Legal Ethics

  • September 17, 2025

    Retired Judges Speak Out On 'Threats' To Constitution

    More than 40 retired federal judges appointed by presidents of both parties released an open letter Wednesday, the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, saying they sought to underscore the importance of the rule of law at a time when the nation's ideals "are under historic strain."

  • September 16, 2025

    Ga. Justices Weigh Appropriate Sanction For Immigration Atty

    The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday considered whether an immigration attorney charged with abandoning multiple clients over a period of years should be suspended for up to a year or disbarred.

  • September 16, 2025

    Federal Court Reporter Beats Transcript Omission Claim

    A court reporter for an Illinois federal judge Tuesday defeated a lawsuit brought by a pro se plaintiff alleging she failed to transcribe part of a hearing and left out statements that would be damaging to the judge in an underlying employment dispute.

  • September 16, 2025

    Disbarment Of No-Show Lawyer Among Ga. Discipline Rulings

    A Georgia criminal defense attorney was disbarred Tuesday by the state's high court on charges that he pocketed $5,000 from a client's mother, no-showed for a series of hearings and delayed a trial for more than a year after not so much as speaking to the defendant he was representing.

  • September 16, 2025

    Mich. Judge Fights Allegations Of Lying In Ethics Case

    A Michigan state judge maintains that she is being falsely accused of intentionally lying under oath about a bike rental incident at a judicial conference on Mackinac Island, while the state's judicial watchdog claims that the judge has shown a pattern of untruthfulness and attempts to shift blame.

  • September 16, 2025

    Former Judge Aims To Escape Suit Over Secret Atty Romance

    Former Bankruptcy Judge David R. Jones wants out of a lawsuit claiming his secret romance scandal infected the restructuring of life insurance bond seller GWG Holdings Inc., arguing that he's clearly protected by judicial immunity.

  • September 16, 2025

    Insurer Hits Hall Booth With $10M Suit Over Botched Defense

    A former client of Hall Booth Smith PC and its attorney allege the law firm botched its legal representation in an underlying suit related to a death at an indoor shooting range and caused the insurer $10.6 million in financial harm, according to a legal malpractice suit lodged in Georgia state court.

  • September 16, 2025

    NJ Justices Suspend Atty Over Bank Loan Scheme Conviction

    The New Jersey Supreme Court has indefinitely suspended an attorney and former director of the now-shuttered Park Avenue Bank after he was convicted for his role in a scheme to profit off of a loan using a straw borrower.

  • September 16, 2025

    Conn. Ethics Watchdog Wants Immigration Atty Disbarred

    Connecticut's attorney ethics watchdog wants an immigration lawyer disbarred in the state for eight years as reciprocal discipline after he was disbarred in Massachusetts following ethics accusations that he mishandled cases, overcharged clients and brought them to the attention of immigration authorities. 

  • September 16, 2025

    Seward & Kissel, Ex-Client At Odds Over NJ Malpractice Docs

    Seward & Kissel LLP has been accused of orchestrating a "ruse" to avoid discovery obligations in a New Jersey state court malpractice suit, according to a letter filed by the wife of hedge fund Two Sigma Investments LP's founder.

  • September 16, 2025

    Guo Ch. 11 Trustee Reveals $70K Deal With NY Law Firm

    The Chapter 11 trustee overseeing Chinese exile Miles Guo's Connecticut bankruptcy estate settled a $115,600 clawback action against a New York immigration firm for $70,000, new court records show.

  • September 16, 2025

    Ga. Justices Won't Reinstate DA Willis To Trump Election Case

    The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to review a lower court's ruling disqualifying Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the 2020 Georgia election interference case against President Donald Trump and his co-defendants.

  • September 15, 2025

    Tom Goldstein Can't Pay Attys With 'Tainted Funds,' DOJ Says

    Indicted appellate luminary Tom Goldstein cannot cover his legal bills by selling his multimillion-dollar home, because it's a "tainted asset" worth "far less" than his attorney fees, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a blistering court filing, adding that Goldstein may flee the country as his reputation and marriage collapse.

  • September 15, 2025

    Zenith Challenges $130M Tunisia Award Over Conflicts

    Canadian oil and gas company Zenith Energy Ltd. will look to revive its $130 million claim against Tunisia over a nixed oilfield concession, saying it intends to argue in annulment proceedings in Switzerland that, among other things, certain members of the tribunal improperly concealed their ties to the North African country.

  • September 15, 2025

    Ousted Public Defender's Bias Suit Meets Skeptical Judge

    A Connecticut judge on Monday seemed skeptical of a former chief state public defender's challenge to her ouster, questioning whether the lawyer could support her claim that the Public Defender Services Commission should have called live witnesses to testify during an administrative hearing that led to her termination.

  • September 15, 2025

    3 Law Firms Want Ford's 'Thermonuclear' RICO Suit Snuffed

    Knight Law Group LLP, the Altman Law Group and Wirtz Law APC have urged a California federal judge to dismantle Ford Motor Co.'s racketeering lawsuit accusing the firms of overzealous billing and conspiring to dupe unsuspecting clients in product liability and personal injury cases against automakers.

  • September 15, 2025

    Calif. Court Issues AI Hallucinations 'Warning,' Sanctions Atty

    A California appeals court has issued a published opinion "as a warning" to Golden State attorneys to personally review case law quotations made by generative artificial intelligence, and imposed a $10,000 monetary sanction on plaintiff's counsel in an otherwise straightforward appeal in an employment case.

  • September 15, 2025

    Tainted Evidence Sank Atty's Tax Court Case, 6th Circ. Told

    The U.S. Tax Court relied on tainted evidence from the IRS when it affirmed the agency's denial of an Ohio attorney's attempt to deduct a theft loss and related legal expenses, he told the Sixth Circuit, urging it to reverse the lower court's ruling.

  • September 15, 2025

    Ill. Court Backs Sanction Over 'Smoking Gun' Email In Buyout

    An Illinois state appeals court has affirmed sanctions against an export company and its counsel, citing their failure to disclose a "smoking gun" email that undermined claims the company relied on a financial summary prepared by its accounting firm and ultimately paid too much to buy out a co-owner.

  • September 15, 2025

    Sills Cummis Aims To Block Atty, Paralegal Depos In Fees Suit

    Sills Cummis & Gross PC has asked a New Jersey state court to block a former client's bid for depositions in a lawsuit alleging the law firm padded legal bills that reached about $1.5 million, arguing the testimony is "unnecessary and improper."

  • September 15, 2025

    Software Co. Defends Contempt Order Against Womble Atty

    A North Carolina federal court fairly held Womble Bond Dickinson partner Pressly Millen in contempt after he and his client made misrepresentations in a "parallel" trademark dispute abroad, U.S.-based software company Dmarcian Inc. told the Fourth Circuit on Friday.

  • September 15, 2025

    Stradley Ronon Wants Keesal Young's Poaching Suit Tossed

    Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP has moved to nix a suit by California firm Keesal Young & Logan, saying its recruitment of 10 former Keesal Young attorneys was entirely above board and that the noncompete clauses in Keesal Young's partnership agreement were not allowed under California law.

  • September 15, 2025

    Feds Urge 3rd Circ. To Restore NJ US Atty's Authority

    The federal government has urged the Third Circuit to reverse a district court ruling disqualifying acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba from prosecuting two criminal cases in New Jersey after the clock allegedly ran out on her interim term, arguing that her appointment is valid and that the court erred in its interpretation of the statute.

  • September 15, 2025

    Jay-Z Opposes Sexual Assault Accuser's Bid To Shield Name

    Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter told an Alabama federal court on Friday that allowing a woman to remain anonymous in his defamation lawsuit against her and Texas lawyer Tony Buzbee would be "contrary to principles of justice and fairness" given that she continues to claim she was sexually assaulted by him and music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs at a party when she was 13.

  • September 15, 2025

    Jackson Walker Wants Breakup From Judge Romance Suit

    Jackson Walker LLP says bondholders' proposed class action accusing the firm of covering up a romance between a one-time partner and bankruptcy judge is an attempt at invalidating an already confirmed Chapter 11 plan and should be tossed.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • The Malpractice Perils Of Elder Abuse Liability

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    Recent cases show that the circumstances under which an attorney may be sued for financial elder abuse remain unsettled, but practitioners can avoid these malpractice claims altogether by taking proactive steps, like documenting the process of evaluating a client's directives under appropriate standards, says Edward Donohue at Hinshaw & Culbertson.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Note 3 Simple Types Of Legal Complexity

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    Cases can appear complex for several reasons — due to the number of issues, the volume of factual and evidentiary sources, and the sophistication of those sources — but the same basic technique can help lawyers tame their arguments into a simple and persuasive message, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Plugging Gov't Leaks Is Challenging, But Not A Pipe Dream

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    As shown by ongoing legal battles involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Sean “Diddy” Combs, it’s challenging for defendants to obtain relief when they believe the government leaked sensitive information to the media, but defense counsel can take certain steps to mitigate the harm, says Kenneth Notter at MoloLamken.

  • Series

    Gardening Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review

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    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.

  • Rank-And-File DOJ Attorneys Will Keep Calm And Carry On

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    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.

  • California Supreme Court's Year In Review

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    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.

  • What Lawyers Can Learn From High School AI Suit

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    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.

  • Service Providers Must Mitigate 'Secondary Target' Risks

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    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.

  • Series

    Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • 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.

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