The Georgia Court of Appeals has recently overturned sanctions against an Atlanta civil litigation law firm, which had been ordered to pay more than $584,000 in attorney fees and costs. These sanctions were a result of the firm’s alleged failure to identify a conflict in a fatal crash lawsuit, leading to a mistrial. The appellate…
In a strongly worded dissent on Tuesday, Justice Neil Gorsuch expressed his dissatisfaction with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold precedents that allow for juries of fewer than 12 people in serious criminal cases. Gorsuch criticized the high court’s denial of Natoya Cunningham’s petition for a writ of certiorari following her conviction and eight-year…
Tesla Inc. and a legal scholar have intensified their confrontation concerning allegations that Elon Musk attempted to intimidate the academic from participating in a high-profile legal case. The case in question invalidated Musk’s considerable $56 billion compensation package. Retired University of Delaware professor Charles Elson contends that Musk and Tesla employed aggressive tactics to dissuade…
When Marcy Rothman, an esteemed Houston trial lawyer and director at Kane Russell Coleman Logan, retires at the end of May, she will not be leaving her clients in a bind. For the past five years, Rothman has meticulously prepared her 15-lawyer team to transition seamlessly into her role, setting what many consider to be…
Elon Musk’s stringent approach to his Twitter acquisitions has landed him in some complex legal battles. Amidst this turmoil, Akiva Cohen, a trial lawyer at a small New York-based firm, has taken a unique approach to building his legal team. Cohen, who is handling lawsuits representing more than 200 former Twitter employees, has leveraged social…
For years, the U.S. News & World Report’s law school rankings have held significant influence over the choice of prospective law students. Schools would provide key data, then U.S. News would process it and publish rankings that often placed Yale at the top. However, the publication’s constant methodology tweaks, aimed at providing more movement in…
In a significant move within Africa’s legal landscape, South African firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr has appointed Nastascha Harduth from Werksmans Attorneys to spearhead its business rescue, restructuring, and insolvency practice in Johannesburg. Harduth, who joined Cliffe Dekker in May, brings over 15 years of expertise in complex restructuring and insolvency mandates.Read the full article on…
Some of the most infamous so-called shadow libraries, such as Z-Library and Library Genesis (Libgen), have faced increasing legal pressure to cease operations or risk being pushed to the dark web. Among their key critics are the US Department of Justice, which has charged Z-Library with criminal copyright infringement, and textbook publishers who sued Libgen…
White & Case LLP has been named in a lawsuit totaling $1.83 billion related to the infamous Malaysia State Fund scandal. The case alleges that the law firm played a role in misleading 1MDB into believing that PetroSaudi International Ltd. was owned by the late Saudi King Abdullah. This lawsuit is the latest development in…
King & Spalding and Alston & Bird have long established their dominance as the largest law firms in Georgia. However, recent trends indicate a significant growth trajectory among several competitors within Atlanta. Firms such as Holland & Knight, Lewis Brisbois, and Baker Hostetler are experiencing rapid expansion in the city. This growth is reshaping the…
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI Corp., has brought on Robert Keele as its new legal chief ahead of a significant $6 billion fundraising effort aimed at challenging OpenAI. Keele, who joined xAI in early May, revealed his new role on his LinkedIn profile. Prior to joining xAI, Keele served as general counsel and compliance…
Edward Nekritz, who has served as Prologis’ top lawyer for 30 years, will retire on January 1, 2025. Since joining the San Francisco-based industrial real estate developer in 1995 as its first in-house attorney, Nekritz has played a pivotal role in propelling the company to its current status as the nation’s most valuable real estate…
After 17 years of leading legal departments at some of the world’s top companies, Michael Holston is making a return to Big Law. Holston will join Paul Weiss as a partner. In April, he left the Boston-based industrial conglomerate General Electric, where he had been general counsel since 2018, after helping orchestrate its breakup into…
First Circuit Judge Lara Montecalvo recently offered invaluable lawyering advice to new graduates, emphasizing the enduring nature of legal education and the importance of continuous learning throughout one’s career. She highlighted the necessity of fully comprehending and presenting the intricacies of a client’s story, suggesting that a three-dimensional approach to case narratives can significantly impact…
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan of the Southern District of New York on Tuesday handed down a seven and a half year prison sentence to Ryan Salame, a former executive at the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Salame’s sentencing is tied to his involvement in two illegal schemes with FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. In this case,…
Spanish powerhouse Garrigues, which has developed its own generative AI platform, has announced a collaboration with Microsoft aimed to drive AI innovation in the legal sector and improve productivity at the firm. Garrigues signed a collaboration agreement with Microsoft to accelerate its digitalization process and optimize operations, the law firm and tech company announced. Through…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has selected Judges Florence Pan, J. Michelle Childs, and Robert Wilkins to preside over TikTok’s legal challenge against a federal law that potentially mandates the sale or shutdown of the app in the United States. Oral arguments are scheduled for September. The dispute centers on the…
American Constitution Society (ACS) President Russ Feingold has announced his decision to step down from his role, effective April 1, 2025. Feingold, who has led the progressive legal organization since 2020, has been instrumental in promoting the importance of progressive judicial nominations during a particularly contentious period for the U.S. judiciary. Feingold’s tenure at ACS…
As artificial intelligence continues to develop, companies are confronting new challenges regarding copyright and the use of protected material for training algorithms. Legal experts Michael Hobbs and Justin Tilghman highlight recent disputes demonstrating the complex interplay between copyrighted content and AI. Such cases suggest that fair use principles and licensing solutions are essential considerations for…
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has announced the addition of Chris Evans as a new partner within the firm’s fund transactions team in New York. Evans transitions from his previous role as a managing director on the general partner stakes team at Blackstone Inc., where he specialized in sponsor minority stakes deals and advised Blackstone’s portfolio…
Judge Diane Humetewa, before her appointment to the federal bench in Arizona, made significant legal strides on a relatively new court that allowed her to shape emergent legal doctrines. Her tenure on this bench was marked by her instrumental role in setting new legal precedents, particularly in areas concerning tribal relations. Her unique perspectives and…
The president of the Fourth International Conference of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Gaston Alphonso Browne, has made strong accusations against wealthy nations for failing to fulfill their climate pledges. Browne particularly criticized the lack of financial assistance to small and developing countries and the continued high levels of carbon emissions from developed nations. Read…
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, DLA Piper, and Sidley Austin are guiding T-Mobile US Inc.’s approximate $2.4 billion acquisition of US Cellular Corp.’s wireless operations. This significant transactional endeavor involves multiple legal giants to ensure a smooth and compliant process. Sidley Austin has been brought on board to advise US Cellular, while Cravath, Swaine &…
Since its inception in 2010, the nonprofit Free Law Project has been striving to make the legal ecosystem more equitable and competitive by leveraging technology, data, and advocacy. Known primarily for its CourtListener platform, which houses a vast repository of court orders and opinions, and its RECAP suite, the largest free collection on the internet…
Federal Judge Michael Ponsor of the District of Massachusetts recently made headlines by publicly criticizing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for his controversial choice of flags displayed at his personal properties. In an op-ed published by the New York Times, Judge Ponsor labeled Alito’s actions as “improper” and “dumb,” reflecting a growing concern about the…