Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Daily Headlines March 23, 2009

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: NLJ.com, March 23, 2009.

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Layoff pain migrates in-house
"Law firms aren't the only ones pushing attorneys out the door to shrink costs. U.S. companies, both large and small and across varied industries, are dismissing attorneys as they retool their law departments to cut costs and adapt to slowing U.S. economic activity."

CALIFORNIA  |  Judge alleges possible fraud in banana cases
"In 2007, the Dole company was slammed with nearly $6 million in damages in the first U.S. verdict involving workers on Dole banana farms in foreign countries who claim they became sterile after being exposed to a pesticide known as DBCP. Now, the judge in that case alleges that at least two other banana lawsuits 'stink of potential fraud' as alleged by Dole."

TELECOMMUNICATIONS  |  Former Detroit mayor's suit raises novel issues
"Lawyers and legal experts say former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is venturing into uncharted legal territory with his recent suit challenging the release of his text messages that led to his downfall. Will his strategem work?"

ANTITRUST  |  FTC ruling a warning to trade groups
"Antitrust lawyers say a recent FTC consent order settling charges that the National Association of Music Merchants "encouraged and enabled" members to share sensitive price information is a warning for trade groups to upgrade their antitrust compliance. The FTC's order is also significant in light of a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned a long-standing precedent deeming manufacturers' minimum retail prices an automatic or per se violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act."

JUDICIARY  |  Study finds ABA ratings biased
"Controversy over the American Bar Association's ratings of potential judicial nominees is likely to continue with the announcement that the bar group will resume its role of evaluating candidates before their nominations. In fact, a soon-to-be-released study by political scientists concludes what conservative groups have long charged: The ratings are biased against potential conservative nominees. "

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on March 23, 2009 (boomark / email).