Trials & Litigation

Sidley to Pay $27.5 M in EEOC Partner Case

Updated: In a settlement that should send shock waves throughout many of the nation’s major law firms, Sidley Austin has agreed to pay $27.5 million to resolve a landmark federal case alleging that the law firm discriminated against 32 of its own partners. The 1,700-lawyer Chicago-based firm also agreed in…

Oct 5, 2007 5:17 PM CDT

Paintball Suit Seeks Warnings

A man whose wife was killed in a paintball accident says a successor manufacturer has not lived up to a promise to publicize the dangers of older equipment. Mark Contois plans to file a complaint today in a California court seeking to force KEE Action Sports to do more to…

Oct 5, 2007 4:30 PM CDT

Record Labels Win Anti-Piracy Verdict

In a huge win for the recording industry, a federal jury in Minnesota decided that a woman who illegally downloaded music owes a whopping $222,000 for copyright infringement. The Los Angeles Times reports that Thursday’s victory could embolden the industry to target consumers in its four-year battle against rampant Internet…

Oct 5, 2007 9:52 AM CDT

CO Lawyer Charged in Child-Witness Case

A longtime Denver criminal defense attorney has been charged with 11 felony counts in a case concerning the alleged intimidation of a child witness against his client in a prostitution case. Charles “Chuck” Leidner, 64, was released on $6,000 bail after being arrested at his home yesterday and charged with…

Oct 4, 2007 7:48 PM CDT

Judge: Sen. Craig Can’t Withdraw Guilty Plea

Updated: In a ruling that could sound the death knell for Sen. Larry Craig’s career in office, a Minnesota judge has ruled that the Idaho Republican can’t withdraw his guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge. However, Craig reportedly says he won’t resign, despite the urgings of many members of…

Oct 4, 2007 6:16 PM CDT

A Denial and a Low-Budget Defense in RIAA Trial

The woman accused of sharing a couple dozen copyrighted songs on the KaZaA file sharing service says she didn’t do it, but she can’t afford an expert to explain why the computer evidence suggests otherwise. Jammie Thomas testified yesterday that she has never even heard of KaZaA, the Duluth News…

Oct 4, 2007 2:51 PM CDT

Stents Help Patients’ Hearts, Lawyers’ Bottom Line

Coronary artery stents are big business—not only for the companies that make them but also for lawyers. Litigation over patent rights may be hindering development of new products and forcing small companies to sell out to bigger competitors, experts told the New York Times. “The stent business is an unusually…

Oct 4, 2007 2:07 PM CDT

Exploding OT Claims for Many Employers

Wage-and-hour class action claims brought over unpaid overtime are a hot practice area—and, as today’s $62 million judgment against Wal-Mart illustrates, one that can be extremely costly to employers. “Multiplaintiff wage-and-hour lawsuits pose the greatest employment litigation threat to American businesses today,” says Seyfarth Shaw, a law firm known for…

Oct 3, 2007 11:54 PM CDT

Wal-Mart Workers Win $141 M in OT Case

In the latest judgment in ongoing class actions against the world’s largest retailer, a Pennsylvania judge is requiring Wal-Mart to pay $62.3 million to 125,000 workers who didn’t receive required overtime pay for overtime work. The award today by Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Mark Bernstein supplements a previous $78.5 million…

Oct 3, 2007 11:06 PM CDT

Wanted: New Spector Defense Lawyers

Although Phil Spector’s defense counsel deadlocked the jury at his Los Angeles murder trial, he wants another legal team to represent him at retrial. Six attorneys are interviewing for the job of lead counsel, according to the Associated Press. Many of Spector’s current lawyers are stepping aside after months defending…

Oct 3, 2007 8:11 PM CDT

Judge Sanctions Lawyers Up to $5 Million

In a blistering rebuke of some of Philadelphia’s most prominent lawyers and law firms, a federal judge has sanctioned them—and their clients—for failing to cooperate with discovery in a medical insurance coverage class action. Among those being required to pay up to $5 million in plaintiffs costs by U.S. District…

Oct 3, 2007 5:15 PM CDT

Target Class Action OK’d, Seeks Web Access for Blind

Plaintiffs who contend Target failed to make its Web site accessible to the blind have won class action status for their lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel of San Francisco certified two class actions, the Wall Street Journal reports (sub. req.). One is a nationwide class action alleging violations…

Oct 3, 2007 1:35 PM CDT

Judge to Simpson: Hand Over Rolex

O.J. Simpson doesn’t have to give the shirt off his back to satisfy a $38 million wrongful-death judgment. But he does have to hand over an expensive Rolex wristwatch the family of murder victim Ron Goldman saw the former football superstar wearing on the Internet, a Los Angeles judge ruled…

Oct 2, 2007 8:31 PM CDT

Inquest: Did Royal Family Kill Diana?

After fighting a lengthy legal battle to force a British inquest into the death a decade ago of Princess Diana in a Paris car crash, Harrods department store magnate Mohammed al-Fayed is going to have his day in court. An inquest began today in London’s High Court with the judge’s…

Oct 2, 2007 6:07 PM CDT

Isiah Thomas Liable for Harassment, But Not Punitives

Updated: A federal jury has found that New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas sexually harassed a team executive. Jurors also found that Madison Square Garden was liable for the harassment and will have to pay punitive damages, the New York Times reports. Jurors could not decide whether Thomas should pay…

Oct 2, 2007 5:50 PM CDT