JD Journal » Jerry Brown

Morning Roundup

joshua — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:59:06 +0000

Good morning everyon! Today is Tuesday, August 24th. Here’s a quick recap of yesterday’s stories.

The “Tax Lady’ Roni Deutch was slapped with a $34 million lawsuit for fraud by California Attorney General Jerry Brown…

Dickstein Shapiro added two partners, previously from Patton Boggs…

The American Lawyer publication Corporate Counsel announced the top coporate law firms…

McCarter & English named a new managing partner…

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati added a partner, and expanded its Asia Practice…

Two principal members of Price Waicukauski & Riley were selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America…

‘Tax Lady’ Deutch Draws Wrath of Jerry Brown

joshua — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:41:28 +0000

“Tax Lady’ Roni Deutch was slapped with a $34 million lawsuit for fraud by California Attorney General Jerry Brown on Monday. The suit alleges Deutch’s law firm violated state law by making false claims of winning tax battles with the IRS.

According to Brown, who is the Democratic nominee for governor of California, Deutch’s firm advertises a success rate of 99 percent in tax disputes with the IRS, but in fact the amount of money her clients owe in taxes is reduced in just 10 percent of cases.

“She promises to significantly reduce their IRS tax debts, but instead preys on their vulnerability, taking large up-front payments but providing little or no help in lowering their tax bills,” Brown said.

Deutch is a frequent contributor on tax matters on such national networks as NBC, CNN, Fox and CNBC. Her firm is headquartered in suburban Sacramento. The Associated Press reports calls made to Deutch’s firm were forwarded to attorney Alexander Collins and were not returned immediately.

According to the suit, Deutch’s law firm makes at least $25 million annually and spends $3 million on advertising. It is seeking a preliminary injunction to block what it says are unfair business practices and false advertising, the AP reports.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:17:15 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Friday, August 13th. Here’s a quick look back at yesterday’s stories.

Baker McKenzie reported its revenues were flat but profits were up…

Ventricelli joined Capstone Advisory Group LLC as Managing Director…

The stay was lifted in California same-sex marriage ban…

Brinks Hofer laid off 18 workers this week…

Law Firm Best, Best, & Krieger was subpoenaed by the Attorney General’s office during its investigation of overpaid employees in the city of Bell…

A top compliance officer from BAE Systems joined Covington & Burling as a partner…

Stay Lifted in California Same-Sex Marriage Ban

joshua — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:46:47 +0000

A federal judge who last week ruled California’s same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional moved Thursday to suspend gay weddings until Aug. 18 at 5 p.m. The ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker allows opponents of same-sex marriage the time to gain a decision from the 9^th Circuit on whether gay marriage should allowed to resume, the Associated Press reports.

California voters banned same-sex marriage through Proposition 8 in November 2008. That came just months after the state Supreme Court had legalized same-sex unions, which resulted in an estimated 18,000 gay couples getting married in the state.

In his ruling Thursday, Walker said that proponents of the ban failed to convince him that anyone would be harmed by allowing same-sex marriages to resume.

“The evidence at trial showed, however, that Proposition 8 harms the state of California,” Walker said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who along with Attorney General Jerry Brown support same-sex marriage, said Judge Walker’s decision to lift the stay “provide all Californians the liberties I believe everyone deserves.”

According to the AP, the case will now go before a special “motions panel” that consists of three judges at the appeals court.

City Of Bell’s Former Law Firm Subpoenaed

todd — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:42:08 +0000

Law Firm Best, Best, & Krieger has been subpoenaed by the Attorney General’s office during their investigation of overpaid employees in the city of Bell. The firm gave the Attorney General, Jerry Brown, $5,000 towards his gubernatorial campaign.
Brow

Brown subpoenaed tax and salary records from the city of Bell, as well as records from Best, Bell’s former law firm.

Edward Lee, Bell’s city attorney, is accused of approving the super-sized salaries in Bell. Lee served as Bell’s city attorney. Among the large salaries in Bell is $1.5 million in annual pay and benefits to the city’s city manager.

According to financial documents, Best, Best & Krieger gave the Brown campaign $5,000 in March. Michael Cowett, an associate with Best gave Brown’s campaign $500 in March and associate Brant Dverlin gave the campaign $1,000 in April.

Sterling Clifford, the spokesman for the Brown campaign, told reporters that the firm is not being accused of unlawful activity.

California Supreme Court To Hear Arguments Regarding Gay Marriage Ban

Erik Even — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:18:37 +0000

Almost exactly one year after the California Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the right for gay couples to marry, many of the same lawyers will be back on Thursday to argue if the state’s recent same-sex marriage ban should stand or be revoked.

This Thursday, the Supreme Court will hold three hours of oral arguments from 9:00 AM to noon on three lawsuits aimed at overturning Proposition 8, the voter approved ban on gay marriage approved in November of 2008.

Lawyers representing-same sex couples – 18,000 have been married since last year – and a group of local governments will get 90 minutes to present their arguments. Those lawyers include Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Chief Deputy City Attorney Therese Stewart and Michael Maroko, a partner of Los Angeles lawyer Gloria Allred.

Sponsors of Proposition 8 have an hour. They are being represented by Pepperdine law school dean Kenneth Starr. California Attorney General Jerry Brown has declined to argue the state’s position. Deputy Attorney General Christopher Krueger will be arguing for the state.

Homophobes Attack California Attorney General

Erik Even — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:37:12 +0000

Sponsors of California’s voter-approved gay marriage ban accused Attorney General Jerry Brown of advancing a “far-fetched” legal theory to justify overturning the homophobic initiative. That bizarre theory? That the state Supreme Court has the power to overturn unconstitutional initiatives.

“The attorney general is inviting this court to declare a constitutional revolution,” reads a brief co-written by Kenneth Starr, dean of Pepperdine University’s law school. Starr previously exhibited his medieval moral code and complete lack of ethics as the independent counsel who investigated President Bill Clinton.

Brown initially said he would defend the measure in his role as attorney general. But in a dramatic reversal, he changed course two weeks ago and joined same-sex marriage supporters in asking the court to void Proposition 8, and to uphold the estimated 18,000 same-sex unions sanctioned during the four months gay marriage was legal in the state.

Brown argues that the amendment is unconstitutional because the Supreme Court established marriage as a fundamental right in its May decision striking down previous one man-one woman marriage statutes.

Starr and co-counsel Andrew Pugno maintain that the attorney general is asking the court to assume powers not granted by the Constitution. ”The judiciary is entirely a creature of the Constitution, not an independent, freestanding guardian of minority rights or natural law,” they wrote.

Brown responded that it was the sponsors of Proposition 8 who have misunderstood the role of the courts in a democratic society. ”Mr. Starr ignores the fundamental doctrine of judicial review and the historic duty of the Supreme Court to guard our fundamental liberties,” he said.

Lawyers for San Francisco and five other counties, as well as for gay couples who married during the four-month window, have asked the court to let stand the existing marriages even if it upholds Proposition 8.

Proposition 8′s sponsors have argued that the 14-word measure, which holds that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California,” effectively bars the state from acknowledging any same-sex marriages, regardless of when they were sanctioned.

The groups have yet to announce if they plan next to go after interfaith marriages, non-Christian marriages, interracial marriages, or marriages between people who cannot reproduce. All of these are also banned by The Bible.