law firm

Banks shun U.S. law firm trying to represent Russian lender VTB

The logo of VTB bank is seen at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 3, 2021. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Register

  • New York’s Brafman & Associates says it was already rejected by three banks and is asking others to facilitate client payments
  • The bank is fighting claims it helped send money to Russian separatists that allegedly shot down a plane in 2014

(Reuters) – Lawyers who have agreed to represent Russia’s sanctioned VTB Bank in U.S. litigation say a third bank has refused to work with them to handle legal fee payments, forcing them to request more time to enter the case.

Manhattan law firm Brafman & Associates has been trying since early June to formally sign on as defense counsel for VTB in a lawsuit claiming the bank facilitated payments connected with the 2014 downing of a Malaysia Airlines flight over eastern Ukraine.

International law firm Latham & Watkins said in April that it intended to withdraw from representing the sanctioned bank. The Brafman firm has said it cannot enter the case until it is paid.

Register now for FREE unlimited access
… Read the rest
July 25, 2022 by LAW

Murdaugh family saga: A timeline of death, alleged embezzlement and an insurance scam

Murdaugh family saga: A timeline of death, alleged embezzlement and an insurance scam

But now, the family has been closely connected to a bloody tragedy, allegations of embezzlement and a bizarre murder-for-hire plot to score millions in life insurance.

The latest blow to the family’s name came this week as Alex Murdaugh was indicted on a charge of murder for the 2021 killings of his wife and son.

So what were the twists and turns that led to this point? Here’s a timeline of everything we know about the Murdaugh family saga:

Over three generations, a member of the Murdaugh family has served as the 14th Circuit Solicitor, which leads prosecutions for Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties in the southern part of South Carolina.

Randolph Murdaugh Sr. was elected to the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office in 1920 and served in the position until his death in 1940.

His son, Randolph Murdaugh Jr., then took over the position and served until his retirement in 1986.

Murdaugh Jr.’s son, Randolph Murdaugh III, was then elected to the role in 1987 and served through the end of 2005. Alex Murdaugh is his son.

In 2006, then-Gov. Mark Sanford appoints attorney Duffie Stone to serve as the 14th Circuit Solicitor, making him the first non-Murdaugh
… Read the rest
July 23, 2022 by INSURANCE

Large U.S. law firms mostly quiet on abortion ruling, are walking a ‘tightrope’

June 26 (Reuters) – The largest U.S. law firms did not take a public stance following the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade on Friday, diverging from the approach of some major companies that have made statements on the closely watched abortion case.

The high court’s 6-3 Dobbs decision upheld a Republican-backed Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Many states are expected to further restrict or ban abortions following the ruling.

Reuters on Friday asked more than 30 U.S. law firms, including the 20 largest by total number of lawyers, for comments on the Dobbs ruling and whether they would cover travel costs for employees seeking an abortion.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Register

The vast majority did not respond by Saturday afternoon, and only two, Ropes & Gray and Morrison & Foerster, said they would implement such a travel policy.

Morrison & Foerster, with nearly 1,000 attorneys, was the only large firm to issue a public statement by Saturday afternoon.

The firm’s chair, Larren Nashelsky, said Morrison & Foerster would “redouble our efforts to protect abortion and other reproductive rights.”

The Dobbs decision has been expected since a

… Read the rest
June 30, 2022 by LAW

Cast Iron Drainpipes Latest Target in Florida Claims. But They Can Be Defended.

Cast Iron Drainpipes Latest Target in Florida Claims. But They Can Be Defended.
New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles!

A decade ago, it was questionable sinkhole damages that proliferated in Florida property insurance claims. More recently, “free roof” solicitations, roof claims and thousands of lawsuits have rattled the industry.

Now comes cast iron drainpipes, common in homes built before 1975.

The pipe systems have become targets for some of Florida’s largest plaintiffs’ law firms, according to insurance attorneys, adjusters and engineers. It’s possible the pipes could lead to many more claims and suits in coming years, after Florida lawmakers took action designed to reduce roof claims and litigation.

“We’re seeing patterns. Patterns in property claims,” said Cassandra Hand-Gallegos, adjuster and CEO with CCMS & Associates in Dunedin, Florida, who spoke last week at the Florida Defense Lawyers Association claims conference in Orlando.

“The biggest issue is not what’s going on inside the pipes, but what’s going on with the insurance claims industry,” said David Grindley, a forensic structural engineer who also spoke at the conference.

One recent television advertisement from Orlando-based Morgan & Morgan, which calls itself America’s largest injury law firm, for example, flashes large amounts of cash that may be available to homeowners whose dwellings are more than

… Read the rest
June 27, 2022 by INSURANCE

Change Is On the Way. Law Firms Are Getting Ready

Faced with inflation, a looming recession and increased global regulation, law firms are looking at a lot of uncertainty. Even those still enjoying high demand for their services and basking in the increased profits and revenue they’ve experienced in the past year, know that change is likely on its way. So they are getting ready, taking steps they hope will insulate them from whatever is to come.

There are many ways to prepare for the big changes ahead but perhaps the most dramatic step a law firm has recently made took place last week in Australia. There, the fast-growing firm Wotten + Kearney, which specializes in insurance law, announced it is selling a 30% stake in the firm to a private equity company.

The law firm, which has 57 partners and more than 300 lawyers, wants to raise money to expand geographically—both in Australia and in Asia. It also wants to attract top talent, capture new market opportunities and invest in legal tech. It could have raised money by listing on a stock exchange—a move taken by other firms, both in the U.K. and in Australia. Or it could have pursued traditional financing. But instead, Wotten + Kearney did what

… Read the rest
June 21, 2022 by LEGAL
December 2024
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031