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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

BELLY UP – More than two dozen states and hundreds of cities, counties and other governments have retained outside lawyers to oppose an attempt in bankruptcy court to halt their lawsuits against opioid maker Purdue Pharma and its founders, the Sacklers. With U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain in New York's Southern District scheduled to hear arguments on the motions today, Amanda Bronstad reports that Andrew Troop, a bankruptcy partner at Pillsbury Winthrop in New York, is a big player in the litigation, representing 24 states and D.C.

OPPORTUNITY – Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough is making a name for itself in the impeachment investigation. Meredith Hobbs reports that ex-Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy, who announced this week that he's joining President Trump's legal team, is the second lawyer from the South Carolina-based law firm to join the defense side of the investigation into the president's contacts with Ukraine. Jon Sale, a former special Watergate prosecutor who co-chairs Nelson Mullins' white-collar defense practice, recently signed on as Rudy Giuliani's lawyer for the investigation. White-collar lawyers at several big firms turned down representing the president in the Russia investigation and other controversies, because of potential conflicts or possible public relations headaches.

WORKING IT OUT – The D.C. Circuit today will take up a dispute over the Trump administration's move to let states impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients. DOJ lawyer Alisa Klein will advocate for the Health and Human Services Department, and Jenner & Block's Ian Gershengorn, a former high-level Obama-era DOJ lawyer, will make the case for the plaintiffs. Critics of the Trump administration contend approval of state work-requirement programs will cause significant Medicaid coverage loss. Judges Nina Pillard, Harry Edwards and David Sentelle will preside over this morning's oral arguments.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

Fates of Florida Law Prof's Accused Killers in Jury's Hands

Lawyer Who Survived His Suicide Attempt Recounts His Experience

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

LICENSED – Freshfields partner Ryan Beckwith has been fined but not banned from the profession, following a nine-day  hearing in the U.K. into allegations of sexual misconduct with a junior associate. Krishnan Nair reports that Beckwith, a restructuring lawyer who has resigned from the firm, was fined $43,532 and ordered to pay costs of $248,757.

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WHAT YOU SAID

"Figuring out what's next, once he's served his time, is on the to-do list."

—  Joshua Levy, lawyer for Gordon Caplan, the ex-Willkie co-chair who will serve a month in prison for rigging his daughter's ACT score.

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