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
European Commission Awards New Sovereign Cloud Contracts To ‘Mostly’ EU Clouds
The European Commission has signed four sovereign‑cloud contracts worth about €180 million ($210 million) over six years, aiming to keep public‑sector data inside the EU and curb reliance on non‑European hyperscalers. The deals target German provider STACKIT, French provider Scaleway, a Franco‑Luxembourg consortium of OVHcloud, POST and CleverCloud, and a Belgian‑French‑Luxembourg alliance led by Proximus that will use S3NS, a Thales‑Google Cloud joint venture. By earmarking funds for locally controlled services, the Commission signals a strategic shift toward digital autonomy and regulatory cohesion across member states. The initiative also aligns with the EU’s Digital Services Act, reinforcing regulatory cohesion across member states.
Pro Tip: An OIRA Review Means That a SEC Rulemaking Is Coming Soon
An OIRA review of the SEC’s semi‑annual reporting proposal indicates a rulemaking is imminent. The SEC submitted the proposal to OIRA on March 27, and the office usually completes its 90‑day review in far less time. Under the 2025 Executive Order,...
SC Asks PBBM to Answer Petition on Mental, Physical Health
The Philippine Supreme Court has ordered President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to respond within ten days to a petition demanding mandatory physical and mental health examinations, including a hair‑follicle test for illegal drug use. The petition, filed by former congressman...
Motor Finance Redress Is History. Collections Is the Future
The FCA’s motor‑finance redress framework, unveiled on 30 March, has forced the industry to look past one‑off provision costs and focus on the long‑term health of loan books. The article argues that collections, not balance‑sheet charges, will determine which lenders remain...
‘A Clear Case of Cronyism’: ICAC NSW Finds Former Infrastructure Chief Corrupt
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) concluded that former School Infrastructure NSW chief executive Anthony Manning engaged in corrupt conduct by steering recruitment and procurement contracts to friends and associates. The final report from Operation Landan found that several...
Gatchalian Urges PNPA to Review, Strictly Enforce Anti-Hazing Policy
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian called on the Philippine National Academy (PNPA) to overhaul its anti‑hazing rules after a criminal case was filed against seven cadets for allegedly mistreating 22 fellow trainees. The complaint, lodged by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group,...
US Business Group Warns ‘Anti-Endo’ Law Could Hurt Philippine Jobs
The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) cautioned that the Senate’s proposed Anti‑Endo and Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy bills could unintentionally curb foreign investment and erode the country’s competitive edge in Southeast Asia. While...
SIAC’s Compendium of Arbitrator Challenge Decisions: What Succeeds, What Fails, and Why
The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) released a Compendium of 19 redacted arbitrator challenge decisions, aiming to boost transparency while preserving confidentiality. The data show that 89.5 % of challenges were dismissed, with only two upheld, both based on structural impartiality...
The $15 Billion Polymarket Bet That New York Coinbase & Gemini Lawsuit Suggests Is Essentially Based on Betting
New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Coinbase and Gemini, declaring their prediction‑market products illegal gambling. At the same time, Polymarket is courting a $400 million financing round that would value the company at roughly $15 billion, backed by investors such as...
Junior Lawyer Development at Risk as AI Takes over Volume Work, Research Warns
New research warns that AI’s takeover of high‑volume legal tasks threatens the traditional apprenticeship model for junior lawyers. By automating document review, due diligence and research, AI removes the repetitive practice that builds critical reasoning. Firms risk pushing trainees into...
How To Unlock the Real Value of Legal AI
Legal AI adoption hinges on firms understanding workforce strategy, not just technology. By embedding AI into lawyer workflows with clear purpose, firms can redesign development pathways and keep junior talent engaged. Data‑driven resource management provides the visibility needed to allocate...
Greenpeace, Australia's Woodside Drop Emissions Case
Greenpeace’s greenwashing lawsuit against Australian oil major Woodside was dismissed by mutual consent in the Federal Court of Australia. The case, filed in December 2023, alleged that Woodside misrepresented its emissions reductions and omitted scope 3 emissions, which account for 90%...
EU Ends Practice of Destroying Unsold Clothes and Shoes in July 2026
The European Union will prohibit the destruction of unsold clothing, accessories and footwear beginning 19 July 2026, extending the ban to medium‑sized firms by 2030. The measure is part of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which tightens sustainability requirements across the...
Met Police Defeat Challenge To Live Facial Recognition
London’s High Court rejected a challenge to the Metropolitan Police’s live facial‑recognition (LFR) program, finding the technology and its procedures comply with human‑rights law. The case was brought by youth worker Shaun Thompson and Big Brother Watch director Silkie Carlo,...
City Watchdog Faces Legal Action over £9.1bn Compensation Scheme for Car Loan Victims
Consumer Voice is preparing a legal challenge against the Financial Conduct Authority’s £9.1 bn (≈$11.4 bn) compensation scheme for victims of the UK car‑loan scandal. The group argues the programme, which averages £830 (≈$1,040) per mis‑sold loan, overly protects lenders by capping...
‘An Element of Exploitation’: The World of TikTok Child Skincare Influencers
TikTok’s child skincare influencer boom is drawing scrutiny as minors as young as 13 receive free products and promote brands like Benefit, Sephora, Evereden and Bubble. Italy’s competition regulator (AGCM) opened an investigation into LVMH‑owned brands for potentially marketing anti‑ageing...
How AI Will Transform The Legal Business Model
Olivier Chaduteau, founder of the AI‑native Day Two consultancy, explains how embedding artificial intelligence has dramatically lifted his firm’s revenue compared with the pre‑AI Day One model. He outlines three adoption phases—initial skepticism, superficial licensing, and the current Phase 3 where...
Shell Faces New Climate Lawsuit Over Oil & Gas Drilling, Emissions
Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) has filed a new lawsuit against Shell, demanding the energy giant stop developing new oil and gas fields and progressively cut emissions between 2030 and 2050. The case builds on a 2021 Dutch court...
Start Up No.2657: The Challenge for John Ternus, What Tim Cook Missed, Lufthansa Cancels Flights, Biology’s Motor, and More
Apple announced that longtime hardware chief John Ternus will replace Tim Cook as CEO, a move that signals continuity but raises questions about Apple’s lagging AI strategy. Lufthansa will cancel 20,000 short‑haul flights through October to conserve roughly 40,000 metric tonnes...
Monette Group Files for Creditor Protection
Monette Group, one of North America’s largest private farm operators, entered creditor protection on April 21 2026 under Alberta’s Companies' Creditor Arrangement Act, with a stay of proceedings until May 1 2026. The filing covers 18 affiliated entities and includes parallel Chapter 15 applications in...
Amazon Ramps up Efforts to Curb Counterfeits
Amazon is expanding its Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) to India, establishing an on‑ground team to work closely with law‑enforcement, brands and sellers. The company will use AI‑driven scans that process billions of listings daily to identify counterfeit products and fake...
Hungary Wants to Suspend €1m Daily Fine over Asylum. Try Following the Rules?
Hungary faces a €600 million (≈$660 million) debt after the EU Court of Justice added a €1 million (≈$1.1 million) daily fine for non‑compliance with an asylum directive. The penalty stems from a 2020 ruling that condemned Budapest’s systematic push‑backs of migrants to Serbia,...
INDICTMENT: Southern Poverty Law Center Paid Extremist Groups to Agitate
The U.S. Department of Justice announced an eleven‑count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), accusing the civil‑rights nonprofit of wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit money‑laundering. Prosecutors allege SPLC secretly funneled...
Microsoft Must Face $2.8B UK Lawsuit Over Cloud Computing Licenses
A London Competition Appeal Tribunal has certified a mass lawsuit alleging Microsoft overcharged roughly 60,000 UK businesses by up to £2.1 billion ($2.8 billion) for Windows Server licenses used on rival cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud and Alibaba. Plaintiffs claim...
Purdue’s $5.5B Sentencing for Opioid Charges Delayed After Victims Show at Court
A federal judge postponed Purdue Pharma's criminal sentencing by a week to accommodate in‑person victim testimony after protesters arrived at the courtroom. The delayed hearing will still consider Purdue's 2020 guilty plea, which carries a $3.5 billion criminal fine and $2 billion...
Adjusters: Why the Indemnification Clause Should Stay Top of Mind
The article explains that an indemnification clause in construction contracts determines which party bears defense costs and liability, but its enforceability hinges on precise drafting and state law. Anti‑indemnity statutes, such as Texas’s 2011 act, can nullify overly broad clauses,...
Why Appealing a Planning Rejection Just Got Tougher for Homeowners From April
From 1 April 2026, the Planning Inspectorate’s new rules restrict appeals to the information originally submitted to the local council, eliminating most new evidence or design changes. The reforms aim to speed up the process and keep decisions rooted in local planning...
Gambler Loses
An online betting firm, Sky Betting & Gaming, won a Court of Appeal decision overturning a former problem gambler’s lawsuit. The plaintiff alleged that the company’s use of cookies, personal data processing, and unsolicited direct‑marketing messages drove him to gamble...
Councils Accused of Delaying Tenant Evictions
Councils across England are instructing tenants to remain in rented homes until bailiffs physically remove them, directly contradicting non‑binding government homelessness guidance. The practice leaves landlords waiting months for court orders and bailiff appointments, while arrears accumulate. Propertymark chief Nathan...
Superior Landlords Can Be Fined for Unlicensed HMOs, Legal Experts Warn
The Renters’ Rights Act, effective 1 May 2026, expands HMO licensing liability to superior landlords such as freeholders and head lessees. Previously, only the immediate landlord could face rent‑repayment orders, a rule set by the Supreme Court in Rakusen v Jepsen. The new regime...
Toxic Gas-Emitting Plants Get Pollution Reprieve Under Trump
The EPA’s 2024 rule required medical sterilizers to cut ethylene‑oxide (EtO) emissions by 90% and install continuous monitoring. In March 2026 the Trump administration granted two‑year waivers to more than 30 facilities and proposed a permanent rollback of the rule....
Kash Patel's Defamation Case Dismissed for Lack of Claim
By the way, Kash Patel’s OTHER defamation suit was just dismissed for failure to state a claim which basically means that even if EVRYTHING was true… he couldn’t possibly win the case because it just wasn’t defamation.
Think You’re Not A Data Broker? California’s Delete Act Might Say Otherwise
California’s Delete Act now forces any business that collects and sells consumer data without a direct relationship to register as a data broker with the California Privacy Protection Agency. Starting August 1 2026, registered brokers must process deletion requests through the new...
Think You’re Not A Data Broker? California’s Delete Act Might Say Otherwise
California’s Delete Act now forces any business that collects and sells consumer data without a direct relationship to register as a data broker with the CPPA. Starting August 1, 2026, registered brokers must process deletion requests through the new Delete Request and...
FCA: Changes to SM&CR Regime Aren’t Deregulation, They’re Better Regulation
The FCA announced practical tweaks to the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) aimed at simplifying accountability without diluting standards. Changes include cutting overlapping certifications, reducing the number of roles needing certification by about 15%, and raising enhanced‑firm thresholds by...
The $10 Billion “Dark Mode” Disclosure Rollback:
The SEC and CFTC have proposed raising the Form PF reporting threshold from $1.5 billion to $10 billion in assets under management, effectively removing most hedge‑fund advisers from detailed quarterly filings. The change, dubbed “Dark Mode,” could shift 70‑85% of currently classified...
History, Ambassadors, and Birthright Citizenship
President Donald Trump’s executive order reclassifies children born in the United States to undocumented parents as non‑citizens, directly challenging the long‑standing interpretation of birthright citizenship. The move has prompted the Supreme Court case Trump v. Barbara, which will decide whether...
Employee Who Quit During Paranoid Delusions Was Unfairly Dismissed
The Fair Work Commission overturned an unfair dismissal claim involving a Hutchison Ports stevedore who resigned while experiencing paranoid delusions. Colleagues raised concerns about his mental health, yet the employer did not verify his intent to quit and refused his...
SEC Chair Atkins Discusses the Commission’s Return to Its Core Mission
SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins marked one year in his third term by outlining the agency’s “A‑C‑T” strategy to return the SEC to its statutory mission of investor protection, market integrity and capital formation. He highlighted three pillars—Advance, Clarify, Transform—including...
U.S. Finance Law: If You Can Stop Crime, You Must
The simple understanding of American financial regulation is If you have the ability to stop/prevent crime, you must do so
Judge Blocks Clean Water Act Permit for Mountaintop Removal Mine on Coal River Mountain
A U.S. District Court judge in West Virginia halted the Army Corps of Engineers’ Clean Water Act permit for the Turkeyfoot Surface Mine’s valley fills. The permit would have allowed Alpha Metallurgical Resources to dump mining spoil into more than...
WIN: Judge Blocks Trump’s Efforts to Kneecap Renewables
A federal judge in Massachusetts issued a temporary injunction that blocks five Trump administration agency actions targeting renewable energy projects. The ruling favors developers of offshore wind and other clean‑energy initiatives, halting stop‑work orders and other impediments. Environmental groups, led...
How Criminals Misuse Corporate Vehicles
The article outlines four primary techniques criminals use to exploit corporate vehicles: multi‑jurisdictional structures, professional intermediaries, nominee directors, and shell companies. It emphasizes that while most offshore entities are legitimate, they can be weaponized for money‑laundering, bribery, and tax evasion....
Justin Sun Sues over Frozen WLFI Tokens and Voting Rights
JUST IN: Justin Sun, a major $75M investor in World Liberty Financial, filed a lawsuit after they froze his $WLFI tokens without reason, revoked his voting rights, and threatened to burn his holdings despite his private attempts to resolve it.
Lawsuit Targets Congressman Fine's 1st Amendment Violation
Update on my lawsuit against Congressman Randy Fine. He tried to weasel out of the case by unblocking me, but this isn’t just about me. It’s about Fine’s DISRESPECT for the 1st Amendment. We will not stop until he’s forced to unblock...
Kenya Plans Three Watchdogs, Two Levies for Fisheries
Kenya’s draft Fisheries Management and Development Bill seeks to overhaul the blue economy by creating three new watchdog agencies, a Kenya Fisheries Service, a Monitoring, Control and Surveillance unit, and a Fish Marketing Authority. It also establishes a Fish Levy...
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering and False Statements.
The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on 11 federal counts, including wire fraud, false statements to a bank, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Prosecutors allege the nonprofit diverted more than $3 million in donor...
Domestic Workers Legally Recognised in Indonesia After '22-Year Struggle'
Indonesia’s parliament approved the Domestic Workers Protection Law, ending a 22‑year campaign for formal recognition. The legislation covers roughly 4.2 million domestic workers—about 90% of whom are women—granting them health insurance, paid rest days and pension rights. It also bans wage...
Rising Energy Storage Patent Battles Prompt Developer Preparedness
Patent disputes in ESS are on the rise: Here’s how developers can prepare #energysky -- via Energy Storage News: https://t.co/ywjwrrl9Ht
2Apply Raked for 'Dark Patterns' Used to Snare Renters' Data
Australian privacy regulator OAIC ruled that 2Apply, the nation’s largest rent‑tech platform, employed dark‑pattern design tricks to pressure prospective tenants into providing excessive personal data. The commissioner identified tactics such as “confirmshaming” and bundled consent that misled users about the...