Litigation Management

California state bar sues vendor after troubled exam

Now facing an audit itself, the State Bar of California is suing ProctorU, the vendor that administered the ill-fated February launch of the state’s remote and hybrid exam, alleging the company failed to deliver on its claims that it was capable of handling the needs of bar examinees.

May 7, 2025 9:22 AM CDT

Magistrate judge is breathing fire over law firm’s dragon logo on legal pleadings

A lawyer who wanted his pleadings to stand out has been ordered to remove a large purple dragon watermark from each page of a lawsuit that he filed in federal court.

May 1, 2025 10:32 AM CDT

Litigation boutique firm will pay special bonuses as high as $60K

Litigation boutique law firm Wilkinson Stekloff will pay special bonuses to associates ranging from $25,000 to $60,000, the firm recently told employees in a memo.

Apr 17, 2025 12:51 PM CDT

Nonprofits that challenged mass firings didn’t have standing, Supreme Court says while staying rehiring order

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a federal judge’s preliminary injunction that required the federal government to rehire as many as 16,000 fired probationary employees.

Apr 8, 2025 1:31 PM CDT

Suits seeking continued US funding will likely be routed to Court of Federal Claims after SCOTUS decision, law prof says

A decision on Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court in a challenge to an education-grant freeze will likely redirect many other lawsuits regarding Trump administration spending decisions to the Court of Federal Claims, according to a law professor.

Apr 7, 2025 11:42 AM CDT

Revoking security clearances includes due process, which is not being followed, says whistleblower lawyer

Whistleblower lawyer Mark Zaid tells the ABA Journal in an interview that his security clearance has recently been revoked by the Trump administration. A registered independent, Zaid says he has never been involved in “a meaningful” way with any political party. “I am strictly a lawyer who represents clients.”

Apr 7, 2025 10:27 AM CDT

Calming down situations in a respectful way is a useful skill for lawyers, former DOJ counsel says

While working at the U.S. Justice Department, lawyer Katharine Manning helped victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida and the investment fraud case involving Bernie Madoff. Now a consultant, she advises entities on creating compassionate work environments where employees and clients feel comfortable sharing difficult experiences.

Apr 1, 2025 1:20 AM CDT

Federal judge who sought female attorneys among class counsel has acknowledged sex-bias concerns, order says

A federal judge who called for female attorneys to be “adequately represented” on the leadership team for plaintiffs in multidistrict contraceptive litigation has “acknowledged the concerns created by her statements,” according to an order closing an ethics inquiry.

Mar 25, 2025 9:21 AM CDT

Federal judge sanctions 3 LGBTQ rights lawyers for ‘malignant practice’ of ‘judge shopping’

A federal judge in Alabama has sanctioned three lawyers for trying to get their cases challenging an Alabama transgender law assigned to a judge deemed more hospitable to their arguments.

Mar 3, 2025 9:44 AM CST

Which BigLaw firms and big-name lawyers are involved in suits against Trump administration?

Several BigLaw firms and at least three U.S. Supreme Court practitioners are representing plaintiffs suing the Trump administration.

Feb 26, 2025 9:40 AM CST

From automation to generative AI, how e-discovery tools are evolving

Historically, the legal profession has been slow to embrace emerging technologies. E-discovery software, however, was an exception, largely because Congress amended Rule 26(f) to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, which required its implementation. While e-discovery adoption was not always enthusiastic, it was notable, representing one of the first times legal professionals truly leaned into modern technology.

Feb 24, 2025 9:05 AM CST

How law firms can grow, address artificial intelligence and tackle other challenges in 2025

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Lynn Tubalinal, the director of litigation support at Dykema, and Julia Voss, the director of litigation support and e-discovery at UB Greensfelder.

Feb 21, 2025 10:50 AM CST

Does your professional liability insurance cover AI mistakes? Don’t be so sure

Lawyers have adopted generative artificial intelligence at a rapid pace. But it also can be unreliable, and it is frequently disparaged for its hallucinations, biases and incomplete responses.

Feb 1, 2025 1:55 AM CST

Litigating the Tower of Pisa fiasco

I have always been interested in mistakes, also known as errors, blunders or, in my best legalese, boo-boos. I am especially interested in historical iconic mistakes. I just read that the city of Bologna, Italy, has two towers, “le due torri,” both closed to visitors because they also are now…

Dec 19, 2024 9:04 AM CST

To win our case, organization and delegation were key

In our experience, we see lawyers who keep the entire case to themselves in the mistaken belief that they can navigate issues, and they may get in over their heads. It’s critical to make sure to have the right lawyer for the job. Falcon Healthcare Inc. v. Interim Healthcare Inc. presented complex franchise, health care and business dissolution issues. We had litigators on the trial team for each of these areas, and it made all the difference.

Dec 1, 2024 1:20 AM CST