Unauthorized ‘rummaging’ through opponent’s Dropbox leads to sanction against this law firm

A trial-level judge in New York has sanctioned Robins Kaplan for “rummaging” through the Dropbox of its litigation opponent after a third-party vendor accidentally revealed the link in discovery.

Oct 9, 2023 3:55 PM CDT

Lawyer’s social media posts about shooting protesters are protected by First Amendment, bar court judge rules

A lawyer’s social media posts calling for the shooting of Black Lives Matter protesters were "unbecoming of an attorney," but they were protected by the First Amendment, a California bar court judge has ruled.

Oct 4, 2023 12:46 PM CDT

Lawyer suffering from pandemic stress censured for accessing judge’s computer, changing clerk’s time card

A New York lawyer has been censured for accessing a judge’s computer while she was experiencing mental health issues that partly stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oct 4, 2023 8:51 AM CDT

Justice Thomas recuses himself for first time in election-related case; ex-law prof wanted email ruling vacated

Justice Clarence Thomas recused himself on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case of former Chapman University law professor John Eastman, who wanted to vacate a decision allowing release of his emails to a House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. It was the…

Oct 2, 2023 4:15 PM CDT

A code of ethics is necessary to restore trust in the Supreme Court

“Trust in our institutions of government is a central tenet of our democracy. As lawyers, we are acutely aware that our democracy depends on faith in our court systems. … As members of the American Bar Association, it is our duty to safeguard and further our nearly century-long commitment as national leaders in defining the parameters of legal and judicial ethics,” writes ABA President Mary Smith.

Oct 1, 2023 3:50 AM CDT

How far should lawyers go to make sure their clients aren’t using them to launder money?

Some lawyers interviewed by the ABA Journal, many of whom are former federal prosecutors, say people know they can launder dirty money under the cloak of attorney-client privilege and confidentiality rules, and real estate is an effective vehicle to do so.

Oct 1, 2023 3:20 AM CDT

How the crime-fraud exception can threaten attorney-client privilege

A sacrosanct concept in law is the attorney-client privilege—that a client can speak to his or her attorney knowing full well that what the client says will be kept secret. The evidentiary privilege ensures free and frank communications between attorney and client, a reality that generally serves the public interest.

Oct 1, 2023 2:50 AM CDT

House of Delegates amends rule to address anti-money-laundering efforts

Oct 1, 2023 1:20 AM CDT

Lawyer sanctioned for being ‘rude, demeaning and obnoxious’ in depositions

A federal judge has sanctioned a personal injury lawyer nearly $20,000 for his conduct during four depositions last year.

Sep 28, 2023 1:49 PM CDT

Candor: You know it when you don’t see it

Probably to his regret, the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart is best remembered for his famous nondefinition of obscenity: “I know it when I see it,” in Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184 (1964).

Sep 27, 2023 2:03 PM CDT

Judge rips lawyers for ‘egregious’ repetition in opinion finding Trump liable for inflating finances

A New York state judge ruled in a civil lawsuit Tuesday that former President Donald Trump inflated the value of his property in fraudulent statements provided to lenders and insurers.

Sep 27, 2023 9:10 AM CDT

Lawyers avoid mandatory religious liberty instruction, for now

Lawyers for Southwest Airlines didn’t have to attend religious liberty training Tuesday as a result of a temporary administrative stay granted by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans.

Sep 26, 2023 3:50 PM CDT

Judge sanctions Buchalter over $147K for ‘unsupported arguments’ and misleading assertions

A federal judge in Seattle has ordered Buchalter to pay more than $147,000 to its opponents for prolonging discovery through "unsupported arguments" and false or misleading assertions in litigation.

Sep 26, 2023 2:42 PM CDT

Lawyers who lied about capital contribution, cursed on hot mic among those sanctioned in Illinois

The Illinois Supreme Court has disciplined or accepted the resignation of several lawyers and two former judges in a series of orders Sept. 21.

Sep 25, 2023 3:53 PM CDT

Justice Kagan sees need for SCOTUS ethics code, comments on why courts overturn things ‘willy-nilly’

Justice Elena Kagan on Friday backed an ethics code for the U.S. Supreme Court but said she didn’t want to suggest that any single holdout is keeping the high court from acting.

Sep 25, 2023 11:17 AM CDT