【he asks me to hang out then ignores me】Boies v. Billionaire, A Special Counsel Surprise?, Criminal Justice Revamp: The Morning Minute

Hi there. Law.com’s litigation editor Ian Lopez here with some news to help you get started for the day. Here’s a look at what’s under way.

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WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

BOIES BATTLE –

That escalated quickly. After Boies Schiller Flexner pursued a former client, billionaire Guo Wengui, for unpaid legal fees, the exiled Chinese tycoon

fired back

. On New Year’s Eve, Guo filed a malpractice complaint against Boies Schiller seeking $3.06 million. Guo’s suit also alleges Josh Schiller, son of a firm co-founder, made repeated derogatory comments. Now it’s a matter of who will budge next in litigation. David Boies said he’s putting Guo and his attorneys on notice to withdraw the “frivolous” suit or get stuck with costs for filing it. Guo’s attorney said that’s not happening.

MUELLER MYSTERY –

The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to rule soon on a

grand jury subpoena dispute

with apparent ties to the special counsel's Russia investigation. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. last month

temporarily stayed

enforcement of a subpoena targeting an unidentified foreign-owned company that was held in contempt by Washington's chief federal trial judge. All of

the documents

at the high court are under seal, including the company's Jan. 2 reply brief bolstering its case against the subpoena. Stay tuned.

RETURN FLIGHT –

The Ninth Circuit ordered a district court judge to

take another look

at the government’s alleged misconduct in awarding a woman her attorney fees in a yearslong fight to have her name removed from the “no fly” list. The en banc panel lambasted the government’s conduct, saying the government “played discovery games, made false representations to the court, misused the court’s time, and interfered with the public’s right of access to trial.” The fee fight now returns to U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco.

MAKING BAIL –

Criminal justice reform is more likely in New York as democrats take office,

Dan M. Clark reports

. State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, a Democrat from the Bronx, is the new chair of the Senate Codes Committee, which typically handles legislation involving changes to the state’s criminal procedure laws, like bail reform. He said he supports changing the state’s bail laws in an effort to make the criminal justice system fairer for low-income defendants. But any reform would likely be negotiated based on finer details. For instance, Republicans have argued that a blanket reform of the state’s cash bail system might pose a public risk if judges are forced to release defendants they might have otherwise kept in custody based on criminal history or other factors.

Story continues

EDITOR’S PICKS

Judiciary Committee Sets Hearing Date for AG Nominee William Barr

3rd DCA Chief Judge Dissents in Ruling Against RJ Reynolds in $15 Million Case

Disciplinary Committee Recommends No Charges Against Jerry Sandusky Prosecutor Frank Fina

Sheppard Mullin IP Honchos Take Standard-Essential Patent Battle to IoT, Automotive Disputes

Legal’s 2019 Tech Challenge: Getting Everyone on the Same Page

Despite Lifting of Some Russia Sanctions, GCs Cautioned to Remain Wary

Opioid Judge Stays Discovery Due to Gov't Shutdown

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

SINGAPORE STRETCH –

Singapore only began allowing foreign law firms to merge with local firms in 2012, and since then only a handful of combinations have taken place, with most overseas firms opting instead to form alliances in the city-state. Now the number of mergers has nearly doubled. K&L Gates and U.K. firm Withers

both announced new deals

as 2018 rolled into the new year, creating K&L Gates Straits Law and Withers KhattarWong—and both touting an expanded reach into one of Asia’s most successful economies.

WHAT YOU SAID

“In 40 years of litigation experience, I’ve never had a case where the party with the burden of proof provided no fact witnesses, zero. Every element of the offense was not proven, and could not be found as proven by the panel.”

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ATTORNEY DENNIS MCANDREWS

,

ARGUING BEFORE A THREE-LAWYER COMMITTEE

THAT THE MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST FORMER SANDUSKY PROSECUTOR FRANK FINA WERE SLIM AT BEST.

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