http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-24T19:42:47-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/circulating_law_student_interns_horror-film_clip_gets_ex-partner_suspended_/ Updated: 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… ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Paralegals, Partners, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Indiana Mon, 20 May 2013 11:49:06 -0500 44269.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/6_more_ogletree_lawyers_are_headed_to_littler/ After an unusual high-profile dispute between a former partner of Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart and the firm, another six lawyers are expected to leave the international labor and employment boutique Monday to join competitor Littler Mendelson, their new firm has announced. Within the last two weeks, another seven… Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Associates, Large Firm, Partners Mon, 06 May 2013 11:15:55 -0500 44037.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/podcast_monthly_episode_38/ Podcast transcript: Stephanie Ward: Associates, are you swamped doing thankless tasks on a big piece of work, and think you have zero opportunities for business development? Clinton Gary: Don’t forget about you’re in the trenches with people who probably be GCs of that organization in the next several years. Stephanie… ABA Journal, ABA Journal Podcast, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Legal Marketing & Consulting, Careers, Law Firms, Associates Mon, 06 May 2013 08:30:08 -0500 44034.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/katten_muchin_opens_new_houston_office_with_pillsbury_enviro_leader_hires_7/ The leader of the environmental practice group at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is leaving the firm to open a new Houston office for Katten Muchin Rosenman. Mark Farley will be in charge of a five-lawyer Houston office, serve as a co-chair of his new firm's environmental practice and lead its… Business of Law, Energy Law, Law Firms, Associates, Large Firm, Partners, States, Texas Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:19:56 -0500 43963.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firm_2_attorneys_sued_by_fdic_accused_of_helping_now-defunct_bank_make_/ The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has sued a Florida law firm and two of its attorneys, contending that they failed to take note of “glaring red flags” when representing Orion Bank in making $82 million in illegal loans in 2009. Nason, Yeager, Gerson, White & Lioce, as well as a… Banking Law, Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Partners, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 11th Circuit Court, States, Florida Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:42:08 -0500 43815.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ropes_filing_contests_claims_by_lawyer_who_claimed_he_was_treated_as_token_/ Ropes & Gray is responding to bias and retaliation allegations made in an August 2011 lawsuit filed by one of its former lawyers who claimed the law firm treated him as a “token black associate.” In partially redacted court filings, Ropes says the plaintiff, John… Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Associates Tue, 16 Apr 2013 07:31:42 -0500 43740.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/more_lawyers_charge_1150_an_hour_but_sticker_price_discounts_lower_collecti/ Attorney billing rates are higher this year, but the amount collected by law firms, when compared to standard rates, is at a historic low. Chalk it up to clients unwilling to pay full price, says legal consultant Ward Bower of Altman Weil. Think of hourly fees "as the equivalent of… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, In-house Counsel, Law Firms, Associates, Partners, Trials & Litigation, Attorney Fees Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:46:35 -0500 43664.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/sued_by_ex-associate_partner_and_law_firm_file_defamation_claim_portray_pla/ Sued last month for alleged sexual harassment by a former associate, a prominent plaintiffs class action lawyer and his firm have fired back. In addition to answering the complaint brought by Alexandra Marchuk in federal court in Manhattan, Juan E. Monteverde and Faruqi & Faruqi have filed counterclaims alleging defamation,… Law Firms, Associates, Partners, Solos/Small Firms, Media & Communications Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 2nd Circuit Court, States, New York Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:55:35 -0500 43531.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/oops._bingham_cant_arbitrate_ex-associates_suit_because_its_own_contract_is/ A former associate has won a round in a disability discrimination case she filed two years ago against Bingham McCutchen. The law firm had sought to arbitrate a California complaint by Hartwell Harris that the firm didn't do enough to accommodate her unusual sleep disorder, But a trial-level judge ruled… Alternative Dispute Resolution, Contracts, Disability Law, Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Associates, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, California, Massachusetts Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:24:45 -0500 43508.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/sued_by_dla_piper_for_675k_ex-client_discovers_lighthearted_churn_that_bill/ It all began with a corporate bankruptcy case. Retained by energy entrepreneur Adam H. Victor in April 2010 to prepare the Chapter 11 filing for one of his companies, DLA Piper ran up a hefty bill. And when Victor refused to pay it, the law firm sued him for $675,000.… Bankruptcy Law, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Associates, Large Firm, Partners, Trials & Litigation, 2nd Circuit Court, States, New York Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:54:53 -0500 43427.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-associate_sues_law_firm_says/ Jeffrey Downs says he was all set to follow partner Mark LeWinter last year when he exited Philadelphia personal injury law firm Anapol Schwartz to take a job with competitor Raynes McCarty. But then his Raynes job offer was rescinded, Downs contends in a lawsuit filed this week in the… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Labor & Employment, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Partners, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Pennsylvania Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:06:07 -0500 43412.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-associate_files_sexual_harassment_suit_against_faruqi_firm_and_prominent/ Updated: A former associate has filed a federal lawsuit against a prominent plaintiffs class action lawyer and his New York-based law firm, contending that the partner sexually harassed her and the firm did nothing to stop his inappropriate behavior when she complained. Plaintiff Alexandra Marchuk says in the suit that… Careers, Lawyer Pay, Law Firms, Associates, Partners, Solos/Small Firms, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 2nd Circuit Court, States, New York Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:30:36 -0500 43267.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/archer_greiner_lays_off_14_lawyers_27_staff_members/ After mergers during the past several years that brought its attorney roster from 150 to nearly 210 lawyers, a well-known law firm with longtime roots in New Jersey is retrenching. Archer & Greiner gave layoff notices last week to 14 attorneys and 27 staff members, the… Careers, Layoffs, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:04:53 -0500 43234.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/around_the_blawgosphere_office_skills_hot_sauce_carnival_triumph/ Be your own admin Minnesota litigator Sybil Dunlop admits that when she first started practicing, she probably didn't delegate enough administrative tasks to support staff. "I had a misplaced desire to own 100 percent of my projects," she writes at Lawyerist. That said, support staffers might not be… ABA Journal, @BlawgWhisperer, Admiralty & Maritime Law, Careers, Law Firms, Associates Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:30:40 -0600 43101.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/patton_boggs_axes_30_attorneys_and_35_staff_no_partners_get_pink_slips/ Unlike a number of other major law firms, Patton Boggs didn't lay off workers during the recession. But it axed 65 attorneys and other employees Thursday, after 2012 revenue and profits slipped, the firm's managing partner said Friday. Let go were 30 lawyers and 35 staff members, managing partner Edward… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Associates, Contract Attorneys, Midsize Firm, States, District of Columbia Fri, 01 Mar 2013 16:13:16 -0600 43068.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/2013_raises_to_peak_for_midlevel_associates_at_midsize_firms/ ABA Journal, Law By the Numb#rs, Careers, Lawyer Pay, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Business of Law Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:00:22 -0600 42785.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/university_of_pennsylvania_tops_list_of_go-to_law_schools_for_biglaw_hiring/ The University of Pennsylvania sent 60 percent of its graduates to the nation’s top 250 law firms last year, putting it in the No. 1 spot on a list of BigLaw feeder law schools. The National Law Journal ranked the top 50 go-to law schools.… Careers, Law Firms, Associates, Law Schools, Law Students Wed, 27 Feb 2013 06:30:51 -0600 43012.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/dechert_settles_ex-associates_macho_culture_family_leave_case/ Dechert has settled, on undisclosed terms, a former Boston financial services associate's retaliation claim concerning the law firm's alleged "macho culture." Originally, Ariel Ayanna also filed a Massachusetts state-law sex-discrimination claim. In it, he contended that the firm used his alleged low billings as a pretext… Family Law, Law Firms, Associates, Large Firm, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:04:27 -0600 42822.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/around_the_blawgosphere_legalforce_Richard_III_career_coaches_payroll/ Concierge legal services Right across from the Apple store in Palo Alto, Calif., is the retail location LegalForce, which DirectLaw founder Richard Granat describes as "a kind of Apple Store for legal stuff and other stuff (self-help law books, non-Apple tablets, tablet accessories, etc)" at ABA Journal, @BlawgWhisperer, Business of Law, Careers, Law Firms, Associates, Legal History Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:29:59 -0600 42750.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/shook_hardy_and_partner_sued/ Updated: A childhood friendship between a lawyer-to-be and another boy who, decades later, is serving a 20-year federal securities fraud prison term for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme led to a legal representation that has put a prominent South Florida attorney and his law firm on the defensive. Marc… Bankruptcy Law, Corporate Law, Law Firms, Associates, Large Firm, Partners, Securities Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 11th Circuit Court, States, Florida Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:20:22 -0600 42644.abajournal.com