Afternoon Briefs: Judge is accused of using staff for errands; summer associates will be paid for no work
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Judge is accused of using staff to run personal errands
Ethics charges filed Friday accuse an Atlanta municipal court judge of using court staffers to run personal errands and regularly threatening to fire employees for minor issues. The judge, JaDawnya Baker, is also accused of improperly dismissing cases, interfering with plea negotiations, and trying to bar certain prosecutors from being assigned to her court. Baker’s lawyer, Ronald Freeman, told the Daily Report that they are “confident that she will be treated fairly and fully vindicated.” (The Daily Report, Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission ethics charges)
Cahill summer associates will be paid even if they don’t work
Law students slated to work as summer associates at Cahill Gordon & Reindel won’t be participating in the usual program this summer, but the news isn’t all bad. Although Cahill Gordon has canceled the summer program, students will be given the chance to perform pro bono work remotely. The firm could resume some portion of the in-person program if COVID-19 risks decline. The students will be paid in full, and they will still get full-time job offers after they graduate in 2021. (Bloomberg Law, the New York Law Journal)
COVID-19 hasn’t put much of a damper on federal lawsuits
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have had little impact on federal lawsuits filed in March, according to research by legal analytics company Lex Machina. Case filings increased in the areas of employment, insurance, patent, product liability and securities, compared to March of last year. In other areas, case filings have decreased, but the drop isn’t significant. (Law360, Lex Machina blog)
