Legal Ethics

Hugh Rodham was cleared by the Florida Bar of violating rules of legal ethics in pocketing $400,000 from two convicted felons after successfully lobbying his brother-in-law, then-President Clinton, to pardon them, the Miami Herald reported. Rodham, 50, a Florida lawyer, requested pardons for convicted drug trafficker Carlos Vignali and businessman Glenn Braswell, and collected $200,000 from each of them after the pardons were granted.

  The Judicial Council of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals opened a misconduct review of Montana's chief federal District Court judge for forwarding a racially charged email about President Obama from his courthouse computer. Judge Richard F. Cebull asked for the review as calls mounted Thursday for his immediate resignation. Legal ethics experts predicted the incident would result in a public admonishment. The judge, appointed byPresident George W. Bush12 years ago, maintained after the email became public that it was meant to be seen as anti-Obama and not racist, but added, "I can obviously understand why people would be offended.

The attorney defending W. Patrick Moriarty on federal charges of public corruption withdrew from the case Friday on grounds that he can no longer represent the Orange County businessman because of a problem of legal ethics. Donald H. Heller, a Sacramento lawyer who has represented Moriarty since his Nov. 8 indictment on charges of racketeering and mail fraud in connection with the licensing of a poker club in the City of Commerce, refused to elaborate on his reasons for withdrawing.

The first military tribunal of a terrorism suspect at Guantanamo Bay since President Obama was elected is a lose-lose proposition for the accused, a Saudi suspect who has been in U.S. custody for nearly a decade. If convicted of directing the bombing of the U.S. destroyer Cole in October 2000, Abd al Rahim al Nashiri could be sentenced to death. But even if he is acquitted of all charges, he can be held indefinitely as an "enemy combatant. " The unusual proceeding, which opens Wednesday at the prison in Cuba, highlights a continuing legal and ethical dilemma for the Obama administration.

Former Associate Atty. Gen. Webster Hubbell is to be sentenced today. Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr charged that Hubbell stole "at least" $394,000 from his law firm and his clients by charging them for personal expenses and billing them for hours not worked. Hubbell, who once chaired the ethics committee of the Arkansas Bar Assn., admitted these allegations when he pleaded guilty in December to two felony charges.

Although the legal profession is full of people known for their rhetorical excesses, even lawyers face limits on what they can say. No lesser authority than the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that lawyers must watch their remarks in an attempt to assure fair and just trials. But in California--the only state that has not adopted American Bar Assn. rules on lawyers' comments--the line between fair comment and foul play is often murky. So it is no surprise that the latest comments from O.J.

For most of their law school careers, the students in professors Michael Asimow and Paul Bergman's class have studied subjects like constitutional and commercial law. Today, however, they're tackling something different--Tom Cruise and Cher. In "Law and Popular Culture," a weekly, three-unit elective course at UCLA, students use film, television and literature to help examine the role that the law plays in popular culture and vice versa.

A decade ago, Pope John Paul II told Father Robert F. Drinan that he must choose between the priesthood and serving in Congress. The collar that Drinan still wears speaks of his choice. In his office at Georgetown University Law Center, Drinan pulls out a thick volume of church law and reads aloud: "No priest or nun may hold any office. . . ." "They changed canon law after my case," he says. "Now, it's very clear. They legitimized their preference.

Americans hate lawyers because they charge too much, and earn way too much. Because they are ruthless adversaries and feckless allies. Because they engage in double talk, manipulate the judicial system for their own ends and leave people feeling abused. Because they hide behind noble-sounding ideas--"serving justice"--while playing a meaner game. Take lawyer jokes as a source of insight instead of laughs. Americans regard lawyers as base and disloyal (Q: Why don't snakes bite lawyers?

Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is working to repeal what she believes is President Obama's "unconstitutional law" regulating health insurance, an issue likely to be decided by the high court. "With the U.S. Constitution on our side and the hearts and minds of the American people with us, freedom will prevail," says a position paper posted on the website of Liberty Central, the group formed by Virginia Thomas this year to advance conservative principles and candidates.

Gay and lesbian judges may preside over gay-rights cases and rule on same-sex marriage disputes as long as the jurists are not attempting to marry their partners, according to the nation's top experts in legal ethics. But ethicists disagree on whether retired federal judge Vaughn R. Walker, 67, should have disclosed his 10-year relationship with his partner before presiding over the challenge to Proposition 8, the 2008 California ballot measure that reinstated a ban on same-sex marriage.

Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, may be stepping down as president of Liberty Central, a group she founded last year that worked with "tea party" activists to elect more conservatives to Congress. She has long been active in conservative politics in Washington, including serving as an aide to former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) and as a liaison between the Heritage Foundation and the George W. Bush administration. Thomas founded Liberty Central with the goal of restoring the "founding principles" of limited government and individual liberty.

Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is working to repeal what she believes is President Obama's "unconstitutional law" regulating health insurance, an issue likely to be decided by the high court. "With the U.S. Constitution on our side and the hearts and minds of the American people with us, freedom will prevail," says a position paper posted on the website of Liberty Central, the group formed by Virginia Thomas this year to advance conservative principles and candidates.

Nevada Sen. John Ensign's wealthy parents gave his mistress and her family $96,000, the conservative lawmaker revealed Thursday, an admission that further darkened his once-bright career and caused even allies to question his continued effectiveness as a U.S. senator. The gifts to Cynthia Hampton; her husband, Doug; and two of their children were made "out of concern for the well-being of longtime family friends during a difficult time," said a statement from Ensign's attorney.

The gig: Founder and chief executive of LRN, a Los Angeles firm with offices worldwide that helps companies manage their legal compliance, ethics education, environmental innovation and social responsibility. He also wrote the book "How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything." Hard knocks: Seidman grew up dyslexic, shy and chubby. He also grew up rootless.

In recent days, the Los Angeles city attorney race has been dominated by one issue: Whether Carmen Trutanich, a San Pedro attorney and former prosecutor, will disclose the identity of his former clients. His opponent, City Councilman Jack Weiss, has repeatedly asked for this disclosure. Trutanich has refused. I have endorsed neither candidate and, as a resident of Orange County, have given no thought to whom I would vote for in this race.

A sweeping overhaul of the legal ethics code for lawyers faltered in the governing body of the American Bar Assn., as opponents argued that the nation's largest lawyers' group risked violating the trust between lawyers and clients. Facing likely defeat in the ABA's policymaking wing, lawyers who backed the proposal withdrew the most contentious issue. The proposed change would have given lawyers more latitude to report wrongdoing by their clients.

In recent days, the Los Angeles city attorney race has been dominated by one issue: Whether Carmen Trutanich, a San Pedro attorney and former prosecutor, will disclose the identity of his former clients. His opponent, City Councilman Jack Weiss, has repeatedly asked for this disclosure. Trutanich has refused. I have endorsed neither candidate and, as a resident of Orange County, have given no thought to whom I would vote for in this race.

A Republican senator is trying to muscle Atty. Gen.-designate Eric H. Holder Jr. into promising not to conduct "witch hunts"-- code language for criminal prosecutions -- of intelligence operatives who engaged in torture during the Bush administration. It's an outrageous demand, and it would be unethical for Holder to accede to it. Sen.

A former U.S. military prosecutor at Guantanamo, who accuses his superiors of suppressing evidence, refused Thursday to testify in a war crimes case unless he is granted immunity. Army Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld, who was called as a defense witness, revealed a day earlier that he had quit over what he called ethical lapses by prosecutors. His action has sent ripples throughout the U.S.