New England Biz Law Update

Lawyers grapple with implications on future cases

Growing numbers of in-house lawyers have reason to fret they might find themselves in the crosshairs of a criminal or civil fraud case. Over this past year, 11 general counsel (a record number) have been charged with civil or criminal fraud by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The overall number of lawsuits filed against companies is down to 2005 levels, and companies are relying less on outside counsel than two years ago, according to a recent survey of corporate litigation trends conducted by Fulbright & Jaworski. The fourth annual survey looked at litigation trends from the perspective of in-house counsel.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently heard arguments in a case involving the tension between an individual’s right to a jury trial in an employment bias case, and the strong public policy favoring enforcement of arbitration agreements. In St. Fleur ...

Last April at our inaugural In-House Leaders in the Law event, we honored 15 corporate counsel who demonstrated exemplary leadership skills – both on the job and in their communities. In-house lawyers in the region, joined by outside counsel from ...

New Associations Kenneth L. Allen has been appointed vice president and general counsel at Boston Bread, a franchise of Panera Bread. Ronald J. Ciardiello has joined the legal search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa as managing director in the Boston ...

A CVS customer was entitled to damages after his name and address were taken from a prescription list and used as part of a mailing campaign without his permission, according to a recent ruling by a Massachusetts Superior Court judge. ...

The issue of federal preemption of state claims is a hot-button topic in the nation’s capitol. As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to take on the question in several cases this term, lawmakers recently held a hearing on whether federal ...

Armed with two U.S. Supreme Court decisions delivered in April, environmental attorneys have asked courts across America to force utility companies and automakers to tighten pollution controls. But decisions in lower courts since the landmark rulings have offered a mixed ...

Three Nevada women recently won the biggest verdict yet in the ongoing hormone replacement therapy litigation against Wyeth – convincing a jury the company knew its drugs caused breast cancer but failed to test them or warn patients about the ...