Wake Up Call: NY Launches Investigation Into Abrams Fensterman

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• The New York Attorney General’s office is investigating Abrams Fensterman over its role in helping nursing homes collect unpaid bills. Court records show the probe centers on whether the firm systematically sued friends and relatives of residents—sometimes after the residents had died—despite those individuals not personally owing the debt, potentially violating debt collection and consumer protection laws. (Politico)
• The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is adding full-tuition scholarships for incoming students “with the greatest demonstrated financial need” and unveiled a new racial and economic justice fellowship program named after its first Black female graduate, Sadie T.M. Alexander. The announcement comes a month after the school faced backlash for suspending a racial justice scholarship program, also named after Alexander, and disbanding its Office of Equal Opportunity and Engagement. (Reuters)
• District Judge Merlin Wheeler sharply criticized Kansas’ public defense agency for internal turmoil that he said jeopardized a capital murder case. Citing “pretty petty” infighting and potential conflicts of interest at the Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services, Wheeler removed the agency’s attorneys from representing a death row inmate and appointed two outside lawyers instead. (Kansas Reflector)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Sean Brownridge joined Cooley as chair of its activism defense practice. He joins from McDermott Will & Schulte.
• Rebecca Landau joined Latham & Watkins as a partner in its real estate practice in New York. She joins from Haynes Boone.
• Jonathan Palmer was appointed chief legal officer of Microsoft. He was previously the company’s general counsel.
• Sam Trowbridge joined Baker McKenzie as a partner in its tax practice in London. He joins from Kirkland & Ellis.
• Daniel North joined Polsinelli as a shareholder in its real estate practice in Chicago. He joins from Thompson Coburn.
• Matt Hendy joined Akerman as a partner in the corporate practice group in New York. He joins from Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg.
• Oran Ebel joined Davis Polk as a partner in New York. He joins from Blackstone.
• Matthew Sperry joined Cadwalader as a partner in its private wealth practice in London and New York. He joins from Katten.