JD Journal » florida bar association

Morning Roundup

joshua — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:30:35 +0000

Good morning! Today is Wednesday, January 27, and here’s a look back at Tuesday’s news…

Bass Berry promoted seven to partner and added ten associates…

Vinson & Elkins expanded its middle east practice with the addition of two laterals…

A prison ban on Dungeons & Dragons was upheld by the 7th Circuit…

Happy days are here againat Chadbourne & Parke…

Seyfarth Shaw added one to its IP practice…

A Florida firm is suing over the fraudulent copying of its website…

A former AG has been retained by a private school to help block UMass from opening a law school…

Wilmer Hale adds a former deputy director of the SEC…

And the Florida Bar sent its members a request for donations for Haiti relief efforts…

Florida Bar Asks Lawyers to Donate to Haiti Relief

sara — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:29:46 +0000

The Florida Bar sent an email to its 88,000 members on Thursday, asking them to make a donation to the victims of the Haiti earthquake. The email provided a web link to the American Red Cross. Bar President Jesse Diner and Francisco Corrales, head of the Bar’s international section said in the email, “The people of Haiti need our help. As Florida’s legal community, we have an opportunity to assist the people of Haiti in their recovery and rebuilding efforts”.

A proposal was also made to donate a portion of registration fees for the International Law & Arbitration Conference on February 12 at the Conrad Miami Hotel. Several Florida law firms are also collecting donations and organizing fund-raising for relief in Haiti.

Rothstein Disbarment Official

joshua — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:31:41 +0000

In an update to this story, Scott Rothstein, the Florida lawyer accused of running a massive ponzi scheme, has been officially disbarred. Although he submitted his request to the Florida Bar Association earlier this week to have his license stripped, it did not become official until action was taken by the State Supreme Court. The Florida Bar has removed Rothstein from a grievance committee that considers ethics complaints against lawyers as well.

Rothstein also lost his seat on the Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission. Governor Crist, who appointed Rothstein to the seat a few days before Rothstein donated $140,000 to the state Republican Party, suspended him on Tuesday. There is no requirement that a member of the commission be a lawyer. The Republican Party, along with several individual politicians, has returned the donation.

Scott Rothstein Requests Disbarment

joshua — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:51:52 +0000

Bowing to the inevitable, Scott Rothstein has formally requested his own permanent disbarment. The south Florida lawyer whose firm has dissolved under a cloud of scandal after a ponzi scheme run by Rothstein came to light sent the Florida Bar a written request to be disbarred rather than face a certain disciplinary hearing. In what can only be called a monumental understatement, the president of the Bar, Jesse Diner, said “”While the case is very complex, it became evident that bar rules may have been violated”.

Rothstein is accused of selling investors shares in structured settlements that did not exist.