The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office is opposing the request of six plaintiffs challenging the mandatory retirement of judges in the year they turn 70 for the appointment of a special master.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court appears poised to reshape the ground rules on whether attorney-expert communications are subject to discovery, as the justices are considering the issue in a pending case and a proposed rule change.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Former Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr.'s challenge to his 28-year sentence for his involvement in the "kids-for-cash" scandal has been rejected by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Commonwealth Court has adopted the federal standard for requests for protective orders covering trade secrets, which requires a party seeking discovery to show it has a compelling need to obtain the information that outweighs the potential harm of disclosure.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

A federal magistrate judge has ruled in a bad-faith case that documents produced by an in-house attorney at an insurance company who was also acting as an adjuster — emails, letters and an uninsured motorist worksheet — are shielded by the attorney-client privilege.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

When the principals of Harrisburg-based firm Schutjer Bogar spoke to The Legal in February, the mood was somber and the future of the firm was bleak.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Former Penn State assistant football coach Mike McQueary has responded to Penn State's position that the university did not fire him over his testimony related to the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse scandal, demanding "strict proof" that the university fired him only once his contract was over.

The National Law Journal   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Oklahoma Attorney General E. Scott Pruitt is already cracking down on price gouging, identity theft and charitable fraud after a tornado destroyed an Oklahoma City suburb.

The National Law Journal   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

One law school is giving applicants who don't make the initial admissions cut a second chance to prove they have what it takes. And it's doing it for free.

New Jersey Law Journal   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

A federal appeals court has vacated a New Jersey woman's $3 million judgment against Girls Gone Wild franchise founder Joseph Francis and related entities, finding the district court's assertion of jurisdiction was a stretch.

SUPREME COURT

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The court determined that LRC's 2012 Final Plan was not contrary to law. Appeals dismissed.

SUPERIOR COURT

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 21, 2013

In this case of first impression, the trial court properly permitted the investigating agent to provide testimony and opinions as both an expert and a layperson. Judgment of sentence affirmed.

COMMONWEALTH COURT

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Appellee's declaration of taking condemning appellant's land was overly broad, did not limit appellee to its presently stated intentions and did not comply with procedural requirements; it authorized actions encompassed within §1511(c) of the Associations Code such that appellee had to comply with §1511(c) before condemning appellant's land for a perpetual easement and right-of-way. Trial court order reversed.

COURTS OF COMMON PLEAS

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Following a non-jury trial, the court found that plaintiff proved that he was entitled to a return of the $13,550 he paid defendant for construction of a deck at his house because problems with the deck were so pervasive that repairs alone would not correct them.

U.S. DISTRICT COURT-EASTERN

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Monday, June 1, 2020

In February 2010, the court dismissed McKeon's pro se second complaint as legally frivolous and permitted McKeon to file a third complaint.

U.S. DISTRICT COURT-MIDDLE

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Plaintiff's counsel was admonished by the court for failure to comply with court orders, tardiness and "discourteous and rude" behavior; he was warned that continuing to disregard the dictates of the court would be considered failure to prosecute his case and he would be subject to costs and sanctions. Order issued.

Legal Marketing

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

In March, I shared with you some of the innovative marketing activities law firms around the country were engaging in, but so many law firms wrote me with their news that one article was not big enough to cover it all.

Family Law

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Last year's decision by the Pennsylvania Superior Court that a nursing home was authorized to collect nearly $100,000 in outstanding bills from an adult child of an indigent nursing home resident, Health Care & Retirement v. Pittas, garnered widespread attention.

Legal Profession

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

When we look at what is going on in the world today, we are appalled by the murderous chaos in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and much of the world. Freedom and democracy are by far the exception rather than the rule.

Professional Liability

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

In law school, we are taught that one of trial counsel's most important jobs is to make a record. To that end, a record not made is generally not appealable.

Ethics

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

I was reinstated to the practice of law in Pennsylvania by the state Supreme Court. Can I practice in federal court? What is the procedure for being reinstated in federal court?

Cyberlaw

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 28, 2013

How long has it been since you used a phonebook to find information? Five years? Ten? Now, think about the last time you used an online search engine, like Google, to accomplish the same thing.

Franchise Law

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Friday, May 24, 2013

Franchise fees are said to be the lifeblood of the franchise system. If the royalties are not paid, does it constitute a claim for money damages or does it create grounds for injunctive relief?

Securities Law

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Friday, May 24, 2013

During the past 18 months, while the U.S. Department of Justice commenced a number of high-profile cases against financial institutions under the long-forgotten Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), many commentators and legal experts opined that the DOJ's interpretation of the statute was misplaced and unlikely to survive legal scrutiny.

Employment Law

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Friday, May 24, 2013

Fewer depositions, reduced number of interrogatories, less requests for admissions and a proportionality requirement in discovery. This could be the new face of discovery under proposed rule changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Wage and Hour

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Thursday, May 23, 2013

Recently, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in O'Donnell v. Passport Health Communications, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51432 (E.D. Pa. Apr. 10, 2013), provided a not-so-gentle reminder to employers of the potential pitfalls of Pennsylvania's Wage Payment and Collection Law (WPCL).

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Thursday, May 23, 2013

New York-based Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler is seeking to remove a trade secrets case filed against it from state court in Pittsburgh to federal court in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Thursday, May 16, 2013

Philadelphia-based Fox Rothschild grew its revenue by nearly 8 percent in its 2012-13 fiscal year as a result of a combination of strong practices and productive lateral hires, managing partner Mark L. Silow said.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Thursday, May 16, 2013

Arthur Henshey Moss, a former partner with Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads, died May 9 at the age of 82.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Pennsylvania law firms grew revenue at a faster clip than their national counterparts when comparing the first quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of 2012, but that may just be due to making up for a lack of robust collections in Pennsylvania at the end of last year, according to a bank survey of law firms.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Monday, May 13, 2013

Allegations that the law firm of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff breached its fiduciary duty when it represented the interests of one partner in a soured business venture were dismissed by a federal judge.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Thursday, May 9, 2013

A former attorney with Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman has sued the firm and some of its partners after she was allegedly let go for taking time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Tuesday, May 7, 2013

After a few years of collecting financial data and applying project management techniques to the legal process, law firms are beginning to dedicate resources to pricing analysis.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Monday, May 6, 2013

It's the kind of case that has an attorney up at 3 a.m. pondering the next play or just the seeming injustice of it all. And for two Reed Smith attorneys, the case has been going on for upward of 15 years.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Monday, May 6, 2013

Two weeks after Philadelphia personal injury firm Lundy Law dropped its federal trademark suit against Philadelphia-based injury firm Larry Pitt & Associates, Pitt's firm has sued Lundy Law and its principal, L. Leonard Lundy, in federal court, alleging unfair competition and violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

The Legal Intelligencer   |  Friday, May 3, 2013

When Pepper Hamilton hired a businessman to serve as its CEO, it set the tone for how the firm would approach the delivery of legal services.