Trial attorney Rogge Dunn has filed a lawsuit in Dallas County against FindLaw for alleged fraud and misrepresentation of services the company provided for the new Rogge Dunn Group, PC firm website.

According to Dunn, FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business, promised to create a website with content he would own, and conduct SEO services. Instead, he says the website FindLaw proposed contained only basic images and stock language that didn’t align with the business objectives of his law practice.

In a release from Dunn’s firm, he said discovered that FindLaw, and not the Rogge Dunn Group, is the owner of the content, “which forces the firm to start from square one should it decide to build a new website.” The release also said that, after entering into the contract, Dunn learned that if he failed to renew his FindLaw contract, the company would basically “flip a switch” and un-tag the attorney, eliminating any benefit for the 12 months of SEO.

Dunn says FindLaw rejected his attempts to find a solution.

“When you hire a big company, you expect them to live up to their representations and the work they promised,” said Dunn. “Instead, all I have encountered has been a series of misrepresentations compounded by bureaucratic and corporate indifference.”

In his lawsuit, Dunn said, after interviewing a number of website developers, he was prepared to hire an alternate company, but a FindLaw salesperson talked him out of the decision by falsely claiming the other company had a poor reputation.

The case is Rogge Dunn vs. FindLaw, West Publishing Corporation, a/b/a FindLaw, Super Lawyers, and LawInfo, and Kevin Donahue at al. in Dallas County Court.

Jackson Walker has added Elizabeth Carol Freeman and Michelle Rosenblatt as partners in the Houston and Austin offices, respectively. In addition, the firm added Jason C. Rodgers as senior counsel in the Fort Worth office.

Freeman has more than 20 years’ experience in bankruptcy practice with out-of-court workouts and complex bankruptcy and reorganization matters. Prior to joining Jackson Walker, She was the permanent law clerk to the Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.

“Liz’s significant experience with chapter bankruptcy proceedings and workouts, her strong work ethic, and her strategic and savvy approach to legal issues are just some of the reasons why she is a very valuable member of our team,” said Houston partner Bruce J. Ruzinsky, who heads the Bankruptcy practice group.

Freeman is Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and received her J.D. from Baylor Law School. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and American Inns of Court.

Rosenblatt, who concentrates on U.S. and international tax, estate, and wealth preservation planning, joined the Wealth Planning practice.

“Michelle is recognized as an expert in tax, estate, and wealth preservation and speaks often on such topics in the U.S. and overseas. Adding Michelle to the group enhances JW’s ability to serve high net-worth individuals and family offices seeking comprehensive wealth preservation services across domestic and international borders,” said Sam K. Hildebrand, Austin partner and head of the Wealth Planning practice group. “We are fortunate to welcome her as a partner in Austin and look forward to working with her to develop creative solutions for our clients.”

Outside the office, Rosenblatt teaches the course Financial Methods for Lawyers at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. She received her J.D. from Pepperdine School of Law and has been admitted into the Texas and California Bar Associations. Michelle is actively involved in the Austin Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, and the Texas Bar CLE.

A former member of the Division of Enforcement at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Jason Rodgers helps clients navigate and defend SEC and other government agency investigations, and assists companies addressing whistle-blower issues. He also has a background in complex commercial litigation, with experience in civil disputes over securities fraud, mortgage-backed securities, private equity partnership disputes, and public contracts.

“Jason is a brilliant attorney, deeply skilled in SEC enforcement practices, and, most importantly, is a high-character person. He is a perfect fit for Jackson Walker and exactly the type of person we were looking to help us build our white collar practice,” said Jay Dewald, chair of the White Collar Defense & Government Enforcement practice. “I am very pleased to welcome a former SEC enforcement attorney of his caliber. His understanding of the Commission’s priorities, personnel, practices, and regulations will benefit our clients greatly—both those facing such investigations and those seeking to avoid them.”

Rodgers received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, where he served as associate editor of the Texas Law Review. Following his graduation from law school, he clerked for the Honorable Jacques L. Wiener Jr., United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

International law firm Brown Rudnick announced that it has named the first-ever 1L Social Mobility Diversity Fellow, W. Lydell Benson Jr.

In a release, the firm said the Fellowship is aimed at first-year law students who are also the first members of their family to graduate from college. The Fellowship provides the recipient with an opportunity for substantive work and professional development experience, as well as a significant scholarship.

Benson is a first-year law student at George Washington University Law School and will be working in Brown Rudnick’s New York office as a summer associate.

“This Fellowship program really resonated with me and demonstrated a true commitment to diversity and providing opportunities to people of all backgrounds,” Benson said. “When I was searching for opportunities, this Fellowship caught my eye not just because it was a great opportunity to get hands-on work experience with a prominent law firm, but also because it was the first time I had come across a law-firm diversity program targeting those who are the first in their family to graduate from college. I take a lot of pride in being the first in my family to graduate from college. My family and the people in my community are really proud of me, too.”

The firm said the 1L Social Mobility Diversity Fellowship is a holistic program to support students during their time as a summer associate at Brown Rudnick and throughout the academic year. Benson will work on a wide variety of matters as an integral member of client teams. He is also eligible to receive a scholarship of up to $22,500, in addition to his summer associate compensation.

Once Benson returns to school in the fall, he will continue to have regular check-ins with Ari Joseph and his recruitment champion, partner Jeff Jonas. Brown Rudnick will arrange for Benson to attend firm events, holiday parties, networking events and professional development training throughout the year. The firm will also provide financial support for academic groups Benson is involved in at George Washington University Law School.

“As I am also the first in my family to graduate from college, I am particularly passionate about this Fellowship program,” said Ari Joseph, Director of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity at Brown Rudnick. “The challenges that such an individual must overcome can be overwhelming, and are often overlooked or underestimated. This unique Fellowship is focused on the problem of social mobility and economic inequality, as well as diversity. It is truly a one-of-a-kind program and Lydell is the perfect choice for our first Fellow.”

Benson will work alongside 10 other Brown Rudnick summer associates who come from law schools across the country: Richard Darst, Meghan McCafferty, Maureen Sweeney, Samuel Toomey, Korey Wilson, Yarelyn Mena, Ijeoma Ozoma, Erio Vignali, Matthew Lambros and Mona Goodarzi. Brown Rudnick’s 2018 summer associate class begins May 21.

First-year law students can find more information about the 1L Social Mobility Diversity Fellowship here. Questions should be referred to Brown Rudnick’s Legal Recruitment Department  at recruiting@brownrudnick.com.

Akerman LLP has added transactional partner Irán Hopkins in Los Angeles, as well as real estate associates Daphna Davidovits and Claudia Fu, with office headcount tripling to 37 lawyers and business professionals since 2015.

Formerly at Ervin Cohen & Jessup, Hopkins, Davidovits and Fu join Akerman’s Real Estate Practice Group and Cannabis Practice, the first legal team created by a national law firm to serve the legal cannabis sector, according to a release by Akerman.

“Clients value Iran for her ability to advance and protect their interests by structuring and negotiating often complex transactions in efficient, creative ways,” said Eric Rapkin, chair of Akerman’s Real Estate Practice Group. “She is a trusted advisor and her arrival enhances our ability to serve clients across a wide range of asset classes.”

“Iran is a talented transactional lawyer respected in the community for her forward-thinking work and exceptional client service across industry sectors, including sports and entertainment,” said Sue Zabloudil, Los Angeles office managing partner. “We are proud our Los Angeles office continues to attract outstanding lawyers and business professionals such as Iran, Claudia and Daphna, with unmatched dedication to the success of our clients and the firm.”

“Iran enhances the breadth and depth of Akerman’s service offerings in an industry where the regulatory framework is at a very nascent phase,” said Jonathan Robbins, chair of the Cannabis Practice. “Her experience in California and internationally will add tremendous value to clients involved in the full spectrum of market activities that make the cannabis sector so successful.”

“We are delighted to join the Akerman team and very much look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues to expand our reach and better serve clients from a national platform,” Hopkins said.

With Hopkins, Akerman’s Los Angeles office has added five partners since December into the firm’s innovative CalEdison DTLA office space. Arrivals include real estate financing partner William Bernfeld from K&L Gates, employment partners Jeffrey Horton Thomas from Thomas Employment Law Group and Michelle Lee Flores from Cozen O’Connor. Partners Kanika Corley in the Litigation Practice Group and Caroline Mankey in the Intellectual Property Practice Group also joined the Los Angeles office, both arriving from Sedgwick LLP.

In addition to Hopkins, Davidovits, Fu and Bernfeld in Los Angeles, Akerman recently added Joni Armstrong Coffey as partner in Miami from the Broward County Attorney’s Office, partners Marilyn Mullen Healy and Jim Porter in Tampa, Fla., from Adams & Reese, and a leading team of land use and zoning partners in Chicago led by veteran lawyer John “Jack” George from Schuyler, Roche & Crisham. Other recent additions to the firm include veteran M&A partner Ted Rosen from Fox Rothschild and Corporate Finance and Lending Practice Co-Chair Robert Stein from Kirkland & Ellis in New York and Austin, Texas, Office Managing Partner Todd Reed from Reed & Scardino, whose combined financial services and development experience bolsters Akerman’s transactional strengths.

Hogan Lovells has appointed Burkhart Goebel as the new global head of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, as of 1 July.

In a release, the firm said the IP practice at Hogan Lovells represents more than 50 percent of the world’s top 100 brands. The team comprises 400 IP professionals worldwide who advise on the entire life cycle of IP assets – covering contentious and non-contentious trademark, domain name, patent, copyright and trade secret matters, as well as IP transactions. The team works across numerous sectors, and is particularly active in TMT, automotive, energy and life sciences.

Burkhart Goebel commented: “Our Intellectual Property practice is truly first class. We work on some of the most complex and high profile matters globally – such as the recent Eli Lilly patent dispute in the UK Supreme Court, LEGO copyright dispute in China and SABIC joint venture with ExxonMobil in the U.S. The intellectual property of a global brand has never been more critical to business growth, innovation and survival – this is an exciting time to be leading the team and we are grateful to Andreas for his leadership, passion and commitment over the last 15 years.”

Current head of IPMT Andreas von Falck, who headed the practice since 2003, will remain at Hogan Lovells and continue with his active portfolio of client work. Burkhart Goebel will stand down from his current role as Continental Europe Managing Partner. His replacement will be announced in due course.

The national defense firm of Foley & Mansfield announced that it has opened an office in Denver, Colorado, to accommodate regional and national clients in commercial litigation and insurance defense matters.

The office will be led by Dustin J. Priebe, a litigator licensed to practice in Colorado and California.

“We have been closely examining our opportunities to expand in the Denver area and are extremely pleased to see our plan come to fruition with Dustin’s involvement,” says founding partner Kyle Mansfield. “His energy and experience will be a tremendous asset to our clients and to the firm.” “It is a enormous opportunity to participate in the firm’s expansion into the Denver and greater Colorado area,” adds Priebe. “With a healthy business climate and great standard of living, I see ample opportunities to better serve clients and continue to expand our footprint in the region.”

This is the third office the firm has opened in the last two years, in addition to Kansas City and Indianapolis, the firm said in a release. Foley & Mansfield now has 14 offices across the U.S. The new Denver office is located at 7887 E. Belleview Avenue, Suite 1215, Englewood, Colorado 80111.

Veteran Beijing-based lawyers James M. Zimmerman and Scott J. Palmer have joined Perkins Coie’s Beijing office as partners. Zimmerman will join the firm’s Business practice, and Palmer will join the Intellectual Property practice.

In a release, the firm said the two have worked in China for most of the past three decades.

“It’s a significant gain for the firm to welcome Jim and Scott, two esteemed lawyers who bolster our growing teams in Beijing and Shanghai,” said Michael House, Managing Partner of Perkins Coie’s Beijing office. “Their exceptional experience and impressive track records in China further our ability to counsel our clients—particularly U.S. companies—in the transactional, regulatory, trademark, litigation and e-commerce areas.”

Geoffrey Vance, Managing Partner of Perkins Coie’s Shanghai office, adds: “The addition of Jim and Scott is a game-changer for Perkins Coie China and further demonstrates our commitment to maintaining a tier-one China practice and growing our offices here.”

Zimmerman previously led Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP’s Beijing office and has worked in the country since the late 1990s. He counsels U.S. companies across a broad range of industries on corporate, transactional, regulatory and litigation matters. He has experience with M&A, labor and employment and dispute resolution as well as with investments related to joint ventures, manufacturing, liquidation and dissolution.

He is the Chairman Emeritus of the American Chamber of Commerce in China and has served as its chairman and vice chairman on multiple occasions. He is the lead author of the ABA China Law Deskbook, a legal reference for companies doing business in China. He is regularly recognized as one of China’s leading business lawyers in the categories of Chinese Law, Dispute Resolution and General Corporate Law in the AsiaLaw Leading Lawyers Survey, and the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers for Arbitration, and as a Leading Individual in the category of Corporate/M&A for foreign law firms in China in the AsiaPacific Legal 500: The Guide to Asia’s Commercial Law Firms. Zimmerman earned his J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law, and received his M.B.A. and B.A. from the University of California, Irvine.

Scott also joins Perkins Coie from Sheppard Mullin, where he was a partner. Fluent in Mandarin, he has spent his entire legal career in China beginning in the early 2000s. He advises clients on in-bound China IP enforcement, particularly with trademark, copyright, trade dress, patent and unfair competition matters involving IP. Scott manages IP portfolios for large multinational companies, including registration, prosecution, acquisition, maintenance, licensing, enforcement, and litigation of IP rights. His practice also includes customs registration/enforcement of IP, and the enforcement of IP on e-commerce sites, in social media and on mobile apps in China. Scott regularly advises on technology transfers, brand development and advertising, cross-border registration and enforcement of IP, complex IP litigation, as well as product quality and product approval/registration compliance for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and health foods. Scott also advises technology and telecommunications companies on Internet regulatory, Internet governance, and cyber security matters involving China.

Palamer was listed in Chambers Global and Chambers Asia as a Leading Lawyer (Intellectual Property) for 2018, and has been listed each year since 2011. He also has been listed as a Leading Individual by the World Trademark Review (2010-2018) and is recommended by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2016-2018). Scott earned his J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, and received his B.A. from Northern Arizona University.

“As our offices in Beijing and Shanghai have grown in recent years, we’ve seen a sharp increase in clients seeking specialized assistance as they enter or expand their presences in those markets,” said John Devaney, Firmwide Managing Partner. “Jim and Scott’s knowledge and experience after many years in China address our clients’ growing needs in Asia when it comes to investments in a wide array of matters including joint ventures, banking and finance, evolving regulations, data privacy, cryptocurrency and IP enforcement.”

Also joining them at Perkins Coie will be a team of associates, paralegals and support staff.

eSignLive by Vasco has published a paper discussing how to mitigate legal risks of electronic signatures and increase enforceability by leveraging e-signatures when moving business processes online.

The paper can be downloaded from the company’s website at no charge.

The ESIGN act, recognizing the legal validity of electronic signatures, has been in effect for over 10 years. It governs the minimum requirements for legal electronic and digital signatures. Moving business process online and leveraging e-signatures is not entirely without risk.

This paper outlines the top six legal risks to be aware of, and how to prevent fraud, repudiation and increase admissibility and compliance when executing transactions digitally.

The company says a well-designed process, supported by electronic signature technology, can actually reduce the legal risks and increase the enforceability of e-transactions compared to paper processes.

Download the paper.

SecureDocs has introduced NDAworks, which is designed to help companies manage non-disclosure agreements.

The company says on its website that NDAWorks helps manage the signing, tracking and storing of a company’s NDAs from a central, secure location.

By utilizing agreement templates, built-in electronic signature, and custom document tagging, a legal team can save time and remain in control of every single NDA issued by the organization, the developer says.

The company is offering a free 14-day trial.

Learn more about NDAworks.

A federal judge in New Jersey has criticized Samsung Electronics America and its lawyers at Squire Patton Boggs for alleged “poor judgment and a misunderstanding” of their obligations in litigation involving two would-be class actions, reports the ABA Journal.

At a status conference in November, Squire Patton Boggs partner Philip Oliss told the judge that his firm was having “an incredibly difficult time in terms of the turn-around between here and Seoul, Korea.”

U.S. District Judge William Martini said Oliss’ representation is “as if his firm of over 1,500 lawyers (including several located in Seoul) and its client, a giant multinational conglomerate, were restricted to Eighteenth-century lines of communication.”

Read the ABA Journal article.

Just 16 months after joining the $22.5 billion payments company Square as general counsel, Hillary Smith stepped down from the role, reports Business Insider.

Smith joined Square in 2016 with an $8 million compensation package. She’ll stay on as an employee at the company through September to manage the transition, according to reporter Becky Peterson.

“It’s unclear why Smith is stepping down. She did not respond to a request for comment and Square would not provide details about the change in its top legal post, which will be occupied by Sivan Whiteley,” Peterson writes.

Read the Business Insider article.

Bloomberg Law is reporting that a federal magistrate judge recommended the dismissal of a lawsuit that accuses Reed Smith LLP and Clark Hill PLC of using baseless lawsuits, discovery delays—and even thuggish private eyes—to help a client conceal its criminal activities.

Reporter Samson Habte writes that the recommendation could bring an end to one of several high-stake lawsuits that LabMD Inc. is pursuing against cybersecurity firm Tiversa Inc. and some of the nation’s largest law firms.

In a lawsuit, LabMD accused former U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP of trying to prevent a whistleblower from revealing Tiversa hacked LabMD with “FBI surveillance software” it got from Buchanan.

The suit also claimed that Reed Smith and Clark Hill helped Tiversa cover up Tiversa’s allegedly criminal activities. “The firms allegedly did so by bringing baseless defamation suits that drained LabMD’s resources, and by using private investigators to intimidate and silence the whistleblower,” according to Habte.

Read the Bloomberg article.

Gauri Prakash-Canjels, Ph.D. has joined Litigation Economics, LLC as a principal in its Washington, DC office.

In a release, the firm said Prakash-Canjels has worked on more than 150 cases, including intellectual property, antitrust, breach of contract, natural resource damages, personal injury and other matters. She is a seasoned expert and has served as an expert in federal and state courts as well as mediation and the Federal Trade Commission hearings, according to the firm.

Prior to being a principal at Litigation Economics, Prakash-Canjels was a consulting director at Brewer Attorneys and Counselors (formerly, Bickel and Brewer). She was a managing director and founding member of GreatBridge Consulting, Inc. Prior to founding GreatBridge Consulting in 2012, Prakash-Canjels was a principal at The Kenrich Group, a national business and litigation consulting firm.

Her background includes academic, corporate, economic consulting, and non-governmental organization positions.

Law firm partnerships fiercely guard against disclosing what they pay their principals, points out Bloomberg Law. But partners must disclose compensation when opting for a government appointment.

“Top partners at major law firms can earn between $3 million to $10 million, according to compensation experts, while even career government lawyers with long service records rarely make more than $250,000,” writes reporter Elizabeth Olson.

As an example, the article reports that Dan M. Berkovitz, a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Door, listed $1.18 million in partnership income for 2017 and a few months of 2018. Berkovitz was recently appointed one of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s commissioners.

And Robert Khuzami created waves a few months ago when he disclosed $11.1 million in partnership income over about a year’s period as a partner in Kirkland & Ellis’s white-collar practice. He is a deputy attorney general in the Southern District of New York.

Read the Bloomberg article.

Michelle E. Litteken of PilieroMazza PLLC writes that releases have proven to be the double-edged sword of government contracting.

“In some cases, a release can prevent a contractor from successfully submitting a request for equitable adjustment or a claim to the Government,” she explains. “At the same time, a prime contractor can use releases to its advantage—requiring a subcontractor to sign releases during performance and at contract closeout. These releases can be used to easily defeat subsequent subcontractor claims if a dispute arises. Contractors should be familiar with releases in both contexts and use this knowledge to make releases work to their advantage.”

Read the article.

The language in a forum selection clause is critical if you want to ensure that potential litigation takes place on your “home court,” writes Shep Davidson in the Burns Levinson In-House Advisor blog.

“Indeed, as the defendants in Genis v. Campbell recently learned, having a less than all-encompassing and precise forum selection clause can lead to unintended results,” he writes.

Defendants in that suit tried to invoke a forum selection clause in a license agreement and in an employment agreement that would have kept the litigation in Ohio, but the plaintiff prevailed in having the case processed in Massachusetts. The Superior Court found that the suit seeks redress for alleged misappropriation of intellectual property, not covered by the two agreements.

Read the article.

Because there is no single definition of what circumstances are force majeure, parties to a contract must agree upon what will be considered force majeure for purposes of that contract, advises Elizabeth A. Whitman for Whitman Legal Solutions, LLC.

Writing in the Whitman blog, she says that the parties should work with their attorneys to determine what types of circumstances should be listed given the nature of the specific contract.

“Parties to a contract generally agree that it isn’t fair to require performance of a contract in accordance with its terms if certain uncontrollable or extraordinary situations arise.  Therefore, many contracts include in them what are known as ‘force majeure clauses,’ which relieve all parties to a contract from performing under certain extraordinary circumstances,” she explains.

She lists some examples of conditions that might be included in a definition of force majeure.

Read the article.

Above the Law reports on the possibility — really speculation — that  special counsel Robert Mueller could be looking into connections between Squire Patton Boggs and Donald Trump’s lawyer/fixer Michael Cohen.

Editor Kathryn Rubino points out that the firm has distanced itself from Cohen, saying that he “maintained his independence, was not an employee of the firm, and did not maintain files or bill clients through the firm.”

“But the revelations that have come to light about Cohen’s shell company, Essential Consultants, and the money collected from big-name companies for access and insights into the Trump administration have cast a pall on the Biglaw firm,” she writes.

Leading the speculation is Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti, who has said that the apparent reason the firm cultivated a relationship with Cohen was to supplement its lobbying business.

Read the Above the Law article.

The new director of the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer protection unit, a watchdog with broad investigative powers over private companies, stands out even in an administration prone to turning over regulatory authority to pro-industry players, reports The New York Times.

Andrew M. Smith was part of the legal team that in 2012 defended AMG Services, the payday lender founded by the convicted racketeer Scott Tucker, whose predatory practices against impoverished borrowers eventually led to a $1.3 billion court-ordered settlement, the biggest in the commission’s history, , according to reporters Glenn Thrush and Jack Nicas.

Because of his representation of companies like Facebook, Uber and Equifax, banks, lenders and credit-reporting agencies — all companies with matters before the commission — he will have to recuse himself from dozens of cases.

Read the Times article.

The New York lawyer caught yelling racist comments at Spanish-speaking restaurant workers in a viral video was treated like a pariah by fellow attorneys at a Queens court Thursday, lawyers there told The New York Post.

And Aaron Schlossberg will have to find a new place to work because his landlord kicked him out of his office space after the video went public.

Schlossberg was in court Thursday representing Queens medical center Aimes Enterprises Inc. — a day after footage emerged of the lawyer threatening to have workers at a Manhattan eatery “kicked out of my country.”

The NY Post article quotes two lawyers who were in court that day: ““I was taken aback that he would have the balls to come to court in front of all of his colleagues after his crazy outburst.” And: “Why would he do that? His reputation will be shot. What a dope!”

Read the NY Post article.