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After the Heller Ehrman implosion, keeping track of where the firm's former partners wound up has been like playing a game of Guess Who. And now the big question has been answered: Former firm Chairman Matthew Larrabee has joined Dechert's San Francisco office as a senior trial lawyer.
The case against Ralph Cioffi and Matt Tannin, who were indicted for allegedly lying to investors about the state of two Bear Stearns hedge funds that collapsed in June 2007, has now spilled into civil court. Bank of America has filed suit against Cioffi, Tannin and a third Bear Stearns exec for hiding the funds' poor health in order to draw the bank into a complicated $4 billion transaction in which mortgage-backed securities controlled by the funds were pooled to support the sale of other securities.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has dropped its judicial conduct investigation of U.S. District Judge Edward W. Nottingham of the District of Colorado, who was accused of soliciting prostitutes and spending thousands of dollars at a topless nightclub. Nottingham, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1989, resigned on Wednesday. The next day, Chief Judge Robert H. Henry dropped the investigation, stating that the complaints filed against the judge were "moot," given his resignation.
After a helter-skelter history of IP squabbles, the Beatles appear to have stopped hitting sour notes with music and video distributors. The latest proof: The legendary band's corporate entity, Apple Corps Ltd., announced Thursday that it had sealed a licensing agreement that paves the way for a Beatles-only version of MTV Networks' popular video game Rock Band. The deal represents a revolution of sorts on the part of the Beatles, who have been represented by Eversheds IP lawyers for 31 years.
About those ever-swelling year-end bonuses associates have enjoyed in recent years -- maybe not this year. A slowdown in legal work and decreasing profits at law firms mean that many associates will probably see bonuses on par with or lower than those they received in 2007, says James Cotterman, an attorney compensation consultant at Altman Weil. While it's still early in 2008 bonus season, there are a few hints that firms may take a slightly different approach this year.
Labor attorneys are warning employers that Halloween could get scary -- in a legal way -- if costumes, or a work party, get out of hand. French maid, naughty nurse, kitten, toga, Tarzan or construction worker costumes could set the stage for harassment, attorneys warn. Ghosts or goblins might offend someone's religious beliefs, and political costumes could create tension. And someone in a great big pumpkin costume could trip at the company party and trigger a slip-and-fall claim.
When used wisely, Software as a Service -- or cloud computing -- applications make sense. But, according to Alan Cohen, wise use of SaaS starts with asking the right questions of vendors, and yourself. Just where is your data, and how secure is it? What happens when disaster strikes?
Overwhelmed with all the advice? The economic crisis is alarming enough. How can any common sense break through this racket? It takes discipline to take charge of your career when so many people are freaking out. Panic won't help, but neither will maintaining the status quo while the legal world morphs all around you. If you are an associate with a stable job, don't take it for granted. Do all you can to solidify your position in your current firm, says consultant Gail Cutter.
EDD special master Craig Ball investigates data from GPS navigation systems as a potential source of electronic evidence. As geopositioning grows more ubiquitous, from dashboard to cell phone, he suggests you ask, "How might I use locator data to make my case or clear my client?"
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