Scott Rothstein’s ‘Uncle Bill’ pleads guilty

February 9, 2012

William Boockvor pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to assisting his nephew, Scott Rothstein, in the $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme orchestrated out of the Florida law firm where they worked. Boockvor says he aims to cooperate with prosecutors in hopes of reducing his final sentence.

Dukes Doesn’t Bar Class Action over Bayer Vitamin Sales, Judge Rules

February 9, 2012

A California federal judge has certified a statewide consumer class action against Bayer over health claims the company made for its men's multivitamins, rejecting arguments by Bayer's lawyers that the class claims couldn't survive the U.S. Supreme Court's Wal-Mart v. Dukes decision.

The Am Law 100, the Early Numbers: DLA Piper Breaks $2 Billion Barrier to Post Record Revenue

February 9, 2012

DLA Piper saw its global gross revenue soar past the $2 billion mark in the last fiscal year to set a new firm record, according to reporting by The American Lawyer. Part of the revenue gains came from the financial integration of DLA's Australian ally, Phillips Fox, which took place last May.

Solicitor General Backs Pharma Sales Reps on Overtime Pay

February 9, 2012

Two months before the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether pharmaceutical sales representatives are entitled to overtime pay, sales reps seeking overtime from GlaxoSmithKline have gained a powerful ally in the case, with an amicus filing this week by U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli.

Federal Judge Orders Release of Ted Stevens Prosecutorial Misconduct Report

February 9, 2012

The federal judge who presided over the Ted Stevens prosecution in Washington, D.C., ordered the public release Wednesday of a lengthy investigation of the prosecutorial misconduct that doomed the high-profile corruption case. The 500-page report is scheduled to be released to the public on March 15.

Officers Kill Gunman at Middletown City Court

February 9, 2012

Court officers fatally shot a man who entered the vestibule outside an Orange County, N.Y., courthouse and fired a 12-gauge shotgun Wednesday. The gunman, who reportedly harbored a grudge against the local mayor, was later pronounced dead at a medical center. One officer received a graze wound to his arm.

Could a GC Have Helped Komen Avoid Planned Parenthood Firestorm?

February 9, 2012

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation ignited a firestorm when it decided to de-fund Planned Parenthood centers. Though the foundation later reversed course, the enduring fallout raises the question: What do organizations gain from the presence of a general counsel before, during and after a PR disaster?

With April calendar, high court clears the decks

February 9, 2012

The Supreme Court's argument calendar for April, the final argument cycle of the term, lists only six hours' worth of argument instead of the usual 12 cases. It's an unusual move likely aimed at giving the justices more time to write their opinions on the Affordable Care Act challenges and other cases.

Shareholders Challenge Bylaws Limiting M&A Suits to Del. Chancery Court

February 9, 2012

Kessler Topaz and Prickett, Jones & Elliott, fresh from winning a record $305 million attorney fee award in the Delaware Court of Chancery, want a judge to rule that companies can't adopt bylaws restricting shareholder suits to be filed exclusively in the Delaware court without first holding a shareholder vote.

Woman Mistakenly Put on ‘No-Fly’ List Can Sue, Appellate Panel Rules

February 9, 2012

The 9th Circuit has revived a suit by a Stanford Ph.D. student who claims she was mistakenly put on the federal "no-fly" list and banned from returning to California after attending a conference in her home country of Malaysia. A lower court judge had ruled that the woman lost her right to sue when she voluntarily left the United States.

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