Today's Legal Pulse
UK pushes commonhold reform to boost housing supply
The Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill proposes abolishing leasehold and mandating new homes be sold as commonhold, tying the change to a target of delivering 1.5 million homes annually—the highest since 1968. The model remains untested, with fewer than 25 developments and unresolved issues around dispute resolution.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
S.B.F. Alternate Histories & Ellison “Ticking Fee” Fears
Sam Bankman‑Fried, the former FTX chief, continues to appeal his 25‑year fraud sentence, awaiting a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. While incarcerated at the federal prison in Lompoc, California, he argues that a non‑bankrupt FTX would now be worth roughly $114 billion. The narrative also references Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s lucrative golden parachute and suggests a state antitrust action could further benefit stakeholders. These points form part of SBF’s broader public‑relations campaign while his legal battles proceed.
$73 Million at Stake: New York Challenges DOTs’ Non-Domiciled CDL Ruling
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s decision to withhold roughly $73 million in highway funding. The dispute centers on the DOT’s claim that New...
Improperly Redacted Documents Reveal Another Company Involved in ICE's Detention Reengineering Initiative
A newly uncovered Phase I Environmental Site Assessment shows Rudiarius LLC, a Wyoming‑registered firm, as a key player in DHS’s Detention Reengineering Initiative. The document, improperly redacted, reveals Rudiarius acted as the user of the report, likely conducting due‑diligence for...
United Told A Flight Attendant Injured On A Trip She Had An Extra Year To Return — Then Fired Her...
United Airlines told flight attendant Angela Tien she had until Jan. 25, 2023 to return from medical leave, a date that conflicted with the three‑year contract limit and should have been Jan. 25, 2022. After she missed the erroneous deadline,...
NY to Lose $74M of Federal $ Over 33,000 Immigrant Trucker CDLs
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that New York will forfeit more than $73.5 million in federal funds after refusing to revoke roughly 33,000 commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) issued to non‑domiciled immigrants. An audit found over half of a sample of...
Launch ECJC ‘Civil Justice Conversations’ – Online Research Seminar Series
The European Civil Justice Centre (ECJC) has launched the ‘Civil Justice Conversations’ online research‑seminar series, following the release of its European Civil Procedure handbook (De Gruyter 2026). The initiative invites scholars, practitioners and early‑career researchers to present work‑in‑progress on topics such as...
Brazil Signs Law to Regulate Doula Profession, Aiming to Humanize Childbirth
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a law on March 8 that formally regulates the doula profession in Brazil. The legislation defines qualifications, duties and limits for birth supporters, with the goal of humanizing delivery care and lowering cesarean...
Maine Governor Vetoes AI Data Center Moratorium Bill, Citing Job‑Critical Project
Maine Democratic Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have imposed a moratorium on new AI data‑center construction, arguing it lacked an exemption for a critical project in Jay. The move pits state‑level oversight against local decision‑making and raises...
Fastly CEO Sells $720K in Shares, Raising Questions on Edge‑Cloud Leadership
Fastly chief executive Charles Lacey Compton III sold 29,533 shares of the company for roughly $720,000 on April 16‑17, 2026, representing about 2.5% of his direct holdings. The sale, executed under a pre‑filed 10b5‑1 plan, has sparked debate among investors...
Cascio Siblings Sue Michael Jackson Estate for Alleged Abuse, Claim $16M Settlement Breach
Four Cascio siblings have filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles accusing the Michael Jackson estate of long‑term sexual abuse and of breaching a $16 million settlement that ended in 2025. The estate’s lawyers have dismissed the claims as a “desperate...
Law Enforcement’s Data Demand Blocks US Privacy Legislation
A request to Google for anonymous data on any devices within 150 meters of a credit union, 30 minutes before or after it was robbed, yielded just 19 accounts. One reason a national privacy law has never been passed in...
IRS Deploys AI to Offset Auditor Shortages and Sharpen Audit Risk
The Internal Revenue Service announced the rollout of artificial‑intelligence and advanced‑analytics tools to identify high‑risk returns, a move designed to counter a quarter‑size loss of tax examiners and shrinking enforcement budgets. Agency leaders say the technology will improve compliance while...
Anchorage Guarantees Crypto Safety with Federal Charter
Anchorage is a federally chartered bank regulated by the OCC, the first ever chartered to work with crypto. Accounts are segregated, bankruptcy remote, and insured. FTX, Voyager, and Celsius failed because they were not. With Anchorage, you are never a...
IMO Passes Major Reform of Ship Registration Process
The International Maritime Organization approved new ship‑registration guidelines to close a regulatory gap that has enabled false‑flagging, especially among Russia’s shadow‑fleet tankers. The IMO reports 529 vessels flew fraudulent flags between April 2025 and April 2026, affecting 40 member states. The guidelines...
Concerns Raised over Childcare Surveillance Storage
Taiwan's new Childcare Services Act, passed on April 14, requires childcare centers to upload video recordings of children under two to a centralized government cloud for 30 days. Advocacy groups rallied outside the Legislative Yuan, arguing the mandate violates the...
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What Is an Inter-Vivos Trust? Definition, How It Works, and Benefits
An inter‑vivos (living) trust is established while the grantor is alive to hold and manage assets for designated beneficiaries. It can be revocable, allowing the grantor to amend or cancel it, or irrevocable, which removes control and can lower estate‑tax...
What Do You Do With AI-Generated Legal Scholarship?: An April 2026 Question
A law professor discovered a second, independent transcript of the 1807 Aaron Burr treason trial that contradicts portions of the widely‑cited Robertson record used in his 2021 Harvard Law Review article on the Fifth Amendment privilege. Concerned that these discrepancies could...
Large Increase in Number of Complaints over Disability Discrimination at Work
Complaints alleging disability discrimination in Irish workplaces jumped 52% in 2025, rising from 410 to 622 under the Employment Equality Acts. Including goods and services cases, total disability complaints reached 915, representing nearly a third of all equality complaints filed...
Manitoba ID Rule Risks Free Speech, Kids Circumvent
This cannot be done without requiring ID from everyone in Manitoba who wants to access social media or AI chatbots. The kids will circumvent it and it will infringe everyone's Charter rights to freedom of expression. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-social-media-age-restrictions-9.7177470
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Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA): Protection for Borrowers
The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), enacted in 1975, obligates mortgage lenders to report detailed data on applications, originations, and denials. Regulation C, which governs the reporting, was transferred to the CFPB in 2011 and saw its data‑thresholds raised in 2020...
The FCC Just Said ‘No’ to SpaceX for Now
The Federal Communications Commission rejected SpaceX's petition to use Mobile Satellite Service spectrum for direct‑to‑device connectivity on April 23, 2024. The denial blocks SpaceX from expanding its Starlink Mobile service, which launched in July 2025 with messaging and later broadband....
#169 - Preston Bryne - Britain Isn't A Free Country Anymore
In this episode, Preston Bryne, a former banking lawyer turned free‑speech advocate, explains how he began defending controversial online platforms like 4chan, Kiwi Farms, and Gab against the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act, which seeks to enforce British censorship laws...
Government's Charter Statement on Bill C-22 Misleading and Incomplete
The government's misleading and incomplete Charter Statement for Bill C-22, the Lawful Access Act 2026 (Note: I have 55 exams to mark, so the video and podcast versions will have to wait.) https://blog.privacylawyer.ca/2026/04/the-governments-misleading-and.html
CPSC Joins ASTM Subcommittee to Revise Toddler Bed Safety Standards
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will participate in a hybrid meeting with ASTM International’s Toddler Beds Subcommittee on April 28, 2026, to review the latest revisions to the voluntary toddler‑bed safety standard. The session, held in West Conshohocken,...
SpaceX Files FCC Application for Quad‑Band Starlink Gateway in Texas
SpaceX has submitted an FCC filing for a next‑generation Starlink gateway at its Bastrop, Texas manufacturing plant. The proposed station will use 40 quad‑band antennas with 1.99‑meter dishes, expanding spectrum use to Ka, V, E and W bands and paving...
Everlaw Rolls Out New AI Workflow Tools, Targets Government Legal Market
Everlaw announced a suite of AI‑powered workflow enhancements and a government‑only virtual e‑discovery forum, marking a strategic push into federal, state and local legal markets. The moves aim to deepen stickier public‑sector contracts and position the platform as a go‑to...
AI in Healthcare Needs Proof, Not More FDA Oversight
An editorial by @HashemZikry @latimes @counselheatlh calling for more regulation of AI for patient use. Yes, there is "the staggering weight of unmet medical need," 1/3 Americans are using it to "diagnose symptoms and direct care," and states are moving...
Paytm Payments Bank License Revocation: Fate of 66K BCs in a Limbo
The Reserve Bank of India revoked Paytm Payments Bank Ltd.'s licence on April 24, 2026, leaving roughly 66,000 business correspondents and 719 permanent staff in uncertainty. The bank’s CASA deposits totaled about $52 million and fixed‑deposit balances with a partner bank...
EIOPA’s Virtual Conference Calls for Climate‑Resilient Insurance Innovation Across Europe
On April 28, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) hosted a free, virtual Sustainable Finance Conference that gathered regulators, industry leaders and consumer advocates to push for climate‑resilient insurance and pension products. Keynote speeches from EIOPA Chair Petra...
HUD Moves Toward Federal Takeover of Little Rock Housing Authority After Substantial Default
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued a letter declaring Little Rock's Metropolitan Housing Alliance in "substantial default," opening the door to full federal possession of its programs, assets and over 2,000 Section 8 vouchers. The move follows...
U.S. Soldier Charged with $404K Insider Bet on Polymarket After Maduro Raid
Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a U.S. special‑forces operative involved in the January 2026 raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, has been indicted for using classified mission details to place $404,000 in profitable bets on prediction‑market platform Polymarket. The case...
Nebraska Teacher Arrested for Creating AI‑Generated Child Pornography
Omaha middle‑school teacher Matthew Lund was arrested on federal charges for creating and distributing AI‑generated child sexual abuse material, prompting a $1 million bond and school termination. The case highlights growing law‑enforcement focus on AI‑driven illegal content.
Colorado Court Vacates Murder Conviction After New Medical Evidence Undercuts Shaken-Baby Theory
A Colorado state court vacated a murder conviction after 27 years when prosecutors accepted new medical evidence showing the infant died of pneumonia, not abusive shaking. The decision underscores how advances in pediatric pathology can overturn longstanding convictions. Prosecutors’ willingness...
SEBI Proposal to Raise MII CEO Age Cap Faces Resistance
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has floated a proposal to lift the upper age limit for managing directors and chief executives of market‑infrastructure institutions (MIIs) from 65 to 70 years. The move, intended to align MIIs with broader...
DOJ's Court Filings Reveal Chaotic, Desperate Legal Defense
Behind the headlines and press conferences, the real chaos is inside the court filings. I’m taking you behind the docket to show the bizarre arguments, sloppy filings, contradictions, and desperate attempts by the so-called “Department of Justice” to defend the...
Reforming India’s Patent Opposition Framework
India’s patent opposition framework, a dual pre‑grant and post‑grant system, is facing mounting delays and procedural abuse. The 2024 amendment rules introduced faster prima‑facie screening and shortened reply periods, yet courts have flagged continued mechanical notices and repetitive filings. High‑profile...
☀️New Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing - Freedom Forever LLC☀️
Freedom Forever LLC, a Temecula‑based residential solar EPC firm, filed for Chapter 11 in the Delaware district on April 15, 2026. The company, which once generated over $1 billion in annual revenue across 30+ states, entered bankruptcy with roughly $5 million in cash. CEO Brett...
😷New Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing - John Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital Inc.😷
On April 21, 2026, John Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital Inc. and its affiliate Fitzgibbon Health Services filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Western District of Missouri. The hospital operates a 60‑bed acute‑care facility, while FHS runs the 99‑bed The Living Center...
Hong Kong Eyes 10,000 BTC Investment for Asia’s First Regulated Bitcoin Capital Pool
Hong Kong‑listed Bitfire Group is launching a regulated Bitcoin‑denominated fund called Alpha BTC, targeting more than 10,000 BTC – roughly $760 million at today’s price. The strategy will employ Bitcoin derivatives and exposure to BlackRock’s IBIT, leveraging Avenir Group’s $908 million US ETF...
Thou Shalt Not Post the Ten Commandments in Classrooms
Republican legislators in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas have enacted laws requiring Ten Commandments posters in public‑school classrooms, cafeterias and libraries. The movement began in 2024 after Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed similar legislation, reviving a debate dormant since the...
United Airlines Demanded Flight Attendant Pay $22,000 in Legal Fees After She Lost Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
United Airlines ordered former flight attendant Yihsing Tien to pay nearly $22,000 in legal fees after a disability discrimination lawsuit was dismissed. Tien, injured in a 2018 hotel fall, was terminated in 2022 due to a misdated leave‑of‑absence notice. The...
Tillis: DOJ Investigation Closed, Warsh Nomination Moves Forward
Tillis says the Justice Dept has "made it very clear that the current investigation is completely and fully ended," saying he will allow Warsh's nomination to become chair proceed. He suggested it was still possible for DOJ to appeal the recent...
This Isn't the Time to Change Gun Laws, Acting AG Blanche Says
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said tightening gun laws is not the right response to the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting. He emphasized that shooter Cole Allen legally purchased the firearms and transported them by train, arguing that law changes...
“Bringing a Smartphone to a Bank Robbery? 4th Amendment Issue Hits Supreme Court; Okello Chatrie Was Convicted of Bank Robbery...
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to the warrantless use of smartphone location data in the conviction of bank robber Okello Chatrie. Police tracked Chatrie’s phone through a geofence search, leading to his arrest and a...
Virginia Republicans Target Voting Maps, Legal Fight Ongoing
I wasn't at the Substack party last night and I certainly wasn't at the WHCA. I was at home reviewing pending cases and writing for Democracy Docket about the how in Virginia, Republicans are attacking the map and the right...
Musk and Altman Face Trial in California Next Week
PSA: Musk v. Altman heads to court this week in California's Northern District. Jury selection starts tomorrow, with opening arguments after that.
EU Demands Real‑time Google Search Feed, Privacy at Risk
tl;dr: the EU wants to force Google to make a real time feed of all searches done on Google, with bullshit privacy protections, available to any EU company or researcher who wants it. Complying is evil. A future EU government should...
China Bars Firing Workers Replaced by AI
“Beijing’s government published a ruling that firms could not fire employees replaced by AI. Doing so…was akin to ‘offloading’ risks from technological change onto workers, whom firms ‘enjoying the benefits of AI’ had a duty to protect.” https://t.co/v6ER57UJ8X
Congress Should Permanently Repeal Jones Act, Not Just Waive
The Jones Act requires cargo shipping between US ports to be US-built, US-owned, and US-crewed. It hurts our economy and makes US shipping uncompetitive. It's great that the admin is waiving the Jones Act through August. But Congress should kill the...
CFTC's Single Commissioner Undermines Its Regulatory Credibility
Lots of these getting filed. No issue with the ETFs. Big issue with the HILLARIOUS idea that the CFTC is a functional regulator while it has a single commissioner to write, review, debate, vote and enforce a new industry based...