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A federal judge upheld a $100 million jury verdict Monday for Mattel in a lengthy legal battle over rights to the Bratz doll, a rival to Mattel's Barbie. The judge also confirmed in his ruling late Monday that the Bratz doll -- marketed by MGA Entertainment since 2001 -- is Mattel property. He appointed a temporary federal receiver to take control of the Bratz brand and MGA's assets. Mattel attorneys have said the company is willing and able to produce Bratz dolls once receivership issues are sorted out.
Usually it isn't a good idea for a judge to look for supporting authority in a U.S. Supreme Court dissent. Unless, of course, you're a Clinton appointee on the 9th Circuit, you're taking a controversial stand against the government on the state secrets privilege -- and the guy you're citing is Justice Antonin Scalia. Ninth Circuit Judge Michael Daly Hawkins did just that when he delivered an unqualified rebuke to the Obama administration Tuesday in its bid to quash a civil suit by targets of the CIA's rendition program.
A three-year suspension isn't strong enough punishment for a former Sidley Austin summer associate who falsified law school grades and omitted detrimental facts on his law school application, says the head of Illinois' legal disciplinary committee. The attorney, Loren Friedman, was kicked out of med school before applying for law school, and later landed positions at Skadden and Curtis Mallet. Skadden dismissed him when he failed the Delaware bar twice and he resigned from Curtis Mallet after his fraud surfaced.
Kilpatrick Stockton announced late Tuesday that it had laid off 24 associates and counsel spread across all of its U.S. offices. "These actions are driven by the current economic downturn," said the firm's co-managing partner in a statement. She said each lawyer "will receive a competitive and generous severance package." The announcement follows word from Kilpatrick last week that first-year lawyers hired for this fall will not start until April 2010.
Boards of directors and management currently face the question of whether, and how, to provide guidance in an unprecedented economic environment. Recent, rapidly changing market conditions, stock market declines and historically low business confidence levels are causing many public companies to rethink whether they can responsibly provide earnings guidance. Attorneys Lisa A. Fontenot and Brandon W. Loew summarize the considerations and recent approaches taken by some of the largest U.S. public companies.
The good news for lawyers is, less e-discovery can be more, say Baker Hostetler attorneys Frederick Chockley III, Elizabeth Scully and Rebecca Barnes. Through strategic planning, careful organization and technological savvy, costs can be cut significantly by improving efficiency.
Mayer Brown co-vice chairman Paul Maher has confirmed to partners that he is considering leaving the firm. London-based Maher told the firm's partnership Tuesday that he will be taking a short sabbatical to consider his options in the wake of a series of management changes at the Anglo-American firm. Maher's position at Mayer Brown has been the subject of speculation since the firm confirmed earlier this month that it is to overhaul its management structure.
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