Legal industry news covering law firms, litigation finance, billing rates, Big Law, and the business of legal services.
The ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar will vote on September 8 regarding the repeal of Standard 206, a diversity requirement for law schools. This decision follows Department of Education recommendations to strip the ABA of accreditation powers and eliminate DEI policies.
A Minnesota attorney has been suspended after submitting court filings containing fabricated legal precedents generated by artificial intelligence. This disciplinary action underscores the legal profession's increasing scrutiny of AI tools and their potential to compromise judicial integrity.
The podcast argues that the US bankruptcy system has become bureaucratic and pre-packaged, with outcomes often decided before filing. Experts discuss rising friction from judge-led mediation, aggressive DIP financing, and questionable director neutrality, while noting unexpected frauds are still catching Wall Street off guard.
Chew Swee Yoke, a pioneering Malaysian lawyer who established the country's first Legal Aid Centre in Kuala Lumpur in 1982, has died at age 81. She was also known for representing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and served as the first Chairperson of the Bar Council Legal Aid Committee.
Abbott reached a $670 million settlement with three law firms to resolve legal claims from approximately 2,000 people regarding harms caused by its specialty preterm infant formulas. The agreement resolves ongoing litigation, including a major case where a jury determined Abbott failed to warn that its formula increased bowel disease risk in an Illinois girl.
The article argues that journalists lose the defense of reportage if they endorse defamatory statements, citing a Malaysian High Court case involving Malaysiakini and Raub Australian Gold Mining. It details how responsible journalism protections apply when reporting public interest concerns without adopting the allegations as fact.
A Texas jury recommended $604 million in damages against freight broker CH Robinson Worldwide Inc. for its role in a fatal 2021 trucking accident. The verdict highlights heightened legal risks for brokers following a recent US Supreme Court ruling on carrier liability, causing CH Robinson's stock to drop nearly 30% and industry peers to face similar financial pressures.
Quentin Fottrell advises a reader managing multiple fiduciary roles for an elderly relative with dementia, clarifying the distinct legal authorities of power of attorney, trustee, and executor. The column explains how these roles transition upon death and outlines specific responsibilities for accessing trust accounts and distributing beneficiary-designated assets.