Can Families Sue Facebook For Violent Videos Of Victims?

I spoke with a reporter from the International Business Times about potential additional charges that could result from live-streaming crimes (based on largely untested theories of criminal liability that would face significant hurdles), and whether websites like Facebook are liable for user-created content. To read the full article please click here.

Pick the Right Law School for a Career in Criminal Law

I was happy to talk to U.S. News about how aspiring prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers should go about choosing a law school. My advice: 1) quality and reputation of the law school matter; 2) find a place with former federal prosecutors on the faculty who know the ins and ...

Is DOJ De-Prioritizing White Collar Crime?

News organizations from across the political spectrum are taking note of recent signals from US AG Jeff Sessions which suggest he and the Trump administration are likely to shift law enforcement resources away from white collar crime enforcement. While it remains to be seen whether such predictions will bear out, ...

Bird Marella Names Nicole Rodriguez Van Dyk as its Newest Principal

Bird Marella is proud to announce the elevation of Nicole Rodriguez Van Dyk to principal. Since joining the firm as an associate in 2012, Mrs. Van Dyk has successfully established a practice focused on civil and criminal matters for business and health care professionals. “I am honored to be a ...

VW Prosecution: A Warning to Lawyers

The obstruction of justice charge filed against Volkswagen this week contains an important warning for attorneys representing companies under investigation. As described in the factual basis to the company’s plea agreement, when the investigation began, an in-house lawyer told different groups of VW employees that a litigation hold was coming. ...

Backpage.com Dismissal Does Not Solve Websites’ Woes

A California court’s recent dismissal of criminal charges against the CEO and former owners of online classifieds site Backpage.com reaffirmed a broad view of website operators’ immunity from liability for content posted by third parties.  But while the court’s ruling bolsters the weight of precedent favoring expansive immunity under Section ...