#legal-ethics
#legal-ethics

DC Bar Finds Jeffrey Clark Violated Ethics Rules Because... Obviously.

The DC Bar ethics committee recommended that Jeffrey Clark broke ethic rules

Clark's claims of voter fraud were rejected by the DC Bar [ more ]

ABA Journal

Lawyer's 'intimidating and degrading conduct' was 'a business model of sorts, based on fear,' state supreme court says

Disbarment for lawyer's intimidating behavior

Pattern of degrading conduct based on fear [ more ]

Above the Law

Trump Coup Lawyers Clark And Eastman Going Through Some Things With State Bars

Lawyer John Eastman faces disciplinary action in California for his role in Trump's election challenges.

Judge Yvette Roland compared Eastman's actions to those of disbarred Watergate figure Donald Segretti. [ more ]

ABC7 San Francisco

Ex-Trump lawyer Eastman should lose state law license for efforts to overturn election, judge says

Judge recommends conservative attorney John Eastman lose California law license over efforts to keep Trump in power post-2020 election.

Eastman found liable for 10 of 11 disciplinary charges, including misleading courts and plotting with Trump to hinder power transfer. [ more ]

Axios

Ex-Trump lawyer John Eastman should be disbarred, judge rules

Judge Yvette Roland recommended disbarment for John Eastman for his role in promoting efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Eastman, facing 11 disciplinary charges, maintained his claim about state legislatures reversing the 2020 election outcome. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Ex-Trump lawyer should be disbarred for his role in 2020 election, says judge

Judge recommends conservative attorney John Eastman lose California law license over election interference efforts.

Eastman faces 11 disciplinary charges in the state bar court related to his legal strategy after the 2020 election. [ more ]

www.mercurynews.com

Judge: Ex-Trump lawyer Eastman should lose CA law license

Judge recommended conservative attorney John Eastman lose California law license over efforts to keep Trump in power.

Eastman faces disciplinary charges in the state bar court related to legal strategy post-2020 election. [ more ]

Sacramento Bee

Ex-Trump lawyer Eastman should lose state law license for efforts to overturn election, judge says

A judge recommended conservative attorney John Eastman to lose his California law license over his efforts to keep Trump in power post-2020 election.

Eastman faces disciplinary charges for a legal strategy involving Vice President Pence and is also confronting criminal charges in Georgia. [ more ]

Above the Law

Trump Judge Postpones Trial Because She Messed Up So Much - See Also

Conflict of interest in legal cases can lead to complex situations. [ more ]

Above the Law

2 weeks ago

Federal Judge Given Slap On Wrist After Handcuffing Innocent, Crying Child

Federal judges cannot forcibly handcuff children in courtrooms, and there were no consequences for this atrocious behavior. [ more ]

Above the Law

2 weeks ago

The First Law Of Whoever Smelt It, Dealt It

The unpleasant New York courtroom for Donald Trump's trial and the targeting of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson highlight systemic issues. [ more ]

Above the Law

3 weeks ago

How Appealing Weekly Roundup

Parties before the Supreme Court often fund groups backing their arguments without disclosure, creating potential influence gaps. [ more ]

ABA Journal

Lawyer reprimanded after mistakenly emailing opposing counsel with plan to avoid judge's call

Lawyer reprimanded for trying to avoid judge's call by sending misleading email to opposing counsel. [ more ]

Above the Law

Morning Docket: 04.18.24

Lawyers may be replaced by technology like ChatGPT, with partners at most risk.

Sentencing Commission addresses judges using acquitted conduct in sentencing.

Legal implications of Colorado considering brain waves as sensitive information. [ more ]

moreLaw

www.theguardian.com

4 days ago

Left-wing politics

Biden asserts executive privilege to block release of special counsel interviews

House Republicans demand Biden-Hur interview recordings amidst executive privilege

Republicans accused of potential distortion for political gain [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

2 weeks ago

Social justice

Judge Who Brawled With Neighbors Will Remain on N.Y. Bench

The Buffalo-area judge involved in a physical altercation with his neighbors and police will face censure but retain his position despite the scrutiny around his actions and decision. [ more ]

Above the Law

Oh Great, We've Moved Onto The Accusations Of Jury Tampering Stage Of The Trump Hush Money Trial

Encouraging jury nullification as a political statement is contentious and may lead to accusations of tampering. [ more ]

Above the Law

Morning Docket: 04.08.24

Stephen Breyer starting to hear appellate cases, concerns about circuit assignment

Controversy around individuals willing to put up bond for legal matters [ more ]

ABA Journal

Lawyer who stole more than $1M from his law firm gets disbarred

A lawyer was disbarred for stealing over $1 million from his law firm.

The lawyer used firm funds for personal expenses like luxury watches and jewelry. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Trump appeals ruling letting Fani Willis stay on election interference case

Trump's legal team is seeking to overturn the decision allowing Fani Willis to prosecute the election interference case.

An appeal filed in Georgia's appellate court challenges the lack of clarity in precedent regarding forensic misconduct and conflicts of interest in the case. [ more ]

Above the Law

9 Years Later, Ken Paxton Makes A Deal With Prosecutors

The felony securities fraud charges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton were dropped in a deal with federal prosecutors.

Paxton must pay $48,000 to the victims, serve 100 hours of community service, and receive 15 hours of legal ethics education. [ more ]

LawSites

Federal Court Suspends Florida Attorney Over Filing Fabricated Cases Hallucinated by AI

AI-generated citations leading to sanctions in court filings.

Florida lawyer suspended for filing completely fabricated cases. [ more ]

Above the Law

Biglaw Associate's Ex-Boyfriend Sentenced For Trading On Insider Info Obtained While She Was Working From Home

Trading on insider information led to arrest and charges for Seth Markin.

Markin pleaded guilty to insider trading and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. [ more ]

ABA Journal

Judge's plan to decide traffic cases before hearing date 'was not evil in nature,' disciplinary court says

Judicial misconduct deemed as a violation of duty of diligence and competence

Court found the judge's actions not to be malicious or for personal gain [ more ]

ABA Journal

Lawyers' 'barrage of personal attacks' on opponents started with tissue-box toss, appeals court says

Lawyers' behavior led to new trial due to personal attacks during closing argument.

5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans criticized lawyers for improper conduct. [ more ]

Above the Law

Getting A Biglaw Job Starts 0L - See Also

Law firm hiring statistics can vary by law school

Business development is crucial for lawyers

Manners matter in legal profession [ more ]

Above the Law

Attorneys Push Their Luck, Get Benchslapped For Their Efforts

Accept procedural victories graciously, avoid disrespecting the court.

Transparency and respect in litigation processes are paramount for a fair legal system. [ more ]

ABA Journal

Lawyer accused of spying on Muslim colleagues gives up law license

A lawyer resigned after being accused of spying on Muslim colleagues at a Council on American-Islamic Relations chapter.

The lawyer provided confidential information to a nonprofit investigative organization labeled as anti-Islamic. [ more ]

Above the Law

Turns Out A Penchant For Revenge Is Not Something You Want In A Lawyer

Miller's application to the Oklahoma Bar Association was denied due to concerns about his moral character and fitness to practice law.

The denial was based on issues like failure to disclose information, making unsupported allegations, and using position to bully city staff. [ more ]

Above the Law

Morning Docket: 02.21.24

Law school incident sparks complaint from students about lost exam grades in legal ethics class.

Russian intelligence involvement in faking evidence related to Hunter Biden raises concerns. [ more ]

Above the Law

Even Lawyers Are Getting Caught Up In The YSL Mess

Defense attorney Nicole Fegan arrested on gang-related charges

Fegan accused of providing advice to a suspect in a shooting case [ more ]

Brooklyn Eagle

3 months ago

Artificial intelligence

Legal ethics in the age of AI: Insights from the Brooklyn Bar Association and Kaylin Whittingham

Attorney Kaylin Whittingham provided an annual seminar on noteworthy ethics decisions in New York.

The seminar discussed ethical considerations in the era of advancing technology and artificial intelligence. [ more ]

ABA Journal

3 months ago

Accusation that naked 'idiot' lawyer injured Phish fan while rushing stage leads to legal discipline for writer

Lawyer Sarah Jay Schielke received a public censure for her demand letter that contained demeaning and unprofessional language and threats of disclosure.

The demand letter sought $50,000 for her client's injuries at a Phish concert, alleging that another lawyer rushed the stage while naked and injured her client in the process. [ more ]

ABA Journal

3 months ago

What to do when friends or family members ask for legal advice

Giving legal advice to friends and family can create unintended attorney-client relationships and can lead to legal consequences for young lawyers.

The risks of giving legal advice to friends and family include inadvertently creating an attorney-client relationship and violating the duty of competence. [ more ]

Above the Law

Lawyer Sanctioned For Trying To File A Fake News Article As An Exhibit

Edward C. Chung entered a fake news article as evidence in court proceedings, resulting in sanctions against him.

The incident highlights the potential risks of using artificial intelligence to generate legal content, as it could produce plausible but entirely fake articles. [ more ]

Brooklyn Eagle

Brooklyn Bar Association CLE tackles Rule 8.4 and attorney discipline

The roundtable discussion focused on Rule 8.4, which mandates attorneys to avoid conduct that reflects negatively on their fitness as lawyers.

The New York State Bar Association adopted Rule 8.4 in 2022, leading to disciplinary actions in various cases. [ more ]

Above the Law

Judge Jumping Defendant Looks Like He Enjoys Verdicts With A Nice Chianti - See Also

Judge's extreme actions

Potential unethical practices at law firms [ more ]

Above the Law

Ex-Biglaw Partner Suspended From Practicing Law Over Side Solo Gig

A former Biglaw partner has been suspended from practicing law in New York for running his own side gig and underreporting the money he made from it.

The partner secretly performed legal work for non-firm clients and personally billed firm clients for work he did on the side, earning over $360,000 from his side practice. [ more ]

Brooklyn Eagle

5 months ago

Brooklyn

Bensonhurst attorney accused of stealing $1.5 million from elderly clients

Brooklyn attorney Salvatore Strazzullo is facing charges for allegedly embezzling nearly $1.5 million from three clients.

Strazzullo is accused of exploiting his position of trust to steal from vulnerable individuals and using their funds for personal expenses. [ more ]

My Shingle

How to Start a Law Firm: Hybrid Practice Is Possible

This article is a summary of the #ABATECHSHOW 2023 Presentation by Nicole Black and John Burnett entitled Creating a Successful & Ethical Remote Hybrid Firm of the Future, based on notes by Post-pandemic Trends Favor Hybrid Law Firms , edited and optimized by ChatGPT and review by Carolyn Elefant Tips for Implementing a Hybrid Practice As presenters Nicole Black and John Burnett described, the legal industry has seen a significant increase post-pandemic in the use of virtual practice models, with 76% of law firms using iCloud and effectively using video conferencing tools like Zoom for client meetings and remote staff.

www.nytimes.com

US news

Group Seeks Disbarment of a Trump-Aligned Lawyer for a Key Jan. 6 Witness

WASHINGTON In appearing before the Jan. 6 committee last year, Cassidy Hutchinson, the former White House aide who recounted President Donald J. Trump's conduct in the lead-up to the attacks on the Capitol, shared how her original lawyer had tried to influence her testimony.While represented by that lawyer, Stefan Passantino, Ms. Cassidy was less forthcoming to the committee.

LawSites

ABA Ethics Panel Tackles the Weighty Issue of 'Reply All' Emails

I have said it before and I will say it again: So much of legal ethics is simply common sense.If a lawyer wants to avoid ethical trouble, think before you act.That would seem to be the case with copying your clients on emails to your opposing counsel.There are various reasons why that is a bad idea, but one in particular is that the opposing counsel can then "reply all" and copy your client on the response.

Mission Local

Mission District

Brooke Jenkins: Legal experts dismiss DA's excuses for sharing restricted files

Subscribe to our daily newsletter and have the latest stories from Mission Local delivered directly to your inbox.A trio of legal ethicists have largely rejected DA Brooke Jenkins' excuses for last year emailing sensitive documents to a colleague only days before both left the office and joined the campaign to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin.

Washington Post