Wake Up Call: ‘X’ Posts Spur Campaign Against Atlanta Lawyer

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

• Georgia State University is being pressured to retract a “40 Under 40" honor given to alumnus and Atlanta personal injury lawyer Ali Awad because of his social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict. In one of the posts, Awad wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “the Palestinian military ‘should drop bombs on all Israeli civilians, including women, kids, the elderly and the sick.’” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• A national attorney shortage is leaving rural residents particularly hard hit by a lack of access to legal representation. Communities in southeast Iowa experience the hardship as older lawyers are “aging out” and newer ones choose bigger legal markets with higher paying jobs. (KTVO)
• Morohashi Yoshitomo, author of “The Ex-Yakuza Lawyer,” says some of his clients are active members of the Japan-originated organized syndicates but that he’s worked to convince them to leave the gangs. Yoshitomo says some of those requesting representation “were formerly represented by major legal firms, but they come to me saying they want a more trustworthy lawyer.” (Nippon.com)

Laterals, Moves, In-house

• Elin Park has joined Holland & Knight as a partner in the litigation practice in the Chicago office. She previously served at Jenner & Block.
• Eliot L. Relles has joined Dechert LLP as a partner in the corporate and securities practice group in New York.
• Melissa Messina, a public finance and real estate lawyer, has rejoined Miles & Stockbridge as a principal in Baltimore. She previously served at HJ Sims.