Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman, 96, asked a D.C. district court to revoke her suspension from hearing cases amid an investigation into her competency and conduct. The request follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal to hear a challenge to a patent ruling on the grounds that Newman was one of the judges who issued the decision.
Legal ethics …
The California Supreme Court adopted a lawyer “snitch rule.” Also, the Texas Supreme Court will consider whether to revive a state judge’s lawsuit against a judicial ethics panel that sanctioned her in 2019 over her refusal to officiate at same-sex marriage ceremonies.
Law firms in the news …
Paul Weiss became a target in a wealthy New York family’s long-running legal battle over the $258 million sale of a Manhattan office building. O’Melveny asked a federal judge to award more than $139 million in legal fees to American Airlines after its $1 antitrust trial victory. White & Case tapped partner Heather McDevitt as the firm’s next chair. McGuireWoods appointed several new office leaders in Los Angeles, Austin, D.C., Pittsburgh and Virginia.
Law schools …
Prominent civil rights attorney Sherrilyn Ifill is joining the faculty of Howard University School of Law to start a law and democracy program. Georgetown Law received a $30 million donation from a Taiwanese businessman, the largest in the school’s history. A longtime University of Colorado law professor sued the university and its law school dean alleging pay discrimination and retaliation.
MOVES
- In Washington, D.C. …
James Pittman, a former deputy attorney general for the District of Columbia, joined Holland & Knight’s business team as a senior counsel. A four-lawyer team of intellectual property lawyers left Dentons for Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.
- In New York …
Commercial litigator Peri Berger joined Saul Ewing as a partner from Harris Beach.
- In Boston …
Fox Rothschild hired Gesmer Updegrove partner Kevin Peters in its litigation department.
- In Dallas …
Dykema added healthcare attorney Jena Taft as a senior counsel in its commercial litigation practice group. Winston brought on litigation partner Stephanie Clouston from rival firm Alston & Bird.
- In Los Angeles…
Vedder Price added real estate attorney Gregg Bernhard from Seyfarth Shaw as a partner.
- In San Francisco…
Baker Botts hired IP partner Rachael Lamkin, who had run a solo IP practice since 2016.
- In Silicon Valley ….
Morgan Lewis hired the chair of Winston & Strawn’s Northern California corporate practice Khoa Do as a partner.
- In Minneapolis…
Husch Blackwell hired an energy-focused partner from rival firm Stoel Rives.
- In Chicago…
K&L Gates hired Christopher Lokken from Sidley Austin for its asset management and investment funds practice.
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Florida will not use the new version of the bar exam when it debuts in July 2026 — an early blow to the revamped test that the National Conference of Bar Examiners is currently designing.
Florida is the fourth-largest bar exam jurisdiction in the country, behind New York, California, and Texas, and it appears to be the first to make a public announcement about the format of the July 2026 test. Read more.
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