Motel 6

* President Trump ordered White House Counsel Don McGahn to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing in the Russia probe — and Sessions, after not recusing and incurring Trump’s wrath, later submitted his signed resignation letter (which the mercurial Trump, who had told Sessions to resign, then declined to accept). [New York Times]

* Brazilian oil company Petrobras just announced a $2.95 billion class action settlement, which will be the largest settlement of a class action U.S. securities fraud suit this decade if approved (by Judge Jed Rakoff, so it’s not a foregone conclusion). [Corporate Counsel]

* Congratulations to litigation finance firm Lake Whillans, which just concluded a $125 million round of funding. [American Lawyer]

* Leigh Corfman, one of several Alabama women who accused unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore of sexual misconduct, is now suing Moore for defamation. [Washington Post]

* Speaking of defamation claims, the Trump tax bill contains some very bad news for plaintiffs in such cases (and tort cases more generally, it seems). [Slate]

* Tallahassee prosecutor Georgia Cappleman has thrown her hat into the ring for a judicial vacancy; what does this mean for the Dan Markel case, which she’s currently handling? [Tallahassee Democrat]

* The Motel 6/ICE mess has triggered a lawsuit against the company by Washington State’s attorney general. [ABA Journal]

* Journalist Roy Strom surveys the year ahead for Biglaw — and highlights Bruce MacEwen and Janet Stanton’s noteworthy prediction of a prominent U.S. law firm forming a joint venture with a “New Law” entity. [Law.com]