Today's Legal Pulse
DOJ says Title VII disparate impact liability is unconstitutional
The Office of Legal Counsel concluded that disparate impact liability under Title VII violates the Constitution. The Department of Justice echoed this view, declaring employment disparate impact rules unconstitutional.
Also developing:
Alpine to Appeal Latest Defeat in Challenge of FINRA's Constitutionality
Alpine Securities lost a federal court ruling that rejected its constitutional challenge to FINRA, and the firm announced it will appeal the decision to the D.C. Circuit. Judge Beryl Howell emphasized that FINRA is a private self‑regulator whose disciplinary actions are overseen by the SEC, not the executive branch. The case follows earlier challenges to regulator authority, including the Supreme Court’s Jarkesy decision. Alpine previously secured a partial victory limiting FINRA’s power to expel firms without SEC review.
Commission Opens In-Depth Investigation Into Proposed Joint Venture Between UPM and Sappi
The European Commission has launched a Phase II in‑depth investigation into the proposed joint venture between Finland’s UPM‑Kymmene and South Africa’s Sappi. Both firms are the EU’s largest producers of communication paper, and the merger would create a market leader in...
Fair Scheduling Laws Give Workers Real Protections
Recent fair‑scheduling legislation in New York, California, and Illinois is delivering tangible benefits for low‑wage workers. A landmark $2 million settlement in New York City under the Fair Workweek Law forced a major retailer to back‑pay missed shift notices and provide...
Cannabis Rescheduling: What Does It Mean for Your Intellectual Property
The U.S. Department of Justice has reclassified FDA‑approved and state‑licensed medical marijuana products to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, following President Trump’s 2025 executive order. This shift removes the “unlawful use” barrier that previously blocked trademark protection for cannabis‑related...
EPA and HHS Signal a Federal Shift on Microplastics, by Sarah J. Morath
On April 2, 2026 the EPA announced that microplastics will be listed as a priority contaminant group in its draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List under the Safe Drinking Water Act, while HHS unveiled a $144 million ARPA‑H program (STOMP) to develop...
Supreme Court Case Could Broaden Vascepa Generic Labeling
Vascepa "skinny label" generic case at the Supreme Court. The generic label is only for hypertriglyceridemia, while Vascepa label is much broader. But gets promoted as a generic for Vascepa. Impact might be substantial. https://t.co/xtGWtscXkc
Texas Man Who Ran Cryptocurrency Scam Supposedly Backed by Blue-Chip Art Worth $1bn Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison
Robert Dunlap, a Texas entrepreneur, orchestrated a five‑year cryptocurrency fraud that promised investors a token called “Meta‑1 Coin” allegedly backed by $1 billion in fine art and $44 billion in gold. The scheme attracted nearly 1,000 victims and siphoned more than $20 million, wiping...
T.I. Hits Cinq Music With Lawsuit Over Catalog Deal
Rapper T.I. has filed a lawsuit against Cinq Music, alleging the label breached a 2017 contract that gave him an option to repurchase his recorded‑music masters at a low price. He claims Cinq artificially inflated the buyback price, demanding nearly...
Florida Attorney Who Battled His HOA Is Jailed Over Refusing To Name Disgruntled Neighbors
Florida attorney Bruce Burtoff, who represented two anonymous homeowners in a failed HOA lawsuit, has been held in Orange County jail since March 4 for civil contempt. A court ordered him to disclose the plaintiffs' names, addresses, and phone numbers,...
The GSA AI Clause Clock Is About to Start: What Schedule Holders Must Do Before Refresh 32 Drops
The General Services Administration (GSA) has closed the comment period and confirmed that its proposed AI clause, GSAR 552.239‑7001, will be incorporated into MAS Solicitation Refresh 32. When Refresh 32 is issued, all existing Schedule holders will receive a mass modification and have...
Big Tech Killed California's Anti-Self-Preferencing Bill in a Month
California's BASED Act, aimed at prohibiting self‑preferencing by platforms like Apple and Google, was killed in the state Senate privacy committee after just a month. Major tech firms and trade groups launched a coordinated lobbying blitz, flooding Capitol Hill with...
James Comey Indicted Again
The Justice Department filed a second indictment against former FBI director James Comey, this time alleging that an Instagram post featuring seashells arranged to spell “8647” constitutes a death threat against former President Donald Trump. The DOJ argues the numeric...
New Bill Would Autofill Tax Forms
Rep. Bill Foster (D‑Illinois) introduced the “Autofill Act,” a bill that would let taxpayers download tax forms already filled with data the IRS receives from employers, the Social Security Administration and financial institutions. The pre‑populated forms would be available both...
Taylor Swift Voice Trademarks, T.I. Catalog Lawsuit, D4vd Murder Case & More Top Music Law News
Taylor Swift has filed three trademark applications with the USPTO to protect the spoken phrases “Hey, it’s Taylor” and “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,” as well as a stage‑image of herself. The filings aim to block AI‑generated deepfakes that could misuse...
Pasadena Clinic Received $34 Million in Medicare Skin Graft Scam, Court Documents Say
Federal prosecutors seized over $2 million from Expert Wound Care, a Pasadena clinic accused of billing Medicare $34 million for skin‑graft procedures that patients never received. The scheme involved 78 beneficiaries, with a single patient billed more than $6 million. Medicare’s spending on...
Capito Bill Tightens FCC Vetting of Broadband Providers
Congress approved the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025, directing the FCC to vet broadband providers before awarding high‑cost universal service funds. The FCC must issue a rulemaking within 180 days requiring applicants to demonstrate technical, financial and operational capability...
Disney Asserts FCC Record Proves Continued Licensing Qualifications
Disney on FCC licenses: 'We are confident that record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels....'
FCC Forces ABC to Renew License After Kimmel Joke
Trump’s FCC Orders ABC to File Broadcast TV License Renewals Within 30 Days in Wake of Jimmy Kimmel’s Melania Joke https://t.co/XAtl8VE6ko via @variety
Implant Trade Secrets Are Not Protectable Due to Disclosure in Patents
The Federal Circuit ruled that trade secrets disclosed in patents are unprotectable under the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act, reversing a district court decision in International Medical Devices, Inc. v. Cornell. The court found three of IMD’s alleged secrets “generally...
Nexstar's Antitrust Timing Raises Questions on Power Flex
Not sure why I am not allowed to reply to @brianstelter post, but I think Nexstar/Tegna and Sinclair silence has more to do with pending antitrust case. Is this really the time for Nexstar to flex and demonstrate its power...
AI Can Boost Lawyers, Judges, and Justice Access
if we do AI right, we should have more human lawyers, more human judges and much more access to justice
Florida Fight Continues over Tax Collection for PACE Bonds
The Florida Supreme Court will consider a dispute between the Florida PACE Funding Agency and 42 county tax collectors over whether the collectors must enforce assessments that back $5 billion of authorized PACE bonds. PACE seeks a writ confirming that the...
Students Injured in Brown University Shooting Sue School over Alleged Security Failures
Three injured Brown University students have filed lawsuits alleging the Ivy League school ignored warnings about the shooter and failed to provide adequate security. The Dec. 13 shooting left two students dead and nine wounded, and the plaintiffs claim campus police...
Penn Wins Temporary Court Block on Turning over Jewish Employee Data to EEOC
U.S. District Judge Gerald Pappert issued a stay on his earlier order compelling the University of Pennsylvania to provide the EEOC with extensive data on its Jewish employees. The pause gives Penn time to appeal the March ruling that set...
Treasury Warns Banks: Chinese Refineries Buying Iranian Oil Risk Sanctions
US Treasury publishes an "alert," warning banks about the sanctions risks of dealing with independent Chinese oil refineries ('teapot') due to their purchases of Iranian oil. (I have my doubts about the efficiency of the alert, considering yuan-based payment for Iranian...
Musk Testifies He’s Suing OpenAI to Stop Altman’s ‘Looting’
Elon Musk testified that he is suing OpenAI and co‑founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, alleging the company’s pivot from a charitable nonprofit to a for‑profit entity amounts to “stealing a charity.” The lawsuit was presented to a federal jury...
Bear Markets Fuel Drama; Push for Universal Crypto Access
The amount of drama around Bitcoin this week really shows that bear markets play on people's emotions We should be coming together to advocate for the removal of the accredited investor law and work with the CFTC & SEC towards...
FCC Summons Disney for Early License Renewal, Cites Public Interest
FLASH: The FCC is officially calling in Disney's broadcast licenses for early renewal, citing the public interest standard and "the agency’s prohibition on unlawful discrimination."
What Auditors Are Actually Looking For — And the Psychology Behind How They Find It
In a recent interview, Quality Compliance Manager Sneha Saggurthi explains that audit failures often stem from poor logistics and mindset, not weak quality systems. She distinguishes compliance—having the right documents—from audit‑readiness, which requires a coordinated plan, defined roles, and rapid...
Broadcast Law Surge Revives FCC Veterans Like Y2K
I am doing more broadcast law in one day than I have done for the last 15 years. @BrendanCarrFCC is doing for FCC lawyers what Y2K did for programmers. Make old-timers relevant again.
Property Tax Compliance Tops Six Figures Annually for Most Large Enterprises, Avalara Research Finds
Avalara’s new report reveals that property‑tax compliance consumes a massive share of large enterprises’ resources, with 60% of firms logging 81‑160 hours each month and 22% spending between $250,000 and $500,000 annually. Despite this investment, only 3% of respondents have...
Florida Court Denies Comp Immunity for Contractor in Fatal Fall Case
A Florida appeals court affirmed a partial summary judgment against Willis A. Smith Construction, ruling the firm could not claim workers‑compensation immunity in the wrongful‑death suit of subcontractor part‑owner Phillip Scott Keathley. The court held that Willis A. Smith never...
License Renewals Are Tedious, but FCC Revocation Is Rare
And during that entire time, the licensee keeps the license. BUT -- needing to drop everything to do all your license renewals early is a major, expensive time-consuming pain in the butt. And you are under the microscope. You can get...
5 Laws and Standards That Require the US Cut Off Weapons to Israel
A congressional memo from the Institute for Middle East Understanding outlines five U.S. laws and international standards that compel the United States to halt weapons sales to Israel. The memo arrived after a record‑setting effort by 40 senators to block...
Form 990 Revisions Aimed at Cracking Down on Fraud by Tax-Exempt Groups, Treasury and IRS Say
The Treasury Department announced that the IRS will revise Form 990 to tighten reporting on government contracts, grants, and fiscal sponsorships, aiming to expose fraud in tax‑exempt organizations. The "Form 990 transparency initiative" follows a recent IRS whistleblower alert seeking...
Data Collection in Occupied Territory: A Closer Read of Cyber Law Toolkit Scenario 35
The Cyber Law Toolkit’s Scenario 35 dissects a hypothetical occupying power’s mass data‑collection program—rerouting internet traffic, door‑to‑door reporting, and daily checkpoint interrogations—and measures it against international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL). The analysis concludes the bulk surveillance...
How ADR Notable Helps Mediators And Arbitrators Run Secure, Efficient Cases
In this episode, Gary Dornhafer, founder and CEO of ADR Notable, explains how his platform addresses the unique workflow needs of mediators and arbitrators, from secure document handling and private vs. public communications to specialized billing and scheduling tools. He...
Trump Admin Revives COVID Origins Debate with Indictment
The Justice Department has indicted David Morens, a former senior adviser at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on conspiracy and record‑tampering charges for allegedly deleting emails and routing communications to a personal account to hide information about...
Unprotected LLM Output Gives Government Power to Censor
"If the outputs of large language models were not treated as protected expression, the government would have sweeping power to dictate what they can and cannot say—even what they must say." https://t.co/fRPnCFjG3B
India Bans Ashwagandha Leaf Use in Any Form, Industry Reacts
India's Food Safety and Standards Authority has banned the use of ashwagandha leaf in all food and supplement products, limiting the herb to root‑only extracts. The directive follows an Ayush ministry letter citing a 2024 safety dossier that flags higher...
Why Sharing a Screenshot Can Get You Jailed in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates is enforcing its cyber‑crime law, especially Article 52, to punish the spread of false or destabilising online content during emergencies. Minimum penalties jump from one year in prison and a $27,000 fine to two years and $54,000...
CCI Clears Mizuho Securities Stake Purchase in Avendus Capital
The Competition Commission of India approved Mizuho Securities' purchase of a stake in merchant banker Avendus Capital, a firm with operations in India, Singapore, the US and the UK. The regulator also cleared the merger of three edible‑oil companies—A1 Agri...
FTC and States Target Alleged Collusion in Digital Ad Agency Market
The Federal Trade Commission, together with a coalition of state attorneys general, filed an antitrust lawsuit alleging that major digital‑advertising agencies coordinated pricing, placement and information‑sharing practices. The complaint targets the intermediary ad‑agency layer, expanding enforcement beyond dominant platforms like...
U.S. DOL Proposes New Joint-Employer Rule
On April 23, 2026 the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule that would define when two or more entities are considered joint employers under the FLSA, FMLA and MSPA. The rule revives the 2020 framework but adds a...
Targeting Only Democratic‑Led States, 5 of 5 Wins
Continuing its battle only against states with Democratic Governors and Attorney Generals. 5 out of 5 so far (NY, AZ, CT, IL & WI). That is not a coincidence.
California AG Bonta Has Everything He Needs to Open a Criminal Investigation Into Musk and DOGE. Today I’m Submitting a...
A Substack author has submitted a prosecution investigation referral memorandum to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, demanding a criminal probe into Elon Musk’s DOGE for alleged unauthorized transfer of Social Security Administration data and voter‑fraud related activities. The demand cites...
SFO and OAK Resolve Trademark Lawsuit Over Airport Name
The City and County of San Francisco and the Port of Oakland have settled their trademark lawsuit, confirming that the Oakland airport will continue to be officially named “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.” The agreement, posted on both airports’ websites, ends a branding dispute...
Miller Thomson Adds Perry Kiefer as a Corporate Tax Partner in Saskatoon
Miller Thomson LLP announced the addition of Perry Kiefer as a partner in its Saskatoon corporate tax group. Kiefer, a former partner at Felesky Flynn, brings extensive experience in corporate and personal tax planning, reorganizations, M&A, and estate matters. His...
Hikma and Amarin's Generic Drug Case Heads to Supreme Court Arguments
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments this week in the dispute between Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Amarin over a prescription‑strength fish‑oil pill, the first generic challenge to Amarin’s Vascepa. The case centers on whether the FDA’s bioequivalence standards and the...
The Supreme Court Seems Likely to Shut Down a Lawsuit by Falun Gong over Ciscos Aid to China
The U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to dismiss the Falun Gong lawsuit accusing Cisco of providing technology that enabled persecution in China. The case hinges on whether Cisco can be held liable under the Alien Tort Statute and the Torture...