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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

BAD JUDGES OF CHARACTER? - Judicial conduct bodies across the United States received record numbers of misconduct allegations against judges in 2022, Law.com's Aleeza Furman reports. In Pennsylvania, the Judicial Conduct Board received the most complaints in its nearly 30-year history of issuing annual reports. Reports from states, including California, Delaware, Georgia and New York, show complaints at their highest point since at least 2017. So have judges gone wild or what? Not necessarily. Some ethics experts say the increasing complaints reflect the public's diminishing trust of the judiciary, while others point to the increasingly polarized political climate.

DEFERENTIAL ON DEFERRALS  - Following the moves of Cooley and Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, more law firms are likely to defer the start dates of their first-year associates ahead of incoming classes this fall in an effort to keep current associates busy without having to make more cuts, Law.com's Dan Roe reports. Some firms are developing plans to push their start dates back to January to align with a forecasted uptick in demand around the beginning of next year, said law firm management consultant Kent Zimmermann. However, as is Big Law tradition, no firm wants to be the first to announce. "Those firms thinking along those lines don't want to be outliers and are hoping to see others thinking similarly," Zimmermann said.

ON THE RADAR - TikTok, the popular video app, sued Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen Monday in Montana District Court over the state's recent download ban. The lawsuit was filed by Covington & Burling and Jackson, Murdo & Grant, P.C.. Lawyers have not yet appeared for the defendant. The case is 9:23-cv-00061, TikTok Inc. v. Knudsen. Stay up on the latest deals and litigation with the new Law.com Radar.

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