Posts on ‘August 10th, 2009’

One common, but often unstated, perception working against senior job candidates is that they are not as technologically savvy as their juniors. Similarly, candidates who have been out of the job market for a while may not be as aware of changing trends affecting the legal profession. In this installment in their series for older attorneys making job transitions, consultants Valerie Fontaine and Roberta Kass discuss getting up to date on technology and trends, and communicating that knowledge to employers.

Although job losses stopped their steep decline in July and the national unemployment rate fell for the first time in over a year, the U.S. legal sector wasn’t spared another dose of bad news. According to a report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday, the legal services industry lost another 2,700 jobs last month, according to seasonally adjusted statistics. The 0.23 percent drop in jobs in legal services reflects the continued attrition of attorney and support staff jobs at Am Law firms.

Blank Rome has entered into a $20 million agreement with the trustee of a former client now in bankruptcy, American Business Financial Services, to settle a complaint alleging breach of fiduciary duty, professional malpractice and breach of contract. The settlement was approved by a U.S. bankruptcy judge for the District of Delaware on July 28. Blank Rome does not admit any liability or wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement, according to the agreement.

The most striking evidence against defense attorney Robert Simels, on trial for witness tampering, has been the recordings made by an undercover witness in which Simels repeatedly talks of the need to “neutralize,” “eliminate” or “kill” witnesses. But in discussions last week with about a dozen defense attorneys — who, like Simels, have represented gang leaders and accused murderers — Simels’ colleagues unanimously agreed that the use of violent language is often necessary or intentional.

The former chief financial officer for disgraced financier Bernard Madoff — long rumored to be cooperating with authorities — is expected to plead guilty to unspecified criminal charges, prosecutors said Friday. In a letter to a judge, prosecutors said Frank DiPascali agreed to enter the plea on Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan. The probable plea deal signals “more indictments are coming, and probably quite soon,” according to a former federal prosecutor now in criminal defense.

Linklaters has confirmed that it is facing legal action from at least one former employee relating to layoffs conducted earlier this year. The law firm restructured heavily through a global program dubbed Linklaters New World, under which the firm laid off some 400 people, about half lawyers and half business support staff.

The New York Times has lost its bid to obtain wiretap information related to former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s involvement in a prostitution ring. The federal law that permits disclosure of wiretap information on a showing of good cause does not allow disclosure based solely on the news media’s interest in publishing the information, the 2nd Circuit ruled on Friday. The panel also ruled that the Times did not have a First Amendment right to gain access to wiretap applications and related documents.

The confirmation of incoming Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has broken a logjam of presidential nominees for other legal posts. But the highest-level nominees — three circuit court nominees and four nominees for assistant attorney general positions — will likely be waiting at least another month.

In the movies, it seems that monsters are always up to no good — making mayhem or setting fires. But in a Philadelphia federal court last week, a couple dozen movie monsters made important new law and set significant precedents in the area of copyrights and trademarks that will help define the doctrine of “fair use” for years to come.