Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Daily Headlines March 13, 2009

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: NLJ.com, March 13, 2009.

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FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  Big-firm partners go small
"Partners at big law firms eager to hang on to cash-strapped clients and attract more amid this year's corporate belt-tightening are jumping to smaller firms where they can lower their billing rates and bump into fewer conflicts of interest. Partners from DLA Piper; K&L Gates; Katten Muchin Rosenman; and Jenner & Block are among those who have made moves during the past four months to smaller firms that allowed them not only to protect their client bases, but also to win new business on lower rates."

WEB-ONLY  |  Chevron draws criticism for seeking court costs from Nigerians after winning human rights case
"Civil rights lawyers, who accused Chevron Corp. of human rights abuses in Nigeria for a decade only to lose a jury verdict in December, now accuse the oil giant of trying to scare off future civil rights cases by seeking $485,000 in court costs from the Nigerians."

WEB-ONLY  |  In closely watched 'takings' case, federal government does not have to compensate egg producer
"A federal appellate court, in a closely-watched 'takings' case involving public health and safety regulations, held that the federal government did not have to compensate a major egg producer nearly $9 million for losses in connection with the government's effort to stop the spread of salmonella outbreaks almost two decades ago."

WEB-ONLY  |  On the day Madoff pleads guilty, another of his alleged victims files suit
"Another victim of indicted New York financier Bernard Madoff filed a lawsuit this week, lodging the complaint against a Washington state investment advisor who ultimately put the money in a hedge fund that invested with Madoff. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for Western Washington March 11 on behalf investor John Dennis, who claims he invested $115,000 with FutureSelect Prime Advisors of Redmond, Washington, and that FutureSelect's managing partner, Ron Ward, failed to perform proper due diligence before investing the money with a hedge fund that in turn invested the money with Madoff."

WEB-ONLY  |  Orange County, Calif., sheriff asks judge to set aside witness tampering conviction
"Mike Carona, the former sheriff of Orange County, Calif., who was acquitted on five counts of conspiracy and mail fraud charges earlier this year, has asked a federal judge to set aside a sixth count of witness tampering on which he was convicted, according to recent court documents filed in the case. Carona, once dubbed 'America's Sheriff' by Larry King, was indicted in 2007 on charges that he used his high-profile office to enrich himself, his friends and family. He was convicted on charges that he attempted to influence the grand jury testimony of a local businessman, Don Haidl, who was assistant sheriff under Carona."

WEB-ONLY  |  Study shows dip in foreclosure litigation may be result of private, government efforts
"Mortgage litigation dropped during the fourth quarter of 2008, except regulatory actions, according to an analysis by MortgageDaily.com and Washington-based law firm Weiner Brodsky Sidman Kider. The organizations' joint Fourth Quarter 2008 Mortgage Litigation Report counted 202 active state and federal cases, including 161 regulatory cases."

WEB-ONLY  |  Texas law professor fights for for data on impact of 700-mile fence along Texas-Mexico border
"A University of Texas School of Law clinical law professor is asking a federal court to order federal officials to comply with a Freedom of Information request for documents that would show the full impact of the controversial 700-mile fence being built along the Texas-Mexico border. Professor Denise Gilman, represented by Public Citizen Litigation Group, filed a FOIA request last April for records showing where the fence would be built, including maps, surveys and appraisals of affected properties."

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on March 13, 2009 (boomark / email).