Rhode Island

Attorney with Big Ad Budget Can Open Law Office LLC in 49th State, Court Says

In a ruling that is sure to disappoint competing firms that sought to block a national attorney known for his blockbuster advertising budget from establishing a local foothold, the Rhode Island Supreme Court today ruled that James Sokolove can form a law firm limited liability corporation there. It will be…

Jan 22, 2010 12:54 AM CST

Evicted Farmer Asks Judge to Order Bank to Care for His Animals

Forced to abandon his farm due to a mortgage foreclosure action, a Rhode Island farmer says he was assured by Wells Fargo Bank that his animals would be cared for. But after seeing strangers walk off with some animals and hearing that remaining horses and pigs apparently hadn’t received water…

Dec 9, 2009 6:23 PM CST

Lawyer Seeks Right to Advertise in R.I., a State in Which He Has No Office

Critics say that attorney James Sokolove is more about advertising than law practice. And at least one or two justices on the Rhode Island Supreme Court seemingly may agree. As Sokolove’s lawyer argued late last month that his client should be allowed to promote his Delaware-based national personal injury firm…

Oct 15, 2009 6:08 PM CDT

Defeated Wis. Justice Nominated for US Judgeship; 2 Others Get Appeals Nod

Louis Butler’s judging days may not be over. The former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice has lost two elections. The first time, he lost an election battle with Justice Diane Sykes, but was appointed to fill her state supreme court seat when she became a federal judge, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel…

Oct 7, 2009 3:34 PM CDT

McGuireWoods Partner Nominated for US Attorney in Va.

A partner at McGuireWoods who is a lecturer at the University of Virginia law school is one of four lawyers nominated for U.S. attorney positions. Timothy Heaphy is a Richmond partner in McGuireWoods’ government investigations unit, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. He was nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Western…

Aug 4, 2009 6:03 PM CDT

New Accusations Against Craiglist Suspect Fuel AG Attack on Website

Announcing new accusations today against the so-called Craiglist suspect involving a third claimed assault victim, the Rhode Island state attorney general also fired a verbal salvo at the website accused of posting advertisements to which Philip Markoff allegedly responded. The Boston medical student already was being prosecuted in Suffolk County,…

May 5, 2009 12:21 AM CDT

Editorial Questions Judicial Nomination of Motley Rice Lawyer

A Rhode Island trial lawyer nominated for a federal judgeship merits more scrutiny, an editorial asserts. Jack McConnell of Motley Rice was recommended by Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, the Wall Street Journal says in the editorial. Whitehouse is a former Rhode Island attorney general who hired McConnell on…

Apr 24, 2009 6:09 PM CDT

PowerPoint Presentation Sparked Jones Day-Motley Rice ‘Sandbox’ Spat

Updated: It now appears that it wasn’t merely a document but a PowerPoint presentation on legal costs allegedly purloined by an unknown person from a 2004 Sherwin-Williams board meeting that is at issue in a contentious dispute between Jones Day and Motley Rice. Motley Rice, which represents the state of…

Apr 10, 2009 12:59 AM CDT

In Document Dustup, Lawyer Compares Jones Day Team to Kids in a Sandbox

A lawyer who represented the state of Rhode Island in lead paint litigation calls a fight over a legal document a “tempest in a teapot” and criticizes the Jones Day legal team that filed a lawsuit seeking its return. The lawsuit claims Rhode Island’s law firm, Motley Rice, tried to…

Apr 8, 2009 11:44 AM CDT

R.I. Bar President Resigns, Faces Three Malpractice Suits

When the president of the Rhode Island Bar Association abruptly resigned last week, a press release cited “personal and professional” matters that required “full-time attention.” Today the Providence Journal has a story summarizing several pressing matters for Richard Pacia that stem from his real estate practice and investments. Many problems…

Feb 27, 2009 4:26 PM CST

Supreme Court Indian Trust Ruling Is Victory for States Seeking to Limit Casinos

The U.S. Supreme Court has limited the authority of the federal government to transfer land in trust for the benefit of Indian tribes. The decision is a victory for states seeking to prevent such transfers in an effort to control development on Indian lands, according to the Associated Press. The…

Feb 24, 2009 5:47 PM CST

Judicial Diversity is Lacking, But Here’s What to Do to Improve, Report Says

Women and minorities are still underrepresented on the state trial and appellate court bench, regardless whether the judges are elected or appointed to their positions. But there are things that can be done to include their chances of winning seats proportionate to their representation in the general population, according to…

Feb 2, 2009 9:13 PM CST

Possible Private Court Hearings in R.I. Raise ACLU’s Hackles

An almost 25-year-old law in Rhode Island is suddenly controversial, as it looks like it might be implemented for the first time. The so-called hire-a-judge law enacted by the state in 1984 is the basis of an apparent plan by the Rhode Island Supreme Court to allow litigants in civil…

Dec 24, 2008 6:31 PM CST

25 Tyler Cooper Lawyers Will Open New Hinckley Allen Office in Hartford, Conn.

As of next week, a venerable 100-lawyer New England law firm will be expanding its attorney roster by about 25 percent, as it adds 25 lawyers from a Connecticut counterpart to create a new office. The 25 are leaving Tyler Cooper & Alcorn to establish a Hartford office for Hinckley…

Sep 9, 2008 11:00 PM CDT

R.I. Lawyer Admits He Stole $2.5M in 13 Real Estate Deals and is Disbarred

A lawyer in Cranston, R.I., was disbarred by the state’s supreme court last week after his counsel disclosed that Pasquale Scavitti III had admittedly stolen $2.5 million in more than a dozen real estate transactions and submitted his affidavit consenting to disbarment. The amounts taken by Scavitti from 12 homeowners…

Sep 2, 2008 6:48 PM CDT