Ethics

Md. Attorney Discipline Questioned, Decades of Data Disclosed

Short of committing—or at least plotting—murder, it reportedly hasn’t been easy, historically, for the relatively small number of Maryland lawyers who misbehave professionally to qualify for severe professional discipline. “Maryland lawyers who plan to murder their spouse or have sex with minors have been swiftly disbarred, but many who repeatedly…

Dec 19, 2007 9:38 PM CST

Manslaughter Case Against Company Over ‘Big Dig’ Accident Continues

In an unusual and much-watched manslaughter case against one of the companies working on the controversial “Big Dig” tunnel project in Boston, a Massachusetts judge refused yesterday to dismiss the criminal charge. Defendant Powers Fasteners Inc., which is the only contractor charged in the manslaughter case, had contended that the…

Dec 19, 2007 6:31 PM CST

New Suit in Duke Lacrosse Rape Case

The fallout continues over a botched investigation and prosecution of an escort service dancer’s allegations—eventually determined to be false—that she was gang-raped in March 2006 by former members of the Duke University men’s lacrosse team. Three former team members who were never charged in the case have filed a 400-page…

Dec 19, 2007 5:15 PM CST

Ex-Judge Has Law License Suspended for Affair With Prosecutor

A former Colorado judge has had his law license suspended for three years after an affair with a prosecutor. Grafton Minot Biddle of Douglas County was accused of having an affair with deputy district attorney Laurie Hurst. Despite the liaison, she had appeared in his courtroom for two trials and…

Dec 19, 2007 1:51 PM CST

Kinder, Gentler Collaborative Divorce Also Costs Less

A kinder, gentler method of getting divorced has won fans among both clients and counsel. But it has yet to win over some traditionalists, who wonder, for instance, why collaborative divorce must include a promise not to litigate. (Those who violate the ban on courtroom battle have to start over…

Dec 18, 2007 8:48 PM CST

Mayer Brown Partner Sued—and Charged—by SEC in Refco Case

Updated:: The SEC filed civil and criminal cases today against a partner at Mayer Brown, accusing him of helping one of the world’s biggest commodities brokerages hide from investors information about debt that it was owed and related transactions. Joseph P. Collins, 57, allegedly helped Refco Group Ltd. and its…

Dec 18, 2007 6:36 PM CST

Law Firm May Be Liable for Earlier Errors

A divided California appeals court has upheld a malicious prosecution claim against a law firm that apparently resulted from conduct of the plaintiff’s lead counsel. LaFave & Rice argued, essentially, that it didn’t know of alleged defects in the case, which was filed by another law firm, but the panel…

Dec 18, 2007 6:10 PM CST

Judges Reprimanded for Drunken-Driving Accident

Two Illinois judges have been reprimanded for their involvement in a drunken-driving accident. Jan Fiss and Patrick Young of St. Clair County will be allowed to remain on the bench under the reprimand issued yesterday by the Illinois Courts Commission, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The complaint said Young drank…

Dec 18, 2007 4:12 PM CST

Legal Blog Picks Top Odd-But-True Stories

A legal blog called Blogonaut—with the tagline “We don’t make this stuff up—really”—has listed its top stories of the year. The posts tend to be wacky rather than weighty. Here’s a sampling of some of the headlines: —Brawling TN Lawyer Entangled in Hilarious McDonald’s Dustup—But Fast Food Imbroglio is ‘Tip…

Dec 18, 2007 1:41 PM CST

Lawyer Who Destroyed Evidence Spared Jail Time

A Connecticut lawyer who destroyed a laptop containing evidence of child pornography was spared jail time today. Philip Russell instead will serve six months of home confinement, pay a $25,000 fine and do 240 hours of community service, the Associated Press reports. Russell admitted in September that he knew the…

Dec 17, 2007 5:27 PM CST

Lawyer Had Duty to Return Opponent’s Notes, Court Rules

The California Supreme Court has ruled a lawyer should be tossed from a pending case because he copied, distributed and used notes of an opposing lawyer’s meeting with expert witnesses. The court said the document was attorney work product and should not have been used, the Recorder reports. “An attorney…

Dec 17, 2007 12:09 PM CST

Suit Against PI Lawyer Disputes Fen-Phen Expenses

A class action lawsuit by former clients of Houston personal injury lawyer George Fleming and his law firm alleges the lawyers overcharged for expenses in a $29 million fen-phen settlement. The suit says Fleming & Associates improperly charged the fen-phen settlement plaintiffs for echocardiograms performed on clients that turned out…

Dec 17, 2007 11:34 AM CST

Congress, DOJ Clash re CIA Videotapes Probe

Congress and the Department of Justice apparently may be headed for a showdown over the issue of whose investigation takes precedence concerning videotapes of al-Qaida interrogations destroyed by the CIA. Members of the House Intelligence Committee reacted angrily yesterday to a Justice Department request that the committee postpone their investigation…

Dec 15, 2007 9:47 AM CST

Kansas AG in Sex Scandal Resigns

The attorney general of Kansas, who has been embroiled in a sex scandal that also raises significant legal ethics issues, announced today that he will resign from office effective at the end of January. At that point, he will have been in office barely one year. “Many people feel betrayed…

Dec 14, 2007 10:59 PM CST

Pregnant Lawyer Charged Over Fake Kidnap Story

A pregnant lawyer who—according to police and her own husband—falsely claimed that she was kidnapped has been charged with making false alarms. If Karyn McConnell Hancock, 35, is convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, reports the Associated Press. Hancock herself reportedly…

Dec 14, 2007 10:38 PM CST