Here are the top stories this morning:

Hamilton County, Ohio Prosecuting Attorney Joe Deters is blasting commissioners for paying $12 million to private lawyers for work he says could have been done by his office.

Manhattan federal judge Denny Chin would like to know how New York City’s Dewey & LeBoeuf can justify charging a $600 hourly rate for associates on a securities lawsuit.

  

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Federal bankruptcy filings rose by 30% for the 12-month period ending September 30th, while business bankruptcy filings climbed 49%.

LA’s Latham & Watkins, one of the largest law firms in the world, is freezing 2009 salaries at 2008 levels, which may set the trend for other biglaw firms.

New York Law School has filed an investor lawsuit against J. Ezra Merkin, who lost $3 million of the school’s funds by investing them with Bernard Madoff.

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