California

Creative Legal Fundings company was ‘neither creative nor legal,’ SEC official alleges

A California woman who created a company ostensibly to loan money to personal-injury attorneys is accused of spending millions of dollars in investor funds to support her "lavish lifestyle."

Sep 5, 2024 9:08 AM CDT

Former Littler lawyer drops California suit against firm, bringing end to departure dispute

A former lawyer at Littler Mendelson has dropped a California lawsuit alleging that the law firm violated a $950,000 agreement to settle their dueling claims in connection with her departure.

Sep 3, 2024 12:27 PM CDT

Last-minute election lawsuits may serve political goals, law prof says

Last-minute lawsuits challenging election rules and voter-registration procedures are being filed in battleground states in the run-up to the Nov. 5 presidential election.

Aug 30, 2024 9:50 AM CDT

Disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi is convicted for stealing $15M from clients

A disbarred lawyer famous for his legal team’s portrayal in the movie Erin Brockovich was convicted Tuesday for stealing $15 million from four clients over the course of a decade.

Aug 27, 2024 2:59 PM CDT

Prosecutors and public defenders strike for higher pay in this California county

Public defenders and prosecutors are among about 250 government attorneys who went on strike Monday in California’s Sacramento County following two years without a contract.

Aug 27, 2024 12:31 PM CDT

Lathrop GPM will merge with Silicon Valley firm Oct. 1; ‘why wait?’ managing shareholder asks

Lathrop GPM announced Wednesday that it will merge with Silicon Valley law firm Hopkins & Carley on Oct. 1. The combined firm will still use the Lathrop GPM name, according to a Aug. 21 press release. The 62 lawyers joining Lathrop GPM will increase the larger firm’s head count by…

Aug 22, 2024 11:05 AM CDT

Ex-lawyer Tom Girardi’s former CFO had escape plan and lavish spending habits, ex-fiancee testifies

The former chief financial officer of the now-collapsed Girardi Keese law firm in Los Angeles asked his former fiancee to flee to the Bahamas with him in 2022, she testified Tuesday in the embezzlement trial of disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi.

Aug 21, 2024 11:09 AM CDT

Expunging attorney discipline records could come with risks, according to new paper

A new working paper claims that attorneys who have their disciplinary records expunged are nine times more likely to be disciplined again than lawyers with no history of getting in trouble with attorney licensing agencies.

Aug 20, 2024 1:41 PM CDT

Disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi has smaller hippocampus than 98% of population, neurologist testifies

Updated: A neurology professor testified last week that disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi has such a small brain hippocampus that 98% of people likely have a larger one.

Aug 19, 2024 2:33 PM CDT

Company that produced first cultivated meatball sues Florida over ban on lab-grown meat

Florida’s ban on lab-grown meat shields state agricultural interests from interstate competition in violation of the commerce clause, according to allegations in a lawsuit by a California company that produces the product.

Aug 15, 2024 3:47 PM CDT

California signs deal with Kaplan for bar exam with plan for potential copyright issues

Despite concerns about copyright issues, the State Bar of California and Kaplan Exam Services signed an agreement allowing the company best known for test prep to create multiple-choice, essays and performance test questions for a California Bar Exam for use starting in February 2025.

Aug 15, 2024 2:52 PM CDT

Disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi ‘didn’t seem all there’ in late 2020, ex-employee testifies in embezzlement trial

A public defender representing disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi in his embezzlement trial asked a former accounting employee Tuesday about a secret bank account being used by other lawyers at his now-closed law firm.

Aug 14, 2024 12:47 PM CDT

Golden Gate Law students and alums race to court to keep school open

“The court hearing is set for Sept. 13, but I plan to request to have the date shortened,” Ryan Griffith, attorney for the alums and students, and an adjunct professor at and graduate of the Golden Gate University School of Law, told the ABA Journal via email.

Aug 14, 2024 12:16 PM CDT

Lawyer accused of misappropriating up to $282M allegedly handed firm control to disbarred attorney

Updated: A lawyer accused of misappropriating up to $282 million from as many as 60,000 debt-relief clients, either through intentional or “grossly negligent” conduct, had employed a disbarred lawyer alleged to be running the operation.

Aug 13, 2024 3:49 PM CDT

How to choose a legal tech company

While it’s clear that legal technology is necessary, what’s not so crystal is determining which legal tech company will be the best fit for your law firm.

Aug 13, 2024 9:07 AM CDT