Afternoon Briefs: Progressive groups mull judicial possibilities; 2 law deans each donate $125K to help law students
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Progressive groups mull judicial recommendations
Progressive groups are considering lawyers they would like to see named to the federal bench if presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden becomes the next U.S. president. One group, Demand Justice, is calling for no more corporate law partners as judicial nominees. Other groups want to see more racial, ethnic and gender diversity. (The Huffington Post via How Appealing)
Two law deans each donate $125K to help students
The law deans of the Pennsylvania State University law school and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law have each made a $125,000 donation that can help law students with emergency expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dickinson law dean Danielle Conway was the first to donate, inspiring Pepperdine law dean Paul Caron to do the same at his school. (Penn State News, the TaxProf Blog)
11th Circuit will rehear challenge to Epstein deal
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Atlanta has agreed to rehear a challenge to a nonprosecution deal in which federal prosecutors dropped a case against convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein in exchange for his guilty plea to state prostitution charges. The suit contends that federal prosecutors failed to notify Epstein’s underage victims about the secret deal. An 11th Circuit panel had ruled that the Crime Victims’ Rights Act doesn’t protect victims before federal charges are filed. (Law360, Courthouse News Service, Law.com)
Ex-lawyer pleads guilty in scheme to steal from bankruptcy client
Disbarred lawyer Alan F. Broidy of Beverly Hills, California, pleaded guilty Monday in a scheme to steal more than $500,000 from a bankruptcy client. Prosecutors say Broidy was directed to transfer more than $2.4 million of his client’s money to creditors, but he withheld about $512,000 that was supposed to be paid to the bankrupt company’s manager. Broidy used $75,000 of the money to pay off a personal debt, the plea agreement says. (The Metropolitan News-Enterprise, Department of Justice press release)
