Morning Briefing: Bank criticises law firm over fees

Akin Gump has been criticised by Bank of America over the law firm’s fees for representing a creditor’s committee in the chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Cal Dive International. The bank has called Akin Gump’s fees “excessive and unreasonable” and said it hoped that it would reduce its fees. Bloomberg reports that the law firm’s fees and expenses reached US$994,000 in 10 days and that the entire budget set for fees was $1million. A federal judge will hold a hearing to consider approval of fees this week.
  Australian law firm Corrs Westgarth Chambers has gone back to the future by moving its Melbourne office back to the street where it first had a presence in the city. The new office at 567 Collins Street shows how far law firm offices have come since the original Corrs office opened on the street in the 1850’s. It builds on the collaborative style of the firm’s Sydney and Brisbane offices and allows lawyers, support staff and clients to enjoy a fresh approach to the business of law, including the latest technology. Corrs occupies the top five floors of the new tower which offers shared facilities including a gym, café and retailers. The firm’s Perth facilities will be upgraded in 2016.
 
Law Society launches mentoring programme for minorities
The Law Society of England & Wales has joined with an inclusion specialist to launch a mentoring program for practising solicitors in a bid to improve the representation of those from ethnic minorities, LGBT groups and the disabled in the legal profession. The Law Society president Jonathan Smithers said that although there has been an improvement in the numbers of those from minority groups in the profession, they are under-represented higher up the career ladder.
 
Lawsuit centres on two word tweet
A post on Twitter that was just two words has resulted in a high school student suing his former school. The case involves Reid Sagehorn who, while a student at Rogers High School, Minnesota, responded to a Tweet that suggested he “made out” with one of the school’s teachers. His two word “actually yes” tweet led to his suspension, before his parents agreed to remove him from the school. A local police chief then commented on the matter claiming that it was potentially a felony, before later apologising and saying that no crime had been committed. Sagehorn has now been given the go-ahead by a judge to proceed in a claim for defamation and “First Amendment”, the US right to free speech and expression.