Suspension for Attempting to Buy Off Witness
The Louisiana Supreme Court suspended New Orleans lawyer Donald R. Pryor for a year and a day for attempting to buy off a witness. See In re Pryor, No. 2015-B-0243 (La. …
Don’t Swerve Your Car at a Judge
The New Mexico Supreme Court publicly censured a lawyer for intentionally honking his car horn at a judge crossing a street, and then recklessly accelerating toward the judge “in a …
Does a Provider of Divorce Forms Practice Law?
In August of 2014, Anthony Lowery wanted a divorce. But he didn’t want a lawyer. So he turned to Divorce Source at www.3stepdivorce.com. Divorce Source contends that it is a …
Louisiana Lawyer Sanctioned for Comment About “Menopause”
Louisiana lawyer Camilo Salas was sanctioned by a federal district court for an “improper and personally offensive comment” made to defense counsel during a deposition. See Order, Cruz-Aponte v. Caribbean Pet. …
Court Expands “Fraud” Exception to Peremption in Louisiana Legal Malpractice Cases
Under Louisiana legal malpractice law, an aggrieved client must file suit within three years of the lawyer’s alleged act of malpractice, and within one year of actual or constructive knowledge …
Lawyer Invokes Common Law Right to Trial by Combat
Staten Island lawyer Richard A. Luthmann, after being sued by an opponent, invoked his “common law right to Trial By Combat as against Plaintiffs and their counsel.” See Reply Affirmation of …
Is Overtime Pay Required for Contract Lawyers Who Do Mindless Document Review?
Maybe so. In September 2014, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed a lawyer’s claim against his former employers for overtime pay that he believed he had accumulated …
Is an Unethical Agreement to Share Fees with a Nonlawyer Enforceable?
The West Virginia Supreme Court recently considered whether a nonlawyer who worked with a lawyer on toxic tort cases could “share the benefits half/half, 50/50.” See Rich v. Simoni, No. 14-0998, …
Can a Plaintiff Who Gets a Discount from a Doctor Recover the Full, Undiscounted Amount from the Defendant?
The Louisiana Supreme Court may soon answer this question. In Hoffman v. 21st Century N. Am. Ins. Co., No. 2013-CA-0054 (La. Ct. App. 1 Cir. Mar. 27, 2014), the Louisiana First Circuit Court of …
Keep the Judge You Have
On June 5, 2015, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana suspended a New Orleans lawyer from the practice of law in the district for conduct …