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
Clio Reaches $500 Million ARR, Taps Anthropic’s Claude for Legal AI
Clio announced it has surpassed $500 million in annual recurring revenue and is rolling out Anthropic’s Claude for Legal across its platform. CEO Jack Newton said the milestone validates the company’s AI strategy and reinforced his commitment to keep Clio headquartered in British Columbia.
Supreme Court Gives Flipkart Eight Weeks to Clear MarQ Inventory in Trademark Dispute
India's Supreme Court granted Flipkart eight weeks to sell off its MarQ‑branded electronics, upholding lower‑court injunctions that deem the MarQ mark deceptively similar to Marc Enterprises' MARC trademark. The two‑judge bench highlighted the risk of consumer confusion and refused to...
Florida GOP‑Drawn House Map Faces State Court Challenge Over Partisan Gerrymandering
Voter‑led lawsuits filed in Leon County ask a Florida judge to halt the newly approved U.S. House districts, arguing they breach the state’s 2010 constitutional ban on partisan gerrymandering. The map, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, could add four Republican...
Supreme Court Keeps Mail‑Order Access to Abortion Pill Mifepristone in Place
The U.S. Supreme Court voted to preserve mail‑order access to the abortion medication mifepristone, rejecting a lower‑court order that would have forced in‑person dispensing. The decision leaves the FDA’s 2023 policy intact as Louisiana’s lawsuit against the agency continues.
Conference: European Principles of Transnational Litigation and Their Reception Abroad (Hamburg, 8–10 Oct 2026)
The University of Hamburg will host a three‑day conference on October 8‑10, 2026, led by Julian Rapp and Wolfgang Wurmnest, to examine European procedural principles in transnational litigation. The event will analyze core EU rules on jurisdiction, lis pendens, and judgment enforcement,...
McDermott Will & Schulte Advises Amulet Capital Partners on Acquisition of TFP Fertility Group
Amulet Capital Partners, a healthcare‑focused private equity firm, is buying TFP Fertility Group, a leading fertility provider in the UK and Northern Europe, from Benefit Street Partners. The acquisition was announced on May 7, with financial terms not disclosed. McDermott Will...
Ex-Latham Associate Unveils Free Legal AI Tool ‘Mike’ to Challenge Billion-Dollar Tech Giants
Former Latham & Watkins associate Will Chen has launched Mike, a free, open‑source legal AI platform that mirrors the capabilities of industry heavyweights Harvey and Legora. Built in just two weeks on Claude and Gemini models, Mike offers drafting, contract...
Legal AI Is Dead. Long Live Legal AI?
At the Royal Opera House, Legora CEO Max Junestrand announced that the first generation of legal AI has reached its limits, heralding a shift toward purpose‑built, domain‑specific platforms. He argued that early tools, largely repurposed from generic large language models,...
Boeing Ordered to Pay $69m to the Family of Woman Killed in Plane Crash
A Chicago federal jury awarded Samya Stumo’s family $68.6 million after she was killed in Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash. The verdict allocates $21 million for pain and suffering, $16.5 million for loss of companionship, and $12 million for grief. It follows...
5 Years of Lessons From Extended Producer Responsibility Laws
Extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws for packaging have expanded from Maine in 2021 to seven U.S. states, now affecting one in five Americans. California alone projects $21‑$36 billion in producer fees over the first five years, while Oregon threatens fines up...
Mining Giant Rio Tinto Lines up BP Deputy GC as Next CLO
Rio Tinto announced that Trudi Charles, currently BP’s deputy general counsel and senior vice‑president for legal, supply, trading and shipping, will become its chief legal officer in August, replacing Isabelle Deschamps. Charles brings more than two decades of experience at BP, overseeing...
US Federal Judge Blocks Sanctions Against UN Expert on Palestine
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon temporarily blocked the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, ruling they likely infringe her First Amendment free‑speech rights. The sanctions, enacted in July 2025 for her calls to the...
Singapore Court Grants Winding up Bids for Three Entities Linked to 1MDB Scandal
The Singapore High Court approved winding‑up applications for three British Virgin Islands companies linked to the 1MDB fraud. The orders empower joint liquidators from Kroll to pursue statutory claims against Standard Chartered and BSI in Singapore. Earlier attempts by the...
SRA Tells Panel Firms to Amend Misleading Letters on Investigations
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has ordered its panel firms to stop using misleading letters that present outsourced staff as SRA investigation officers. The letters, sent on SRA letterhead, implied direct regulator involvement in complaints assessments, which the firms are...
UK Urged to Ratify Lawyer-Protection Treaty One Year After Signing
The Law Society of England and Wales and the Bar Council are urging the UK government to ratify the Luxembourg Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, a Council of Europe‑endorsed treaty that safeguards lawyers from harassment, threats...
Penn Finance Director Sues University over Race Bias, Denied Accommodation
On May 13 2026, former University of Pennsylvania finance director Marille Heallis filed a federal lawsuit alleging race and disability discrimination. She claims she was given a lower title than a Hispanic predecessor, placed in a windowless basement office, denied timely asthma...
SCOTUS Preserved Abortion by Mail. Opponents Already Know Their Next Moves.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an emergency order restoring mail‑order access to mifepristone after the 5th Circuit temporarily blocked it, keeping telehealth abortions available while litigation continues. Providers like Dr. Angel Foster quickly adapted, using higher doses of misoprostol alone...
Investor Sues to Halt Two Harbors-CrossCountry Deal as UWM Bids Higher
Two Harbors Investment Corp., a mortgage REIT that owns a large portfolio of mortgage‑servicing‑rights, is facing a lawsuit from shareholder George Assad seeking to block a May 19 vote on its $12‑a‑share cash sale to CrossCountry Intermediate Holdco. The board had...
The Consolidated Audit Trail: Time for a Fundamental Reset?
The Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) was launched in 2016 as a Regulation NMS Plan, creating a joint‑ownership structure among self‑regulatory organizations that has generated persistent governance friction, soaring costs, and delayed implementation. Recent exemptive orders have modestly reduced cost pressures...
The Slapp Trap
A freelance reporter was hit with a £10,000 (≈$12,800) libel claim – later followed by a £250,000 (≈$320,000) suit – by Italian property magnate Claudio Di Giovanni after publishing an investigation. Despite promises from the Johnson and Sunak governments to...
Sixth Circuit Issues Precedential Opinion in Case 25-1873: What Practitioners Should Watch
On May 8, 2026 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a precedential opinion in docket 25‑1873. Unlike unpublished rulings, this decision binds courts in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee and will influence briefing, motions and district‑court analysis. The...
SRA Investigations Rise as Misconduct Reports Jump by More than Half Since 2024
Misconduct reports to the Solicitors Regulation Authority jumped 58% to 8,955 in the six months ending April 2026, prompting a 41% rise in formal investigations. The surge has strained SRA resources, leading the regulator to propose a £111.5 million (≈$142 million) fee increase...
Patent Case Summaries | Week Ending May 8, 2026
The Federal Circuit affirmed a district court’s ruling that the term “about” in Enviro Tech Chemical Services’ patent claim—covering a pH range of about 7.6 to about 10 for peracetic‑acid‑treated poultry—was indefinite. The court found the specification offered conflicting experimental guidance and...
FCA Announces New Appointments to Executive Team
The FCA announced two permanent senior appointments: Simon Walls as executive director of markets and Johan Sekora as chief operating officer. Walls, who has led the FCA’s wholesale‑markets work on an interim basis since 2024, brings two decades of experience navigating...
BC Supreme Court Rolls Out Videoconference Attendance Option for Civil, Family Law Proceedings
British Columbia’s Supreme Court has introduced videoconferencing as the default method for case planning and judicial management conferences in civil and family law proceedings. Parties will receive a Microsoft Teams link ahead of scheduled hearings, though they may still request...
Trellis Offers Free Access to Nation’s Largest State Trial‑Court Dataset via Claude Connector
Trellis has rolled out a free Claude connector that unlocks the largest U.S. state trial‑court dataset, covering more than 3,000 courts and 2,500 counties. The tool, included at no extra cost for all active Trellis subscribers, lets attorneys query rulings,...
CMS Tightens Hospital Price‑Transparency Enforcement, Issuing Record Fines
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began enforcing its toughest hospital price‑transparency rules in April, requiring CEOs to attest to accurate pricing and levying 10 civil penalties in 2025. The move targets placeholder pricing, expands data requirements, and creates...
Connecticut Enacts Senate Bill 5, Tightening AI Use in Employment Decisions
On May 11, 2026 the Connecticut General Assembly approved Senate Bill 5, and Governor Ned Lamont is set to sign it into law. The measure imposes pre‑decision notice and disclosure requirements on any Automated Employment‑related Decision Technology (AEDT) used in...
Tonight in Your Rights: Mifepristone by Mail, Extended
The U.S. Supreme Court extended its emergency order that permits the abortion medication mifepristone to be delivered by mail, overturning a Fifth Circuit injunction that would have halted nationwide mail distribution. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas each filed separate...
HMO Landlord Wins Appeal Against Penalty
The Upper Tribunal overturned a £19,600 (≈$25,000) penalty imposed on landlord Dr Noshaba Khiljee after a council deemed her a “person having control” of an unlicensed HMO. The tribunal ruled that rack‑rent must be assessed on the property’s actual HMO income—not...
Alberta Judge Quashes Separation Petition for Violating First Nations Right to Consult
Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench struck down the province’s latest separation‑referendum petition, ruling that the chief electoral officer failed to honour the constitutional duty to consult First Nations before approving the proposal. Justice Shaina Leonard cited the Supreme Court’s requirement...
Elite Launches Advisory Services Unit to Boost Law Firm Cash Flow
Elite has introduced a dedicated Advisory Services unit for law firms, providing executive‑level assessments of billing, collections, reporting and compliance. Early client Paul Hastings says the service accelerates impact after software implementation, underscoring a broader move by legal‑tech vendors into...
DocuSign Deploys Open‑Source AI and MCP Integrations to Boost Contract Automation
DocuSign has upgraded its Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) platform with agentic AI features powered by open‑source large language models and new Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations. The rollout adds an AI assistant, customizable AI agents, an Agent Studio for low‑code...
Relativity Adds Generative AI Modules to Academic Program
Relativity announced that its Academic program will incorporate generative‑AI and large‑language‑model coursework beginning June. The move equips law‑school and paralegal students with hands‑on experience in the company’s aiR suite as firms race to hire AI‑savvy attorneys.
Family Sues OpenAI Over ChatGPT Advice Linked to Fatal Drug Overdose in South Korea
A family of a South Korean victim has filed a wrongful‑death lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the company's ChatGPT provided dangerous dosage instructions that led to two men’s deaths. The case, the first of its kind in South Korea, could set...
Financial Services Bill Will Be Vehicle for AML Switch to FCA
The UK government will use the Enhancing Financial Services Bill to shift anti‑money‑laundering supervision of lawyers from the Solicitors Regulation Authority to the Financial Conduct Authority. Most legislative details will be delivered through secondary legislation, and the Treasury will allocate...
Court Allows for Access to Abortion Pill by Mail for Now
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order on Thursday extending its pause on the 5th Circuit’s ruling that barred the mailing of mifepristone, the primary drug used in medication abortions. The stay keeps the abortion pill available by mail while the...
D.C. Circuit Set to Hear Trump’s Bid Targeting Major Law Firms
The D.C. Circuit will hear former President Donald Trump’s appeal seeking to punish major law firms for representing politically charged clients. The case raises fundamental questions about the government’s ability to retaliate against counsel based on the positions they advocate....
The US-China Trade War Is Entering a Worrying New Phase: A Legal Arms Race
The United States and China have entered a new phase of their trade conflict, shifting from tariffs to a legal arms race of sanctions, export controls and regulatory measures. Both governments are swiftly adding firms to blacklists and drafting legislation...
Are 409A Valuations Public? A Startup Lawyer's Answer
A 409A valuation is a private, confidential appraisal of a private company's common‑stock fair‑market value, not filed with any government agency. While the report itself is not public, it is routinely examined by boards, auditors, investors, acquirers, underwriters, and the...
Watchdog Groups Urge Senate to Investigate Samuel Alito over Oil Stock Conflicts
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito holds between $60,000 and $245,000 in oil‑related stocks and a $100,000 Vanguard fund that includes Exxon. Watchdog groups, led by the League of Conservation Voters and the Revolving Door Project, have written to the Senate...
Draft CLARITY Act Adds ‘Specific Intent’ Shield for Crypto Developers
The new CLARITY Act draft adds a “specific intent” standard that would prevent crypto developers from being charged for creating software. The bill needs to pass before the Memorial Day recess. Three crypto lawyers give passage odds on @DEXintheCityPod. @kkirkbos @TuongvyLe12...
Texas AG Battles Yelp Over 'Crisis Pregnancy Center' Warnings
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the state Supreme Court to reject Yelp’s request to intervene in a lawsuit over warning labels on crisis‑pregnancy centers. Paxton argues Yelp’s labels target Texas businesses and violate the state consumer‑protection statute. Yelp counters...
Judge Orders VOA to Deliver Reconstitution Plan Within Week
In the Voice of America cases, Judge Lamberth granted plaintiffs' motion to enforce. The government needs to produce a previously mentioned "Reconstitution Plan" for the agency within seven days, followed by biweekly status reports. https://t.co/6j6Ap3mdaH
Lexertia Unveils Avatar Associate AI Drafting Platform at AIPLA Spring Meeting
Lexertia announced the debut of Avatar Associate, an AI-driven litigation drafting platform, at the AIPLA Spring Meeting in San Francisco. The tool lets attorneys feed facts and strategy to generate motions, oppositions and other court filings, shifting the experience from...
Delegation Is Not an Effective Cybersecurity Strategy for Law Firm Leaders
Law firms are increasingly vulnerable because many lawyers cannot pinpoint where client data resides or who can access it. The prevailing approach treats cybersecurity as a purely technical issue, delegating responsibility to IT while senior lawyers lack the oversight needed...
Supreme Court Says Broker Liability Case Can Proceed
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Shawn Montgomery can pursue a lawsuit against C.H. Robinson, the third‑party logistics broker, for a 2017 Illinois crash that left him partially leg‑amputated. The decision overturns a lower court dismissal and affirms that federal...
One Frame Is Enough: Second Circuit Narrows De Minimis Use, Limits Fair Use at Pleading Stage
Second Circuit reversed a district court’s dismissal of a copyright suit against Townsquare Media, holding that republishing an entire Michael Jordan video was not fair use and that single‑frame screenshots from a viral interview were not de minimis. The court emphasized...
Lawfare Live: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 15
Lawfare will host a live webinar on May 15 at 4 pm ET featuring editor Benjamin Wittes and senior editors discussing the Justice Department's lawsuit against the D.C. Bar for disciplining former DOJ official Jeffery Clark, as well as oral arguments...
Utah’s New Tax Will Likely Be ‘Targeted’ by Legal Challenges
Utah’s Senate Bill 287, slated for Jan. 1 2027, imposes a 4.7% tax on "targeted advertising" entities that generate at least $1 million in Utah‑specific ad revenue, $100 million globally, and where targeted ads comprise half of total receipts. The state projects the levy...