Opperman elected to TCF board Jun 30, 2009
Opperman was previously president of West Publishing Co. acquired in the 1996 by what is now Opperman serves on Thomson Reuters board. Vance brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in law and financial services to the board, and his passion for community service is unprecedented and commendable, William Cooper, TCF s chairman and CEO, said in a news release. (Twin Cities Business Journal, MN)
In Perspective — Definition of torture varies May 21, 2009
The one that has the most restrictive definition -- the infliction of violent bodily pain upon a person, by means of the rack, wheel, or other engine, under judicial sanction and supervision, in connection with the interrogation or examination of the person, as a means of extorting a confession of guilt, or of compelling him to disclose his accomplices is the Third Edition of Black s Law Dictionary, published by West Publishing Company, the publisher of most law books in the U.S.. That... (Brenham Banner, TX)
UBS signs $7.5M lease at Bank of America tower May 6, 2009
The Vector Group, McKinsey & Co., West Publishing Corp., Leaf & Associates and the Peacock Foundation have all renewed leases totaling about 30,000 square feet. These tenants have spent an average of 12 years in the building. (South Florida Business Journal, FL)
Law Professors Seek Injunction Over 'Sham' Treatise Supplement Apr 16, 2009
An ugly dispute has erupted between West Publishing and two law professors who claim they were falsely identified as the authors of an annual supplement to a treatise on Pennsylvania criminal law even though they had nothing to do with writing it. In a federal lawsuit, professors David Rudovsky of the University of Pennsylvania and Leonard Sosnov of Widener Law School claim that the December 2008 supplement, or "pocket part," to their book, "," was so poorly researched that it will harm their... (Law.com)
Lawyer Who Objected to BAR/BRI Settlement Dies at 62 Apr 10, 2009
Eliot Disner filed the antitrust class action against West Publishing and New York-based test preparation provider Kaplan when he was a partner with 40-lawyer Los Angeles firm Van Etten Suzumoto & Becket, which merged with McGuireWoods in April 2006. The case, which accused West and Kaplan of conspiring to divvy up the bar review and LSAT test prep market, settled in February 2007 for $49 million. (Law.com)
Why small businesses hate the tax man Mar 23, 2009
I don't pay myself anywhere near $250K, obviously, and in fact for 2008 we'll be distributing losses to investors in New West Publishing LLC.. advertisement. (MSNBC -- Business)
Third BAR/BRI Suit Filed Over Prices Feb 27, 2008
Disner, of the Disner Law Corp. in Los Angeles, originally sued West Publishing Corp., a division of Thomson Co.; and Kaplan Inc., which provides preparatory courses for the Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT), in 2005, claiming they conspired to monopolize the market for bar review courses ... But Disner, who was ousted from his former firm, McGuireWoods, after objecting to the settlement, filed a second suit months later for an injunction to split up West Publishing, rather than seek damages ...... (Law.com)
Opus gets St. Paul jail site Jan 13, 2008
Opus was competing against another firm, Wingfield Development of Brussels, Belgium, for rights to redevelop the site, that includes the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center and part of the former West Publishing Building. The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners will consider approving the deal with Opus at its regular meeting Tuesday. (Twin Cities Business Journal, MN)
Judge Dismisses N.Y. Suit Against BAR/BRI Dec 13, 2007
Robert Arleo, a solo practitioner in Haines Falls, N.Y., who brought the suit in July, had objected to a recent $49 million antitrust settlement in California with the same defendants, West Publishing Corp., and its parent company, Thomson Corp. The California case was filed on behalf of 300,000 current and former law students nationwide. His suit, alleging violations of New York's general business law, sought $48 million in damages and accused both companies of inducing consumers with... (Law.com)
Opperman acquires Phoenix Nov 21, 2007
Opperman ran legal lit house West Publishing for almost 30 years, selling it to Thomson Corp. for $3. 4 billion in 1996, then devoting his attention to philanthropic affairs. (Variety)
Local ghost hunter pensguide to haunted hot spots Oct 29, 2007
Smith also has stories in eight anthology collections, including "Ghost Hunters of the South" (University Press of Mississippi) and "Ghosts from Coast to Coast" (Golden West Publishing). She may be best known for an earlier book and a Discovery Channel episode on the show, "A Haunting," documenting incidents at the Dunnam House in Deltona. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
Bullhead City newspaper sues city for public records Aug 18, 2007
The lawsuit by News West Publishing Co. was filed Wednesday in Mohave County Superior Court. City officials did not immediately return calls for comment Thursday afternoon. (FOX 11, AZ)
Thomson Vice Chairman Brian H. Hall to Retire Aug 11, 2007
"With Thomson entering a new phase of growth through the proposed transaction with Reuters, it is the right time for me to explore new challenges. I thank all of my colleagues for their support and I am confident in the future success of The Thomson Corporation." Mr. Hall joined Thomson in 1995 as president and CEO of Thomson Legal Publishing, where he led the acquisition and integration of West Publishing, which formed the foundation of the Thomson Legal atory group. Over the course of his... (PR Newswire)
BAR/BRI Publisher Socked With Another Class Action Jul 28, 2007
"This case is going to get the changes that Rodriguez did not get," said the plaintiffs' lawyer, Robert Arleo, a solo practitioner in Haines Falls, N.Y., referring to the California case, Ryan Rodriguez v. West Publishing Corp., No. 05cv3222 (C.D. Calif ... "This case will have enough of a domino effect nationally to knock these guys out," Arleo said of the defendants, West Publishing Corp. and its parent company, Thomson Corp. BAR/BRI, he said, is "grossly overpriced, and the manner in which... (Law.com)
Incentive Payments Nixed From $49 Million BAR/BRI Settlement Jul 10, 2007
The judge also delivered lower attorney fees than previously suggested for the class action, which alleged that West Publishing and Kaplan Inc., both major players in the legal test prep market, cut a secret deal to give West's BAR/BRI a virtual monopoly over bar review courses, and Kaplan less competition in LSAT preparation classes. The proposed settlement called for the class of about 300,000 current and former law students to collect about $125 each. (Law.com)
Federal Judge Rejects $49 Million BAR/BRI Settlement Jun 20, 2007
The case, which was filed in 2005, alleged that West Publishing Corp., which owns BAR/BRI, and Kaplan Inc., which sells preparation courses for the Law School Aptitude Test, conspired to monopolize both markets. Filed as an antitrust action, the case originally sought an estimated 1,000 in estimated overcharges each class member paid for a bar review course. (Law.com)
Lawyers Object to BAR/BRI Settlement, Seek to Oust McGuireWoods Jun 15, 2007
The antitrust action, filed in 2005, alleged that West Publishing Corp., which owns BAR/BRI, and Kaplan Inc., which sells preparation courses for the Law School Aptitude Test, conspired to monopolize both markets ... In May, McGuireWoods ousted Disner from the firm after he filed briefs on behalf of three named plaintiffs who are objecting to West Publishing's portion of the settlement. (Law.com)
Former Chief Justice of Texas to Receive National Award Jun 5, 2007
Recent recipients include former Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti, former FBI director William Webster, and former chairman and CEO of West Publishing Dwight Opperman. Founded in 1913, AJS is a leader is improving our nation's courts. (PR Newswire)
McGuireWoods, Ex-Partner Wrestle Over Lead Role in $49 Million Class Action Jun 5, 2007
The class action, filed in 2005, alleged that West Publishing and Kaplan Inc., both major players in the legal test prep market, cut a secret deal to give West's BAR/BRI a virtual monopoly over bar review courses and Kaplan less competition in LSAT preparation classes. In February, McGuireWoods reached a proposed settlement that would pay class members about $125 each and commit West to making certain disclosures to law students who enroll for its course as early as their first year. (Law.com)
McGuireWoods Fires Partner Who Questioned BAR/BRI Settlement May 25, 2007
His concerns about the proposed settlement with West Publishing Corp., which offers BAR/BRI bar review courses nationwide, surfaced in an objection to the class settlement that was filed last week by three lead plaintiffs ... In February, McGuireWoods, representing a class of former BAR/BRI students, negotiated the $49 million settlement with West Publishing and Kaplan Inc., one of West Publishing's marketing partners ... West Publishing would pay $36 million, and Kaplan would contribute $13... (Law.com)
Lawyer Who Sued BAR/BRI Now Questions the Settlement May 19, 2007
The partner, Eliot Disner, a veteran antitrust litigator in McGuire's Los Angeles office, has for two years represented a class of former BAR/BRI bar review students in an antitrust suit against West Publishing Corp., BAR/BRI's corporate parent. In February, McGuireWoods inked a settlement with West Publishing and Kaplan Inc., one of West Publishing's marketing partners ... The settlement calls for West Publishing to pay $36 million and Kaplan to pay $13 million. (Law.com)
David Thomson Snares Biggest Ever Canadian Takeover With Reuters Agreement May 16, 2007
43 billion purchase of West Publishing Co. in 1996 to create the Westlaw legal database. The Reuters takeover may help David Thomson, military buff and art collector, earn his own reputation for business as he oversees a fortune worth $22 billion, according to Forbes Magazine. (Bloomberg -- Canada)
Thomson's transformation May 9, 2007
On dollar value alone, the Reuters deal is Thomson's largest undertaking yet, far surpassing the 1996 acquisition of West Publishing for $3. 4-billion, which shaped Thomson's legal database business. (Globe and Mail -- Business)
Reuters Suitor Seen As Thomson May 5, 2007
It built that business by acquiring Editorial Aranzadi S.A., Spain's premier legal publisher, and West Publishing, a provider of legal information in the United States. News of the proposal came just three days after Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. offered to buy Dow Jones or $5 billion. (Sunspot.net -- Business)
LEGAL MEDIA ON SALE Mar 22, 2007
A variety of suitors is expected to appear, including Court TV chief Steve Brill, who founded American Lawyer and eventually sold it to Time Warner, as well as Dolan Media, Reed International and Thomson West Publishing. "I'd look at it, maybe as a minority partner," said Brill, who was reached yesterday on vacation off the coast of Georgia. (New York Post -- Business)
$49M Disappoints Some in Lawyers' Class Feb 13, 2007
In addition to providing perhaps $125 to each of the estimated 300,000 class members, the pact calls for BAR/BRI owner West Publishing and co-defendant Kaplan Inc. to discontinue a 10-year-old co-marketing agreement, according to a statement McGuireWoods sent The Recorder. West Publishing also committed to "accurate advertising of the BAR/BRI course in accordance with state and federal laws" and to advise law students who enroll in its course as early as their first year "that they are, in fact,... (Law.com)
