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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

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MEETING DEMAND - A cottage industry is developing around the field of well-being services for lawyers, Christine Simmons reports, as part of our Minds Over Matters project. The movement partially stems from the ABA's recent Well-Being Pledge, which more than 100 law firms, law schools and legal departments have signed, agreeing to take steps to prioritize well-being. More wellness coaches, apps, conferences and other tools have sprung up as the demand to address substance abuse and mental health issues in the profession has increased. Mental health experts caution that due diligence in necessary in selecting the right tools to use.

IN COURT - Jeffrey Epstein is scheduled to appear this morning for a bail hearing in New York federal court. Prosecutors argue that Epstein's vast network of resources make him a flight risk, after he was charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy earlier this week. In a separate civil matter, lawyers representing one of Epstein's alleged victims are set to discuss how to proceed in a defamation case against Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime companion of Epstein who has been accused of recruiting girls for the wealthy financier.

SWEPT UP? As efforts to regulate consumer litigation financing have grown, commercial litigation funders are nervous they're getting caught in the crosshairs. MP McQueen reports that commercial litigation finance companies say that efforts at tightly regulating consumer litigation finance are also designed to thwart their operations. Overbroad definitions of the financial arrangements pushed as “consumer protection measures” inhibit the commercial side of litigation finance, funders say.