Utah

What are ethics issues for lawyers practicing remotely from a different state during the pandemic?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more lawyers have worked remotely from home and practiced law primarily through electronic means. Some of these lawyers live in a different state than where they are licensed to practice law.

Dec 16, 2020 2:45 PM CST

Deloitte is monitoring regulatory reforms but is focused on growing new practice

As states such as Utah and Arizona have approved opening up their legal marketplaces to alternative business structures in recent months, there has been speculation that the Big Four accounting firms would be among those seeking to take advantage.

Dec 16, 2020 9:00 AM CST

DOJ rule change would allow some executions by firing squad and electrocution

The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday published a final rule change that would allow federal executions to be carried out in any manner allowed in the state where the death sentence was imposed.

Nov 30, 2020 2:23 PM CST

Law Society of British Columbia launches ‘innovation sandbox’ to address access-to-justice gap

The law society’s initiative comes several months after the Utah Supreme Court launched its own regulatory sandbox amid a growing movement in North America to open up the legal marketplace to nonlawyer financial interests and practitioners.

Nov 24, 2020 9:37 AM CST

Program offers Utah law school scholarships based on overcoming adversity

Utah’s two law schools on Thursday announced a fellowship program with full-tuition scholarships for admittees with significant hardships.

Nov 12, 2020 9:15 AM CST

How Utah’s judicial and state bar officials worked together for regulatory reform

“I don’t think anyone had Utah on their radar as the state likely to be leading the charge on regulatory reform in the legal space,” says Joanna Mendoza, who served on California’s Task Force on Access Through Innovation of Legal Services.

Nov 5, 2020 9:05 AM CST

Rocket Lawyer is among the first applicants approved to join Utah’s regulatory sandbox program

Rocket Lawyer announced Tuesday that it is one of the first entities approved to participate in Utah’s new regulatory sandbox program permitting nontraditional legal services providers, including those with nonlawyer investors, to operate in the state without fear of being accused of the unauthorized practice of law.

Sep 8, 2020 4:38 PM CDT

How are things working out for 3 Utah law grads seeking diploma privilege?

Prior to this summer, Chase Wilde didn’t know how to file a court appearance. Thanks to the supervised practice requirement in the Utah Supreme Court’s temporary order for diploma privilege, he does now.

Sep 1, 2020 9:08 AM CDT

Overbilling suit alleges K&L Gates used these techniques to increase fees

An overbilling lawsuit filed against K&L Gates on Monday alleges the law firm used multiple techniques to increase its fees fraudulently while representing a company in a suit over a failed lease agreement.

Aug 26, 2020 11:48 AM CDT

Utah embraces nonlawyer ownership of law firms as part of broad access-to-justice reforms

The Utah Supreme Court has unanimously approved a slate of reforms that allow for nonlawyer ownership or investment in law firms and permit current legal services providers to try new ways of serving clients during a two-year pilot period.

Aug 14, 2020 3:45 PM CDT

In expansion push, Dentons announces combination with law firm of nearly 100 lawyers

In its push to become the first truly national U.S. law firm, 10,000-plus lawyer firm Dentons has announced that it is combining with Utah firm Durham Jones & Pinegar.

Aug 11, 2020 10:26 AM CDT

New York and Illinois join others moving to October online bar exam; another jurisdiction grants diploma privilege

In light of public health concerns, Illinois and New York have joined the growing list of states that canceled in-person bar exams, with plans for an October remote test offered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

Jul 23, 2020 12:02 PM CDT

BigLaw firm sued over $3M wire transfer to fraudster’s account

Updated: Holland & Knight is facing a lawsuit alleging that it failed to prevent the transfer of more than $3 million to a fraudster’s account in Hong Kong.

Jul 23, 2020 9:47 AM CDT

Oregon is third state to grant diploma privilege, while Tennessee cancels its July UBE

The Oregon Supreme Court approved temporary diploma privilege Monday, for in-state graduates and people who graduated from ABA-approved law schools with first-time bar passage rates of at least 86%.

Jun 30, 2020 10:40 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Lawyer pleads guilty in adoption scheme; prosecutor who quit in Roger Stone case gets new job

Lawyer pleads guilty in illegal adoption scheme A lawyer and former assessor in Maricopa County, Arizona, pleaded guilty Friday to human smuggling and communications fraud in connection with an alleged illegal adoption scheme. The lawyer, Paul Petersen, was accused of flying women from the Republic of the Marshall Islands to…

Jun 22, 2020 4:56 PM CDT