International

Autobiography of an Enemy Combatant

Murat Kurnaz is a German man who spent five years in the custody of the U.S. and its allies and is still considered an enemy combatant even now that he has been released and sent home. Allegedly tortured and held for years even after U.S. and German authorities determined he…

Apr 23, 2008 9:24 PM CDT

Kidnappings for Ransom in Mexico—and the US—Are Up Significantly

Kidnappings for ransom are reportedly way up in Mexico, and even spilling into nearby U.S. areas, as gangs try to avoid greatly increased anti-drug trafficking enforcement there and obtain more income from alternative criminal ventures. “Corporate security experts estimate that drug gangs are now responsible for 30 to 50 kidnappings…

Apr 22, 2008 9:09 PM CDT

30-Lawyer Mannheim Office Un-Merges from Shearman & Sterling

The seven-year itch has apparently struck the Mannheim, Germany, office of Shearman & Sterling. The 30-lawyer outpost has reportedly dissolved its 2000 merger with the New York firm, and will now again be known by its former name of Schilling, Zutt & Anschuetz. “Office head and M&A heavyweight Jochem Reichert…

Apr 22, 2008 5:10 PM CDT

American Pastor Gets 3-Yr Sentence in Moscow

An evangelical pastor and hunting enthusiast has been sentenced to three years in a Russian prison for illegally bringing a box of ammunition to the country. Phillip H. Miles of Christ Community Church in Conway, S.C., has been in jail since his arrest on Feb. 3 for failing to declare…

Apr 22, 2008 12:44 PM CDT

New Symphony Piece Canceled Due to EU Noise Law

The very first time that the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra tried to rehearse “State of Siege” in London, it was clear that they were violating European labor and employment law. Tests that now must routinely be conducted when musicians are playing showed the average noise level as the orchestra played…

Apr 21, 2008 9:54 PM CDT

Sacked Pakistan Appellate Judges Could Be Restored to Office Soon

Updated: Dozens of Pakistan appellate judges removed from office in November by the country’s president could now be restored to their former seats by the end of April. Leaders of a new coalition government that has come to the fore after recent parliamentary elections say they plan to put the…

Apr 21, 2008 8:13 PM CDT

Oxford U Students Not Smart Enough to Avoid Facebook Fines

They attend one of the world’s most renowned institutions of higher learning. But even after students learned that proctors at Oxford University are logging onto Facebook in search of evidence, many haven’t been able to resist participating in—and posting online photographs of–excessive celebration of their upcoming graduation. Hence, the proctors…

Apr 18, 2008 11:16 PM CDT

Lucky 13? Law Offices Seek Work-Life Balance via Survey

Thirteen London law offices including those of DLA Piper and Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis are participating in a survey by an outside consultant that is intended to help their attorneys achieve a better work-life balance. “Under the scheme, researchers will carry out one-on-one interviews with practice heads and…

Apr 18, 2008 5:28 PM CDT

Shocked Judge Says A&O Overbilled; Firm Spent $10.4M for 5-Day Trial

Updated: A shocked judge on the United Kingdom’s High Court has criticized one of the country’s most prominent law firms for spending way too much time representing Research In Motion UK in an infringement case concerning BlackBerry patents. Justice Christopher Floyd pointed out that Allen & Overy racked up nearly…

Apr 18, 2008 4:51 PM CDT

3rd-Party Investors Help Defend U.K. Corporate Cases

A small number of companies are now using third-party funding to help defend corporate litigation in the United Kingdom, and hedge funds are among the potential funding sources. “The pioneering move has major implications for corporates facing large claims since the process, in theory, allows a company to put a…

Apr 17, 2008 4:40 PM CDT

Major U.K. Law Firms are Becoming LGBT-Friendlier

A number of leading British law firms have become more supportive of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender attorneys and employees in recent years, making the legal profession one of the “one of the most gay-friendly careers in the U.K.,” reports Legal Week. A recent survey by the British legal publication…

Apr 17, 2008 4:05 PM CDT

Looking For Employee Perks to Offer? Facebook Access May be Enough

Employers who take a more liberal view toward allowing workers access to social networking sites may have a better shot at recruiting young talent, according to a survey by the Australia-based law firm Deacons. Of those surveyed, nearly half reported that “if given a choice between two jobs equal in…

Apr 16, 2008 8:28 PM CDT

French Bill Would Ban Promotion of Eating Disorders

Publications that promote bulimia and anorexia could face legal penalties under legislation under consideration in France. The proposed bill would make it illegal to “provoke a person to seek excessive weight loss by encouraging prolonged nutritional deprivation that would have the effect of exposing them to risk of death or…

Apr 16, 2008 5:53 PM CDT

Clifford Chance Revs Up US Operations

Struggling for a while in the U.S. after a difficult merger with Rogers & Wells in 2000, Clifford Chance is revving its engines and expects to see American profits nearly double in the foreseeable future. Four of the 35 new partners named by the London-based megafirm are in its 440-lawyer…

Apr 14, 2008 3:53 PM CDT

Man Charged With Assault in Weapon Case Involving Hurled Hedgehog

A New Zealand man is facing a criminal assault charge for hurling a weapon—that is to say, a hedgehog—about 16 feet at a 15-year-old victim, bruising and puncturing his leg. “It was unclear whether the hedgehog was still alive when it was thrown, though it was dead when collected as…

Apr 11, 2008 10:12 PM CDT