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
Lisa Willis: Florida’s AI Rules Signal New Era of Accountability for Lawyers
Florida has become a national frontrunner in regulating legal AI by issuing new Bar rules and court orders that mandate attorney oversight of AI tools. The directives cover everything from research platforms to AI‑generated court filings, insisting that technology assist but never replace professional judgment. The move follows rapid AI adoption among lawyers and aims to curb ethical risks. Stakeholders, including researchers like Kristine Snively, see the rules as a template for broader industry accountability.
UPDATED | Senate Overturns Protections For Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The U.S. Senate approved HJ Resolution 140 by a 50‑49 vote, overturning a two‑decade mineral withdrawal that shielded the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota. The repeal removes protection for roughly 225,000 acres, paving the way for a Chilean...
California Revises Cap‑and‑Invest, Halting Permanent Retirement of 118 Million Emission Permits
California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced a revision to the state’s Cap‑and‑Invest program that stops the permanent retirement of 118 million greenhouse‑gas allowances, placing them in a reserve fund. Environmental advocates and the oil and gas industry alike condemned the change,...
FDIC, OCC Issue Final Rule Banning Debanking of Lawful Customers
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency adopted a joint final rule that prohibits supervisory actions based on reputation risk. Effective June 6, the rule bars agencies from urging banks to close accounts...
SEC Clears FINRA to Scrap $25,000 Pattern Day Trader Rule, Reshaping Retail Trading
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved FINRA's rule change that eliminates the Pattern Day Trader (PDT) designation and its $25,000 minimum equity requirement. The move also introduces new real‑time margin standards for broker‑dealers, aiming to modernize day‑trading regulations that...
Even Minor Collisions Need Prompt Medical Evaluation
Should you get a lawyer for a minor car accident? Disclaimer: be aware that sometimes injuries show up days after the accident. To be fully sure that you are not injured, it is safer for you to get checked out...
Ofcom Clears VodafoneThree for Direct-to-Device Satellite Mobile Service
Ofcom has approved VodafoneThree’s request to amend its spectrum licence, allowing the merged carrier to deliver direct‑to‑device satellite connectivity for voice, SMS and data on ordinary smartphones. The move follows similar approvals for O2 and a pending handset‑rule update, signaling...
Who Owns The President's Papers?
The Office of Legal Counsel issued a 2026 opinion declaring the Presidential Records Act (PRA) unconstitutional, reigniting a long‑standing debate over who owns a president’s papers. The memo leans on the Property Clause but omits discussion of that clause, while...
FDA Grants RMAT Designation to Grace Science’s GS-100 Gene Therapy for NGLY1 Deficiency
Grace Science, LLC received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. FDA for its investigational gene therapy GS-100 targeting NGLY1 deficiency. The designation, based on early Phase 1/2/3 data showing motor and cognitive gains, promises a faster regulatory...
The Rise of the Law, Information & Technology Librarian
Law schools are launching tenure‑track Law, Information & Technology (LIT) Librarian positions as AI reshapes legal practice. These roles fuse legal knowledge, information science, and emerging‑tech expertise, moving beyond traditional research support to curriculum design and ethical guidance. LIT Librarians...
CBC May Back Trump on Warrantless Surveillance Reauthorization
The Congressional Black Caucus may side with Donald Trump on the reauthorization of a warrantless surveillance law. https://jacobin.com/2026/04/surveillance-bill-cbc-fisa-reform
Maine Enacts First AI Disclosure Law for Political Ads
Maine lawmakers approved LD 517, mandating that political campaigns and PACs label ads generated with artificial intelligence. The law, signed by Gov. Janet Mills, marks the nation’s first AI‑disclosure requirement for political advertising, aiming to curb misinformation and restore voter...
EU Age Verification App Announced To Protect Children Online
The European Commission announced that a new age‑verification app is technically ready for rollout, allowing users to prove they are over a required age without disclosing personal identity. The app will be downloaded from standard app stores and set up...
Marcos Issues Negative List for Foreign Investments
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos issued Executive Order 113, unveiling the Philippines' 13th regular foreign‑investment negative list. The order replaces the 2022 list and delineates activities fully closed to foreign capital (List A) and those with capped foreign equity (List B). Key sectors...
Despite the Government’s Ban, Netgear Just Got an Exemption to Keep Selling New WiFi Routers in the U.S.
The Federal Communications Commission granted Netgear an exemption that lets the company sell new foreign‑made Wi‑Fi routers in the United States through October 1, 2027, despite a recent ban on all new overseas router models. The exemption still requires each new Netgear...
Nord Stream Blasts Due to War, Say Insurers Seeking to Avoid Pay Out
Nord Stream AG is suing Lloyd's and Arch Insurance for nearly €580 million (about $684 million) after the 2022 explosions that crippled its Baltic Sea gas pipelines. Insurers argue the policy excludes war‑related damage, contending the blasts were linked to the Ukraine...
Trying to Keep Track of the Multiple Attacks on Shareholder Voting Feels Like John Henry Fighting the Steam Engine, Tbqh
The U.S. Department of Labor issued new guidance that classifies proxy advisors serving ERISA‑regulated retirement plans as fiduciaries, potentially extending ERISA duties to mutual‑fund advisors and BlackRock’s stewardship team. Indiana enacted a proxy‑advisor transparency law, prompting Institutional Shareholder Services to...
BP Faces Lawsuit Over 500 Deaths in Kenyan Exploration Area
A class‑action suit filed by nearly 300 petitioners accuses BP Plc and Kenyan authorities of causing roughly 500 deaths through the disposal of hazardous waste at oil‑exploration sites in northern Kenya. The complaint alleges that heavy metals and radioactive material...
Call For Papers – 2026 Corporate & Securities Litigation Workshop in Chicago
The University of Illinois College of Law, together with the University of Richmond, UCLA, and Vanderbilt law schools, is hosting the thirteenth annual Corporate & Securities Litigation Workshop in Chicago on October 22‑23, 2026. The event invites scholars to submit...
Delaware Judge Refuses to Police Elon Musk, Reveals Cabal Intent
⚖️ DE Chancery Court Wow, this fully gives away the Cabal's intentions. They are not even hiding it. “What I think this reflects is that at least one Delaware judge just doesn’t want to be in the business of policing Elon Musk anymore,”...
Mid‑Market Firms Must Close Compliance Gaps Now
Mid-market regulated firms are sitting on a compliance gap. PHI/PII pipelines built for speed, not governance. DLT expectations. Unity Catalog policies. On-call ownership. Most have one layer. Few have all five. Build it right once. Outrun the audit.
NYC Launches Concierge-Style Service, Enhanced Web Tools to Aid Local Law 97 Compliance
New York City unveiled Momentum, a free concierge‑style accelerator that helps building owners navigate Local Law 97’s strict emissions targets. The service bundles a call center, an online portal with decarbonization planning tools, case‑study library, and financing guidance, and expands into...
Ticketmaster Victory Attributed to Specific Leaders, Slater Shifted Course
Let me be clear about the Ticketmaster case. This win was a result of @JKBustertruster, @dohamekki, and the Biden political leaders, then state AGs. Once Gail Slater took over, the case litigation went off track. Slater also was eager to...
CA Wealth Tax May Target Founders' Voting Power
The California wealth tax could be levied on founders' voting interests in their companies, which often far exceed their economic stakes. The initiative's drafters say that won't happen. Here's why it might: https://t.co/i71izDeHPS
Hegseth Orders Termination of Union Contracts
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo ordering the termination of most Department of Defense collective bargaining agreements within 24 hours, invoking Executive Order 14251 that limits federal unions on national‑security grounds. The directive exempts Federal Wage System workers at...
North Carolina Supreme Court Ends Leandro, Reins In Judicial Power Over School Funding
The North Carolina Supreme Court issued a 4‑3 ruling ending the decades‑long Leandro school‑funding litigation. The majority held that the state constitution gives spending authority to the General Assembly, not judges, overturning prior decisions that allowed courts to order billions...
"Ban on Unilateral Server Shutdowns": California Proposes Game Protection Bill
California lawmakers introduced Assembly Bill 1921, a “Game Protection Bill” that would bar publishers from unilaterally shutting down servers for live‑service games. The bill requires at least a two‑month advance notice, in‑game disclosures of feature deactivations, and a prohibition on...
EPA Launches PFAS OUT Initiative to Accelerate Drinking Water Response
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled the PFAS OUTreach (PFAS OUT) initiative to help drinking‑water utilities tackle per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination ahead of upcoming federal standards. Announced by EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer, the program will engage...
As DPDPA Kicks In, Are Startups Ready For Privacy Compliance Burden?
India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) 2023 and the DPDP Rules 2025 set an 18‑month compliance timeline ending May 2027, creating a $1.2 bn compliance‑as‑a‑service market. Startup IDfy, backed by Blume Ventures and others, won a government‑run privacy‑platform competition and is...
CFTC Hearing Flags Partisan Future for Prediction Markets
Congressional hearings are to score political points, not make meaningful progress. That said, today's CFTC hearing has reaffirmed that prediction markets are a partisan issue; If/when Democrats take Congress/White House, PMs' regulatory environment will be far less favorable
Army Veteran Tasked with Prosecuting Nazi Death Squads Awarded Congressional Gold Medal
The U.S. Congress posthumously awarded Benjamin Ferencz the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor, recognizing his pivotal role as chief prosecutor of the Nazi Einsatzgruppen at the Nuremberg Trials. Ferencz, a 27‑year‑old Harvard graduate with no trial experience,...
Deloitte Consulting Penalized Employees for Taking Pregnancy-Related Leave, Lawsuit Alleges
A proposed class‑action lawsuit filed in California alleges Deloitte Consulting penalized exempt employees who took protected pregnancy‑related, parental or family leave by evaluating them against peers who worked a full year. The complaint says performance ratings, which drive salary raises...
DOL Issues Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-01 Signaling a Major Shift in ERISA Enforcement Priorities: What Plan Sponsors and Fiduciaries...
On April 14, 2026, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration released Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026‑01, outlining four new enforcement priorities for ERISA plans. The bulletin emphasizes targeting egregious loyalty breaches and self‑dealing, especially where fiduciaries pursue non‑participant...
Alt Legal Acquires UK-Based WebTMS, Adding Global IP Portfolio Management to Its Trademark Platform
Alt Legal announced its sixth acquisition, buying UK‑based WebTMS, a veteran IP portfolio‑management provider with over 500 global clients. The deal merges Alt Legal’s automation‑first trademark docketing with WebTMS’s highly configurable, worldwide workflow platform, and adds a physical presence in...
Corsight Revealed as Facial Recognition Supplier for Canadian Police Bodycam Trial
Corsight AI was selected to supply facial‑recognition algorithms for a body‑camera trial by the Edmonton Police Service, using Axon‑manufactured devices. The proof‑of‑concept, which began in December, matched live footage against a watch list of high‑risk offenders whenever officers activated recording....
The (Non-)partisan Puzzle in the Conversion Therapy Case
The Supreme Court in Chiles v. Salazar held that Colorado’s ban on conversion‑therapy counseling for minors triggers strict First Amendment scrutiny, deeming the law viewpoint‑based speech regulation. The 8‑1 decision saw liberal Justices Sotomayor and Kagan join the majority, while...
Court Confirms No‑Fly List: Travel Right, Not Air Travel
Federal Court Upholds No Fly List: You Have A Right To Travel, But Not To Fly [Roundup] - View from the Wing https://t.co/A0dPVfMgdz
Bureaucracy Weighs Heavily on German Online Sellers
A Händlerbund survey reveals that 89% of German online sellers find bureaucratic procedures heavy or very heavy, with product safety and packaging regulations cited as the biggest hurdles. Data‑protection rules, especially GDPR, rank third, while sustainability reporting adds to the...
The Overlooked Truth: Estate Planning Is a Family Law Issue
Estate planning is fundamentally a family law matter, intertwining asset distribution with marriage, divorce, remarriage, and child guardianship. Major life events require timely updates to wills, trusts, and power‑of‑attorney documents to reflect new priorities. Clear, legally‑verified instructions prevent probate disputes,...
The EBA Seeks Feedback on 4.3 Draft Technical Package of Its Reporting Framework
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has released a draft technical package for version 4.3 of its reporting framework, covering anti‑money‑laundering (AML) and third‑country‑branch (TCB) reporting. The package includes new validation rules, a Data Point Model, XBRL taxonomies and introduces reporting requirements...
Visa, Mastercard Settle Merchant Claims
Visa and Mastercard have settled interchange‑fee claims from about 65 merchants in New York, ending a decade‑long antitrust dispute that was headed for trial. The settlements include payments of $4.2 billion from Visa’s escrow account, covering roughly 90% of its transaction...
CFTC Chair Remains Vague on Rejected Prediction
During a Congressional hearing today, CFTC Chair Michael Selig does not specify if the organization has rejected any prediction market event contracts proposed by operators
Rinse, Repeat, Reject: ‘Washing’ Claims in Antitrust
The article contends that fears of firms using “washing” tactics—greenwashing, privacy‑washing, or sovereignty‑washing—to shield anticompetitive conduct under EU competition law are exaggerated. Article 101(3) of the TFEU imposes strict, verifiable sustainability criteria, leaving little room for greenwashing defenses. Under Article...
USA Resumes Sanctions on Russian and Iranian Oil
The U.S. Treasury announced it will not renew the temporary waivers that exempted Russian and Iranian crude oil from sanctions, ending the relief on April 11 for Russia and April 19 for Iran. The waivers, introduced during the Trump era to ease...
UN Experts Alarmed at New Belarus Law Targeting LGBTQ+ and Women Rights
On April 2, Belarus’s Council of the Republic approved a law banning the distribution of what it calls “propaganda” of homosexual relations, gender reassignment, childlessness and pedophilia. The legislation imposes fines on individuals and legal entities, and allows detention or...
FCA Publishes UK Short Selling Regime Policy Statement
On 16 April 2026 the FCA released Policy Statement PS26/5 outlining revisions to the UK short‑selling regime introduced under the 2025 Short‑Selling Regulations. The agency removed the per‑instrument notification requirement for market‑maker exemptions, opting for a single activity‑based notification and an annual compliance...
External MRELS – 2026
On 16 April 2026 the Bank of England released its 2026 approach to external minimum requirements for own funds and eligible liabilities (MRELs). The figures apply to firms with a UK‑incorporated resolution entity whose MREL exceeds the minimum capital requirement, using balance‑sheet...
Trump Administration Presents Update on Its Tariff Refund Plan
The U.S. Court of International Trade ordered the Biden administration to refund all tariffs collected under the now‑invalid IEEPA authority, affecting roughly 330,000 importers who paid about $166 billion. In response, Customs and Border Protection filed an update outlining a phased...
Federal Court of Appeal Refuses to Award Crown Enhanced Costs After Its Successful Tax Appeal
The Federal Court of Appeal upheld the Crown’s successful tax appeal concerning the timing of a connected‑corporation determination under s.104(19) of the Income Tax Act. The court ruled that the determination occurs at the end of the trust’s taxation year...
7 Things to Know About the Nonprescription Drug Product with an Additional Condition for Nonprescription Use Final Rule
The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research issued a final rule establishing an “Additional Condition for Nonprescription Use” (ACNU) pathway for over‑the‑counter medicines. Under ACNU, a drug can be sold without a prescription but must include an extra consumer‑screening...