States

Anger Over $500M ‘Big Dig’ Settlement

News of an apparent $400 million settlement that concludes a potential criminal case against the project manager of a controversial Boston tunnel project has sparked anger among Massachusetts residents. The approximately $400 million to be paid by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff is part of a $500 million civil settlement with the state…

Jan 23, 2008 7:06 PM CST

Allen & Overy Fields New Trial Management Team

One of London’s biggest and best-known law firms has restructured its litigation management team, adding a steering group of international partners and a newly created firmwide general counsel to help the global head of litigation oversee the magic circle firm’s worldwide operations. As part of this change in focus, the…

Jan 23, 2008 5:53 PM CST

Appeals Court Requires Access to Abortions for Prison Inmates

Ruling on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a federal appeals court held yesterday that Missouri must provide transportation to prison inmates seeking abortions. The ruling by the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturns a policy by Gov. Matt Blunt that had restricted inmates’ access to…

Jan 23, 2008 4:18 PM CST

N.J. Supreme Court Considers Palimony for Longtime Mistress

The longtime mistress of a New York City ophthalmologist is contending their relationship—which never involved cohabitation—makes her eligible for palimony. New Jersey has allowed actions for palimony by those cohabiting with a partner in long-term relationships. The plaintiff in the new case, Helen Devaney, resided in a New Jersey apartment…

Jan 23, 2008 4:05 PM CST

NYU Law Pays $4.2M for New Prof’s Condo

New York University law school apparently helped lure professor Catherine Sharkey from Columbia University with the purchase of a multimillion-dollar, 4,000-square-foot condo for her in a complex overlooking Central Park. A foundation associated with NYU paid $4.2 million for an 80 percent interest in the condo at 455 Central Park…

Jan 23, 2008 3:07 PM CST

Judge Orders Courtroom Scrubbed After Learning of Lawyer’s Meningitis

A Kentucky judge ordered her courtroom scrubbed after learning a lawyer had been quarantined for possible meningitis. Judge Leigh Ann Stephens of Perry County pitched in to help, WKYT.com reports. “We’ve got some Clorox and the janitors are coming up; we’re going to just make sure that everything’s clean,” she…

Jan 23, 2008 2:50 PM CST

Law Student Accused of DWI Had Criticized Drunken Driver in Fiancée’s Death

A law student who criticized the sentence for a drunken driver responsible for his fiancée’s death has himself been charged with drunken driving. Adam Lawrence Doyle had said the maximum 69-month sentence for the drunken driver accused in his fiancée’s April death was too light, calling it “ridiculous.” Now Doyle,…

Jan 23, 2008 2:24 PM CST

Examiner Raps O’Melveny, Firm Apologizes for Discovery ‘Mishap’

O’Melveny & Myers says a discovery “mishap” is to blame for 700,000-plus missing e-mails in the bankruptcy of subprime lender New Century Financial Corp. The law firm apologized for the error even as it faced additional criticism from a bankruptcy examiner who said the law firm had not been forthright…

Jan 23, 2008 12:46 PM CST

Judge Sends Combative Grand Jurors Home; Voids Indictments

A Texas judge has dismissed a grand jury that indicted Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina and his wife over the objection of prosecutors. Judge Jim Wallace ruled the district attorney’s office had made procedural errors when it extended the grand jury’s term last November, invalidating all the indictments issued…

Jan 23, 2008 12:05 PM CST

Another New Ogletree Office Opens In San Francisco

A fast-growing Atlanta-based employment boutique is opening a new office in San Francisco, raiding two local law offices for top talent. Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart has lured Douglas Farmer from Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton to serve as managing partner of the new office, and Thomas McInerney has…

Jan 23, 2008 12:47 AM CST

Partner Offers $10K Bounty for Blogger’s Identity

A Chicago lawyer who is being criticized, along with his law firm, in an anonymous Internet blog supposedly authored by a fellow attorney has offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who can provide him with the identity of “Troll Tracker.” The anonymous blogger, who claims to be “just a lawyer;…

Jan 22, 2008 11:28 PM CST

Kasowitz Firm Makes Clear: We Fired Former IP Head

The former head of Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman’s intellectual property practice group reportedly didn’t jump ship to accept a job at a 52-lawyer New York City intellectual property boutique. Jeremy Pitcock was fired, his former firm says in a press release. Issued by name partner Daniel Benson, it states…

Jan 22, 2008 10:07 PM CST

Slap on Wrist for Alleged Santa Assailant

A Connecticut woman who is accused of having inappropriately touched an elderly Santa Claus while sitting on his lap in a local shopping mall is likely to get off lightly for the alleged offense. Sandrama Lamy, 33, has applied for a special program of accelerated rehabilitation available to first offenders,…

Jan 22, 2008 8:29 PM CST

Hawaii Ponders Controversial ‘Law Practice’ Rule

The Hawaii State Bar Association is asking the state’s supreme court to revise an ethical rule against the unauthorized practice of law, clarifying that nonlawyers can’t select, draft or complete documents that affect individuals’ legal rights. However, the proposed rule change is controversial, and the Honolulu Star Bulletin has editorialized…

Jan 22, 2008 8:10 PM CST

Inmate’s Freedom Hinges on Lawyers’ Revelation That Dead Client Killed Guard in ‘82

Almost 26 years ago, as two Chicago public defenders were representing a client accused of murdering two police officers, their case suddenly got a lot tougher. A lawyer defending another man accused of murdering a security guard in an unrelated case told the two PDs that his client said that…

Jan 22, 2008 6:32 PM CST