In West Virginia, a state where government hiring of private lawyers to pursue public lawsuits has been particularly controversial, four law firms including Hagens Berman are set to split $3.9 million for prosecuting an antitrust suit against Visa and MasterCard that resulted in a settlement, per the Charleston Daily Mail. And Attorney General Darrell McGraw has appointed four lawyers to pursue a new suit against a variable annuity life insurance provider. Steve Roberts, who heads the state chamber of commerce, said it's particularly frustrating that the AG's office makes no disclosure about how the lawyers -- many of whom contribute to his campaign -- are selected for the task.

Related to which: our newest featured column is by John Sullivan of the Civil Justice Association of California, and discusses the worrisome recent appellate court ruling that backed off from the state's significant Clancy doctrine, which had long prohibited lawyers pursuing public nuisance actions on behalf of local government from capturing fees contingent on the results of those actions. More on Santa Clara v. Superior Court here, here, and here.