Afternoon Briefs: Seyfarth withdraws after controversial filing; law firm scammer seeks release
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Seyfarth Shaw withdraws from suit after controversial argument
Seyfarth Shaw is seeking to withdraw from representing the U.S. Soccer Federation in an equal-pay case after a controversial court filing. The law firm had argued players on the U.S. Women’s National Team had less “skill” than male players. The argument has since been dropped. (The Recorder, Bloomberg Law)
Man convicted in law firm scam seeks release over COVID-19
A man who pleaded guilty in a scheme to bilk law firms out of $7.8 million is seeking release from prison before sentencing. Melvin Feliz says he has pulmonary issues that could pose a higher risk if he contracts COVID-19. He was accused of submitting phony invoices to law firms for litigation support work that was never done. His wife, a former partner at Hunton & Williams and Willkie Farr & Gallagher, also pleaded guilty in the scheme. (Law360)
En banc 11th Circuit keeps lynching records sealed
The en banc 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Atlanta has refused to release grand jury records regarding the 1946 lynching of two black couples in Georgia. The court ruled 8-4 that the case didn’t fall within the limited circumstances in which grand jury records may be unsealed. The lawyer seeking the records on behalf of a historian’s widow had argued that federal courts have inherent authority to unseal grand jury records in cases of historical significance. (The New York Times, AJC.com)
