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

Willkie adds 5 partners, 6 associates from this BigLaw firm, adding to growing Chicago office

Willkie Farr & Gallagher has nearly 100 lawyers in its Chicago office after adding five partners and six associates from Mayer Brown.

Aug 26, 2024 11:21 AM CDT

How to combat cybersecurity threats when using artificial intelligence

If you’re nervous about cybersecurity threats to your law firm, you’re not alone. While cybersecurity will always be a threat, especially if you’re using artificial intelligence, there are ways to combat it.

Aug 26, 2024 9:06 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

‘Magic spell hypothesis’ may explain legalese, researchers say

Researchers studying the origins of legalese say lawmakers and lawyers may write laws and legal documents in a convoluted manner to confer a “ritualistic, spell-like element” signaling authority.

Aug 20, 2024 3:12 PM CDT

Convicted lawyer’s victimhood claim is ‘absolutely delusional,’ judge says at sentencing hearing

A Chicago lawyer sentenced to prison for bank embezzlement Tuesday interrupted the judge throughout the proceeding and claimed that the case against him “is an evil that’s going on here.”

Aug 14, 2024 10:30 AM CDT

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker calls on ABA to uphold ‘freedom, liberty, fairness’

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker told the ABA House of Delegates Monday their role in protecting the American system of jurisprudence has never been more important.

Aug 5, 2024 10:23 AM CDT

ABA Annual Meeting opens in Chicago this week

Just months before our country’s next presidential election, defending democracy and protecting the rule of law will lead the agenda at the 2024 ABA Annual Meeting.

Jul 31, 2024 8:48 AM CDT

Sanction affirmed for lawyer accused of cursing and pushing opposing counsel after ‘tense’ deposition

Updated: A federal appeals court has affirmed an attorney fee sanction of nearly $12,000 against a Chicago lawyer accused of misleading the court when she denied intentionally pushing an opposing counsel following a “tense” deposition in July 2017.

Jul 30, 2024 10:30 AM CDT

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will speak at ABA Annual Meeting

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker—a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign—will address the ABA House of Delegates at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Jul 26, 2024 10:30 AM CDT

Chicago lawyer writes about being GOAT at New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest

Jul 25, 2024 12:19 PM CDT

4 surprising signs of attorney stress and some ways to address it

The long hours and the pressure to succeed are like a pressure cooker just waiting to explode. And often, your body will start giving you signs that you have to help your mind. While you may recognize common signs of stress—tension headaches, fatigue and mood changes—there are other surprising signs of stress that your body may provide. Here are some to watch.

Jul 24, 2024 8:46 AM CDT

Illinois jail must pay $880K to family members of inmate who died by suicide, judge rules

A federal judge in Illinois has awarded more than $880,000 to the estate of a 22-year-old man who died by suicide in the Cook County Jail.

Jul 19, 2024 2:45 PM CDT

Conservative group sues Northwestern University law school for alleged hiring discrimination against white men

Spurred on by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ban of race considerations in college admissions, a conservative group filed a lawsuit against the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law on July 2, charging that it discriminates against white men in hiring faculty and in choosing articles for its law review.

Jul 3, 2024 2:06 PM CDT

Top elected justices are twice as likely to affirm death penalty in election years, 3-state study finds

Politics is apparently affecting the fate of people caught up in the criminal justice system, according to a study by the Death Penalty Information Center.

Jul 2, 2024 9:03 AM CDT