Clients’ Demand for Labor Law Training Is Surging

In line with expert predictions from last fall, corporate law firms and consulting companies say labor-related inquiries from employers have risen in recent months over fears of rising union influence in the Obama administration, the Wall Street Journal reports. Meat packer Tyson Foods Inc., which has a 60 percent nonunion…

Apr 8, 2009 7:46 PM CDT

Double-Dipping Government Lawyer Gets 36 Months of Probation

Two government agencies were pleased with the work that attorney Richard David Wyss did for them. But because Wyss told both the Utah Department of Public Safety and the federal Transportation Security Administration that he was working exclusively for that government agency, he was sentenced yesterday by a federal judge…

Apr 8, 2009 5:35 PM CDT

Lawyer’s Suit Claims Reverse Bias Over ‘Ghetto Court’ Demotion

A suit filed by Detroit’s former top lawyer claims the city illegally demoted her for making a “ghetto court” remark that would have been overlooked if she were black. Former corporation counsel Kathleen Leavey says her comments in a conference call with a judge’s aide were misinterpreted, the Associated Press…

Apr 8, 2009 11:04 AM CDT

Appeals Court Raps ‘Sophie’s Choice’ Given NJ Plaintiff and Caregiver

A New Jersey judge erred when he gave a plaintiff a “Sophie’s Choice” between pursuing her sex discrimination case against a former employer and caring for her mortally ill 89-year-old father in Florida, a state appellate court has held. It reinstated the case brought by plaintiff Linda Pangione, which Ocean…

Apr 2, 2009 11:55 PM CDT

‘Little Eichmanns’ Prof Wins Case, Is Awarded One Dollar

A controversial former ethnic studies professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder has won his wrongful dismissal case against his former employer after a state court jury apparently found that Ward Churchill’s termination was because of his political views. But the jury awarded Churchill only $1 in damages. Nonetheless,…

Apr 2, 2009 11:45 PM CDT

In ‘Kafkaesque’ Case, Pro Se Client Foils Former Counsel’s $145K Fee Collection

Apparently unhappy about his lawyer’s handling of a federal national-origin discrimination case in which he won an $80,000 jury verdict on a retaliation count, a tenured assistant professor of economics at Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business fought back. After dismissing his counsel, Antonia Kousoulas, and successfully defending the…

Apr 2, 2009 10:07 PM CDT

Paralegal Loses Sex Claims, But Can Sue Texas PI Lawyer Over Firing & OT

A Texas judge has dismissed a paralegal’s civil litigation claims of sexual misconduct by a well-known plaintiff personal injury attorney, but allowed her to continue with other allegations. Harris County District Judge Tracy Christopher yesterday granted a motion for summary judgment for lack of evidence by attorney Richard Laminack on…

Apr 2, 2009 8:01 PM CDT

Recession Issue Hits Home

Apr 2, 2009 3:00 AM CDT

For Lawyers, the Game Is On

If you have kids you are trying to wean off of Playstation, Wii or Xbox, don’t leave this article around for them to read. Because a number of successful attorneys are attributing their current accomplishments to the sometimes extreme gaming habits of their youth.

Apr 2, 2009 2:40 AM CDT

Tongue Ties

National origin discrimination suits are making waves—and law

Apr 2, 2009 1:30 AM CDT

FMLA Gets a Facelift

New rules are more “employer-friendly,” attorneys say

Apr 2, 2009 12:19 AM CDT

Ex-Thelen Lawyers Granted Class Certification

Lawyers and staff for the now-defunct firm Thelen have won class certification of their suit claiming the firm failed to give federally required 60 days notice that it would close its doors. The WARN Act suit filed in the days before the firm closed Nov. 30 is being led by…

Apr 1, 2009 12:44 PM CDT

‘Meatball Justice’ Creates World of Hurt for NY Workers’ Comp Claimants

A once-groundbreaking system of helping injured New York workers obtain treatment and reasonable compensation from their employers is now a struggling $5.5-billion-a-year state-run “subbasement of the legal world” in which delay and questionable results reportedly are commonplace. At some hearings of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, judges looked…

Apr 1, 2009 12:14 AM CDT

‘Lawyer of Love’ Columnist Files Sex Harassment Suit Against Playboy

A Chicago lawyer who posed nude for Playboy and wrote its “Lawyer of Love” column has filed a sexual harassment suit against the magazine. Lawyer Corri Fetman claims in her $4.5 million suit that she lost her writing gig with Playboy after rebuffing the sexual advances of an executive there,…

Mar 31, 2009 1:05 PM CDT

Arbitrator Rules EEOC’s Comp Time Policy Violated Labor Law

An arbitrator has ruled the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is violating federal labor law by seeking to avoid paying workers for overtime. Arbitrator Steven Wolf ruled the agency pressured employees to take compensatory time rather than overtime pay in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Washington Post reports.…

Mar 31, 2009 12:45 PM CDT