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Legal Ethics
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June 03, 2025
'Frivolous' Defamation Suit From Diddy Security Guard Tossed
A New York federal judge has thrown out a defamation suit brought by the former head of security for Sean "Diddy" Combs against high-profile attorney Gloria Allred and her client in a sexual assault suit against Combs, finding several of the claims "frivolous."
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June 03, 2025
Conn. Judge Narrows McCarter's Defenses In $22M Loan Suit
A Connecticut state court trimmed McCarter & English LLP's defenses in a $22.3 million suit over its role crafting loans for recreational improvements in a Long Island, New York, town, saying the firm cannot pursue a comparative negligence defense but can proceed with its fraud argument.
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June 03, 2025
Butler Snow Calls Bogus AI Citations An 'Isolated Event'
Butler Snow LLP has told an Alabama federal court that fake citations in two of its filings in a prison abuse case that were the result of AI-generated "hallucinations" were an "isolated event," and it is revising policies and procedures to ensure such mistakes won't happen again.
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June 03, 2025
Estate, Lawyer And Law Firm Clash Over Malpractice Liability
Wachtel Missry LLP and a former client's estate are once again at odds in Brooklyn federal court after a judge found a September jury verdict unclear on liability in the case of a former law firm partner's alleged abuse of an elderly client, with all three parties arguing over the scope of a new trial.
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June 03, 2025
Tom Girardi Sentenced To Over 7 Years For $15M Client Fraud
A California federal judge sentenced Tom Girardi on Tuesday to over seven years in prison for his wire fraud conviction, granting some leniency to the disbarred attorney on his 86th birthday by imposing a sentence below the guidelines in recognition of his age and ailing health.Â
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June 03, 2025
The Law360 400: A Look At The Top 100 Firms
A rebound in client work sent the nation’s largest law firms into growth mode last year, driving a wave of hiring, mergers and strategic moves that reshaped the top tier of the Law360 400. Here's a preview of the 100 firms with the largest U.S. attorney headcounts.
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June 03, 2025
Text To Sanctions Trial Witness Just An 'Error,' Judge Agrees
A Manhattan federal judge declined on Tuesday to revoke bail for a businessman accused of helping a Russian banker evade sanctions on assets worth nearly $150 million, after his lawyer said his text to a trial witness was merely a phone flub.
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June 02, 2025
Jenner & Block Ruling 'Meant What It Said,' Judge Tells Feds
The order striking down the Trump administration's executive order targeting Jenner & Block LLP "meant what it said," a Washington, D.C., federal judge ruled Monday, saying the government must rescind enforcement of all parts of the president's directive.
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June 02, 2025
Fla. Sanitizer Co. Faces Penalties Over Fake AI Legal Citations
Two Florida federal judges have ordered a disinfectant sprayer business to explain why artificial intelligence-generated fake citations and quotes appeared in filings in lawsuits over corporate wrongdoing from a Canadian breach of contract case, saying it could face serious penalties for alleged intentional misrepresentations.
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June 02, 2025
Ga. Panel Urged To Back $17M Honda Seatbelt Verdict
A Georgia man whose wife was killed after being ejected from her Honda SUV asked a Georgia appellate panel Monday to uphold a $17 million verdict against the automaker, urging the court to reject Honda's arguments that it was wrongly denied the chance to defend itself after its attorneys introduced prohibited materials at the trial's opening.
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June 02, 2025
Girardi's Dropped Pants Don't Sway Judge From Sentencing
A California federal judge ruled Monday she will sentence Tom Girardi this week for his wire fraud conviction, finding him mentally competent enough to potentially serve prison time following a bizarre hearing where the disbarred attorney made an appearance on the witness stand that culminated in his pants falling down.
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June 02, 2025
Judge Finds Exec Sought To Dodge Chicago Hotel Fraud Order
A construction company and executive found by a jury in 2022 of misusing millions intended for Chicago's Nobu Hotel are facing contempt orders from an Illinois federal judge for concealing cash withdrawals and construction work as an investor attempts to collect a $22 million judgment.
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June 02, 2025
Jackson Walker, US Trustee Agree To Mediator In Fees Case
Jackson Walker LLP and the federal government's bankruptcy watchdog have agreed to mediation in their fee dispute stemming from an ethics scandal in Texas, with the two sides agreeing that retired judge Joan N. Feeney should mediate.
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June 02, 2025
Third Round Of Fixes Sought In Botched Calif. Bar Exam
The California state bar's committee of bar examiners has approved two additional remedies in an effort to help applicants who failed the troubled February exam, including asking the state Supreme Court to approve a further scoring adjustment that would bring the passing rate up to about 63%.
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June 02, 2025
Feds Want 12½ Years For Ex-Ill. Speaker Convicted Of Bribery
Prosecutors are urging an Illinois federal judge to sentence former state House Speaker Michael Madigan to prison for 12½ years for bribery, conspiracy and fraud, saying his conduct adds "another sordid chapter to Illinois' storied reputation of corruption" while Madigan, armed with more than 200 letters of support, seeks only probation.
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June 02, 2025
Ga. Appeals Court To Review Arbitration Of Firm Fee Fight
The Georgia state court of appeals on Monday agreed to consider whether a law firm's lawsuit against its former client over legal fees should move forward in the trial court that ordered the case to arbitration, with both sides accusing the other of "gamesmanship."
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June 02, 2025
Judicial Clerk Boycott May Be Unethical, Circ. Judge Says
A North Dakota federal judge's pledge not to hire law clerks from Columbia University because of the school's response to campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza may "cross an important line," the Eighth Circuit's chief judge said, even as he dismissed an ethics complaint stemming from the boycott.
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June 02, 2025
Retired Judges Call Wis. Judge's Prosecution 'Dangerous'
The Trump administration's prosecution of a Wisconsin state judge who refused to help federal agents arrest an immigrant is an "extraordinary and direct assault on the independence of the entire judicial system," according to a bipartisan group of 138 former state and federal judges.
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June 02, 2025
J&J Again Seeks To Block Beasley Allen In NJ Talc Litigation
Johnson & Johnson has opposed a New Jersey talc claimant's motion for the pro hac vice admission of two attorneys from The Beasley Allen Law Firm, claiming the partners' conduct in its talc unit's bankruptcy proceedings warrants denial of the application.
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June 02, 2025
Womble Bond Atty Asks 4th Circ. To Undo Contempt Order
A series of federal court errors led to a Womble Bond Dickinson partner being wrongly held in contempt over a $28 million trademark dispute between a Dutch technology company and its former U.S. partner, the lawyer told the Fourth Circuit in a brief Friday, urging the appeals panel to reverse the order.
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June 02, 2025
MSG Tries Again To Have Ex-Knick's Assault Suit Tossed
Madison Square Garden has returned fire against former New York Knicks icon Charles Oakley in their battle in New York federal court over his 2017 ejection from a game, demanding summary judgment in an assault suit he brought against it and asking for sanctions against Oakley six weeks after he requested sanctions against the organization.
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June 02, 2025
Union Loses Atty DQ Bid In NJ Wrongful Termination Dispute
A longshoremen's union has lost its bid to disqualify an attorney from representing a former member in a wrongful termination suit in New Jersey federal court that alleges the union gave him bad advice that prevented him from properly fighting claims that led to his termination.
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June 02, 2025
Immunity Shields Mich. AG From Flint Water Prosecution Suit
A Michigan federal judge has dismissed a wrongful prosecution lawsuit brought by a former aide to ex-Gov. Rick Snyder against the Michigan attorney general and Wayne County prosecutors, ruling that immunity shields the prosecutors from liability over their handling of charges against officials in the aftermath of the Flint water crisis.
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June 02, 2025
Schumer Pledges To Fight GOP's Limits On Court Power
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has vowed to challenge a provision in House Republicans' budget reconciliation package that would curtail courts' ability to issue contempt citations.
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May 30, 2025
No Sanctions For Stamford In Zoning Fight Over Gyms
A Connecticut judge declined to sanction the Stamford Board of Representatives after a real estate company accused it of withholding and destroying documents relevant to their zoning fight, ruling that "the evidence of withheld discovery was equivocal at best."
Expert Analysis
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Opinion
Attorneys Must Act Now To Protect Judicial Independence
Given the Trump administration's recent moves threatening the independence of the judiciary, including efforts to impeach judges who ruled against executive actions, lawyers must protect the rule of law and resist attempts to dilute the judicial branch’s authority, says attorney Bhavleen Sabharwal.
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Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises
“No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.
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How Design Thinking Can Help Lawyers Find Purpose In Work
Lawyers everywhere are feeling overwhelmed amid mass government layoffs, increasing political instability and a justice system stretched to its limits — but a design-thinking framework can help attorneys navigate this uncertainty and find meaning in their work, say law professors at the University of Michigan.
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Series
Competitive Weightlifting Makes Me A Better Lawyer
The parallels between the core principles required for competitive weightlifting and practicing law have helped me to excel in both endeavors, with each holding important lessons about discipline, dedication, drive and failure, says Damien Bielli at VF Law.
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Opinion
Inconsistent Injury-In-Fact Rules Hinder Federal Practice
A recent Third Circuit decision, contradicting a previous ruling about whether consumers of contaminated products have suffered an injury in fact, illustrates the deep confusion this U.S. Supreme Court standard creates among federal judges and practitioners, who deserve a simpler method of determining which cases have federal standing, says Eric Dwoskin at Dwoskin Wasdin.
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In-House Counsel Pointers For Preserving Atty-Client Privilege
Several recent rulings illustrate the challenges in-house counsel can face when attempting to preserve attorney-client privilege, but a few best practices can help safeguard communications and effectively assert the privilege in an increasingly scrutinized corporate environment, says Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics.
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Applying ABA Atty Role Guidance To White Collar Matters
The American Bar Association’s recently published guidance, clarifying the duties outside counsel owes to both organizational clients and those organizations' constituents, provides best practices that attorneys representing companies in white collar and other investigative matters should heed, say attorneys at MoFo.
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Series
Collecting Rare Books Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My collection of rare books includes several written or owned by prominent lawyers from early U.S. history, and immersing myself in their stories helps me feel a deeper connection to my legal practice and its purpose, says Douglas Brown at Manatt Health.
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Opinion
Judge Should Not Have Been Reprimanded For Alito Essay
Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor's New York Times essay critiquing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for potential ethical violations absolutely cannot be construed as conduct prejudicial to the administration of the business of the courts, says Ashley London at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University.
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Lights, Camera, Ethics? TV Lawyers Tend To Set Bad Example
Though fictional movies and television shows portraying lawyers are fun to watch, Hollywood’s inaccurate depictions of legal ethics can desensitize attorneys to ethics violations and lead real-life clients to believe that good lawyers take a scorched-earth approach, says Nancy Rapoport at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
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Perspectives
Accountant-Owned Law Firms Could Blur Ethical Lines
KPMG’s recent application to open a legal practice in Arizona represents the first overture by an accounting firm to take advantage of the state’s relaxed law firm ownership rules, but enforcing and supervising the practice of law by nonattorneys could prove particularly challenging, says Seth Laver at Goldberg Segalla.
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AI Will Soon Transform The E-Discovery Industrial Complex
Todd Itami at Covington discusses how generative artificial intelligence will reshape the current e-discovery paradigm, replacing the blunt instrument of data handling with a laser scalpel of fully integrated enterprise solutions — after first making e-discovery processes technically and legally harder.
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When Innovation Overwhelms The Rule Of Law
In an era where technology is rapidly evolving and artificial intelligence is seemingly everywhere, it’s worth asking if the law — both substantive precedent and procedural rules — can keep up with the light speed of innovation, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Imagine The Possibilities Of Openly Autistic Lawyering
Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law, who was diagnosed with autism about midway through her career, discusses how the legal profession can create inclusive workplaces that empower openly autistic lawyers and enhance innovation, and how neurodivergent attorneys can navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with disclosing one’s diagnosis.
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Disciplinary Rule Updates Every Texas Lawyer Needs To Know
Sweeping amendments to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct that recently went into effect provide essential clarity and modernity to rules governing conflicts of interest, client confidentiality and duties to prospective clients, says Robert Tobey at Johnston Tobey.