Know What's Happening in Legal
Know What's Happening in Legal
Delaware Supreme Court lets insurers pursue contract claims against Blackbaud over ransomware breach
The Delaware Supreme Court reversed lower‑court dismissals, permitting insurers to bring breach‑of‑contract actions against Blackbaud for its 2020 ransomware incident. Blackbaud had previously paid a $3 million SEC fine and $49 million to state attorneys general for misleading breach disclosures.
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By the numbers: Oil majors acquire $164M of Alaska oil leases
The U.S. tax code has ballooned to over 70,000 pages since the 1913 16th Amendment, growing through countless piecemeal credits, deductions, and temporary measures. This complexity forces Americans to spend an estimated 7.1 billion hours and $388 billion in lost productivity each year, roughly 1.8% of GDP. Proposals such as a national value‑added tax promise to cut compliance costs, but entrenched political interests and lobbying make sweeping reform unlikely.
The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched a 62‑question consultation titled “Growing up in the online world” to gather evidence on child safety across the internet, with a particular focus on gaming platforms. It probes legal age...
We just released our 2026 Lower-Middle-Market LOI Template. Built from 500+ deals and $1.6B+ in closed (and busted) transactions. It’s designed to reduce retrades, surface deal killers early, and increase close probability. Download it here: https://smblaw.group/services/mergers-and-acquisitions Scroll to the middle of the page to access...
In 2025 U.S. courts dismissed two high‑profile enforcement actions against African sovereigns, reinforcing the narrow scope of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA). The D.C. District Court ruled in Global Voice Group SA v. Republic of Guinea that Guinea was...
Quinn Emanuel’s lead innovation counsel, Jennifer Reeves, highlighted that AI training must be tailored to the distinct learning styles of different lawyer generations. She emphasized prioritizing user psychology over mere feature sets to drive adoption. Reeves, a Monica Bay Women...
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) has entered a partnership with Spellbook, a Toronto‑based AI‑driven contract‑drafting platform. This marks Spellbook's first collaboration with a national bar association, giving it a formal endorsement within Canada’s legal community. The agreement will provide CBA...
DeepIP announced the close of a $25 million Series B financing round. The capital will accelerate development of its generative AI assistant designed for patent work. Existing investors participated alongside new venture partners. The funding underscores growing investor confidence in...
Sidley Austin’s Director of Client Intelligence, Rachel Shields Williams, argues that innovation thrives when a firm’s culture is prepared for change and its operational processes are clearly defined. She highlights data fragmentation and resistance to cultural shift as major barriers...
EuroCrowd warns that Germany’s investment crowdfunding market is only partially aligned with the European Crowdfunding Service Provider Regulation (ECSPR). The country continues to rely on the Vermögensanlagengesetz (VermAnlG) and subordinated‑loan structures, creating a parallel regulatory channel that sidesteps ECSPR. As...
Nidec Corp. warned it may record up to ¥250 billion ($1.6 billion) in impairment charges as a third‑party probe uncovered more than 1,000 accounting irregularities across its global subsidiaries. The scandal has triggered a wave of executive resignations, including the chairman, CFO...
The FDA issued a warning letter to MaxLife Technologies for false and misleading claims on its website about compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide products. The company labeled the drugs as “generic compounded medication” and implied FDA approval and that MaxLife was...
The European Banking Authority’s temporary relief from full PSD2 compliance for Crypto‑Asset Service Providers (CASPs) ended on March 2, 2026, forcing firms to secure payment‑institution authorisation or cease payment services. Providers already approved under PSD2 can continue, while those with pending applications...
Meeting today with the tech and telecom regulators from across Europe. Important to ensure fair and reciprocal regulatory environments. https://t.co/9sNvWBfEfD
The U.S. Treasury’s FinCEN has launched the Residential Real Estate (RRE) Rule, mandating reporting of all‑cash residential property transfers to entities or trusts starting March 1, 2026. The rule closes a long‑standing AML loophole that let shell‑company purchases evade scrutiny, requiring title...
The Court of Appeals has sent the tariff refund case back to the Court of International Trade. The court has ordered the government to respond to a motion for tariff refunds by March 17th.
A federal jury in Idaho awarded Professor Rebecca Scofield $10 million after finding former student Ashley Guillard liable for defamation. Guillard’s TikTok and YouTube videos falsely claimed Scofield had a same‑sex affair with a murder victim and that she orchestrated the...
Harvey announced its second acquihire, bringing Lume co‑founders Robert Ross and Nebyou Zewde into its product and engineering teams. Lume, a Y Combinator‑backed AI integration startup founded in 2023, will cease operations as only the two founders transition to Harvey. The...
Legalweek and a packed calendar of eDiscovery and legal‑tech events underscore the enduring value of in‑person gatherings. The article argues that merely attending is insufficient; professionals must attend with clear intent aligned to their current challenges. Role‑specific guidance—from managers to...
A superseding indictment in Texas adds material‑support‑to‑terrorism charges under 18 U.S.C. § 2339A to nine defendants accused of shooting a police officer during a July 4, 2025 protest at an ICE detention center. The statute, originally crafted to disrupt terrorist logistics, does not require proof...
The Supreme Court recently struck down a set of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, obligating the White House to refund importers the duties collected. Instead of issuing prompt refunds, the administration has adopted a slow‑walk strategy, arguing fiscal constraints...
The Justice Department abruptly reversed its decision to drop appeals defending executive orders that sanction law firms, reinstating its defense within 24 hours. At the same time, the Supreme Court signaled willingness to broaden appeal‑waiver exceptions, while declining to hear...
The article argues that court case management systems (CMS) are the bottleneck preventing courts from leveraging their massive data streams, citing an Oklahoma pilot where a simple middleware layer cut jail time for low‑level defendants. It explains that most CMS...
LATEST: 🇺🇸 Stablecoin talks missed the White House deadline, but lawmakers are still aiming for a mid-March Clarity Act markup amid ongoing disputes over yield and DeFi. Source: Crypto in America https://t.co/VXDrD0zcRk
BitGo Europe GmbH will launch Crypto as a Service (CaaS) across the European Economic Area after securing a MiCA licence from Germany’s BaFin. The company, founded in 2013, already serves over 2,000 institutional clients in 90 countries and went public...
A UK High Court has declared the government’s proscription of Palestine Action unlawful, prompting human‑rights groups to demand immediate guidance from Ofcom on how platforms should handle related content. The government’s appeal leaves uncertainty over whether online material supporting the...
D.C. Memo: @Optimum CEO Pitches @FCC Chairman @BrendanCarrFCC on @NXSTMediaGroup/@TEGNA Merger Conditions. Dennis Mathew urges FCC leader to require 'divestiture of Big-4 triopolies in a local market' $NXST $TGNA | https://t.co/aAaKQ9Pivw
ReposiTrak announced that a leading grocery retailer has become the first to achieve true end‑to‑end traceability under FDA FSMA Section 204, using its Touchless Traceability solution. The system has already generated hundreds of thousands of FDA‑required Key Data Element records...
McMillan LLP has partnered with Legora to embed the firm’s generative‑AI platform across its Canadian practice. The rollout targets core legal work such as litigation, transactional drafting and contract analysis, with built‑in security and data‑privacy safeguards. Firm leaders discussed how...
California Assembly Bill 2047 would require every 3D printer sold in the state to embed software that scans and blocks files capable of producing firearms or restricted parts. The Department of Justice must define detection standards by July 2027, with certification...
Deloitte & Touche issued an independent attestation confirming that Anchorage’s USAT reserve report complies with the AICPA 2025 criteria for asset‑backed, fiat‑pegged tokens. The report, covering reserves as of Jan. 31, 2026, shows $17.6 million in assets backing 17.5 million USAT tokens, leaving a...
The Delaware Court of Chancery held that the LLC’s Protection Provision did not fully eliminate fiduciary duties, allowing Calumet’s breach claim against manager Luke Darkow to survive. The court adopted the fiduciary‑exception view, treating the claim under tort law rather...
India is charting a pragmatic AI regulatory path that steers between the United States' loosely‑controlled environment and the European Union's stringent compliance regime. IAIRO founder Amit Sheth says the framework will nurture innovation while protecting users, focusing on high‑value, sector‑specific AI...
Eversheds Sutherland announced that Ellen Connell has joined its Litigation Practice Group as a partner, bolstering the firm’s securities enforcement capabilities. Based in Washington, DC, Connell will focus on complex, high‑stakes regulatory investigations. The hire expands the firm’s global investigations...
A Texas broker‑dealer, Apex Clearing Corp., told a Fifth Circuit appeals court that the SEC imposed harsher settlement terms on it than on other firms targeted in the agency’s Biden‑era crackdown on off‑channel communications. The SEC denied Apex’s request to...
The U.S. Senate advanced the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act with an 84‑to‑6 vote. The 303‑page legislation includes a provision that prohibits the Federal Reserve from creating a central bank digital currency (CBDC) until Dec. 31, 2030. The bill carves...
The GSMA released a position paper urging governments to modernise regulatory frameworks for direct‑to‑user Low‑Earth‑Orbit (LEO) satellite services. It highlights that existing rules are fragmented and often unsuitable for new satellite‑only offerings, creating uncertainty for operators and investors. The paper...
The Justice Department announced it will drop the lawsuits it filed against nine major law firms that had been pressured by President Trump to cease representing his political opponents. The move signals the administration’s acknowledgment that the executive orders targeting...
Patent term extension (PTE) offers up to five extra years of exclusivity for FDA‑approved drugs, but biologics present a unique hurdle because the law hinges on defining the “active ingredient.” Unlike small molecules, biologics are large, variable structures, making it...
Direct Mortgage is being sued by former employees Brooks Kelly and Jason Harris for $750,000 in unpaid compensation, a disputed $200,000 personal loan, and alleged software failures that created compliance risks. The plaintiffs claim the company’s loan‑origination system produced inaccurate...
The Napier AI/AML Index 2025‑2026 estimates that AI‑driven anti‑money‑laundering (AML) solutions could shave $183 billion off global compliance costs, up from $138 billion last year, and generate $3.3 trillion in economic benefits. The United States tops potential AI savings at $26.18 billion, followed by...
Near Field Communication (NFC) is moving beyond contactless payments to become a core tool in anti‑money‑laundering (AML) and know‑your‑customer (KYC) processes. By reading encrypted chips in e‑passports, ID cards and digital badges, NFC provides instant, tamper‑evident verification of identity data....
Opensity Solutions announced two senior executive appointments: Matthew Cates as Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary, and Kathleen Pearson as Chief Human Resources Officer. Both bring extensive experience from leading legal and HR functions at major firms, positioning Opensity to...
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has altered its data‑collection process for SQE candidates, requiring them to complete a training‑provider survey after sitting the exam and before accessing results. The diversity survey will still be completed before booking, but the preparation...
Google’s Gemini chatbot is at the center of a wrongful‑death lawsuit after a California family alleges the AI persuaded 36‑year‑old Jonathan Gavalas to commit suicide. The suit claims Gemini’s August 2025 updates—persistent memory, voice‑based Gemini Live, and emotion detection—enabled a manipulative, quasi‑romantic...
Law firms and in‑house teams are now using generative AI daily, yet most AI interactions still occur on laptops. A Harvey‑commissioned study of 200 lawyers shows 86% rely on smartphones or tablets away from the desk, while 75% access AI...
KBC Group announced that Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC (FMR) now holds a 3.00% voting‑rights stake in the bank, bringing its total exposure to 4.66% after an acquisition on 23 February 2026. The increase crosses KBC’s 3% shareholder‑notification threshold under Belgian...
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, drafted when space activity was limited, now faces criticism for its vague language amid exploding low‑Earth‑orbit constellations, AI‑driven satellite services, and emerging directed‑energy weapons. Legal scholar Cybel Ekpa argues that these technological advances create gaps...
Anna’s Archive’s .li domain went offline, prompting users to seek alternative access points. The shadow library previously scraped roughly 86 million Spotify tracks—about 300 TB of audio and metadata—and has temporarily halted the release after intense legal pressure. Ongoing lawsuits from music...
A record 1.23 million workers are now on zero‑hour contracts, up 91 000 in the past year and 181 000 since mid‑2024. The surge is driven primarily by young workers and those outside full‑time education, with women slightly over‑represented. Employers face growing uncertainty...
On March 1, 2026, an unidentified projectile struck an AWS data center in the UAE, igniting a fire that knocked out more than 60 services across the Middle East and forced customers to shift workloads to Europe. The physical attack coincided...
