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Jury Gives Morgan Lewis Unanimous Defense Verdict in Contract Breach Case
Morgan Lewis & Bockius has defeated a $20 million breach of contract claim brought by a former client. While the jury found that Bro-Tech Corp., operating as Purolite, and owners Don and Stefan Brodie properly brought the suit within the four-year statute of limitations, they said Morgan Lewis did not breach its contract with the Brodies by advising them to continue selling their water filtration products to companies in Cuba. Jurors reached their unanimous defense verdict in less than four hours.
Statute of Limitations Could Decide Former Client’s $20 Million Suit Against Morgan Lewis
After more than two weeks of testimony and years of prior litigation, the $20 million case that pits water filtration company Purolite against its former law firm, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, could come down to whether the case is barred by the statute of limitations. The case revolves around advice allegedly given by Morgan Lewis to Purolite in 1993 to continue to sell its products to Cuban companies despite the U.S. trade embargo.
Breyer keeps up Bush speech attendance (AP)
AP - Four Supreme Court justices donned their robes to attend this year’s State of the Union, but only one among them could boast a perfect attendance record during the Bush presidency.
Federal Judge’s ‘Top 10′ List Takes On Supreme Court’s Sentencing Decisions
One way to get a rise out of usually reticent federal judges is to ask them about sentencing — and particularly the Supreme Court’s role in muddying the waters with a series of difficult-to-follow sentencing decisions since the beginning of this century. Now, U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf of the District of Nebraska has channeled his own frustration into a David Letterman-style Top 10 list. Kopf says he devised the list “with tongue partly in cheek,” but it still makes for a provocative jaw-dropper.
For the First Time, Mukasey Meets the Press
Attorney General Michael Mukasey sat down with reporters in a Justice Department conference room last week to address a range of topics involving the DOJ. The Friday event — his first on-the-record session since being confirmed to the post — came just days before he is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee at an oversight hearing. No question was off-limits, but Mukasey balked at answering many related to interrogation methods — a key topic likely to be raised by senators.
Blackwater Hits Wiley Rein With $30 Million Malpractice Suit
Blackwater Security filed a $30 million malpractice suit against Wiley Rein on Wednesday, alleging that the firm made costly missteps in a wrongful death case brought on behalf of four former Blackwater employees who were killed in Iraq in 2004. The complaint claims lawyers at Wiley Rein filed sloppy pleadings that ultimately barred Blackwater from shifting the case from a state court in North Carolina to federal district court, where the security firm could have mounted a stronger defense.
Firm Cautioned for Walking ‘Fine Ethical Line’ in Sex Harassment Case Against Oppenheimer
Although a law firm potentially jeopardized its own reputation and the fairness of sexual harassment litigation against Oppenheimer & Co. by allegedly obtaining “privileged and confidential information,” disqualification was not necessary, a Manhattan appeals court has ruled. The panel ruled that Oppenheimer could not show that law firm Storch, Amini & Munves had actually obtained any confidential information through its contact with a former paralegal and in-house counsel at the investment banking firm.
Ex-Ill. gov appeals to US Supreme Court (AP)
AP - Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to reverse his racketeering and fraud conviction, claiming he did not receive a fair trial.
O’Melveny Says It’s Sorry for Missing E-Mails
Lawyers at O’Melveny & Myers have had a rough few weeks representing one of the nation’s largest failed subprime lenders. New Century Financial Corp. and its outside restructuring attorneys at O’Melveny misled a bankruptcy examiner about funds that may belong to creditors, according to a blistering report by the examiner. And the bank’s outside counsel had to apologize to a bankruptcy judge for a discovery “mishap” in which more than 700,000 e-mails weren’t turned over to the bankruptcy examiner.
Court refuses Enron investor’s appeal (AP)
AP - The Supreme Court dealt a probable fatal blow Tuesday to Enron Corp. investors’ efforts to recover $40 billion from Wall Street banks in the 2001 collapse of the Texas energy company.