ABA Journal

Massachusetts

900 ABA Journal Massachusetts articles.

3M faces trial over ‘forever chemicals’ in firefighting foam in ‘bet-the-company’ litigation

3M faces its first trial out of about 4,000 lawsuits claiming that its cancer-linked “forever chemicals” known as PFAs have leached into groundwater.

Genetic genealogy leads to arrest of lawyer in series of rapes

A corporate lawyer in the New York City area has been charged with the sexual assaults of four women in Boston in 2007 and 2008 after police used genetic genealogy to link him to the crimes.

Chicago’s refusal to allow ‘Hail Satan’ city council invocation violates First Amendment, suit says

Chicago has rebuffed requests by the Satanic Temple to deliver city council invocations for more than three years, violating the First Amendment in two ways, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this month.

Did 1 contract clause cause Proskauer client’s $636M loss? Judge refuses to toss malpractice suit

A Massachusetts judge has refused to toss a $636 million malpractice lawsuit contending that a botched contract drafted by Proskauer Rose caused its client’s loss of a minority interest in a hedge fund.

Massachusetts US attorney will resign; probe finds ‘extraordinary breach of public trust’

Updated: Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins will resign Friday, two days after new investigative reports condemned her for attending a Democratic fundraiser and for leaking information to the press in "an extraordinary breach of public trust."

Alleged cut-and-paste mistake wasn’t reason for client’s claimed $636M loss, Proskauer argues

Proskauer Rose is arguing that a bad business partner—and not a drafting mistake—is to blame for a client’s losses, which are alleged to be around $636 million.

Protecting Polyamory: Municipalities expand rights, domestic partnerships to include nontraditional relationships

Polyamory is a slightly narrower form of consensual nonmonogamy in which people agree to have multiple, loving relationships openly and with full consent. Structure and agreements vary widely.

In case of ‘textbook contempt,’ suspended lawyer who refused to comply with ethics orders is fined $100 a day

A Boston-area lawyer has been fined $100 a day and subjected to a lengthier suspension after she was held in contempt for falsely holding herself out as eligible to practice law on her website and voice mail.

Ban on ‘rude’ public comments at town meetings violates state constitution, court rules

A policy allowing only “respectful and courteous” public comments at town meetings violates the state constitution, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled.

Heat-of-passion defense no longer available in slayings after infidelity disclosure, top state court says

The top court in Massachusetts has ruled that a murder defendant who kills a partner after being told of infidelity can’t use a heat-of-passion defense to lower the charge to voluntary manslaughter.

High rates of burnout have lawyers in this state considering leaving their jobs or the legal profession

More than three-fourths of Massachusetts lawyers are experiencing burnout, and almost half have thought about leaving their legal employer or the legal profession for that reason or because of stress in the last three years.

Top 10 news stories of 2022

Every year, we like to take a look back at the news events and stories that most resonated with our online readers. This year, the financial state of the legal industry dominated the list, accompanied by disciplinary cases, law school rankings and the bar exam.

Physician-assisted suicide is not protected by Massachusetts Constitution, top state court rules

The Massachusetts Declaration of Rights does not provide a due process or equal protection right to physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled Monday.

‘By Hands Now Known’ shines light on cold cases of lynchings and racial violence

In summer 2020, when the murder of George Floyd was igniting protests, it occurred to Margaret A. Burnham that “George Floyd” was a common-sounding name. She went into her archive of Jim Crow-era homicides and found another George Floyd.

12-person juries are constitutionally required in serious criminal cases, Gorsuch argues

U.S. Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh dissented Monday, when the Supreme Court turned down an appeal that challenges the use of eight-person juries in serious criminal cases.

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