Posts on ‘November 18th, 2008’
Corporations as Victims, and Other Trends From the Credit Meltdown
During his 12 years as a federal prosecutor in Chicago, Patrick Collins tried, and won, 20 criminal cases. Collins joined the corporate investigations practice at Perkins Coie’s Chicago office in March 2007, just about when the subprime mortgage market began unraveling. He describes some courtroom trends developing from the credit meltdown, including claims brought by sophisticated corporations of malfeasance by financial institutions.
New York U.S. Attorney to Join Kirkland & Ellis
Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia informed the Justice Department on Monday that he will step down effective Dec. 1. Garcia, who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005, will join Kirkland & Ellis. Deputy U.S. Attorney Lev Dassin will head the office until President-elect Barack Obama names a successor.
Sutherland’s Chandler Joins Wife at King & Spalding
Last week John A. Chandler retired from Sutherland to — as he put it — consider the next phase of his life. Meanwhile, his wife, Elizabeth Tanis, left Sutherland for King & Spalding in hopes of bigger opportunities for her accountancy liability practice. On Monday, after a 36-year career at Sutherland, Chandler joined King & Spalding as a partner at the firm. Chandler said both he and Tanis had been in talks with King & Spalding, but his move was delayed by issues of client conflicts.
Defense Community Rallies Behind Attorney Indicted in Money Laundering Case
As indicted attorney Ben Kuehne’s legal costs continue to rise, the Miami legal community is hosting a fundraiser and has created a legal defense fund to help out their colleague. Kuehne was indicted in 2007 for alleged money laundering in connection with his vetting of legal fees for attorney Roy Black, who was representing Colombian drug kingpin Fabio Ochoa. The indictment stunned the Miami legal community, where Kuehne is well known and admired.
Calif. Appeals Court Revives Transgender Inmate’s Claim Against Prison System
Breaking new ground in California, a state appeals court has ruled that prison guards owe inmates a special duty of care, potentially exposing prison officials to negligence suits. The subject of Friday’s unanimous decision has been addressed by other states and federal courts, but never before in California. The ruling revives a suit by a transgender woman who said she was raped repeatedly while being held in Folsom State Prison in 2006.