Seventeen-year-old Collin Griffith moved in with his mother after allegedly killing his father, but life in Florida with his mom was far from perfect. About a year later, his mother, Catherine Griffith, ended up stabbed to death. Collin was charged with her killing, but he claimed self-defense. A jury acquitted him, and now he’s a free man. Do you agree with the verdict?
Source: True Crime Daily
Single mother Patti Adkins had a great job and was working to get her life on track. But there was one dark secret she was hiding: Patti was dating a married man and gave him around $90,000 so they could run off and be together. Patti planned a trip with her mysterious boyfriend and left with him after work one day never to be seen again. Years later, “True Crime News” confronts the man at his home for answers, but the case remains unsolved.
Source: True Crime Daily
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. (TCN) — A 30-year-old teacher has been arrested for allegedly having an “extremely disturbing” sexual relationship with a student when he was 15 years old.
Source: True Crime Daily
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for records related to security provided for the July 13, 2024, rally in Bulter, PA, during which there was an assassination attempt on President Trump (Judicial Watch Inc. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (No. 1:25-cv-00704)).
The lawsuit was filed after the agency failed to comply with a July 15, 2024, FOIA request to for:
All records, including emails, email chains, email attachments, text messages, video or audio recordings, photographs, outlook calendars, meeting minutes, correspondence, statements, letters, memoranda, reports, briefings, presentations, notes, summaries, requests for assistance, agreements, travel records, receipts, or other form of record, regarding providing support or manpower to President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign rally that was held in Butler, PA, on July 13, 2024.
The request specifically sought records from the agency’s Homeland Security Investigations, which is believed to have helped provide security at the Butler event.
On July 13, 2024, at a campaign rally in Butler, PA, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump. After the attempt on President Trump’s life, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas named a bipartisan panel to conduct a 45-day independent review of the planning for and actions before, during, and after the rally.
“Federal agencies need to come clean on the events that led up to the assassination attempts on President Trump,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “It is now eight months since the first attempt, and the American people have yet to receive any answers under FOIA on the failures of the Biden administration to protect President Trump.”
Judicial Watch has an ongoing, independent investigation into the assassination attempts on President Trump.
In August 2024, Judicial Watch received Secret Service records that showed the Secret Service has made it a top priority that “diversity and inclusion is not just ‘talked about’ – but demonstrated by all employees through ‘Every Action, Every Day.’” [Emphasis in original]
Judicial Watch also uncovered records from the district attorney’s office in Butler County, PA, detailing the extensive preparation of local police for the rally at which former President Trump was shot, including sniper teams, counter assault teams and a quick response force.
In response to a separate open records request, Judicial Watch obtained bodycam footage of the July 13 assassination events from the Butler Township Police Department.
Judicial Watch reported that the FBI withheld information on a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for information about its coordination with the U.S. Secret Service regarding the July 13 Butler, PA, rally.
On July 31, Judicial Watch reported that the United States Secret Service completely denied multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for documents about the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
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Source: Judicial Watch
Louisiana businessman Gary Kergan, who co-owned multiple Sonic Drive-Ins with his brother, disappeared after visiting a nightclub in Baton Rouge. Despite suspicions surrounding an exotic dancer and her accomplice, the case went cold for decades. Gary’s brother Ted never stopped searching for answers until he finally saw justice served.
Source: True Crime Daily
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit declined to rehear its previous ruling, in which it agreed with Judicial Watch that it was unlawful for Mississippi to count ballots that arrived after Election Day. The full Circuit declined to hear the case by a vote of 5 to 10.
Judicial Watch filed a civil rights lawsuit in February 2024, challenging the Mississippi election law on behalf of the Libertarian Party of Mississippi (Libertarian Party of Mississippi v Wetzel et al. (No. 1:24-cv-00037)). The suit was consolidated with one filed by the Republican National Committee, the Mississippi Republican Party, and other complainants.
(Judicial Watch filed the first challenge to require all ballots to be received by Election Day in 2022 against Illinois.)
The October 25, 2024, Fifth Circuit appellate opinion at issue found:
Congress statutorily designated a singular “day for the election” of members of Congress and the appointment of presidential electors. Text, precedent, and historical practice confirm this “day for the election” is the day by which ballots must be both cast by voters and received by state officials. Because Mississippi’s statute allows ballot receipt up to five days after the federal election day, it is preempted by federal law. We reverse the district court’s contrary judgment and remand for further proceedings.
Earlier this month, Judicial Watch filed a federal lawsuit against California on behalf of U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa to prevent state election officials from extending Election Day for seven days beyond the date established by federal law. California counts ballots received up to seven days after Election Day.
In an Illinois “Election Day” lawsuit Judicial Watch in November 2024 filed a petition for a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court challenging the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in the case filed on behalf of Congressman Mike Bost and two presidential electors from Illinois to prevent state election officials from counting ballots received up to 14 days after Election Day.
“This Fifth Circuit action is a historic victory for honest elections and now. Federal law sets ‘Election Day’ not ‘Election Week,’” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “California and the 17 other states should take notice. Our lawsuit just filed against California for counting ballots received for up to seven days after Election Day has even more urgency and strength.”
Judicial Watch is a national leader in voting integrity and voting rights. As part of its work, Judicial Watch assembled a team of highly experienced voting rights attorneys who stopped discriminatory elections in Hawaii, and cleaned up voter rolls in California, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, among other achievements.
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Source: Judicial Watch
This Week on True Crime News The Podcast: A disguised man enters a Denver bank with a fake name before taking the lives of four unarmed guards and leaving with an estimated $200,000. Authorities identified former police officer James King as the sole suspect, but he was ultimately acquitted by the jury. Did he get away with the city’s deadliest heist, or could the real perpetrator still be out there?
Steven Epstein joins host Ana Garcia.
Check out Steven’s book “Deadly Heist” here.
YouTube: Father’s Day bank massacre: How a former cop may have gotten away with Denver’s deadliest heist
Source: True Crime Daily
20 major outfits face probe
The Trump administration has dramatically escalated its war on diversity in the legal profession, targeting 20 top US and international law firms, including some of the most recognisable names in London, over their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.
A&O Shearman, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Hogan Lovells are among those now facing probes by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), in what many are describing as coordinated political push to dismantle DEI initiatives across the profession.
It comes just days after Trump signed an executive order isolating law firms that the administration views as hostile to its interests, citing their DEI policies and historic representation of clients critical of the government. The move follows similar action against firms like Perkins Coie and Paul Weiss. It stands accused of “manufacturing” prosecutions against the former president.
“Global law firms have for years played an outsized role in undermining the judicial process,” the executive order reads. “My administration will no longer support taxpayer funds sponsoring such harm.”
The latest attack involves 11-page letters sent to firms from the EEOC, demanding detailed information about hiring practices, compensation, and client requirements relating to diversity. The letters suggest that some DEI initiatives may amount to unlawful discrimination and making clear there is “no ‘diversity’ exception” to the law.
Andrea Lucas, the EEOC’s acting chair, said: “No one is above the law — and certainly not the private bar.”
Other firms under scrutiny include Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Skadden, Ropes & Gray, Sidley Austin, and White & Case. Many of the firms, while not commenting publicly, are reportedly consulting counsel and bracing for further escalation.
Meanwhile, the legal community is beginning to push back. Thousands of associates from across the affected firms have signed an open letter condemning what they describe as intimidation tactics from the administration.
“The Trump administration’s message is loud, clear, and twofold,” states an open letter coordinated by Skadden associate Rachel Cohen. “First, firms that represent those who oppose the administration’s agenda will be punished… Second, the administration will target more large law firms until the industry complies.”
The letter continues: “They create a culture of fear and make our private-sector employers an extension of the Executive, subject to penalties unless the president approves of their clients and arguments.”
The post Trump’s D&I crackdown expands: A&O Shearman, Freshfields & Hogan Lovells among latest law firm targets appeared first on Legal Cheek.
Source: Legal Cheek
Liberty Miles has racked up nearly 80k+ subscribers
A BigLaw content creator is giving her audience an insider’s view of her final days as a trainee, sharing candid updates on her hours, secondment and the realities of life in the legal profession.
With nearly 77,000 subscribers and some videos racking up over 200,000 views, Liberty Miles has been drawing in students and lawyers alike with her candid take on life as a rookie solicitor.
Miles, currently training at the London office of a Magic Circle law firm, is finishing her TC with a pro bono secondment. She first caught viewers’ attention during her LLB at the Exeter Uni, where she began sharing her journey online. One of her SQE videos, focused on studying in London, has almost 240,000 views. Since starting her TC, she’s continued to engage audiences with an insider’s look at life in corporate law
Besides her YouTube channel, Miles has grown her presence on Instagram and TikTok through short-form content showing everything from legal “lookbooks” to whiskey tours on team away days in Edinburgh and just how she squeezes in a run before her commute into the City.
Miles’ other content details how much more work she gets done in her “6-9” after her 9-6, outfit ideas for the office, reading and getting to the gym. She also posts about her 9+ daily billable hours with sleek editing.
Now on secondment with a pro bono client for the remaining six months before qualification, Miles has found more time to commit to YouTube once again, and beat her one book a week target. Her latest video shares that first week in full detail, including London in the sun, a flat redecoration and working from home by candlelight.
In her student days, Miles gave advice to prospective students as she vlogged her time from revision to LLB finals. Miles even gave fans an insight much-needed holidays to Corfu, Lake Como, Rome, and Malta — a far cry from the hours she’s probably been logging since starting in BigLaw.
Speaking to Legal Cheek on why she chose to start vlogging her experiences, Miles said:
“I started my YouTube channel with an aim to help demystify law school and increase transparency as to what it can actually involve and what daily life can look like. That aim has now continued in my career in Big Law and also now on my Instagram. I come from a background where I didn’t have people to look to for this or to ask questions about university and my subsequent career. So I hope that in some small way by providing an honest insight into various parts of my journey I can help others and help democratise access to this information.”
The post YouTuber shares life as a Magic Circle trainee — in and out of the office appeared first on Legal Cheek.
Source: Legal Cheek
Average partner profits soar to $9.25 million
US titan Kirkland & Ellis has reported a record-breaking global revenue of $8.8 billion (£6.8 billion) in 2024, solidifying its position as the world’s highest-grossing law firm.
The firm has seen its revenue surge by an impressive 22% over the past year, while profit per equity partner (PEP) has risen by more than 16%, reaching an eye-watering $9.25 million (£7.1 million). This growth comes despite a 6% increase in equity partner numbers, bringing the total to 573 globally.
With these figures, revenue for each lawyer among the 3,828 across the globe — an increase by almost 9% on last year — sits just shy of $2.3 million (£1.8 million).
Kirkland’s profitability becomes even more striking when compared to the Magic Circle, where average PEP stands at around £2 million — already a substantial figure — highlighting the US firm’s financial strength.
These figures, first reported by The American Lawyer, come just days after Legal Cheek reported on the impressive financials of rival US giant Latham & Watkins. The firm became only the second law firm to surpass $7 billion in revenue—a record first set by Kirkland last year.
Elsewhere in BigLaw financial news, US firm Reed Smith has reported a strong set of financial results. In 2024, for the first time, its annual global revenue surpassed $1.5 billion (£1.2 billion), while PEP climbed an impressive 14% to $1.8 million (£1.4 million). Revenue per lawyer also saw significant growth, breaking the $1 million (£770k) mark with an 11.5% increase.
Reed Smith’s results also show a strong post-Covid comeback in the London office, where revenues are up 15% to $247 million (£190.3 million). This came with an increase in revenue per London lawyer, up nearly 30% to almost $950,000 (£732k).
The post Kirkland cements BigLaw dominance with record $8.8 billion revenue appeared first on Legal Cheek.
Source: Legal Cheek