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
Reed Smith Lands Miami Partner with Fund Finance Background
Reed Smith has hired a Miami‑based partner who specializes in fund finance, bringing expertise in subscription lines, net asset value (NAV) loans, and management company debt. The move expands the firm’s private‑equity financing capabilities in the Southeast. The new lawyer joins Reed Smith’s existing finance team to deepen service offerings for fund sponsors. The hire underscores the firm’s push to capture growing demand for sophisticated financing structures among emerging managers.
IRS Court Victory Expands Power to Challenge Dubious Deals
New from me today: IRS gets a big victory in court over Liberty Global's "Project Soy" maneuver. The ruling could help the government attack business transactions it deems dubious. Link below:
FAR Updates Trade Agreement Act Thresholds
The Federal Acquisition Regulation was revised effective March 13, 2026, altering the dollar thresholds that trigger the Trade Agreements Act (TAA) for federal procurements. The supply‑contract threshold stays at $174,000, while the construction‑contract threshold drops to $6.683 million, slightly below the previous $6.708 million...
Frédéric Duguay in Conversation on the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s Shifting Mandate
In a Canadian Lawyer podcast, Frédéric Duguay, chief legal and information officer of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), outlined how the bank’s expanding $45 billion CAD (≈$33 billion USD) capital envelope is reshaping its mandate and risk appetite. The CIB is now...
Coinbase Shifts NY AG Case to Federal Court Amid Rejections
Coinbase has removed the New York AG's civil enforcement action from state court to federal court, raising the same arguments (substantial Q of fed law, complete preemption & federal-officer status) that federal courts in MA & NV have rejected. Next...
Study on Intellectual Property Domain Name Information and Alert System
The European Commission’s Directorate‑General released a study examining how geographical indication (GI) brands are abused through domain‑name registrations. The analysis, based on a sample of over 2,000 domains, shows that well‑known GIs are disproportionately targeted by cybersquatters. It also outlines...
As Food Brands Tweak Child Marketing Rules, UNICEF’s Playbook Still Holds
UNICEF argues that voluntary child‑food‑marketing rules are inadequate, urging mandatory restrictions as brands like Coca‑Cola and General Mills tighten online policies. Regulators in the U.S. are pressuring the FTC and state legislatures to modernize oversight of digital ads, while Norway has...
Thinking Through the Legal and Ethical Issues Raised by Kash Patel’s Libel Case Against The Atlantic
FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a $250 million libel suit against The Atlantic, alleging the magazine’s reporting on his alleged drinking and misconduct is false. The case pivots on the "actual malice" standard that public officials must meet to win...
FTC to Rein in Hidden Grocery Delivery Fees After Multimillion-Dollar Settlements with Walmart, Instacart, Grubhub, Amazon
The Federal Trade Commission has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to address hidden fees in online food and grocery delivery, inviting public comment on potential federal regulations. The move follows multimillion‑dollar settlements with Walmart ($100 million), Instacart ($60 million), Grubhub...
Govt Notifies Gaming Rules, Brings New Regime Into Force From May 1
The Indian government has notified the Online Gaming Rules, 2026, which will take effect on May 1. The rules create an Online Gaming Authority of India to classify games, handle complaints, and coordinate with banks and enforcement agencies. A new “determination”...
NY AG Holds Off Kalshi Lawsuit Pending Motion
If you're looking for the reason why the @NewYorkStateAG did not sue Kalshi yesterday (alongside Coinbase and Gemini), go no further than #4 below--the NYAG's agreement to refrain from pursuing enforcement action vs. Kalshi pending disposition of Kalshi's PI motion...
Bones Lawsuit Claims Fox Underpaid Creators and Stars in Low‑ball Hulu Deal
The creators and lead actors of Fox’s long‑running series Bones allege the studio sold the show to Hulu for a fraction of its worth, cutting their profit share. The lawsuit, settled in 2019, highlights ongoing compensation disputes in the television...
AI Lifts Law Firm Productivity but Junior Associate Pay Stalls
Law firms are seeing AI tools cut document‑review time and double billable hours for junior associates, but salaries and bonuses have not kept pace. The gap mirrors a broader productivity‑pay divergence that economists warn could widen as AI replaces more...
Timor‑Leste Parliament Demands Answers on Crypto Resort and Diplomatic Passport
Timor‑Leste’s opposition lawmakers pressed President José Ramos‑Horta to explain how a Chinese tech entrepreneur received a diplomatic passport and how a proposed cryptocurrency resort secured prime beachfront land, amid allegations that the project is tied to the Prince Group, a...
Virginia Voters Pass Redistricting Amendment, Potentially Adding Four Democratic House Seats
Virginia voters approved a mid‑decade redistricting amendment that hands temporary map‑drawing power to the Democratic‑controlled General Assembly. The change could shift the state's 11‑member House delegation from a 6‑5 Democratic edge to as many as 10 Democratic‑leaning seats, a swing...
Debanking, Crypto, and the Next Wave of D&O Exposure
Federal regulators, led by the OCC and FDIC, are eliminating “reputation risk” from bank supervision following the 2025 “Guaranteeing Fair Banking” executive order. The new guidance forces banks to base service decisions on measurable credit, liquidity, operational and legal risks,...
Russia Advances Crypto Bill that Could Pave Way for Criminal Penalties
Russia’s State Duma approved a first‑reading of draft bill No. 1194918‑8, creating a legal framework that forces crypto trading onto licensed intermediaries under Bank of Russia supervision. The legislation would let retail investors buy only the most liquid digital currencies—those with...
Asda Selects Definely to Speed up Complex Contract Reviews
British supermarket Asda has chosen Definely’s Proof tool to streamline its in‑house legal team’s contract reviews. The Microsoft Word‑native solution automates document analysis, highlighting definition flows, broken cross‑references and linked obligations. Early adoption shows the platform delivering tangible efficiency within...
Louisiana Mayor Alice Wallace Arrested on Six Medicaid Fraud Counts, $75K Illicit Gains
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced the arrest of Winnsboro Mayor Alice Wallace on six counts of Medicaid fraud, alleging she illegally secured $75,000 in benefits between 2021 and 2026. The case highlights gaps in eligibility verification and raises questions...
Botham Jean’s Family Sues in Effort to Force Dallas to Pay Jury Award for Accountant’s 2018 Murder
The family of Botham Jean has filed a new lawsuit demanding Dallas honor a $98 million jury verdict against former officer Amber Guyger. The suit contends the city’s Officer and Employee Liability Plan obligates it to indemnify Guyger for actions taken within...
Thomson Reuters Sued over Alleged Retaliation After Employee Flagged ICE Data Contracts
Billie Little, a former Thomson Reuters legal‑publishing employee, has filed a lawsuit alleging she was fired for leading a whistle‑blower effort that warned ICE could misuse the company's CLEAR data platform. The case pits the former employee against a Toronto‑based...
AME Church Clergy Could Recover $44M More in Retirement Scandal Settlement
A federal judge gave preliminary approval to a settlement that could add $44.4 million to the recovery pool for African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church clergy and staff who lost retirement savings. Combined with earlier partial settlements, the total recovery for roughly...
The Shifting Legal Landscape for Consensual Nonmonogamy
Awareness of consensual non‑monogamy (CNM) is rising, but it brings heightened stigma and discrimination. A 2025 OPEN survey found 61% of CNM respondents faced bias, with 10% reporting housing discrimination. Since 2023, cities such as Somerville, MA, Cambridge, and West...
DOJ Probes Sports Streaming Pricing Competition and Bidding
Antitrust attorney Charlie Beller hints at what DOJ is looking at in its probe of sports moving to streaming. "The key antitrust question is whether the process by which those prices are set remains competitive. Are multiple parties able to...
Micro-Captive Insurers Have a Small Victory in Court
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled that the IRS exceeded its statutory authority by designating micro‑captive insurers as listed transactions. The court struck down the mandatory listed‑transaction filing requirement, though it allowed the IRS to...
Florida AG Launches Criminal Probe Into OpenAI Over ChatGPT’s Role in FSU Shooting
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a criminal probe into OpenAI, claiming its ChatGPT chatbot gave the FSU gunman detailed advice on weapons and target selection. The investigation, backed by subpoenas for internal documents, marks an unprecedented attempt to hold...
ClearBank Europe Secures First Dutch MiCAR Notification to Offer Digital Assets
ClearBank Europe became the first Dutch credit institution to secure a notification under the EU Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCAR), gaining approval from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) to operate as a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP)....
UK Regulators Crack Down on Illegal Crypto Trading
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched its first operation to dismantle illegal peer‑to‑peer crypto trading, targeting eight suspected sites across London. Working with HM Revenue & Customs and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, regulators seized locations where...
While You Were Awai: EDiscovery Landscape Evolves
The eDiscovery field is shifting from email‑centric processes to a post‑email world dominated by collaboration tools like Slack, Teams and Discord. Legacy review platforms still treat chat threads as static, 24‑hour documents, breaking conversational flow and impairing search accuracy. This...
GamesIndustry.biz Will Once Again Head to Brazil to Report on Gamescom Latam
Two U.S. gamers have filed a class‑action lawsuit against Nintendo, accusing the company of seeking to profit twice from recent tariffs—once through higher retail prices and again via a refund claim against the U.S. government. Nintendo of America earlier sued...
International Business Briefs | UK Regulator Targets Illegal Crypto Trading Premises
Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority issued cease‑and‑desist letters to eight London sites suspected of illegal peer‑to‑peer crypto trading, bolstering ongoing criminal probes. German miner K+S raised its 2026 EBITDA outlook to €630‑€730 million (about $687‑$796 million) as potash prices surged above $380 per...
Guest Post: The Intake Form Is Dead. Long Live the Template.
Legal AI is moving away from static intake forms toward dynamic, AI‑generated templates that streamline client onboarding. The post argues that traditional forms create bottlenecks, while template‑driven workflows automatically capture and structure client information. Josef’s Rapid Ingestion Engine illustrates this...
NFL Takes Fight to FCC Over Sports Streaming
As federal regulators scrutinize the migration of sports to streaming, the NFL is going on the offensive. Top execs make trip to DC for meeting with senior FCC staffers. https://t.co/8qAgNq0k3L
Kylie Jenner Is Sued by Former Housekeeper Who Claims She Was ‘Subjected to Severe Harassment’ at Reality Star’s $20 Million...
A former housekeeper, Angelica Vasquez, has filed a lawsuit against Kylie Jenner alleging severe, race‑ and religion‑based harassment while working at Jenner’s $20 million Hidden Hills mansion. The complaint, filed on April 17, also names two staffing firms and seeks unpaid wages,...
California Lawmakers Seek Protections for Patients in ICE Custody
California senators introduced two bills to shield patients in ICE custody from isolation and interference at hospitals. SB 915 would largely prohibit "blackout" policies, require notification of families, limit ICE agents in patient rooms, and mandate documentation of officer IDs....
SEC ‘on the Cusp’ of Onchain Tokenized Securities Exemption: Atkins
SEC Chair Paul Atkins told the Economic Club of Washington that the agency is on the cusp of releasing an “innovation exemption” that would let market participants trade tokenized securities on‑chain within a compliant framework. The exemption is designed to...
Kirkland Recruits Wachtell’s Restructuring and Finance Head in New York
Kirkland & Ellis has recruited Joshua Feltman, the former head of finance and restructuring at Wachtell Lipton, as a debt‑finance partner in New York, offering a guaranteed $80 million compensation package over three years. Feltman, a Wachtell veteran who led major...
US Seeks Warrants to Seize Dozens of Venezuela Oil Tankers
Exclusive: US files for warrants to seize dozens more Venezuela-linked oil tankers, sources say https://t.co/qJcYsHjzVZ
Bruce Interviewed About Agentic AI
Bruce sat down with Sidebar Advisors founder Niraj Chhabra to discuss the rise of agentic AI and its looming impact on law firms. The interview, now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout, delves into how autonomous AI systems could reshape...
On Ambassador Waltz’s Defense of Potential Law of War Violations in Iran Conflict
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz defended President Trump’s threats to destroy Iran’s power plants, bridges and other infrastructure, arguing that dual‑use civilian assets can be lawful targets under the law of armed conflict. Legal experts counter that...
SEC Settles Insider-Trading Case Tied to Chimerix-Jazz Deal Due Diligence
The SEC settled an insider‑trading case against Weizheng Zeng, who traded Chimerix stock while conducting due‑diligence for Jazz Pharmaceuticals' pending acquisition. The trades generated roughly $69,011 in illicit profits, leading to a cease‑and‑desist order, disgorgement, prejudgment interest and a civil...
Corporate Report: Competition Act 1998 Directions and Commitments Register
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) maintains a public register of directions and commitments under the UK Competition Act 1998 and EU competition rules. It lists in‑force temporary (interim) directions, final directions issued after investigations, and binding commitments businesses have...
Online Gaming Act To Come Into Effect From May 1
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued the operational rules for the Online Gaming Act, 2025, effective May 1. The framework creates the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) to classify games, enforce compliance, and impose penalties of...
Brevard County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine
Nico Jonte Lennear, a 35‑year‑old from Rockledge, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to 15 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty in December 2025 after law‑enforcement agents conducted two controlled purchases that...
Chicago Man Sentenced After Sending Racial and Violent Sexual Threats to Women in Tulsa
John Gregory Garza, a 25‑year‑old from Chicago, received a 46‑month prison term for cyberstalking and interstate threats against two women in Tulsa. Prosecutors said he operated more than 18 fake Facebook accounts to send racially charged and sexually violent messages,...
Canadian Lawyer Reveals Top Criminal Law Boutiques for 2026–27
Canadian Lawyer released its 2026‑27 list of the nation’s top criminal law boutiques, spotlighting firms that combine rigorous courtroom advocacy with sophisticated behind‑the‑scenes case management. The rankings were based on 325 votes from readers, senior bar input, and a focus...
Narwal Litigation LLP on Defending Clients Across Borders and Enforcement Regimes
Narwal Litigation LLP, a Vancouver‑based criminal law boutique, is positioning itself at the nexus of Canadian and U.S. white‑collar enforcement. The firm highlights the recent reshaping of U.S. prosecution priorities and Canada’s launch of a unified Financial Crimes Agency as...
Eye Practice and Physician Owner Agree to Pay $415,000 to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act to Medicare
The Mitchell Eye Center and its former owner, Dr. Alan Mitchell, agreed to pay $415,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations. U.S. authorities say the practice submitted Medicare and Veterans Health Administration claims for transcranial doppler (TCD) tests that were...
Ex-Jakarta Agency Head Faces Charges in Deadly Landfill Collapse
The Indonesian Environment Ministry has named former Jakarta Environment Agency chief Asep Kuswanto as a suspect in alleged waste‑management violations tied to the Bantar Gebang landfill collapse that killed seven people on 9 March. The 110‑hectare site, managed by the agency, suffered...
SEC’s Enforcement Division Issues 2025 Report That Shuns Knuckleballs and Embraces Down-the-Middle Fastballs—And Brings In Woodcock as a Reliever
On April 7 2026 the SEC’s Division of Enforcement released FY 2025 results, showing 456 total actions—a 29% drop in stand‑alone cases and the lowest volume in a decade. Monetary relief totaled $17.9 billion, but $14.9 billion stemmed from the long‑running Stanford International Bank Ponzi...