Law Firms

It took eight years of political maneuvering, but a bill to overhaul the nation’s bankruptcy system now looks close to becoming law. If it does, that’s when the real fight will begin. Lawyers who have combed through the 501-page bill say that despite its attempt at specificity and bright-line tests to tell the truly destitute […]

Rudolph W. Giuliani’s empire is expanding with a high-profile new venture: Mr. Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, is becoming a partner in a politically connected Texas law firm and will open its Manhattan office in May. The Houston law firm, Bracewell & Patterson, employs several prominent Republicans and former members of the Bush

Holland & Knight’s recent announcement that a partner accused by nine female lawyers of sexual harassment was stepping down from a top position to which he’d just been promoted holds lessons for other law firms, experts on workplace issues say. In March, New York-based managing partner Howell Melton announced that Douglas A. Wright, 44, a

While most law schools decry law school rankings for failing to represent the true successes of their institutions, they also recognize that where they end up on the list is crucial to wooing strong applicants, raising funds and getting their graduates into top firms. As a result, some schools are directing resources-or even gaming the

The Supreme Court has heard its last argument of the session. Now the question is whether ailing Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist has heard the last argument of his 33-year career on the high court. Rehnquist, 80, has been the focus of retirement speculation since disclosing in October that he had thyroid cancer. He defied

At Mallesons Stephen Jaques, chief executive partner Robert Milliner says: “Our hours have been reduced for some categories in response to feedback and our targets haven’t changed.” The firm has a target of 1500 hours a year. Milliner continues: “While I know that in London and New York lawyers can be expected to do 2000

Morgan Stanley must pay billionaire financier Ron Perelman more than $1.4 billion in damages, awarded by a jury that said it found clear evidence the investment firm acted fraudulently in Perelman’s 1998 sale of his Coleman camping gear company to Sunbeam Corp. The jury deliberated for nearly four hours Wednesday before deciding on $850 million

The prosecution and defense in the Michael Jackson child molestation trial both ended their cases on Friday, opening the way for closing arguments as early as Wednesday. The prosecution rested its rebuttal phase of the trial after showing jurors a videotape of Jackson’s young accuser being questioned by police. Jackson’s lead attorney, Tom Mesereau, had

The US Supreme Court’s decision this week asserting federal control over marijuana used for medical purposes would seem to bring that controversial practice to a halt. Uncle Sam – not the states – has the last word here, the court ruled. But the 6-to-3 ruling may have raised more questions than it answered – and

The U.S. Justice Department has agreed to investigate whether politics influenced a recent decision to reduce the proposed sanctions in the government’s racketeering case against cigarette makers, lawmakers said on Tuesday. The agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility plans to review the decision to scale back the proposed sanctions in the tobacco case from $130 billion