Edwards Campaign Leads the Pack in Contributions From Lawyers
Lawyers and law firms dropped another $13 million into the coffers of the 2008 presidential campaigns during the second quarter of the year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Since the start of the year, the legal industry has contributed $27.5 million to the campaigns, 66 percent of which has gone to three Democratic candidates: former Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama. Edwards, a trial lawyer, continues to lead in lawyer contributions.
Suit Charges 'Inhumane' Questions at Deposition Caused Emotional Distress
Rough spots are common in civil litigation, but it's not every day that a plaintiffs attorney sues his adversary for asking "inhumane" questions during a deposition that allegedly inflict "grievous emotional distress." That's the thrust of a New Jersey suit in which Bruce Nagel claims Judith Wahrenberger, his adversary in a medical malpractice case, acted tortiously by asking a husband whether he felt his wife had played a role in the death of their infant daughter by handling the child roughly.
Justice Stevens: 9th Circuit's Reversal Record at High Court 'Misleading'
Speaking at the 9th Circuit's judicial conference last week, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens provided some insights into the last session's rulings, calling the 9th Circuit's dubious record of a 90 percent reversal rate for the term "misleading." At 87, Stevens is the longest-serving justice on the Court. Asked if he has someone who will tell him if his abilities falter and he has served too long, Stevens quipped, "Yes. And he is apt to do it when I dissent from one of his decisions."
How Lawyers Can Improve Search Results
The Internet is a powerful tool for research, containing information about law, business, government, science and medicine. Unfortunately, with the proliferation of Web sites today, any search may return hundreds of results, many of which are not relevant or reliable. Library and information services administrator Tracey Rich discusses some advanced search techniques in Google that can improve the relevance of search results and examines ways to determine the reliability of a Web site.
South Florida Banks Feeling Heat From Mortgage Regulation
South Florida banks are being watched more closely than others in the nation after regulators tightened standards on exotic mortgages in response to spiking foreclosures. "We are one of the epicenters of the housing bubble, so regulators have targeted this area, as in Vegas and California," says a Miami-based banking analyst. As a result, South Florida banks that have long focused on compliance with anti-money laundering requirements may have to shift their attention to the lending side.
Former Akin Gump GC Joins VeriSign as Stock Option Troubles Brew
At his last posting, as GC of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Richard Goshorn had to manage the legal affairs -- and the no doubt healthy egos -- of hundreds of lawyers. That type of stamina might be just what his new employer, VeriSign, needs. The domain name and network security company recently announced it was taking a $160 million charge due to stock option improprieties. Goshorn replaces James Ulam, who quietly left VeriSign shortly after stock option problems came to light.
N.Y. Federal Court Declines to Relieve Attorneys in KPMG Case
Southern District of New York Judge Lewis A. Kaplan on Monday prevented attorneys Robert Fink and Caroline Rule from withdrawing as defense counsel to former KPMG partner Richard Smith in . At a Monday conference, Fink argued that when the government filed its notice of appeal in its fraud case against 13 former KPMG partners, it stripped Kaplan of jurisdiction and his ability to prevent Fink's firm from withdrawing. But Kaplan disagreed.
Calif. Minister Cites Religious Protection in Marijuana Defense
A Hollywood, Calif., church that burned marijuana during services and distributed it to members is protected under federal law because the drug is a religious sacrament, the leader of the congregation argued in a hearing before his drug possession trial Tuesday. The Rev. Craig X Rubin, the leader of the 420 Temple who has appeared in episodes of the Showtime comedy "Weeds," faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of possessing marijuana for sale. Rubin is representing himself.
Giuliani Burnishes Conservative Credentials With Choice of Legal Policy Advisers
On its face, Rudolph Giuliani's list of legal policy advisers is a promise fulfilled to conservatives who have been openly queasy about his support of abortion rights and his more liberal stances on gun control and other issues. But the committee, saturated with Federalist Society leaders and Reagan appointees, is more than a shove in a Republican race to see who's more conservative: its influence could have real implications for the DOJ and the U.S. Supreme Court, if events play out in Giuliani's favor.
Dreier Adds Five-Lawyer Intellectual Property Group
Dreier has recruited a five-lawyer intellectual property group, including the former national practice chair from Greenberg Traurig. The group specializes in patent litigation, especially in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical areas. The move is a further boost to Dreier's IP practice, which added four lawyers in December from Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner.
Gonzales Denies Pressuring AG Ashcroft on Intelligence-Gathering Issue
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales denied that he and former White House chief of staff Andy Card tried to exploit then-AG John Ashcroft's frail condition by pressuring him to recertify President Bush's intelligence-gathering program during a 2004 hospital visit. It was one of a number of issues on which lawmakers pounded Gonzales on Tuesday. Sen. Arlen Specter suggested appointing a special prosecutor to investigate whether the department fired federal prosecutors at the White House's direction.
McDermott Will Recruits Sullivan & Cromwell Veteran
McDermott, Will & Emery has recruited to its New York office a former senior trusts and estates partner at Sullivan & Cromwell. Henry "Terry" Christensen, who was a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell for 30 years, will launch a New York private client practice for McDermott Will, whose Chicago home office has one of the nation's top practices in the area.
Crematory Case Continues as Families Fight Deal
The 2002 discovery that a northwest Georgia crematory had for years discarded corpses it had been paid to cremate is a horror story that, five years later, has still not been laid to rest. Lawyers for the Marsh family, the owners and operators of the defunct Tri-State Crematory, have gone to federal court to stop the relatives of the uncremated dead from challenging the settlement of state court litigation between Tri-State's owners and its insurance company, the Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Co.
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