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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

DEFAMATION WARS – Attorneys representing right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and families of the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting are due to appear before the Connecticut Supreme Court today. The court is considering Jones' motion to dismiss a 2018 defamation suit the families filed against him that alleges the Texas-based host of InfoWars helped perpetuate a conspiracy theory that the December 2012 shooting that killed 26 people was a hoax that never happened. Jones has invoked a state anti-SLAPP statute that provides defendants with an expedited means to seek dismissal of lawsuits that impinge on free speech.

WINDING DOWN – A federal bankruptcy judge in Virginia is scheduled to hear arguments today from attorneys representing the now-defunct firm LeClairRyan, and its primary lender, ABL Alliance LLLP, on how best to handle its finances, Dan Packel reports. ABL and the acting U.S. trustee for the region want to move the law firm from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7, with a court-appointed liquidator taking on financial decisions. But the firm wants to remain in Chapter 11, arguing that it's the most efficient way to handle the liquidation and that collections have picked up after getting off to a slow start upon its bankruptcy filing earlier this month. LeClairRyan's members voted to dissolve in July.

ICED OUT – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the target of two separate lawsuits filed Wednesday in New York, both of which allege that ICE agents are unlawfully arresting undocumented immigrants in and around courthouses acoss the state. One suit was brought by New York Attorney General's Office, while the Legal Aid Society filed the second, reports Dan M. Clark. The suits allege that courthouse arrests by ICE have become increasingly common in recent years, despite efforts by state officials in New York to prevent the practice. Those ICE arrests have hindered the operations of state courts and the individuals that use them, the suits argue.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

The Judge Seems Unimpressed

 Amid Vaping Illness Investigation, Juul CEO Steps Down

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

SEOUL STIRRING – What foreign city saw the most new offices opened by U.S. law firms in the past decade? That would be Seoul, Ben Seal reports. U.S. firms launched 18 new offices in the South Korean capital city since 2009, his analysis found. A 2012 free trade agreement with the U.S. spurred the trend. But when it comes to where U.S. firms have added the most new lawyers in that time, London is tops by far. Those firms added 15 new London offices since 2009, while Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai and Hong Kong round out the top six cities for international growth.

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WHAT YOU SAID

"I screamed. I fell on the floor. It's crazy, right?"

—  Danielle Citron, a professor at Boston University School of Law and a cybersecurity expert, on being named a 2019 MacArthur Fellow—a prestigious award that comes with a $625,000 prize.

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