Very interesting op-ed in the NY Times from author & lawyer Scott Turow, all about how advances in forensic technology may also impact statutes of limitations. He raises some intriguing questions about changes in law & the passage of time:"THIS Friday a 33-year-old man named Juan Luna will go on trial here for the murder of seven people in a Brown’s Chicken restaurant in Palatine,...
I hate news like this about paralegals. Innocent until proven guilty, of course....: "A Ware County paralegal was released on $20,000 bail Tuesday after pleading not guilty to federal charges of bank fraud and theft of government funds. "Gina A. Wooten, 50, of Waycross, is accused of stealing more than $110,000 in a bank fraud scheme that an FBI investigation revealed involved forged...
Fired US Attorneys, revealing emails, testimony before Congress, & pleading the 5th, oh my! This Law.com article has key details: "Taking the Fifth Amendment is everybody's right. But it's a choice that can send up a red flag, often invoked by people who have something to hide. Think of Enron's Andrew Fastow and Iran-Contra's Oliver North. "So when Monica Goodling said last week...
Well, this is an interesting question. Legal blogger Carolyn Elefant pointed it out on Legal Blog Watch. : "Over at Counsel to Counsel, Stephen Sackler wonders whether a law firm will hire the photogenic female law student who posed for this photo that's now permanently cached on the Internet. "...Personally, I've always thought that a job applicant's good looks and sex appeal,...
Have to point to this very smart blog post about Judge Seidlin, of "judging on TV" fame: "In 1933, Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis advised, 'Sunlight is the greatest disinfectant.' True to this notion, Florida is known as the Sunshine State not only for its weather -- it has long been a leader in open government. But when it comes to cameras in the courtroom, does openness...
I just couldn't pass up news about a lawyer supporting women in law, albeit in a rather different way: "A male lawyer who appeared in court dressed in women's clothes as a protest against what he said was New Zealand's overly masculine judiciary was suspended Wednesday after being found to be in contempt of court. "The New Zealand High Court found Rob Moodie, a 68-year-old, balding man...
I just hope the paralegal who blew the whistle doesn't have her career damaged: "A human rights group on Thursday accused the U.S. military of failing to adequately investigate the latest allegations of prisoner abuse at Guantanamo Bay and urged officials to open the detention center to more independent monitors. "An investigation was launched in October by U.S. Southern Command, which...
Yeah, law firm breakups spawn messy news. Almost as bad as a divorce: "At one time, the breakup of a big, prestigious law firm was rare. But since the technology boom and bust, implosions of once highflying firms like Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault have occurred with more frequency. "Yet the bankruptcy of Coudert Brothers still stands out. Eighteen...
NOT the kind of news about paralegals I like to read: "A paralegal here with the Cooper Levenson law firm has been charged with theft by deception and forgery after allegedly ripping off a client’s account of $6,000, police said."Kara Swinney, 35, of Washington Street, Trenton, surrendered at police headquarters Tuesday and was arrested by Detective Sgt. Scott Porreca following an...
This sounds like a serious tug of war (so to speak), over free speech & security: "The FLAG Project at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed suit against the Department of Defense today, demanding expedited information on how the Army monitors soldiers' blogs. "According to news reports, an Army unit called the Army Web Risk Assessment Cell (AWRAC) reviews hundreds of...