Given that patent litigation brought by non-performing entities (n�e patent trolls) continues in full blossom, it's no surprise that Big Firm castaways are leaping in to get a piece of the action on the plaintiffs side. But representing trolls carries risks for lawyers who earned their patent pedigrees at defense firms, as a pair of decisions highlighted on Thursday.

The fight over the validity of so-called unfinished business claims in law firm bankruptcies is heating up in courts on both coasts this week.