Federal Judge Hands Down $110K Penalty Against 2 Lawyers for AI Errors in Court Documents
A U.S. magistrate judge in Oregon fined two attorneys a total of $110,000 after their court briefs contained dozens of fabricated case citations and quotations generated by artificial intelligence. San Diego lawyer Stephen Brigandi was hit with $80,000 in attorney fees and $15,000 in fines, while Portland attorney Tim Murphy was ordered to pay $14,000. The judge dismissed the underlying lawsuit with prejudice, noting the defendants’ lack of candor and the plaintiff’s likely role in using AI. The penalty is the largest AI‑related sanction in the district’s history.
The Burton Book Review: A Discussion on ‘When You Come at the King’
The Burton Book Review launched its first podcast episode, featuring a conversation between former federal prosecutor Elie Honig and Yale Law professor Cecilia Silver about Honig’s new book, “When You Come at the King.” The interview delves into the book’s...
ABA Amicus Brief Supports Law Firms Targeted by Executive Orders
The American Bar Association filed an amicus brief supporting law firms that successfully challenged Trump‑era executive orders aimed at punishing them for representing disfavored clients. The brief argues the orders violate lawyers’ First Amendment free‑speech and associational rights, as well...
Techshow Attendees Dig Deeper Into AI Uses and Capabilities
The ABA Techshow 2026 in Chicago gathered over 2,000 legal professionals and more than 100 technology vendors to examine the latest generative AI tools for law firms. Attendees such as Duggan Bertsch’s chief innovation officer and LegalTech Hub’s data curation director used...
1 in 3 GCs Who Left Fortune 500 Companies Were in Role Less than 3 Years, New Report Says
A new Russell Reynolds Associates report analyzing nearly 500 Fortune 500 general counsels reveals that 58% of those appointed in 2025 were newcomers to the role. Of the 67 GCs who departed that year, 31% left within three years, and more...
The Burton Book Review: ‘Lawless’ by Leah Litman
Leah Litman’s 2025 book *Lawless* argues that the current U.S. Supreme Court is weaponizing originalist and fringe legal theories to advance a Republican‑driven conservative agenda. She details how the Court has dismantled abortion rights, chipped away at LGBT protections, restricted...
Failed Indictment of 6 Democratic Lawmakers Blamed on Jeanine Pirro-Picked Prosecutors
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro enlisted a dance‑photographer‑lawyer, Steven Vandervelden, to pursue criminal charges against six Democratic lawmakers who produced a public service announcement urging military and intelligence personnel to refuse illegal orders from the Trump administration. The indictment effort collapsed,...
Federal Judges May Address ‘Illegitimate Forms of Criticism and Attacks,’ According to New Ethics Opinion
The Judicial Conference’s Committee on Codes of Conduct released a new ethics opinion guiding federal judges on public commentary. It urges judges to favor reasoned discourse and avoid demeaning rhetoric when discussing controversial legal issues. The opinion permits judges to...
A Wave of Lawsuits Has Resulted From Online Comments After Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
The assassination of right‑wing activist Charlie Kirk sparked a cascade of legal actions targeting individuals and institutions that posted online commentary about the killing. A retired police officer in Tennessee was arrested for mocking the mourning and later filed a...
Senate GOP Aims to Reveal Companies Funding Lawsuits
Four Senate Republicans introduced the Litigation Funding Transparency Act, mandating that third‑party litigation funders disclose their identities and abstain from influencing case strategy or settlements. The bill targets firms such as Burford Capital, which can intervene in high‑stakes settlements like...
SCOTUSblog Founder Tom Goldstein Denies Tax Fraud Charges in Jury Trial Testimony
Tom Goldstein, co‑founder of SCOTUSblog and veteran appellate lawyer, testified in his federal white‑collar criminal trial in Maryland. He acknowledged mistakes in tax filings but denied the criminal tax‑fraud allegations brought by prosecutors, who say he failed to report $2.7 million...
US Attorney Appointed by Federal Judges in New York Abruptly Fired by Trump Administration
Donald T. Kinsella, a 79‑year‑old veteran litigator, was appointed U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York by a panel of federal judges. Hours later, a White House email informed him he was being removed, and Deputy Attorney General...