Law.com - Newswire

It's tough out there

The U.S. economy began to rebound in 2011, but that was not enough to convince law firms to ramp up associate hiring. The National Law Journal has ranked the top 50 law schools by the percentage of 2011 juris doctor graduates who took jobs at the nation's largest law firms. The report identifies firm favorites -- the schools where NLJ 250 firms recruited the most graduates -- and the law schools that saw the most alumni promoted to partner in 2011.

Wilmer Wins Dismissal of Monsanto Seed Patent Suit

There's a serious debate unfolding nationwide about the public health and environmental consequences of genetically modified crops. But a judge considering a novel challenge to Monsanto's GM seed patents didn't take the case seriously enough to allow the plaintiffs past Monsanto's motion to dismiss.

Sidley Austin Client Suing D.C. Police in Fatal Shooting of Dog

In a lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C., Marietta Robinson claims police officers shot and killed her dog, Wrinkles, without cause during a search of her home. Robinson, who is being represented by a pro bono team from Sidley Austin, is suing the city and the officers for more than $1.5 million.

Flagstar to Pay $133 Million in Third False Claims Settlement over Improper Mortgages

The Justice Department's novel use of the False Claims Act to bring financial crisis-related cases has landed the government its third settlement with a bank in a month. Flagstar has agreed to pay up to $133 million to settle civil allegations that it had improperly approved mortgage loans.

Judge Peck Issues Opinion on Computer-Assisted Review

A federal judge has issued a much-anticipated opinion which he acknowledged "appears to be the first in which a Court has approved of the use of computer-assisted review" in electronic data discovery, but said that the technology "is not a magic, Staples-Easy-Button, solution appropriate for all cases."Visit Law Technology News

Littler Mendelson's Weiner, McGuire on BigLaw E-Discovery

Littler Mendelson's Paul D. Weiner, national e-discovery counsel, and Michael J. McGuire, chief information security officer, speak to LTN magazine's editor-in-chief, Monica Bay, about how the firm manages e-discovery, and compare its efforts to other BigLaw models.

DLA Piper's Browning Marean on E-Discovery Proportionality

Browning Marean, senior counsel at DLA Piper, speaks to LTN magazine's editor-in-chief, Monica Bay, about the challenges of fashioning responses to discovery requests that are appropriate -- and proportional -- to a case.

Judge John Facciola on E-Discovery Training at a Crossroads

D.C. District Judge John Facciola speaks with LTN magazine's editor-in-chief, Monica Bay, about how e-discovery training is at a crossroads, constrained by limited financial resources at the governmental level. He proposes several solutions to address these challenges, particularly when individuals are unable to meet face to face.

Litigator of the Year Winner - David Boies

The Boies, Schiller & Flexner founder explains how he prepared for the key cross-examinations in the Proposition 8 case.

In a Switch, Seventh Circuit Cites Dukes to Support Class Certification for Black Merrill Lynch Brokers

The 7th Circuit has ruled that a group of black financial advisers who are suing Merrill Lynch for racial discrimination can proceed with their class action, agreeing with the plaintiffs that the Supreme Court's Wal-Mart ruling could be used to support class certification rather than deny it.

TD Bank agrees to settle lawsuit over Rothstein scheme

TD Bank, which lost a $67 million jury verdict to one set of investors in Scott Rothstein's Ponzi scheme, has settled with another group to head off a trial set to start this week. The confidential agreement left a judge wrestling with whether to grant an injunction to stop a trial for the last defendant.

Judges Weigh Disqualification for Former Big Firm Lawyers in NPE Patent Battles

As patent litigation brought by non-practicing entities continues, it's no surprise that big firm castaways are leaping in to get a piece of the action on the plaintiffs side. But representing NPEs carries risks for lawyers who earned their patent pedigrees at defense firms, as a pair of recent decisions shows.

Revamped deal would allow litigator to retain bar card

Los Angeles attorney Pierce O'Donnell has reached a revised plea deal with federal prosecutors that would require him to serve 60 days in prison but allow him to retain his California Bar license. The deal was the second reached in a campaign finance violations case against the noted trial attorney.

Artist Fairey Guilty of Contempt In Case Tied to Copyright Suit Over Obama "Hope" Poster

Artist Shepard Fairey pleaded guilty Friday to a federal charge of criminal contempt for destroying documents, fabricating evidence and engaging in other misconduct amid litigation over his use of an Associated Press photo to create one of the 2008 presidential campaign's most iconic images.

A Year After Joining Hunton, High-Profile Lateral Leaves Partnership

Last February, Jonathan Simpson left his position as head of the European projects practice at Paul Hastings to join the London office of Hunton & Williams. Now Simpson is on the move again, but the circumstances surrounding his departure from Hunton remain murky.

Class action against Blue Cross over denial of autism treatment may proceed, 6th Circuit rules

A class action against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan over the denial of a particular therapy for autism can move ahead, the 6th Circuit has ruled. The plaintiffs sued for reimbursement for Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, and also sought a ruling that they're entitled to future coverage for the therapy costs.

Panel Affirms $100 Million Judgment for Citibank

A New York state appeal panel has affirmed a judgment of nearly $100 million in favor of Citibank against real estate tycoon Sheldon Solow in a dispute over loans meant to finance a real estate development. Citibank alleged that Solow had failed to make payments under a $490 million line of credit.

Judge upholds protest buffer zones around Planned Parenthood sites

A Massachusetts statute barring protesters from a 35-foot fixed buffer zone around reproductive health care facilities is constitutional as applied to three Planned Parenthood clinics, a federal judge has ruled, finding that the statute "is a valid regulation of the time, place, and manner of Plaintiffs' speech."

The Am Law 100, the Early Numbers: Fewer Partners Mean Higher Profits at Goodwin

Goodwin Procter saw its gross revenues grow 2.5 percent to $695.5 million and its revenue per lawyer rise just over 1 percent to $925,000 last year, according to The American Lawyer's reporting. At the same time, a net loss of 13 equity partners helped push profits per partner up 3.4 percent to $1.5 million.