Marchi.

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