Stanford Law offers 'income share' financing, public defender turned judge, Quinn Emanuel's legal fee fight and Cuomo accused of sexual harassment

?? Good morning from the Legal File! Stanford Law to offer "income share agreements" to law students. A new record number of public defenders have been confirmed as U.S. judges during the Biden administration. Former clients turn the tables on Quinn Emanuel in their legal fee fight. And former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is accused of a pattern of sexual harassment by a one-time aide. Let's get into it:

?? Stanford Law to offer 'income share' financing as law school costs soar

In a recently announced pilot program, Stanford Law School has teamed up with nonprofit Flywheel Fund for Career Choice to offer participating first- and second-year students "income share agreements." They will receive up to $170,000 upfront to pay for their degrees through Flywheel, which has been seeded with more than $2.5 million in donations. Upon graduation, participants will pay 10% of their income for 12 years to the non-profit.

Annual tuition for Stanford Law's three-year J.D. program is now $66,924.

The program is open to graduates pursuing any career path, which sets it apart from existing law school loan repayment programs that are available only to graduates working in public interest jobs.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, nearly 71% of law students leave campus with student loans, and their average debt hovers around $138,500 — higher than any other field besides medicine.

More on student debt:

• Ashamed. Stressed. Hopeless. How debt is weighing on young lawyers
• 'Debt transformed my life': Lawyers weigh in on student loan reprieve

?? ?? U.S. Senate vote gives Biden record for most public defenders on appeals courts

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a Rhode Island public defender for a seat on a federal appeals court, handing President Joe Biden the record for placing the most nominees with that kind of experience onto the circuit courts.

Lara Montecalvo, who leads the Rhode Island Public Defender's Office, was cleared to join the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on a 52-47 vote, a day after the Senate failed to confirm another public defender up for an appellate court seat.

She is the sixth public defender nominated by Biden to an appeals court to win Senate approval, a number that surpasses former Democratic President Barack Obama's record of five, the progressive group Demand Justice says. The Senate now has confirmed 81 judicial candidates put forward by Biden.

?? Ex-Quinn Emanuel clients strike back in legal fee fight

Members of a wealthy and politically connected Honduran family are trying to turn the tables on Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan after it claimed they failed to pay $1.4 million in unpaid legal fees, calling the law firm's legal efforts a "shake down."

Children of former Honduras Vice President Jaime Rosenthal Oliva filed countersuits against the firm in Washington, D.C., federal court this week. A spokesperson for Quinn Emanuel called the claims "pure gamesmanship aimed at settling a lawsuit for legal fees that the defendants owe us."

?? Former New York Governor Cuomo sued by ex-aide for alleged sexual harassment

On Wednesday, Charlotte Bennett, a one-time aide to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, filed a lawsuit against him in federal court alleging a pattern of sexual harassment while she worked in his office.

Bennett accused Cuomo of subjecting her to "critical, sex-based comments and humiliating assignments." She demanded a trial by jury. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.

Cuomo, a Democrat, resigned in August last year after an independent investigation initiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James concluded that he sexually harassed 11 women.

?????????????????????????????????????????

?? That's all for today! Thank you for reading?The Legal File!

For more legal industry news, read and?subscribe?to?The Daily Docket.