Know What's Happening in Legal
Know What's Happening in Legal
NY Federal Court Limits D&O Run‑Off Exclusions to Unlawful Acts
A New York federal judge ruled that post‑cut‑off actions do not defeat D&O coverage unless they constitute unlawful conduct. The court found AmTrust’s 2019 preferred‑share delisting was a lawful corrective disclosure, rejecting the insurer’s reliance on the subsequent‑acts exclusion. The decision clarifies that New York’s “Wrongful Act” requirement hinges on illegality.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Oil majors acquire $164M of Alaska oil leases
The UK government will fund every Crown court in England and Wales to operate at maximum capacity in 2026/27, with an extra £287 million for digital upgrades and infrastructure. Total court and tribunal funding rises to £2.785 billion, up from £2.538 billion. No cap on sitting days and additional magistrates' court capacity aim to clear backlogs. The three‑year plan also supports judge‑only trials and expands the Immigration and Asylum Chamber’s sitting days.
Congress has stripped more than $40 billion of IRS funding authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, threatening the agency’s capacity to combat cross‑border financial crime. IRS Criminal Investigation referrals fell to a 40‑year low in FY2024, and its special‑agent force has...
On February 6, 2026, CFIUS issued a request for information (RFI) to refine its Known Investor Program (KIP), a fast‑track review mechanism for repeat foreign investors in U.S. advanced‑technology sectors. The RFI outlines eligibility thresholds—at least three covered filings in...
A Deloitte survey of 649 tax, finance and legal professionals shows generative AI adoption in the Gulf Cooperation Council has accelerated, with non‑adoption dropping from 52% in 2024 to 29% in 2025. Quality improvement is the top priority (38%), followed...
President Donald Trump demanded that Congress pass the most restrictive anti-voting bill in US history, the SAVE America Act. But he also exaggerated the bill’s provisions, saying it would impose even more severe restrictions on voting than it actually would....
The Fair Work Commission ruled that a Hansen Corporation database manager was fairly dismissed after falsifying timesheets. The employee, employed since 2019, claimed manager approval and a long‑standing pattern excused the false entries, but the Commission called his explanation wholly...
New Zealand will overhaul open work visa rules on 20 April 2026, dividing them into two streams: unrestricted visas that allow any employment, self‑employment or business activity, and employer‑only visas that limit holders to a single employer. The change targets visas such as...
On 19 January 2026 Indonesia’s Constitutional Court dismissed a petition challenging Article 56 of the 2022 Personal Data Protection Law, which governs cross‑border data transfers. The Court held that such transfers are administrative actions of the executive, not matters requiring parliamentary approval, and...
Amnesty International urges the world to keep pressure on Russia as the fourth anniversary of the invasion marks a test of global resolve. The organization highlights waning sanctions, reduced U.S. aid, and an unexecuted ICC arrest warrant for President Vladimir...
The Department of Justice released more than three million documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, including several grand‑jury subpoenas directed at Google. The leaked files reveal Google’s formal responses on company letterhead, detailing the data it produced for specific...
The Ninth Circuit reversed a district court ruling that held BNSF Railway strictly liable for asbestos dust from the Libby, Montana, vermiculite mine, invoking the federal common‑carrier exemption. A 2024 jury had awarded each estate $4 million, but the appeals court...
A New York federal judge granted ClicknClear’s motion to dismiss Tresóna Multimedia’s false‑advertising lawsuit, ruling that the company’s statements about required music licenses are non‑actionable opinions of law. The dismissal does not bar Tresóna from filing an amended complaint, which...
A federal magistrate in Virginia ruled that the Justice Department cannot conduct an unsupervised search of seized devices belonging to a Washington Post reporter. The judge ordered that any examination of the material be overseen by the court, rejecting the...
A three‑judge Ninth Circuit panel denied an emergency stay, leaving in place a district court injunction that bars the U.S. Department of Education from canceling school‑based mental health grants without following required procedures. The court ordered the department to issue...
A federal prosecutor and defense attorneys opened a high‑profile trial in Fort Worth, alleging that a self‑identified “North Texas antifa cell” conspired to attack the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4, shooting fireworks and injuring a police officer. The government...
A U.S. District Judge dismissed xAI's trade‑secret lawsuit against OpenAI, finding no evidence that OpenAI induced former employees to steal confidential information. The ruling emphasized that mere possession of trade secrets does not constitute misappropriation and that the plaintiff failed...
UN human‑rights experts urged Brazil to ensure fairness and transparency in the upcoming trial of the Brazão brothers, accused of ordering the 2018 murder of councilwoman Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes. The trial follows convictions of the gunmen and...
Two Florida waterfront owners appealed to the 11th Circuit to overturn Redington Beach’s ordinance that permits public use of dry sand up to 15 feet from private property. The case hinges on the “customary use” doctrine, which allows public access...
The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) warns that generative AI image tools and end‑to‑end encryption are expanding opportunities for child sexual abuse online. It urges regulators, particularly Ofcom, to wield powers under the Online Safety Act to hold tech platforms...
The Property Solvers study reveals conveyancing fees in the UK climbing well above inflation, with freehold sale costs hitting £1,317 in 2026—a 10.6% rise year‑on‑year. Leasehold and remortgage fees also posted double‑digit increases, outpacing the 3% CPI. Regulatory, AML, and...
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs, prompting President Trump to issue an executive order that imposes a 10% global tariff under Section 122, with a possible...
A recent Robert Half survey of 138 Canadian legal leaders finds hiring skilled talent is harder than a year ago. Two‑thirds report shortages, especially in legal technology, operations, research, and data privacy. 58% say they must train existing staff, while...
South Korea is set to amend the Game Industry Promotion Act, allowing regulators to impose an administrative surcharge of up to 3% of revenue or KRW 1 billion on games that fail to disclose or misrepresent loot‑box probabilities. The proposal follows a...
Leading legal academic Dr Liz Curran told the Justice Select Committee that lawyer training in England and Wales, both at law schools and through continuing professional development, is inadequate. She urged regulators to adopt an Australian‑style CPD framework that includes...
High Court claims rose 7% in 2025, reaching 8,271 filings, driven primarily by a 34% surge in public‑sector disputes and a 13% increase in probate matters. Public‑sector litigation grew across central government, local authorities and regulators, while probate claims reflected...
Lord Chancellor David Lammy announced £4.5 million in funding for LawtechUK over the next three years, extending the programme’s total investment to £12 million since 2019. He outlined an AI‑focused vision for the courts, including a pilot AI listing assistant (J‑AI) for...
The FCC’s Media Bureau issued a public notice seeking comment on the evolving live‑sports distribution landscape, highlighting concerns over consumer access and the ability of local broadcasters to fulfill public‑interest duties. The notice asks whether market fragmentation—driven by streaming platforms...
Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party has pushed amendments that criminalize "systematic" non‑recognition of the government, imposing up to three years in prison. The law targets dissent over the contested October 2024 parliamentary elections, which international observers deemed neither free nor fair....
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories disclosed that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission concluded its multi‑year Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation in February 2026 and, for now, will not recommend any enforcement action. The probe, triggered by an anonymous 2020 complaint about...
Jennifer Gillman explains that lawyers who become rainmakers—those who generate their own business—gain autonomy over staffing, timelines, and work‑life balance, unlike service partners who operate on firm‑assigned schedules. She emphasizes early, consistent business‑development habits, such as dedicating fifteen minutes weekly...
Discord announced it will postpone the global rollout of its "teen‑by‑default" age verification system until the second half of 2026, after user backlash and privacy concerns. The company will still enforce verification in jurisdictions with legal mandates such as Australia,...
The Connecticut Supreme Court confronted the reliability of AI‑generated evidence, focusing on the risk of hallucinations that blur fact from fiction. Justice Ecker warned that AI makes truth verification increasingly difficult. The justices examined recent filings that relied on AI...
Tesla has filed a 167‑page, five‑count opposition at the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to block French beverage wholesaler UNIBEV’s “Cybercab” trademark. The filing alleges fraud, bad‑faith intent, likelihood of confusion, dilution, and false association with Tesla’s existing CYBER‑...
A Fourth Circuit disciplinary order revealed that U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby created an abusive work environment for her law clerks, including bullying, intimidation, and humiliating incidents. Despite two clerks being reassigned in late 2022, the Administrative Office and...
President Donald Trump announced a 10 percent tariff on most imports, revising his earlier 15 percent target. The move follows a Supreme Court decision that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not grant the president authority to impose such duties. Experts...
Big law trade attorneys are experiencing a flood of client inquiries after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated key Trump-era tariffs. The ruling enables importers to seek refunds, prompting firms like Quinn Emanuel to launch a dedicated tariff‑refund litigation task force....
Air Products has moved to secure a Water Quality Certification from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, a prerequisite for its federal permit to build a blue‑hydrogen and carbon‑capture facility. The certification confirms compliance with Clean Water Act sections governing...
Logan Brown, a former Cooley associate and Vanderbilt valedictorian, quit big‑law in May 2025 to launch Soxton, an AI‑powered legal startup. Soxton uses artificial intelligence to draft contracts and other documents, then has human lawyers review them for a flat...
Stablecoin rules in the UK are being finalized, and are at risk of preventing the UK from being globally competitive in the digital economy. For example, the Bank of England is proposing a cap on stablecoin holdings for individuals and businesses. The...
Paramount is waiving Material Adverse Effect clause for cable network biz. In other words, any declines before close won't effect deal price. Also Paramount agrees to put in more $$ to satisfy lenders if necessary to support the solvency certificate....
The American Hospital Association (AHA) praised FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson’s call to shift merger challenges from the agency’s in‑house adjudicatory process to federal Article III courts. The AHA argues that court litigation would lend greater credibility to the FTC’s antitrust...
If true, it's kinda crazy and reckless that Jane Street waited until the exact day of the investigation to be announed to stop their bad behavior...
Peter Williams, the former Trenchant exec who stole zero-day exploits from his employer and sold them to a Russian exploit buyer, was sentenced today to 7 years and 3 months in a hearing that was partially closed to the public...
The Senate has placed the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act on its calendar, restoring the FMCSA’s authority to levy civil penalties for unauthorized brokerage activities after a 2019 court decision stripped that power. The bill mandates a physical business...
Randall Guynn, a prominent Wall Street lawyer, will become the next director of supervision and regulation at the Federal Reserve, effective March 8 w/@AidenReiter https://t.co/WIPFQbILxz
“The Board has not made a determination as to whether the revised PSKY proposal is superior to the merger with Netflix. WBD will engage further with PSKY to determine if a proposal that constitutes a “Company Superior Proposal,” as defined...
Effective March 2026, New York’s Secure Choice Savings Program obligates private‑sector employers with ten or more New York employees and at least two years in business to either register for the state‑administered Roth IRA or certify an exemption. Registration requires using a unique...
The Department of Labor settled with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan for $28.3 million plus a $2.8 million penalty, mandating reforms to its mental‑health provider network. The Fifth Circuit, in Parrott v. International Bancshares, applied the effective vindication doctrine to strike down arbitration...
Major news organizations, including The New York Times and the Associated Press, have filed an amicus brief urging the D.C. Circuit Court to block the Federal Trade Commission from resuming its investigation of Media Matters for America. The FTC’s demand...
I learned a lot in this timely deep dive about what the new SCOTUS decision means for energy. Check it out
