Today's Legal Pulse
Biden sues DOJ to block release of interview audio
President Biden filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the Department of Justice from publishing an audio interview, arguing the release would be improper. The action has sparked political commentary, including remarks from former President Trump.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
CVS Claims It’s on the Verge of Losing All Its Pharmacies in Tennessee
CVS Health warns that the Tennessee Fair Rx Act, now passed by the state Senate, would force it to shut down all more than 100 retail pharmacies and 25 MinuteClinic locations in the state. The bill bars companies that own a pharmacy benefit manager and a health insurer from also operating pharmacies, a structure that CVS currently employs. CVS says compliance would mean closing stores and losing over 2,000 jobs, and it plans to challenge the law in federal court. The measure mirrors a similar Arkansas law that was temporarily blocked by a judge.
Boxing-De La Hoya, Ali's Grandson Warn US Lawmakers Against Boxing Law Overhaul
Former champion Oscar De La Hoya and Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, testified before the Senate to oppose the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. The bill would replace the 2000 Ali Reform Act with a single, centralized entity...
Linux May Get a Hall Pass From One State Age-Check Bill, but Congress Plays Hall Monitor
System76 founder Carl Richell announced that Colorado's Age Attestation bill has been amended to explicitly exclude open‑source operating systems, applications, code repositories and container platforms. The change creates a template that Richell hopes to replicate in other states to protect...
Southern Poverty Law Center Funneled $3M to KKK and Other White Nationalists, DOJ Indictment Claims
Federal prosecutors have indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on six wire‑fraud counts, alleging it diverted more than $3 million in donor money to white‑nationalist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Nations. The indictment claims the SPLC paid informants and leaders...
Guest Post: The Intake Form Is Dead. Long Live the Template.
Legal AI is moving beyond drafting assistance to automate the intake stage of contract workflows. Traditional long intake forms and manual data extraction are being replaced by AI that parses emails, term sheets, and meeting notes, then populates structured fields...
Leave the Article, Take the Design: USPTO Updates Guidance for Digital Designs to Drop the Depiction Requirement for Computer Screens
On March 13, 2026 the USPTO issued supplemental guidance that eliminates the long‑standing requirement to depict a computer or display panel in design‑patent drawings when the title and claim identify the device. The change lets applicants protect icons, graphical user...
ICE Issues New Fact Sheet on I-9 Violation Classifications
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a new fact sheet in March 2026 that reclassifies several Form I‑9 errors from technical to substantive violations. Substantive violations cannot be corrected during an audit and carry civil penalties ranging from $288...
The Public Finance Authority's Troubled Ownership Program
The Public Finance Authority (PFA) of Wisconsin, a major municipal conduit issuer, operates a little‑known asset‑ownership program that now holds roughly $1.2 billion of tax‑exempt bonds, nine of which are in default. The distressed portfolio includes four proton‑therapy centers, a failed...
MIB Reiterates IPTV Self Declaration Rules, Warns Against Agents
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has re‑issued an advisory reminding IPTV service providers that self‑certified declarations must be filed directly with MIB, the Department of Telecommunications and TRAI, with no fee and no third‑party assistance. The reminder reinforces...
AMA with an Ex-USCIS Officer (and a Special Offer)
Manifest Law will host a live AMA with former USCIS officer and immigration attorney Evan Law on April 29 at 8:30 PM EDT. The event is exclusive to paid subscribers, who also receive a link to schedule a personal consultation with the firm....
House Committee Passes CTA Repeal Bill
The House Financial Services Committee voted 26‑25 to advance the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act, which would effectively repeal the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and limit beneficial‑ownership reporting to foreign‑owned companies. The measure, backed by more than 190 co‑sponsors, responds...
UK Government Outlines Regulatory Workplan for Speeding BVLOS Operations and eVTOL Integration
UK Transport Minister Heidi Alexander has set out a regulatory workplan for the Civil Aviation Authority to accelerate routine BVLOS drone flights and integrate electric vertical take‑off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The plan calls for the CAA to become the...
Regency Centers’ Michael Herman Sees Rapid Pace of Change in Corporate Governance
Michael Herman, senior vice president and general counsel of Regency Centers, warned that corporate governance is undergoing a rapid, overlapping transformation. He highlighted a surge in SEC scrutiny, shifting shareholder dynamics, and the rise of AI‑driven proxy‑statement analysis. At the...
Outside FDA, Inside the Crosshairs: Cybersecurity Risks for General Wellness and Fitness Products
The FTC’s Health Breach Notification Rule (HBNR) now reaches low‑risk general‑wellness apps that aggregate personal health data, even though the FDA’s 2026 guidance excludes them from device regulation. Developers risk being classified as personal health record (PHR) vendors when their...
READ THE DOCUMENT: Prosecutors Seek More Time To Answer Ghislaine Maxwell’s Latest Bid To Overturn Conviction
Federal prosecutors have asked the court for additional time to respond to Ghislaine Maxwell's latest post‑conviction filing, which seeks to overturn her 20‑year sex‑trafficking sentence. The amended motion arrived weeks after the statutory deadline and is accompanied by a voluminous...
US Supreme Court Sides with Michigan in Its Fight to Shut Down Ageing Pipeline
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Michigan’s lawsuit to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline segment must remain in state court, rejecting the company’s attempt to move the case to federal jurisdiction. Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted Enbridge missed the 30‑day...
Justice Thomas Assigns Himself A Majority Opinion
The Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 ruling in Hencely v. Fluor Corp, with Justice Thomas writing the majority opinion. He was joined by Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, Gorsuch, Barrett and Jackson, while Justices Alito, Roberts and Kavanaugh dissented. The split defies...
![All Activity Rings [Patents] Closed—Judge Rochon Grants Motion for Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement on Seven Design Patents](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/1cfb665b318aa610ca17be5c3771640f.webp)
All Activity Rings [Patents] Closed—Judge Rochon Grants Motion for Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement on Seven Design Patents
Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in the Southern District of New York granted Apple Inc. summary judgment of non‑infringement on seven design patents covering the Activity Rings displayed on Apple Watch and iPhone. The plaintiff, Michael Shunock, alleged that Apple’s UI...
MrBeast Claims Sexual Harassment Accuser Is "Clout Chasing"
MrBeast’s production arm, Beast Industries, is facing a lawsuit from former employee Lorrayne Mavromatis who alleges sexual harassment, gender‑based discrimination, and violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act. She claims CEO James Warren made inappropriate comments about her appearance,...
Federal Circuit Clarifies When Non-Infringing Products Can Form Part of a Royalty Base
On March 6, 2026 the Federal Circuit reversed a district court ruling that excluded Exafer Ltd.’s damages expert opinion in its patent suit against Microsoft. The appellate court held that revenue from virtual‑machine (VM) hours—though the VMs themselves did not infringe—could serve...
NALP Diversity Report Signals Fluctuations As Fewer Firms Provide Data
The National Association for Law Placement’s 2025 Diversity Report shows a sharp drop in participation, with about 29% fewer lawyers and 32% fewer firms submitting demographic data, shrinking the sample to roughly 76,000 lawyers. Women remain the majority of associates...
Low Odds for $NN Amendment Before Oct 1
$NN defended at Oppenheimer The change was proposed by Republican representative Steve Womack of Arkansas, who argues the change would disrupt retail supply chains. We think the likelihood of the amendment passing is fairly low and must survive several steps left...
The Character Without an Author: Character Copyright Protection in the Age of Generative AI
Courts are still defining when a fictional figure qualifies for standalone copyright protection, applying a three‑part test that looks for physical and conceptual traits, consistent delineation, and distinctiveness. The Ninth Circuit’s 2025 ruling in *Carroll Shelby Licensing v. Halicki* found...
Washington Cities Contemplate Crypto ATM Bans Amid Losses
Washington’s Tri‑Cities have seen at least $2.4 million siphoned through cryptocurrency ATMs, prompting Kennewick to consider a 180‑day notice ban on new kiosks. Spokane, the state’s first city to outlaw crypto ATMs, reported a sharp drop in related cases after its...
Japanese Reforms Threaten to Limit Shareholder Proposals, ClientEarth Warns
Japan is preparing amendments to its Companies Act that would raise the threshold for filing shareholder proposals, effectively limiting the influence of smaller investors. The changes target the ability of minority shareholders to bring forward agenda items, including sustainability and...
Relaxing the Rules: How Claim Type Supported Patent Validity for Teva Pharmaceuticals’ “Headache Patents”
The Federal Circuit reversed a lower‑court ruling that invalidated Teva Pharmaceuticals’ “headache patents,” holding that the method‑of‑treatment claims satisfied written description and enablement requirements. The court emphasized that the claims were directed to using humanized mouse antibodies, not the antibodies...
AI Boosts Self‑Representation, Yet Courts Face Overload
AI is augmenting the ability of people to represent themselves in court. That's great from the perspective of access to justice. It also poses challenges for the courts. Speaking to judges in one court system recently, it was clear that...
AI Regulation Boom to Spawn $5B Compliance Industry by 2027
"By 2027, fragmented AI regulation will grow to cover 50% of the world's economies, driving $5 billion in compliance investment." Thus begins a whole new industry.
Law School's Missed Lessons: How To Draft Pleadings
Law360’s Expert Analysis highlights a persistent gap in legal education: law schools teach civil procedure and doctrine but rarely train students to draft effective pleadings. The piece gathers practicing attorneys’ advice on structuring, clarity, and jurisdiction‑specific rules that are essential...
LLM Outperforms Expectations Finding AML/KYC Guidelines
An anecdote for you from LLM land: I sent Opus 4.7 out to do a literature survey of various government law enforcement internal guidelines w/r/t AML and KYC usage in prosecutions. It was much more successful at finding these docs...
Govt to Retroactively Cancel Stamp Duty for 150k Tenants
We reported in January that an unanticipated effect of the Renters' Rights Act was to create a stamp duty liability for about 150,000 tenants. The good news is that the Government just announced it will legislate retrospectively to fix this:...
Families Seek Review of Coroner’s Findings in Lamma Ferry Disaster Inquest
Four family members of the 39 victims of Hong Kong’s 2012 Lamma Island ferry crash have filed a judicial review in the High Court to overturn a coroner’s finding that the missing watertight door was a deliberate design choice. The...
Discussing IP Rights in American Sports at Webinar
Looking forward to speaking at @ASIPI_ & @UNHLaw webinar tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET on IP rights in sports in the Americas. I'll be on a panel with fellow attorneys Zvi Rosen, Jose Antonio Arochi & Jean-Carlo Costa Gálvez....
Banks Seek to Slow Down Implementation of Crypto's GENIUS Act on Stablecoin Oversight
U.S. banking groups have asked the Treasury Department to pause the comment periods for three GENIUS Act rule proposals that govern stablecoins until the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) finalizes its own oversight framework. The banks argue...
The Growing IP and Commercial Complexity of the Sports Industry
World Intellectual Property Day highlights the sports sector’s shift from simple trademark and copyright issues to a dense web of rights covering athlete branding, NIL deals, media distribution, wearable tech, and AI‑driven data. Intellectual property now sits at the heart...
EPA, DOJ Sue DC Water Over Sewer Collapse That Triggered Federal Emergency Response
The EPA and DOJ have sued the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority for violating the Clean Water Act after the 54‑mile Potomac Interceptor collapsed, releasing raw sewage into the Potomac River. The interceptor, which moves roughly 60 million gallons...
Church Trial Date Set for ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood
Archbishop Steve Wood, head of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), will stand trial beginning July 20 on three ecclesiastical charges: violating ordination vows, conduct causing scandal, and sexual immorality. The charges stem from accusations of sexual harassment, bullying...
Pharma-Backed Petition Urges FDA to Overhaul Rejection Letters
New Pharma-backed petition calls on FDA to reform how it releases drug rejection letters, says current process is unlawful - https://t.co/XLwCxt1FY6
Court Enjoins Another Arkansas Segregate-and-Suppress Law–NetChoice V. Griffin
A federal district court in Arkansas issued a preliminary injunction against Act 900, the state’s latest attempt to regulate minors’ online activity. The judge struck down the law’s vague addiction ban, strict‑liability standard, nighttime notification restrictions, default privacy settings, and...
Adtran's SDG Router Gets Conditional FCC Approval Amid New Ban on Foreign-Made Routers
Adtran announced that its Service Delivery Gateway (SDG) router portfolio has secured conditional approval from the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, exempting the equipment from the agency’s newly imposed ban on foreign‑made routers until October 1 2027. The clearance lets...
Anna’s Archive Hit with $322 Million Default Judgment: What the Spotify Piracy Ruling Means for Copyright Enforcement
On April 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff issued a $322 million default judgment against the shadow library Anna’s Archive for massive copyright infringement of Spotify and the three major record labels. The court awarded $300 million to Spotify and roughly...
Employment Hero Launches AI‑powered HeroForce in New Zealand to Cut $12 Bn SME Compliance Costs
Employment Hero rolled out its AI‑driven HeroForce platform in New Zealand, promising to automate payroll, HR and compliance for small‑to‑medium enterprises and address an estimated $12 billion in duplicate administration costs. The launch marks the first large‑scale co‑employment model in the country,...
Entrust Upgrades IDV as Australia Expands AML/CTF Rules to New Sectors
Entrust has upgraded its Studio biometric identity verification platform by embedding Australia’s Document Verification Service (DVS), enabling real‑time government‑backed checks of passports, driver’s licences and visas. The integration arrives as Australia expands its AML/CTF framework to include real‑estate, legal and...
Could a Government-Owned Spirit Airline Stifle Competition?
So will Spirit be the new gov airline? Will federal workers have to fly Spirit on gov business? In an industry as heavily regulated as air travel having an airline owned by the fed gov could be seen as …...
Supreme Court Rulings Spark Climate Law Discussion Friday
Want to understand the climate implications of the big Supreme Court revelations last weekend? Come join me on Friday for a conversation with some of America's best climate lawyers. Zoom info here, for CLIMATE-COLORED GOGGLES subscribers: https://t.co/rCya1JZwIP
Roblox Pays $23 Million to Settle Child‑Safety Lawsuits in Alabama and West Virginia
Roblox has agreed to pay more than $23 million to settle state investigations in Alabama and West Virginia over alleged child‑safety failures. The deals require sweeping platform changes, expanded parental controls, and set a template for future state actions against gaming...
Lawyered Secures $2.5M Pre‑Series A to Build Legal Infrastructure for India's Mobility Sector
Lawyered, a legal‑tech startup founded by Himanshu Gupta, closed a $2.5 million pre‑Series A round co‑led by Rainmatter and Turbostart. The funding will fuel AI‑led product upgrades, technology scaling, and user acquisition across India's mobility ecosystem, which already includes over 2 million vehicles.
Voting Rights Groups Sue Trump Administration to Stop Collection of Voter Data
A coalition of voting‑rights groups filed a federal lawsuit against the Justice Department, seeking to stop the Trump administration’s effort to collect and consolidate voter‑registration data from states. The DOJ has asked 30 states and Washington, D.C. for full voter...
Four ‘C’heers for the TRUMP AMERICA AI Act
The White House’s March AI priorities reaffirm President Trump’s “four Cs”—children, creators, conservatives, and communities—and task Congress with codifying them. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s draft TRUMP AMERICA AI Act bundles 17 titles that pull from bipartisan bills such as the Kids’...
PSE to Ease Initial Listings of Pref Shares
The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) has proposed cutting the minimum offer size for initial listings via preferred shares from PHP 1 billion (≈$18 million) to PHP 100 million (≈$1.8 million). It also reduces the required number of shareholders from 1,000 to 100 and adjusts...