Afternoon Briefs: Trump pardons Michael Flynn; lawyer suspended for cyberattack knowledge
Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Photo from Shutterstock.com.
Trump pardons former national security adviser Flynn
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he has pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in the Russia probe and then sought to withdraw the plea. The Department of Justice moved to drop the case, but a federal judge refused to immediately approve the decision. (Trump’s tweet, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Politico)
Lawyer suspended for guilty plea following cyberattack
A lawyer in Wichita, Kansas, has been suspended in Oklahoma after pleading guilty in connection with a cyberattack on websites that posted negative information about him. Lawyer Brad Pistotnik—a lawyer known as “the Bull” because of his bull-riding commercials—pleaded guilty in October to three misdemeanor counts of being an accessory after the fact. He is suspended for two years and a day. (Law360, Oklahoma Supreme Court’s Nov. 24 decision)
Appeal denied in case holding Amazon liable for third-party vendor’s product
The California Supreme Court has refused to review a decision that found that Amazon can be held strictly liable for injuries allegedly caused by an exploding laptop battery sold by a third-party vendor through its online marketplace. The battery seller, Lenoge Technology, was participating in the website’s “fulfilled by Amazon” program. (Law360, press release)
Finnegan reinstates and restores pay
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner has announced that it will reimburse lawyers and staff members for money lost to pay cuts. The law firm reinstated full pay in October. (Law360, Thomson Reuters Legal)
