The U.S. Department of Justice has deemed the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in a brief it filed in a Pennsylvania case regarding whether the wife of a former female Cozen O’Connor partner is able to collect the partner’s profit-sharing plan benefits under federal law.

After Lieff Cabraser’s executive committee voted to oust equity partner Barry Himmelstein, he responded by filing an application to dissolve the firm. Himmelstein claims the controversy stems from a case he and another partner tried last year.

Hobbs, a Simpson Thacher partner, talks about the current state of the debt market for private equity acquirers and the outlook for 2011.

Hewing to the bedrock family law principle that the financial support of a child must be premised on the youngster’s best interests, a New York state appellate court has upheld a woman’s obligation to pay support for a child borne by her former lesbian partner. Although the respondent has neither biological nor adoptive ties to the child, the court noted that the mother, in conceiving the child through artificial insemination, had relied on the partner’s assurances that she would help support the child.

Andrew Iyer, Ince & Co.’s global energy and offshore practice group head, has resigned from the law firm following a period of suspension for what the firm, in a statement, called “irregular financial behaviour.” Ince described the matter as “an isolated” issue that does not involve any other partner or staff member. The firm confirmed that the authorities have been notified and that Iyer is cooperating with the investigation.