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
Why Neurodiversity Is Driving a Compliance Crisis
Employers are confronting a surge in neurodiversity accommodations as more companies hire individuals on the autism spectrum, ADHD, dyslexia and related conditions. Recent amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act and EEOC guidance broaden the definition of reasonable accommodation, creating a compliance maze for HR leaders. Law firm Littler warns that without proactive policies, firms face heightened litigation risk and costly settlements. Jeff Nowak, a Littler partner, urges businesses to conduct early audits and embed neurodiversity into their inclusion strategies.
7 Tips For Employers On Calif. Decision-Making Tech Rules
California’s new Automated Decision‑Making Technology (ADMT) rules require employers to overhaul how they use AI‑driven hiring, promotion and performance tools. The Law360 piece outlines seven practical steps, from conducting impact assessments to maintaining detailed audit logs, to help companies meet...
Prediction Market Risk Is Hiding in Your Organization Whether You Know It or Not
Steve Silver warns that corporate prediction‑market platforms pose hidden compliance hazards. As firms increasingly adopt internal forecasting tools, sensitive strategic data can leak to competitors or regulators. Unchecked participation may trigger insider‑trading accusations and breach of securities laws. Silver urges...
Not So SMARTBOX? Gray Accuses Dish Of Carriage Violation
Gray Media has lodged a formal complaint with the FCC alleging that DISH Network violated retransmission‑consent rules. The dispute stems from a CBS affiliate in Knoxville being carried on a DISH‑owned distribution platform at a local hotel. Gray’s attorney from...
Joseph Lynett Discusses PWFA Enforcement Three Years After Law Went Into Effect
Joseph Lynett, a partner at Jackson Lewis, examined how the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is being enforced three years after its 2023 enactment. He highlighted that many employers still deny basic accommodations, citing "significant operational difficulty" without clear standards....
ADG 4/21: Securities Blanket
The U.S. Supreme Court signaled support for the SEC’s broad disgorgement authority, indicating the agency need not prove direct investor harm before seizing illicit profits. Enforcement activity has slumped, with the SEC filing only 56 actions in the past year—a...
Jackson Lewis Spotlighted in Lex Machina's 2026 Class Action Litigation Report
Jackson Lewis was highlighted in Lex Machina’s 2026 Class Action Litigation Report, which was featured in a Law360 article titled “Consumer Cases Drive Class Action Spike, Report Says.” The report shows a sharp rise in consumer‑focused class actions, contributing to...
Billionaire Fredriksen’s Firm Faces $1 Billion Claim After Failed Fraud Trial
Two former executives of John Fredriksen’s oil‑trading firm Alta Trading have filed a lawsuit seeking roughly $1 billion, alleging that a 2015 freezing order and a vindictive legal campaign by Fredriksen’s company ruined their ability to launch a new venture. The...
Carolyn Burnette Comments on Surge in Central California Employment Cases
Carolyn Burnette, senior partner at Jackson Lewis, highlighted a sharp rise in federal employment lawsuits filed in the Central District of California, which now tops the nation according to a Los Angeles Times report. The surge reflects heightened enforcement of...
US Judge Blocks Trump's Efforts to Hinder Renewable Energy Projects
A federal judge in Boston issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration's new permitting policies that required three senior political appointees to approve most wind and solar projects. The ruling, sought by nine clean‑energy advocacy groups, finds the Interior...
Clio Work, Clio’s AI Workspace, Is Now Available To Solo and Smaller Law Firms As A Standalone Product
Clio has released its AI‑driven workspace, Clio Work, as a standalone product, ending the requirement for firms to also subscribe to its practice‑management platform, Clio Manage. The tool, built on a billion‑document legal corpus acquired through the $1 billion vLex purchase,...
Qualified Immunity for Officer Denied After Appeals Court Finds Use of Force 'Unreasonable' In Fatal OIS
A U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit denied qualified immunity to Officer Gordon Painter, who fatally shot Charles Byers, a hatchet‑wielding man, in 2023. The court found the officer’s use of force unreasonable because Byers was at least...
E.P.A., Maryland Sue D.C. Utility Over Potomac River Sewage
The EPA and Maryland regulators have sued Washington, D.C.'s public water utility, D.C. Water, over a winter spill that released at least 240 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River. The discharge resulted from a collapse of the 60‑year‑old...
SCOTUS Oral Argument Confusing without Visual Cues
Today's SCOTUS oral argument in VZ v. FCC was extremely confusing, not least of which bcause the audio only livestream makes it hard for those of us who do not know the justices by voice to follow easily. Sometime Roberts...
Melissa Ostrower Discusses Considerations for Using AI Tools in Retirement Plans
Melissa Ostrower, a partner at Jackson Lewis, warned that the growing use of artificial‑intelligence tools in retirement‑plan administration creates new fiduciary risks for plan sponsors. She emphasized that fiduciaries must rigorously evaluate AI vendors and service‑provider agreements for data‑privacy, algorithmic...
Trump-Appointed Judges Skeptical of Prediction Market Rulings
"All three judges on this panel were appointed by Trump, but they all seemed skeptical of the prediction markets, and one of them was grilling the prediction markets and seemed like this is definitely not happening. But reviewing the arguments,...
Meta Is Sued Over Scam Ads on Facebook and Instagram
The Consumer Federation of America has filed a lawsuit against Meta, accusing the company of violating Washington, DC’s consumer‑protection laws by allowing scam advertisements to proliferate on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The complaint cites examples from Meta’s ad library, including...
Tax Planning and The Political Pendulum
Democratic senators have filed a wave of tax bills aimed at higher‑income earners and closely held businesses, signaling a "tax‑the‑wealthy" agenda ahead of the 2026 midterms and a potential 2028 Democratic trifecta. Proposals include raising the corporate rate to 28%,...
Student Who Sued UCD on Study Issue After Alleged Rape Loses Bid for Costs
A medicine student who sued University College Dublin over an alleged rape was denied an award of legal costs after the High Court ruled she bore some responsibility for the publicity that led UCD to seek a variation of the...
Intapp and DCM Insights Expand Activator Deal, Deploy Celeste AI Agents for Law‑Firm BD
Intapp (NASDAQ: INTA) and DCM Insights announced an expanded Activator partnership that embeds Intapp Celeste AI agents into DCMi’s research‑driven playbooks. The integration aims to turn new business‑development behaviors into habits for partners at over 100 professional‑services firms, accelerating client...
NHTSA Releases First Comprehensive Robotaxi Crash Data, Waymo Leads with 697 Incidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a dataset of 825 reported autonomous‑driving system incidents, showing Waymo with 697 crashes and Tesla with 18. The figures expose stark differences in fleet exposure, injury outcomes, and companies’ willingness to disclose crash...
The FISA Fight Is Not Over…
The blog urges Congress to reject any reauthorization of FISA Section 702 that lacks explicit warrant requirements, highlighting a recent NSA analyst’s misuse of the authority to spy on an American on a dating app. It frames the issue as...
Family Sues Kansas Jail Over Inmate’s Death
Relatives of Charles Adair have filed a federal wrongful‑death lawsuit after a Wyandotte County deputy pressed his knee into the inmate’s back for 86 seconds while he was handcuffed and medically vulnerable. The suit names the county sheriff, the unified...
How Agentic AI Is Reshaping Bank Compliance
SymphonyAI released a 30‑minute webinar highlighting how agentic artificial intelligence is transforming bank compliance. The firm argues that the sector has reached an "agentic moment," where AI shifts from simple copilots to autonomous agents that can reason and act across...
Supreme Court Will Hear From Religious Preschools Challenging Exclusion From Taxpayer-Funded Program
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments from Colorado’s St. Mary Catholic Parish and the Archdiocese of Denver, which contend that the state’s universal preschool program unlawfully excludes them for refusing to admit children from LGBTQ+ families. The schools, backed...
Amazon Sued over Killing Chromecast-Era Fire TV Sticks, New Update Policy Confirmed
Amazon faces a class‑action lawsuit alleging it "bricked" first‑ and second‑generation Fire TV sticks by ending software updates in 2022 and 2023. Plaintiffs claim the lack of updates rendered remotes unusable and devices inoperable, forcing purchases of newer hardware. Amazon...
PBM Proposed Transparency Rule Supported by Public Comment
The U.S. Department of Labor has closed a public comment period on a proposed rule that would require pharmacy‑benefit managers to disclose all direct and indirect compensation to self‑insured employer health‑plan sponsors. The accelerated rule, opened on Jan. 30 and closed...
UK Government Launches Call for Evidence on TUPE
On April 8, 2026 the UK Government opened a call for evidence on reforming the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, known as TUPE. The consultation runs until July 1, 2026 and seeks input on employee protections, consultation duties, pension rights, and the...
Kenya Wants Lenders to Prove Borrowers Can Repay Before Approving Loans
Kenyan regulators have drafted a Financial Consumer Protection Framework that would require all lenders—including banks, fintechs, and mobile‑money providers—to prove a borrower’s ability to repay before issuing a loan. The rule mandates verification of income, expenses and existing debt, moving...
Germany Faces Resistance in Push to Weaken AI Rules
German officials are urging the EU to move AI requirements for industrial products from the EU AI Act to sector‑specific regulations, a move championed by firms like Siemens and Bosch. Ten member states, including Austria and Spain, have rallied against...
Live Nation Pays $9.9 Million to Settle yet Another Investigation Into Dodgy Ticketing Practices
Live Nation agreed to a $9.9 million settlement with the District of Columbia’s Attorney General over alleged hidden fees and deceptive practices on its Ticketmaster platform. The deal obligates the company to disclose mandatory fees up front and to provide regulators...
Ofcom Probes Telegram over Child Safety Concerns Under Online Safety Act
Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into Telegram after evidence that child sexual abuse material (CSAM) may have been shared on the app. The probe follows a submission from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and comes...
ActBlue’s Legal Troubles Have Just Begun, and They Mostly Just Act Guilty
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against ActBlue, the Democratic‑leaning fundraising platform, accusing it of facilitating straw donations, false identities and foreign money flows. The suit follows a 2023 state investigation and a 2024 petition to the...
CellCarta Eliminates 9-Hours-Per-Week Regulatory Bottleneck with RegASK’s AI-Driven Intelligence Platform
CellCarta, a global contract research organization, partnered with RegASK to overhaul its regulatory intelligence function. By deploying RegASK’s agentic AI platform, the CRO replaced a manual nine‑hour‑per‑week monitoring process with near‑real‑time updates. The new centralized hub automatically captures, validates and...
Axion BioSystems and Agilent Technologies Resolve Litigation
Axion BioSystems and Agilent Technologies announced a confidential settlement that fully resolves two Delaware lawsuits. Both companies denied liability and agreed to move forward without admitting any claims. The settlement allows Axion to continue manufacturing, marketing, and developing its live‑cell...
Market Basket CEO’s Firing Was Valid, Judge Rules
A Delaware Court of Chancery judge ruled that Market Basket’s board acted in good faith when it fired CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, finding he failed to prove a breach of fiduciary duty. The decision concludes a decades‑long family feud that...
Top 10 Best Corporate Tax Firms Dominating Dubai
Since the UAE introduced a federal corporate tax, companies in Dubai face new filing rules and compliance obligations. A recent guide ranks the ten leading tax advisory firms operating in the emirate, from global powerhouses such as PwC, Deloitte, KPMG...
Late Payments Crackdown: What It Means for Advisers and Their Clients
The UK Department for Business and Trade is set to introduce legislation that forces large companies to pay suppliers within 60 days and empowers the Small Business Commissioner to investigate and fine repeat offenders. Late payments, already a systemic risk...
Judge Postpones OxyContin-Maker Purdue Pharma’s Sentencing to Let Opioid Victims Attend in Person
U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo postponed Purdue Pharma’s criminal sentencing to allow opioid‑crisis victims to attend the hearing in person. The original sentencing, slated for a videoconference, was moved to the following Tuesday after protesters gathered outside the Newark...
Nominee Vows to Sell Undisclosed Assets Amid Ethics Probe
Warren: it's critical that the next Fed chair has no financial conflicts. Do any of your non-disclosed holdings invest in companies affiliated with Trump or his family businesses or Epstein. Warsh: I've worked with the government ethics office. Warren: are you refusing...
Labor Dept Demands PBM Payment Transparency Amid Legal Pushback
The Labor Department wants pharmacy benefit managers to disclose, for the first time, all the different ways they get paid. PBMs are warning this proposal is illegal. Supporters want the proposal to go further. The black box of Rx prices...
NY Attorney General Sues Coinbase, Gemini Over Illegal Gambling
News: The New York Attorney General has sued Coinbase and Gemini in Manhattan Supreme Court under NY Executive Law § 63(12) for operating illegal gambling in violation of state law, seeks disgorgement, restitution, injunction and civil penalties. https://t.co/XdJg4DfKz2
Strong Arguments, yet Recent Jurisprudence Clouds Outcome
I think counsel for both sides argued well. Good lawyering all around. But Court's recent jurisprudence on both 7th Amen and Hobbs Act makes this super confusing and outcome hard to call.
9th Circuit's Attack on Prediction Markets Backfires
"Last week, the 9th circuit grilled prediction markets ... and it didn't go well for them" 😥 -- @kkirkbos https://t.co/Ii8rYK8RJX
Prosecutors Admit No Clear Accountability in DeFi
"Most of my friends who are still prosecutors in government, when I ask who is responsible in DeFi, they say, 'What is DeFi? There's always someone to send a subpoena to.'" 👀 -- Jessi Brooks https://t.co/Ii8rYK8RJX
DeFi Lawsuits Struggle to Pinpoint Duty Holders
"In litigation, the first thing you ask is, 'Who had the duty?' And it's often unclear in DeFi." -- @kkirkbos on the KelpDAO and LayerZero finger pointing 👉👈 https://t.co/Ii8rYK8RJX
Live Nation to Refund Millions After Hidden‑Fee Settlement
D.C. officials said residents who bought tickets through Live Nation or Ticketmaster could soon claim refunds after a $9.9 million settlement over alleged hidden fees and pressure tactics. Up to $8.9 million may be returned, with the company agreeing to...
500‑Page AI Lawsuits Flood Trucking Industry This Year
You should see the 500+ page AI slop lawsuits in trucking that are all the rage this year
Europe Sets Privacy Benchmark with GDPR and AI Act
Embedding privacy across the AI lifecycle: from principles to practice “Europe has emerged as a regulatory benchmark through the combined effect of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act).” https://t.co/SNayMvW7Ii @KPMG #AIGovernance
Paywalls Threaten Legal Transparency; Open Access Essential
if the content is all behind paywalls this will be a continuous problem. it’s ripping apart legal filings right now and highlighting the absolute need to have open digital access to primary law