Desiree Bernard, a member of the Carribean Court of Justice, discusses her rise through the male-dominated legal profession in Guyana. . . . . A Texas legislator proposing bills to reduce asbestos lawsuits is employed by a firm hired by defendants in asbestos cases. Some are claiming a conflict of interest, but if it's out in the open, what is the conflict? . . . . An FBI investigation into fen-phen (more here and here) lawsuits has led to accusations that a non-lawyer was paid to recruit clients for a Jackson, Mississippi law firm. . . . . The Judicial Conduct Board in Pennsylvania will consider charges that a judge improperly tried to have his wife appointed to the bench. . . . . Denise Howell, at Corante, is asking for clearer rules on what constitutes permissible lawyer advertising in cyberspace. . . . . Wen Ho Lee, who was accused of spying, is now pursuing a civil suit against the government for violations of the Privacy Act, and his attorneys have asked the court to deny any privilege to the journalists who covered the story. The existence of a journalist's privilege under federal law is being intensely litigated in several cases right now. . . . . Foreign law firms are setting up shop in the San Francisco Bay Area. I wonder if they're licensed. I know that there is some movement afoot to use the federal power over trade relations to essentially by-pass state regulation of foreign lawyers. Anyone out there want to point me to a good summary of that? Laurel Terry, a law prof at Penn State Dickinson School of Law, is an expert on that topic. . . . . Economic pressures are leading to fewer new barristers in Liverpool and environs. The article says that falling legal aid rates for family law and criminal cases makes it more difficult to be a barrister. . . . . Here's more criticism at the Sri Lankan reforms that may make it hard for the lower socio-economic classes to enter the legal profession.
UPDATE: in a development that parallels the shortage of barristers in Liverpool due to lower rates for family law matters, the Santa Clara County (San Jose) Bar Association is asking larger Silicon Valley law firms to provide associates pro bono to represent some of the over 70% of family law litigants who currently appear without lawyers. (sub. req'd)