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White House Said to Have Short List Ready for Justice Stevens' Slot

The National Law Journal

The White House appears ready to move quickly on a Supreme Court nominee should Justice John Paul Stevens decide to retire before the end of the term, with the short list of candidates reportedly including Solicitor General Elena Kagan, appeals court Judges Diane Wood and Merrick Garland, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. There seems to be less chatter about the possible replacement than usual, though conservatives speculate that liberals will be unenthusiastic about the presumed front-runner, Kagan.

More Work Is Needed to Reach a Fair 9/11 Settlement, Judge Says

New York Law Journal

A New York federal judge on Friday scuttled a proposed settlement of lawsuits filed by more than 10,000 Ground Zero workers seeking compensation for health problems triggered by their exposure to ash and dust spewed into the air after the 9/11 terror attacks. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who has presided over the often bitter litigation for eight years, ordered the parties to renegotiate a deal, complaining that it provided too much money for attorneys and insufficient information for plaintiffs.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Sues Dickstein Shapiro for $250 Million

The National Law Journal

Encyclopaedia Britannica is suing Dickstein Shapiro for more than $250 million, claiming that the firm botched a patent application. The suit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that Dickstein Shapiro mishandled several patents, leading the encyclopedia maker to lose a patent infringement suit it brought against several GPS manufacturers in 2007. According to the suit, Dickstein acted in self-interest when it learned of the problems with the patents and tried to remedy the situation.

Former Atmel General Counsel Tries to Derail Backdating Settlement

The Recorder

The Atmel GC who was fired in a travel funds scandal and later blamed for stock option backdating problems wants to blow up the company's backdating settlement. Mike Ross claims a conflict involving Morrison & Foerster, Atmel's law firm, "taints" the $9.65 million settlement that is headed for final approval in federal court. The derivative suit was filed against 25 Atmel executives, including Ross, on behalf of the company. While 24 of the defendants reached a deal last year, the ex-GC and the company haven't come to terms.

Law School Groups Back Hastings in High Court Fight With Christian Student Group

The National Law Journal

Law school organizations are lining up behind the University of California Hastings College of the Law in the upcoming Supreme Court argument pitting the school against the Christian Legal Society. The Association of American Law Schools and the Society of American Law Teachers have filed amicus briefs in the case, scheduled for argument on April 19. The dispute stems from the school's decision to deny the group funding and status as a registered student organization on the grounds that it excludes gays and lesbians.

Insurance Companies Must Fund Former Stanford Executives' Defense Until Court Rules

Texas Lawyer

A 5th Circuit panel has held that a court -- not insurance companies -- will determine whether two insurance companies must pay defense costs for R. Allen Stanford and three other former Stanford Financial Group executives who face criminal charges and civil litigation. The civil litigation filed by the SEC and the federal criminal charges stem from allegations that the former SFG executives conspired to defraud investors who bought about $7 million in certificates of deposit sold through Stanford International Bank.

9th Circuit: No Oil Millions for Anna Nicole Smith's Estate

The Associated Press

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that Anna Nicole Smith's estate will get none of the more than $300 million the late Playboy model claimed a Texas billionaire to whom she was briefly married meant to leave her after he died. The ruling came in a 15-year legal battle that started in a sleepy Houston probate court and stretched all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. It initially pitted Smith against the son of J. Howard Marshall over the $1.6 billion estate the oil tycoon left after his 1995 death.

Attorney Accused -- Again -- of Trading Legal Services for Sexual Favors

The Connecticut Law Tribune

When Connecticut attorney Ira S. Mayo allegedly offered to waive a client's fees in exchange for a naked back rub, he triggered an investigation that seems to have jeopardized his law license over an encounter with a woman. It's familiar territory for Mayo: In 2005, his license was suspended for 15 months for making unwanted sexual advances toward clients referred to him by the Susan B. Anthony Project for abused women. In order to resume his practice in 2007, Mayo had agreed not to be alone with women in his office.

Released From Prison, Lerach to Speak at Law School Panel

The National Law Journal

Fresh out of prison, disgraced securities plaintiffs attorney Bill Lerach has returned to the public light. On April 12, Lerach is scheduled to speak at a University of San Diego School of Law panel titled "Where is Corporate and Securities Litigation Headed Post-Crisis?" Lerach was released from a two-year prison term on March 8. Law professor Frank Partnoy, the director of the school's Center for Corporate and Securities Law, said he anticipated that Lerach's criminal past would come up in discussion at the event.

Lawyer's Lover to Appeal $9 Million Judgment for Alienation of Affection

The Associated Press

A New York woman ordered to pay $9 million to her lover's wife in North Carolina says she plans to appeal the judgment. Anne Lundquist says she had planned to represent herself, but the court didn't give enough warning about the case going to trial. A North Carolina jury last week awarded Cynthia Shackelford money for alienation of affection and other charges stemming from Lundquist's affair with Shackelford's husband, formerly a Greensboro, N.C., attorney.

In-House Lawyer off the Hook for Alleged Errors Leading to $19 Million Award

New Jersey Law Journal

A federal judge has ruled that an in-house lawyer for Camden County, N.J., can't be held personally liable to the county's insurers for a $19 million judgment in a case she allegedly botched. Insurers allege that Assistant County Counsel Donna Whiteside failed to hire outside counsel and missed an expert-report deadline, leaving her unable to present expert testimony at a trial over a car crash on a county road. The final judgment of $19 million is on appeal and has not been paid.

'Lawyer' for U.S. Missionaries in Haiti Is Arrested on Trafficking Charges

The Associated Press

A fugitive who acted as the lawyer for 10 Baptist missionaries accused of kidnapping 33 Haitian children has been arrested on human-trafficking charges, authorities said Friday. Jorge Puello was detained at the United States' request as he left a McDonald's in the Dominican capital Thursday, a National Drug Control Agency spokesman said. A judge has 30 days to meet with Puello, Dominican authorities and an attorney representing the U.S. before deciding whether to honor an extradition request, he said.

1st Circuit Upholds 10-Year Sentence for Distributing Cocaine Base

The National Law Journal

The 1st Circuit last week upheld a sentence for cocaine distribution, over defense arguments that the mandatory minimum sentence for crack cocaine shouldn't apply because the jury didn't find the defendant possessed crack. In the opinion, 1st Circuit Judge Michael Boudin noted that the district court's instructions and the jury verdict were in line with 1st Circuit precedent, which interprets the term "cocaine base" in the statute to include "all forms of cocaine base, including but not limited to crack cocaine."

TrustLaw to Launch as International Pro Bono Matchmaker for Law Firms and NGOs

Law.com

The Thomson-Reuters Foundation unveiled its new international pro bono project to a group of big firm lawyers and representatives from nongovernmental organizations in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Dubbed TrustLaw, the effort is designed to provide a new online market for pro bono projects around the world, connecting NGOs and nonprofits in need of free legal services with law firms looking to help.

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Shearman Is Latest Firm to Revamp Pay for U.K. Associates

Legal Week

Shearman & Sterling is ditching associate lockstep for its lawyers in the U.K., Asia and the Middle East in favor of a merit-based pay system. The new system, which goes into effect May 1, will see all associates assessed twice a year against a number of criteria including client relationships, legal and technical capabilities and interpersonal skills. Associates will be placed into one of three tiers, with each level having maximum and minimum base salaries, which are yet to be decided.

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Confusion Carries the Day in E-Discovery

Special to Law.com

Lawyers trying to find out the cost to process electronic records for litigation often run into a confusing array of data and terminology that obscures the issues. Unfortunately, industry experts agree that there is no simple way to use a common language of standards for e-discovery.

Visit Legal Technology

Interview Strategies: Taking the Show on the Road

Special to Law.com

Whether you're interviewing for an out-of-town job, or interviewing with a law firm or company with several offices, you may have to combine interview stress with the added stress of travel. Consultants Valerie Fontaine and Roberta Kass have some pointers to make things go smoothly.

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