International Courts/Tribunals

eBay Wig and Robe Briefly Put ‘Barrister’ in Business

A onetime law student had a brief career as a barrister in the United Kingdom, buying his wig and robe on eBay, before he was eventually found out and criminally convicted. Ian Clegg, 32, charged clients 75 pounds (about $117 in U.S. dollars, at the current exchange rate) for his…

Dec 16, 2008 11:42 PM CST

Taliban is, Increasingly, a Source of ‘Justice’ in Afghanistan

Although Afghanistan officially has government courts to settle civil disputes and rule on criminal matters, there is another option that citizens, in some cases, are pursuing in order to get swift–and, some say, fair–resolution of their claims. Rather than pay a bribe to a government judge, they would rather have…

Dec 16, 2008 7:55 PM CST

Dreier Law Firm to File for Bankruptcy

A receiver for the Dreier law firm says it will soon file for bankruptcy, following an alleged massive fraud by its founder and sole equity partner, Marc Dreier. “I have advised counsel for the SEC and counsel for Mr. Dreier of my intention to seek bankruptcy protection, and I believe…

Dec 16, 2008 5:04 PM CST

In Seeming First, Aussie Court Says Default Judgment Can Be Served on Facebook

Updated: In an apparent first in Australia and, possibly, the world, a judge has OK’d a plan to serve a default judgment on a non-appearing defendant via a social networking website. Although service previously has been allowed by e-mail and text message, a master of the Supreme Court of the…

Dec 15, 2008 7:06 PM CST

UK Lawyer Who Made $25M in a Year is ‘Struck Off’ for Exploiting Clients

Last year, Jim Beresford made headlines as the United Kingdom’s highest-paid solicitor, having found a lucrative practice niche representing sick coal miners. Today, after a six-day hearing by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, he was struck off for taking advantage of his clients. Another attorney from his small law firm, Doug…

Dec 11, 2008 6:26 PM CST

Dire Situation at Dreier: Bills Unpaid, Client Funds Allegedly Missing

Just when it seemed that the alleged situation involving the founder of Dreier and his disintegrating 238-attorney law firm could hardly get much worse, even more bad news is being reported. After he was arrested and jailed in Toronto last week, Marc Dreier allegedly managed to transfer $10 million in…

Dec 10, 2008 10:06 PM CST

How Attorney Marc Dreier Allegedly Sold Worthless Forged Paper for $113M

In an era of high-tech fraud, the founder of the Dreier law firm is accused of doing it the old-fashioned way. Using little more than his position and skills as a prominent and seasoned attorney, Marc Dreier allegedly tricked sophisticated investors into paying more than $100 million for worthless forged…

Dec 9, 2008 8:20 PM CST

Dreier Founder Charged in ‘Brazen’ Alleged $100M Investment Fraud Attempt

The founder of the not quite 250-attorney Dreier law firm was charged today by federal prosecutors in Manhattan with securities and wire fraud, in connection with what an Securities and Exchange Commission official describes as an alleged “brazen” attempt to cheat three unnamed hedge funds out of $100 million. Marc…

Dec 8, 2008 8:09 PM CST

Former Mexican Drug Czar Got $450K to Keep Traffickers Informed, Authorities Say

In a continuing shakeup in high-echelon Mexican law enforcement, a former drug czar has been accused of being paid $450,000 by drug traffickers, in exchange for providing them with information about police operations. “Noe Ramirez is the highest law enforcement official detained yet as part of Mexico’s sweeping effort to…

Nov 21, 2008 5:44 PM CST

Dubious Pilot’s License No Problem in Emergency Landing

A stewardess on an Air Canada flight apparently may have technically violated her commercial pilot’s license by helping with an emergency landing in January. But no one is complaining about the unidentified flight attendant’s expired instrument reading certificate. A report released today by the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit praises…

Nov 19, 2008 9:25 PM CST

Mom Sued UK Judge for Libel Over Critical Memoir; Jury Now Hearing Case

The mother of a 51-year-old British barrister who also serves as a part-time London judge has sued her daughter for libel over a critical memoir. In her 2006 autobiography, Ugly, Constance Briscoe contends that her mother physically and emotionally mistreated her. However, in the case against the judge and her…

Nov 19, 2008 6:54 PM CST

Memorandum to the Next President

To: The Next President of the United States From: H. Thomas Wells Jr., ABA President, and Thomas M. Susman, Director, ABA Governmental Affairs Office Re: Your First 30 Days in Office Date: November 2008

Nov 2, 2008 1:35 AM CST

Detainee Lawyer: Closing Gitmo Not Enough

Updated: Joseph Margulies, a challenger of both the Clinton and Bush administrations’ detention policies, is wary of John McCain’s and Barack Obama’s harmonious promises to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay without subsequent promises of fair trials and due process for all U.S. detainees. “The government can stop using Guantanamo,…

Oct 22, 2008 12:31 AM CDT

Afghan Journo Gets 20 Yrs Instead of Death for Blasphemy

A 24-year-old student who was prosecuted and initially sentenced to death for circulating an article about women’s rights under Islam is now facing 20 years in jail. An appeals court in Afghanistan reduced Parwez Kambakhsh’s sentence in a case that critics say is emblematic of the country’s shift to a…

Oct 21, 2008 7:55 PM CDT

Defendant in Hot Water After Dousing UK Judge

An unidentified 19-year-old man in Londonderry Magistrates Court had already been remanded in custody by District Judge Liam McNally. But he presumably didn’t help his defense in a burglary and traffic offense case by grabbing a fire extinguisher and dousing the judge. “Water from the fire extinguisher hit the district…

Oct 14, 2008 6:02 PM CDT