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
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 $22 million to Universal, Warner and Sony, and imposed a permanent injunction on ISPs and domain registrars. Anna’s Archive ignored a preliminary injunction, releasing 47 torrents of scraped music before the judgment. Enforcement remains uncertain because the site’s operators are anonymous and have a history of evading domain shutdowns.
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...
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...
Critical Mass With Law.com's Amanda Bronstad: 13 Lawyers Line Up to Lead Talc MDL's Next Phase, Jury Awards $5K in...
Law.com’s Amanda Bronstad reports a flurry of litigation updates. Thirteen attorneys have applied to lead the next phase of the talc multidistrict litigation after a judge removed the longtime co‑lead firm. A North Carolina jury issued a $5,000 verdict in...
Trump Administration Delays Rule Aimed at Improving Disability Access in Schools
The U.S. Department of Justice has postponed the enforcement of new digital accessibility rules that update the Americans with Disabilities Act for public schools and colleges. The original deadline, set for this Friday, is now extended to April 26, 2027 for institutions...
OnlyFans Age Checks Example for Other Sites, Says Kier Starmer
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted OnlyFans as a benchmark for robust age verification, urging major social platforms to adopt comparable identity checks. He noted that Australia, Spain and other nations are moving to ban under‑16s from social media, while...
Proactive Service Agreements Prevent $20k Disputes
I’m bringing my friend Matt Sherlock into the Make More Money program this Friday. And I mean friend for real. We’ve known each other since middle school. We take photography trips together every year. He’s also been my lawyer for the...
Navigating the New NERC Requirements for Vendor Remote Access
Effective April 1 2026, NERC’s CIP‑003‑9 forces renewable operators to replace informal vendor management with a documented, evidence‑based cybersecurity program for low‑impact Bulk Electric System (BES) cyber assets. The rule targets electronic remote access used for configuration, troubleshooting and system interaction, requiring...
FCC Greenlights AST SpaceMobile's Satellite Broadband Service
The FCC has approved AST SpaceMobile to launch and operate a 248‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit constellation that will deliver broadband directly to standard smartphones using cellular frequencies across the United States. The clearance moves AST closer to commercial service and allows its...
Norm AI Sets up Legal Research Lab for AI Agents
Norm AI has launched the Legal AGI Lab, a research initiative aimed at building legal frameworks and compliance infrastructure for AI agents that perform high‑value tasks such as contract negotiation and regulatory decision‑making. The lab focuses on accountability, governance, and...
Supreme Court Rejects Oil Company Argument in Fight Over Great Lakes Pipeline
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling that keeps a lawsuit over Enbridge Energy’s aging Great Lakes pipeline in Michigan state court. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that Enbridge failed to meet a 30‑day deadline, waiting 887 days before attempting...
Govt Notifies New Online Gaming Rules to Boost to Esports
The Indian government has issued the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026, effective May 1, establishing the Online Gaming Authority of India and a statutory registration regime for esports and social games. The framework clearly distinguishes permissible esports from...
House Panel Moves CTA Relief
The House Financial Services Committee advanced legislation that repeals the Corporate Transparency Act’s reporting requirements for more than 30 million U.S. businesses and codifies a Treasury rule limiting the beneficial‑ownership database to foreign entities. The bill also mandates a purge of...
DOJ’s Latest Enforcement Wave Puts Corporate Compliance and White-Collar Defense on Alert
The Justice Department announced a new wave of enforcement actions covering fraud, public corruption, sanctions, export‑control violations and other corporate misconduct. Prosecutors are pairing aggressive charging decisions with public deterrence messaging, signaling that enforcement risk remains high across multiple fronts....
The View From Singapore: A TOTM Q&A with Alvin Koh
Alvin Koh, chief executive of Singapore’s Competition and Consumer Commission (CCS), outlined a busy enforcement year, completing over 50 cases in FY2024 and rolling out the first streamlined sustainability‑collaboration guidance in early 2025. He highlighted high‑profile actions against bid‑rigging contractors...
Parents Demand Transparency as FCC Reviews Kids TV Ratings
Years ago, Congress passed a law that empowers parents to decide the types of TV programs that are appropriate for their kids by standing up a TV show ratings system. But recently, parents have raised concerns with the industry’s approach—including with...
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 …...
EC Clears Lisbon Light Rail Bid of Distortive Foreign Subsidies
The European Commission cleared Lisbon Metro’s award of the 11.5‑km Violet Line to a Mota‑Engil‑led consortium after the group pledged to replace Chinese subcontractor CRRC with Polish manufacturer Pesa. The consortium’s €598.9 million bid—about $653 million—was deemed the most economically advantageous, but...
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
FCC Seeks Public Input on Trans TV Content for Kids
Trump’s FCC Wants Input on Whether ‘Transgender and Gender Nonbinary’ TV Programming Is ‘Appropriate’ for Children https://t.co/8WRHMkiXhk via @variety
Are You One of the 48%? When Housing Disrepair Becomes a Compensation Case
Recent English Housing Survey data shows nearly half of social‑rented homes fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard, highlighting a widespread disrepair problem. Tenants can pursue claims when landlords are notified, do not act promptly, and the condition causes harm...
FCC Greenlights
.@FCC OK's @AST_SpaceMobile 248-sat D2D constellation operating at 425-690 km, each w/ 223m2 antenna. Detailed semi-annual reports required, as @SpaceX provides, plus comms with operators in nearby orbits to avoid collisions. @ATT @Verizon @FirstNetGov. https://t.co/b0NgbZpess https://t.co/R9EgFxmkwP
Prominent Politicians and Groups Submit CFTC Prediction Market Comments
Some notable people/groups to file prediction market rule proposal comments to the CFTC: - Sens. Jack Reed and John Hickenlooper - Rep. Dina Titus - ProphetX - Kalispel Tribe of Indians - Florida Democratic Party - EDGE Markets
New Court Ruling Blocks Many of the Government's Anti-Renewable Policies
On Tuesday, a U.S. District Court in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction that halts a suite of federal restrictions on renewable energy development for the plaintiff trade groups. The decision builds on a December ruling by the same court, extending...
Lamb Weston Shares Plunge 20% Amid SAP Lawsuit
Lamb Weston's stock dropped 20% after problems were disclosed. A pension fund sued the company, CEO, and CFO, alleging they didn't fully disclose the magnitude of issues from a botched SAP implementation. #BusinessNews #Corporate https://t.co/vuGqpFaYyu
Draft Delegated Act – Market Risks – Own Funds Requirements
On 21 April 2026 the European Commission released a draft delegated act amending the Capital Requirements Regulation to provide temporary, targeted relief for market‑risk capital. The proposal modifies both the alternative internal model and the standardized approaches, and adds an overall multiplier...
Court Blocks “De Facto Moratorium” On Federal Solar Permitting
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction halting a Department of the Interior policy that required secretarial‑level approval for every renewable energy project on public lands. The rule had stalled roughly 57 GW of planned solar and storage capacity, creating a...
AI And Billing: Flipping The Switch On The Bane Of Lawyers’ Existence
Elite introduced its new Validate AI tool to overhaul law‑firm billing, targeting the long‑standing pain point of clunky, error‑prone invoicing. The platform promises automated compliance with billing guidelines, real‑time client communication, and analytics that cut write‑offs by challenging third‑party bill...
Global Legal Tech Alliance Forms to “Shape the Future of AI-Enabled Legal Services”
Hogan Lovells has joined more than fifteen leading firms to launch the Global Legal Tech Alliance, a cross‑border network aimed at shaping AI‑enabled legal services. The alliance will develop shared standards, co‑create solutions for complex workflows, and deliver training through the...
Why Tax Compliance Goes Beyond Form Collection
Tax compliance is more than filing a form; it requires continuous validation and real‑time monitoring. Comply Exchange warns that unvalidated W‑9/W‑8 documents expose firms to IRS mismatches, penalties, and costly audit fixes. Fragmented storage and manual onboarding create bottlenecks, duplicate...
Early Termination of CLAT Doesn’t Constitute Self-Dealing
The IRS issued Private Letter Ruling 202614004, confirming that an early termination of a charitable lead annuity trust (CLAT) via an accelerated, undiscounted lump‑sum payment to a donor‑advised fund (DAF) does not constitute self‑dealing, a taxable expenditure, or a taxable...
ICC Chamber Rules Case Against Rodrigo Duterte’s War on Drugs Killings to Proceed
The International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber rejected former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s attempt to dismiss the crimes‑against‑humanity case, confirming the court’s jurisdiction despite the Philippines’ 2019 withdrawal from the Rome Statute. Duterte has been detained in The Hague since March 2025 over...
Doctors Profit Millions From No Surprises Act Loopholes
The big surprise of the No Surprises Act: Doctors are cashing in on the consumer protection law, getting paid $440,000 for breast reductions and $14,000 for steroid injections. Latest investigation with @sangerkatz: https://t.co/keJwqqAeLX
The Accountability Gap in Estate Planning
Estate‑planning has undergone a rapid digital transformation, shifting many processes from attorney‑driven to software‑centric experiences. While the technology improves intake, modeling, and client visualization, it also creates an accountability gap as advisors increasingly act as de‑facto legal service providers without...
U.S. Labor Department Proposes Narrowing Joint Employer Rule
The U.S. Labor Department announced a proposed rule that would narrow the definition of a “joint employer” under federal wage‑and‑hour law. The rule limits joint‑employer status to companies that exercise direct control over hiring, supervision, pay and employee records, echoing...
Polish Tech Industry Group Calls for Greater Flexibility in 5G Private Network Rules
Polish ICT association Cyfrowa Polska warned that the regulator UKE’s draft plan for allocating the 3,800‑4,200 MHz band could stifle private 5G network growth. While the group backs the overall direction and EU‑aligned regulatory framework, it says the proposal imposes unnecessary...
Ontario Plans to Tighten Rules on Farmland Ownership, Expand Farming in the Clay Belt
Ontario’s government has introduced the Protecting Ontario’s Food Independence Act, 2026, which includes a Farmland Security Act to curb foreign acquisition of provincial farmland. The legislation also seeks to streamline regulations for the agri‑food sector and open Crown land in...
FCC Proposes Rating Changes for Gender Identity Content
FCC wants to update content ratings to include gender identity material. Says FCC: “Recently, parents have raised concerns that controversial gender identity issues are being included or promoted in children’s programs without providing any disclosure or transparency to parents.”
Venezuela Sanctions, Licenses, and Complications - April 2026
The Trump administration continues its sanctions regime against Venezuela while issuing a new set of licenses that allow U.S. firms to conduct limited transactions with the Venezuelan Central Bank and other designated financial institutions. These authorizations extend earlier oil‑and‑mining licenses,...
New York Poised to Ban Certain Food Additives, Require GRAS Ingredient Transparency
New York’s Senate and Assembly have passed the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act, banning red dye 3, potassium bromate, and propylparaben in foods sold in the state. The bill also mandates that manufacturers disclose safety data for any GRAS (Generally...
DOL Proposes New Joint Employer Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a proposed rule to create a single, nationwide definition of joint‑employer status under the FLSA, FMLA, and MSPA. The rule relies on a four‑factor test for vertical joint employment and narrows the scope...
DOL Proposes New Joint Employer Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has issued a proposed rule to create a single nationwide standard for joint‑employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker...
Is Legal AI Becoming ‘Mandatory’ in Criminal Law?
Legal AI is not yet mandated, but criminal lawyers increasingly face a professional obligation to consider it. The article argues that client care, efficiency, and fairness—especially amid heavy workloads and tight timelines—make AI tools essential for reducing delays and improving...
New York State Senate Passes ASAP Act to Deploy 20GW Distributed Solar by 2035
The New York State Senate approved the Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power (ASAP) Act, setting a goal of 20 GW of distributed solar capacity by 2035. New York already reached its 6 GW target a year early and has raised the 2030...
LPs Look to Blindpool Fund Side Letters for More Visibility on CVs – Morgan Lewis
Limited partners are increasingly requesting side letters in blind‑pool funds to gain clearer insight into the funds' capital‑call schedules, valuation methods, and underlying portfolio composition. The side letters aim to provide LPs with real‑time data on capital commitments, performance metrics,...