Legal Ethics

  • September 19, 2025

    Estate Filed Dupe Suit Against McCarter & English, Court Told

    McCarter & English LLP on Friday urged a Connecticut state judge to toss a lawsuit accusing it of mismanaging a $4.6 million estate, arguing it's essentially a duplicate of a pending lawsuit.

  • September 19, 2025

    Bankruptcy Firm Fined, Banned For 3 Years Over Disclosures

    A Michigan bankruptcy judge has hit Recovery Law Group, a national consumer bankruptcy law firm, with a fine of about $392,000 and a three-year ban on bringing insolvency cases in the Eastern District of Michigan, finding it violated fee disclosure requirements in 220 cases.

  • September 19, 2025

    Under Trump, Hiring Immigration Lawyers Is Often Impossible

    As the Trump administration follows through on campaign promises to arrest and deport millions, immigrants are increasingly finding that hiring an immigration lawyer is impossible. And without lawyers, they usually lose, no matter how strong their case is.

  • September 19, 2025

    DC Judge Cuts Proud Boys Atty's Bill To Researcher

    A D.C. federal judge reduced the amount an attorney who represented Proud Boys members in their Jan. 6 criminal trial owes to a researcher who sued him over unpaid work, dropping a jury's award of $77,000 to just $30,000.

  • September 19, 2025

    Shareholders Urge Sanctions Over Telecom Tower Seizures

    Majority shareholders of a Latin American telecommunications tower operator should be sanctioned for ignoring a court order to hand over documents related to an action the company lodged in Guatemala, a group of minority shareholders have told a New York federal judge.

  • September 19, 2025

    Lawmakers' Exit Puts Court, Judicial Security Funds In Limbo

    Congress left for recess Friday afternoon after the Senate failed to pass a stopgap spending measure that includes funds for judicial security and the courts.

  • September 19, 2025

    Calif. Bar Escapes Class Claims Over Girardi Case

    A Los Angeles judge has dismissed a proposed class action brought against the State Bar of California accusing the agency and its former leadership of mishandling its investigation into former celebrity attorney Tom Girardi, who was convicted of swindling clients, after plaintiffs seemingly abandoned the case.

  • September 19, 2025

    Ga. Bank Pushes To Go After Law Firm Over Ex-Client's Fraud

    A Georgia bank that lost more than $8 million through bogus loan transactions is urging a Peach State appellate court to revive a claim of negligent misrepresentation against law firm Stanley Ersey & Buckley LLP, saying the trial court got it wrong when it relied on "boilerplate disclaimers" from the firm to toss the claim.

  • September 19, 2025

    Texas Judge Sends Another Buzbee, Jay-Z Suit To State Court

    A federal judge in Texas has remanded back to state court a lawsuit accusing Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP of trying to destroy well-known attorney Tony Buzbee's reputation in retaliation for a lawsuit in which Buzbee's client accused rapper Jay-Z of child rape.

  • September 19, 2025

    Fla. Bar Must Conduct Bondi Ethics Probe, State Justices Told

    An attorney has doubled down on his attempt to force the Florida Bar into investigating U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi for alleged unethical conduct, arguing to the state Supreme Court that the bar has a clear legal duty to do so.

  • September 19, 2025

    Law Firm Seeks To Ax Suit From Ex-OneTaste Staffer

    Kohn Swift & Graf PC is urging a Pennsylvania federal court to toss a former client's legal malpractice suit alleging the firm was negligent when it represented her in connection with a federal subpoena related to an investigation into sexual wellness company OneTaste, saying her negligence claims are "exceptionally vague."

  • September 19, 2025

    Fla. Judge's Resignation Ends 'Dad Jokes' Ethics Case

    The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission has tossed an ethics case targeting a former state court judge over "dad joke" remarks that discipline authorities referred to as "grossly inappropriate," saying the judge's subsequent departure from the bench justifies the dismissal. 

  • September 19, 2025

    Ex-Client Says Sills Cummis Depositions Should Proceed

    A former Sills Cummis & Gross PC client suing the firm over excessive legal fees has asked a New Jersey state judge to proceed with the deposition of five current or former attorneys and paralegals, rejecting the argument that it would be time-consuming and expensive.

  • September 19, 2025

    Hagens Berman Seeks To Limit Sanctions For AI Mistakes

    A Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP partner should face only limited sanctions and the firm shouldn't be sanctioned at all over a contract attorney's use of artificial intelligence to generate legal briefs in a proposed class action against online platform OnlyFans since its attorneys did not act in bad faith, the firm told a California federal judge.

  • September 19, 2025

    Gold Star Mother Accuses Atty Of Malpractice In Fraud Case

    The mother of a deceased Army service member is suing a high-profile military-focused attorney in New Jersey federal court, alleging the attorney blew her chance at recouping money from a convicted fraudster who preyed on military families.

  • September 19, 2025

    Former Immigration Judge's Bias Suit Gets Trimmed In Fla.

    A Florida federal judge has trimmed multiple counts from a former immigration judge's discrimination lawsuit, finding that she failed to back up her bias claims.

  • September 19, 2025

    Sirva Sues Ex-General Counsel Over $2.6M Fund Transfers

    Moving giant Sirva has sued the ex-general counsel of a predecessor company, seeking a declaration from a New Jersey federal court that it is the rightful owner of $2.6 million in funds it says the lawyer sent to a bank account he controls for an investment entity.

  • September 19, 2025

    Calif. Bar Taps Judicial Council Pro For Director Role

    The State Bar of California has announced the selection of a longtime statewide courts administrator as its new executive director, following the departure of its prior leader amid the fallout from the bungled administration of the February 2025 bar exam.

  • September 18, 2025

    Polsinelli Can't Trim, Arbitrate Atty's Sexual Harassment Case

    Polsinelli PC and two former partners cannot trim and compel arbitration of claims in a $20 million sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by a former equity shareholder, a D.C. federal judge ruled Thursday, saying the shareholder plausibly alleges her claims and isn't required to arbitrate the dispute.

  • September 18, 2025

    Trump's Georgia Case: Legal Experts On What Happens Next

    The 2020 Georgia election interference case against President Donald Trump and his co-defendants may be both "dead" and costly for taxpayers, legal experts told Law360, citing the expected reluctance of most prosecutors to take over the litigation and a new state law that allows criminal defendants to recover legal fees in certain circumstances.

  • September 18, 2025

    Ex-La. Prosecutor Convicted In Pretrial Program Bribery Case

    A former Lafayette assistant district attorney was convicted Thursday in Louisiana federal court of bribery and other charges for conspiring to solicit kickbacks and accept bribes while overseeing the 15th Judicial District Attorney's Office's pretrial intervention program, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

  • September 18, 2025

    Conn. Justice 'Embarrassed' By State's Atty Discipline Rules

    A Connecticut Supreme Court justice said Thursday that he was "embarrassed" by the "terribly unclear" ethics rules at the center of an attorney discipline case, appearing sympathetic to the argument that a trial court should have entertained the lawyer's constitutional challenge to the grievance process.

  • September 18, 2025

    Brothers Blame Associate For $90M HIV Drug Fraud Scheme

    Two Maryland brothers accused of selling $90 million worth of mislabeled HIV drugs told a Florida federal jury on Thursday that their charges stem from an associate hired for his pharmaceutical industry connections, but who instead lied about the medication's black market origins and told them it was purchased legitimately.

  • September 18, 2025

    Pipe Maker Gets 2nd Shot At Bringing Asbestos RICO Claims

    An Illinois federal judge has said a Los Angeles pipe manufacturer can bring amended civil racketeering claims over a St. Louis-area law firm's alleged conspiracy to bring meritless asbestos claims, after the company argued information from confidential whistleblowers warranted an attempt to fix earlier pleading deficiencies.

  • September 18, 2025

    Calif. County Deputy DA Loses Free Speech Retaliation Suit

    A California federal judge has tossed a retaliation suit from a former Santa Clara County, California, deputy district attorney.

Expert Analysis

  • Mitigating Defamation Liability Risks Of AI-Generated Content

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    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.

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • When Investigating An Adversary, Be Wary Of Forged Records

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    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.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

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    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.

  • Opinion

    Why States Should Adopt ABA's 'Duty To Inquire'

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    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.

  • The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule

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    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.

  • Trump Faces Uphill Battle If He Tries To Target Prosecutors

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    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.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

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    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Metadata

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    Several recent rulings reflect the competing considerations that arise when parties dispute the form of production for electronically stored information, underscoring that counsel must carefully consider how to produce and request reasonably usable data, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being

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    As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.

  • Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

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    Experiencing a crash-landing on a recent flight underscored to me how much difference empathy makes in times of crisis or stress, including during mediation, says Eydith Kaufman at Alternative Resolution Centers.

  • Series

    Being An Artist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My work as an artist has highlighted how using creativity and precision together — qualities that are equally essential in both art and law — not only improves outcomes, but also leads to more innovative and thoughtful work, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.

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