Government

School Dist. Lawyer Suspended With Pay, re Claimed Failure to Tell Police of Touch Incident

A school district lawyer in North Carolina has been suspended, with pay, amidst allegations that he may have played a key role in the district’s reported failure to notify law enforcement authorities, as required by state law, of allegations of improper conduct toward a student by a teacher. Authorities are…

Sep 9, 2010 10:07 PM CDT

As New Whistle-Blower Law Ups Ante, Plaintiff’s Firms Are Flooded with Would-Be Claimants

Updated: Spurred by dreams of big-bucks awards under a new federal whistle-blower law, would-be claimants are flooding plaintiff’s firms with tips about alleged fraud at public companies. “We’re inundated with calls,” partner Erika Kelton of Phillips & Cohen in Washington, D.C., tells Corporate Counsel. And many of the tips seem…

Sep 9, 2010 5:01 PM CDT

New ‘Lower Cost’ Alternative Law Firm Adds 5 More Seyfarth Attorneys

Last week, a start-up employment boutique in the Chicago suburbs had an attorney roster of exactly three—its name partners, all of whom formerly practiced for many years at Seyfarth Shaw. But by the start of business this week, the fledgling firm more than doubled in size, with the addition of…

Sep 9, 2010 1:26 AM CDT

Defense Firm Says It Was Fired After Saying Client Board Must Be Told of $350K Pact

The head of Cozen O’Connor says the well-known law firm was fired after it insisted that the client’s board be told of a settlement concerning a sexual harassment claim made against its executive director by a female employee. The settlement resolved the third of four cases that could cost a…

Sep 3, 2010 7:44 PM CDT

Unprecedented DOJ Suit Seeks Documents From Sheriff Joe Arpaio for Civil Rights Probe

A controversial Arizona sheriff who seemingly scores points with many of his constituents by acting as something of a law unto himself was sued today by the U.S. Department of Justice for failing to cooperate with an ongoing civil rights investigation. The suit was virtually a foregone conclusion, notes the…

Sep 2, 2010 6:20 PM CDT

SEC Plummets in Best Federal Workplace Rankings; DOJ Gets Ninth Place

The lawyers and other employees who work at the Securities and Exchange Commission are more dissatisfied with their jobs this year, according to new “Best Places to Work” rankings of federal workplaces. The SEC was in 11th place last year, but this year it plummeted to the 24th spot on…

Sep 1, 2010 2:53 PM CDT

Texas Appeals Court Says Trial Judge Lacked Jurisdiction to Order Same-Sex Divorce

Reversing a trial court, a Texas appellate panel has ruled that the judge lacked the power to divorce a same-sex couple who married in another state. Although same-sex marriages are prohibited in Texas, District Judge Tena Callahan found that the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution required the state to…

Aug 31, 2010 9:13 PM CDT

Historic Military Flag Tied to Tea Party Tests Limits of Ariz. Flag-Flying Law

A historic ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ flag dates back to the American Revolution, but is now associated with the modern-day Tea Party movement. So an Arizona man is having a tough time convincing his homeowner association that he should be allowed to fly the historic military flag, reports the New…

Aug 31, 2010 8:10 PM CDT

Ex-Lawyer Claims Confusion over Regs When Cupcake Truck Is Confiscated

A lawyer who gave up practice for a mobile cupcake business says her truck wouldn’t have been confiscated if she could have figured out Philadelphia’s confusing regulations. The city seized the cupcake truck owned by former lawyer Kata Carrara last week because she drove it into University City, an area…

Aug 31, 2010 12:11 PM CDT

Chief Judge Has Power to Block Hires on Nepotism Grounds, Appellate Court Rules

A chief administrative judge had the power to prevent the probation department from hiring an individual who had six relatives working in the court system, reports the Metro Desk blog of the Boston Globe. The power to block hires is based on “statutory duties to promulgate and enforce standards of…

Aug 30, 2010 10:47 PM CDT

Hard-Fought Depo Didn’t Cross Ethical Line, Grievance Panel Finds

After many years in practice, Andrew O’Keefe had a clean disciplinary record. But a hard-fought deposition put the Hartford, Conn., defense attorney in the hot seat after a Manchester woman contended that he tried to “harass, intimidate and embarrass” her with questions at the session. A local grievance panel determined…

Aug 30, 2010 9:10 PM CDT

Holdout Juror in Blagojevich Case Says Evidence Showed ‘Shades of Gray’

JoAnn Chiakulas was not favorably impressed with impeached ex-Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, finding him “narcissistic” and “rambling.” But the 67-year-old grandmother nonetheless stood her ground during 14 days of jury deliberation in his political corruption trial, refusing, reportedly as the sole holdout, to find him guilty on 23 of the…

Aug 27, 2010 5:49 PM CDT

Germany Ponders Possible Ban on Using Facebook Info for Hiring Decisions

As part of a new draft law that sets standards to protect worker privacy, Germany is considering a ban that would prevent employers from using social networking sites such as Facebook to make hiring decisions. Employers could still search the Internet for information about applicants and access public information on…

Aug 26, 2010 5:51 PM CDT

Chicago Suburb Won’t Ban Eye-Rolling After All

People who roll their eyes will be safe from ejection from city council meetings in the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst. A proposed revision of the municipal code clarifies the kind of disorderly conduct that can lead to ouster, and nonverbal action—including eye rolling—isn’t on the list of banned conduct, according…

Aug 26, 2010 10:30 AM CDT

After Katrina, Some New Orleans Police Say They Were Told They Could Shoot Looters

In an order that apparently contravened state law or created dangerous ambiguity, some New Orleans police say they were told after Hurricane Katrina either that they could shoot looters or do what they needed to do to “take back the city,” reports Pro Publica. Under federal constitutional standards and Louisiana…

Aug 25, 2010 12:29 AM CDT