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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

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GAG - Federal prosecutors in Washington say longtime Donald Trump confidante Roger Stone is violating a gag order by commenting about his case on Facebook and Instagram–and they want U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to set a hearing on the matter. Nate Robson reports that prosecutors argue Stone has violated the judge's gag order, which is a condition of his release in a pending criminal case, by posting comments about the Mueller investigation tagged to media outlets like the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN and the Wall Street Journal. You'll recall that Stone is fighting charges that he lied to congressional investigators probing Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, obstructed justice and tampered with a witness.

WORLDWIDE - Litigation funding is spanning the globe. John Kang reports that funder IMF Bentham Ltd. has launched a $500 million fund to underwrite disputes outside the U.S. The fund, called Fund 5, is the second non-U.S. fund for the Sydney-based company and comes just two years after it announced its first non-U.S. endeavor, which had an aggregate capital of about $115 million focused on investments in Australia, Asia, Canada and Europe. In April, IMF Bentham partnered with Boies Schiller Flexner to provide up to $30 million in funding capital toward Vietnam-related cross-border disputes. IMF Bentham has offices in Hong Kong and Singapore in Asia, as well as in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia.

REQUIRED - Hogan Lovells has introduced mandatory anti-bullying and harassment training for all of its U.K. staff, Meganne Tillay reports. The firms says the new program is part of its wider commitment to stop inappropriate behavior in the workplace. A recent survey of legal professionals by the International Bar Association showed that only 22% of respondents' workplaces provided anti-bullying and harassment training.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

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Fenwick & West Is Chock Full of Asian American Lawyers

Introducing ALM Young Professionals Network

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

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ON THE RISE - U.K.-based Fieldfisher has reported a 17% rise in revenue to about $307.4 million–its third successive year of double-digit growth. Hannah Roberts reports profit per equity partner rose by 7%. The latest figure marks a 94% increase in PEP since the firm's 2013-14 financial year.

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WHAT YOU SAID

“It's very, very dangerous that the courts start to take positions that appear to be partisan positions. That would be more destructive to the judiciary and the rule of law than anything.”

—  CHARLES BREYER, U.S. DISTRICT SENIOR JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA'S NORTHERN DISTRICT, COMMENTING AT A U.C. BERKELEY PANEL ON THE NEED FOR JUDGES TO  MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE FROM THE POLITICAL BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THESE DIVIDED TIMES.

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