California

Judge Denies Milberg Fee Request, Raises Skadden Questions

A federal judge has refused to approve the $30 million settlement of a securities class action in a case brought by indicted law firm Milberg Weiss, saying attorney fees of 25 percent were too high. Chief District Judge Vaughn Walker of San Francisco said that when the hours spent in…

Dec 5, 2007 11:46 AM CST

Lawyer-Poet a Tough Trial Opponent

Being a trial lawyer isn’t that different, in some ways, from being a poet, says Forrest Hainline III. He should know, since he does both. In addition to trying business cases, the San Francisco partner of Goodwin Procter also pens succinct poems on topics ranging from reverent to racy, reports…

Dec 3, 2007 9:18 PM CST

Ethics Questions Surround Lawyer Indicted in Astor Case

The lawyer indicted along with the son of wealthy socialite Brooke Astor has faced past accusations over will bequests and in one case a legal fee. Francis X. Morrissey Jr. has faced disciplinary action in at least two states, the New York Times reports. In the Astor case, he is…

Dec 3, 2007 7:06 PM CST

SF Firm Trims Support Staff

San Francisco’s Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin is trimming down its non-lawyer staff, handing pink slips to about 20 legal secretaries, assistants and administrative staff. The Recorder (sub. req.) noted that Howard Rice isn’t the only firm looking for ways to strengthen its bottom line. Heller Ehrman let…

Nov 30, 2007 9:25 PM CST

LAPD Needs $9.3M to Clear Up DNA Backlog

Los Angeles police are facing a severe budget shortfall and need $9.3 million to complete testing on a backlog of DNA evidence that could shed light on hundreds of sexual assault cases and other violent crimes, according to a state audit. Voters in 2004 expanded California’s DNA database, which was…

Nov 30, 2007 6:31 PM CST

Bonds May Be Beefing Up ‘Legal Dream Team’

All-star slugger Barry Bonds is said to be assembling his own star-studded team, this one to defend him against perjury and obstruction of justice charges starting with a court appearance next week. On the possible short list is John Keker, a well-known San Francisco criminal defense attorney, according to the…

Nov 29, 2007 11:53 PM CST

Appellate Court Orders Man’s Pot Stash Returned

In a major victory for medical-marijuana patients, a state appellate court has ruled that Garden Grove, Calif., police must return a stash of drugs confiscated during a traffic stop. “This is a huge case for us,” the man’s attorney, Joseph Elford, is quoted by the Recorder (sub. req.) as saying.…

Nov 29, 2007 9:57 PM CST

Ford Agrees to 4-State Rollover Settlement

Ford Motor Co. has struck a rollover settlement deal that applies to some 1 million people in four states. The litigation involved Ford Explorers that plaintiffs in California, Connecticut, Illinois and Texas, claimed were prone to rollovers, the Associated Press reports. The AP reports that vehicle owners will be allowed…

Nov 28, 2007 11:45 PM CST

Civil Rights Lawyer Gets Three Years for Tax Evasion

Crusading civil rights lawyer Stephen Yagman was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for federal tax evasion, bankruptcy fraud and money laundering. Known for his high-profile cases against law enforcement authorities and President Bush, the 63-year-old lawyer was convicted of trying to avoid more than $200,000 in federal income…

Nov 28, 2007 7:27 PM CST

Telecom Wins Securities Class Action

A telecommunications company has won a securities class-action trial in one of the few cases to reach a jury. Jurors in the Northern District of California found for JDS Uniphase Corp. and four of its executives, the Recorder reports. The JDS case is one of seven defense wins out of…

Nov 28, 2007 2:03 PM CST

Pellicano Gets Hearing on Wiretapping Misconduct Allegations

In a rare victory for celebrity private eye Anthony Pellicano, a federal judge agreed yesterday to hold an evidentiary hearing to explore defense claims that there was government misconduct in the wiretapping probe of their client. Pellicano’s lawyers have long claimed that the FBI and federal prosecutors acted improperly by…

Nov 27, 2007 8:31 PM CST

Lawyers Claim Law Firm Fired Them for Ethical Objections

A California law firm known for its heavy advertising has been sued by two of its former attorneys who claim they were fired for objecting to unethical practices. The Pacific Law Center in La Jolla estimates it has represented 10,000 clients in criminal, bankruptcy and personal injury cases since it…

Nov 27, 2007 7:40 PM CST

Lawyers Seek Unpaid Fees From Anna Nicole’s Estate

A Texas law firm has sued the estate of the late Anna Nicole Smith to recover unpaid legal bills. Houston-based Cunningham Darlow filed a creditor’s claim Nov. 16 in Los Angeles Superior Court, arguing the firm hadn’t been paid for representing Smith in her battle over the estate of her…

Nov 27, 2007 6:26 PM CST

Judge: Put Capital Appeals in Lower Calif. Courts; Lawyers: Pay Us More

In an effort to deal with a backlog of death penalty appeals and speed up the appellate process, the chief justice of the California Supreme Court is calling for a constitutional amendment to allow some of the appeals to be shifted to lower state courts. It now reportedly takes more…

Nov 21, 2007 7:57 PM CST

Record $700M in Attorney Fees Sought in Enron Litigation

San Diego securities class-action firm Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins is seeking a record $700 million in fees for plaintiffs lawyers in litigation against professionals accused of aiding Enron accounting fraud. A $700 million attorney fee would be the largest ever in a securities class action, the Wall Street…

Nov 21, 2007 11:30 AM CST