Judge Orders Law Firm To Write Lesson On How Not To Be Naughty Lawyers

Judge Orders Law Firm To Write Lesson On How Not To Be Naughty Lawyers

From Above the Law - Thinking Like a Lawyer by Legal Talk Network

May 27, 2026 · 29 min · Season 1 · Episode 467

About this episode

The episode discusses a judge's sanctions against a law firm for unethical behavior and highlights troubling courtroom practices regarding pregnant women.

And the Federal Circuit's Schoolhouse Rock moment is as damning as it is embarrassing. ----- Quinn Emanuel earned $3 million in sanctions from Judge Edward Chen, who described a "deeply disturbing" culture of lawyering. But worse, the judge ordered the team involved to complete an 8-hour ethics course that the firm itself must design. The Federal Circuit decided to put together a bizarre theme song and music video for themselves. Along the way, they managed to double down on their shadow impeachment of Judge Pauline Newman by erasing the still active judge from the video. New York has a long history of abusing pregnant women in custody and now we've learned that the courts arraigned a woman while she gave birth in the courtroom -- while she may or may not have been handcuffed.

Topics covered

  • legal ethics
  • law firm culture
  • courtroom conduct
  • sanctions
  • pregnant women in custody
  • Federal Circuit
  • Judge Edward Chen

Keywords

  • law firm sanctions
  • Judge Edward Chen
  • ethical course
  • Federal Circuit
  • pregnant women custody
  • courtroom ethics
  • Quinn Emanuel

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Quinn Emanuel, Federal Circuit

Places: New York

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