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Legal Ethics
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August 18, 2025
Burr & Forman Must Face Claims From Healthcare Scheme
A Georgia federal judge has denied Burr & Forman LLP's bid to escape a lawsuit accusing the firm of being party to a massive healthcare fraud scheme, ruling that it must largely face malpractice and breach of fiduciary claims from a pair of bankruptcy trustees.
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August 18, 2025
Fried Frank Escapes Sanctions Over Flawed RICO Patent Suit
A Florida federal court has rejected sanctions motions leveled against Tristar Products Inc. and its counsel at Fried Frank for bringing a doomed anti-racketeering patent fraud lawsuit against Telebrands Corp., finding that the claims were not frivolous despite "myriad" flaws and "sloppy lawyering."
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August 18, 2025
NJ Firms End Battle Over $25M Fee In Verizon Pole Injury Case
Several New Jersey firms have ended a long dispute over a $25 million fee from a personal injury case against Verizon in a suit that already went to trial in 2021 and recently had another trial ordered.
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August 18, 2025
NJ Seeks To Toss Ex-Judge's 'Second Bite' In Firing Suit
New Jersey on Friday asked a state court to award it a victory over some claims by a former workers' compensation judge that she was unconstitutionally removed from her job after similar claims in a separate suit of hers were rejected in December.
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August 18, 2025
McCarter & English Fights Family's Bid For $4.6M Set-Aside
Family members of a deceased Connecticut shopping mall developer are not entitled to a $4.6 million damages placeholder in an asset mismanagement lawsuit against McCarter & English LLP, the law firm and an attorney's estate are arguing in opposing the demand in state court.
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August 18, 2025
Mass. Justices Affirm 3-Year Suspension For Bankruptcy Atty
Massachusetts' highest court on Monday affirmed a three-year license suspension for a Boston bankruptcy attorney over a series of rules violations, including misrepresentations to federal and state courts, since 2014.
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August 15, 2025
US Trustee Blasts Deals Over Jackson Walker-Judge Romance
The U.S. trustee for the Southern District of Texas on Friday objected to Jackson Walker LLP's proposed settlements with former bankruptcy clients meant to resolve fee disputes related to the concealed romance of a former lawyer with the firm and a former bankruptcy judge, arguing they should be denied or considered at trial.
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August 15, 2025
Justices Told Texas Cedes Ground In Right-To-Counsel Case
A man who was denied the opportunity to consult fully with his lawyer during an overnight break in his testimony said, ahead of U.S. Supreme Court arguments, that one opponent, the state of Texas, has already ceded serious legal ground in its briefing.
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August 15, 2025
Judiciary Starts Rule Debate Spanning AI, Subpoenas, More
The federal judiciary's comment clock officially started ticking Friday for rulemaking efforts spanning a smorgasbord of subjects, from high-tech testimony utilizing artificial intelligence to the low-tech tasks of hand-delivering subpoenas and paying witness fees.
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August 15, 2025
6th Circ. Backs Baker Donelson In Malpractice Dispute
A Sixth Circuit panel said Friday that Baker Donelson was correctly dismissed from a legal malpractice suit brought by the founder of an urgent care facility because it cannot be established that the underlying shareholder dispute claims that the firm was accused of fumbling would have been successful.
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August 15, 2025
NJ Watchdog Fights File Disclosure In Hospital Antitrust Suit
The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation on Thursday challenged a federal judge's refusal to protect investigative materials that RWJBarnabas Health Inc. wants to subpoena as it defends an antitrust suit by CarePoint Health Systems Inc., arguing the ruling violates precedent giving such records the same secrecy protections as grand jury materials.
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August 15, 2025
Defense Attys Predict Rise In Shareholder Suits, Report Says
Nearly three-quarters of defense attorneys surveyed by high-risk insurance firm Inigo believe there will be an increase in private securities litigation over the next year, especially in the area of artificial intelligence, according to a report released by Inigo.
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August 15, 2025
Texas Federal Judge Says He's 'Exhausted' By Atty's Antics
A Texas federal judge told an attorney he was "exhausted" by his alleged antics in helping supposedly erstwhile clients dodge judgments, asking Friday why the attorney seemingly worked two clients after a disciplinary panel barred him from representing them.
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August 15, 2025
4th Circ. Revives Asylum-Seeker's Suit Over Her Atty's Error
The Fourth Circuit has revived a Salvadoran woman's bid for asylum based on threats from a gang, saying in a published opinion that the woman's previous attorney proposed a legal theory during her removal proceedings that was "dead on arrival."
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August 15, 2025
Calif. Panel Trims Hunter Biden Atty's Suit Against Activist
A California appellate panel has further trimmed a suit by an attorney for Hunter Biden against an activist whom he alleges impersonated a Democratic Party fundraiser to obtain personal information about the then-president's son, allowing three of five claims to survive and sending the case back to Los Angeles Superior Court.
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August 15, 2025
Perkins Coie Beats Claims It Aided Client's Alleged $12M Theft
Perkins Coie LLP has defeated an investment company's lawsuit in Illinois state court accusing the firm of helping the plaintiff's onetime investment manager fleece $12 million from company accounts and playing a "critical" role in the theft and cover-up.
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August 15, 2025
2nd Circ. Says Sun Life Can't Nix Worker's Benefits Challenge
A split Second Circuit panel resuscitated a worker's suit challenging Sun Life's decision to deny her long-term disability benefits, ruling a release she signed with her employer didn't bar her from suing the insurance company because she was assured the agreement wouldn't block her ability to collect benefits.
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August 15, 2025
New Jersey AG Slams Power Broker's 'Flawed' Appeal Brief
South Jersey power broker George Norcross used a flawed argument in pushing back against New Jersey's effort to revive a dismissed criminal case against him, Attorney General Matthew Platkin has argued in a reply brief filed in state appellate court.
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August 15, 2025
Conn. Lawyer Defends $165K Fee Split Amid Ethics Probe
A Connecticut attorney has asked a state court judge to dismiss a disciplinary case against him over a soured fee split deal with his former law firm, saying ethics authorities failed to meet their burden on claims that he failed to safeguard funds or otherwise prejudiced justice.
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August 15, 2025
'Creative' $2.5B DuPont Deal In NJ Is PFAS Road Map For AGs
After six years of litigation between New Jersey and E.I. du Pont de Nemours, including a series of bench trials, the chemical manufacturer agreed to a deal that committed more than $2 billion to cleaning up the Garden State from "forever chemical" contamination at four of its facilities, in the largest environmental settlement ever achieved by a single state.
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August 15, 2025
Boies Schiller Seeks To End Fla. Fee Suit Between Law Firms
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and related defendants have moved to dismiss a Florida state lawsuit brought by a pharmaceutical mass tort law firm and related parties to block their former counsel from collecting fees after being fired for allegedly insufficient representation.Â
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August 15, 2025
Judge Punts On ProPay Sanctions In TelexFree Suit
A Massachusetts magistrate judge sent a motion for sanctions against ProPay to a district judge for ruling, saying the payment company failed to take steps to preserve electronic documents but the plaintiffs hadn't proven its intent to destroy evidence in a case over its alleged involvement in TelexFree's "hybrid Ponzi-pyramid scheme."
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August 15, 2025
4th Circ. Sides With Judiciary In Ex-Defender's Sex Bias Suit
The Fourth Circuit shot down a former assistant public defender's effort to revive her sexual harassment suit against the federal judiciary, finding Friday that her belief that the judiciary's internal complaint process was unfair, leading her to quit, was not reasonable.
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August 15, 2025
Judge Removes Atty From Case Over 'Egregious' Citations
An Arizona federal judge has revoked a Washington state-based attorney's ability to practice in the Grand Canyon State and removed her as counsel in a social security disability lawsuit over a court filing containing fake and misleading case citations.
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August 15, 2025
Judge Questions How New Jersey US Atty Ascended To Role
A federal judge tasked with deciding if acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba was legitimately serving as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor was curious about how she ascended to the role in the first place, suggesting at one point during a hearing Friday that the government proposed a game of "musical chairs"Â designed to "shoehorn" her into the position.
Expert Analysis
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How Law Firms Can Avoid 'Collaboration Drag'
Law firm decision making can be stifled by “collaboration drag” — characterized by too many pointless meetings, too much peer feedback and too little dissent — but a few strategies can help stakeholders improve decision-making processes and build consensus, says Steve Groom at Miles Mediation.
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Opinion
Litigation Funding Disclosure Key To Open, Impartial Process
Blanket investor and funding agreement disclosures should be required in all civil cases where the investor has a financial interest in the outcome in order to address issues ranging from potential conflicts of interest to national security concerns, says Bob Goodlatte, former U.S. House Representative for Virginia.
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The Ethics of Using Generative AI In Environmental Law
The rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools is challenging environmental lawyers, consultants and government agencies to determine when and how these tools can be responsibly, ethically and productively integrated into their practices to streamline research, predictive analytics and regulatory compliance, say Ahlia Bethea and Pamela Esterman at Sive Paget.
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What NFL Draft Picks Have In Common With Lateral Law Hires
Nearly half of law firm lateral hires leave within a few years — a failure rate that is strikingly similar to the performance of NFL quarterbacks drafted in the first round — in part because evaluators focus too heavily on quantifiable metrics and not enough on a prospect's character traits, says Howard Rosenberg at Baretz+Brunelle.
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Replacing The Stigma Of Menopause With Law Firm Support
A large proportion of the workforce is forced to pull the brakes on their career aspirations because of the taboo surrounding menopause and a lack of consistent support, but law firms can initiate the cultural shift needed by formulating thoughtful workplace policies, says Barbara Hamilton-Bruce at Simmons & Simmons.
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Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: August Lessons
In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy considers certification cases touching on classwide evidence of injury from debt collection practices, defining coupon settlements under the Class Action Fairness Act, proper approaches for evaluating attorney fee awards in class action settlements, and more.
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Planning Law Firm Content Calendars: What, When, Where
During the slower month of August, law firms should begin working on their 2025 content calendars, planning out a content creation and distribution framework that aligns with the firm’s objectives and maintains audience engagement throughout the year, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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Crypto Gatekeepers May Be The Next Front Of Enforcement
Lawyers and other professionals who advise cryptocurrency companies should beware regulators' increasing focus on gatekeeper accountability, and should take several measures to fulfill their ethical and legal obligations, including implementing a robust vetting mechanism when representing crypto clients, say Temidayo Aganga-Williams and Xinchen Li at Selendy Gay.
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Series
Playing Golf Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Golf can positively affect your personal and professional life well beyond the final putt, and it’s helped enrich my legal practice by improving my ability to build lasting relationships, study and apply the rules, face adversity with grace, and maintain my mental and physical well-being, says Adam Kelly at Venable.
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Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing
Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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Opinion
The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address
A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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Opinion
It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union
As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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How Justices Upended The Administrative Procedure Act
In its recent Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court fundamentally changed the Administrative Procedure Act in ways that undermine Congress and the executive branch, shift power to the judiciary, curtail public and business input, and create great uncertainty, say Alene Taber and Beth Hummer at Hanson Bridgett.
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5 Defense Lessons From Prosecutors' Recent Evidence Flubs
The recent dismissal of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charges, and the filing of an ethics complaint against a former D.C. prosecutor, both provide takeaways for white collar defense counsel who suspect that prosecutors may be withholding or misrepresenting evidence, say Anden Chow at MoloLamken and Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.
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Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Is My Counterclaim Bound To Fall?
A Pennsylvania federal court’s recent dismissal of the defendants’ counterclaims in Morgan v. Noss should remind attorneys to avoid the temptation to repackage a claim’s facts and law into a mirror-image counterclaim, as this approach will often result in a waste of time and resources, says Matthew Selmasska at Kaufman Dolowich.