Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Daily Headlines January 29, 2009

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source:NLJ.com, January 29, 2009.

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FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  ABA revisits rule change on conflict of interest
"The American Bar Association will consider competing amendments to its ethics rules governing firm-to-firm movement and conflicts of interest at its mid-year meeting in Boston next month. One recommended change would ease the conflict of interest rule by allowing a law firm to "screen" an incoming attorney from the rest of its attorneys. But critics say the measure would put the convenience of lawyers ahead of the duty of loyalty to clients."

FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  Lifetime ban on federal jobs for men who fail to register for draft ruled unconstitutional
"A federal judge in the U.S. Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that a lifetime ban on federal employment for men who failed to register for the draft is unconstitutional. The Jan. 26 order also ruled that a provision of the Military Selective Service Act requiring only men to register for the draft does not violate the U.S. Constitution's equal protection guarantees."

WEB-ONLY  |  Group from ailing Dreier Stein jump to Snell & Wilmer to open firm's first L.A. office
"At least eight lawyers from ailing Dreier, Stein, Kahan, Browne, Woods, George are joining Snell & Wilmer to open the firm's first Los Angeles office. The partners in the group are Marshall Horowitz, Susan Grueneberg, Jason S. Kim and Henry S. David. "

WEB-ONLY  |  Arbitrators who handle investor claims stingier with awards if they've represented brokers before
"Arbitrators at the regulatory group that handles thousands of investor claims against brokers each year are stingier with awards if they also have represented brokers in other arbitrations, a study has found. "

WEB-ONLY  |  The lawyer who defended 'America's Sheriff' on handling the fallout from a high-profile case
"Brian Sun, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Jones Day, represented Orange County, Calif., Sheriff Mike Carona on conspiracy and mail fraud charges. Sun spoke to The National Law Journal about the high-profile case against 'America's Sheriff.' "

WEB-ONLY  |  Federal prosecutor on the team that convicted Conrad Black heads to Main Justice
"Chicago federal prosecutor Edward Siskel, who was on the team that won a conviction against newspaper mogul Conrad Black in 2007, is headed to Washington to join the main office of the U.S. Department of Justice as part of the new Obama administration. "

WEB-ONLY  |  Senate Judiciary Committee GC moves to White House
"Susan Davies, general counsel and chief counsel for intellectual property on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has moved to the White House as associate counsel to President Barack Obama." 

OPINION

LITIGATORS' ORATORY  |  Learn from Obama
"Plato described rhetoric as 'the art of enchanting the soul.' Barack Obama's oratory has enchanted the American soul. Corporate litigators should power down their PowerPoint presentations long enough to see the value of this kind of old-fashioned oratory. While technology is important, we should remember what lies at the heart of any jury trial ? the emotions and judgments of ordinary citizens. Every so often, litigators should pause, look out at their drowsy jurors and ask themselves: What would Obama say?"
 

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on January 29, 2009 (boomark / email).