The ongoing trend of Am Law firms expanding in Los Angeles has been bolstered by the recent addition of litigation leader to the Shook, Hardy & Bacon line-up. The Missouri-founded firm announced this week the appointment of Alycia Degen, former co-leader of Sidley Austin’s product liability and mass torts practice. Described as a “natural fit”…
Welcome to the daily rundown of top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel. In the legal profession, there are noteworthy stories unfolding that are worth focusing on. On March 12, Dechert will celebrate International Women’s Day with its presentation of “Sheila’s Story,” featuring recently retired partner Sheila Birnbaum. Known in legal circles as…
The California State Bar has been recommended to respond to an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) suit alleging retaliation against a disabled veteran. The case emerged after the veteran sought an investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ), following the Bar’s initial refusal to provide him with an adjustment. As per federal magistrate Judge Jeremy…
On March 5, 2024, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani announced the addition of Reagan Larkin as a partner in their Denver office. Joining two of its most prominent departments—the commercial litigation and real estate practice groups—Larkin’s entrance might be significant both for the firm and its clients Bloomberg Law reported. Larkin brings a vast experience in…
Navjeet Singh Banga, a former student of the now-defunct John F. Kennedy College of Law, has taken legal action against his alma mater after failing two classes — torts and contracts — due to alleged inadequate disability accommodations. Banga claims that the lack of specific accommodations he requested led to his failure in these courses,…
Disputes in bankruptcy court cases have traditionally been a challenging terrain for judges. Particularly, post the Johnson & Johnson talc bankruptcy filing in 2021, US Bankruptcy Court Judge Michael Kaplan bore witness to numerous disagreements ranging from issues concerning discovery, the administration of tens of thousands of individual claims, to vehement conflict over the overall…
During a bathroom break in a law school class, Bradley Neal, a 3L at The George Washington University Law School, conceptualized a generative AI product that aids law students in understanding and briefing cases. Losing track of a case discussion during his brief absence, he turned to GPT-4, an artificial intelligence tool, for answers. This…
It’s not every bathroom break that gives birth to an innovative idea, but this was the case for Bradley Neal, a third-year law student at The George Washington University Law School. A chance spark of inspiration led Neal to create Lexplug, a generative AI tool designed to assist law students in understanding and briefing cases….
High-profile lawyer Mikal Watts, known for his mass tort cases and partner of Watts Guerra, has announced the closing of his firm’s office in Puerto Rico. This move has resulted in the layoff of at least 50 employees, as evidenced in emails obtained and reviewed by Bloomberg Law. Watts, who has been considered a significant…
In a recent move, experienced lawyer Sunni P. Beville has transitioned from Brown Rudnick to Otterbourg P.C., according to an announcement made by the latter firm. Beville now holds a partner position within Otterbourg’s restructuring and bankruptcy department. Furthermore, she serves as a co-leader of their mass torts bankruptcy practice group. Within the realm of…
Renowned mass torts attorney Mikal Watts announced on Monday that he is restructuring his partnership at Watts Guerra, the well-known firm that frequently tackles large mass tort litigation. This decision was made together with his partner Frank Guerra. Mikal Watts expressed his honor at having worked with Frank Guerra for over two decades. “We have…
The year 2024 promises to be a decisive one for bankruptcy cases dealing with mass torts. Recently, judges have shown a lack of enthusiasm for tactical maneuvers presented in such cases. Notable instances include the dismissals of bankruptcies in cases involving Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder and 3M’s combat earplugs, where the desired level of…
In what may be viewed as a significant shift, Monsanto recently broke a string of costly legal defeats as it secured a defense verdict in a California courtroom on December 18. This verdict disrupted a trend that saw five juries previously awarding Roundup plaintiffs in excess of $2 billion. As reported by Law.com in their…
On April 1st, in a significant legal development, the UK Supreme Court ruled in favour of Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn (Zubaydah), a detainee from Guantanamo Bay held by the US, granting him the right to bring a claim in the English and Welsh courts against UK authorities. It is alleged that the British intelligence services…
A US federal jury has ordered former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani to pay $148 million in damages to Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Mossin. Giuliani had previously accused the two women of tampering with the results of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. The damages issued include $16 million to each plaintiff for defamation, $20 million to each…
At the edge of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, nearly 40 years after the leukemia-related death of his daughter Janey, Jerry Ensminger returns often. Since Congress last year agreed to compensate veterans, workers, or their relatives who contracted diseases such as cancer or Parkinson’s from toxic water exposure at the base, more than 129,000 claims…
As Purdue Pharma seeks an exit from bankruptcy, the U.S. Supreme Court is now reflecting on a pivotal component of the pharmaceutical giant’s reorganization plan. This element of the plan involves an arrangement in which the Sackler family would disburse $6 billion to acquire sanctuary from future opioid litigations. Such an unprecedented legal outcome could…
The question of resolving mass torts remains a persistent hurdle for today’s commercial litigators. This complex challenge encompasses a variety of legal specialisms and infiltrates nearly every business sector, not just in the US, but also in the UK. Whether these mass torts involve personal injury incidents or the mis-selling of financial products, finding an…
On November 22, 2023, an astonishing update hit the global law scene. In an unprecedented move, the plaintiffs’ lawyers involved in the notorious Roundup verdict engineered a $1.56 billion win. The identity of those ingenious legal minds is certainly a point of keen interest; unfortunately, the specifics remain shrouded in mystery. The intricate details behind…
In a surprising revelation for many, it stands that individuals in Australia currently have no specific right to claim compensatory damages for serious invasions of privacy. This includes high-profile cases involving the unauthorised social media sharing of intimate images. The damages which may be pursued via other legal channels are also somewhat restricted. This bombshell…
Locke Lord, a prominent multinational law firm, has recently expanded its Miami health and managed care litigation practice. The firm announced on Wednesday that Maia Sevilla-Sharon, a distinguished attorney, has joined the practice group as a partner. Before joining Locke Lord, Sevilla-Sharon was a notable figure at DLA Piper, a global law firm operating in…
In a recent ruling, a US appeals court has deemed Biden’s limitations on “ghost guns” unlawful. The specific court remains unnamed, but the judgement may have various implications in the ongoing national discourse centered around gun rights and regulation (Reuters). New York City’s challenged Mayor, Eric Adams, has retained WilmerHale following FBI raids on his…
In 2022, tort lawsuits dwindled to one of the lowest levels seen in the past decade. Nonetheless, recent trends suggest an impending resurgence. This information is gleaned from The 2023 Torts Litigation Report conducted by Lex Machina, a division of LexisNexis, which provides a comprehensive exploration of this legal landscape. The statistics unveiled in the…
A recent development underlines the ongoing legal saga of Monsanto and its product Roundup. Another trial dealing with the pesticide commenced in Philadelphia, accompanied by Monsanto’s challenge to the $175 million verdict determined during the previous month. The arguments around the notorious product continue to garner attention from legal professionals around the globe. Details regarding…
The University of Michigan Law School has recently shared that they have chosen Kyle D. Logue, the Douglas A. Kahn Collegiate Professor of Law, as the interim dean for the institution. Logue’s term is set to commence on Jan. 1, following the conclusion of the term of current Dean Mark West on Dec. 31. Logue…