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Man posing as private investigator sentenced for defrauding law firms

U.S. District Judge John Keenan sentenced Michael Lair, 46, to a 27-month jail term for trying to sell sensitive case related information, which he actually never possessed.

Posing as the head of a web research firm Consumerdefense.com Inc. and a private investigator, Michael falsely claimed that he had access to critical information pertinent to sensitive cases. In the process, he defrauded more than a dozen law firms and their representatives of more than $300,000. At an earlier guilty plea hearing, Michael had confessed of defrauding firms of at least $200,000. Michael pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud.

Michael did not have a license to practice as a private investigator as required in the state of Montana. Moreover, in December 2002, his research business was involuntarily dissolved for being a company not in good standing.

Michael will have to pay more than $307,000 in compensation to his victims. The judge also ordered close monitoring of Michael's computer after his release.

04-23-2007

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Miers comes back home to Locke Liddell

Harriet Miers is rejoining Dallas-based Locke Liddell & Sapp, effective May 1. She co-managed the law firm prior to taking up the post of White House counsel in 2001. She will now work in the firm's public policy and litigation groups and will split her time between the Washington, Dallas, and Austin offices.

Miers has a longstanding association with President Bush. She began her career with Bush, as his personal lawyer, when he was the governor of Texas. She assisted him on his mission of cleaning up the Texas Lottery system. Miers served as chairwoman of the Texas Lottery Commission for six years till 2000. Then, she joined him in Washington as an assistant to the president and staff secretary. Later she climbed higher to become the Chief White House Counsel, a post from where she resigned, this January.

Besides these, Miers was the first female president of both the State Bar of Texas and Dallas Bar Association. She became the first female president in the law firm Locke Purnell Rain Harrell till it merged with another to become Locke Liddell & Sapp. Here she served as co-managing partner of the firm's 400 lawyers in five offices.

Jerry Clements, the firm's managing partner in Austin voiced the firm's enthusiasm in having Miers back in the firm and said "We are thrilled to have Harriet back home." To this, Miers responded "The Locke firm is like family," via phone.

04-20-2007

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Senate Panel to decide on Gonzales' fate

The Senate Judiciary Committee on the Capitol Hill will decide whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales continues his job or not.

Attorney Gonzales is presently under fire for his alleged involvement in the recent ouster of the U.S. attorneys. Democrats allege that the firings were party politics driven moves. On Thursday, a senate panel heard Gonzales in a daylong hearing. After the February firings, this was the Attorney General's first appearance under oath.

Incidentally, the furor over the expulsions rose when Gonzales' words, together with his White House aides' statements, became inconsistent over time. From complete denial of involvement to accepting responsibility, Gonzales has been shifting stands, prompting the panel to set a date to hear him out. The VaTech shooting incident delayed the hearing for two days.

The Republicans encourage Gonzales to be more assertive in his responses. Meanwhile, the Democrats feel that Gonzales leads the Justice Department with the attitude of a White House counsel, relying on his aides to make such vital decisions. Gonzales, in the meantime, refutes charges by Democrats that some of the firings were done to snuff the ongoing corruption investigations, to help Republicans.

The Senate side of the investigation is being led by the New York Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, who feels it's time to "move forward." One prominent supporter of Gonzales, Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, opines that "The sooner it's over, the better." Still others like Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, feel that Gonzales should not be apologetic and be "less gracious in his responses."

04-20-2007

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New York Lawyers Fund to pay record compensation to swindled clients

New York's Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection may create history in its 25-year existence by making a record reimbursement to the victims of dishonest lawyers. To compensate around 4,000 cheated clients of a Bennington law firm, the Fund is likely to shell out around $5 to $6 million.

In 1997, Andrew Capoccia set up a debt-reduction center in Colonie. Three years later, when he lost his law license, Capoccia sold the company to a group of Vermont lawyers. By 2003, the center was declared bankrupt. By the time it closed down, Capoccia's company lost a total of $24 million of client money.

The victims have claimed around $9 million in losses. The seized assets from the convicted attorneys value about $3 million. That means the compensation amount would be in the range of $5 to $6 million.

The Fund, at present, has about $7 million. However, it can appeal the attorneys for additional money. Out of each lawyer's two-year registration fee of $350, sixty dollars are kept aside for the Fund.

As the compensation will be spread out over a couple of years, the huge payout will not bankrupt the Fund. Secondly, the constant generation of the resources will also keep the Fund solvent.

Last year, the Fund made a payment of $7.1 million to the swindled clients of dishonest lawyers. Till now, the Fund has compensated a total of 6,103 victims around the New York state.

The highest payment that the Fund has made was more than $4.4 million in 68 separate awards in 2005 and 2006. The recipients of the reimbursement were the victims of disbarred Long Island lawyer, Jay Rosen.

04-19-2007

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NY Elder Law Attorneys form new firm

Lamson & Cutner, P.C. is a newly formed Elder Law firm in New York. Founded by Carole C. Lamson and David A. Cutner, two well-known NY Elder Law attorneys, said the firm will concentrate on the legal aspects of the elderly and disabled and their families. It will also emphasize on their Medicaid Planning and Asset Protection related issues. Besides these, the firm will also help the elder with issues on Home Care; Pooled Income Trusts and Community Medicaid; Medicaid fair hearings; negotiations with Medicaid and Re-Certifications; Wills and Estate Planning; Probate and Estate Administration; and Guardianships among others.

Both Lamson and Cutner are prominent and highly experienced attorneys in the field. Lamson has over 17 years of experience and is active on the Committee on Elderly and Disabled of the NY State Bar Association's Trusts & Estates, as well as the Elder Law Section. Cutner has been practicing in the field in NY since 1971. Besides representing clients in Elder Law services issues, he has also had the experience of serving as a court-appointed guardian.

04-19-2007

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Move to get insurance jobs for minority and women-owned law firms

The National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) has launched an initiative to make the U.S. insurance industry aware about the talent in minority- and women-owned law firms.

In the words of NAMWOLF's Associate Director Yolanda Coly, outside counsel services cost billions of dollars to the insurance industry every year.

The major focus of the Association's initiative is to see that women- and minority-owned law firms get proper representation in the insurance industry's panel counsel lists. The Association is confident that once women- and minority-owned law firms get an access to these assignments, it will give a boost to the amount of legal work awarded to them.

The NAMWOLF initiative will not only give a realistic opportunity to the women- and minority-owned firms to compete for insurance jobs, it will also be beneficial to the insurance industry in getting cost-effective services.

04-18-2007

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Chadbourne & Parke opens office in Dubai

Global law firm Chadbourne & Parke, LLP, is opening its office in Dubai on May 1. With this, the firm is returning to the UAE after a gap of 14 years.

Former Chadbourne partner Jack Greenwald will head the firm's Dubai office. Greenwald has practiced law in Dubai for more than two decades.

Chadbourne's decision to open a Dubai office is a part of the firm's emerging marketing strategy. Over the years, the firm has witnessed growth in its client relationships in the Middle East. The firm decided in favor of Dubai in view of the strategic importance of the UAE border, the firm's continuing work over there, and the emirate's growth as a world financial center.

The operations from Dubai office will help Chadbourne & Parke in serving its clients in Gulf States, Turkey, North Africa, and Sub-Sahara Africa more cost-effectively.

In addition to Greenwald, the firm's Dubai office will initially have eight other lawyers.

04-18-2007

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