The judicial landscape in Alaska has been stirred following revelations involving former federal judge Joshua Kindred. As per recent filings with the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Kindred exchanged text messages with a federal prosecutor during an ongoing criminal trial over which he presided. The prosecutor, notably, was a former clerk of…
A recent discussion at Relativity Fest 2024 has highlighted increasing concerns among federal and state judges about the impact of social media on their safety. Judges reported a rise in harassment and threats against themselves and their families, a trend they attribute to social media-induced political polarization. The judges have urged lawyers and bar associations…
In a recent legal development, a Kansas federal jury has sided with a law firm known for its advocacy on behalf of divorced fathers. The jury’s decision effectively nullifies a lawsuit filed by a former paralegal at the firm. The paralegal alleged that her termination was a retaliatory action for her efforts to address sexual…
In a recent strategic move, Greenberg Traurig has appointed Brian Kelly as a shareholder within its labor and employment practice, expanding the firm’s capabilities in San Francisco. Kelly’s addition was announced on Thursday, revealing his extensive experience in employment law, particularly in areas such as hiring, termination, wage and hour compliance, incentive compensation programs, policies,…
A judge for the US District Court for the District of Maryland blocked the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) on Tuesday from prohibiting a planned October 7 vigil commemorating those killed in the Israel-Gaza War. A student organization, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), filed a lawsuit against UMCP after their request for the…
UN racial justice experts have recently concluded that a significant level of impunity persists for officials using excessive force against Africans and people of African descent, thereby hindering justice and reparations for victims and enabling the recurrence of such actions. The findings form part of an annual report by the Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial…
Former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s spokesperson has initiated a lawsuit against Wigdor LLP for malicious prosecution. The complaint, filed on Tuesday, accuses the employment law firm of lodging an unfounded retaliation claim. According to the spokesperson, the firm took action against him for his statements, which characterized a sexual harassment lawsuit against Cuomo as extortion….
Legal News Coverage Ellen Whittemore, the General Counsel of Wynn Resorts, is stepping down from her position after a notable tenure marked by significant legal and governance reforms within the company. In a statement, CEO Craig Billings noted, “Ellen Whittemore was, in the truest sense, the right person at the right time to help lead…
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday published their findings of systemic abuse by the police department in Lexington, Mississippi. Lexington, a small rural town with a population of around 1,600, is situated in one of the nation’s poorest counties. The median household income in Lexington is approximately $39,000, roughly half the national average….
The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), a non-profit organization championing the rights of Haitian immigrants, has initiated criminal proceedings against former US President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance. This legal action follows claims by Trump and Vance suggesting Haitian immigrants in Springfield were involved in abduction and consumption of local pets. These assertions have subsequently…
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton has announced that Zach Hutton has joined the firm as a new partner within its labor and employment practice group in San Francisco. Hutton brings a wealth of experience in advising and litigating on issues such as discrimination and harassment claims, family and medical leave, and complex wage and hour…
A professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is set to face sanctions for making “sweeping and derogatory generalizations about groups by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status,” as revealed by university documents published on Monday. The faculty member’s comments have generated significant concern within the academic community, raising questions about…
The U.S. government has requested a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit in which an Asian American attorney claims she was forced out of her position by two agencies after raising complaints of harassment by a male colleague. The government argues that the attorney failed to state a viable claim in her extensive, 190-page complaint….
Legal News A New York federal judge has ruled that a former associate at Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, who claimed she was terminated for protesting against sexual harassment, will have her lawsuit heard in state court. The judge also rejected the firm’s attempt to move the dispute to arbitration. For further details, refer to…
Legal News Article A former associate attorney with Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP can pursue in state court her claim that she was fired for reporting a fellow lawyer’s sexual harassment, a federal judge ruled. The decision by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York is a significant development concerning the…
Thompson Coburn has announced the addition of Becky Christensen as a new partner in its labor and employment practice, headquartered in St. Louis. Christensen brings extensive experience in counseling employers on a wide array of employment-related issues, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Missouri Human Rights Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and…
On Wednesday, Amnesty International issued a statement calling on Indian authorities to put an end to the ongoing repression of dissent in Jammu and Kashmir. This appeal coincided with the commencement of state-level elections in the region, the first to be held in a decade. These elections, which are taking place in three phases, will…
A coalition of women and human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Front Line Defenders, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network and the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition urged Iranian authorities on Tuesday to release imprisoned women human rights defenders and protect women’s rights in Iran. The organizations called on Iranian authorities to abolish the…
A newly released United Nations (UN) report revealed that the Venezuelan authorities’ response to protests against the contentious results of the July 28 elections was marked by extreme violence, leading to multiple human rights violations. Conducted by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Republic of Venezuela, the report examined the human rights landscape in…
A recent series of federal court decisions is expanding the reach of the #MeToo-era Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, allowing workers to bypass arbitration not just for sexual harassment claims but also for intertwined non-sexual harassment claims. This development sets the stage for a potential legal showdown over the original intent…
Legal News New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal has raised the suggestion that allowing elected officials to fundraise for their legal defenses might be a prudent mechanism to alleviate the burden on taxpayers. This proposal comes in response to the substantial $25.4 million in ongoing legal costs associated with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his…
Brazil has confiscated approximately $2 million from a Starlink bank account and an additional $1.3 million from X in an effort to enforce fines imposed on Elon Musk’s social network, according to the country’s Supreme Court. Judge Alexandre de Moraes had previously frozen the accounts of both companies, classifying them as the same de facto…
Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel. In a recent legal development, Alina Habba, one of former President Donald Trump’s defense attorneys, has reached a settlement with a former waitress at Trump’s Bedminster golf club in New Jersey. The woman had…
The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) reported on Friday that at least 13 media outlets in Hong Kong have experienced systematic and organized harassment targeting their journalists. During a press conference, HKJA chairperson Selina Cheng disclosed that at least 15 journalists, including their family members and acquaintances, have received defamatory emails and letters at their…
Two years have passed since the onset of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising in Iran, a movement that began in response to the arrest and subsequent death of Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old woman of Kurdish origin, who was apprehended by the guidance police for improperly covering her hair. Amnesty International commemorated this anniversary by…