Law Firm, Police Hit By Hack Attacks; Lawyer Cell Phone Records Reportedly Accessed

A number of organizations, including at least one law firm, which were targeted late last week in online attacks for which the hacktivist collective known as Anonymous has claimed the blame are still working to get their websites back online. Meanwhile, confidential information that seemingly was obtained in the hack…

Feb 6, 2012 8:00 PM CST

Unpaid Intern Sues Harper’s Bazaar Publisher for Wages and Overtime, Seeks Class Action Status

Updated: Labor lawyers have been sounding a warning in recent years that employers could be violating the law by hiring unpaid interns to do work that ordinarily would be performed by a paid employee. And now a lawsuit seeks to put that argument to the test, contending that a 28-year-woman…

Feb 3, 2012 6:23 PM CST

Did Penn State’s Counsel Represent Witnesses in Grand Jury’s Sandusky Probe?

Was Cynthia Baldwin representing Pennsylvania State University, or two officials there, when she attended their grand jury testimony in a sex-abuse investigation against a former assistant football coach? The answer to that question could affect the criminal cases against both officials, who are now facing perjury charges concerning their testimony,…

Feb 2, 2012 11:24 PM CST

Whistle-Blower Tips Pour in After Dodd-Frank Act Goes into Effect

Feb 1, 2012 10:20 AM CST

NY Attorney Withdraws Last-Minute Claim to $7.5M Iowa Lottery Jackpot

A New York lawyer who submitted a winning $7.5 million Iowa lottery ticket by overnight delivery, with the help of a local law firm, has withdrawn his claim to the prize after officials demanded he prove ownership. However, Crawford Shaw’s decision not to seek payment doesn’t resolve all questions concerning…

Jan 27, 2012 8:50 PM CST

Insurance Can Be Purchased for Cyberattacks, But Figuring Out What to Cover Can Be a Challenge

If a law firm or client is hit hard by a cyberattack, their worries aren’t limited to data recovery and computer hardware and software that may have to be repaired or replaced. Lawsuits and regulatory fines could also result, as well as damage to the reputation of the business, reports…

Jan 24, 2012 5:39 PM CST

Costumes, Singing, Dancing and Arrests Mark Occupy the Courts Protests

A dozen protesters were arrested at the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday as demonstrators protested the Citizens United ruling at courthouses across the country. The Supreme Court demonstration began across the street from the Supreme Court with demonstrators dressed as justices singing and dancing, according to the Washington Post, the…

Jan 23, 2012 12:31 PM CST

Ex-Justice John Paul Stevens Chats with Stephen Colbert About His Citizens United Dissent

Marking the two-year anniversary of a controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision that opened the door to so-called Super PACs, former Justice John Paul Stevens appeared last night on comedian Stephen Colbert’s The Colbert Report to discuss his dissent in the Citizens United case, among other topics. In a clip from…

Jan 20, 2012 8:13 PM CST

‘Anonymous’ Claims Credit for DOJ, FBI Website Shutdowns, Retaliating for Megaupload Case

Responding to a U.S. Department of Justice announcement today of a major criminal case against operators of a website accused of pirating copyrighted material, the activist group of hackers known as Anonymous has claimed responsibility for subsequently interrupting service on the DOJ’s website and others. The DOJ said the timing…

Jan 20, 2012 2:20 AM CST

Feds Shut Down Megaupload.com, Say Indicted Site Operators Are Part of Worldwide ‘Mega Conspiracy’

Updated: A day after federal lawmakers blinked in the face of an unusual Internet lobbying campaign by websites unhappy about proposed legislation intended to protect copyright holders, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced a shutdown of a major file-sharing website and the indictment of seven individuals and two companies…

Jan 19, 2012 10:59 PM CST

Federal Jury Says TD Bank Must Pay $67M to Investors Swindled by Ex-Attorney Scott Rothstein

After four hours of deliberation, a federal jury in Miami yesterday decided that a South Florida bank must pay $67 million to a group of 27 investors swindled by then-attorney Scott Rothstein. The award, which includes $35 million in punitive damages, is based on a determination that officials of TD…

Jan 19, 2012 6:05 PM CST

Report: Ex-SEC Enforcement Leader, Now a BigLaw Partner, Will Pay $50K re Work for Accused Swindler

A former enforcement chief at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s office in Fort Worth, Texas, has reportedly agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a civil complaint by the U.S. Department of Justice that he violated federal ethics rules by representing a Ponzi schemer too soon after leaving the SEC. In…

Jan 11, 2012 12:26 AM CST

Davis Polk to Expand London Office Practice with Freshfields Partner, Perhaps Others

Following the lead of several other well-known Wall Street law firms, Davis Polk & Wardwell announced that it is expanding its English law practice at the firm’s office in London. Capital markets specialist Simon Witty of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer will join the London office in April, but it isn’t known…

Jan 9, 2012 10:24 PM CST

SEC Sues Life Partners for Defrauding Shareholders

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed suit against Life Partners Holdings Inc. and three top executives for defrauding shareholders in life settlement deals. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian D. Pardo, President and General Counsel R. Scott Peden and Chief Financial Officer David M. Martin have been accused of…

Jan 5, 2012 9:21 PM CST

Survey: General Counsel Wish For More Proactive Role at Corporations in 2012

As they ring in 2012, one big resolution for General Counsel is cracking the corporate perception that legal departments are roadblocks rather than facilitators of commercial opportunities. Being invited too late to the party by corporate officers to deal with business matters effectively was the number one complaint cited among…

Jan 3, 2012 10:25 PM CST