Afternoon Briefs: Texas attorney general's aides seek probe of possible wrongdoing; legal industry gains jobs
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Photo from TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov.
7 aides to Texas attorney general seek probe for potential crimes
Seven aides to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have asked law enforcement to investigate whether Paxton violated bans on improper influence, abuse of office and bribery. Paxton denied the allegations and said they were made “to impede an ongoing investigation into criminal wrongdoing by public officials, including employees of this office.” Paxton is already facing criminal charges for alleged securities fraud, which he also denies. (The New York Times, the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE, a letter revealing the request)
Legal industry gains 3,100 jobs in September
The legal services sector gained 3,100 jobs in September while remaining well below last year’s September jobs number, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The legal industry has added jobs each month since April, when revised figures showed a loss of 68,000 jobs. The legal industry had 1,113,500 jobs in September, compared to 1,110,400 jobs in August and 1,108,400 jobs in July, according to revised, seasonally adjusted figures issued Friday. The September jobs number represents a loss of 38,900 jobs from September 2019, when there were 1,152,400 legal jobs. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics chart)
Steve Barnes, co-founder of Cellino & Barnes, dies in plane crash
Well-known New York personal injury lawyer Steve Barnes died Friday in a plane crash along with his niece, lawyer Elizabeth Barnes. Steve Barnes was traveling to attend a birthday party for his 90-year-old mother. He was a founder of the now-dissolved law firm Cellino & Barnes. (The New York Times, the New York Post, CNN)
