Latest news with #legalprofession
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Veteran B.C. lawyer disbarred, found ‘ungovernable' by law society, again
A veteran Kamloops, B.C., lawyer has been disbarred for the second time in just over a year after the provincial law society once again found him 'ungovernable' by the standards of the profession. Nickolaus Harold MacDonald Weiser was suspended at least a half-dozen times in his legal career before he was first disbarred from practising in March 2024. The official reprimands did not appear to slow him down, however, prompting a Law Society of B.C. panel to issue a second disbarment decision this week and order him to pay more than $6,700 in costs. The disciplinary panel found Weiser's behaviour 'illustrated culpable neglect for his duties as a lawyer,' the law society said in a statement Wednesday, after the latest ruling was delivered. Because Weiser was already disbarred once before and has not been reinstated by the regulator, he is considered a former member of the law society. But that doesn't protect him from further professional repercussions, according to the tribunal's decision. 'Discipline over former members is an important part of maintaining the public's confidence in the legal profession,' the decision says. 'Former members cannot avoid discipline by simply ceasing their membership and avoiding the consequences of their misconduct.' The society suspended Weiser multiple times between 2021 and 2023, eventually handing him a three-month suspension for practising while suspended and failing to co-operate with investigators. In June 2022, he came under investigation for allegedly using a trust account to disguise proceeds he had earned from an unlicensed cannabis business, according to the society. Then in February 2024, Weiser was suspended for eight months for failing to act with integrity, and acting in multiple conflicts of interest. Weiser was first disbarred last year after he was found to have committed at least six instances of professional misconduct, including breaching accounting rules, using a trust account for personal financial benefit and making misleading representations about his conduct to the law society. 'In addition to misleading the law society during the investigation, as to conceal the misuse of his trust account, Weiser set out to document a fabricated narrative about legitimate loans in order to prevent the law society learning about or investigating the misconduct,' the professional regulator said in a March 2024 statement. In its most recent decision, the panel said it was at a loss to explain Weiser's continued failure to adhere to its disciplinary orders. The former lawyer did not participate in the hearing process, neither in person nor in writing. 'There is some indication of mental health concerns, but no evidence submitted to explain the delay,' the decision says. Weiser began practising law in B.C. in 1984. In 2023, a custodian was appointed by the B.C. Supreme Court to manage what remained of his practice.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Justice Department tells American Bar Association it will no longer comply with ratings for judicial nominees
FIRST ON FOX— The Justice Department on Thursday formally notified the American Bar Association that it will no longer comply with its ratings process for judicial nominees, the result of what it argues is a biased system and one that "invariably and demonstrably" favors nominees put forth by Democratic administrations. The letter, sent by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to ABA President William R. Bay, was previewed exclusively to Fox News. It marks the latest escalation in a protracted legal fight that Republicans have waged against the nation's largest association of legal workers. "For several decades, the American Bar Association has received special treatment and enjoyed special access to judicial nominees," Bondi said in the letter. "In some administrations, the ABA received notice of nominees before a nomination was announced to the public. Some administrations would even decide whether to nominate an individual based on a rating assigned by the ABA." The Justice Department said in the letter that it will no longer grant the ABA the "special treatment" and first access it has received for years. "Accordingly, while the ABA is free to comment on judicial nominations along with other activist organizations, there is no justification for treating the ABA differently from such other activist organizations and the Department of Justice will not do so." It also ended an Office of Legal Policy that directed judicial nominees to provide waivers allowing the ABA access to non-public information for nominees, including bar records. "Nominees will also not respond to questionnaires prepared by the ABA and will not sit for interviews with the ABA," Bondi said. The Trump administration's decision to excise the ABA from the judicial nomination process comes after several Republican senators on the Senate committee tasked with vetting judicial nominees told the ABA in a letter earlier this year that they planned to ignore its rating system. The ABA, established in the late 1800s, has grown into a sprawling organization that touts a membership of over 400,000 legal workers. But it has sparked criticism from Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, previously blasted the ABA as a "radical left-wing advocacy group." He and others on the panel previously took aim at the group for embracing so-called "woke initiatives," including its heavy use of diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI efforts, in many facets of its work. This is not the first time Republican administrations have broken with the ABA. The George W. Bush administration ended the practice of giving the ABA a first look at nominees, and Trump also did so in his first presidential term. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top Paul Weiss lawyers leave firm after Trump deal: Report
Four top lawyers at Paul Weiss said Friday they would depart from their roles as partners at the law firm to form their own practice. 'We were disappointed not to be able to tell each of you personally and individually the news that we have decided to leave Paul, Weiss to start a new law firm,' Bill Isaacson, Jeannie Rhee, Jessica Phillips and Karen Dunn said in an email message to the firm late Friday afternoon, according to the New York Times. The four are widely respected for their legal ventures, which span from representation of corporations including Alphabet, Apple and Amazon to campaign prep for former Vice President Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Their move comes weeks after Paul, Weiss opted to provide $40 million in pro bono work on causes backed by the administration and to hire an outside expert to audit its hiring and employment practices. 'We are grateful to Bill, Jeannie, Jessica and Karen for their many contributions to the firm. We wish them well in their future endeavors,' the firm said in a statement to The Hill. Brad Karp, the chair of Paul Weiss, led the firm in solidifying their agreement with President Trump resulting in a lifted executive order that would have stripped the law firm of its security clearances. Several other law firms targeted by the executive action sought similar deals, agreeing to the Trump administration's terms in an effort to bypass retaliatory measures. Critics slammed the deal as a 'horrible message' being sent both to the legal profession and the public's belief in the justice system. Prominent attorney Mark Zaid said at large by Paul, Weiss made a 'decision to simply capitulate in fear rather than stand up for the rule of law and the ethical principles that guide lawyers.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Nominations Open For America's Top Lawyers 2025
Nominations are now open for Forbes' list of America's Top 250 Lawyers for 2025. The second-annual iteration of the list spotlights elite practitioners across the country, from all specializations, at the pinnacle of the profession. America's Top 250 Lawyers is open to attorneys in private practice with impressive track records, who are lauded in the legal marketplace, and who have demonstrated outsize influence in their specialties. Selected lawyers will be well-respected by peers, clients, judges and the community. Some may have been part of the most consequential and seminal cases and legal trends in recent years. Others have emerged as leaders in their fields. Many on our list may have name recognition; others are making their mark in more subtle ways. All have a track record of success. Our experienced editorial team vets candidates through a curated research and selection process as well as through nominations and recommendations. If there is an attorney you believe should be on Forbes Top 250 list, please use the following link to submit candidates by July 18: Nominations will be reviewed by our editorial team and requests for additional information may be sent to those moving forward in the process. *Please note that this list is entirely merit-based and qualitative— there is no fee to participate and candidates cannot pay to be listed.* Any questions about submissions or the upcoming list should be directed to lawyerlist@
Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Solicitors clash with Cilex over ‘chartered paralegal' title
A rumbling row between solicitor leaders and their legal executive counterparts over terminology is threatening to explode into a full-scale public battle. Last week the Privy Council approved an amendment to the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives' (Cilex) royal charter, allowing use of the title 'chartered paralegal' — a coup for the institute's leaders. Yet they barely had time to celebrate before the Law Society raised objections, warning that the public was bound to be confused. Cilex says that the 'chartered paralegal' title will be used by members who had been working in a legal role for at least five years and can demonstrate 'extensive legal knowledge and competence across key duties and behaviours'. Officials have also launched a public register of those making the
