New York

Despite ‘fragile’ legal economy, managing partners say they don’t expect lawyer layoffs

Despite reports this week of planned lawyer layoffs by Goodwin Procter and Weil Gotshal and Manges, as well as a 17-partner exit at Patton Boggs, managing partners of six major firms say they don’t expect a mass of competing legal partnerships–including their own–to follow suit as the year reaches its…

Jun 28, 2013 3:50 PM CDT

Prominent law grad takes plea in $13M securities fraud, civil case against him and lawyer ongoing

A prominent graduate of an Oregon law school who once headed the state’s Republican party and was a candidate for governor has taken a plea in a criminal securities fraud case. Craig Berkman, 71, sobbed in federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday as he apologized and pleaded guilty to one…

Jun 28, 2013 12:25 PM CDT

Bad experience as immigration client and ‘weird’ website helped lawyer build successful practice

A lawyer from India who has built a successful Maryland immigration boutique from the ground up credits her experience as a client of an uncaring immigration attorney and her website for the Murthy Law Firm’s success, despite her admitted past failings as a boss. Sheela Murthy herself endured a 12-year…

Jun 26, 2013 6:40 PM CDT

Patton Boggs says 17 partners are exiting; some may open a Dallas office for Holland & Knight

Patton Boggs confirms that 17 partners of the firm announced last week they will be leaving. Most worked out of the firm’s Dallas office, but others were in Denver and Washington, D.C., the Washington Post (reg. req.) reports on its Capital Business page. At least some of the Dallas lawyers…

Jun 25, 2013 11:30 AM CDT

Feds raid 7-Eleven stores at 54 sites, allege $180M ‘plantation system’ immigrant fraud

In one of the biggest criminal cases ever brought by the Department of Justice over the employment of immigrants, federal agents have seized the franchise rights of 14 7-Eleven stores and announced charges against nine individuals responsible for their operation. The feds also seized five homes and are executing search…

Jun 18, 2013 8:36 PM CDT

Hurricane Sandy still a daily reality for law firms left homeless by the storm

Hurricane Sandy was over months ago, but it’s still a daily reality for a number of New York law firms struggling with the aftermath. Among that group are law firms which were located at 110 Wall Street, where leases were cancelled due to flood damage. Finding new office space is…

Jun 17, 2013 9:14 PM CDT

Lawyer takes plea in ex-police officer’s $4.7M real estate investment swindle

A New York City lawyer has admitted he participated in a conspiracy with a retired city police sergeant to entice investors to put $4.7 million into a plan to develop a condominium project in the Dominican Republic–a project that doesn’t exist. Authorities said attorney Edward Adams and James Monahan almost…

Jun 13, 2013 3:30 PM CDT

Federal judge rules unpaid interns were misclassified employees, certifies class action

In a ruling that is likely to catch the attention of employers nationwide, a federal judge in New York has ruled that unpaid interns were misclassified employees and has certified a class action against Fox Entertainment Group in which internships throughout the company’s corporate offices will be reviewed. Granting, in…

Jun 12, 2013 4:30 PM CDT

ACLU sues Obama administration over NSA phone-records ‘dragnet’

In the first step in a process that could eventually lead to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the legality of a sweeping telephone records review revealed last week by a former National Security Agency contractor, the American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday sued the Obama administration over its “dragnet”…

Jun 11, 2013 9:25 PM CDT

Former BigLaw partner: I faced ‘incredible obstacles’ that male lawyers didn’t have to deal with

A former BigLaw partner who recently settled a lawsuit over the alleged “boys club” at the last major firm for which she worked says it wasn’t just Greenberg Traurig where women lawyers face challenges that their male counterparts don’t. “At every stage,” Francine Griesing told attendees at a Manhattan conference…

Jun 11, 2013 4:00 PM CDT

Legal recruiter sues Davis Polk, seeks $1.4M for Clifford Chance hires

A legal recruiter sued Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York state court last week, contending that he was the “procuring cause” for the law firm’s hire of a practice leader and a group of 17 lawyers from Clifford Chance and seeking compensation. Alan Metz says he was excluded from…

Jun 10, 2013 8:20 PM CDT

Son and lawyer of elderly heiress Brooke Astor are both headed to prison over $60M fraud

The son of heiress Brooke Astor and her former lawyer have exhausted their appeals in a $60 million fraud case concerning her estate and are headed to prison. The New York Daily News reports that state’s highest appellate court on Friday denied appeals by Anthony Marshall, the 88-year-old son of…

Jun 10, 2013 6:30 PM CDT

Criminal defense solo Gerald Shargel becomes a BigLaw partner at age 68

Criminal defense lawyer Gerald Shargel is making an unusual move to BigLaw, at age 68. After four decades of solo practice in which he frequently represented business owners and politicians accused of corruption, as well as celebrities in hot water and alleged organized crime figures, he is joining Winston &…

Jun 10, 2013 5:55 PM CDT

DA’s ‘Flush the Johns’ sting puts lawyers, doctors and others on photo display

It’s commonplace for women and men who work as prostitutes to be criminally charged while those who pay them for sex are treated as witnesses. But it’s time to change that approach to the problem, a suburban New York district attorney said Monday as she announced that a monthlong sting…

Jun 3, 2013 10:00 PM CDT

Due to client’s ‘surreptitious’ removal of file, law firm prevails on malpractice claim

A New York law firm has prevailed against a malpractice claim on statute of limitations grounds over what a state court described as a client’s “surreptitious” removal of his file. Plaintiff Kevin Aseel contended in the Nassau County case that his malpractice litigation was timely, because the defendant law firm,…

May 31, 2013 9:20 PM CDT