Pennsylvania

Blank Rome Opens LA Office With 5 Lateral Partners

Philadelphia-based Blank Rome has opened a new office in Los Angeles today that is the first step towards a bigger footprint both on the West Coast and in Asia. Five lateral partners from four different firms are launching the LA office, which has space for 20 attorneys, reports the Philadelphia…

Mar 3, 2009 1:09 AM CST

Philadelphia DA’s Office Revokes Offers to All 12 Incoming Attorneys

In an unprecedented move, the 300-lawyer Philadelphia district attorney’s office has revoked its earlier offers to all 12 of the new attorneys who were scheduled to start work there this fall. Hiring committee chair Kathleen McDonnell said reduced attrition–only two lawyers left last year, compared to the usual 30 or…

Feb 27, 2009 1:20 AM CST

Philly to Pay $7M Legal Bill; It’s Hard to Hire In-House Lawyers for Only $49K

Philadelphia’s top in-house lawyer had hoped to cut outside counsel costs significantly this year, to about $566,000. But that didn’t happen. Instead, when the current fiscal year ends on June 30, it looks like the city law department will have spent about $7.1 million on outside counsel, the most in…

Feb 26, 2009 7:17 PM CST

Law Applications Surge at Some Schools, But National Increase Is Less Than 1%

Applications to Duke University School of Law hit an all-time record high this year, surging by 4 percent, and the University of Pennsylvania Law School saw a 6 percent increase, to the second-highest number of applications on record. The 6,300 or so applications at Duke represent a 4 percent increase…

Feb 24, 2009 8:33 PM CST

More Luzerne County Allegations: A Possible Fixed Case and a Mobster Link

The corruption allegations concerning judges and a court administrator in Luzerne County, Pa., aren’t letting up. The latest involves claims of a possible fixed case and a reputed mobster. The claim involves two judges who pleaded guilty in a scheme to accept $2.6 million in kickbacks from the owners of…

Feb 20, 2009 2:03 PM CST

2 Pa. Judges, 2 Lawyers and Others Sued in $2.6M Jail-for-Pay Case

Two Pennsylvania judges accused by federal prosecutors of accepting $2.6 million in kickbacks to jail juveniles in privately owned detention facilities are now being sued for damages. In the first of several expected lawsuits seeking class-action status, a federal complaint was filed yesterday contending that juveniles incarcerated under the scheme…

Feb 13, 2009 7:17 PM CST

WolfBlock Cuts Associate Salaries by 10%, Promises More Bonus Money

WolfBlock is cutting associate salaries by 10 percent at the same time it is increasing cash to pay bonuses. A spokesman for the East Coast law firm confirmed the pay cut but told Above the Law the additional bonus money will be used to make compensation more performance-based. The firm…

Feb 12, 2009 6:56 PM CST

Police Seek Leads in Yesterday’s Killing of Pa. Lawyer

Police have few leads in Wednesday’s killing of a Pennsylvania lawyer, who was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range as he was walking across the parking lot toward his law office. They are scouring Eric Birnbaum’s client list in his plaintiffs personal injury practice, to see…

Feb 12, 2009 6:13 PM CST

Pa. Attorney Was Victim in Juvenile Jail-for-Pay Case, His Lawyer Says

A Pennsylvania lawyer who formerly was a co-owner of juvenile detention facilities implicated in a jail-for-pay case that has brought down two senior judges was a victim of their kickbacks scheme, his lawyer says. “Bob Powell never solicited a nickel from these judges and really was a victim of their…

Feb 11, 2009 8:55 PM CST

Pa. Attorney Fatally Shot in Office Parking Lot

A Pennsylvania lawyer at a plaintiffs personal injury firm was fatally shot today as he arrived at his Northampton Township office. Initially unidentified in news reports, the attorney, who was reportedly shot in the head at point-blank range, was Eric Birnbaum, 51, according to FOX News. Police are still looking…

Feb 11, 2009 6:26 PM CST

Facing New Charge: Pa. Man Said He’ll Burn Judge’s Home, Bailiff Reports

Headed to Berks County Prison last week after a district court judge in Fleetwood, Pa., revoked his $5,000 unsecured bond in an underage drinking case, a 20-year-old defendant allegedly still hadn’t learned his lesson. Shortly after leaving the courtroom of District Judge Gail Greth on Feb. 4, David Pilawski, allegedly…

Feb 10, 2009 7:22 PM CST

Suspended Pa. Judge Changed Other Judges’ Sentences, His Successor Says

A suspended judge who formerly served as the president judge of Luzerne County had been changing sentences for some convicted felons, often without the knowledge of the judges who originally imposed the sentences, his successor says. “Former Luzerne County President Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. bypassed the rest of the…

Feb 5, 2009 7:24 PM CST

Penn Students See Humor in Layoffs: ‘Dissolving Firm Offers 3L Partnership’

Apparently inspired by widespread news of layoffs at real law firms, law students at the University of Pennsylvania have highlighted some humorous aspects of a sad situation in a satirical “news” publication. The initial issue of Goat’s Milk (PDF), a self-described underground law review, leads with an article that indicates…

Feb 5, 2009 1:27 AM CST

Women Lawyers Are Happier Outside of BigLaw, Survey Says

Former large-firm female attorneys are finding career satisfaction and happiness in the law—in second careers as in-house counsel, government attorneys and solo practitioners. The leaky pipeline in the progression of women lawyers from law firm neophytes to equity partners is a common BigLaw problem. However, most women who leave their…

Feb 4, 2009 8:15 PM CST

Luzerne County, Pa., Court Shakeup Expands Exponentially

After news that two now-suspended senior Luzerne County judges have agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges, Pennsylvania state lawmakers plan to discuss possible compensation for juveniles that the two judges are accused of sending to detention facilities in exchange for monetary kickbacks. “Meanwhile, the state Supreme Court has agreed…

Feb 4, 2009 7:56 PM CST