“The Justice Department is fighting a request by former class action lawyer Bill Lerach, who is on probation after pleading guilty to hiding payments to plaintiffs, to take a 44-day vacation to 18 cities in Europe this summer accompanied by as many as 18 family members and friends.” What seems to especially gall prosecutors is the way Lerach, despite earlier promises of contrition, now goes around proclaiming his lack of regret over his past behavior. “Carl Cannon and Pat Dillon’s book on Lerach is due out in March”; it is entitled Circle of Greed. [Josh Gerstein, Politico]
Archive for 2010
“Dan Rather loses suit”
“New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, has rejected an appeal from the longtime CBS News anchor, who wanted the court to reinstate his $70 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against his former employer” over his 2007 firing. [“Completely Legal”, Gannett Hudson Valley blog; earlier here, here, here, etc.] More: Lawrence Cunningham, ConcurOp.
New at Point of Law
Things you’re missing if you’re not reading my other site:
- Federal judge tosses city of Baltimore’s case blaming its neighborhood blight on subprime lenders, but Memphis files a similar suit;
- “The catchall fraud law that catches too much”: Roger Parloff of Fortune on “honest services”;
- Moonlighting: New York state senate majority leader John Sampson joins large plaintiff’s firm in “of counsel” position, an arrangement long held by his counterpart at the New York capitol, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver;
- “Trial lawyers association outlines its 2010 legislative agenda,” Montana Gov. Schweitzer to address AAJ Maui convention, “Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, the legal angle” [all from Carter Wood]
- Biggest obstacle to juvenile corrections reform? Prison guards’ unions;
- “Investor Who Backed Unsuccessful Lawsuit is Liable for Defendants’ Legal Fees“;
- A Twombly/Iqbal debate — and the harms of liberal pleading;
- U.S. Chamber’s “Top Five Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2009″ (and many other tops-of-2009 lists).
“Law Firms Are Tough to Sue”
In case you didn’t know that. [Zach Lowe, AmLaw Daily]
Update: “Judge declares Adorno violated Bar rules”
“Adorno & Yoss founding partner Henry Adorno violated professional rules by orchestrating a $7 million class action settlement that benefited only seven people rather than all Miami taxpayers, a judge ruled Friday in a disciplinary case brought by The Florida Bar.” However, a Broward County judge ruled there was not enough evidence to support a charge that Adorno misled a judge about the settlement, on an unconstitutional city fire fee. [Daily Business Review; earlier here, here, and here] Update: judge recommends reprimand.
By reader acclaim: “Wi-Fi foe sues neighbor for using electronics”
We’ve previously encountered Arthur Firstenberg of Santa Fe, N.M., and his anti-wi-fi litigation. Now the self-reported sufferer from electromagnetic sensitivity “is suing his next-door neighbor for refusing to turn off her cell phone and other electronic devices,” saying his efforts to avoid the fields threatens to render him homeless. He also thinks neighbor Raphaela Monribot should pay him $530,000. He’s represented by lawyer Lindsay Lovejoy Jr. [Santa Fe New Mexican, The Register, DSL Reports]
More: alt-paper SFreeper (which seems to have been on the story first) reports that attorney Lovejoy “is a graduate of Harvard and Yale, as well as a former Assistant New Mexico Assistant Attorney General who has argued cases alongside now-US Sen. Tom Udall, D-NM.” (via Chris Fountain)
Welcome Lars Larson Show listeners
I was on the popular Oregon-based broadcaster’s show yesterday to discuss various stories on the site, including New York City’s anti-salt crusade, the South Carolina school harassment story, and the roundup report on the judge whose sentences were based on how many birds could be seen out his window, the stripper who said getting drunk was part of her job, and others. He said some kind things about the site, for which many thanks.
NYC’s “astonishingly presumptuous” salt plan
“Because it requires the participation of restaurant chains and food manufacturers, it will, if successful, affect the diet of the entire country,” notes Jacob Sullum. Ira Stoll offers a reminder “that, as the government assumes a larger share of health care costs, it is increasingly able to use that as a justification to intrude into personal decisions or private enterprises, whether it’s a matter of smoking policy, trans-fats, or salt.” (& ShopFloor).
New frontiers in racial harassment law?
Williamsburg County, South Carolina: “$150,000 Settlement for Black Public School Students Harassed by Other Black Students for ‘Acting White'” [Volokh]
CPSIA unintended consequences dept.
“Barred from using lead in children’s jewelry because of its toxicity, some Chinese manufacturers have been substituting the more dangerous heavy metal cadmium in sparkling charm bracelets and shiny pendants being sold throughout the United States, an Associated Press investigation shows.” [AP/PhysOrg.com]