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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

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DUES BLUES - Paying bar dues is a drag, and the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the requirement that nonunion public-sector employees fork over their “fair share” costs for collective bargaining is spurring court challenges to those mandatory fees imposed on lawyers. Marcia Coyle reports that separate challenges are underway in Oregon and there's a pending appeal—revived by the justices—unfolding in the Eighth Circuit involving a challenge from North Dakota. Meanwhile, the president of the Texas state bar is raising questions about mandatory dues.

HMMPH - There's no pleasing some people. Ross Todd reports that proposed changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure regarding depositions of corporate representatives have irked both sides of the bar, it seems. The change would require parties to confer on the number of topics covered and the identity of each person an organization designates to testify. Among other things, plaintiffs lawyers don't like the limit on topics, and defense attorneys don't want to be boxed in early in the process on who will speak for the company.

MANAFORT MYSTERY - U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who foundthat former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort intentionally lied to the Robert Mueller team after agreeing to cooperate in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, is expected today to release a transcript of a previously sealed hearing regarding his breach of the plea deal. Jackson on Wednesday said prosecutors are no longer bound to the terms of the agreement and do not need to argue for a reduced prison sentence. Sentencing is set for March 13.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

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There Isn't Going to be an Elite Transatlantic Law Firm Merger

BIC Sparks Federal Investigation Into Alleged Counterfeit Lighters From China

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

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J'ACCUSE! French law firm Fidal is poised to file suit against KPMG after the accounting giant hired 144 of its lawyers, including 26 partners. Rowan Bennett reports that Fidal is expected to sue on the basis of unfair competition, based on either E.U. law that states a firm cannot abuse its majority position in a market or on a French civil liability law that allows companies to make cases for unfair competition.

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WHAT YOU SAID

“You don't have a double-digit increase in revenues and profits without having most of your strong assets performing extremely well.”

— JOSEPH LECCESE, CHAIRMAN OF PROSKAUER ROSE, ON THE 2018 PERFORMANCE OF THE LAW FIRM, WHICH REPORTED A NEARLY 10 PERCENT INCREASE IN GROSS REVENUE TO ALMOST $1 BILLION.

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