Dallas-based AMR Corporation, owner of American Airlines, has made the largest aircraft order in history by agreeing to acquire a total of 460 planes from Airbus and Boeing in a transaction worth more than $38 billion. Five Am Law 200 firms have landed key roles on the record-setting deal.
As the fourth-largest U.S. airline, American is also the only major carrier in the country that has never filed for bankruptcy. Americans fleet, however, is among the industrys oldest–something that will change dramatically under the deal that will see the airline provided with new planes through 2025.
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The U.S. military released more details about the Fort Hood shooting trial this week, announcing that Maj. Nidal Hasan, accused of killing 13 and wounding dozens, will be tried in a military court starting March 5, 2012.
If convicted of murder, Hasan will either be executed or automatically sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
The U.S. military has not executed an American soldier in nearly 50 years.
Though he has yet to enter a plea, the Associated Press reports that Nidal Hasan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder.
A military mental health panel has also evaluated his competency to stand trial and his mental state during the November 2009 rampage, but, according to the AP, the panel’s conclusions have yet to be made public.
While the case is notable for its subject matter, it’s also important to note that this is one of the few times in recent history that Americans have had a chance to take a peek inside the military justice system.
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The legacy UK business of Squire Sanders Hammonds has recorded a turnover identical to Hammonds’ 2009-10 result and a three per cent rise in average profit per equity partner (PEP) for the last financial year.

The recently merged firm, which was formed from the combination of London-headquartered Hammonds and US firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey on 1 January, posted total revenue of £118m for the last financial year, based on the footprint of legacy Hammonds.
Average PEP was up slightly from £364,000 last year to £375,000, but net profit slumped 14 per cent from £22.6m to £19.5m.
Squire Sanders European managing partner Peter Crossley admitted the post-merger results were underwhelming.
“We would’ve liked to have done better than we have,” he said. “Times are u
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WASHINGTON – Julius Everett “Bud” Johnson, 62, a resident of Richmond, Va., was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for his role in an investment scheme resulting in millions of dollars in losses, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride of the Eastern District of Virginia, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeannine A. Hammett of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Special Agent in Charge Michael Morehart of the FBI Richmond Field Office.
On April 11, 2011, Johnson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Chief Judge James R. Spence
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Two-year-old Shaianna Hare of Florida was killed by a pet python. Her death resulted in the trial of her mother, Jaren Hare, and her mother’s boyfriend, Charles “Jason” Darnell. The killer python, an 8.5-foot Burmese python, had strangled the little girl to death.
The snake, named “Gypsy,” was kept in a glass aquarium that was secured by a safety-pinned quilt that acted as a lid, reports the Orlando Sentinel.
A jury found Hare and Darnell guilty of manslaughter, third-degree murder and child neglect, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The couple now faces prison sentences of up to 45 years.
A snake breeder at the trial testified that the snake was underfed and malnourished.
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