Government

Columbia law prof facing probe over campus-protest comments says firm ‘abruptly’ dropped her as client

A Columbia Law School professor has said in an ethics complaint a law firm “abandoned” her as a client during a probe of her comments about campus protests “with no notice and no explanation."

Oct 22, 2024 3:50 PM CDT

Lawyer accused of ‘egregious acts of dishonesty,’ gambling with client cash gets disbarred

A California lawyer has been disbarred after he was accused of misappropriating nearly $117,000 in client money, spending it on gambling and personal expenses, and then lying to state bar officials about having cancer.

Oct 22, 2024 11:44 AM CDT

Appendix of source materials unsealed in Trump Jan. 6 prosecution

U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on Friday unsealed a heavily redacted—and unrevelatory—version of the appendix of source materials underpinning special counsel Jack Smith’s case against Donald Trump for election interference.

Oct 18, 2024 11:25 AM CDT

Florida lawyer says she used trust account funds to avoid becoming homeless

An Orlando, Florida, lawyer accused of client trust account violations has said she used some settlement funds during the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid becoming homeless when she lost her primary job as a schoolteacher.

Oct 17, 2024 1:58 PM CDT

Will diversity policy affect hiring of independent monitor in Boeing case? Federal judge wants to know

A federal judge considering a proposed plea agreement between Boeing and the U.S. Department of Justice wants to know how diversity, equity and inclusion policies will influence the selection of a monitor to assess compliance.

Oct 17, 2024 11:11 AM CDT

New Hampshire Supreme Court justice is indicted

A New Hampshire Supreme Court justice has been indicted for allegedly trying to interfere with a criminal investigation of her husband.

Oct 17, 2024 9:25 AM CDT

Overturning 45-year precedent, New Jersey gives disbarred lawyers second chance

Former New Jersey lawyers who are disbarred will in most cases be allowed to apply for reinstatement after five years, the New Jersey Supreme Court has decided.

Oct 16, 2024 11:55 AM CDT

New rules issued for Utah’s regulatory sandbox program

A controversial decision allowing nonlegal entities to own or invest in Utah law firms will be subject to additional regulations, the Utah Supreme Court decided last month.

Oct 15, 2024 11:32 AM CDT

Conservative faction pushes judge nominees who are ‘even more bold and more conservative’

Former President Donald Trump has broken with leaders of the conservative Federalist Society, who failed to voice their support when he tried to overturn the 2020 election and when prosecutors charged him with crimes.

Oct 15, 2024 10:02 AM CDT

Judge suspended without pay after indictment for alleged fake layoffs

A common pleas judge in York County, Pennsylvania, has been suspended without pay following his indictment for allegedly urging four law firm employees to collect unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to work from home.

Oct 15, 2024 9:10 AM CDT

Judge cuts Quinn Emanuel’s $185M fee, an amount deemed ‘astronomical’ by objectors

A federal judge has slashed a $185 million fee that she initially awarded to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, an amount that translated to about $18,500 per hour for its work in an insurance class action lawsuit.

Oct 14, 2024 1:12 PM CDT

DOJ announces $3B in fines for landmark money-laundering case

TD Bank pleaded guilty to federal money laundering charges Thursday, agreeing to pay more than $3 billion in fines for enabling drug traffickers and other criminals to open accounts and transfer money through the bank. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the agreement and said the bank is the first in American history to plead guilty to conspiring to laundering money.

Oct 11, 2024 9:56 AM CDT

Judge approves releasing source documents that detail more Trump-Jan. 6 evidence

A federal judge on Thursday approved the public release of redacted source documents that helped inform special counsel Jack Smith’s explosive 165-page legal brief arguing that Donald Trump can still face prosecution for trying to subvert the results of the 2020 election, but gave the former president seven days to take steps to block the disclosure.

Oct 11, 2024 9:31 AM CDT

Moms for Liberty wins constitutional challenge to school board’s comments policy

A federal appeals court has ruled for Moms for Liberty, a conservative parental rights group, in its challenge to a Florida school board policy that allows the presiding officer to interrupt meeting comments that are “personally directed,” “abusive” or “obscene.”

Oct 10, 2024 1:09 PM CDT

In ethics hearing, Montana attorney general defends ‘sharp’ words, refusal to obey court order

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen denied that his office was disrespectful, intemperate and contemptuous in questioning during an ethics hearing Wednesday.

Oct 10, 2024 11:12 AM CDT