News

Drexel Hill Lawyer Suspended for Misusing Client Money

Lizzy McLellan | October 12, 2018

Dory L. Sater was suspended Friday after failing to comply with records requests in his disciplinary investigation.

News

Pa. Readies for Sports Betting; Casinos Rush to Meet Requirements

The Associated Press| October 12, 2018

Pennsylvania, one of the nation's most aggressive gambling states, appears about a week away from becoming the sixth state with sports betting after regulators recently awarded the state's first sports betting licenses to two casinos.

News

State Department Initiates New Overseas Voting Procedures

The Associated Press| October 12, 2018

Acting Secretary of State Robert Torres announced new procedures for some overseas voters who request ballots by electronic delivery for the Nov. 6 election.

News

Capitol Report

Michael Riccardi | October 12, 2018

Following is a listing of legislative and executive action for the week of Oct. 8. Both houses of the General Assembly were in recess at press time. The Pennsylvania Senate and state House of Representatives were set to return to session on Monday.

Conversation

Recalibrating Junior Level Hiring: Look for Intangibles, Not Ivy

By Frank Michael D’Amore| October 12, 2018

I recall, fairly early in my career, being in a firm on the day that most of its summer associate class started. The partner I was with, who was on his firm’s hiring committee, was understandably proud of these aspiring lawyers and spouted off all the key statistics as to how many were on law review, the percentage who were in top-20 schools.

People in the News—Oct. 12, 2018—Marciano & MacAvoy

Victoria Hudgins | October 12, 2018

Marciano & MacAvoy secured a settlement in a lawsuit in which a drunken driver was over served alcohol at a bar and then he drove his car and killed one person and seriously injured another.

Commentary

Improving the Discourse Between Women Associates and Their Firms

Chelsea Biemiller and Elizabeth Kuschel| October 12, 2018

Although the women associate ranks in many midsize and large firms throughout the country continue to increase, only 21 percent of women attorneys working in those firms eventually make it to equity partner.

News

Ethics Allegations Against Brett Kavanaugh Face Hurdles

Marcia Coyle | October 11, 2018

Judicial ethics scholars disagree over procedurally how the complaints against the now-Supreme Court justice will be resolved.

News

McNees Elects New Chair as Kleppinger Steps Down

Lizzy McLellan | October 11, 2018

Longtime management committee member Brian Jackson is stepping up into the chairman role.

News

Convicted Child Sex Predator Gets to Keep His Barber's License, Court Rules

P.J. D'Annunzio | October 11, 2018

Because a convicted child predator was deemed to no longer be a threat to society, he is allowed to keep the barber's license he earned in prison, an appeals court has ruled.

News

Commonwealth Court Extends Retroactive Application of 'Protz'

Zack Needles | October 11, 2018

Claimants who were still litigating their impairment rating evaluations at the time the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's landmark workers’ compensation decision in Protz came down are entitled to the benefit of that ruling, the Commonwealth Court en banc has held, once again expanding the universe of cases to which Protz retroactively applies while still stopping short of addressing full retroactivity.

Woman Whose Arm Was Amputated in Crash Awarded $10.6M

Max Mitchell | October 11, 2018

A Philadelphia jury has awarded $10.6 million to a woman whose arm was amputated in a motor vehicle accident.

Commentary

Circuits Affirm State Role in Regulations Affecting Wholesale Electricity Markets

Mark L. Greenfogel| October 11, 2018

Earlier this week, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its first report commissioned under the Paris agreement.

Parties Disputed Whether Tree Well Was a Dangerous Condition

VerdictSearch| October 11, 2018

On Dec. 15, 2012, plaintiff Joann Marino, an accountant in her 60s, tripped and fell when she stepped into a tree well on a mall sidewalk, in New Hope. She suffered fractures to both wrists.

News

High Court to Mull Suspended Sentences for Civil Contempt

Zack Needles | October 11, 2018

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is set to review a Superior Court ruling that it is illegal for judges to impose suspended sentences for civil contempt.

News

Jury Awards $10.6M to Mother Who Lost Arm in Minivan Crash

Max Mitchell | October 11, 2018

The jury awarded the money as compensatory damages last week after eight months of trial before Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Lisa Rau.

Commentary

Collaborative Divorce: A Tool to Help Couples Plan for Their Future ... Apart

Candice L. Komar| October 11, 2018

What if couples similarly planned how to go their separate ways? It’s not commonplace for quarreling spouses to put painful feelings aside and work as a team. However, collaborative divorce shows that spouses (and their children) can immensely benefit from jointly making decisions impacting the future of the family, even when the future entails separate households.

News

Justices Grant Appeal in US Airways Slip-and-Fall Case

Zack Needles | October 11, 2018

In the case of a US Airways flight attendant who was injured in a slip-and-fall aboard an airport shuttle bus, the Supreme Court has agreed to consider when an employee traveling between a parking lot and their workspace is in the course and scope of their employment.

Commentary

Consumer Class Actions Dealt Significant Blow by NJ Supreme Court

Hillary Weinstein| October 11, 2018

For many plaintiffs lawyers practicing in New Jersey, the N.J. Truth-in-Consumer-Contract, Warranty and Notice Act (TCCWNA) ,colloquially pronounced “TIC-wa-na”) had, until recently, provided a way for consumers in class actions to add a count to an already-existing action under the Consumer Fraud Act (CFA).

News

Narrowly Interpreting 'Ongoing Business Operations' Exclusion, Court Finds Insurance Coverage for Fire

Steven A. Meyerowitz| October 11, 2018

A Pennsylvania appellate court, reversing a trial court’s decision, has concluded that an insurance policy exclusion for “ongoing business operations” did not bar coverage for damages resulting from a fire at a vehicle dismantling facility in Harrisburg.

Expert Opinion

Ethics Forum: Questions and Answers on Professional Responsibility

Samuel C. Stretton| October 11, 2018

I sued a corporation and I noted a manager/officer of the corporation no longer is employed. I wish to speak to that person about the facts of the underlying lawsuit I have brought against the corporation. Can I do so without violating Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2?

Commentary

Proposed Amendment to Pa. Constitution Undermines Rights of 'Accused'

Cliff Rieders| October 11, 2018

Voters of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania may have the opportunity to vote on a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania in November 2019.

People in the News—Oct. 11, 2018—Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel

Victoria Hudgins | October 11, 2018

Alan H. Molod is the recipient of the seventh annual Pennsylvania Bar Association W. Edward Sell Business Lawyer Award.

Commentary

The Pendulum Shifts With Recent Pa. Supreme Court Decisions

Daniel E. Cummins| October 11, 2018

Recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decisions provide evidence that the pendulum is shifting toward a more liberal, plaintiff-oriented bent that was anticipated with the still-recent election of additional justices to the court to join those other justices on the court of the same bent.

News

New Report Finds Female Path to Law Firm Partnership a Sluggish Crawl

Meghan Tribe | October 10, 2018

A survey found that given the legal industry's current growth rate, it would take nearly a century for women to make up half of the equity partnership tier.

News

Banning Convicted Child Sex Predator's Use of Internet, Electronics Unconstitutional, 3rd Circ. Says

P.J. D'Annunzio | October 10, 2018

A man who was convicted of using a chatroom in an attempt to entice a 14-year-old boy into having sex with him should not be totally banned from using the internet or possessing electronic communication devices, a federal appeals court has ruled.

News

Phila. Courts Revoke Policy Allowing It to Retain 30 Percent of Cash Bail Deposit

Max Mitchell | October 10, 2018

Pennsylvania's largest court system, the First Judicial District, has revoked a controversial policy that allowed the court to retain nearly one-third of a defendant's cash bail deposit after their case was fully resolved.

Investigation

Her Grandson Was Raped in a Philadelphia Foster Home. Privatized Foster Care Has Endangered Others

P.J. D'Annunzio | October 10, 2018

This is the first part of an occasional investigative series examining how children and families are impacted by problems in the Philadelphia foster care system, family court, and by insufficient legal representation. It is the result of numerous interviews with family members of foster children, lawyers and officials, and a review of state, city and court records.

News

Pa. July Bar Pass Rates Dip After Last Year's Uptick

Zack Needles | October 10, 2018

The pass rate for first-time takers of the July Pennsylvania bar exam decreased this year, after markedly improving in 2017 following 2016's historic low.

Profile

Lynne Gold-Bikin, 'Trailblazer' of Family Law, Dies at 80

Lizzy McLellan | October 10, 2018

Former colleagues and friends remembered Gold-Bikin as a pioneering advocate for women lawyers and family law.

Commentary

High Court Decision on Sex Offender Law Could Affect Government Agencies

Stephen A. Miller and Andrew D. Linz| October 10, 2018

The Supreme Court is considering a challenge to a sex-offender registration law that could have wide-ranging consequences for the structure of the federal government. The eight-member court heard oral argument on the second day of its new term in Gundy v. United States.

Commentary

Reset Your Personal and Professional Ambitions This Fall Season

Laura C. Bunting| October 10, 2018

Fall daylight savings time can be difficult for many of us who find ourselves working before the sun rises and working well past the sun sets.

People in the News—Oct. 10, 2018—White and Williams

Victoria Hudgins | October 10, 2018

White and Williams “’adopted” George W. Childs School located in South Philadelphia.

Firms Vie for Top M&A Billing as Dealmakers Zero In on US

Dan Packel | October 10, 2018

Latham hits a trifecta, and other takeaways from Mergermarket, Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters' rankings for the first three quarters of 2018.

News

Ex-Big Law Associate Launches International Boutique in DC

Ryan Lovelace | October 10, 2018

After stints at Paul Hastings, Freshfields and Allen & Overy, Diogo Pereira is teaming up with a Brazilian colleague to launch his own cross-border shop.

Q&A

Obermayer Rebmann: Using Tighter Relationships to Take On the Next 114 Years

Lizzy McLellan | October 09, 2018

"Not only can we more cost-effectively do the same work, but companies have begun to realize our value beyond our lower prices," managing partner Mathieu Shapiro said.

Commentary

Reliance on Credibility Determination Leads to Denial of Summary Judgment

Sid Steinberg| October 09, 2018

Many employment terminations result from employers simply believing one employee’s version of events over another’s. This is not always the case, however, as exemplified by the recent decision in 'Eboda v. PNC Bank.'

News

NCAA Seeks to Block Ex-Villanova Wide Receiver's Claim for Wages

Max Mitchell | October 09, 2018

The National Collegiate Athletic Association and Villanova University have asked a federal court to dismiss a former college football player's lawsuit alleging that he is owed wages for his time as a scholarship athlete for the school.

News

Women-Owned Law Firms Surge Amid Gender Disparity in the Profession

Angela Morris| October 09, 2018

By founding their own firms, women are crafting new game rules that provide for fair compensation, equal promotions, full inclusion and better career development opportunities.

News

Pittsburgh Penguins Name New General Counsel

Dan Clark | October 09, 2018

Kevin Acklin, currently the chief legal officer for Peoples Natural Gas Co., will take on the role of the team’s senior vice president and general counsel on Nov. 1.

People in the News—Conrad O’Brien—Oct. 9, 2018

Victoria Hudgins | October 09, 2018

Conrad O’Brien added two new attorneys.

PLW People in the News—Oct. 9, 2018—Gross McGinley

Victoria Hudgins | October 09, 2018

Attorney H. Ross Ramaley joined Gross McGinley.

Analysis

Opioid Makers Demand an 'Untenable Level of Specificity' in Dismissal Motions, Says Judge's Report

Amanda Bronstad | October 09, 2018

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Ruiz on Oct. 5 allowed most of the claims in a key case in a massive MDL against opioid companies to go forward, concluding that the complaint was far from a “fishing expedition.”

News

Katyal Urges 3rd Circuit to Affirm Phila.'s Win in 'Sanctuary City' Row With DOJ

Max Mitchell | October 08, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice violated the separation of powers doctrine and principles of federalism when it threatened to withhold from the city of Philadelphia more than $1 million in grant money due to its immigration policies, Philadelphia has argued as part of its efforts to fend off an appeal from the DOJ.

News

Trucking Company Can't Escape Negligence Action Over Driver's Accident

P.J. D'Annunzio | October 08, 2018

A trucking company and its founder will remain in federal litigation claiming it is responsible for the alleged reckless conduct of one of its drivers who caused an accident.

Analysis

Pa. Firms Active in Industrywide IP Hiring Spree

Lizzy McLellan | October 08, 2018

Intellectual property lawyers are in high demand, and that's unlikely to change soon.

Commentary

Section 199A and Health Care: Eligibility Depends on Unique Facts

Vasilios J. Kalogredis| October 08, 2018

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (Tax Act) got a lot of press during negotiations and passage, but there are particular aspects of the law that are worth a deeper dive. One such aspect of the law is the 20-percent deduction in Section 199A intended to benefit pass-through entities.

News

Facebook Pushes to Have Pa. Woman's Suit Over Scam Ads Moved to Calif.

Max Mitchell | October 08, 2018

A Philadelphia tattoo artist who gained attention for losing more than 100 pounds wants Facebook to stop letting scammers use her image in ads that appear on the social media behemoth, but the company wants the suit to be moved to federal court in California.

News

Superior Court Jurisdictional Rulings Clear Way for Phila.'s First Trial Linking Talc to Ovarian Cancer

Zack Needles | October 08, 2018

Thanks to two recent Pennsylvania Superior Court rulings upholding the "consent by registration" theory of jurisdiction, the first ovarian-cancer-related talc case in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas has been allowed to proceed.

Commentary

The Constitutionality of Philadelphia’s Windows and Doors Ordinance

James M. Lammendola and Harper J. Dimmerman| October 08, 2018

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently handed down an opinion of great interest to anyone who owns a vacant property or is considering purchasing one that may be characterized as blighted by the city of Philadelphia.

News

Business Groups Press Supreme Court to Reverse Gender-Pay Ruling

Erin Mulvaney | October 08, 2018

"Employers large and small, in every region of the United States, have historically used prior salary as a metric to assess a range of matters," the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups said in an amicus brief at the Supreme Court.

Sheriff's Sale Notices

The Legal Intelligencer| October 08, 2018

The Sheriff's Sale mortgage foreclosure notices for the November 6, 2018, sale, along with the October tax sales, are now available.

News

People in the News—Oct. 8, 2018—Capehart Scatchard

Alexa Woronowicz | October 08, 2018

Capehart Scatchard shareholders John H. Geaney and Lora V. Northen spoke at the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network’s National Conference in Minneapolis.

Commentary

The Trouble With Origination Credit

Blane R. Prescott| October 05, 2018

In many cases, credit systems work against much of what law firms are trying to accomplish.

Commentary

If the Kavanaugh Hearing Had Been Handled Like a Trial

Jules Epstein| October 05, 2018

The hearing showed a missed opportunity by Democrats to use the tools of trial advocacy to make points and influence those truly in need of convincing—the few senators whose votes were in play (and, to some extent, the many Americans still on the fence).

Commentary

Postnuptial Agreements Gain Favor Among LGBTQ Couples

Angela D. Giampolo| October 05, 2018

Most people are familiar with pre-marital agreements, designed to protect individuals entering a legal marriage. LGBTQ individuals find themselves in an interesting position as it relates to pre-marital agreements because of the staggered way in which marriage equality came about.

News

Gender Bias Claim Reinstated Against Western Pa. President Judge

Max Mitchell | October 05, 2018

A federal judge has reinstated a claim of sex discrimination against the Butler County president judge brought by a female probation officer with whom he previously had a sexual relationship.

News

State and County Officials Train for Election Day Preparedness

The Associated Press| October 05, 2018

Pennsylvania's Inter-Agency Election Preparedness and Security Workgroup and county officials from across the commonwealth participated in a tabletop exercise to train on hypothetical situations when environmental or weather-caused issues could potentially impact voting on election day.

News

Capitol Report

Michael Riccardi | October 05, 2018

Following is a listing of executive and legislative action from Sept. 28 and the week of Oct. 1. Both houses of the General Assembly were in recess at press time.

People in the News—Oct. 5, 2018—Cozen O’Connor

Alexa Woronowicz | October 05, 2018

James Kwartnik, a member in Cozen O’Connor’s construction law group, is set to speak at the presentation “Are You Covered? New Strategies for Insuring Construction and Development Projects.”

News

Legal Sector Adds Jobs in September After Two Months of Decline

Scott Flaherty | October 05, 2018

The uptick in legal services employment comes as the U.S. economy as a whole added jobs and unemployment dropped to its lowest level in decade.

News

Pa. Grand Jury Indicts Russian Intelligence Officers for Alleged Hacking of Westinghouse, Anti-Doping Groups

MP McQueen | October 05, 2018

The defendants are accused of computer hacking, wire fraud, identity theft and money laundering, among other felony charges. They are also accused of using social media in disinformation campaigns directed against anti-doping groups and athletes. The Russian government disputes the charges.

News

Can New Leave Policies Help Big Law Escape the Parent Trap?

Meghan Tribe | October 05, 2018

Facing frustration—and sometimes litigation—over their approach to motherhood and parental leave, law firms are wrestling with how far to go to support new parents.

Analysis

It Just Got a Lot Easier to Sue Out-of-State Companies in Pa.

Zack Needles | October 04, 2018

In the span of three months, the Pennsylvania Superior Court issued two very similar precedential rulings that both plaintiffs and defense attorneys agree are likely to put to rest an issue that has been debated across the state over the past four years: whether registering to do business as a foreign corporation in Pennsylvania still means consenting to be sued in Pennsylvania.

Plaintiff Blamed Bus Driver for Crash; Defense Rejected Fault

VerdictSearch| October 04, 2018

On March 23, 2015, plaintiff Hanan Hasan, a business owner in her mid-50s, was driving on Spring Garden Street at Kelly Drive, in Philadelphia, when her sedan was rear-ended by a SEPTA bus. She claimed injuries to her neck, back and left knee.

News

Court Upholds Ruling Against Ameriprise Financial in Pa. UTPCPL Case

P.J. D'Annunzio | October 04, 2018

A ruling that Ameriprise Financial engaged in deceptive conduct in selling a couple insurance and financial services has been upheld by an appeals court.

Man Awarded $1.275M in Parking Lot Slip-and-Fall

Max Mitchell | October 04, 2018

A Chester County, Pennsylvania, trial has resulted in an award of about $1.275 million for a man who suffered a broken ankle on Thanksgiving night 2014 in an icy parking lot outside his apartment.

Analysis

From Wolf Block to Sedgwick: Law Firm Dissolutions Pose Challenges for GCs

Phillip Bantz| October 04, 2018

“It’s in the best case somewhat disruptive and in the worst case extraordinarily disruptive to the lawyers and their clients,” said one consultant.

Expert Opinion

Ethics Forum: Questions and Answers on Professional Responsibilty

Samuel C. Stretton| October 04, 2018

I am a young lawyer, but in my practice, it seems that many lawyers are intolerant and willing to amplify past transgressions by members of the bar even though they occurred a long time ago. What is happening to the profession of law?

Commentary

When Does Music Cross the Line From Art to Criminal Conduct?

Cliff Rieders| October 04, 2018

In one of the most interesting cases the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has decided this term, Justice Thomas Saylor writing for the majority in Commonwealth v Knox, held that lyrics of a rap song may lead to criminal charges.

News

Pa. Justices Take Case on Fifth Amendment Privilege When Password Is Compelled

Max Mitchell | October 04, 2018

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination protects a man from having to tell law enforcement officials a password to his encrypted computer that he had memorized.

Commentary

Insurance Companies Are Facing Cybersecurity Compliance Deadlines

Christopher M. Brubaker| October 04, 2018

South Carolina recently became the first state to adopt the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Insurance Data Security Model Law. The NAIC is a standard-setting and regulatory support organization consisting of the top insurance regulators from the 50 states, D.C. and five U.S. territories.

Commentary

The Potential Impact of 'Lucia' on the Social Security Administration

Nicholas Feden| October 04, 2018

In July, Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the majority in Lucia v. Securities and Exchange Commission, authored a narrow opinion that has potentially broad implications.

Commentary

Judge William Marutani: An Abiding Faith in Democracy

John S. Yi and Stella M. Tsai| October 04, 2018

No matter how tough things got for Judge Marutani, he never lost faith in our democracy or the United States. Neither should we.

Commentary

Court: New Value Need Not Remain Unpaid to Limit Preference Liability

Rudolph J. Di Massa, Jr. and Drew S. McGehrin| October 04, 2018

In Kaye v. Blue Bell Creameries (In re BFW Liquidation), 899 F.3d 1178 (11th Cir. 2018), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit found that a liability for an allegedly preferential transfer may be reduced by the amount of new value given, regardless of whether that new value has already been repaid by the debtor before its bankruptcy filing.

News

Witness in Wrongful Death Case Can't Avoid Finishing Deposition Due to Anxiety, Judge Says

Zack Needles | October 04, 2018

A Lackawanna County trial judge has ruled that a nurse must resume her deposition testimony in a nursing home death case despite the defense's argument that her anxiety is too severe to allow her to continue.

People in the News—Oct. 4, 2018—Gross McGinley

Victoria Hudgins | October 04, 2018

Gross McGinley added attorney Christopher R. Gresh to its firm.

News

Justices: Same-Sex Ex-Partner Has No Standing to Seek Child Custody

Zack Needles | October 04, 2018

J.H. alleged in preliminary objections to C.G.’s suit that the decision to have the child, J.W.H., was hers alone and C.G.’s role was solely that of her girlfriend, according to Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Carl Solano’s opinion.

News

Judge: Insurer Had No Duty to Defend Father Against Daughter’s Suit Alleging Sexual Abuse

Steven A. Meyerowitz| October 04, 2018

A federal district court in Pennsylvania has ruled that an insurance company did not have to defend or indemnify its insured against a lawsuit by his daughter alleging that he had sexually abused her throughout her childhood.

News

3 GrayRobinson Partners Jump to Fox Rothschild

Catherine Wilson | October 04, 2018

The three are following former GrayRobinson Miami managing partner Steven Zelkowitz, who switched law firms Aug. 31.

News

Big 4 Dominate as Law Firm Alternatives Press Their Brands

Dan Packel | October 04, 2018

PwC landed in the No. 1 spot in a new ranking of alternative legal services providers' brand strength, and its peers were all in the top five.

News

Attorneys Question Phila. Judge's Decision to Replace DA With Special Prosecutor

Max Mitchell | October 03, 2018

A Philadelphia judge's decision last month to appoint a special prosecutor to pursue a violation of probation hearing was an unusual move, according to several attorneys, and may not pass constitutional muster.

News

Morgan Lewis Seeks Records From Pepper Hamilton in Conflict Case

Lizzy McLellan | October 03, 2018

Another major law firm has been pulled into a $30 million lawsuit involving Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and ex-client Towers Watson Delaware over alleged conflicts.

Q&A

Thoughts for Junior Attorneys Seeking to Build Their Practices

 Sarah R. Goodman and David G. Mandelbaum| October 03, 2018

Many junior attorneys struggle to devote hours of work to senior attorneys and their clients while still finding ways to cultivate and secure their own clients. As attorneys on opposite ends of the experience spectrum, we dove into this familiar conundrum.

Commentary

3rd Circ. Solidifies Protections for Students With Service Animals

Kevin Golembiewski| October 03, 2018

When a child with disabilities needs an accommodation to access school, her parents can request it. If the accommodation is reasonable, federal and state civil rights laws require the school to provide it.

People in the News—Oct. 3, 2018—Antheil Maslow & MacMinn

Victoria Hudgins | October 03, 2018

Michael W. Mills, a partner of Antheil Maslow & MacMinn in Doylestown, presented “Qualified Business Income Deduction Under IRC Section 199A” at a Financial Planning Association of the Philadelphia meeting.

News

Ted Olson Is Fired Up Over ABA's Kavanaugh Letter, Drops Membership

Tony Mauro | Ellis Kim | October 03, 2018

ABA executive director Jack Rives said in response: “I’ve got the greatest respect for Ted Olson, who has been a longtime friend and supporter of the ABA." He added: “I would hope that people wouldn’t let one issue affect their membership.”

News

3rd Circ. Clears Way for Lawsuits Against Police Over Injuries Caused in High-Speed Chases

P.J. D'Annunzio | October 02, 2018

A three-judge panel of the Third Circuit on Tuesday held that ex-Nesquehoning police officer Stephen Homanko was entitled to qualified immunity and could not be held constitutionally liable by the driver whose wife he killed, plaintiff Michael Sauers.

News

Once Storied Sedgwick Files for Bankruptcy as Wind-Down Fails

Roy Strom | October 02, 2018

The firm's insolvency comes after a broad expansion effort, practice groups that sparred with each other and an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to stabilize an institution rocked by the financial uncertainty that comes with Big Law's free agent era.

News

Mid-Market Moves, 'Serial Acquirers' Drive Law Firm Merger Mania

Dan Packel | October 02, 2018

"Almost every law firm we work with is actively considering its merger options in 2018," said Altman Weil consultant Eric Seeger.

Analysis

How Law Firms Are Capitalizing on the Private Equity Boom

Roy Strom | October 02, 2018

The biggest private equity shops are predicted to double in size over the next seven years. Catching a piece of their deals is a recipe for Big Law success.

News

Tyco and 3M Ask for MDL Treatment in Dozens of Firefighting Foam Lawsuits

Amanda Bronstad | October 02, 2018

The lawsuits come on the heels of a $670.7 million settlement with DuPont and Chemours Co. last year involving an MDL over a related chemical that has been linked to cancer and hypertension in pregnant women and other illnesses.

News

Veteran M&A Lawyer Jumps to Holland & Knight From Reed Smith

Lizzy McLellan | October 02, 2018

Howard Shecter, a Reed Smith lawyer and a longtime practice leader at multiple firms, is the latest hire for fast-growing Holland & Knight.

News

After $250M Stock Sale, Litigation Funding Giant Plans to Raise More Capital

Roy Strom | October 02, 2018

Money keeps flowing into the litigation finance market, as Burford Capital announced a major share placement Tuesday.

Commentary

Bitter Disputes Over Sweet Treats: Trademark Clashes and Chocolate Bars

Andrew J. Koopman| October 02, 2018

International candy manufacturer Nestlé S.A. has suffered a setback in its long-running effort to obtain trademark protection throughout the European Union for the shape of its famous Kit Kat® bars.

People in the News—Oct. 2, 2018—JAMS

Victoria Hudgins | October 02, 2018

JAMS added retired Commerce Court Judge Patricia McInerney to its panel.

PLW People in the News—Oct. 2, 2018—Williams Family Law

Victoria Hudgins | October 02, 2018

Williams Family Law partner Robert J. Salzer presented at the 2018 Bench Bar Conference hosted by the Bucks County Bar Association.

News

Three Pa. Firms Remain Among Top 20, but Baker McKenzie Again Leads Global Brand Rankings

Dan Packel| October 02, 2018

Clifford Chance and DLA Piper were runners-up in the latest survey of law firm brand strength from Acritas.

News

Bullish on Blockchain, Young Phila. Lawyer Launches Boutique

Lizzy McLellan | October 01, 2018

Andrew Bull has established a blockchain law boutique in Philadelphia.

News

Dechert's US Staffers to Share in New Parental Leave Policy

Dan Packel | October 01, 2018

Chief talent officer Alison Bernard said the firm wanted to move past "antiquated" distinctions between lawyers and business support staff, and also between genders.