Bryan A. Lowe & Associates - Las Vegas Bankruptcy

(Daily Bar news) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:19:19 -0800

The firm was founded on a philosophy of service that not only emphasizes quality representation in terms of experience and expertise - but places a high value on initiating appropriate actions to meet the client's legal needs and objectives. Particular stress is also placed on providing individualized service and achieving results.

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Court rejects NH's claim to $110M malpractice fund

(Daily Bar news) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:16:00 -0800

The New Hampshire Supreme Court on Thursday put a dent in the state budget by rejecting the state's claim to $110 million in surplus from a fund that underwrites medical malpractice insurance.

In a 3-2 decision, the court upheld policyholders' claim they had a constitutionally protected contractual right to the money. The court said the state could not change its law to apply retrospectively to contracts with policyholders.

"I'm disappointed. I thought it was going to be a close call to begin with," said Gov. John Lynch. "We'll manage through it."

Lynch said the decision means the state will have to find $45 million over the next 17 months. He was not specific on what he will do.

Republicans, who are in the minority in the Legislature, have repeatedly called the state's claim an attempt to "steal" money from doctors and health care providers.

Ex-New Castle exec pleads guilty to insider trading

(Daily Bar news) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:16:00 -0800

A former executive at the New Castle Funds LLC hedge fund pleaded guilty on Wednesday to an insider trading conspiracy that also ensnared Galleon fund founder Raj Rajaratnam, but he is not cooperating with the investigation.

The executive, Mark Kurland, 61, is the eighth person to plead guilty in Manhattan federal court in the probe of illegal trading involving the earnings forecasts and mergers and acquisitions of some of America's best-known companies.

At New Castle, Kurland was a colleague of Danielle Chiesi, 44, who was indicted along with Rajaratnam last month. Rajaratnam and Chiesi have pleaded not guilty to the charges. All three were arrested on October 16 last year.

U.S. prosecutors said that recorded telephone conversations between Rajaratnam and Chiesi revealed that Rajaratnam, Kurland, Chiesi and a cooperating witness received information directly or indirectly from insiders and provided it to each other for trading purposes.

Pool maker Latham says court OKs bankruptcy plan

(Daily Bar news) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:17:00 -0800

Latham International, which makes swimming pools and parts such as liners, steps and ladders, said on Friday that a bankruptcy court approved a debt restructuring plan that will put the company into the hands of its lendersate Constitution through the initiative process.

Latham said it expects to come out of bankruptcy during the next few days.

The Latham, New York, company filed for bankruptcy in December in Delaware with a so-called prearranged plan in place that had the backing of the lenders that will now own it, including Littlejohn & Co, a private equity firm in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Court Upholds Ala. Man's Death Penalty

(Daily Bar news) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:17:00 -0800

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of an Alabama man who claimed his attorneys failed to present key evidence of his borderline mental retardation. The justices said the defense made a strategic decision, not a negligent omission.

Holly Wood shot and killed his ex-girlfriend as she slept in her Troy, Ala., home in 1993. Wood lost his appeal in state court, but won habeas relief in federal court. The district court criticized the defense for putting an inexperienced attorney in charge of the penalty phase. According to the federal judge, the state court's holdings constituted "an unreasonable application of federal law."

It ordered the state to either resentence Wood to life without parole or conduct a new sentencing hearing.The Supreme Court upheld the 11th Circuit's reversal, saying it wasn't "unreasonable" to conclude that Wood's attorneys had made a strategic decision not to introduce evidence of Wood's mental deficiencies.

"Most of the evidence Wood highlights ... speaks not to whether counsel made a strategic decision, but rather to whether counsel's judgment was reasonable - a question we do not reach," Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the 7-2 majority.

Probation for Ohio lawyer in green card fraud

(Daily Bar news) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:17:00 -0800

A federal judge in Ohio has ordered two years' probation for an immigration lawyer who illegally married to gain permanent U.S. residence.

U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frost issued the sentence Friday for Lillian Asante (uh-SAN'-tay), who must return to her native Ghana.

The 38-year-old Asante and her ex-husband, Kwadwo (KWAD'-woh) Asante each pleaded guilty in September to unlawfully entering into marriages to evade U.S. immigration laws.

Prosecutors say the Asantes married in Ghana, came to the United States in 2002 to earn advanced degrees, then divorced in 2004 and married U.S. citizens to obtain green cards while continuing to live as a married couple.

Frost also sentenced 40-year-old Kwadwo Asante to two years' probation. He also must return to Ghana.

Scott Rothstein law partners probed

(Daily Bar news) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:18:00 -0800

The Florida Bar is investigating at least 35 former senior lawyers in the now-bankrupt Fort Lauderdale law firm headed by Scott Rothstein, who was disbarred before he was criminally charged last month with using the firm to run a $1.2 billion investment racket.

The Bar confirmed to The Miami Herald Wednesday that it is examining whether those members of the former firm -- Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler -- lied about the amount of money in client trust accounts and whether they stole any of it.

Rothstein is scheduled to plead guilty Jan. 27 to federal racketeering, fraud and money laundering charges stemming from his massive Ponzi scheme, which was fueled with plundered client and investor funds.

Several of Rothstein's former partners have said they were unware of his scam, in which he used the law firm to sell bogus legal settlements to wealthy investors over the past four years.

L.A. Law firm suing China suffers attack

(Daily Bar news) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:18:00 -0800

Chinese software developers over the Green Dam Youth Escort monitoring program suffered several targeted attacks earlier this week, when documents containing malicious exploits were sent to attorneys, the firm stated late Wednesday.

On Monday evening, lawyers at the firm of Gipson Hoffman & Pancione received e-mails that appeared to have been sent by associates, the group said in its statement. The Trojan e-mail messages contained either links to Web sites or attachments and were specially constructed to retrieve data from the victim's computer or the company's server.

"The specific source of the attacks has not yet been determined, but it appears that they attacks were initiated within China," the firm said in its statement.

Last week, filtering software firm CYBERsitter announced that it had retained Gipson Hoffman & Pancione to sue the Chinese government, two Chinese software developers and seven PC makers for allegedly distributing its software code as part of the Chinese state-sponsored filtering and monitoring program known as Green Dam Youth Escort. The latest incident follows Google's announcement on Tuesday that it was considering pulling out of China following serious attacks on its networks that resulted in stolen intellectual property and the surveillance of human-rights activists in China.

Law firm mergers down 24 percent in 2009

(Daily Bar news) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:58:07 -0800

Last year, law firms chose to buckle down and manage their expenses instead of expanding their businesses with mergers and acquisitions, according to recently released data.

In 2009 there were 53 new law firm mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. That was down 24 percent over 2008’s total, according to a report from legal research firm Altman Weil MergerLine.

About 79 percent of 2009’s deals involved the acquisition of small law firms with 20 or fewer lawyers, per the report.

“This reflects law firms’ cautious approach last year, as most firms spent 2009 focused on internal issues of cost cutting, layoffs, and compensation adjustments in response to the Great Recession,” said Altman Weil principal Ward Bower, in a statement. “But we expect to see an uptick in 2010 as deals currently on hold pending 2009 year-end results are finalized.”

One of the big exceptions to that, which was cited in the report, involved Boston-based Bingham McCutchen, which acquired McKee Nelson, a 120-attorney firm, in August. Another big deal saw K&L Gates, which has a large presence in Boston, acquire Bell Boyd and Lloyd in January.

The biggest deal, per the report, was the merger of the U.K.’s Lovells LLP with Washington, D.C.-based Hogan & Hartson. When that deal is ultimately finalized in May of 2010, it will be the second largest law firm merger ever accomplished, forming a 2,500-lawyer firm, according to Altman Weil.

Quality Criminal Defense Law - Eugene, Oregon

(Daily Bar news) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:58:00 -0800

Located in Eugene, the Law Office of Max J Mizejewski defends clients throughout Southern Oregon and the Willamette Valley against criminal charges. Mr. Mizejewski provides an aggressive defense against state and federal prosecutors.

Mr. Mizejewski believes everyone's rights should be protected, and everyone deserves the best possible defense. If you have been charged with a criminal offense, you need to know your rights. We can defend you against your criminal charges, including the following:

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Drug Crimes - including possession, delivery, and manufacturing of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, designer drugs and prescription drugs
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For more information about Oregon criminal law, Oregon criminal courts, the criminal process, or to discuss your criminal charges with an experienced criminal defense attorney, please call 541-505-9872 or contact us online.