National Law Journal

Orrick Recruits Former DOJ Antitrust Attorney in DC

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:59:59 EST

Aaron Teitelbaum previously litigated for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office before entering into federal government service in 2018.

Supreme Court Rebuffs Trump Effort to Upend Mail Voting Rules

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 20:32:22 EST

A divided U.S. Supreme Court denied an emergency request from the Trump administration to reinstate new mail voting restrictions from the U.S. Postal Service.

'The Reality of Forfeiture': 5th Circuit Split on if 'My 600-lb Life' Producer Gave Up Key Argument

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 19:42:40 EST

Philadelphia Indemnity refused to defend the insured company, Megalomedia, by citing a policy exclusion for "reality shows." Megalomedia argued on appeal that "My 600-lb Life" doesn't fall under the definition of "reality show" and the exclusion shouldn't apply.

How A Nonlawyer Convinced the Supreme Court to Take His Case

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 18:33:58 EST

"From my perspective as a Supreme Court practitioner, what Daniel [Grand] did is quite extraordinary," said Grand's new Supreme Court lawyer, Josh Rosenkranz.

Former DOJ and White House Officials Crowd Into Big Law Firms

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 17:27:14 EST

Covington, Ashurst Perkins Coie, Simpson Thacher, Winston Taylor and Stanford Heisler all added laterals with government experience.

US Sanctions Russian Bank in Crackdown on Iranian Finance

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:55:28 EST

The already heavily sanctioned VTB Bank is the third bank that the U.S. Treasury Department has targeted over the past month as it seeks to cut Iran off from the global financial system.

John Eastman Appeals Disbarment to U.S. Supreme Court

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:06:05 EST

Eastman argued in a Supreme Court petition that his disbarment over his attempt to overturn the 2020 election violates the First Amendment.

States Sue to Block New Federal ‘Public Charge' Rule

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:40:41 EST

New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia argue the DHS rule, set to take effect Sept, 18, unlawfully expands immigration officers' authority to deny green cards and conflicts with longstanding precedent.

Morgan & Morgan Has Been 'Quietly Building' Its Own In-House Artificial Intelligence Platform

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:11:56 EST

The personal injury giant has thus far sunk $300 million into its MX2 AI program and plans an overall investment of $1 billion over the next 10 years.

Winston Taylor Bolsters Antitrust Team With High-Profile DOJ Enforcer

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:59:59 EST

David Dahlquist was lead trial counsel in the federal government's case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, before DOJ leaders settled the matter. Rejoining his old firm, he'll be working alongside the team that took over and secured a verdict on behalf of over 30 states.

Geragos & Geragos Hires NY Partner, Eyeing East Coast Expansion

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 05:59:59 EST

Geragos & Geragos, a Los Angeles-based criminal defense firm known for its high-profile representations of cultural figures like Michael Jackson, Jussie Smollett and Colin Kaepernick, is looking to expand its East Coast footprint.

The S&C, DLA and Boutique Lawyers Advising Trump in Litigation

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 04:59:59 EST

Trump has largely turned to Big Law firms to handle his high-stakes litigation while employing a small Florida-based boutique for media defamation lawsuits.

Full 9th Circuit Won't Reconsider Order That VA Build Homeless Vets Housing in LA

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:41:12 EST

A three-judge Ninth Circuit panel agreed with a class of veterans that the VA violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act by denying them “meaningful access to their healthcare. The statute at issue prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities "under any program of activity conducted by any [federal] executive agency."

'You Gotta Run': Justice Kavanaugh Recalls Chaotic Dash Out of White House on 9/11

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:36:10 EST

"Don't forget much from that day," U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh said Friday during a 9/11 memorial event at Notre Dame University. "Seared in my memory is the secret service agents saying, 'Run. Sprint. Ladies take off your heels and sprint.' And we were all kind of sprinting out the gate toward Lafayette Park."

Akerman Hires First Director of AI Development

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:38:52 EST

Charles Zerner will use his background in technology and legal practice to work with lawyers to determine what currently available AI products meet their needs and what can be built in house.

9/11 After 25 Years: How the Terrorist Attacks Impacted the Legal Profession

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:28:09 EST

Personal recollections, lasting institutional changes, landmark legal responses and the continuing pursuit of justice reveal how Sept. 11 continues to shape lawyers, law firms and courts a quarter-century later.

Judge Accused of Helping Immigrant Escape ICE Custody Reprimanded by Mass. Top Court

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:18:01 EST

The state's top court agreed Judge Shelley Joseph did not know or authorize the defendant's escape from the Newton courthouse in 2018 but said her actions "inadvertently created the appearance of impropriety."

Mike Aiello, Weil Corporate Chair, Plans Exit for Cravath

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:34:19 EST

Cravath confirmed his move on Friday, along with five other Weil M&A partners.

After 25 Years, Big Law Looks Back On 9/11's Echoes

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:16:47 EST

The day of the attacks has been frozen in the minds of many Big Law partners. Some can still see the changes in the legal profession and the industry as a result of Sept. 11.

Iranian Students Prohibited From Taking LSAT Following US-Imposed Sanctions

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:16:58 EST

The U.S. Treasury Department announced the suspension of several general licenses in its Iran Sanctions program, including goods and services offered by the Law School Admission Council.

'Even Talking About It Now, It Takes You There': 9/11 Through the Eyes of Lawyers, Judges, Court Officials

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:53:10 EST

“We should never lose sight of this event and what it has done to us, said U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, Southern District of New York.

DC Sees Flurry of Big Law Lateral Partner Activity

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:44:51 EST

Numerous Big Law firms, including Eversheds Sutherland, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Jenner & Block and Squire Patton Boggs, among others, have announced partner additions in their Washington, D.C., offices so far this month.

SEC's Enforcement Director Says Agency Will Focus on ‘High-Impact' Cases

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:44:08 EST

David Woodcock, in an interview, outlined the Securities and Exchange Commission's more selective approach to policing corporate misconduct, while confirming the agency no longer has a dedicated Foreign Corrupt Practices Act unit.

Move Faster or Get Bypassed: AI Is Raising the Cost of a Slow Legal Department

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:12:00 EST

At a discussion Thursday during Running Legal Like a Business Conference in Las Vegas, panelists explored how AI should help move legal expertise, data and risk intelligence closer to the point where the business makes decisions.

4th Circuit Rejects Trump No-Bond Detention Policy, Joining 8 Sister Circuits

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:27:07 EST

Two other circuits have accepted the policy as lawful, resulting in a circuit split that is likely to be taken up and resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Blocks New GOP Congressional Map in Missouri

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:12:59 EST

The Supreme Court lifted a federal court order requiring Missouri to use a new congressional map in the upcoming midterms that was likely to result in an additional House seat for Republicans.

DOJ Accuses Berkeley Law of Discrimination in Admissions

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:30:51 EST

The U.S. Department of Justice finds that Berkeley Law deliberately discriminated against Asian and white applicants based on race in its law school admissions.

In New Study, 41% of Attorneys Say Practicing Law is 'Detrimental' to Mental Health

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 16:58:27 EST

Nearly 37,000 attorneys participated in the survey conducted by mental health expert Patrick Krill, in conjunction with the ABA, and nearly half of them reported high or very high levels of burnout.

Who Can Serve as 'Acting' US Attorney? DOJ Takes Key Personnel Question to Supreme Court

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:21:49 EST

A federal appeals court has called into question the legality of over a dozen "acting" U.S. attorney appointments. The Trump administration says the decisions "risk chaos."

‘A Culture of Crime and Corruption': Feds Take Offensive as Huawei Racketeering Trial Begins

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:06:40 EST

Trial began on Wednesday in the Brooklyn federal court against Huawei, the telecommunications giant accused of conducting a decades-long conspiracy to steal trade secrets and evade U.S. sanctions.

'Windfall Verdict' Wiped: 5th Circuit Undoes $124M Award Over Judge-Lawyer Friendship

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:01:18 EST

The Fifth Circuit said the magistrate judge did not share that she and the plaintiff's attorney had a personal friendship that spanned nearly 40 years and that the attorney had served as a groomsman in her wedding in 1989.

Patent Scholar John Duffy Says He Will Accept USPTO General Counsel Role

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:37:40 EST

Duffy, a University of Virginia law professor who has shaped patent law through landmark litigation and scholarship, said he intends to accept an offer to become the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's next general counsel.

Vanderbilt Law School Brings AI-Powered Deposition Simulations Into the Classroom

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:59:59 EST

In an effort to prepare students for legal practice while also providing flexibility in how they learn, Vanderbilt's law school has teamed up with AltaClaro to deploy DepoSim.

FDA Considers Regulating AI-Powered Devices Like Doctors

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:34:34 EST

“You have what is essentially a mechanism by which the product continues to evolve and change over time. That in itself is new and poses risks that they haven't really seen before," said Linda Malek, a partner at Crowell & Moring's Health Care and Privacy and Cybersecurity groups in New York.

Election Disputes Descend on Supreme Court Ahead of Midterms

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:01:39 EST

The U.S. Supreme Court has received a flurry of emergency applications concerning election rules ahead of the November midterms, including several from the Trump administration.

Am Law 200 Law Firms Hit With Malpractice Suits Over Financial Scams, Law.com Radar Shows

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:41:50 EST

The platform detected nearly 40 cases against Big Law in August, most of them alleging professional misconduct.

2nd Bellwether Jury Awards $40M Verdict Over Bard's PowerPort Device

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 14:58:16 EST

Friday's verdict, in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, comes in the second trial in the multidistrict litigation alleging defects in Bard's PowerPort device.

If a Conviction Is Sound, It Can Be Defended by a Lawyer, Not a Machine

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:59:59 EST

I propose a modest rule: Government attorneys should not use generative AI to compose their filings when litigating against a pro se incarcerated person challenging a conviction or sentence or the conditions of his confinement.

Judge's AI Error-Laden Ruling Faces Appellate Scrutiny. Are There Lessons for Lawyers?

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:28:19 EST

“The cure for AI hallucinations is human verification," stated attorney Crawford Appleby. "So, no matter whether it's a solo practitioner, a big firm, the department of justice or the court itself, every statement of fact and law needs to be verified by a person. Otherwise, we will continue to see AI misuse at every level of the legal system.

ABA Council Repeals Diversity Standard Amid Uncertainty About the Organization's Future as a Law School Accreditor

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 11:47:57 EST

The ABA Accreditation Council repealed its law school diversity and inclusion Standard 206 after an extended review shaped by federal actions targeting diversity efforts in education.

Former Fox Legal Head Jumps to Sullivan & Cromwell

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:28:45 EST

Viet Dinh, who as chief legal and policy officer helped Fox navigate defamation litigation in the wake of Fox News' 2020 presidential election coverage, is joining Sullivan & Cromwell's Los Angeles office as a partner.

Kasowitz Data Strategy Practice Chair Decamps for Katten

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 05:59:59 EST

Brandy Worden, who chaired Kasowitz's data strategy, privacy and security and co-chaired their AI industry group, has joined Katten in its Los Angeles office.

Arguing Class Actions: When 'Supply Discipline' Becomes an Antitrust Problem

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 05:59:59 EST

Arguing Class Actions is a monthly column for the National Law Journal.