Federal Court Enjoins Pennsylvania Rule Disciplining Attorney Speech

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC – A federal court based in Philadelphia today preliminarily enjoined enforcement of a Rule of Professional Conduct aimed at disciplining attorneys for their speech. HLLI challenged Rule 8.4(g) on behalf of attorney Zachary Greenberg, a Pennsylvania-licensed attorney working for a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of students’ constitutional rights and regularly speaks at legal education and other professional events on a variety of hot-button legal…

admin
December 8, 2020
Press Releases

In re: Apple Inc. Device Performance Litigation

Anna St. John of the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute objected to the excessive $87.73 million fee request requested by plaintiffs' counsel, which represents 28.3% of the $310 million “megafund” settlement reached over Apple’s practice of “throttling” processor power in older iPhones.

Image credit: Wikimedia.

admin
October 7, 2020
Past Cases

Yeatman v. Hyland

Class member William Yeatman objected to a settlement that provides no direct benefit to class members but instead pays $1.75 million as “cy pres” to fund the creation of a new non-profit.

admin
September 11, 2020
Past Cases

Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute announces departure of president to serve as Utah Solicitor General and names new president

Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute (HLLI) announced today the departure of president & general counsel Melissa A. Holyoak, who is leaving to serve as Utah Solicitor General. Holyoak co-founded HLLI with Theodore H. Frank in 2019. HLLI also announced that Anna St. John will serve as its next president.

admin
September 9, 2020
Press Releases

Greenberg v. Lehocky

HLLI successfully filed a civil rights suit against the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to block implementation of a rule that would limit speech by Pennsylvania-licensed attorneys. HLLI unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court concerning the revised rule that replaces the one already found to be unconstitutional.

Ingram Publishing / Alamy Stock Photo

admin
August 6, 2020
Victories

7th Circ. Says Class Objectors Must Repay Side Deals

“I’m confident that one day this decade a different court of appeals will disagree with one of those Posner opinions, the Supreme Court will take up the circuit split, and then tell us that Posner was right all along,” Frank said.

admin
August 6, 2020
Press Highlights

Meland v. Padilla

HLLI filed an amicus brief in support of a shareholder challenging California's discriminatory quota requiring the election of a minimum number of women to the boards of directors of publicly-traded companies.

Photo credit: Fuelrefuel

admin
July 29, 2020
Amicus Briefs

Rael v. The Children’s Place, Inc.

HLLI attorney Anna St. John objected to a settlement with The Children’s Place because it would pay attorneys over $1 million in fees while leaving class members with only small $6 coupons that few class members will use.

Image credit: ajay_suresh

admin
May 29, 2020
Open Cases / Victories

Gold v. Lumber Liquidators, Inc.

CCAF's objector contended that only 25% of the cash fund should be awarded to the attorneys until the actual redemption rate of coupons is known. Prior to the fairness hearing, class counsel agreed to defer fees pending coupon redemption, thus resolving Faber's primary objection.

Photo credit: Nick Collins

admin
May 21, 2020
Victories

Equifax judge orders disclosure of class counsel’s draft ‘opinion’

Frankel: Judge Thrash called on class counsel to ﬁle the draft opinion in the Equifax docket “as soon as reasonably possible.” Class action watchdog Ted Frank of the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute contends that the draft opinion may show that the trial judge improperly adopted accusations by class counsel.

admin
May 7, 2020
Press Highlights