Today's Legal Pulse
Biden sues DOJ to block release of interview audio
President Joe Biden has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent the Department of Justice from publishing an audio recording of his interview. The action, reported by Axios and TIME, aims to keep the interview confidential amid political controversy.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
Tesla Begins Cybercab Production, Bypasses 2,500‑Unit Cap Amid Unsolved Autonomy Hurdles
Tesla announced that Cybercab production is now underway at Giga Texas, and the vehicle will not be subject to NHTSA’s 2,500‑unit annual exemption limit. The rollout comes as the company still faces delays in delivering fully unsupervised Full Self‑Driving capability and has seen three senior leaders exit the program.
California Law Expands Sexual Assault Claims, Raising HR Stakes for Music Industry
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, California’s Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act opens a two‑year retroactive filing window for rape and sexual‑assault claims, closing Dec. 31, 2027. The change follows a wave of lookback statutes that already produced more than 3,500 complaints in New York,...
Supreme Court: DNA Overrides Marital Paternity Presumption
Supreme Court ruled that a husband does not have to pay child maintenance. The wife claimed maintenance for the child from her husband. The matter reached the Supreme Court of India. After observing all facts, and under Indian law (Section 112 of...
A Satanist Just Won a Religious Exemption for Bathroom Access in School
A Colorado high‑school student who identifies as a Satanist obtained a religious accommodation that exempts her from the Elizabeth School District’s digital bathroom‑monitoring system, known as Minga. The Satanic Temple’s lawyer invoked the district’s duty to honor religious freedom, referencing...
Indiana Bans Public Homelessness
Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed Senate Enrolled Act 285, outlawing camping, sleeping or long‑term shelter on public land. The statute requires police to first determine whether an individual needs emergency mental‑health assistance, issue a warning and provide service information, then...
XR Extreme Reach Expands Celebrity Payments To Support Ai Performers In Advertising
XR Extreme Reach unveiled a pioneering payment solution that aligns AI‑generated advertising talent with SAG‑AFTRA’s Commercials Contract. The platform now supports two new performer categories—Digital Replicas, which are AI‑enhanced versions of real celebrities, and Synthetic Performers, wholly AI‑created characters. Payments...
Veeva V. Epic: The Arbitration Trap
Veeva Systems sued Epic Systems in Dane County, alleging that Epic’s restrictive‑covenant "Company List" blocks Veeva’s ability to recruit talent. Epic responded with a motion to dismiss, contending Veeva lacks standing and that the case is not ripe because no...
Reasons Why You Require a Domestic Abuse Attorney in Philadelphia
Facing domestic violence allegations or seeking protection in Philadelphia demands immediate, expert legal counsel. The city’s courts can swiftly issue protection orders, impose felony charges, fines, and firearm bans, making the stakes high for both defendants and victims. A seasoned...
Letter Supporting Fired Texas State Philosophy Professor and Boycott of University
Assistant Professor of Philosophy Idris Robinson filed a lawsuit against Texas State University, alleging his contract termination violated his First Amendment rights after a controversial talk on the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict. A public letter, backed by the Texas State Employees Union,...
FINRA Suspends, Fines Former Spartan Capital Securities’ Branch Manager
FINRA has ordered former Spartan Capital Securities branch manager Frederick Joseph Cammarano III to pay a $15,000 fine and accept an 18‑month suspension from any principal role at a FINRA member firm. Cammarano, who oversaw Spartan’s New York office and...
Freshfields and Anthropic Enter Multi-Year Collaboration Agreement
Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has entered a multi‑year collaboration with AI startup Anthropic to accelerate co‑innovation and firm‑wide adoption of generative AI. The partnership gives Freshfields direct access to Anthropic’s Claude language models and joint research resources to...
Wireless Giants To Get Off The Hook For Spying On Your Daily Movements For Years
The FCC has proposed $196 million in fines—$91 million for T‑Mobile, $57 million for AT&T, and $48 million for Verizon—over years of selling users' precise location data to third parties. Carriers have repeatedly contested the penalties, and a 5th Circuit ruling last year vacated AT&T's...
Checking In On SQM’s Scrutiny
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM) settled a 2017 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act case with $30.5 million in combined criminal and civil penalties. In November 2023 the U.S. SEC issued a subpoena demanding documents on SQM’s mining operations, third‑party transactions...
US Class Action Raises Risk for RBC and US Banks
A US$12 bn class action alleging that major banks, including Royal Bank of Canada, kept interest rates on municipal variable‑rate demand obligations (VRDOs) artificially high will move forward after the Supreme Court declined to intervene. The lawsuit, certified as a nationwide...
Lawmakers Push Streaming, Privacy, and Age‑verification Reforms
Policyband Headlines ■ Ohio Democrat Ready to Regulate TV Sports on Streaming Platforms ■ @Comcast Lost 65,000 Broadband Sub But Added 435,000 Wireless Lines In Q1 ■ @FCC Grants John Malone Legal Control of @GCIAK Liberty Despite Owning Less than 7% of...
EU Warned over 'Disastrous' PPA Own Goal Just as It Tries to Promote Them
The European Union is facing criticism that its draft eco‑rules could exclude corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) from carbon‑footprint calculations. Industry groups warn that this would strip manufacturers of green‑energy credits, undermining the incentive to invest in wind and solar...
StubHub to Refund $10 Million in Fees: Do You Qualify?
The Federal Trade Commission sued StubHub for concealing mandatory fees at checkout, prompting a settlement that includes a $10 million refund to affected buyers. The refund covers U.S. ticket purchases made between May 12 and May 14, 2025, and will be issued automatically within...
SEC’s April Docket Signals Sustained Pressure on Musk, Crypto, and Private-Fund Defendants
The SEC’s April 2026 docket reveals a sustained, wide‑ranging enforcement push that touches public‑company disclosures, private‑fund fraud, and crypto‑related disputes. Notable items include ongoing federal court battles in the SEC v. Musk case and a $2.4 million settlement with a venture‑capital...
Kash Patel's Embarrassing Lawsuit Against The Atlantic
FBI Director Kash Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, alleging the outlet’s claims that he is frequently intoxicated at work are false. The complaint, drafted by attorney Jesse Benall—who previously represented former President...
Gibson Dunn Hits Sullivan & Cromwell for Four-Partner Appellate Litigation Team Led by Jeffrey Wall
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired a four‑partner appellate litigation team from Sullivan & Cromwell, led by former acting solicitor general Jeffrey Wall. The group—Wall, Morgan Ratner, Judson Littleton and Yaira Dubin—has argued more than 45 U.S. Supreme Court cases...
IAB Statement on the SECURE Data Act
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) issued a statement supporting the SECURE Data Act (H.R. 8413), praising its push toward a federal privacy standard that would harmonize disparate state laws. IAB emphasized core consumer rights—opt‑out of data sale, access, deletion, and...
Solidion Technology to Monetize Patent Portfolio
Solidion Technology has partnered with Hilco Global’s IP Services Practice to monetize its graphene‑based battery patent portfolio, which the CEO estimates could be worth over $750 million. Hilco’s analysis indicates that major players across energy storage, semiconductors, consumer electronics, and aerospace...
Republican Lawmakers Attempt to Shield Big Oil From Climate Lawsuits in ‘Alarming’ Bills
Republican lawmakers introduced the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026, led by Rep. Harriet Hageman and Sen. Ted Cruz, to grant oil and gas companies sweeping legal immunity from climate‑related lawsuits. The proposal would dismiss more than 70 pending state...
U.S. Soldier Charged With Using Classified Information To Profit From Prediction Market Bets
The Justice Department unsealed an indictment against Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke for allegedly exploiting classified intelligence about a covert operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Van Dyke placed "yes" bets on Polymarket prediction contracts tied to U.S....
Unnamed Pharma Files Citizen Petition Targeting FDA’s Trove of Rejection Letters
An unnamed pharmaceutical firm has lodged a citizen petition urging the FDA to halt its new practice of automatically publishing complete response letters (CRLs). The petition seeks a 10‑day notice period for sponsors to contest disclosure and a clear redaction...
Türkiye Passes Sweeping Digital Law Restricting Social Media Access for Under 15s
Turkey’s Grand National Assembly approved a sweeping digital regulation that bans social‑media access for children under 15 and imposes mandatory age‑rating systems and parental controls. Platforms with more than 100,000 daily Turkish users must appoint local representatives, and non‑compliant firms...
DOJ Report, SPLC Indictment, and Supreme Court Showdown
The Justice Department released a report alleging the Biden administration weaponized federal law, using the FACE Act to target pro‑life activists while granting leniency to pro‑choice defendants, resulting in an average 27‑month sentence for the former versus 12.3 months for...
Trial Date Set for Balfour Beatty After Nuclear Site Death
Balfour Beatty, a tier‑one contractor, will face a health and safety trial at Reading Crown Court on 22 May 2028 for the death of construction worker Stuart Cook at AWE’s Aldermaston nuclear site on 6 July 2023. The company entered a not‑guilty plea to...
Builder.ai Founder Named ‘Key Beneficiary’ in Money-Laundering Probe
Builder.ai founder Sachin Dev Duggal has been named the "key beneficiary" in an Indian money‑laundering probe involving defunct electronics group Videocon. Authorities allege that interest‑free loans from Videocon were funneled through a series of offshore entities, ultimately delivering roughly $4 million...
How Are the Companies You Invest in Leveraging AI?
The article warns that AI‑washing is inflating hype, highlighted by the SEC’s $400,000 fine on two firms for false AI claims. It distinguishes AI‑enabled products—like HubSpot’s AI‑enhanced CRM and Netflix’s recommendation engine—from AI‑native solutions built from the ground up, such...
Rapporteur’s Report About the EU Business Wallet
The European Parliament’s ITRE committee, led by rapporteur Eero Heinäluoma, released a draft report outlining the legal framework for an EU Business Wallet. The regulation will enable trusted digital interactions—identification, e‑signatures, authentication, and data exchange—between companies, public administrations, and other...
The Law on Single-Sex Spaces
Michael Foran, a law writer and podcaster, released the third video in an Oxford‑sponsored series on single‑sex spaces. The short clip previews themes from his upcoming book, *Sex, Gender Identity and the Law*, and examines how discrimination statutes intersect with...
Freshfields Now Partners With Anthropic
Freshfields has entered a close partnership with Anthropic to embed its Claude AI across the firm’s 5,700 lawyers and staff in 33 offices worldwide. The collaboration will roll out Claude’s suite of products, co‑develop agentic legal workflows, and integrate Anthropic’s...
Delaware Supreme Court Rejects Bright Line Rules in Section 220 Books and Records Proceedings
The Delaware Supreme Court ruled 3‑2 that the Court of Chancery may consider post‑demand evidence and reputable anonymous‑source news reports when evaluating a stockholder’s “credible basis” under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. The decision arose from a dispute...
Judge Dismisses Kash Patel’s Defamation Lawsuit Against MS NOW Analyst’s ‘Nightclubs’ Comment
A federal judge in Houston dismissed FBI Director Kash Patel’s $250 million defamation lawsuit against former FBI official and MS NOW analyst Frank Figliuzzi, ruling that Figliuzzi’s comment that Patel was “visible at nightclubs” was rhetorical hyperbole, not actionable defamation. The dismissal...
AI Startup’s Data Practices Spark Legal Risk
A fast-growing AI startup is facing serious legal pressure. Mercor is being sued over alleged data collection and exposure practices, following a breach involving sensitive contractor information. It highlights a critical issue. In AI, data is the foundation, but how it is...
PENN CEO Threatens Near-Zero Maine Investment over iGaming Bill
PENN CEO Jay Snowden said his company will invest "next to zero" in Maine if the iGaming bill approved this year survives current legal challenges. PENN operates a land-based casino in Maine but is not eligible for an iGaming license....
Japan: Amendments to Prevent Circumvention of Anti-Dumping Duties and Abolish De Minimis Provisions
On 31 March 2026 Japan passed amendments to its Customs Tariff Act, Customs Act and related measures, introducing a system to curb anti‑dumping duty evasion and scrapping the 0.6‑times de‑minimis rule for personal imports. The reforms also empower customs officials...
Sen. Moreno Predicts May Clarity Act Passage, Downplays Bank Worries
CLARITY ACT: 🇺🇸 Sen. Bernie Moreno said the bill could pass by May, but previously warned missing that deadline could stall it indefinitely and dismissed bank concerns as "fake."
NY Adopts Massachusetts’ State‑court Tactic to Preempt Federal Suits
“New York’s strategy mirrors tactics initially deployed by Massachusetts. Rather than awaiting federal court lawsuits, both jurisdictions filed in state court systems to position platforms defensively.” https://t.co/X66uevGrVN
Thrive Launches Abacode Compliance Services to Help Organizations Build and Maintain Continuous Compliance
Thrive, a global technology outsourcing firm, has launched Abacode Compliance Services, a managed Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) offering built on its 2025 acquisition of Abacode. The service combines consulting, continuous monitoring, and a centralized compliance portal to help enterprises...
Bonus 221: Sanewashing the Emergency Docket
Stephen Vladeck revisits his book *The Shadow Docket* to counter recent right‑wing commentary on the Supreme Court’s February 2016 Clean Power Plan emergency order. He argues the ruling marked a substantive shift in the Court’s emergency docket, contradicting claims that...
They’re Trying to Do 2020 All Over Again, This Time in Virginia
A Republican‑appointed judge, Jack Hurley Jr., has temporarily blocked certification of a Virginia referendum that would allow the House of Delegates to redraw congressional districts. The measure, approved by more than 51% of voters, includes a safeguard that the new...
Book Review: Mary Jane Mossman’s Quiet Rebels: A History of Ontario Women Lawyers
Mary Jane Mossman’s *Quiet Rebels* offers a comprehensive history of Ontario’s women lawyers, profiling the 187 women admitted to the bar between 1897 and 1957. The book weaves individual biographies with the political, social, and economic context of each era,...
Regulator Fines PwC £95m over Chinese Evergrande Audit
Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission fined PwC Hong Kong HK$1 billion (≈$120 million) for audit failures tied to the liquidated China Evergrande Group. The regulator said PwC lacked scepticism, performed poor verifications, and did not confirm the authenticity of supporting records,...
FCC Seeks Public Input on Adding Gender‑Identity Warnings to TV Parental Ratings
The Federal Communications Commission opened a comment period on revising the TV Parental Guidelines to include warnings about gender‑identity content in children’s programming. The move follows pressure from conservative groups who say current ratings conceal such themes, while industry stakeholders...
Japan Blocks MBK Partners' Planned Takeover of Makino Milling Over National Security Concerns
Tokyo's government has formally asked Seoul‑based MBK Partners to cancel its proposed acquisition of machine‑tool maker Makino Milling, invoking Japan's foreign investment screening law. Officials say the deal threatens the leakage of dual‑use technology critical to Japan's defense industry, and...
Court Grants Injunction Suspending Contracts Of 9 THE BOYZ Members With ONE HUNDRED
A Seoul court granted an injunction that suspends the exclusive contracts of nine THE BOYZ members with agency ONE HUNDRED. The members had filed in February alleging unpaid settlement earnings and other breaches, and the court ruled the contracts were...
Kalshi Fines Three Politicians $7,552, Suspends Them Five Years for Election Insider Trading
Kalshi, the CFTC‑regulated prediction‑market exchange, fined three political candidates a total of $7,552 and barred them from trading for five years after discovering they wagered on their own elections. The enforcement action comes as lawmakers and governors push for tighter...
Bipartisan ‘Parents Decide Act’ Would Force Age‑Verification for All Computers and Smartphones
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D‑NJ) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R‑NY) introduced the Parents Decide Act, a bipartisan measure that would obligate operating‑system providers to verify a user’s age and obtain parental consent before a minor can use a computer, tablet or...