‘Too darn bad’? SCOTUS enforces contracts barring class arbitration, despite high litigation cost

Contract agreements that require arbitration and prohibit class-action claims are enforceable under the Federal Arbitration Act, even when the potential recovery is dwarfed by costs of individual arbitration, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-3 opinion. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote the majority opinion (PDF) that found the New…

Jun 20, 2013 4:04 PM CDT

Silicon Valley venture capital group wants to provide kinder, cheaper way to divorce

Jun 1, 2013 9:00 AM CDT

Alito and Roberts are the most pro-businesses justices since 1946, study finds

Not every decision by the Roberts court has favored businesses. But the U.S. Supreme Court is more pro-business in its rulings than any other since 1946, according to a new study. And two of its justices are also the most pro-business among 36 who served on the court since World…

May 7, 2013 11:05 AM CDT

ABA helps lawyers thrive by being at the forefront of new practice areas

May 1, 2013 9:50 AM CDT

Law school friends score a reality TV show

May 1, 2013 9:40 AM CDT

Feinberg begins evaluating how to compensate Boston Marathon victims

Lawyer Kenneth Feinberg will have a tough task as he decides how to apportion money from a compensation fund for victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Feinberg plans to develop a sliding payment scale for the One Fund Boston that is based on the severity of the injuries, the New…

Apr 24, 2013 11:00 AM CDT

Firm’s job contract doesn’t require arbitration of ex-associate’s suit, appeals court says

A former associate has won a round in a disability discrimination case she filed two years ago against Bingham McCutchen. The law firm had sought to arbitrate a California complaint by Hartwell Harris that the firm didn’t do enough to accommodate her unusual sleep disorder, But a trial-level judge ruled…

Apr 1, 2013 9:24 PM CDT

Dead suspect in shooting of mediation opponents was litigious, had anger issues, lawyer says

Updated: A man who authorities say committed suicide after shooting a corporate attorney and his client after a law firm mediation session Wednesday in Phoenix was reportedly litigious and had anger-management issues. Before shooting attorney Mark P. Hummels, 43, and client Steven Singer, 48, who both died, Arthur Douglas Harmon,…

Jan 31, 2013 8:06 PM CST

Got a 25-cent gambling dispute? A hearing officer stands ready to resolve it

What happens when a gambler thinks he’s won a jackpot and a Nevada casino sees the situation differently? The state Gaming Control Board is one option for resolving the dispute administratively, reports the Las Vegas Sun on its VegasInc blog. For those who aren’t happy with the result, it’s also…

Jan 18, 2013 8:29 PM CST

How two pals from torts class are getting a shot at stardom

Staten Island mediators Michele Sileo and Elura Nanos were often told they could be stars of a reality show. The two lawyers took the comments seriously, the New York Daily News reports. They found a production company and pitched the show. Now the two longtime friends are stars of a…

Jan 15, 2013 11:29 AM CST

Not Playing Games: Firm Takes Decision-Making Theory into Transactions

Jan 1, 2013 8:40 AM CST

Judge Orders Prosecutor and Defendant Into Mediation In Death Penalty Case

A judge overseeing a first-degree murder case in eastern Idaho has ordered the prosecutor and defendant Michael Sparks into mediation, to see if they can resolve the death-penalty case before trial. Sparks’ attorney, Bannock County Public Defender Randy Schulthies, said he was surprised by the Monday order by Sixth District…

Dec 11, 2012 10:08 PM CST

US Supreme Court Scolds Oklahoma Supremes for Discounting Arbitration Precedent

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a dispute over a noncompete clause must be heard by an arbitrator, as called for in an employment agreement, in an opinion that takes the Oklahoma Supreme Court to task for discounting federal precedent. The Oklahoma Supreme Court “disregards this court’s precedents” interpreting…

Nov 26, 2012 6:12 PM CST

Supreme Court to Hear Another Case Involving an Arbitration Clause Barring Class Actions

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by American Express contending a federal appeals court has created a “sweeping, unwritten loophole” in federal arbitration law. The ruling by the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed retailers to pursue a class action lawsuit alleging antitrust…

Nov 12, 2012 3:12 PM CST

‘Good Girls Revolt’ Author Discusses Groundbreaking 1970s Sex-Discrimination Suit Against Newsweek

Oct 9, 2012 1:35 PM CDT