Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Daily Headlines

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: NLM.COM, February 27, 2009.

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WEB-ONLY  |  Report: Outdated state foreclosure laws are fueling nation's foreclosure crisis
"Antiquated state foreclosure laws ? a number of which do not even require direct notice to homeowners ? are helping to accelerate the nation's home foreclosure crisis, according to a report by the National Consumer Law Center. In a survey of existing state laws, the NCLC found that many of the laws now deprive homeowners of basic protections and, in fact, offer better protection to renters. "

WEB-ONLY  |  Illinois AG sees no legal barrier to special election to replace Sen. Burris
"Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan told leaders of the state's legislature in a letter that she sees no constitutional impediment to the Illinois General Assembly passing legislation that would allow the state's citizens to vote in a special election for a U.S. senator to replace the appointed Democratic Senator Roland Burris."

WEB-ONLY  |  First wrongful death suit filed in Buffalo, N.Y. plane crash
"The first wrongful death lawsuit has been filed involving a passenger of the Continental Connection commuter airplane that crashed on Feb. 12 in upstate New York, killing 50 people. The lawsuit names Continental Airlines Inc., as well as the flight operator and its parent company, and the airplane manufacturer."

WEB-ONLY  |  Why mass layoffs will trigger more bias suits ? and how employees can win
"Five female former directors or analysts in Citigroup Inc.'s public finance department recently filed claims alleging that their inclusion in the company's massive November 2008 layoff was due to unlawful gender discrimination. Their lawyer, Douglas H. Wigdor, spoke with us about whether similar suits are on the horizon and why he believes the claims against Citigroup are the strongest gender bias claims he's ever handled."

WEB-ONLY  |  House approves $40M increase for legal services
"The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a $40 million-budget increase for the Legal Services Corporation as part of the fiscal 2009 omnibus appropriations bill. LSC President Helaine M. Barnett said the additional funding would allow legal aid programs throughout the country to serve the most vulnerable at a time when they are at risk of losing their jobs, health care and shelter."

 WEB-ONLY  |  As law firms look for ways to cut costs and gain clients, more turn to 'webinars'
"Web seminars are not a new phenomenon, but they are newly popular among law firms that want to connect with clients but don't want to spend money on traveling. A growing number of firms are hosting so-called 'webinars' ? presentations hosted by attorneys on the Internet that clients can log on to and watch from their own computers".

COLUMN:

THE ECONOMIC BAILOUT  |  U.S. as Business Partner
"Both the massive "stimulus" package and the ongoing TARP bailout are taking the federal government where it has never gone before in its relationship to private business. Given the unprecedented injection of taxpayer funds into private industry, bailout recipients should prepare for an equally unprecedented level of scrutiny into business matters that previously avoided government oversight or enforcement. This environment calls for more focused compliance efforts, tuned specifically to the new reality."

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on February 27, 2009 (boomark / email).