In-house lawyers understand that they’re hired to represent the entity that issues their paychecks, not the executives and staff. But as evidenced by the testimony of two Penn State University officials, a company’s lawyers and constituents can understand the relationship differently.

An insurance company for Penn State has asked a Philadelphia court to declare it should not have to provide coverage or pay the university’s defense costs in a suit stemming from the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, unless the abuse in the underlying case began in what appeared to be a narrow time frame.

It’s the medium, not the message, that did in Ropers Majeski partner Thomas Clarke Jr. A California appeal court has ruled that, by posting a YouTube video in which he solicited plaintiffs for a class action, Clarke opened himself up to a defamation suit and can’t use the state’s anti-SLAPP law to ward it off.

Addressing New York State Bar Association members this week, the president of the ABA praised the bar’s recent report detailing the impact of $170 million in cuts in the 2011-12 court budget.

In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Obama announced the creation of two new law enforcement units, one targeting financial crimes, the other unfair trade practices. Both announcements drew applause, though it’s not entirely clear how the initiatives will differ from existing efforts.