Today's Legal Pulse
Biden sues DOJ to block release of interview audio
President Joe Biden has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent the Department of Justice from publishing an audio recording of his interview. The action, reported by Axios and TIME, aims to keep the interview confidential amid political controversy.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
FISA and the Abuse of Power
The House will vote on H.R. 7888, a 2024 reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that permits warrantless collection of foreign‑targeted communications. The author of the post claims his own private emails were intercepted, unmasked and leaked during the 2016‑17 transition, illustrating what he describes as systemic abuse. While the bill adds audit forms and internal checklists, it leaves bulk retention and non‑warrant searches intact. The debate centers on whether Congress will endorse a surveillance framework that critics say threatens constitutional privacy rights.
STB Eyes Changes to Ex Parte Regs
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is seeking public comment on a proposed overhaul of its ex parte communication rules, prompted by an Association of American Railroads petition. The board aims to clarify “routine” and “procedural” contacts, allow technical queries with...
Isle of Man Wants to Turn Datasets Into Balance-Sheet Assets
The Isle of Man has introduced a Data Asset Foundation (DAF), a statutory legal structure that lets companies register curated datasets as formal property assets. Once entered into a DAF, data can be listed on balance sheets, used as collateral,...
DoT, SEBI Sign MoU to Tackle Telecom-Linked Financial Frauds
India’s Department of Telecommunications and securities regulator SEBI signed a Memorandum of Understanding to combat telecom‑linked financial frauds. The deal creates a data‑sharing framework that will feed the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator and Mobile Number Revocation List into market‑surveillance systems....
US FDA to Convene Expert Panel to Review Wider Access to some Peptides
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it will convene an external advisory panel in July to decide whether licensed compounding pharmacies can resume manufacturing more than half a dozen peptides that were barred in 2023. The ban covered 14...
Sixth Circuit Points Out Limits of NLRB Adjudicatory Rulemaking
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit invalidated the NLRB's new "Cemex" bargaining‑order standard, ruling that the Board overstepped its adjudicatory authority by creating a broad rule without notice‑and‑comment rulemaking. The decision, issued in Brown‑Forman v. NLRB, reaffirms...
North Carolina Superior Court Rejects DOR’s Attempt to Tax Intercompany Transfers Lacking Consideration
The North Carolina Superior Court ruled that intercompany transfers of asphalt emulsion between Asphalt Emulsion Industries (AEI) and its parent Slurry Pavers, Inc. (SPI) do not constitute taxable sales because they lack bargained‑for consideration. AEI recorded the transfers using hypothetical...
New Inheritance Tax Rules for Businesses and Farmers Come Into Force – Will Your Family Be Worse Off?
From 6 April 2024 the UK government’s revised inheritance‑tax regime limits business property relief (BPR) and agricultural property relief (APR) to £2.5 million (about $3.2 million) per person, with any value above taxed at 20% after the standard 40% rate. Married couples can...
E640: How Much Money Can You Sue Competitors For on Amazon for IP Infringement?
In this episode, Dave interviews Alan Lee of Copycatch.ai, which helps Amazon and Shopify sellers identify and sue competitors for IP infringement using Schedule A group lawsuits on a contingency basis. Alan explains the types of infringement they encounter—trademark, copyright,...
Former UCLA OB-GYN Resentenced to 11 Years
Former UCLA OB‑GYN James Heaps, MD, was resentenced to 11 years in prison after a California appeals court ordered a retrial, finding his original trial compromised by a juror’s limited English. On April 14, Heaps pleaded guilty to six felony...
Incompetent-to-Stand-Trial Rule Und
I don’t agree with “incompetent to stand trial” being a thing. Do you? If anyone commits a violent crime and might be a danger to others again, they should be locked away for a long time: retarded or insane, or not. This is...
Former FDA Chief Urges Term Limits, Merit‑based Appointments
Former FDA cancer chief/CDER dir. Rick Pazdur told me earlier this week he's concerned w/political appointees injecting themselves into drug reviews - and that this might trickle down past this admin. He's calling for time limits on senior FDA positions...
Culture & Compliance Chronicles: Wonder, Creativity and the Power of Play - Inspiring Change in Compliance with Rebecca Mayfield
In this episode of Culture & Compliance Chronicles, Group Compliance Director Rebecca Mayfield shares her unconventional career path—from a teenage England golfer to a compliance leader at Merlin Entertainment—highlighting the power of curiosity, mentorship, and play. She explains how Merlin’s...
The EU’s E-Evidence Framework Goes Live in August and Most of Europe Isn’t Ready
The EU’s E‑Evidence Regulation (EU 2023/1543) becomes enforceable on August 18, 2026, allowing judicial authorities to issue Production and Preservation Orders that service providers must obey within ten days—or eight hours in emergencies. Only four member states have fully transposed the accompanying Directive,...
U.S. Lawyers Warn AI Ruling Highlights How Chats Could Be Used Against You
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff ruled that AI chatbot communications are not covered by attorney‑client privilege after ordering the production of 31 Claude‑generated documents in a securities‑fraud case. The decision has spurred law firms to warn clients against sharing case details...
IMO Hazardous Cargo Compensation Rules Move Closer
The International Maritime Organization’s 2010 Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) Convention is now one step from activation after Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden ratified it, bringing the total to the 12 states required for entry into force. The treaty...
Exclusive: Warren to Probe Warsh on His Role in 2008 Crisis
Senator Elizabeth Warren is pressing the Federal Reserve for records on former governor Kevin Warsh’s actions during the 2008 financial crisis ahead of his Fed chair nomination hearing. Warren alleges Warsh downplayed subprime mortgage risks and facilitated multibillion‑dollar taxpayer‑funded bailouts,...
Tanzania Appeal Court Reopens Political Space for Chadema
Tanzania’s Court of Appeal overturned a high‑court injunction that had barred opposition party Chadema from operating since June 2025, deeming the order invalid for denying the respondents a hearing. The ruling restores Chadema’s ability to hold rallies, mobilise supporters and...
Replacing the Clipboard: Digitizing Compliance on the Factory Floor
Food and beverage manufacturers are moving from paper logs to digital compliance systems that timestamp inspections, record locations, and capture voice confirmations. The shift addresses audit vulnerabilities highlighted by a 15% rise in FDA recalls in 2025, where average direct...
Tennessee Lawmakers Move to Ban Forced Vaccination
Tennessee lawmakers have introduced Senate Joint Resolution 620, a constitutional amendment that would bar the state from compelling any medical treatment—including vaccines—without due‑process, even during a declared emergency. The measure passed first and second consideration and is now pending in...
Atkins Faces Ticking Clock as He Reshapes Rules for Wall Street
SEC Chair Paul Atkins, a Trump‑appointed regulator, entered office promising crypto rules, IPO reforms, and lighter reporting burdens. A year later, his agenda stalls due to a six‑week government shutdown, an 18% staff cut, and new White‑House sign‑off requirements. Atkins...
C’est Presumé: France’s AI Copyright Shortcut
The French Senate has introduced a bill that creates a legal presumption that AI systems have used protected works whenever there is any plausible indication of such use. The proposal flips the evidentiary burden, forcing AI developers to prove they...
Comcast Is Suing DISH’s Parent Company
Comcast has filed a lawsuit in Colorado federal court seeking more than $54 million from DISH Wireless and its parent EchoStar, alleging a breach of a master service agreement. Comcast contends that EchoStar misused a force‑majeure clause after an FCC investigation,...
What Are FMCSA's New DataQ Rules?
The FMCSA unveiled a sweeping overhaul of the DataQ appeals process, mandating a three‑stage, independent review and strict timing requirements. States must open requests within seven days and issue initial decisions within 21 days, with separate reviewers handling each subsequent...
ClioCon Briefings: In-House Ambition and Why Data Context Matters More than Ever
Clio, long dominant in small‑mid law‑firm software, is aggressively targeting the corporate legal and in‑house market, which it says represents about 40% of its addressable opportunity. The company leverages its recent $1 billion‑plus funding to expand integrations such as the AI...
New FlyTech-LawSites Report on Legal Tech Advertising Finds Market Splitting Between Commoditization and Competition as Demand Surges
FlyTech and LawSites released a Q1 2026 Legal Tech Advertising Report showing a sharp surge in lawyer engagement with legal‑tech solutions. Cost‑per‑lead (CPL) fell 40‑50% in most practice areas, indicating heightened demand, while personal‑injury CPL rose 40% to $252 due to...
New Charity Commission Powers Could Suppress Advocacy and Campaigning, Culture Secretary Warned
The UK government’s Protecting What Matters strategy proposes expanding the Charity Commission’s authority to suspend trustees and shut down charities deemed to be linked to extremist abuse. A coalition of 18 charities and voluntary‑sector bodies wrote to Culture Secretary Lisa...
Sebi Allows 50% Tweak in IPO Size, Offers Six-Month Relief Amid Volatility
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) announced a six‑month window allowing companies to increase or decrease their IPO size by up to 50 % without filing fresh draft offer documents, provided the issue is slated before 30 Sept 2026. The relief...
Audit: Big Tech Often Ignores CA Privacy Law Opt-Out Requests
An independent WebXray audit of 7,634 California‑origin sites found that Google, Meta and Microsoft routinely ignore Global Privacy Control (GPC) opt‑out signals, violating the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Google showed the highest non‑compliance, failing to honor GPC requests on...
Seventh Circuit Orders New Trial In Non-FCPA, FCPA Enforcement Action And Orders That Individuals Be Released From Prison
In this appellate briefing, former Solicitor General Paul Clement argues before the Seventh Circuit that the government’s reliance on a Pinkerton instruction and a general conspiracy verdict created irreparable error, making any claim of harmless error untenable after the Supreme...
Owner of Closed Illinois Hospitals Files Lawsuit over Eviction Notices
Resilience Healthcare, operator of the closed Weiss Memorial and West Suburban Medical Center hospitals in Chicago, filed a declaratory‑judgment lawsuit on April 14 against landlord Ramco Healthcare Holdings over eviction notices it says breach the lease. The notices demanded roughly...
Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans: What You Need to Know
The 2025 Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations introduce Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (rPEEPs) for high‑rise residential blocks in England. Buildings with two or more domestic units that are at least 18 metres tall, seven storeys high, or over 11 metres...
Court to Contemplate SEC’s Use of Disgorgement in Securities Enforcement
The Supreme Court will hear Sripetch v. SEC, examining whether the agency can impose disgorgement without proving direct harm to investors. Ongkaruck Sripetch, convicted of selling unregistered securities, faces a 21‑month sentence and a SEC demand for over $6 million in...
Fair Use Needed to Keep US Competitive in AI
AI is now a fundamental element of most all technology. high quality AI must be trained on vast amounts of data. other countries are training on vast troves US data with zero restrictions. in order for the US to stay...
SEC Chair Clayton Charges Santacon with Wire Fraud
Jay Clayton has charged Santacon with wire fraud. More tk at 11. "No matter how you dress it up, fraud is fraud." https://t.co/O5cDddX6ec
Jury Awards Cemex Driver $5M in ‘Egregious’ Disability and Race Bias Lawsuit
A federal jury in California awarded a Black truck driver $5 million after finding Cemex liable for race and disability discrimination. The plaintiff, born with congenital aural atresia, alleged daily harassment, ignored HR complaints, and wrongful termination. The jury concluded Cemex...
Kalshi Decries Ohio's $5M Fine, Seeks Injunction
Kalshi calls Ohio's proposed $5M fine an “extraordinary & regrettable step” in new CA6 filing, says "rush to impose an unprecedented fine" with motion pending causes irreparable harm and forces Kalshi into “Hobson’s choice;” urges granting of motion for injunction...
Government Forces Self‑employed to Fund Interest‑free Loan
This is the injustice: the US government is actively pushing - by threat of fines (and, ofc, eventual imprisonment/violence) - American self-employeds to give Uncle Sam an interest free loan every year (via estimated overpayment).
Pediatric Tracking Requirements Under FDAAA
The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act (FDAAA) now obligates the FDA to track and publicly release detailed pediatric data from clinical trials conducted under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act and the Pediatric Research Equity Act. The agency aggregates...
Tax Day Reminder: Carried Interest Still Taxed as Capital Gains
It's tax day. And despite the promises of three consecutive presidents, carried interest is still taxed as a capital gain.
Self‑Employed Penalties Stem From Complex, Unpredictable Tax Estimates
The best part abt being self-employed in the US is that the government penalizes you for underpaying estimated taxes each quarter - amounts that are often impossible for self-employeds to know in advance due to the tax code's complexity and...
Jeb Boasberg's Contempt Trap Snaps Shut
Chief Judge Jeb Boasberg’s attempt to hold the Trump Department of Justice in contempt over an alleged oral order to return two planes carrying over 100 Venezuelan migrants has been halted. The D.C. Circuit Court issued a second writ of...
Congress Adds Tax Complexity to Favor or Punish Groups
And yet Congress cannot resist adding new tax complexities (in order to subsidize/punish favored/disfavored groups)
Major Overhaul or Finetuning Regulatory Solutions?: Evaluating the Impact of Regulatory Reductions Under Trump 2.0
President Trump's second term has accelerated a wave of financial deregulation, revisiting many post‑2008 safeguards. The FSOC’s 2025 annual report highlights a shift of credit intermediation from traditional banks to non‑bank entities, while regulators have trimmed staff and narrowed exam...
23 States Use Reverse Preemption for One‑
My street cred really got a jolt today when the @Verizon crew heard me say one touch make ready (OTMR) and that 23 states and the District of Columbia have exercised reverse preemption under section 224 the Communications Act. @FCC...
The City of Davis Has a Few More Surprises in Store for Us
The City of Davis announced it will enforce an 85‑year‑old California statute that obligates homeowners to repair the sidewalks in front of their properties. Officials have not clarified whether the rule will apply retroactively to properties acquired as far back...
Justices to Consider when Federal Courts May Review State-Court Decisions
The Supreme Court will hear T.M. v. University of Maryland Medical System, a case that asks whether the Rooker‑Feldman doctrine bars federal courts from reviewing state‑court decisions that are not yet final. Lower courts dismissed T.M.’s federal suit, holding the...
Aptoide Sues Google over Alleged Android App Store Monopoly
Aptoide has filed an antitrust lawsuit in a San Francisco federal court accusing Google of maintaining an anticompetitive chokehold on Android app distribution and in‑app billing. The complaint says Google forces developers onto the Play Store, limiting rival stores even though...
St. Croix Hospice CCO: Transparency, Compliance Fosters Growth
St. Croix Hospice has appointed Tami Johnson-White as its chief compliance officer, bringing three decades of health‑care leadership, including recent CCO work at Guardian Healthcare. She says her top priorities are building transparent, partnership‑based compliance, supporting the organization’s growth across...
Tax Complexity Grows Despite TCJA Simplifications Since Rummy's Letter
Even with the TCJA's (pretty good) simplifications, the US tax complexity problem has gotten significantly worse since Rummy wrote that famous letter. (More to come on this later today - hint)