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Mind ethics rules in family disputes, VSB says
Meeting with childIf you represent a parent involved in a case of suspected child neglect or abuse, you may not have the option of interviewing the client’s own son or daughter without other lawyers present.
Lawyer contributions: Attorneys’ political giving leans to GOP
With Republicans effectively in control of the Virginia governorship and both houses of the General Assembly, lawyers have been leaning to the red side in making political campaign contributions this year. The trend holds even for trial lawyers, often seen as a financial backbone for Democrats. The Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, for instance, donated 61 […]
Virtual practice: Lawyers hanging a shingle in cyberspace
In Melissa Howell’s employment law practice, she rarely meets with her clients in her Norfolk office space. Instead, her clients prefer to work with her via phone and email or have her come to them, where she can access employment records and interview witnesses. Matthew Kaplan, who practices law out of his home in Arlington, […]
Specialty ad rules back to status quo
After announcing rule changes that would have barred lawyers from advertising credentials as specialists, then vacating the new rules a day before their effective date last fall, the Supreme Court of Virginia now has published a new set of lawyer advertising rules that preserves the status quo for specialty claims. In the latest set of […]
Attorneys, marketers hesitate to endorse LinkedIn endorsements
Brian D. Wassom has never done work on mergers and acquisitions. But someone recently endorsed him for the skill on social networking site LinkedIn. A slip-up like that is part of the reason marketing expert Allison C. Shields, president of New York-based Legal Ease Consulting a legal practice management and marketing firm, is “on the […]
Board certification claims still allowed
Lawyers upset about having to remove board certification credentials from websites and other advertising materials may have prompted the Supreme Court of Virginia to abandon its publicly announced revisions to lawyer advertising rules just two days before they were to take effect. In a Nov. 29 order, the court “vacated and set aside” its Sept. […]
Supreme Court reconsiders rules on lawyer ads
Just two days before new rules on lawyer advertising in Virginia were scheduled to take effect, the Supreme Court of Virginia abruptly dropped the planned revision. In a Nov. 29 order, the court “vacated and set aside” its Sept. 18 approval of modifications to the lawyer advertising rules. Those modifications were scheduled to take effect […]
VSB ethics panel scratches 2 LEOs
The Virginia State Bar Legal Ethics Committee has withdrawn two 1990 legal ethics opinions out of concern they might lead lawyers astray in matters involving powers of attorney. The two opinions – LEO 1313 and 1339 – take the view that a law firm hired to prepare a power of attorney is representing the attorney […]
No sanction for judge’s texts or courtroom visit
A judge’s appearance in the back of a courtroom to support a close personal friend did not violate Virginia’s judicial canons, the Supreme Court of Virginia said today. In a unanimous opinion, the court dismissed a disciplinary complaint against 6th Judicial District Judge Jacqueline R. Waymack, who sits in juvenile and domestic relations courts in […]
No sanction for judge’s texts or courtroom visit
A judge’s appearance in the back of a courtroom to support a close personal friend did not violate Virginia’s judicial canons, the Supreme Court of Virginia said today. In a unanimous opinion, the court dismissed a disciplinary complaint against 6th Judicial District Judge Jacqueline R. Waymack, who sits in juvenile and domestic relations courts in […]
Ethics case centers on lawyer’s conflict check
An Eastern Shore lawyer is fighting to overturn a Virginia State Bar admonition for failing to withdraw from representing a divorcing husband after the wife divulged confidential information to his law partner. The case highlights the risk of not having a database for easy conflict checks, even for a small law office.
Lawyers paying non-lawyer colleagues
Ethics experts and the lawyers they counsel have engaged in a long-running debate about how lawyers can compensate their non-lawyer colleagues. It’s been a contentious issue and a recent decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court highlights the continuing controversy. The Wisconsin Supreme Court held recently that a law firm could pay a paralegal a percentage […]
Verdicts & Settlements
- Woodshop incident leads to amputation of fingers — $1.3M settlement
- Motorcyclist’s foot amputated in collision — $7M settlement
- Contractor rear-ended on interstate on way to wedding — $825,000 settlement
- Man suffers back injury in crash with out-of-state driver — $530,000 settlement
- Driver crossed center line, struck 89-year-old’s vehicle — $1.2M settlement
- Jury returns defense verdict in favor of gastroenterologist
- Teens killed in T-bone collision with officer — $3.1M settlement
- Man sustained subdural hematoma in rear-end collision —$1.15M settlement
- Adequate anesthesia not provided during C-section — $2.5M verdict
- Tenant fell ill from mold in apartment — $588,000 verdict
- Woman suffers nerve injury, pain after dental procedure — $550,000 settlement
- Driver struck child exiting school bus — $750,000 settlement
Opinion Digests
- Suit over historic mansion and estate dismissed
- Former employee’s claims survive motion to dismiss
- Equal Pay Act doesn’t apply to applicant
- Court rejects invocation of attorney-client privilege
- Evidence supported competency determination
- Appellees had power to remove business manager
- No continuance after witnesses failed to appear
- No actual or constructive eviction in warranty case
- Gas distribution pipeline exempt from ZBA regulation
- Improper venue in air pollution regulation matter
- No benefits awarded in unemployment comp case
- No immunity for judge who personally oversaw search
