States

Supreme Court strikes down EPA rules on discharge of water pollution

The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down rules regulating the discharge of water pollution, narrowing the landmark Clean Water Act in an unusual case that pitted one of the nation’s greenest cities—San Francisco—against the Environmental Protection Agency.

Mar 4, 2025 4:55 PM CST

Nearly 30 legal entities may leave Utah’s regulatory sandbox program after state tightens rules

At least 27 law firms and businesses may be leaving a Utah program that permits nontraditional legal services providers to operate in the state, including firms operated by nonlawyers, according to a published report.

Mar 4, 2025 1:45 PM CST

Lawyer accused of ghosting client had listed Irish pub as his address, ethics referee says

A Miami lawyer has been disbarred after an uncontested referee’s report found that he filed a notice of appearance while suspended, abandoned a client, and listed an Irish pub as his address with the Florida Bar.

Mar 4, 2025 11:08 AM CST

Justice Thomas argues college bias-response teams may chill speech in dissent to cert denial

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a First Amendment challenge to Indiana University's use of bias-response teams.

Mar 4, 2025 9:45 AM CST

Big Four accounting company gets Arizona approval to operate firm, plans to use AI to transform legal services

KPMG has become the first Big Four accounting company to own a law firm in the United States after Arizona approved its participation in the state’s alternative business structure program.

Mar 4, 2025 9:27 AM CST

As fallout rains down, California considers return to in-person bar exam

Updated: The flurry of finger-pointing and attempts at rectifying the fallout from the disastrous February administration of California’s new bar exam continues, as the State Bar of California considers returning to an in-person administration for the July exam, scrutinizes its vendor’s failed performance for possible breach of contract, and faces a potential audit.

Mar 4, 2025 9:02 AM CST

Federal judge sanctions 3 LGBTQ rights lawyers for ‘malignant practice’ of ‘judge shopping’

A federal judge in Alabama has sanctioned three lawyers for trying to get their cases challenging an Alabama transgender law assigned to a judge deemed more hospitable to their arguments.

Mar 3, 2025 9:44 AM CST

Florida lawyer is building up her law practice and growing her network via social media

While others were baking sourdough bread, stockpiling toilet paper and watching Tiger King during the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida lawyer Claudia Cobreiro spent her time on Instagram. “I felt like I couldn’t spend COVID waiting for it to pass,” Cobreiro says. “I wanted to grow my network.” It ended up transforming her practice and her life. For her, it was all about “the ’gram.”

Mar 3, 2025 9:04 AM CST

California bar hunts for who leaked bar questions, applicants sue test administrator

The State Bar of California will engage forensic experts to identify those who posted content from its new exam online, a move that forced it to push back the planned makeup exam of the troubled test riddled with a host of issues with proctors, connectivity and submission problems, according to a Feb. 27 email.

Feb 28, 2025 11:30 AM CST

‘Radical agreement’ could lead to Supreme Court victory for reverse-discrimination plaintiff

The U.S. Supreme Court appeared ready to rule Wednesday that reverse-discrimination plaintiffs do not have to make a greater showing than minorities when suing for job bias.

Feb 27, 2025 12:39 PM CST

South Dakota approves public service pathway to bar

The South Dakota Supreme Court has approved a new pathway to licensure that allows law students to perform 500 hours of supervised public service as an alternative to taking the bar exam.

Feb 27, 2025 11:10 AM CST

Judge tosses bias suit over BigLaw firm’s diversity hiring program for summer associates

A straight, white female lawyer can’t sue King & Spalding over exclusion from a diversity hiring program for summer associates because of a “paucity of allegations” that she was ready and able to apply, a federal judge ruled Monday.

Feb 27, 2025 8:55 AM CST

Former practice chair allegedly overbilled clients by over $3.5M at 2 BigLaw firms, ethics complaint says

A former partner in the Chicago offices of two large international law firms is facing an ethics complaint alleging that he falsified billing records and caused clients to be overbilled by more than $3.5 million over a period of 20 years.

Feb 26, 2025 12:13 PM CST

California fails new bar exam, offers retake

Updated: After the first day of California’s new bar exam resulted in technical difficulties and problems accessing the test for many candidates, the State Bar of California is weighing options for a retake, according to an email sent the evening of Feb. 25 to all examinees.

Feb 26, 2025 10:27 AM CST

Former law firm partner censured over sex with associate and legal assistant, stay-quiet offers

A former partner at a Boise, Idaho, law firm has been publicly censured after he allegedly tried to entice an associate and a legal assistant to keep quiet about an incident in which he had sexual relations with them at the office.

Feb 26, 2025 8:55 AM CST