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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

VOLLEY - DLA Piper has submitted its first formal response to claims by partner Vanina Guerrero that she was the subject of repeated sexual assaults by Silicon Valley rainmaker Louis Lehot, highlighting a letter she emailed to herself saying that offering "friendship w/o anything" would allow her to "control" him. Dan Packel reports that the firm's 122-page response to her charge last month with the EEOC appends nearly 100 pages of emails and photographs, which, the firm argues, "show that Ms. Guerrero was a willing participant in a lengthy emotional flirtation with Mr. Lehot that she orchestrated to advance her career."

HURDLE – Judges in at least two prominent MDL proceedings have ordered lawyers to prescreen some of the lawsuits through an "initial census" process, a requirement the defense bar likes. Amanda Bronstad reports that the early vetting process is different from the usual lengthy MDL "fact sheets," and instead specifically requires plaintiffs to show evidence of exposure and harm—such as a copy of a prescription and a doctor's report showing suffering from a side effect. The two cases involve Juul e-cigarettes and 3M earplugs.

BIAS? The Philadelphia judge who oversaw the Risperdal trial that resulted in an $8 billion award earlier this month is set to hear arguments this morning about whether he should withdraw from the case as defendants fight the verdict on appeal appeal. Philadelphia Judge Kenneth Powell scheduled the hearing after the defendant, Johnson & Johnson, filed a motion saying the judge showed a pro-plaintiff bias when he allegedly high-fived and took photos with some jurors in the wake of the plaintiff's multi-billion dollar win.

TILLERSON TESTIMONY – Former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to testify in New York state court today during the second week of the New York AG's trial against ExxonMobil, where Tillerson was chair and chief executive for a decade. Exxon is accused of misleading its investors by underestimating the effects of climate change and related regulation on its business by billions of dollars.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

Jones Day Remains Locked in Court Battle With Plaintiffs Suing Firm Over Bias Claims

LA's Turbulent Law School Market Could Take Another Hit

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

LAGGING – The lawyer regulator body in England and Wales says that it will boost its oversight of law firms there after finding that one in five firms was not complying with money laundering regulations. Hannah Roberts reports that the regulator warned of a tougher stance on noncompliance after it found that 21% of some 400 firms it was in contact with did not address all the risk areas required or sent over something other than a firm risk assessment.

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WHAT YOU SAID

"Being a jerk in family law can lose you business."

—  Fred Hertz, a solo practitioner in Oakland, California, on how family law attorneys tend to be more civil to each other than in other practice areas.

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