Stock photo. 

The share of women among new partners at the nation’s largest legal firms hit a five-year high, according to a report by the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.

Gary Paige delivers closing arguments at trial against R.J. Reynolds for the lung cancer death of Franklin "Jim" Johnston. The jury awarded $7.5 million in compensatory damages and found the tobacco giant potentially liable for punitives. 

Sarasota, FL—Jurors Wednesday awarded $7.5 million in compensatory damages to the widow of an Army veteran for the role they found cigarette manufacturer R.J. Reynolds played in his lung cancer death. Johnston v. R.J. Reynolds, 2014-CA-004023.2014-CA-004023. 

Fort Myers, FL—Jurors Tuesday declared themselves at an impasse during deliberations in an $8.75-million trial against R.J. Reynolds over fatal complications from a smoker's lung cancer, causing a Florida judge to declare a mistrial in the case . Maloney v. R.J. Reynolds, 07-CA-015578. 

Stock photo. 

West Palm Beach, FL—Jurors Wednesday cleared a South Florida psychiatrist of responsibility for the brain damage a cardiologist says he suffered as the result of electroshock treatments the psychiatrist delivered without proper consent. Dadi v. Sharma, 2011CA16027.

Stock photo. 

With The Trial Wire, CVN moves beyond news of trials it webcasts to share the best stories of other significant litigation across the country. 

A metro Atlanta political consultant’s $11-plus million verdict against two men he claimed destroyed his reputation may be an incomplete victory, given questions of improper service on one of the men and the fact that neither defendant showed for trial, leaving an empty defense table facing jurors, according to a story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.