A wise man once said: “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”
I think of this whenever there are claims of attorneys royally screwing up e-discovery. It’s easy to indulge in some schadenfreude and say, “What suckers!” But truthfully, many firms — even the big, prestigious ones — are more vulnerable than they’d like to admit.
This month, McDermott Will & Emery ended up in the bright, unpleasant spotlight, because a former client sued the firm for malpractice.
Why, you might ask? The firm allegedly botched a client’s e-discovery.
Keep reading to see how the Am Law 100 firm became the e-discovery dunce du jour….
Continue reading “McDermott Will & Emery Wins E-discovery Blunder of the Week”
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to be the key witness in a sexual misconduct scandal involving a rich and powerful Frenchman. After you are savaged in the international press, be prepared for the prosecutor handling the case to abandon you.
From the New York Times:
Dominique Strauss-Kahn was released from house arrest on Friday as the sexual assault case against him moved one step closer to dismissal after prosecutors told a Manhattan judge that they had serious problems with the case.
Prosecutors acknowledged that there were significant credibility issues with the hotel housekeeper who accused Mr. Strauss-Kahn of trying to rape her in May. In a brief hearing at State Supreme Court in Manhattan, prosecutors did not oppose his release; the judge then freed Mr. Strauss-Kahn on his own recognizance.
If Strauss-Kahn’s strategy was to attack the credibility of the witness, it worked…
Continue reading “Things Fall Apart: Now Starring Dominique Strauss-Kahn”
The stories coming out of Mercer Law School yesterday evening and this morning are surreal. Yesterday in Non-Sequiturs we mentioned that a recent Mercer Law graduate, Lauren Giddings, was found dead. Decapitated.
UPDATE: We understand that the Macon police department is not confirming that the body is that of Lauren Giddings. As of now, she’s still listed as missing.
FURTHER UPDATE (7/12/11): It appears that the body found was that of Lauren Giddings. Read more here.
Understandably, this has put the Mercer Law campus on edge. Giddings had returned to school to study for the bar, and there are a lot of people there who are now worrying about their safety.
Even more disturbingly, Giddings’s neighbor, who is also a Mercer Law graduate, has been arrested on burglary charges.
And there are police dogs roving around campus looking for missing body parts…
Continue reading “Grisly Scene Developing At Mercer Law School”
* The defense rested in Casey Anthony’s case yesterday, and she didn’t even take the stand. Jose Baez is happy that he can quit breaking out his evidence flashcards. [CNN]
* Is it possible for computer software to practice law without a license? Only robot ethics law scholars will be able to give you the answer on that one, and I feel like those only exist in the Matrix. [CNN Money]
* Trademark infringement has been alleged in the case of the dueling DJs. Best resolution: a spin-off between Connecticut’s DJ Paulie and Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D. Yeaaaaaaah, buddy! [Register Citizen]
* Colorado pot activists are suing because new weed regulations allegedly violate the state’s constitution. But hey, at least this story gave me an excuse to turn on Sublime. [Washington Post]
* Attempting to force a sober woman in high heels to do sobriety tests on gravel is dumb. Especially when that woman’s husband is a lawyer. [News & Observer]
