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Legal News Posts (November 19, 2009)

DOJ, FCC Target Deaf Translation Service in National Fraud Case

Twenty-six employees of seven companies that provide translation services to the deaf and hearing impaired have been charged in a nationwide scheme to defraud the government of millions of dollars, the Justice Department announced today. Indictments against owners and employees...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 10:30 PM

Report: No Link Between Fraud and Companies Hurt by Downturn

PricewaterhouseCoopers unveiled its fifth Global Economic Crime Survey on Thursday at a luncheon in New York. And the results weren't exactly what the global accounting firm expected.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 8:26 PM

Grandmother wins Supreme Court ruling on care of three-year-old boy

A woman has won a legal battle over the care of her three-year-old grandson after the Supreme Court reversed rulings that he should live with his father.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 19, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Will Gun-Control Case Prompt a Constitutional Reawakening?

Briefs are coming into the Supreme Court in the McDonald v. Chicago gun-control case. One party is pushing the Court to breathe life into a long-dormant portion of the 14the Amendment to the Constitution.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 19, 2009 at 7:10 PM

Benchmark Measurement of European eGovernment services

News release: "Capgemini released the 8th Benchmark Measurement of European eGovernment services. This Benchmark, prepared since 2001 for the European...
Posted on beSpacific on November 19, 2009 at 6:49 PM

A Scott Rothstein Sampler Platter

Scott Rothstein has agreed to voluntarily surrender his law license to Florida bar authorities. Meanwhile, lawyers continue to flee from Rothstein's former law firm.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 19, 2009 at 6:42 PM

DOJ Taps Denis McInerney as Fraud Section Chief

By Mike Scarcella The Justice Department announced today that it has tapped a Davis Polk & Wardwell partner to serve as its new Fraud Section chief. The Department has been searching for a new chief since this summer, when Steve...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 6:33 PM

Skadden Matches Cravath, Cleary Numbers

The class of 2008--the closest thing to first-year associates--is taking a bonus cut at Skadden, just like it is at Cleary and Cravath.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 5:51 PM

NSF Patient Sues over MRI Contrast Agent

Chesterfield, MO: A man who claims to have suffered from MRI contrast side effects and MRI health risks has launched a lawsuit against the hospital that administered a series of MRI procedures that eventually left him with early-stage Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF).
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 19, 2009 at 5:45 PM

Pinnacle Foods Gobbles Up Birds Eye for $1.3B

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Kirkland & Ellis advised the companies on a deal that will turn Pinnacle into a packaged food giant with more than two dozen brands, including Nally and Tim's Cascade Snacks.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 5:34 PM

Details Leak on Hogan Lovells Structure

Updated (6:08 p.m.) We already knew Hogan & Hartson and Lovells intended to merge their names into Hogan Lovells if the proposed combination is approved by the two firms' partnerships, but Legal Week has more details on the proposed merger....
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 5:25 PM

Winston's Jim Thompson Stays Loyal to Convicted Ex-Gov

Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan is scheduled to spend nearly four more years in prison and forfeit all of his pension. But not if his former boss and current Winston & Strawn senior chair "Big" Jim Thompson has anything to do it.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 5:07 PM

SEC Fills Senior Posts in Investor Education Office

The Securities & Exchange Commission announced today that it has filled three top jobs in its Office of Investor Education and Advocacy. Mary Head was named deputy director of the office, which provides resources to help individual investors make financial...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 4:43 PM

Noted D.C. Attorney, Richard Nixon's Personal Lawyer "Jack" Miller Dead at 85

Herbert J. "Jack" Miller Jr., whose high-profile representation of the Kennedy family and President Richard Nixon made him notable in the Washington legal scene, died Nov. 14 from complications related to influenza, according to a statement from Baker Botts, where...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 4:37 PM

?Tis the Season: Skadden Matches Cleary and Cravath on Bonuses

Skadden Arps, often a bellwether on salaries, bonuses and the like, has matched the end-of-year bonuses being paid out by Cravath and Cleary.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 19, 2009 at 4:35 PM

A 'Most-Hated' List of Modern Phrases

Yesterday on the Legal Writing Prof blog, Professor James "I am the scholarship dude" Levy flagged an interesting blog article from The New York Times on some of the words and phrases that are becoming despised in our society. The author of the article, law professor Stanley Fish, gets the ball rolling by offering up some examples from the "class of ut
Posted on Legal Blog Watch on November 19, 2009 at 4:19 PM

'I Hate Teena Club' Leads to Employee's Termination

Further proving what your mother told you when you were five years old ("If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all") is the case of Sindoni v. County of Tioga. In this bizarre case involving employees of the County of Tioga, N.Y., Sindoni, a senior typist, had her employment terminated after her personal animosity for co-worker
Posted on Legal Blog Watch on November 19, 2009 at 4:18 PM

U.S. Senate Confirms Hamilton for 7th Circuit Slot

Voting 59 to 39, the U.S. Senate today confirmed David Hamilton's nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. The Hamilton nomination stalled for five months amid criticism from Republican lawmakers about Hamilton's pro bono work for...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 4:18 PM

Communities Battle Over the 'Right to Hang'

"If my husband has a right to have guns in the house, I have a right to hang laundry." So says Carin Froehlich of Perkasie, Penn., who likes to hang her laundry to dry on clotheslines strung between trees outside her home. Her small town, however, does not like it so much, and she has had requests from a town official and at least two anonymous neighbo
Posted on Legal Blog Watch on November 19, 2009 at 4:18 PM

Thursday's Three Burning Legal Issues

Here are today's three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blawgosphere. 1) Question: I am a police detective. Is there any way I can use the police computer system to help me pick up chicks? Answer: Yes, actually. But you might get convicted of a crime and suspended from the force. (Australian Associated Press, "Sexually 'c
Posted on Legal Blog Watch on November 19, 2009 at 4:17 PM

Law firms selected for State bank sell-off

Four City law firms, including a second-tier contender, have been chosen by the Government to handle the sale of its stake in big banks, The Times has learnt.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 19, 2009 at 4:10 PM

Never Mind, Rapunzel: Illinois AG Sues Hair Growth Institute

Hair today, gone... no, that's just too easy. What is more difficult than promised, apparently, is for follically challenged Illinois consumers to get their money back from the Natural Hair Growth Institute. The Institute is a company supposedly promoting hair...
Posted on FindLaw's Common Law on November 19, 2009 at 4:07 PM

Russia Constitutional Court extends moratorium on death penalty

[JURIST] The Constitutional Court of Russia on Thursday extended the moratorium on the death penalty until the Russian parliament ratifies an international treaty abolishing capital punishment. In 1997, Russia signed, but did not ratify, Protocol 6 of the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which was put forward by th
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 4:03 PM

NY protesters target Uganda anti-gay law (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Demonstrators targeted Uganda's UN mission in New York on Thursday to protest a proposed law that would punish homosexuality with life in prison in the eastern African country.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 3:43 PM

Striking Back for a Client - in 140 Characters or Less

UPDATED Cassidy & Associates vice chairman Gregg Hartley didn't like a critical New York Times story this week on one of the firm's biggest clients, Equatorial Guinea. So he's hitting back against the reporter, Ian Urbina, using an unusual vehicle:...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 3:41 PM

UK court orders release of details of ex-Guantanamo detainee's treatment

[JURIST] The UK High Court ruled Thursday that the details of the detention of Binyam Mohamed in Pakistan in 2002 must be released. This most recent decision is the latest in a series of back and forth rulings on whether redacted materials regarding Mohamed's detention should be disclosed. An October interim ruling by Lord Justice Thomas and Justice Ll
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 3:38 PM

Lawsuit Aside, is AT&T Winning in ?The Court of Public Opinion??

Question: When should a big, publicly-traded company refrain from filing a lawsuit? Answer: possibly when the public-relations blowback does more damage than the behavior complained about in the lawsuit. This truism has come up across the pundit-o-sphere in the wake of the recently filed AT&T/Verizon lawsuit.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 19, 2009 at 3:24 PM

DOJ: $2.4 Billion Recovered from False Claims Act Cases

The Justice Department has secured $2.4 billion in settlements and judgments through False Claims Act cases through the end of September, marking the second largest annual recovery of civil fraud claims in history. "It's no secret that health care fraud...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 3:07 PM

Iraq struggles over election law dispute (AP via Yahoo! News)

Iraqi lawmakers will vote Saturday on how to break a deadlock over a key election law after a vice president vetoed the legislation, causing a crisis that could delay a national vote scheduled for January and affect the timetable for an American troop withdrawal.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 2:51 PM

Amiodarone and Simvastatin Anything But a Dynamic Duo

Kansas City, MO: The relationship between simvastatin and amiodarone, together with the amiodarone interaction identified as simvastatin rhabdomyolysis, came to the forefront in August of last year when the FDA issued an alert to health care professionals regarding the risk for rhabdomyolysis when simvastatin is used in association with amiodarone.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 19, 2009 at 2:45 PM

Bangladesh Supreme Court upholds death sentence for coup officers

[JURIST] The Supreme Court of Bangladesh on Thursday denied the final appeals of five former military officers sentenced to death for the 1975 military coup assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's first leader. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Mujibur's daughter, praised the latest decision in the 16-year old murder trial.
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 2:32 PM

Patent That: Reporter Invents Way to Reach PTO Director

Journalists who cover Washington know the drill: top bureaucrats can be very hard to get through to, especially when you need to reach them the most. So when ABA Journal senior writer Terry Carter got nowhere in his recent effort...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 2:14 PM

Bad News for BofA?

It appears plaintiffs in the securities class action against BofA related to the Merrill Lynch deal may get their hands on some (formerly) privileged documents.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 2:13 PM

Rod Stewart, Jackson Estate Slapped With Suits Over Unpaid Legal Bills

Arnold & Porter and L.A. firm Glaser Weil are singing the blues over unpaid legal fees owed by the pop stars, and they're taking action in civil suits filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 2:06 PM

Europe court rules delayed airline passengers entitled to compensation

[JURIST] The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled Thursday that airline passengers confronted with flight delays of two hours or more may receive compensation equal to that of passengers whose flights are cancelled. The flat-rate compensation ranges between 250 and 600 euros. The case arose under European Parliament and European Council Regulation (EC
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 1:59 PM

Crowley?s anti-idling bill becomes law (New York Post)

A bill to penalize drivers who leave their idling cars unattended on the street was signed into law today by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, capping off the efforts of the family of the Middle Village teenager whose death inspired the legislation and City C...
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 1:58 PM

PTSD, First Impression Issues in Lawyer's Assault Hearing

The trial of a lawyer accused of tussling with two deputy U.S. marshals in federal district court in Washington will likely be pushed back because of an "endless blizzard" of motions from the defense, the presiding judge said yesterday. Judge...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 1:39 PM

D.C. Court of Appeals to Shorten Oral Arguments

The D.C. Court of Appeals announced plans Tuesday to cut down oral argument time to help speed up its caseload. The court described its plan as a "pilot project." Arguments on the regular calendar will now be scheduled for 15...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 1:33 PM

Adamsville promises to follow open meetings law in settlement with Jefferson County DA (Birmingham News)

District Attorney Brandon Falls sued the city, alleging it broke the state open meetings law at two meetings.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 1:32 PM

Family Business Planning in High Gear

The combination of continued low interest rates, a struggling economy and uncertainty about taxes makes planning important right now. IRS interest rates used in valuing various kinds of gifting techniques fell again in November, making the use of Grantor Retained...
Posted on The Legal Intelligencer Blog on November 19, 2009 at 1:23 PM

NY court: Married gay couples entitled to benefits

New York's top court on Thursday rejected a Christian legal group's challenge to some government benefits provided to gay couples legally married elsewhere and now living in New York.The court rejected an argument that same-sex marriage was akin to incest and polygamy but avoided declaring that gay couples are entitled to all the rights of other marrie
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 19, 2009 at 1:23 PM

Gibson Dunn Promotes 11 to Partner

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has announced its new class of partners and with 11 lawyers being promoted, including three in Washington, this year's class is down slightly from last year. In 2008, the firm promoted 13 lawyers to partner. Jeffrey...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 1:23 PM

Draft bank law confirms tougher watchdog powers� (Reuters via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News)

Britain's financial watchdog will have powers to claw back bank bonuses that breach globally agreed rules on remuneration and force hedge funds to provide data, a draft law published on Thursday showed.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 1:23 PM

Senate girds for historic debate on health bill

Congressional budget crunchers Thursday said the Democrats' latest health care plan would hold down federal red ink for at least a 20-year stretch, an assessment that boosted the bill's advocates as the Senate moved gingerly toward a historic debate.The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that Majority Leader Harry Reid's 10-year, $848-billion
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 19, 2009 at 1:21 PM

EEOC Nominees Mostly Unscathed in Committee

Conservative activists have been gearing up for today's confirmation hearing for nominees for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They've focused their fire on Chai Feldblum, a Georgetown University law professor who's been nominated to be a commissioner and who's been...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 1:15 PM

ACLU Seeks Data on Youth Held By Military Overseas

The ACLU sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Gates requesting data on juveniles in U.S. military custody in Iraq and Afghanistan and information on efforts to bring U.S. policy regarding the treatment, detention and trial of juveniles into compliance with international law.
Posted on ACLU Newsroom on November 19, 2009 at 1:09 PM

Afghanistan president vows to fight corruption in inaugural address

[JURIST] Afghan President Hamid Karzai pledged to fight corruption in his government during his inaugural address on Thursday. To this end, Karzai announced that he would soon be organizing a conference to research the sources of the corruption and bribery that is widespread throughout Afghanistan and find ways to combat it. Additionally, he announced
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 1:01 PM

Iraq struggles over election law dispute (AP via Yahoo! News)

Iraqi Lawmakers to Vote on Election Law Deadlock (Fox News)

Iraqi lawmakers will vote Saturday on how to break a deadlock over a key election law after a vice president vetoed the legislation, causing a crisis that could delay a national vote scheduled for January.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 12:51 PM

Dalton Flap Wasn?t the First for Justice Kennedy

Jess Bravin reported on Thursday that the recent situation at the Dalton School wasn't the only preclearance request involving Justice Kennedy. In October, student press at George Washington University faced a similar requirement when covering Justice Kennedy's Oct. 15 lecture to a law school audience.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 19, 2009 at 12:43 PM

Brazil top court rules for extradition of Italy fugitive

[JURIST] The Brazilian Supreme Court on Wednesday voted 5-to-4 to extradite former Italian guerrilla Cesare Battisti back to Italy, but left the final decision to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who granted him asylum earlier this year. The high court has yet to decide if the order mandates Lula to extradite Battisti or merely authorizes him to do
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 12:41 PM

JPMorgan and Linklaters Prove You Can Get Back Together

JPMorgan Chase ditched Linklaters last year after a litigation dustup involving Bear Stearns. But the megabank reached back out to the Magic Circle firm for its $1.7 billion deal for the rest of the prestigious brokerage Cazenove.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 12:29 PM

Bingham, Reed Smith Lead on Wells Fargo's $1.4 Billion ARS Settlement

The two firms represented three affiliates of Wells Fargo in an auction-rate securities settlement reached with the California attorney general's office, reports The Am Law Litigation Daily.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 12:13 PM

Two Killed, 21 Hurt in Minnesota Tour Bus Crash

Austin, MN: A tour bus carrying a load of passengers home from a casino visit went out of control and skidded off a freeway outside Austin, Minnesota late yesterday. CNN is reporting this morning that two passengers were killed and 21 were injured when the tour bus overturned on Interstate 90, about three miles west of Austin.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 19, 2009 at 11:45 AM

Federal judge finds Army Corps of Engineers liable for Katrina damage

[JURIST] A judge in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on Wednesday found the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) negligent in its operation and maintenance of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet (MRGO). Damages nearing $720,000 were awarded to five plaintiffs, who successfully demonstrated that known defects in the MRGO and the U
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 11:35 AM

Economy redefines law firm's focus

It's Business 101: When a practice area of your law firm suddenly becomes its sole focus, it's time to revise your business plan. That is exactly what Ken Gross and law firm Thav, Gross, Steinway & Bennett PC have done in light of the state and national economic crisis. Previously, a quarter of the firm's practice centered on bankruptcy and tax col
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 19, 2009 at 11:25 AM

Senior Canada diplomat accuses military of complicity in torture of Afghans

[JURIST] A former senior Canadian diplomat alleged Wednesday that the Canadian military was complicit in the torture of Afghans by their own government, during testimony before the House of Commons Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan. Richard Colvin, who represented the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 11:22 AM

On Personal Emails and the Law

Recent cases have shown that employees sometimes have more privacy rights than they might expect when it comes to the corporate email server.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 19, 2009 at 11:21 AM

Iraq MPs to reconsider vote law (AFP via Yahoo! News)

The Iraqi parliament will on Saturday attempt to finally pass an electoral law jeopardised by Vice President Tarek al-Hashemi's demand that it be changed before a general election can go ahead.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 10:57 AM

The ARS Party Continues: Wells Fargo to Reimburse Investors $1.4B

The largest return of investor money continued on Tuesday when word broke that a Wells Fargo & Co. unit will return as much as $1.4 billion to clients whose funds were frozen in the auction-rate-securities market.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 19, 2009 at 10:39 AM

Not a member, US envoy attends international court

The American war crimes ambassador said Thursday the U.S. is committed to ending impunity for crimes against humanity, in a speech signaling a softening of hostility toward the International Criminal Court.Stephen Rapp's brief remarks marked the first time a U.S. diplomat has addressed the 110-nation Assembly of State Parties, which oversees the court'
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 19, 2009 at 10:21 AM

Ninth Circuit orders back pay for federal employee denied same-sex spouse benefits

[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ordered the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California (FPD) on Wednesday to pay a monetary award to a man denied healthcare benefits for his same-sex spouse. Deputy federal public defender Brad Levenson brought the suit requesting the court to direct the FPD to ob
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 10:14 AM

Whose Fault was Katrina Damage? Judge Partly Blames Army Corps

A federal judge in New Orleans on Wednesday ruled the latter, that the Army Corps of Engineers' failure to properly maintain a navigation channel led to massive flooding in Hurricane Katrina.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 19, 2009 at 10:04 AM

Florida County Weighs Changes for Overtime Rules

Broward County, FL: In a state beleaguered by the current financial crisis, the Broward County School District is attempting to save money by changing the rules for overtime pay to its employees.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM

Author Loses Case Over Portraying Friend as "Slut"

Reality-based fiction has suffered another major blow as a Georgia jury awarded $100,000 in damages to a woman who claimed that a character in the best-selling novel ?The Red Hat Club? falsely portrayed her as an ?alcoholic slut.?Vicki Stewart, 63, was the inspiration for a character nicknamed "SuSu" in Haywood Smith's whimsical book about five middle
Posted on On Point News on November 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM

Small business spotlight: Economy redefines law firm's focus (Detroit News)

It's Business 101: When a practice area of your law firm suddenly becomes its sole focus, it's time to revise your business plan. That is exactly what Ken Gross and law firm Thav, Gross, Steinway & Bennett PC have done in light of the state and national economic crisis.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 9:47 AM

The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 19, 2009

A key ruling in the BofA securities class action gives plaintiffs access to a treasure trove of documents; JPMorgan and unsecured creditors reach a settlement in the Idearc bankruptcy; and NASAA disputes California AG Jerry Brown's credit for Wells Fargo's $1.4 billion ARS buyback deal.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 19, 2009 at 9:30 AM

Giuliani against trying Mohammed in civilian court

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is opposing the Obama administration's decision to try alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a federal civilian court.Giuliani was mayor on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists flew two hijacked planes into the World Trade Center, another hit the Pentagon and a third crashed in western Pennsylvania. He tol
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 19, 2009 at 9:23 AM

Federal judge rules against military lawyers for former Guantanamo detainee

[JURIST] A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that former Guantanamo Bay detainee Ahmed Ghailani does not have a right to be represented by his military defense lawyers in a civilian court. Military lawyers Colonel Jeffrey Colwell and Major Richard Reiter were reassigned by the Department of Defense despite their willingness to continue representing Ghai
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 9:10 AM

Warning Labels Expand to Include Denture Adhesive Zinc Poisoning Risks

Los Angeles, CA: Consumer advocates report that the makers of a prominent denture cream have added the risk of denture adhesive zinc poisoning to the warning labels adorning the packaging of their oral adherent products.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 19, 2009 at 9:00 AM

Cuba continues political repression, rights violations under Raul Castro: report

[JURIST] The Cuban government of Raul Castro has continued to repress dissidents and violate fundamental civil liberties of Cubans, maintaining the mechanisms put in place by Fidel Castro, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released on Wednesday. Specifically, HRW reported that 53 political dissidents imprisoned since 2003 under Fidel Castr
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 19, 2009 at 8:20 AM

The Morning Wrap

Shake-up at the ABA: Henry "Hank" White Jr., the American Bar Association's executive director, stepped down this week amid a reorganization set in motion by the ABA's new president, Carolyn Lamm, The National Law Journal reports. The chief financial officer,...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 19, 2009 at 8:03 AM

Iraq vice president vetoes new election law (Los Angeles Times)

Move could disrupt plans for a January vote and for troop withdrawals. The Sunni official says the law didn't provide enough seats for refugees. One of Iraq's vice presidents vetoed the country's new election law Wednesday, throwing into fresh doubt the feasibility of holding crucial national balloting in January and possibly disrupting the withdrawal
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 4:15 AM

Arizona: Complaint Filed Under Immigration Law (New York Times)

An Arizona prosecutor says his office has filed the first civil complaint against a business under a 22-month-old state law that prohibits employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 19, 2009 at 1:31 AM

Court Holds Army Corps Liable for Katrina Flood Damage

Court Holds Army Corps Liable for Katrina Flood Damage :: In re Katrina Canal Breaches Consolidated Litigation (pdf)
Posted on Law in the News on November 19, 2009 at 12:20 AM

Oregon Attorney General Adds L&C Law, PEAC Alums to Environmental Enforcement Team

Oregon attorney General Adds L&C Law, PEAC Alums to Environmental Enforcement Team
Posted on Law in the News on November 19, 2009 at 12:14 AM

MP expenses file to be sent to CPS ?in weeks?

Detectives investigating allegations of abuse of parliamentary expenses by MPs and peers will be ready to send a file to the Crown Prosecution Service in the next six weeks.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:33 PM

Fitness test probes strength of new law firms

People or companies who buy up law firms under the imminent "Big Bang" of the legal profession will have to pass an a special test to prove their "fitness to own" under plans outlined today.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Lehman chief denounces ?flat-out silly? claims

Creditors of Lehman Brothers had filed claims for the return of $824 billion ($�492 billion) and total claims might reach $1 trillion, the chief executive of the investment bank said yesterday.$
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Downturn brings surge in crime by ?cappucino fraudsters?

The economic downturn has led to a surge in crime by middle-manager ?cappucino fraudsters? who have resorted to stealing from their employers.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Legal costs mount in Tchenguiz family row

The billionaire Tchenguiz brothers have been ordered to pay their brother-in-law an additional �100,000 towards his legal costs after failing to meet a previous court order.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Tourists sue Sanbona safari park after too-close encounter with lions

Eight British tourists are suing a South African safari park after they became trapped by a pride of wild lions when their tour vehicle overturned.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

In the City: no holds barred as solicitors and insurers let fly

Having a blast
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Lawyer of the week: Paul Michel

Paul Michel, of Cloisters Chambers, acted for Sharon Coleman, the carer of her disabled son, in the landmark case in which the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that all carers are now protected by anti-discrimination legislation in the workplace.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Don?t doom Bridget Jones to life without a partner

Unmarried couples should have new legal rights ? or should they? The prevailing consensus is very much in favour: many believe that the law should reflect changing times and that at present it creates hardship.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Legacies unleash a battle of wills

When Dr Christine Gill last month successfully challenged her mother?s will, which had bequeathed the �2 million family farm in North Yorkshire to the RSPCA, it was just the latest in an increasingly long line of disputes over wills to have been picked over by the media.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

The Derry Irvine case shows why politicians must know their limits

The Labour Government has an impressive record since 1997 of promoting constitutional reform. Yet, as pointed out by Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government at the University of Oxford, in his stimulating book The New British Constitution (Hart Publishing, �17.95), the enactment of the Human Rights Act 1998, the removal of most of the hereditary peers
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Braced for the big bang and Tesco law

How is the legal services market to be reformed? The first detailed insight into what the ?big bang? will mean in practice came this week with a major report from the Legal Services Board.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Barristers claim unfair secrecy as board debates ban on partnerships

Hundreds of years of tradition may be ditched today when the ban on barristers joining in partnership with other professionals is lifted.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:00 PM

Intelligence services win secrecy ruling

British intelligence services won the first round of a legal battle yesterday for the right to rely on secret evidence in their defence.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 8:00 PM

Another Study Shows Potential Risk of SSRI Birth Defects

New York, NY: Another study has been published suggesting a potential for SSRI birth defects in children exposed to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) prior to birth. The study found that babies whose mothers used the antidepressants while pregnant were at greater risk of developing congenital heart defects and other SSRI side effects.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 18, 2009 at 8:00 PM

DHS Critical Infrastructure Protection Website Launched

Critical Infrastructure Protection - The nation's critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) include systems and assets, whether physical or virtual,...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 7:19 PM

New GAO Reports: Homeland Security, Combating Nuclear Smuggling, Federal Land Management, International Trade

Homeland Security: Greater Attention to Key Practices Would Help Address Security Vulnerabilities at Federal Buildings, GAO-10-236T, November 18, 2009 Homeland...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 7:16 PM

In Houston, Being an Am Law 100 Partner Has Its Drawbacks

A runoff mayoral election in Houston is getting nasty for Andrews Kurth partner Gene Locke, whose opponent is railing against the lucrative quasi-governmental contracts awarded to the firm.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 18, 2009 at 7:16 PM

Long-Term Implications of the Department of Defense's FY2010 Budget Submission

Long-Term Implications of the Department of Defense's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Submission, November 18, 2009. Testimony before the Committee on...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 7:03 PM

Skadden, O'Melveny on AmEx Deal for "Futuristic Payment System"

We like to consider ourselves hip, but we hadn't heard of the type of payment system pioneered by the company American Express purchased for $300 million today.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 18, 2009 at 7:01 PM

Navy Arctic Roadmap: Ice Free Arctic by 2030?

Wired: "The Navy's Arctic Roadmap, written by the recently launched Navy Task Force Climate Change (TFCC), opens with an acknowledgment...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 7:00 PM

You (and 60,000 Others) Have Taken the LSAT. Now Read This.

Takers of the LSAT are at an all-time high. One author cautions against young college graduates running out and joining the masses for the wrong reasons.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 18, 2009 at 6:58 PM

The Financial Crisis and U.S. Cross-Border Financial Flows

The Financial Crisis and U.S. Cross-Border Financial Flows, Carol C. Bertaut and Laurie Pounder, Federal Reserve Board Division of International...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 6:57 PM

HHS Secretary Statement on New Breast Cancer Recommendations

Follow up to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's new recommendations on breast cancer screening cause controversy, this statement from HHS...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 6:54 PM

Census Bureau Releases 2008 Income and Poverty Estimates for All School Districts and Counties

News release: "The U.S. Census Bureau today released 2008 income and poverty estimates for every school district and county in...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 6:53 PM

Media Alerts on Federal Courts of Appeals Website of the ABA Standing Committee on Federal Judicial Improvements

"Welcome to the new Media Alerts on Federal Courts of Appeals Website of the ABA Standing Committee on Federal Judicial...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 6:49 PM

President Obama Says Guant�namo Closure Will Miss Deadline

Prison Should Be Closed As Soon As Possible While Upholding Rule Of Law, Says ACLU
Posted on ACLU Newsroom on November 18, 2009 at 6:14 PM

Texas Appeals Court Rejects Appeal Of Innocent Man On Death Row For 28 Years

Death Sentence Upheld Despite Overwelming Evidence Pointing To Innocence
Posted on ACLU Newsroom on November 18, 2009 at 5:52 PM

Compensation ordered for gay couple denied spousal benefits

Today U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt ordered compensation for federal public defender Brad Levenson and his spouse, Tony Sears, who were married during the five-month period in California when same-sex marriage was legal but denied spousal...
Posted on Legal Pad | LA on November 18, 2009 at 5:26 PM

New Site Highlights Top Federal Appeals Court Rulings

With news media organizations cutting back on their coverage of courts and other institutions, a new effort was launched today to help the press and public identify important federal appeals court rulings and cases. The American Bar Association's Standing Committee...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM

Auto Dealers Drive to Quinn Gillespie

Updated The furor over the closing of thousands of auto dealerships by General Motors and Chrysler may have died down, but the dealers haven't given up. The Committee to Restore Dealer Rights, formed by auto dealers in September, has hired...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 18, 2009 at 5:19 PM

Welcome to the Future: Rating the Ratings

We now live in a legal world which is arguably the first professional services marketplace in which buyers are as able to judge quality as sellers, and a Web world where information is ever more transparent. Those changes, writes Paul Lippe, will lead to better ratings information that ultimately will help clients and lawyers do a better job.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 18, 2009 at 5:15 PM

Gibson Dunn, Simpson Thacher Chart a Course for MGM

As MGM and its creditors weigh the future of the struggling movie company, they are turning to lawyers familiar with syndicated lending, troubled debt restructuring and Hollywood's inner workings.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 18, 2009 at 5:14 PM

King orders arbitration for former Toyota lawyer

U.S. District Judge George H. King of the Central District of California ordered that Dimitrios Biller, former national managing counsel in the legal services group in charge of Toyota's rollover litigation program, must arbitrate claims that the automobile manufacturer hid...
Posted on Legal Pad | LA on November 18, 2009 at 5:00 PM

Shoulder Pain Pump Lawsuits Continue

Houston, TX: Victims of debilitating shoulder injuries resulting from use of shoulder pain pumps are launching lawsuits against the manufacturer of the pump?a product that was supposed to help, not hinder, recovery.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 18, 2009 at 5:00 PM

News You Can Use: On Google?s Adding Caselaw to ?Scholar?

By now, the blogosphere is buzzing with news that Google has added federal and state case law and patents to its Google Scholar service.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 18, 2009 at 4:54 PM

AG Holder to Sept. 11 Victim's Family: 'Trust Us'

In a brief and personal chat with the mother of a Sept. 11 victim today, Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. implored the woman to "trust us," saying the Justice Department has made the right decision to prosecute terrorism suspects in...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 18, 2009 at 4:45 PM

Tom Daschle to Join DLA as Senior Policy Adviser

Former Democratic Senate majority leader Tom Daschle is leaving his job at Alston & Bird for DLA Piper. The National Law Journal spoke with DLA Piper's D.C. managing partner about the high-profile hire.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 18, 2009 at 4:44 PM

MOVERS: Alston & Bird names two partners in Los Angeles

Alston & Bird has announced that it has named Elizabeth A. Fierman and J. Andrew Howard partners in the firm?s Litigation and Trial Practice and Construction and Government Contracts Groups, respectively. Fierman and Howard are among 18 new partners named...
Posted on Legal Pad | LA on November 18, 2009 at 4:40 PM

MOVERS: Gibson names 11 partners for 2010

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP announced today that the firm has elected 11 new partners, effective January 1, 2010. The new partners include: Christopher Chorba (Litigation/Class Actions - Los Angeles) - Chorba has a broad commercial litigation practice including class...
Posted on Legal Pad | LA on November 18, 2009 at 4:19 PM

Iraq VP vetoes vote law, poll date in doubt (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president vetoed an election law on Wednesday, prompting poll workers to halt some preparations and casting new doubt on whether the vote can take place in January.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 4:12 PM

ABA Executive Director Steps Down

The executive director of the American Bar Association, Henry F. White Jr., resigned this week after three years in the job, the ABA Journal reports. ABA General Counsel R. Thomas Howell Jr. has been named to step in as interim executive director. Neither the ABA Journal report nor an official ABA news release gave any explanation for White's resignati
Posted on Legal Blog Watch on November 18, 2009 at 3:39 PM

Black Firefighters Ask to Intervene in 'Ricci'

In an end-of-term decision handed down in June, the Supreme Court in Ricci v. DeStefano decided that New Haven's decision to discard results of a firefighter promotion examination violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The city through out the test after results came back showing that white candidates had significantly outperformed minorit
Posted on Legal Blog Watch on November 18, 2009 at 3:36 PM

The Google Gorilla Enters the Research Game

Ken Auletta's new book, Googled: The End of the World as We Know It, ponders whether the 1,000-pound Gorilla of the Web is pursuing an altruistic endeavor to offer all the world's information for free or is a marauding monster on a mission to dominate the media and information landscape. With Google in command of my e-mail platform, my blogging platfor
Posted on Legal Blog Watch on November 18, 2009 at 3:31 PM

Tom Cruise Honors a Legal 'Top Gun'

The memorial service at the federal courthouse in Boston this week for lawyer Earle C. Cooley was attended by a who's who of the city's legal community. It also included one Hollywood A-lister -- Tom Cruise. Cooley was a legendary trial lawyer in Massachusetts who founded the law firm Cooley Manion Jones and who represented major Boston-area clients in
Posted on Legal Blog Watch on November 18, 2009 at 3:29 PM

Declawing ban gains traction across the state

Just a week ago we reported that Berkeley approved banning the practice of declawing cats. As goes Berkeley, so go Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and several other California cities. The Beverly Hills City Council voted 5-0 last night to approve...
Posted on Legal Pad | LA on November 18, 2009 at 3:24 PM

Holder defends 9/11 federal trials decision before Senate committee

[JURIST] US Attorney General Eric Holder appeared Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer questions regarding the decision to try five men accused of conspiring to commit the 9/11 terrorist attacks in federal court. In his opening remarks, Holder refuted the arguments made by his predecessor and other lawmakers that the decision to tr
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 18, 2009 at 3:19 PM

On Eric Holder?s ?Two-Tiered System of Justice?

Is there a rationale for trying some Guantanamo detainees in civilian court and others in criminal court? One commentator says yes, and he thinks it makes good sense.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 18, 2009 at 3:08 PM

Asbestos Contamination in Montana: Can Libby Be Saved?

Libby, MT: It may be too late for the workers and residents of Libby, Montana who have suffered from asbestos health issues and battled mesothelioma lawsuits for years. But now representatives from the Mount Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine are going in with a team of investigators to deal with the future of Libby.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 18, 2009 at 3:00 PM

Going to the mat for and against pot

Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley warned yesterday that he intends to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries that sell the drug even if the city's leaders decide to allow those transactions. The clash between the City Council and district attorney puts...
Posted on Legal Pad | LA on November 18, 2009 at 2:32 PM

UK court rules evidence may be kept secret in torture suit

[JURIST] The British High Court ruled Wednesday that the government may withhold evidence from seven claimants suing UK intelligence services MI5 and MI6 for their roles in alleged torture at Guantanamo Bay. The court ruled that the agencies can rely on the evidence in their defense without disclosing it to the claimants. The ruling marks a departure f
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 18, 2009 at 2:30 PM

Idaho to pay $50K to settle grazing lease lawsuit

Idaho agreed Tuesday to pay $50,000 and pledged to follow anti-discrimination rules to settle a federal lawsuit against state officials who awarded grazing leases to ranchers, not the environmentalist who had offered more money.The Idaho Board of Land has also committed to revising its rules to allow conservation groups to lease state endowment trust l
Posted on Legal News Post on November 18, 2009 at 2:01 PM

Oregon criminal defense lawyer

Max J. Mizejewski Max Mizejewski (pronounced Majeski) received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1993. In 1997, Max graduated from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College and went on to work in the public sector before entering private practice. As Manager of the Oregon Department of Transportation
Posted on Legal News Post on November 18, 2009 at 2:01 PM

Court again upholds Fla. homeowner tax breaks

A three-judge panel Tuesday rejected another challenge to state constitutional amendments that give property tax breaks to Florida's primary homeowners, but not to owners of second homes.The panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal disagreed with arguments that the amendments violate U.S. constitutional rights of travel and interstate commerce by favo
Posted on Legal News Post on November 18, 2009 at 2:00 PM

Fla. lawyer suspected in $1B fraud losing license

A South Florida lawyer suspected of operating a $1 billion Ponzi scheme is asking for his own disbarment.A Florida Bar committee has approved the disbarment request submitted by attorney Scott Rothstein. A spokeswoman said Wednesday the final decision must be made by the state Supreme Court.The FBI says Rothstein sold investments in legal settlements t
Posted on Legal News Post on November 18, 2009 at 2:00 PM

Guilty plea in Wash. shooting spree that killed 6

A man who killed six people, including a sheriff's deputy, in a northwest Washington shooting rampage last year pleaded guilty Tuesday and will spend the rest of his life in a mental hospital or prison.Isaac Zamora entered the pleas to 18 charges, including aggravated murder, attempted murder and burglary, after prosecutor Rich Weyrich agreed he would
Posted on Legal News Post on November 18, 2009 at 1:59 PM

Law Office of Max J Mizejewski

Located in Eugene, the Law Office of Max J Mizejewski represents men and women throughout Lane County and surrounding areas in family law cases. Mr. Mizejewski understands the emotional turmoil that can accompany a change in your family dynamics, and he strives to protect your interests. Mr. Mizejewski represents clients in most family law matters, in
Posted on Click the Law on November 18, 2009 at 1:57 PM

How Important Is Law Firm Web Design?

Despite what some might think, the internet is the most important marketing tool you have. By typing a few words, a potential client can find hundreds of lawyers and law firms that you must now compete with. Having a website is a great way for your business to connect with new customers. Unfortunately while building a website has brought instant succes
Posted on Click the Law on November 18, 2009 at 1:55 PM

ACLU And Americans United Demand Connecticut School District Stop Holding Graduation At Christian Church

Choice Of Venue Constitutes Government Endorsement Of Religion
Posted on ACLU Newsroom on November 18, 2009 at 1:51 PM

Senate defeats amendment to block funds for holding Guantanamo detainees in US

[JURIST] The US Senate on Tuesday rejected an attempt to bar using federal funds to build or modify prisons in the US to hold detainees from Guantanamo Bay. By a mostly party-line 57-43 vote, the Senate defeated an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, proposed by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), which would have p
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 18, 2009 at 1:31 PM

Rod Stewart Sued for $3.3 Million by Law Firm

A prominent entertainment law firm is suing Rod Stewart for $3.3 million in legal fees it claims he owes.Glaser, Weil, Fink, Jacobs, Howard & Shapiro filed the case Tuesday in Los Angeles. The firm has numerous high-profile clients and recently won judgments for architect Frank Gehry and television host Bob Barker.The lawsuit claims Stewart owes fo
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 18, 2009 at 1:24 PM

Court sides with Boeing on $1.1B contract

A federal court has reversed a ruling that overturned Boeing Co.?s $1.1 billion contract for maintenance of an Air Force refueling tanker jet.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit?s ruling Tuesday overturns a 2008 decision by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and reinstates Chicago-based Boeing?s 10-year contract for work on the 50-year-old
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 18, 2009 at 1:23 PM

US envoy attends international court meeting

The United States attended a meeting of the International Criminal Court's management board for the first time Wednesday in a sign it has stopped shunning the world's only permanent war crimes tribunal.The United States has not ratified the court's founding treaty, the Rome Statute, partly because of fears the court could become a forum for politically
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 18, 2009 at 1:21 PM

Nine indictments come down in SoCal political corruption scheme

The Riverside District Attorney?s Office says Scott Douglas Shaull, of Roseville, and Stephen Russell Holgate, until recently of Granite Bay, were key players in an alleged scheme in which various parties funneled money to political campaign warchests in return for...
Posted on Legal Pad | LA on November 18, 2009 at 1:14 PM

Pershing Park Lawyers: Police Chief Ordered Mass Arrests

Lawyers in the Pershing Park wrongful arrest cases say they have new evidence that former Metropolitan Police Department Chief Charles Ramsey personally ordered the roundup of protesters during the Sept. 2002 IMF / World Bank demonstrations in Washington, D.C. In...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 18, 2009 at 1:04 PM

Iraq VP vetoes vote law, poll date in doubt (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president vetoed an election law on Wednesday over the number of seats for refugees, prompting poll workers to halt some preparations and casting new doubt on whether the vote can take place in January.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 12:47 PM

There?s Water on the Moon, But Who Owns It?

To some, the discovery last week of water on the moon heightens the possibility that humans might someday be able to collect valuable resources from the moon. And it's that possibility that gets the lawyers thinking, naturally, about rights and ownership.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 18, 2009 at 12:30 PM

Iraq election law vetoed by Sunni vice president

[JURIST] Iraqi Sunni Arab Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on Wednesday announced his veto of the first article of the recently passed election law at a press conference in Baghdad. Hashemi said further amendments are necessary before the law will be acceptable, specifically calling for increased representation for Iraqis living abroad. An estimated 1.5
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 18, 2009 at 12:28 PM

Reglan Side Effects Frustrating for Patients

Miami, FL: The Reglan side effects may start so slowly that a patient does not even pay attention to them at first: some excessive blinking, facial twitches and maybe a sudden leg jerk every once in a while. But after a while, the movements become impossible to ignore. By that time, the patient has developed tardive dyskinesia?an untreatable condition
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 18, 2009 at 12:00 PM

Judge Diane Welsh Details Qualities That Distinguish Successful Women-Part II

Judge Diane Welsh shared some strategies for success at 2009 Pennsylvania Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession Annual Retreat. The following are her remarks continued from Part I. " To succeed in our new world, we will have...
Posted on The Legal Intelligencer Blog on November 18, 2009 at 11:58 AM

Iraq vote in doubt after VP vetoes election law (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Iraq's general election was thrown into doubt on Wednesday after a law governing the planned January vote was vetoed, creating what the prime minister termed a "dangerous threat" to stability.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 11:46 AM

Virginia conducts first US electric chair execution in over a year

[JURIST] Virginia authorities on Tuesday executed a prisoner by electric chair, conducting the country's first execution by electrocution in over a year. Former Army counterintelligence worker Larry Bill Elliott, who was convicted of a 2001 double murder, was executed Tuesday night after Virginia Governor Tim Kaine declined to intervene. The US Supreme
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 18, 2009 at 11:40 AM

Iraq vote delay likely after veto on election law (AP via Yahoo! News)

Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president vetoed part of a key election law Wednesday, a move that could delay national polls slated for January even as the top U.S. commander in Iraq said the timetable for American troop drawdown is on track.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 11:30 AM

AG Holder Defends Sept. 11 Terrorist Prosecution Decision

Updated 10:30 a.m. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. this morning defended his decision to prosecute the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks and four other suspected terrorists in federal court. "This was a tough call, and reasonable people can...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 18, 2009 at 11:15 AM

UBSers Cometh to the Taxman

The IRS said on Tuesday that more than 14,700 Americans had been attracted to an amnesty program prompted by the UBS tax investigation and prosecution, and willingly disclosed their secret foreign bank accounts.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 18, 2009 at 11:10 AM

Iraq's Sunni VP vetoes parts of election law (AP via Yahoo! News)

Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president vetoed part of a key election law Wednesday, a move that could delay national polls slated for January even as the top U.S. commander in Iraq says the timetable for American troop drawdown is on track.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 11:10 AM

Controversial court nominee survives Senate test

Democrats on Tuesday crushed a Senate filibuster against a controversial appeals court nominee, demonstrating to Republicans they can't stop President Barack Obama from turning the federal judiciary to the left.The 70-29 vote limited debate over the qualifications of U.S. District Judge David Hamilton of Indiana, and assured his elevation to the Chicag
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 18, 2009 at 10:23 AM

Controversy ahead of landmark Bar meeting

Hundreds of years of tradition may end tomorrow when the ban on barristers joining with other professionals to set up "one stop" partnerships is lifted.
Posted on International and UK Law on November 18, 2009 at 10:21 AM

Petters Takes Stand in Trial: ?I Have A Lot of Regrets?

On Tuesday, Tom Petters, the Minnesota businessman accused of running a $3.65 billion Ponzi scheme, took the stand in his own criminal trial, and testifed for close to an hour before the day's session adjourned.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 18, 2009 at 10:12 AM

Iran to execute five post-election protesters

[JURIST] An Iranian court has sentenced five people to death for their roles in protests that took place after this summer's disputed elections, according to state media Tuesday. Another 81 people have been sentenced to prison for up to 15 years. The names of those sentenced to death are unknown, and all have been sentenced for their cooperation with t
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 18, 2009 at 10:05 AM

Construction Accident Injures One, Kills Another in Kansas City

Kansas City, MO: A dramatic construction accident left one man dead and another seriously injured when a portable boom lift with a basket on top fell over during the construction of a new performing arts center.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 18, 2009 at 10:00 AM

Law firm sues Rod Stewart for $3.3 million (AP via Yahoo! News)

A prominent entertainment law firm is suing Rod Stewart for $3.3 million in legal fees it claims he owes.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 9:53 AM

EU Closes 54 Web Sites for Consumer Law Violations (PC World via Yahoo! News)

The European Union published findings of an 18-month investigation Tuesday finding that 301 Web sites that sold mobile phone ringtones, wallpapers and other services had "serious breaches of EU consumer law," according to a statement.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 9:50 AM

Judge hears arguments on RI house sticker law (AP via Yahoo! News)

A lawyer for University of Rhode Island students has asked a judge to strike down a law allowing police in a beach town to place stickers on homes that host loud parties.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 9:42 AM

Senate Ends Debate on Hamilton; Seventh Circuit Likely Awaits

The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to end debate on David Hamilton, President Obama's most controversial circuit court nominee, as the Republican caucus fell short of maintaining a filibuster.
Posted on Law Blog - WSJ.com on November 18, 2009 at 9:37 AM

The Am Law Litigation Daily -- Nov. 18, 2009

Jones Day and Boies Schiller are set to tangle over the Barclays-Lehman deal; former BofA GC Mayopoulos says he played no role in making disclosure decisions about Merrill bonuses; and Joe Cotchett sues Wall Street over alleged bid-rigging in the municipal derivative market.
Posted on The AM Law Daily on November 18, 2009 at 9:30 AM

Obama signs executive order establishing new unit to combat financial fraud

[JURIST] US President Barack Obama signed an executive order Tuesday creating a Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to be headed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as lead agency. The task force, which continues the work of and replaces the federal government's Corporate Fraud Task Force (CFTC), is charged with building on "efforts already underway
Posted on JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 18, 2009 at 9:20 AM

Stunt Pilot Walks Away from Plane Crash

Siloam Springs, AR: As a third generation stunt pilot, Matt Younkin is used to defying death from inside his plane. Yet even for a trained stuntman, surviving a plane accident is a miraculous feat.
Posted on Lawyers and Settlements on November 18, 2009 at 9:00 AM

Iraq poll in jeopardy as VP vetoes law (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Iraq's general election planned for January, only the second since the fall of Saddam Hussein, was thrown into jeopardy on Wednesday after Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi vetoed the polling law.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 8:42 AM

The Morning Wrap

DLA Piper Lands Daschle: Former Sen. Tom Daschle is leaving Alston & Bird to join DLA Piper as a senior policy adviser, The National Law Journal reports. Daschle will become a member of DLA Piper's governing global board. His first...
Posted on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times on November 18, 2009 at 8:22 AM

Integrating Security Preparing for the National Security Threats of the 21st Century

Integrating Security - Preparing for the National Security Threats of the 21st Century, by Lawrence Korb, Sean Duggan, and Laura...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 7:28 AM

FBI says hackers targeting law firms, PR companies

Hackers are increasingly targeting law firms and public relations companies with a sophisticated e-mail scheme that breaks into their computer networks to steal sensitive data, often linked to large corporate clients doing business overseas.The FBI has issued an advisory that warns companies of "noticeable increases" in efforts to hack into the law fir
Posted on Breaking Legal News on November 18, 2009 at 7:24 AM

Iraq's vice president vetoes election law (Washington Post)

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's vice president on Wednesday vetoed legislation to organize the country's parliamentary elections in January, throwing the law back to a Parliament that had haggled for months before finally passing it last week.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 7:05 AM

Veto of Iraq?s Election Law Could Force Delay in Vote (International Herald Tribune)

Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, who blocked the measure over a provision on Iraqi refugees, said there was still time to amend the law.
Posted on Yahoo Law News on November 18, 2009 at 6:51 AM

State Housing Finance Agencies To Receive $18.6 Billion

Jon Lipe's blog: "The Obama Administration announced state and local allocations totaling $18.6 billion under its HFA Initiative's New Issue...
Posted on beSpacific on November 18, 2009 at 1:43 AM

2009-11-19 Posts in other Subject Areas

Academic (197), Criminal Law (187), Legal News (171), Legal Commentary (134), Legal Research (92), Religion & Law (89), Personal Injury Law (85), International Law (85), Intellectual Property Law (60), Loan Modification (58), Litigation (57), Labor & Employment Law (42), Real Estate & Property Law (39), Federal Judiciary (32), Bailout (31), Taxation & Estate Planning (28), Indiana (27), Celebrity Law (26), Miscellaneous (22), Constitutional Law (22), Corporate & Securities Law (22), Legal Writing (20), Patent Law (20), Ethics (20), Estate Planning (18), Election-Campaign Law (18), Politics (18), Bankruptcy (17), Law Students (17), Legal Niches (16), Law Humor (15), Family Law (15), Copyright Law (15), Kentucky (14), Consumer Law (11), Media & Entertainment Law (10), In-House Counsel (9), Corporate Governance (9), Legal History (9), Law Technology (9), Immigration Law (9), Legal Marketing & PR (8), Paralegals & Legal Secretaries (8), Health Law (8), Florida (7), Class Action (5), Disability Law (4), Ohio (4), Environmental Law (4), Law School (3), New Law Blogs (3), Bar Associations (3), Local Law Blogs (3), Massachusetts (3), Legal Journals (3), Practice Management (3), Education Law (3), Public Defense (3), State Courts (3), Personal Blogs (3), New York (2), Banking Law (2), Bad Cops & Prosecutors (2), Careers (2), Energy Law (2), Legal Malpractice (2), Elder Law (1), Solo Practice (1), Obama Citizenship (1), Persaonl Blogs (1), Appellate Law (1), Michigan (1), Arbitration & Mediation (1), Litigation Support (1), Trademark Law (1),