Counsel

WesBanco Welcomes Richard Laws as New Chief Legal Counsel in Strategic Leadership Move

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WHEELING, W.Va. — WesBanco Inc. has named Richard Laws as its new chief legal counsel, marking a significant addition to its executive leadership team. Laws, who brings a wealth of experience in corporate law, previously served as the general counsel and corporate secretary for a major financial institution. In his new role at WesBanco, Laws will be responsible for overseeing all legal affairs, including compliance, regulatory matters, and risk management. His extensive background in the financial sector positions him well to navigate the complex legal challenges that come with banking and financial services. Laws’s career … Read more

Legal Trailblazer Lexi J. Hazam Takes Charge as Co-Lead Counsel in Landmark Mass Tort Case

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San Francisco, Calif. — Lexi J. Hazam, a prominent partner at Lieff Cabraser, has built a distinguished career as the chair of the firm’s mass tort practice group. With over two decades of legal expertise, she has played a crucial role in a multitude of significant nationwide mass tort litigations, qui tam actions, and intricate class action lawsuits. Hazam noted that her career choice is fueled by a desire to address injustices, highlighting her strengths in oral advocacy and a dedication to ongoing learning. This passion continues to guide her work as one of the … Read more

New Jersey Supreme Court Upholds Public Defender’s Counsel in Deportation Case Despite Client’s Misrepresentation of Citizenship

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TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that a deportation following a guilty plea does not automatically indicate ineffective assistance of counsel, even when a public defender relies on a client’s false claim of U.S. citizenship. In a 5-2 decision, the state’s highest court overturned a prior ruling from a lower court which had determined that public defender Carol Wentworth failed in her duties by not investigating Juan C. Hernandez-Peralta’s immigration status prior to sentencing. Hernandez-Peralta had pleaded guilty in 2019 to charges of burglary and robbery, which subsequently led to … Read more

High Stakes Showdown: White House Counsel and GOP Senator Spar in Tense Hearing

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WASHINGTON — Tensions flared during a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as a White House attorney squared off with a GOP senator over contentious legal matters. The session highlighted deep partisan divides surrounding key issues facing the Biden administration, particularly in how it navigates legal obligations and executive power. The confrontation unfolded as Senator Chuck Grassley, the committee’s senior Republican member, pressed White House Counsel Stuart Delery on several points regarding the administration’s handling of classified documents. Grassley accused the administration of lacking transparency and ignoring statutory requirements in various legal processes, voicing frustrations that … Read more