http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-22T17:33:53-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/youtube_can_be_used_as_hammer_of_justice_even_if_client_has_lost_in_court/ It isn't just in court proceedings that depositions can be useful, a Colorado attorney says. By posting them on YouTube after his client had already lost in court, he won a secret settlement in one corporate matter, John Pineau tells the Denver Post. "This is an incredible… Business of Law, Legal Ethics, Media & Communications Law, Trials & Litigation, Evidence Wed, 22 May 2013 12:38:34 -0500 44306.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_says/ Given earlier developments in two legal ethics cases against a Detroit judge, observers expected a colorful hearing Tuesday when suspended Wayne County Circuit Judge Wade McCree took the stand in his judicial misconduct trial. And they were not disappointed, reports MLive.com. Speaking following testimony by his ex-mistress, Geniene… Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Michigan Wed, 22 May 2013 07:59:05 -0500 44302.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/suing_ex-client_for_500k_in_unpaid_divorce_fees_leads_to_disbarment_ruling_/ A decision to sue a former client, who happened to be an attorney, for $500,000 in allegedly unpaid legal fees in a divorce case has led to a disbarment ruling against a former Virginia Bar Association president who was once considered one of the titans of the Washington, D.C., matrimonial… Family Law, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Virginia Wed, 22 May 2013 05:58:16 -0500 44300.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/jurists_facebook_friendship_doesnt_indicate_bias_says_appellate_court/ When are friends not really friends? Perhaps on Facebook, the Fifth District of Texas Court of Appeals recently ruled, in a matter involving a judge’s social media contacts and perceived biases. The appeal was brought by William Scott Youkers, who pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend and later had a… Judiciary, Legal Ethics Tue, 21 May 2013 17:26:36 -0500 44298.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/do_linkedin_endorsements_violate_legal_ethics/ Legal blogger Robert Ambrogi received an email alert this morning notifying him that an Internet acquaintance he’s never met or spoken to had endorsed his litigation skills on LinkedIn. Ambrogi says that is not uncommon for connections with no firsthand knowledge of his skills to endorse him on LinkedIn, a… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Legal Marketing & Consulting, Legal Technology, Careers, Legal Ethics Tue, 21 May 2013 15:52:55 -0500 44295.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/switching_law_firms_be_sure_you_take_these_steps_partners_caution/ More lawyers are at risk for bad career jumps as lateral movement is expected to continue its upward trend, two BigLaw partners say. Activity among Am Law 200 firms reached a 3-year high in 2012, according to the American Lawyer. “The worst of all worlds is for an attorney to… Careers, Law Firms, Partners, Legal Ethics Tue, 21 May 2013 13:35:19 -0500 44293.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/convicted_of_murdering_ex-client_lawyer_is_fighting_attorney_disciplinary/ Convicted earlier this year of murdering a former matrimonial client and her baby, and sentenced to life in prison, an Illinois attorney is fighting a subsequent legal ethics case. In a handwritten answer (PDF) submitted in response to a complaint (PDF) filed last month by… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Family Law, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Illinois Tue, 21 May 2013 10:55:52 -0500 44290.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/suspended_and_facing_ethics_case_judge_blames_president_jurist_claims_she/ An Alabama judge facing a legal ethics case over the unlawful arrest orders she is accused of entering against parties and witnesses in divorce cases is now blaming the jurisdiction's former top jurist for her plight. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Dorothea Batiste denies in court filings that she abused her… Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Criminal Procedure, Family Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, States, Alabama Tue, 21 May 2013 10:18:19 -0500 44289.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/circulating_law_student_interns_horror-film_clip_gets_ex-partner_suspended_/ A former partner of a well-known Indiana law firm has been suspended from practice for three years for persuading his paralegal to impersonate that firm's managing partner and send an email attaching a horror-film clip in which a new hire seemingly was onscreen in a state of undress. Arthur J.… Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Paralegals, Partners, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Indiana Mon, 20 May 2013 11:49:21 -0500 44269.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/suspended_judge_expected_to_testify_about_claimed_in-chambers_sex_with_witn/ Updated: A Michigan judge who has been suspended without pay is expected to testify Monday in a legal ethics case over his alleged sexual relationship with a witness in a case that was before his bench. Wayne County Circuit Judge Wade McCree is charged in a Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission… Family Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, States, Michigan Mon, 20 May 2013 06:20:31 -0500 44261.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyers_who_helped_client_change_story_by_explaining_the_law_to_her_are_sus/ Two Fordham University law school classmates who set up a law practice together a few years after graduating are now both facing nine-month suspensions for pursuing a fraudulent personal injury case. In a Tuesday opinion (PDF), the Appellate Division of New York Supreme Court suspended the licenses of… ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Legal Ethics, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, Verdicts & Settlements, States, New York Wed, 15 May 2013 12:40:28 -0500 44196.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/booted_from_bench_over_refusal_to_give_up_board_seat_ex-judge_is_now_accuse/ A former North Carolina judge who gave up his seat on the bench in 2009 in the midst of an investigation over his continued membership on a corporate board and other issues is now facing a legal ethics case over accusations that he lied during the probe. Bill Belk, who… Judiciary, Legal Ethics, States, North Carolina Tue, 14 May 2013 12:52:04 -0500 44174.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_clerk_of_28_years_diverted_3m_from_real_estate_lawyer/ After 28 years, real estate attorney James Naumovich had implicit trust in his law clerk, Gina Kioussis, and considered her a friend and family member. But she allegedly diverted $3 million in client funds for her own use, when it came down to a choice between what she was supposed… Bar Associations, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, International, North America, Canada Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:47 -0500 44161.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/top_tax_court_judge_should_be_suspended_9_months_without_pay_review_panel/ A review panel has recommended that the chief judge of the Minnesota Tax Court be censured and suspended without pay for nine months, because he routinely exceeded the three-month deadline for submitting his opinions and falsified dates to try to obscure his noncompliance. Nonetheless, Judge George Perez was known for… Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Tax Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Minnesota Tue, 14 May 2013 10:00:34 -0500 44158.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer_sanctions_in_minnesota_could_set_record_is_economy_a_factor/ Lawyer sanctions in Minnesota this year are on pace to overtake last year’s numbers, and could surpass the record of 55 set in 1990. Twenty Minnesota lawyers so far this year have been disbarred, suspended, publicly reprimanded or placed on probation, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.… ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Legal Ethics Tue, 14 May 2013 05:55:06 -0500 44151.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/suit_claims_lawyers_disclosure_led_to_murder_of_his_client/ A lawsuit filed this week in Baltimore alleges that a Maryland lawyer’s disclosure led to the death of a client accused in a mail theft and bank fraud case. The $40 million suit claims lawyer Larry Feldman of Pikesville disclosed to a co-defendant that federal authorities wanted to talk to… Criminal Justice, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation Fri, 10 May 2013 07:52:31 -0500 44121.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/is_milquetoast_report_ducking_issues_presented_by_judicial_license_plates/ Responding to concerns that the state's judges could be getting a pass on traffic enforcement by trumpeting their status via special license plates, the New York Commission on Judicial Conduct starting looking into the issue last year. In a Tuesday report (PDF), the commission says that displaying a… Criminal Justice, Government Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, States, New York Thu, 09 May 2013 11:25:36 -0500 44094.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_jails_lawyer_and_client_for_arriving_late_to_trial/ When a Philadelphia lawyer and his client arrived 50 minutes late for jury selection in a drug case on Monday, a Pennsylvania judge jailed them both. Holding lawyer B. David Marcial in contempt and upping the bond for his client, Jesus O. Ortiz, from $120,000 to $3 million, Judge Stephen… Criminal Justice, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Pennsylvania Tue, 07 May 2013 10:40:26 -0500 44064.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_boldly_uses_star_trek_references_in_opinion_blasting_lawyers_who_sued/ Updated: Lawyers who pursued illegal porn downloaders, offering to settle copyright infringement claims for $4,000, are experiencing the wrath of a federal judge. In an opinion peppered with Star Trek references, U.S. District Judge Otis Wright sanctioned four lawyers $81,000, double the cost of attorney fees for two defense lawyers,… Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics Tue, 07 May 2013 08:21:27 -0500 44062.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_faces_discipline_case_for_dismissing_lawyers_speeding_ticket/ Disciplinary counsel for the Ohio Supreme Court is seeking to sanction a Franklin County Municipal Court judge for dismissing a lawyer's speeding ticket. Attorney Patrick M. Quinn had been ticketed in November 2011 for doing 81 mph in a 65-mph zone. Judge Harland H. Hale, who was being represented by… Criminal Justice, Prosecutors, Government Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Ohio Fri, 03 May 2013 13:39:54 -0500 44030.abajournal.com