States

Airline Passenger Bill of Rights Crashes in 2nd Circuit

A federal appeals court has overturned a groundbreaking New York state law giving delayed airline passengers the right to food, water and other amenities. The New York City-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that federal laws governing airlines pre-empt the state law, the Associated Press reports. Only…

Mar 25, 2008 4:46 PM CDT

Just Say No? Associates Dish on When They Did ... and Didn’t

Plumbers get paid at a significantly higher rate for after-hours jobs. But law firm associates are often asked—no, expected—to accept last-minute after-hours work assignments, not only for no additional pay but even when the work interferes with significant family and social obligations. When should an associate just say no to…

Mar 25, 2008 4:45 PM CDT

Chastened Milberg Firm in Plea Negotiations

After a plea agreement and an apology last week by Milberg Weiss founding partner Melvyn Weiss over a scheme to pay millions of dollars in secret kickbacks to lead plaintiffs in securities class actions, the once-defiant tone of the defendant New York law firm has changed dramatically in the still-ongoing…

Mar 25, 2008 3:34 PM CDT

Lawyer Suspected of Client Fraud Missing for Nearly a Year

Updated A Colorado lawyer suspected of stealing as much as $1 million from clients has been missing for almost a year. Royal “Scoop” Daniel III of Breckenridge disappeared on April 27 last year, the Vail Daily reports. That day someone placed a 911 call from Daniel’s cell phone, but no…

Mar 25, 2008 2:19 PM CDT

Unusual Ohio Custody Case: Did Mom Fake Teen’s Illness?

Is Angie Cox a caring parent with an unhealthy teenager? Or is she an unusual mom who encourages doctors to diagnose nonexistent symptoms and illnesses in order to put herself in the spotlight as the parent of a seemingly ailing child? Those questions are front and center in an unusual…

Mar 25, 2008 9:52 AM CDT

Bullied at School for Years, Billy Wolfe Brings Suit, With His Parents’ Help

How is it that a student can be bullied at school, for years, without officials taking effective action to end the situation? A lengthy article in today’s New York Times attempts to answer that question, by telling the story of Billy Wolfe, from his own and his parents’ viewpoint. Now…

Mar 24, 2008 11:58 PM CDT

Contempt Case: Did Top Detroit City Lawyer Help Destroy Docs?

The corporation counsel and the deputy human resources director for the city of Detroit appeared before a Wayne County Circuit court judge today in contempt proceedings. The hearing, which was continued until Friday, is about the city’s alleged failure to produce and destruction of documents sought in a probe of…

Mar 24, 2008 10:01 PM CDT

Detroit Mayor Charged in Litigation-Related Sex Scandal

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, 37, and his former chief of staff were charged today in an obstruction of justice case related to their testimony in a police whistle-blower case last year. The criminal case could also turn up the heat concerning complaints that lawyers representing the city have sided with…

Mar 24, 2008 6:45 PM CDT

Nixon Peabody Opens China Office

Already active in Chinese legal matters, Rochester, N.Y.-based Nixon Peabody has decided to open its first Chinese office. The Shanghai shop will be the 700-lawyer firm’s second international office (the first was in London), and its 18th office overall. For now, it will be staffed by rotating U.S. lawyers, but…

Mar 24, 2008 5:09 PM CDT

Fast-Growing Parker Poe Ponders Possible Expansion Outside Carolinas

Over the past five years, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein has grown from 150 attorneys to 227. Now the 120-year-old Charlotte-based Carolinas powerhouse is pondering possible expansion elsewhere, according to an interview of managing partner Bill Farthing by the Charlotte Observer. At the firm’s helm since 2002, he considers successful…

Mar 24, 2008 4:06 PM CDT

Law Firms’ New Role: Loan Renegotiator

The mortgage meltdown is changing the role that lawyers play in the foreclosure process. As many complain that mortgage servicers are unwilling or unable to focus on the loan renegotiations that are needed to prevent an unprecedented number of owners from losing their homes, Fannie Mae is turning to a…

Mar 24, 2008 3:35 PM CDT

Wisconsin Justice Dubbed ‘Loophole Louis’ in TV Ads

When Wisconsin voters decide whether to retain Justice Louis Butler on the state’s top court in the April 1 election, they may be swayed by a critical TV ad. It dubs the justice “Loophole Louis” for rulings favoring defendants in criminal cases. Not to be outdone, Butler supporters are running…

Mar 24, 2008 2:27 PM CDT

Once Disbarred for Insider Trading, Lawyer Loses License Again

A lawyer who was disbarred for insider trading while working at the firm now known as Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel has lost his law license a second time. Israel Grossman was disbarred the second time for disclosure failures in his successful application for reinstatement to the bar in 2003,…

Mar 24, 2008 1:56 PM CDT

Vermont Inmates Claim Right to a Hearing Over Nutraloaf

The Vermont Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments today on whether serving inmates a concoction known as nutraloaf is punishment meriting a formal hearing. The mixture, served on a piece of paper, consists of cubed bread, nondairy cheese, carrots, spinach, raisins, beans, vegetable oil, tomato paste, powdered milk and…

Mar 24, 2008 1:31 PM CDT

Ex-Foley & Lardner Secretary Wants to Use 823 Disputed Documents in Bias Suit

A secretary who was fired from Foley & Lardner at the age of 63 took 823 documents with her that are now at a center of a discovery battle. Hideko Shiroyama sued the law firm last June for age discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress, the…

Mar 24, 2008 12:04 PM CDT