March 27, 2008

Lawyers behaving badly edition:

• Chastened Milberg firm now belatedly seeking deal with feds; turns out Larry Milberg also took part in the criminal scheme but was saved by his 1989 death from public fate of other name partners [Fortune, ABA Journal; OL]
• Weiss offenses were "exceptions" and include abuses that "just don't exist anymore" at other firms, claims Fordham lawprof Jill Fisch -- nothing to see here, you understand, just move along [NYP]
• OK, so some Texas litigation boosters may dislike the local U.S. Chamber-backed watchdog publication, but destroying copies in bulk just isn't cricket [SETexasRecord]
• If Scruggs, Weiss and Lerach were in some other industry than lawyering, wanna bet Congress would have started hearings by now on their patterns of abuse? [Friedman, National Underwriter, NYPost editorial, ShopFloor]
• Opponents say "bizarre", "abusive" judicial rulings in favor of Scruggs in fee dispute made them suspect something was wrong even before scandal broke [Clarion-Ledger]
• When lawyers put out word that their clients are innocent and being framed -- shortly before the guilty plea gets announced [Overlawyered]