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Legal Ethics
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June 10, 2025
Judiciary Panel Advances New Rules On Amici, AI, Subpoenas
The federal judiciary's top policy panel Tuesday propelled revamped rules regarding numerous hot legal topics, including artificial intelligence, "dark money" groups bankrolling amicus briefs and the subpoena powers of courts and defense counsel.
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June 10, 2025
Vertex Says Tax Software Rival Purposely Destroyed Evidence
Tax compliance software company Vertex Inc. told a Pennsylvania federal judge Monday that Avalara intentionally destroyed and failed to preserve "key sources of electronically stored information crucially relevant" to Vertex's lawsuit accusing its rival of poaching workers to steal trade secrets.
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June 10, 2025
House Conservatives Push Senate To 'Rein In' Judges
House conservatives are imploring their Senate counterparts to do more to "rein in" federal judges with the budget reconciliation package.
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June 10, 2025
GM To Drop 'Cockamamie' Fiat Foreign Account Claims
A Michigan judge indicated Tuesday that he would let General Motors withdraw allegations that Fiat Chrysler held foreign bank accounts in a union bribery scheme suit, and said he'd leave the determination of whether the automaker should be sanctioned for not sharing its evidence supporting those claims for another day.
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June 10, 2025
Wash. Justices Unsure About State Bar's Atty Suspension Bid
The Washington Supreme Court seemed split Tuesday on a request from the state bar association to suspend an attorney for failing to cooperate with a misconduct investigation, with several justices flagging the "different story" shared by the respondent lawyer, who claims to have provided all requested information.
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June 10, 2025
Farella Braun Wins Partial Fee Award In FDIC Dispute
A California federal judge has awarded Farella Braun & Martel LLP around $10,000 in attorney fees for the work its lawyers did for the bankrupt parent of Silicon Valley Bank, finding the receiver for the bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., failed to comply with discovery orders.
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June 10, 2025
Willkie Partner Wants To 'Chill' Media Contact, Conn. Atty Says
A Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP partner and his wife are pursuing a federal lawsuit based on speculative allegations and trying to "chill" the First Amendment rights of a Connecticut attorney who represented their ex-landlord and leaked a story about them to the New York Post, the defendant is arguing in seeking judgment in his favor.
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June 10, 2025
3rd Circ. Upholds NFL Case Findings On Censured Atty
The Third Circuit on Tuesday affirmed a Pennsylvania federal judge's ruling that an attorney representing former NFL players seeking concussion litigation settlement proceeds made "material misrepresentations and omissions" concerning medical records during the claims process, for which he was censured by the lower court.
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June 10, 2025
Clerk's Role Means Antitrust Judge Must Recuse, Court Told
Pork producer defendants involved in a major pork price-fixing case continue to push for the recusal of a Minnesota federal judge because of his clerk's connections to plaintiff-side firms, arguing the plaintiffs are running from "indisputable facts."
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June 10, 2025
Fla. Atty Faces NY, Conn. Discipline For Client Theft Charges
A Florida attorney who was disbarred in the Sunshine State last year and later charged with wire fraud and money laundering amid his handling of an estate matter has been disbarred in New York and now faces reciprocal discipline in Connecticut.
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June 10, 2025
Ex-GC Accused Of Stealing IP Amid Ownership Stake Dispute
E-commerce company Storehouse In A Box sued its former general counsel and chief operating officer in Michigan federal court Monday, alleging he misappropriated trade secrets and confidential information, while also engaging in outside ventures that conflicted with his duties, after a dispute arose over his ownership claim in the business.
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June 10, 2025
Judge Warns Attys Over Candor In Grubhub-Kroger TM Row
An Illinois federal judge on Monday admonished defense counsel in ongoing trademark litigation between Grubhub Inc. and The Kroger Co. after finding discrepancies in the Kroger attorney's representations of information Grubhub provided in a discovery response, reminding all lawyers involved of their duty of candor and adherence to professional conduct rules.
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June 10, 2025
Ex-Conn. Attorney Sues AG Bondi To Restore Gun Rights
A Connecticut attorney who served prison time for a tax offense has sued federal and state officials to demand the restoration of his right to possess firearms and ammunition, arguing that the prohibition on that right is unconstitutional as applied to him.
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June 10, 2025
Wis. Judge Can't Wield Immunity For Obstructing ICE, DOJ Says
The U.S. Department of Justice has urged a Wisconsin federal judge to reject a state court judge's argument that judicial immunity blocks her prosecution for allegedly obstructing an ICE arrest at a Milwaukee courthouse, saying that while judges may be immune from civil liability for official acts, they are not shielded from prosecution for supposedly criminal conduct.
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June 09, 2025
2nd Circ. Affirms Dechert's Victory Over Hacking Suit
The Second Circuit on Monday refused to revive a North Carolina trade executive's lawsuit alleging hacking by a private investigator on Dechert LLP's behalf, ruling in a nonprecedential opinion that a district judge's failure to review disputed portions of a magistrate judge's recommendation to dismiss the suit was ultimately harmless.
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June 09, 2025
COVID Funds Bribery Scheme Gets Ex-Calif. Official 5 Years
A former member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors was sentenced to five years in prison Monday in California federal court after admitting to steering $10 million worth of COVID-19 relief funds to a nonprofit linked to his daughter, in return for more than $500,000 in bribes.
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June 09, 2025
Judge Denies Obstructing ICE As Disciplinary Hearing Begins
An attorney for a Massachusetts state judge, who was accused of plotting to let a man wanted by immigration agents escape out of a back door of a courthouse in 2018, said at the start of a disciplinary inquiry Monday that the judge did not know about the plan, pointing the finger at the wanted man's lawyer.
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June 09, 2025
'No Question' DuPont Polluted Delaware River, NJ Court Told
New Jersey told a federal judge on Monday that it was clear E.I. du Pont de Nemours discharged "forever chemicals" into the Delaware River, wrapping up the majority of a first-of-its-kind series of bench trials over whether the company is liable for contamination at a longstanding manufacturing facility.
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June 09, 2025
Madigan Denied Acquittal, New Trial Ahead Of Sentencing
An Illinois federal judge on Monday denied former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's bid for acquittal or a new trial, clearing the way for him to be sentenced for bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy later this week.
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June 09, 2025
FEMA Dodges Atty's Bias And Retaliation Suit, For Now
A California federal judge dismissed an attorney's lawsuit alleging two federal agencies fired her after she complained that a male colleague harassed her, saying the excessive length and repetitiveness of her claims makes an adequate response a "practical impossibility."
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June 09, 2025
Ga. Judge Argues Ethics Charges Are 'Irreparably Tainted'
An Atlanta trial judge urged a hearing panel to throw out the ethics charges leveled against her despite the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission's arguments that her motion to quash was untimely.
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June 09, 2025
2nd Circ. Nixes Doc's Power Of Atty Deal In Patient ERISA Suit
The Second Circuit ruled Monday that a doctor couldn't use a power-of-attorney arrangement to sue on behalf of a patient who said their union's health plan illegally stuck them with a $150,000 medical bill, but directed a trial court to determine if the patient can pursue the case.
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June 09, 2025
NJ Bar Pushes To Keep Limit On Nonclient Malpractice Claims
The New Jersey State Bar Association is asking that state's Supreme Court not to expand plaintiffs' ability to sue attorneys for malpractice when they weren't those lawyers' clients, according to a Monday announcement.
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June 09, 2025
5th Amendment Can't Shield Ex-Exec, Drugmakers Argue
Generic-drug makers urged a Pennsylvania court to compel a former executive to sit for a deposition in ongoing price-fixing litigation despite his invocation of the Fifth Amendment, arguing his testimony is crucial to their defense.
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June 09, 2025
Fitch Even's Ex-IP Client Wants Firm's Patent Suit Tossed
Prenatal-Hope Inc. and its chief executive officer are asking an Illinois federal judge to dismiss a suit in which law firm Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery LLP seeks a declaration that the CEO isn't the inventor behind a prenatal test patent.
Expert Analysis
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Roundup
After Chevron
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard in June, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 37 different rulemaking and litigation areas.
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Opinion
Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem
The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.
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Series
Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer
The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.
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Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: June Lessons
In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy considers two recent decisions from the Third and Tenth Circuits, and identifies practice tips around class action settlements and standing in securities litigation.
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Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule
Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.
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After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1
The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
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Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers
BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.
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Series
Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.
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Money, Money, Money: Limiting White Collar Wealth Evidence
As courts increasingly recognize that allowing unfettered evidence of wealth could prejudice a jury against a defendant, white collar defense counsel should consider several avenues for excluding visual evidence of a lavish lifestyle at trial, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.
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How Associates Can Build A Professional Image
As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.
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Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age
As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing
When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Series
Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer
There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.
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Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians
Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent
As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.