CLIENT 9, CLEARED: Emperor Club VIP former Client 9, ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer of New York, will not be charged for patronizing a high-priced prostitution ring, the the New York Law Journal reports. Southern District U.S. Attorney Michael J. Garcia said an investigation revealed Spitzer did not misuse public money or campaign funds. Spitzer, the one-time Wall Street crusader, abruptly resigned in March—15 months into his first term as governor. Spitzer's lawyers, including Michele Hirshman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, declined to comment.
PACKING UP: The National Law Journal reports that a group of lawyers from the dissolving Thelen firm are taking jobs at Nixon Peabody. Nixon Peabody partners voted Thursday to approve hiring Thelen attorneys. Between 60 and 90 Thelen attorneys will join the firm, a Nixon Peabody spokesman said. The National Law Journal reported the new lawyers will join Nixon Peabody's real estate, business, intellectual property and litigation departments. Merger talks between Nixon Peabody and Thelen fell apart in September. Laurin Mills, the managing partner of Nixon Peabody’s D.C. office, tells the BLT that most of the Thelen lawyers will join Nixon Peabody’s West Coast offices.
DAILY INTEL: The semiconductor giant Intel is aggressively pursuing trademark infringement lawsuits, hitting small shops with complaints, The Recorder reports. Intel is going after a one-man company, Intellelectric, for alleged trademark violation. "Trademark enforcement is not unusual for companies with famous marks like Intel. But the number of suits sets the Santa Clara-based company apart," according to the Recorder report. This year alone, Intel has sued 15 companies like Intellelectric with the word "intel" in their name.
HABEAS HEARINGS: U.S. District Judge Richard Leon is presiding over the first habeas hearings since the Supreme Court ruled in June that detainees at the military base in Guantanamo Bay can use the federal courts to challenge continued detention, reports The Washington Post. A Justice Department lawyer, Nick Oldham, argued yesterday in court that Leon should order the continued detention of six Algerians, whom the government says would likely attack Americans if released. The discussion of classified information will mean much of the week-long hearings will be held behind closed doors. Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr partner Stephen Oleskey argued for the Algerians. "They were not found lurking in some dark basement or backyard garage, making bombs. They were not found with any weapons or explosives or any other instruments of war," Oleskey said, according to the Post.
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