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
Goodwin Guides Obsidian‑Galera Merger Backed by $350 Million Private Placement
Goodwin Procter LLP advised Obsidian Therapeutics on its all‑stock merger with Galera Therapeutics, a deal underpinned by an oversubscribed $350 million private placement. The financing is slated to close just before the merger, extending the combined company's runway into late 2028 and fueling development of engineered tumor‑infiltrating lymphocyte therapies.
Congress Reintroduces Bill to Block ‘Texas Two‑Step’ Bankruptcy Tactic
Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Josh Hawley and Dick Durbin, joined by Representatives Emilia Sykes and Lance Gooden, reintroduced legislation to treat Texas Two‑Step bankruptcy filings as bad faith. The bills would empower judges to dismiss such filings and allow lawsuits against...
DOJ Secures $17.1 Million FCA Settlement From IBM Over DEI Violations
IBM agreed to pay $17,077,043 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it falsified compliance certifications for anti‑discrimination rules in its federal contracts. The settlement is the first under the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, signaling a new enforcement...
Trump Fought to Keep the Ballroom Fundraising Contract Secret. Here’s What’s in It.
A federal judge ordered the release of a 14‑page contract that governs the Trump administration’s ballroom fundraising project, which had been kept secret despite multiple public‑records requests. The agreement reveals that the White House permitted wealthy donors to contribute anonymously,...
Ottawa Clears Path for Canadian Space Launches, Enabling Domestic Licences
The federal government announced a new regulatory regime that removes previous barriers to domestic space launches, allowing Canadian companies to apply for launch licences. The move is intended to foster a national launch sector and align with Canada’s broader space...
You Are Exhausted, Angry, and Overwhelmed. Here Is What 40 Years in Court and a Decade of Trump Taught Me...
Trial lawyer Mitch Jackson draws on four decades of courtroom battles and a decade of Trump-era politics to outline a simple stress‑management system. He argues that exhaustion stems from failing to separate what we can control from what we cannot,...
Will Labor Go ‘Back to the Future’ on Property CGT?
The Albanese government is expected to restore the pre‑1999 capital gains tax (CGT) framework for property investments, taxing real gains—adjusted for inflation—at the investor’s marginal tax rate. This would replace the current system that levies nominal gains at 50% of...
SBI Moves SC Seeking Review of Spectrum Ruling, Flags Impact on Telecom Insolvencies
State Bank of India, representing lenders to the bankrupt Aircel group, has filed a petition with India’s Supreme Court to review the February 13 judgment that bars telecom spectrum from being treated as an asset in insolvency proceedings. The bank argues...
Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon Introduces Canadian Space Launch Act
Transport minister Steven MacKinnon has tabled the Canadian Space Launch Act, giving the federal government authority to regulate launch and re‑entry activities on Canadian soil. The legislation is designed to provide regulatory certainty, spur investment, and support infrastructure aligned with...
California's Co-Ownership Crisis Is Growing, and Underwood Law Firm Is the Partition Lawyer Californians Trust Most
California is seeing a surge in co‑ownership disputes as inheritance‑driven property transfers hit a record 18% in 2025, more than double the national average. Tens of thousands of new co‑ownership arrangements form each year without exit strategies, prompting legal conflicts....
California City Sued by State over Native American Remains Discovered at Luxury Housing Project
The California Attorney General has sued the city of Poway for alleged violations of the California Environmental Quality Act after multiple Native American human remains and more than 8,000 cultural artifacts were uncovered at the Hidden Valley Ranch luxury housing...
Netflix Aggressively Pushes Into Paramount‑Warner Merger Review
I hear that Netflix has been meddling in the regulatory review of Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery. “Frankly, I am surprised at how aggressive they’ve been with me,” a senior government official tells me. https://puck.news/is-netflix-meddling-in-the-warnermount-deal/
Fifth Circuit Clears Path for Ten Commandments in Texas Classrooms
A Fifth Circuit panel voted 9‑8 to uphold Texas Senate Bill 10, which mandates a Ten Commandments display in every public‑school classroom. The majority, led by Judge Stuart Duncan, argued the law does not violate the Establishment Clause, citing the...
Law Commission Considers Expansion of Class Action Regime in England and Wales to Consumer Claims
The Law Commission of England and Wales, backed by the Department for Business and Trade, has launched a project to explore a dedicated consumer class‑action regime. The review will assess extending class actions beyond the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s limited scope...
Minister: ‘There Are No Circumstances in Which the Government Will Sell the Public’s Digital ID Data to Private Companies’
UK minister James Frith reaffirmed that the government will not sell citizens' digital ID data to private firms. The pledge comes amid parliamentary questioning and public concern over commercial involvement in the new state‑issued digital identity, which is being built...
Service Fined $500k for Helping Students Cheat
The Federal Court of Australia fined Chegg Inc a A$500,000 (~US$330,000) penalty for providing answers to Monash University assessment questions, marking the first enforcement of TEQSA's 2020 anti‑cheating powers. Chegg was also ordered to cover TEQSA’s $150,000 legal fees. The...
WarnerMount Vs. The Gathering Storm
Suspicions are mounting that Netflix is covertly financing the Hollywood “Block the Merger” campaign aimed at derailing the Paramount‑Warner Bros. Discovery (WarnerMount) consolidation. Recent actions by state attorneys general—most notably a federal jury’s finding against Live Nation/Ticketmaster and a California judge’s injunction...
NSE IPO Back on Track as Sebi Panel Clears Rs 1,800 Crore Settlement Proposal
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) expert panel has cleared the National Stock Exchange's (NSE) proposal to settle its colocation and dark‑fibre disputes for roughly ₹1,800 crore (about $217 million). The settlement, which combines a ₹1,165 crore payment for the colocation...
Scoop: Trump Mulls Jones Act Waiver Extension to Lessen Iran War Oil Shock
President Trump issued a 60‑day waiver of the Jones Act on March 18 to alleviate oil‑shipping bottlenecks caused by the Iran conflict. The exemption has allowed 40 foreign‑flagged tankers to move roughly 9 million barrels of crude between U.S. ports, expanding...
![Survey and Mapping DG to Face Charges over Alleged Fund Misappropriation [WATCH]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://assets.nst.com.my/images/listing-featured/CA3424A7335EEBD3CE45611ACF909B59_data_0_0.jpg)
Survey and Mapping DG to Face Charges over Alleged Fund Misappropriation [WATCH]
The director‑general of Malaysia’s Survey and Mapping Department is set to face two charges in Kuala Lumpur for allegedly misusing power to secure personal funds. The Malaysian Anti‑Corruption Commission (MACC) also arrested two senior officers from the same department over...
Judge Dismisses Kash Patel's Defamation Lawsuit over Claim He Frequented 'Nightclubs'
A federal judge in Houston dismissed FBI Director Kash Patel’s 2025 defamation lawsuit against former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi. The judge ruled Figliuzzi’s comment that Patel spent more time in nightclubs than at the Hoover building was rhetorical hyperbole, not a factual...
FPX Nickel Secures Key Permitting Milestone and JOGMEC-Backed Exploration for Baptiste Project
FPX Nickel Corp. has received a joint Summary of Issues and Engagement from British Columbia and Canadian regulators, clearing the first public comment phase for its Baptiste nickel project. At the same time, Japan’s JOGMEC is funding exploration that could...
25-913 - Love V. Equifax Information Services LLC Et Al
The U.S. District Court in Oklahoma allowed Cordell Love’s amended complaint against Equifax and Experian to stand despite earlier procedural defects, declaring it filed sua sponte. This action rendered the defendants’ motion to dismiss moot. Later, the court also dismissed...
Micron Defends Patent Challenge, Federal Circuit Upholds Invalidity of Key Semiconductor Patents
Micron Technology persuaded the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to affirm the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s decision that two of its semiconductor patents are invalid. The ruling curtails Katana Silicon Technologies' infringement lawsuit and reinforces the...
Appeals Court Rules Texas Can Require Public Schools to Display Ten Commandments in Class
A U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas can require Ten Commandments posters in public school classrooms, finding the law does not violate the First Amendment. The decision overturns a 2024 district‑court injunction and clears the way for...
Oregon's 1.25% Lodging Tax Turns Hotel Bills Into $38 M Wildlife Funding
Governor Tina Kotek signed a law adding a 1.25% surcharge to Oregon’s transient lodging tax, projected to raise roughly $38 million annually for wildlife protection. The measure ties hotel and campground revenue directly to the state’s State Wildlife Action Plan, creating...
26-544 - Garcia Munoz V. Grant Et Al
On April 20, 2026 the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma issued an order granting in part the petition for a writ of habeas corpus filed by Maikol Andres Garcia Munoz. The court directed respondents to provide the petitioner with relief...
25-1183 - Hallmark National Insurance Company V. Northern Made Outlaws LLC
On April 20, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma issued an order granting Hallmark National Insurance Company thirteen motions for default judgment against Northern Made Outlaws LLC. The rulings stem from the defendant’s failure to...
UniCredit’s €35 Bn Bid for Commerzbank Hits Roadblock, Raising EU Antitrust and Integration Concerns
UniCredit’s €35 bn (US$41 bn) low‑ball offer for Commerzbank collapsed after a two‑hour meeting between CEOs Andrea Orcael and Bettina Orlopp ended in a sharp exchange. The breakdown intensifies a hostile takeover battle that could reshape Europe’s banking landscape while inviting heightened...
Seeking AI Grants for South Berkeley Community Law Pilot
Hi my loves, quick return from twitter break A friend of mine is looking for assistance in locating AI-related grants that can be applied for to fund a pilot program in South Berkeley that serves as a public advocate and community-based...
Court's Rollback Forces Extreme Gerrymandering
Feels like we have to do the full race to the bottom (SCOTUS getting rid of VRA districts, maybe a 52-0 map in California) before anything changes.
Prediction‑Market Firms Ramp Up Washington Lobbying as Congress Mulls Tougher Crypto‑Gambling Rules
Kalshi and a cohort of crypto‑and sports‑betting firms have launched intensive lobbying campaigns in Washington as Congress prepares stricter rules for prediction‑market platforms. The industry, worth several billions of dollars, argues the measures could stifle innovation while regulators cite gambling...
Replit Backs BASED Act to Curb Marketplace Rigging
Replit testified in support of the BASED Act: Stopping Big Tech from rigging software marketplaces (very unbased). https://t.co/ZZwIzxgAVb
AML/KYC Tripwires Generate Crimes to Aid Prosecutors
A thing I once said about AML/KYC functioning as tripwires with the explicit intention that the process crimes they create would make life easier for prosecutors. https://t.co/smfT68BVSb
FDA Issues Draft Guidance to Fast‑Track Ultra‑Rare, Individualized Therapies
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a draft guidance on Feb. 23, 2026 outlining a “plausible mechanism framework” for individualized therapies targeting ultra‑rare genetic diseases. The roadmap aims to replace traditional randomized trials with mechanistic data, accelerating approval pathways for treatments...
Anthropic Argues for Fair Use in UMG’s AI Lawsuit: ‘Training on Lyrics Is Transformative’
Anthropic filed a brief asserting that training its Claude chatbot on song lyrics qualifies as transformative fair use. The company argues the lyrics are just one of trillions of data points used to teach language relationships, and that Claude does...
Sook Defends Nexstar-Tegna, Slams DirecTV
Nexstar Media Group is pressing ahead with its $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna despite a federal injunction filed by DirecTV and eight Democratic‑leaning states. CEO Perry Sook dismissed the lawsuit, arguing that Nexstar competes more with tech giants like Google, Amazon...
FCC Scrutinizing TV Ratings System
The FCC has issued a notice seeking public comment on the transparency and accuracy of the industry‑run TV ratings system overseen by the TV Oversight Management Board (TVOMB). The agency is concerned that shows featuring transgender or non‑binary themes are...
NFL Goes to the FCC
The NFL met with Federal Communications Commission staff to argue that its reliance on free, over‑the‑air broadcasts benefits fans, local stations, and all 32 clubs. The league highlighted the steep decline in pay‑TV subscriptions and cited Amazon’s record‑breaking Thursday Night...
26-263 - Singh V. Grant Et Al
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma partially granted Navjot Singh’s habeas corpus petition, finding that immigration officials violated the Immigration and Nationality Act. The court ordered a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) within seven business days, or...
El Salvador Opens Mass Trial of 486 Alleged Gang Leaders for 47,000 Crimes
El Salvador’s Fiscalía opened an unprecedented mass trial of 486 alleged MS‑13 leaders, charging them with 47,000 crimes—including 29,000 homicides—spanning a decade of gang violence. Most defendants are detained at President Nayib Bukele’s high‑security CECOT mega‑prison, while the trial proceeds...
26-640 - Hunt V. Commissioner of Social Security Administration
On March 31 2026 the court recommended denying Hunt’s request to proceed in forma pauperis, requiring a $405 filing fee. The recommendation was adopted on April 20 2026, with the motion dismissed as moot. Hunt has since filed nine amended fee‑waiver applications, all of...
FBI Director Kash Patel Loses Defamation Lawsuit Over Morning Joe Statements
A Texas federal judge ruled that former FBI Director Kash Patel's defamation suit over a comment on MSNBC's Morning Joe was dismissed. The comment, made by former FBI counterintelligence chief Cesare Figliuzzi, suggested Patel spent more time in nightclubs than in...
Ninth Circuit Revives Lawsuit over Deadly Hawaii Helicopter Crash
A three‑judge Ninth Circuit panel reversed a district court ruling that barred a wrongful‑death suit against Robinson Helicopter Co. over a 2019 Hawaii sightseeing crash. The court held that the General Aviation Revitalization Act’s 18‑year bar does not require a...
Skipping Key Legal Docs Leaves Founders Vulnerable
A founder once told me the NDA was “just a formality.” Six months later their co-founder walked out with the IP. If you do not have these 10 documents locked in, you are not protected: 1. Founder Agreement with vesting schedule 2. IP Assignment Agreement 3. NDA (mutual...
NY Attorney General Sues Prediction Market over Wire Act Violations
The New York AG's Office becomes the first law enforcement agency in the country to accuse a prediction market platform of violating the federal Wire Act by offering sports-event contracts across state lines. https://t.co/xCd3WbLHM6
Disappointed by Compliance to AI Rules, Meity Proposes 'Continuous' Watermarks
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is proposing an amendment to the 2021 IT Rules that would require a continuous watermark on AI‑generated content, replacing the current “clear and conspicuous” label requirement. The draft also removes the earlier...
You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For — See Also
A series of legal‑industry updates highlight AI’s growing pains and institutional responses. Sullivan & Cromwell disclosed AI‑generated drafting errors, prompting an urgent overhaul of its editing workflow. A $250 million lawsuit filed by Kash Patels appears to have been drafted with heavy...
Why Menopause Support Belongs on Every Law Firm’s Agenda
Law firms face a hidden talent risk as women reach menopause during peak career years, coinciding with low representation at senior levels—55% of solicitors are women but only 35% become equity partners. Menopausal symptoms can impair performance, prompting the UK...
Appeals Court Keeps ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Open, Rejecting Need for Federal Environmental Review
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center can remain open, rejecting a requirement for a federal environmental impact review. The panel held that because the state built and funded the facility, it is...