Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Daily Headlines March 11, 2009

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: NLJ.com, March 11, 2009.

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FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  As interest rates sink, so do the fortunes of embattled, IOLTA-funded legal services
"From New York to Illinois to Texas, organizations that depend partly or completely on income from interest earned on accounts in which lawyers hold clients' money for short periods of time are seeing that income dwindle. The legal service groups receive the funds through grants from what are typically called interest on lawyers' trust accounts (IOLTA) organizations created by state court systems to collect and distribute the funds."

WEB-ONLY  |  Decline in securities class action settlements in '08; new plaintiffs' firms emerge in leadership roles
"Last year there were fewer settlements in securities class actions than 2007, average recoveries dropped, and new plaintiffs' firms emerged in leadership roles, according to a new study by Cornerstone Research. In addition, the report, released today, found that the effect of corporate earnings restatements has declined since the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act so that it currently has no impact on settlement amounts."

WEB-ONLY  |  Detroit's ex-mayor sues communications provider for allegedly violating his privacy rights by releasing text messages
"Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick filed a $100 million lawsuit on Tuesday against a Mississippi communications provider over the release of text messages that triggered his downfall. The ex-mayor alleges that the company violated his privacy and constitutional rights by releasing his texts. Kilpatrick, who lost his job and recently served 99 days in jail for lying under oath during a police whistleblower trial, is now relying on the expertise of prominent Florida trial attorney Willie Gary to challenge the release."

WEB-ONLY  |  Christian Legal Society gets a cool reception before 9th Circuit over law school recognition of student groups
"The Christian Legal Society may have to seek a higher authority than the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to prevail in its constitutional challenge to the University of California Hastings College of the Law's rules dictating terms for official recognition of student groups. During a March 10 argument, a 9th Circuit panel appeared unsympathetic to the group's claim that its equal protection and religious expression rights were violated by Hastings' denial of official recognition to the group. To be recognized, Hastings requires student groups to pledge not to discriminate in membership based on religion or sexual orientation of its members."

WEB-ONLY  |  Ex-GC for U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services on Obama's health care reforms ? and why they won't be easy
"Thomas Barker, former acting general counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during the recent Bush administration and a new partner in the health care and life sciences practices of Boston-based Foley Hoag, spoke with The National Law Journal about Obama's health care agenda, the political fights ahead for HHS and whether litigation is likely to follow any of Obama's new initiatives."

WEB-ONLY  |  Eric Posner chosen to chair University of Chicago Law School's dean search committee
"The University of Chicago Law School faculty dean search committee has selected Professor Eric Posner to chair its effort in making recommendations to President Robert Zimmer on the appointment of a new dean for the school."

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on March 11, 2009 (boomark / email).