Today's Legal Pulse
UK pushes commonhold reform to boost housing supply
The Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill proposes abolishing leasehold and mandating new homes be sold as commonhold, tying the change to a target of delivering 1.5 million homes annually—the highest since 1968. The model remains untested, with fewer than 25 developments and unresolved issues around dispute resolution.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
Kash Patel’s Defamation Suit Against The Atlantic Is Designed To Generate Headlines, Not Win In Court
FBI Director Kash Patel filed a 19‑page defamation lawsuit in Washington, D.C., seeking $250 million from The Atlantic after the magazine published a profile alleging he was frequently drunk and unresponsive. The complaint, drafted by MAGA‑aligned lawyer Jesse Binnall, hinges on a claim of actual malice despite Patel’s status as a public official, a standard that requires proof of reckless disregard for truth. Legal analysts note the suit mirrors previous SLAPP tactics—lawsuits intended more for publicity than merit—and is likely to be dismissed early on. The case also highlights the limited reach of DC’s anti‑SLAPP statute in federal court, underscoring broader gaps in national protections for journalists.
Meet The New Prosecutor On The Brennan Case. He Already Called The Defendant A ‘Real Traitor.’
The Justice Department removed career national‑security prosecutor Maria Medetis Long from the John Brennan investigation after she said evidence was insufficient, and installed 81‑year‑old Trump loyalist Joseph diGenova as counselor to the attorney general. DiGenova, a former Reagan‑era U.S. attorney...
Gen AI Disruption Is Hitting Legal Research. Are Legacy Players Under Threat?
Generative AI tools are reshaping legal research, challenging entrenched providers such as Westlaw and LexisNexis. Startups like Casetext and Klarity are leveraging large language models to deliver instant case law summaries, citation analysis, and predictive outcomes. Legacy firms are responding...
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AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY: Justice Department Moves to Shield Court Officials From Cameras After Malema’s Post-Sentencing Outburst
South Africa’s Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority are moving to bar live broadcasts that show the faces of judges, magistrates and prosecutors after EFF leader Julius Malema publicly insulted magistrate Twanet Olivier and state advocate Joel Cesar...
HomeServices Makes Bid to Join Buyer Commissions Case
HomeServices of America and its affiliates have filed to opt into the Tuccori settlement, ending their involvement in the buyer‑side antitrust lawsuit over real‑estate commissions. The filing, made on April 20 in the Southern District of Florida, follows a series...
Georgia Ponzi-Scheme Guilty Plea Highlights Continued Federal Fraud Pressure
Federal prosecutors in Georgia secured a guilty plea from Todd Burkhalter for running a multi‑million‑dollar Ponzi scheme. The case underscores the Justice Department’s continued emphasis on large‑scale investor fraud despite competing headline‑making legal news. Parallel civil and regulatory actions—SEC reviews,...
Why Your Story, Engagement, And Empathy Matter More Than Ever
In a recent interview, Megan Hargroder of Legends Legal Marketing explains that modern law firms must build trust online through storytelling, authentic engagement, and empathy. She notes that prospective clients research attorneys long before the first call, so credibility is...
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JSC Rescues SA Judiciary’s Reputation with Mbenenge Ruling, but Stumbles over Identity Politics
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in South Africa reversed a tribunal recommendation, finding Judge President Selby Mbenenge guilty of gross misconduct for sexual harassment, thereby protecting the judiciary’s reputation. The commission also promoted Judges Bashier Vally and Leonie Windell to the Supreme...
Ninth Circuit Upholds NLRB Ruling Against Union Buster
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a National Labor Relations Board order that found an employer engaged in illegal union‑busting conduct. The appellate court upheld the NLRB’s remedial measures, requiring the company to cease the unlawful...
Maine Introduces Bill to 'Effectively Ban' HEI Contracts
Governor Janet Mills signed LD 1901, reclassifying home‑equity investment (HEI) contracts as residential mortgage loans in Maine. The law imposes mandatory consumer counseling, independent legal counsel, detailed cost disclosures, and liability on secondary‑market investors, aligning HEIs with the state’s Consumer...
Michael Stern Seeks to Unmask Anonymous “Smear Campaign” Operator
Developer Michael Stern filed a petition in New York State Supreme Court to uncover the identity of an anonymous online troll behind JDSPulse.com and related social‑media accounts. He alleges the sites have spread false statements labeling him a convicted felon...
U.S. MILITARY ENDS 72-YEAR MANDATORY FLU SHOT POLICY
On April 20, 2026, the Secretary of War issued a memorandum ending the U.S. military’s 72‑year mandatory influenza‑vaccination policy, making the flu shot voluntary for active‑duty, reserve, and Department of War civilian personnel. The requirement, first introduced in 1945 during...
Supreme Court Arguments Make It Clear that FCC Fines Are "Nonbinding"
The Supreme Court heard AT&T and Verizon argue that FCC forfeiture orders violate their Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial. The carriers were fined $104 million for selling real‑time location data without consent, but justices signaled that FCC penalties are...
Meta Sued by Consumer Federation of America
The Consumer Federation of America has filed a lawsuit accusing Meta of profiting from scam advertising, estimating roughly $16 billion a year—about 10% of its revenue—from prohibited promotions. The complaint cites ads targeting users with fake checks and free‑government iPhone offers,...
The Oreo Cookie Method: How to Get the Best of Human Expertise and AI in Contract Review
The Oreo Cookie Method is a five‑step, tool‑agnostic workflow that places two attorney‑led reviews around AI‑driven redlining. By having lawyers set context, direct AI playbooks, run general reviews, and perform targeted clean‑ups, the process captures AI speed while preserving human...
Elections Alberta Wants Court Injunction to Review Independence Group's Finances
Elections Alberta has asked a judge to adjourn its hearing with the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) and issue an injunction compelling the group to disclose its finances. APP, a non‑profit that collected over CAD 1 million (≈ US $730,000) in 2022 and CAD 103,000 (≈ US $75,000)...
Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty to BlackCat Scheme
Angelo Martino, a former ransomware negotiator at a US incident‑response firm, pleaded guilty to conspiring with the BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware gang to steal confidential negotiation data and facilitate extortion attacks in 2023. Together with two other cybersecurity professionals, he helped deploy...
Intersection of Estates and Corporate Work Booming at Alberta Regional Firms
Alberta’s mid‑size law firms are seeing a surge in cases that blend estate litigation with commercial disputes, as closely held companies in energy, farming and construction become entangled in succession battles. The Ferguson Estate case highlighted how misidentified corporate structures...
Credit Card Issuer Mission Lane Applies for Bank Charter
Mission Lane, a credit‑card fintech, has filed an application with the OCC for a limited‑purpose CEBA credit‑card bank charter and FDIC deposit insurance. The move marks the first CEBA credit‑card bank charter request in roughly twenty years, targeting an estimated...
Clear Contract Deliverables Prevent Scope Creep
the deliverables section of your contract is the most important part nobody reads. it should spell out format, number of posts, posting dates, revision rounds, and approval timeline. vague deliverables = scope creep. every time.
Shielding Beneficiaries From Creditors: Clever or Cynical?
Protecting beneficiaries from creditors ... including spouses Cynical or smart? Friday's newsletter: Tax secrets of the ultra-wealthy https://t.co/e3EZsg82z0
Prehistoric Procurement: Why Underbidding Is the Real Apex Predator
The article uses Jurassic Park’s Dennis Nedry fiasco to illustrate how underbidding critical software contracts creates powerful insider‑threat vectors. By paying a lead architect too little, InGen left a single individual with unchecked access, leading to sabotage and data theft....
Oval Office Insiders Raked $75M Risk‑Free, Fraud Flourishes
I made a nice chart covering how Oval Office inside-trading folks printed ~$75M essentially risk free (from BBC). Depending how SCOTUS resolves Sripetch in June, these wouldn't even be disgorged profits if someone was prosecuted and found guilty. Golden...
NYAG Lawsuits Pile up with Problem Gambling Exhibits
There are already 81 docket entries in the NYAG v. Gemini lawsuit and 72 docket entries in the NYAG v. Coinbase lawsuit. Mostly exhibits to the State's TRO/PI motions. An article from @GamblingHarmOrg is one of the exhibits--many of...
Fresh E15 Proposal Adds Emergency Exemptions for Small Refiners
A new Capitol Hill proposal would allow year‑round sales of higher ethanol blends (E15) and give the EPA authority to issue emergency Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers to small refineries facing financial collapse. The bill caps total renewable‑fuel volume at...
Souki on the Hook for $39 Million in Investor Suit
A Colorado jury ordered Charif Souki, co‑founder of Cheniere Energy and a pioneer of U.S. LNG exports, to pay $39 million to a former investor after finding he breached a promise made in a 2019 text message. The lawsuit alleged Souki...
Canada’s AI Regulation Will Be “Airtight” On Bias, Racism, and Hate, Solomon Says
Canada’s AI Minister Evan Solomon announced that the nation’s upcoming AI regulation will be “airtight” on bias, racism and hate, while remaining “light” where innovation is needed. The refreshed AI strategy, originally slated for release by the end of 2025,...
Lawsuit Says Unilever Fired Forklift Worker After Workplace ER Visit
Unilever Manufacturing is being sued after it terminated forklift operator Zachariah Salazar three days after he left a night shift for emergency‑room treatment of a foot injury. The complaint alleges disability discrimination under the ADA, failure to accommodate his Type‑1...
San Diego State Agrees To Pay Female Athletes $300,000 In Landmark Title IX Settlement
A federal judge approved a landmark Title IX settlement requiring San Diego State University to pay $300,000 in damages to 798 former female athletes. The lawsuit, filed by 15 former rowers and track‑and‑field athletes, alleged the school deliberately underfunded women’s scholarships and denied...
Barista Accuses Compass Group's Canteen of Gender Bias, Retaliatory Layoff
Jessica Wallace, a Chicago-area barista at Compass Group USA’s Canteen, filed a Title VII lawsuit alleging gender‑biased remarks and a hostile work environment that culminated in her layoff. She says her supervisor told her the company “should have hired a man”...
Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Incorporates New “Addressing DEI Discrimination” Executive Order Provisions
President Trump’s Executive Order 14398, issued March 26, 2026, bans federally‑contracted firms from engaging in racially discriminatory DEI activities and adds clause RFO 52.222‑90 to the FAR. The FAR Council responded on April 20 with model deviations for FAR Parts 9, 12, 22 and 52, plus implementation...
Azealia Banks Skips Hearing in Ex-Manager ‘Stalking’ Case
Azealia Banks failed to appear at a final status hearing, leaving a May 5 bench trial to proceed against her former manager Jeff Kwatinetz. Los Angeles County Judge Brock T. Hammond indicated the trial will move forward with or without Banks, while ordering...
Florida Investigates OpenAI Over Deadly Mass Shooting
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a criminal investigation into OpenAI after a former Florida State University student allegedly used ChatGPT for advice that preceded a deadly campus shooting, killing two and injuring five. The probe will examine OpenAI’s policies,...
Chip Roy Introduces the Mamdani Act to Punish Immigrants for Ideology—Including Socialism and Marxism
Republican Representative Chip Roy introduced the "Measures Against Marxism’s Dangerous Adherents and Noxious Islamists" (Mamdani) Act, a bill that would make non‑citizens deportable or subject to denaturalization for advocating socialism, communism, Marxism, Chinese communism, or "Islamic fundamentalism." The proposal amends...
Dietary Supplement Listing Bill Introduced in the House
Representative Maxine Dexter (OR‑03) introduced a House bill that would require dietary supplement manufacturers to submit detailed product information to the FDA, including names, full ingredient lists, labels, allergen statements, and health claims. The legislation calls for a searchable database...
Murder, She Wrote: Ex-FBI Chief Wants some Ransomware Crims Charged with Homicide
Former FBI cyber‑division deputy chief Cynthia Kaiser urged the Justice Department to treat ransomware attacks on hospitals as felony murder, citing at least 47 deaths between 2016 and 2021 and likely hundreds today. She called on State, Justice and Treasury...
Deloitte Principal Sees New IRS Flexibility Opening Strategic Opportunities for REITs
Deloitte tax principal Mark Van Deusen told Nareit’s REITwise conference that the IRS’s long‑standing refusal to issue rulings for rentals under 30 days creates uncertainty for REITs. He said new IRS guidance permitting revocation of real‑property trade‑or‑business elections made between...
Romania Awards Siemens Mobility $340‑$530 M Contract for 12 Hydrogen Trains Amid Procurement Turmoil
Romania’s Railway Reform Authority awarded Siemens Mobility a contract worth roughly $340‑$530 million for 12 hydrogen‑fuel‑cell trains after four failed tenders and the loss of original EU recovery‑plan funding. The deal spotlights a clash between sustainability ambitions and persistent governance setbacks.
Relativity Launches Singapore Entity to Boost APAC E‑Discovery Market
Relativity said it will set up a Singapore entity and begin local hiring, aiming for a fourth‑quarter 2026 launch. The move expands the company’s AI‑powered e‑discovery platform across Asia‑Pacific as data volumes and regulatory scrutiny surge.
Jury Verdicts Hit Meta and Google, Prompting New Federal GovTech Bills
A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million, while a California jury hit Meta with $4.2 million and Google with $1.8 million for platform‑design harms. Lawmakers seized the moment, accelerating the Kids Online Safety Act and other product‑liability‑focused bills.
Act Targets Bullying in the Workplace
Taiwan's Ministry of Labor announced a new workplace‑bullying chapter to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, slated for promulgation in July. The amendment defines bullying as verbal abuse, undue intervention, social isolation or excessive criticism that causes physical or psychological...
You Can’t Vote Out Amazon Web Services: Fighting Internet Contracts One Library At A Time
Click‑through terms of service have become ubiquitous, binding users to sprawling contracts that often waive legal rights and grant companies broad licenses over personal data. Because these contracts of adhesion are non‑negotiable and the market is dominated by a few...
Finland Moves to Tax Hotel Stays as Tourist Numbers Hit Record
Finland's government is drafting a law that would let cities and towns add a percentage tax to hotel rooms, holiday cottages and short‑term rentals. The move follows a 5% rise in international arrivals to 5.1 million in 2025 and $4 bn in...
Was the AI in the Code? Or Just in the Valuation? AI-Washing in Venture Fundraising
Venture capital’s AI hype has spawned a wave of “AI‑washing,” where startups overstate or fabricate artificial‑intelligence capabilities to boost valuations. The SEC and DOJ recently charged two founders—Albert Saniger of Nate and Ramil Palafox of PGI Global—for misrepresenting AI‑driven products,...
Crossroads in Private International Law Webinar with Prof. Csongor Nagy
The University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Private International Law & Transnational Governance is hosting the next installment of its Crossroads in Private International Law webinar series. Professor Csongor Nagy of the University of Galway will present on “EU Law and...
Cobot IP Fight: What the Universal Robots Ruling Means for U.S. Manufacturers
Teradyne Robotics, the parent of Universal Robots, won a temporary injunction from a German court prohibiting Elite Robots Germany from distributing software that allegedly copies Universal Robots' PolyScope 5 platform. The order also compels Elite to disclose customers and signals Teradyne’s...
Oklahoma Proposes a More Principled Tax on Moist Snuff Tobacco
Oklahoma lawmakers introduced HB 3983 to replace the current 60 percent ad valorem tax on moist snuff tobacco with a specific weight‑based levy of $1.72 per ounce. The proposal aims to create a more neutral, predictable tax structure that does not fluctuate...
Internal Emails Show How Fringe Groups Fueled Sheriff Chad Bianco’s Ballot Seizure
Internal emails obtained by CalMatters show Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco, influenced by the fringe "constitutional sheriff" movement, launched a baseless investigation that culminated in the unprecedented seizure of 650,000 ballots in March 2026. The probe, sparked by activist Shelby Bunch’s...
Request for Broad “Apex” Executive Discovery Replaced by Phased Discovery Order
In Tripp v. Perdue Foods, a Fair Labor Standards Act collective action sought broad ESI from seven senior executives and 300 search terms, prompting a $1.5 million cost estimate. The district court approved a phased approach, limiting Phase I to a 25%...
Made in the Shade
The post spotlights a wave of institutional shifts: the Supreme Court’s 2016 “shadow docket” decision on the Clean Power Plan birthed a secretive track now used for over 20 Trump‑era rulings; AI’s accelerating power fuels debate over gene‑editing humans to...