New York

New York’s Oldest Inmate to be Released

New York’s oldest inmate, an 89-year-old former physician with terminal cancer, has been granted parole. At one time Charles Friedgood was a wealthy surgeon, the New York Times reports. He was convicted of murdering his wife in 1976 after police arrested him at the airport with $450,000 from her estate.…

Nov 8, 2007 4:01 PM CST

UK Law Firm Announces Special NY Associate Bonuses

A Britain-based law firm has joined the bonus bonanza. Clifford Chance will give its New York associates special bonuses ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, Legal Week reports. The cash comes on top of regular associate bonuses of $30,000 to $65,000. Cravath, Swaine & Moore was the first law firm to…

Nov 8, 2007 11:20 AM CST

N.Y. Mortgage Appraisal Probe Spotlights Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac

Updated: New York’s top law enforcement officer obviously isn’t afraid to take on the big guys. Having filed suit last week against one of the nation’s biggest mortgage lenders over an alleged scheme to promote inflated appraisals, in alleged violation of lending regulations, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is now…

Nov 7, 2007 9:12 PM CST

No Client-Fraud Confidentiality Exception in Proposed NY Rules

Ethics guru Stephen Gillers says new lawyer conduct rules recommended for adoption in New York state are a “resounding” improvement. The New York State Bar Association’s House of Delegates is recommending approval of the ethics revisions, which now go to the state appellate division for consideration, the New York Law…

Nov 7, 2007 2:23 PM CST

Guilty Plea in Robbery Hate Crime Case

A man charged with planning to rob a gay man in a hate crime that resulted in his death has entered a guilty plea. Ilya Shurov agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter and attempted robbery as hate crimes, the New York Times reports. He had originally been charged with felony…

Nov 6, 2007 5:18 PM CST

Big Salander Bankruptcy: $50M, Art at Stake

Besieged by creditor claims for $50 million, Lawrence Salander, a well-known art dealer, and his wife have filed for personal bankruptcy. Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities in Manhattan searched an art gallery in which he has an ownership interest and the couple’s Upper East Side home last week, in a criminal…

Nov 5, 2007 4:50 PM CST

Bonus Bonanza: More BigLaw Firms Up Ante; Will Salaries Rise, Too?

In a New York-centered bonus bonanza that observers say could signal an intent to raise salaries for the Big Apple’s best-paid associates as soon as January 2008, at least six more major law firms have jumped yesterday and today on the associate bonus bandwagon driven by Cravath, Swaine & Moore’s…

Nov 2, 2007 11:00 PM CDT

Law License Spat: Has Ex-Judge Reformed?

Removed from the bench and eventually disbarred a decade ago for misbehavior that included what a court described as “offensive, harassing and vindictive” conduct, former Nassau County Judge Marc Mogil now wants his law license back. However, the subject of a five-year harassment campaign by the then-judge is actively contesting…

Nov 2, 2007 6:31 PM CDT

Lacking Pay Raises, NY Judges Get More Benefits

New York judges, who have not had a pay raise since 1999, will be getting more cash in the form of better benefits. The judges will be allowed an extra $5,000 a year to reimburse them for uncovered medical costs and job-related expenses such as bar association dues, the New…

Nov 2, 2007 11:38 AM CDT

Food Fight

Few lawyers know more about the legal woes of New York City pushcart vendors than Sean Basinski. The founder and director of the Street Vendor Project (online at streetvendor.org), Basinski actually worked in the business for nine months before attending law school; he sold burritos on the corner of 52nd…

Nov 1, 2007 7:56 PM CDT

NY State Suit: Lender-Appraiser Scheme Inflated Home Values

In violation of federal lending regulations, a major real estate appraisal company and two of the nation’s biggest savings and loans participated in a scheme to inflate the value of homes throughout the country, contends a lawsuit filed by New York’s attorney general. It accuses eAppraiseIT, a division of First…

Nov 1, 2007 5:25 PM CDT

NY Lawyer Faces Defamation Suit Over Media Remarks

A New York lawyer has been accused of making “reckless and defamatory” comments to the media in a defamation lawsuit. Thomas Liotti of Garden City, N.Y., was targeted for comments he made in defense of his client, who is accused of embezzling $4.3 million from escrow accounts at his brother’s…

Nov 1, 2007 2:27 PM CDT

Ex-PI Lawyer Admits Stealing $148K in Client Cash

A former lawyer has agreed to serve at least one year in prison for stealing $148,000 from at least 20 clients. Richard Boter also agreed to pay $160,000 in restitution and forfeited cash when he entered his guilty plea in a New York court yesterday, the New York Law Journal…

Nov 1, 2007 1:11 PM CDT

Case Against Ex-FBI Agent Unravels After Reporter Reveals Tapes

Updated: The murder trial of a former FBI supervisor has been halted and charges against him dismissed because a reporter for the Village Voice came forward with old tape recordings in which the star witness contradicted her current accusations. Roy Lindley DeVecchio was on trial in New York for allegedly…

Nov 1, 2007 10:24 AM CDT

Fulbright & Jaworski Sues Kerik for Fees

A New York City law firm is suing former NYC police commissioner Bernard Kerik, accusing him of failing to pay more than $200,000 in attorney fees. Fulbright & Jaworski says Kerik, who is facing a federal investigation, still owes the firm, the Associated Press reports. Kerik is still represented by…

Oct 31, 2007 5:45 PM CDT