Illinois

Heller Ehrman Now Talking About Merger With Mayer Brown

Only a few weeks ago, it looked like Heller Ehrman might merge with Baker & McKenzie. But after that wedding plan went awry the firm hasn’t stopped looking for another marriage partner, reports the Am Law Daily, relying on unnamed sources. “Heller is aggressively pursuing other merger options, of which…

Aug 28, 2008 9:17 PM CDT

Joe Biden & Relatives Have Ties to Asbestos Law Firm

An Illinois law firm that specializes in plaintiffs asbestos litigation reportedly has close ties with Sen. Joe Biden, the expected running mate of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, and several of Biden’s relatives. A brother and son of Biden obtained a $1 million investment from SimmonsCooper in 2006, which…

Aug 27, 2008 11:07 PM CDT

A Decedent’s Religious Wishes Spawn Unholy Legal Fight

A will disinheriting descendants who marry outside the Jewish faith is at the center of a legal fight in Illinois that has produced an appeals court ruling and an appeal to the state supreme court. The Illinois Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in the case that it would be contrary…

Aug 25, 2008 1:20 PM CDT

Lawyer Accused of Calling Judge a ‘Narcissistic, Maniacal Mental Case’

An Illinois lawyer has been accused in an ethics complaint of belittling two judges, calling one a “narcissistic, maniacal mental case.” Lawyer Melvin H. Hoffman of Ottawa is accused of making the statement during a February speakerphone hearing in which the judge questioned an affidavit filed by the lawyer, reports…

Aug 22, 2008 2:12 PM CDT

Convicted Media Mogul Loses Appeals Court Rehearing Request

Media mogul Conrad Black, sentenced to 6½ years in prison for embezzling money from Hollinger International, has lost his request for a rehearing before a federal appeals court. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned down Black’s request last week, Bloomberg reports. Black was convicted last year of…

Aug 21, 2008 5:11 PM CDT

Judge Tosses False Claims Suit Because of Leaked Discovery Documents

A federal judge has dismissed a false claims suit after a confidential discovery document ended up on Wikileaks. U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur said the plaintiff’s lawyer, Jorge Sanchez, was apparently to blame for the Wikileaks document and dismissed the suit with prejudice as a sanction, the Chicago Daily Law…

Aug 20, 2008 3:51 PM CDT

Malpractice Suit Against Kirkland & Ellis Claims Errors in Patent Case

A technology company says in a lawsuit that it would not have needed to settle an infringement case for $18.75 million if its law firm, Kirkland & Ellis, had discovered prior art and misconduct that called a patent into question. Magnetek Inc. sued the law firm last week in county…

Aug 20, 2008 11:29 AM CDT

Ticor Sues Countrywide in Bad Loan Case; Trend Could Create ‘Chaos,’ Expert Says

A lawsuit filed in Illinois by a major title company against a major mortgage lender concerns just one Chicago mortgage. But, if plaintiff Ticor Title, or other title insurers, start taking the same approach to other troubled properties, there could be big implications for the rest of the country, the…

Aug 18, 2008 5:39 PM CDT

Judge Won’t Lift Sanction Against Lawyer for Client’s F-Bombs

Lawyer Joseph Ziccardi of Chicago has failed to persuade a judge to lift a $29,000 fine imposed for his client’s profanity-laced deposition. U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno of Philadelphia had imposed the sanction earlier this year after finding that Ziccardi’s client, Aaron Wider, had used the F-word or a variant…

Aug 18, 2008 2:44 PM CDT

Anticipated Revenues Drop for Law Firms and a Job-Hunting Law Grad

Veronique Tousignant knows firsthand about the tight job market. A 2007 graduate of Chicago-Kent College of Law, she has sent out 200 résumés. But her only legal work is as a law clerk for Chicago firm Kameli & Associates. Tousignant hit the job market as the subprime meltdown was affecting…

Aug 18, 2008 1:59 PM CDT

Lawyer Posts Addresses of Alleged Pedophile Priests on Website

A Minnesota lawyer for victims of pedophile priests has posted addresses and some phone numbers of alleged Chicago abusers on his website. Jeffrey Anderson of St. Paul told the Chicago Sun-Times that he posted information about nine men yesterday to protect the public. Anderson represented victims in a $12.7 million…

Aug 15, 2008 12:11 PM CDT

Baker & McKenzie Breaks $2B; Firm’s Revenue Rises 20%

Despite the struggling U.S. economy, Baker & McKenzie has had a banner year. For the fiscal year that ended in June, it booked total global revenue of $2.19 billion, breaking the $2 billion—and the 1 billion pound—barrier for the first time. Last year, the megafirm, which got its start in…

Aug 14, 2008 4:21 PM CDT

Wachtell Still #1, Vault Survey Says

For the sixth straight year, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz ranks as the top law firm in the country according to the latest Vault survey. Cravath Swaine & Moore retains the No. 2 spot, and among the rest of the top 10, only one name is different than last year,…

Aug 12, 2008 10:33 PM CDT

Chicago Archdiocese Strikes $12M Accord With Sex Abuse Victims

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and lawyers for victims announced today they have agreed to a $12 million settlement for victims who claim they were sexually abused by priests. The settlement covers victims of former priest Daniel McCormack and 10 other priests or former priests, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Aug 12, 2008 3:53 PM CDT

New Website Sells Restaurant Reservations

There are laws against reselling tickets. But offering restaurant reservations online to the highest bidder may be entirely legal. A 10-day-old Internet venture, which has created a new website to do just that has attracted customers and critics, reports the Chicago Tribune. However, despite unhappiness on the part of some…

Aug 8, 2008 8:48 PM CDT