Shielding the Mind: How Mindfulness Practices Aid Lawyers Dealing with Secondary Trauma Stress

MIAMI — The legal profession, widely recognized for its dedication to serving society, often deals with the high-stakes emotional and psychological well-being of its clients. As lawyers dive deep into complex cases involving conflict and trauma, their mental health can come under significant strain from what is known as secondary trauma. Recent initiatives by bar associations and law schools highlight an increasing focus on the mental wellness of legal professionals, emphasizing the importance of strategies to mitigate such occupational hazards. Secondary trauma, or compassion fatigue, describes the stress reaction that professionals experience when they are … Read more

Texas Judge Moves Lawsuit Challenging CFPB’s $8 Credit Card Late Fee Rule to D.C., Dealing Blow to Credit Card Industry

FORT WORTH, Texas – In a blow to banks and credit card issuers, a Texas judge has agreed to move a lawsuit challenging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s $8 credit card late fee rule to the District of Columbia. The ruling by Judge Mark T. Pittman is a setback for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and five other trade groups that sued the CFPB in March to stop the rule from taking effect on May 14. The CFPB accused the trade groups of engaging in “forum shopping” by filing the case in Texas to find … Read more

Brooklyn’s ‘Bully Gang’ Turns to Rap and Pot Dealing as a Means of Survival, Defense Claims in Trial for Murders

BROOKLYN, NY – Moeleek Harrell, the alleged leader of the “Bully Gang,” currently on trial for three counts of murder, is being portrayed by his lawyer as a pot dealer and rap artist who simply sought to make ends meet after losing close friends to violence. Harrell and his associates adopted the name “Bully Gang” in an effort to reclaim the term, as they were frequently bullied growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. Their intention was to establish themselves as rap artists within the industry. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy … Read more

Philadelphia Jury Awards Historic $2.25 Billion in Roundup Cancer Case, Dealing Blow to Bayer

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Last year, a Philadelphia jury made headlines by awarding $2.25 billion in damages in a case that linked the popular Monsanto weed killer, Roundup, to a cable technician’s blood cancer. This verdict marked the largest in the ongoing litigation surrounding the controversial herbicide. Corporate parent Bayer had already allocated over $10 billion in 2020 to settle approximately 125,000 cases, many of which were consolidated in California. Initially, Bayer found success in winning nine individual lawsuits that went to trial in 2021. However, the tide turned when juries began to deliver substantial awards … Read more