In the News: Judge Shreds Thompson Memo

Federal judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York excoriated US attorneys for violating the Constitutional rights of former KPMG partners by pressuring KPMG to cut off legal fees provided under the terms of their partnership agreements. Kaplan said, “KPMG refused to pay because the government held the proverbial gun to its head.” Prosecutors had used the Thompson Memo to justify their actions.

This is a huge victory for the justice system and validates ACC's position that government prosecutors have gone too far in their tactics to get convictions. Kaplan concurred saying that the government has "let its zeal get in the way of its judgment."


See ACC's press release

Review Judge Kaplan's ruling.

In the News: I won't torture you!

No, wait, yes I will!

From law.com: Sen. John McCain thought he had a deal when President Bush, faced with a veto-proof margin in Congress, agreed to sign a bill banning the torture of detainees.

Not quite.

While Bush signed the new law, he also quietly approved another document: a signing statement reserving his right to ignore the law. McCain was furious, and so were other lawmakers.

Read the full story.

Top 10 Mania!

Two weeks ago, ACC launched its new Top 10 feature with "Top 10 Things Your Board Needs to Know About Effective Compliance and Ethics Programs." Since then, it has been one of the most visited pages on the site.

Today, law.com features its own take on the Top 10 phenomenon, with "10 Ways to Encourage Discrimination and Harassment Claims." Yes, you read that right...

Do you have an idea for a top 10 list? Let us know.

In the News: What Can You Get for $600 an Hour?

Well, apparently, there really aren't that many things you can pay that much for at an hourly rate. The Fulton County Daily Report's "The Snark" says: "I'd sum it up this way: Scarcity + Boring Specialty = Big Bucks." Read this column, which take a humorous approach to why some in-house counsel go for the big dollar legal talent and what they expect to get for their money. (Blue-crab fritters and truffled macaroni and cheese, anyone?)

In the News: Rock, Paper, (you guessed it!) Scissors

Apparently annoyed about the inability of opposing attorneys to come to agreement on anything, a federal judge ordered them to engage in a "rock, paper, scissors" face-off. Read the story on law.com.

On a somewhat more serious note, Corporate Counsel explores the role of in-house counsel in China. If the article doesn't sate your need for information on this topic, you should check out ACC's initiatives in China.

In the News: SEC vs. In-house Lawyers?

In an article from California Lawyer, David Bayless (former head of the SEC's San Francisco office) proclaims that the SEC "has signaled its intention to focus on so-called 'gatekeepers,' including investment bankers, outside auditors, underwriters and attorneys." He then goes through some specific cases in which lawyers were targeted by the SEC. Bayless also warns that "disclosure issues" are the ones to watch out for. Find out why...