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Legal Ethics
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October 03, 2025
Ga. Judge 'Cannot Be Trusted,' Must Leave Bench, Panel Says
The Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission is recommending that a judge who gave dishonest testimony regarding wide-ranging allegations of misconduct, including the illegal arrest and false imprisonment of a witness, should be kicked off the bench, saying that a judge who "cannot be trusted to tell the truth cannot be trusted to remain in office."
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October 03, 2025
Newman Opposes Fed. Circ.'s Stay Bid Amid Shutdown
The government shutdown is no excuse to halt proceedings in Judge Pauline Newman's case for reinstatement to the Federal Circuit, the judge said in an opposition, noting in a Friday filing that the Federal Circuit was seeking to delay its own litigation while pledging to deny similar motions that come before it.
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October 03, 2025
Calif. Bar Launches Randomized Client Trust Fund Audits
Attorneys in California should be on the lookout for notifications from the state bar regarding client trust fund compliance reviews, as the organization kicks off a five-week mandatory review program during which a small cross-sample of Golden State lawyers will be asked to open their books.
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October 03, 2025
Deceased IP Attys' Names Worth $55K, Conn. Judge Rules
A Connecticut federal judge has declined to upend an expert's valuation amounting to $54,775 in a trademark infringement suit over the names of deceased law partners that appear in the masthead of intellectual property firm Ohlandt Greeley Ruggiero & Perle LLP, determining such a change is unwarranted.
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October 03, 2025
The Roberts Court At 20: How The Chief Is Reshaping America
Twenty years after John Roberts became the 17th chief justice of the United States, he faces a U.S. Supreme Court term that's looking transformative for the country and its institutions. How Justice Roberts and his colleagues navigate mounting distrust in the judiciary and set the boundaries of presidential authority appear increasingly likely to define his time leading the court.
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October 03, 2025
Reed Smith Blasts DQ Attempt As 'Litigation Gamesmanship'
A shareholder of the Venezuelan airline Avior Airlines has urged a Florida federal judge to reject a bid to disqualify his counsel at Reed Smith LLP and attorney Ana R. Ulseth, arguing that the push to disqualify the firm is not about ethics but rather "litigation gamesmanship."
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October 02, 2025
Jackson Walker Can't Duck Judge Romance Suit, Court Told
A group of bondholders Thursday urged a Texas federal judge not to throw out its suit over a former Jackson Walker LLP partner's secret romance with a bankruptcy judge, arguing that the firm "has a problem with telling the truth" and it's "back at it again."
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October 02, 2025
NC Court Rejects McGuireWoods' Immunity In Defamation Suit
A North Carolina appellate court dismissed an interlocutory appeal by McGuireWoods and a former partner in a defamation case over statements about an investigation聽into the onetime CEO of a managed care organization during a press conference, reiterating its opinion that the statements were "too far afield" to be considered part of a judicial proceeding.
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October 02, 2025
Netflix Escapes Documentary IP Suit From Atty's Film Co.
A film company owned by a trial lawyer this week lost its lawsuit accusing Netflix Inc. of infringing a copyright in its documentary about sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts of America, with a New Jersey federal judge finding the film deals with uncopyrightable facts.
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October 02, 2025
Dentons, Boies Schiller Escape $300M Fraud Suit
A New York federal judge has dismissed with prejudice a $300 million fraud and racketeering lawsuit brought against Dentons and Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, in which the BigLaw firms were accused of misleading a former client with respect to a deal, and later arbitration, involving Senegal's state-owned energy company.
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October 02, 2025
4 Mass. Rulings You May Have Missed In September
One attorney scored an early exit from a malpractice suit, another must face a long-delayed arbitration, and a judge聽has requested more information on a proposed settlement in a class action brought by gamblers at a Massachusetts casino. Here are four rulings from Suffolk Superior Court's business litigation session in September.
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October 02, 2025
Ex-Firm Can't Revive Malicious Prosecution Suit In 11th Circ.
The Eleventh Circuit has refused to overturn lower court rulings nixing a malicious prosecution lawsuit brought by a now-defunct law firm against a surgical center, as well as a sanctions ruling against the firm's counsel.
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October 02, 2025
Gov't Shutdown Halts Fed. Circ. Response In Newman Case
The Federal Circuit has asked the D.C. Circuit for permission to extend a deadline to respond to U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman's petition for an en banc rehearing to reconsider her suspension, citing the ongoing government shutdown.
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October 02, 2025
DOJ Beats Heritage Foundation Suit Over Hunter Biden Docs
A Delaware federal judge has ruled against The Heritage Foundation in its Freedom of Information Act suit against the U.S. Department of Justice regarding documents withheld detailing the investigation of Hunter Biden, saying the government "adequately established" that harm would result from releasing the records.
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October 02, 2025
Comey's 1st Task: Decoding A Cryptic Indictment
The criminal indictment of James B. Comey is unusually sparse for such a high-profile matter, leaving open questions for the ex-FBI director to probe that could shed more light on how the government intends to prove its case and create potential lines of attack for the defense, experts say.
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October 02, 2025
Attys Get Mixed NJ Discipline After Fraud Convictions
The New Jersey Supreme Court has disbarred ex-Sacks Weston attorney Scott Diamond from the practice of law in the Garden State following his conviction for fraudulently resolving cases behind the back of his old firm, according to filings issued Thursday.
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October 02, 2025
Tenn. 'Gag Order' Ruling Against Atty Axed After Rule Change
The Sixth Circuit has vacated a decision that a Nashville attorney lacked standing to challenge a since-rescinded Middle District of Tennessee rule restricting lawyers' so-called extrajudicial statements.
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October 02, 2025
Baker McKenzie Brings New Suit Against Ex-Associate In DC
A former Baker McKenzie tax attorney who publicly accused the firm's Washington, D.C., managing partner of sexual assault was previously in a relationship with the managing partner's son, the firm has said in a revised defamation complaint.
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October 02, 2025
Michigan OKs Anti-Bias Rule For Judges, Delays Atty Version
Michigan's top court adopted a rule Wednesday prohibiting judges from acting with bias or prejudice but held back a companion rule for lawyers for more deliberation.
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October 02, 2025
McCarter & English Won't Face Pretrial Win Bid In $22M Suit
A Connecticut Superior Court judge has denied requests by Phoenix Life Insurance Co. and PHL Variable Insurance Co. to file late partial summary judgment motions in a $22.3 million professional negligence lawsuit against McCarter & English LLP over the law firm's work on a Long Island loan deal.
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October 01, 2025
Tyson Inks $85M Deal To Exit Consumers' Pork Antitrust Suit
Pork consumers asked a Minnesota federal court Wednesday to greenlight an $85 million settlement resolving their claims against Tyson Foods Inc. in major antitrust litigation alleging pork producers conspired with data firm Agri Stats Inc. to inflate pork prices by limiting the supply in the U.S. market.
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October 01, 2025
Conn. Servers Defend Asking Judge To DQ From Wage Case
A class of servers at a Foxwoods Resort Casino steakhouse have defended their request for a Connecticut judge to disqualify herself from overseeing an upcoming trial, saying she violated the presumption of an adversarial court system by generating new defense arguments.
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October 01, 2025
Reed Smith Seeks 2nd Circ. Help Over Eletson Orders
Reed Smith LLP has urged the Second Circuit to nix an order displacing the firm as counsel and requiring it to turn over client files for international shipping group Eletson Holdings Inc. to lawyers representing the company's new owners, saying Eletson's bankruptcy plan has not validly taken effect.
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October 01, 2025
Mich. Panel OKs Fine For Atty's Gender-Based Slur At Judge
A Michigan appellate panel has affirmed a $7,500 fine for a lawyer who called a judge a vulgar term during a virtual hearing, rejecting the lawyer's defense that he thought he had closed out of the video call when he made the remark.
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October 01, 2025
Ex-Burnham Law Atty Claims Pregnancy Bias Behind Demotions
A Colorado law firm is under fire from one of its former attorneys who claims her pregnancy led to her receiving two demotions at the firm and eventually being forced out entirely.
Expert Analysis
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5 Keys To Building Stronger Attorney-Client Relationships
Attorneys are often focused on being seen as the expert, but bonding with clients and prospects by sharing a few key personal details provides the basis for a caring, trusted and profoundly deeper business relationship, says Deb Feder at Feder Development.
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What SDNY Judge Can And Can't Do In Adams Case
The federal judge in the Southern District of New York overseeing the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams deferred making a decision on the government's motion to dismiss the indictment, and while he does have limited authority to deny the motion, that would ultimately be a futile gesture, says Ethan Greenberg at Anderson Kill.
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Series
Racing Corvettes Makes Me A Better Lawyer
The skills I use when racing Corvettes have enhanced my legal practice in several ways, because driving, like practicing law, requires precision, awareness and a good set of brakes 鈥 complete with the wisdom to know how and when to use them, says Kat Mateo at Olshan Frome.
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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鈥檚 authority, says attorney Bhavleen Sabharwal.
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Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises
鈥淣o comment鈥 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 鈥 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 recent application to open a legal practice in Arizona represents the first overture by an accounting firm to take advantage of the state鈥檚 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 鈥 after first making e-discovery processes technically and legally harder.