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
University Student Jailed for 10 Days for Indecent Assault of 2 Women on MTR
A 20‑year‑old Chinese University of Hong Kong student was sentenced to ten days in jail after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault on women aboard an MTR train. The magistrate rejected a recommended 18‑month probation, emphasizing a zero‑tolerance stance for sexual misconduct on public transport. Video footage posted by the victims spurred a rapid police response, and the defendant’s surrender and guilty plea were noted as mitigating factors. The court reduced an initial three‑week term to ten days, citing the plea and cooperation.
Court Clears Home Distilling for Hobby Distillers Association
"the Court of Appeals recognized that my clients—the nonprofit Hobby Distiller’s Association and four of its named members—are now free to distill alcoholic beverages at home as long as they comply with existing state and federal law."🔥 https://t.co/QQVUwc5hMn https://t.co/BKgRls4QBQ
Consultation Launched on NDA Ban
The UK government has launched a public consultation on tightening the Employment Rights Act to curb the misuse of non‑disclosure agreements (NDAs) in harassment and discrimination cases. It will define when an NDA can remain valid, such as when an...
Michigan’s New Bill Takes Aim at AI Employee Surveillance
Michigan’s Responsible AI Security for Employees (RAISE) Act would require employers to give written notice and obtain consent before deploying AI‑driven monitoring tools such as keystroke trackers, screen recorders, and facial‑recognition systems. The bill bans the use of automated decisions...
Asia Daily: April 15, 2026
China’s real‑estate tycoon Hui Ka‑Yan pleaded guilty to fraud in Shenzhen, underscoring lingering fallout from Evergrande’s $300 billion debt crisis. At the same time, Shanghai‑based electronics maker Huaqin launched a HK$4.55 billion (≈$580 million) share sale, signaling continued Chinese tech listings despite market volatility....
The Time’s Not Right: Advocacy When a Tribunal Is Delayed or Imposes Short Timelines
The article examines how Canadian advocates grapple with two timing extremes: systemic delays that stretch cases for years and tribunal-imposed short deadlines that pressure rushed advocacy. It highlights Canada’s respectable global ranking (13th) but a low 42‑point score for civil‑justice...
Today in Supreme Court History: April 15, 1931
On April 15, 1931, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Stromberg v. California, challenging a state law that criminalized the public display of a red flag as a symbol of radical political belief. The case questioned whether the statute infringed...
A Fistful of Discretion: The UK’s DMCC After Two Years
Two years after the UK Competition and Markets Authority began enforcing the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC), the regulator has shown a measured approach that contrasts sharply with the EU’s more aggressive Digital Markets Act. The CMA’s most...
Why The SEC May No Longer Allow “Hedge Clauses” In Client Advisory Agreements (And How To Replace Them Compliantly)
The SEC is tightening scrutiny of “hedge clauses” – contract language that limits an adviser’s liability to gross negligence or waives client rights – in investment management agreements. Recent guidance and enforcement actions show regulators deem such provisions misleading and...
Policy Paper: OFSI Strategy: 2026 - 2029
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) released its 2026‑29 strategy, a three‑year plan to keep UK financial sanctions effective, resilient and impactful. It responds to rising geopolitical tensions and increasingly sophisticated evasion tactics by emphasizing data‑driven threat analysis. The...
Prediction Market Risk Is Hiding in Your Organization Whether You Know It or Not
Prediction‑market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket are exploding in popularity, with user numbers jumping from roughly 600,000 to over 5 million since 2025. The CFTC has declared that insider‑trading rules apply to trades on these platforms, while state regulators argue...
Only 16% of Businesses Are Fully Compliant with NIS2 Despite 2024 Compliance Deadline
A CyberSmart survey of 670 leaders across eight European countries found that only 16% feel fully compliant with the EU’s NIS2 directive, despite the October 2024 transposition deadline having passed. Budget constraints (20%) and lack of implementation guidance (16%) are the...
European Users Step up Bid to Break Away From Big Tech
European lawmakers are pushing back against U.S. involvement in shaping the EU’s Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, fearing dilution of the continent’s tech‑sovereignty agenda. The German state of Schleswig‑Holstein has accelerated its plan to replace all Microsoft products...
How Legora Hired Jude Law
Swedish legal‑tech startup Legora has landed British actor Jude Law for a high‑profile television ad promoting its AI‑powered contract platform. The spot, produced by agency Noa Åkestam Holst and directed by SNL veteran Rhys Thomas, was filmed in Los Angeles over...
Lawyers Aid Migrants in Fake Gay Asylum Claims
If this doesn't piss you off nothing will Legal advisers help migrants pose as gay to get asylum, undercover BBC investigation finds https://t.co/qoGDLh3pZE
Jordan Makes Digital ID Mandatory for Access to Public Services
Jordan’s parliament approved amendments to the civil status law that institutionalize a mandatory digital ID for all citizens accessing public and private services. The electronic ID, issued through Ministry‑approved platforms, will replace the paper national card and be required for...
Penguin Random House Calls on Congress to Block Republican Book‑Banning Bill
Penguin Random House has sent a letter to U.S. lawmakers urging them to reject H.R. 7661, the Republican‑backed “Stop the Sexualization of Children Act.” The publisher warns the bill would force schools and libraries to self‑censor and marginalize vulnerable communities...
FCC Grants Netgear Conditional Approval, Lifting U.S. Router Import Ban
The Federal Communications Commission has issued a conditional approval that lets Netgear import new consumer routers, cable modems and gateways into the United States through October 1, 2027. The move lifts the company out of the agency’s foreign‑made router ban...
EU Deforestation Rule Spurs Corporate Supply‑Chain Overhaul, 68 Firms Cite EUDR
A Global Canopy report finds 68 of the world’s most influential commodity firms now reference the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in their deforestation commitments, prompting wider traceability adoption. Yet only 19 companies meet the bar for comprehensive action, highlighting a...
Looming Deadline for State Packaging Laws Places Reporting Pressure on CPGs
Extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws in seven U.S. states now require CPGs to track, report, and sometimes pay fees for the packaging they place on the market. The first major reporting deadline of May 31 applies to California, Colorado, Oregon, Minnesota,...
Freshfields Celebrates Worldwide Google AI Tools Roll Out
Freshfields has rolled out Google’s Gemini‑based AI tools to roughly 5,000 of its professionals, marking the one‑year anniversary of its strategic partnership with Google Cloud. The firm now embeds Gemini across bespoke solutions such as Dynamic Due Diligence, a case‑management...
IRS Finalizes $25,000 Tip Tax Deduction for 70+ Occupations
The Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations on April 13 that let employees and self‑employed workers in more than 70 tipped occupations deduct up to $25,000 of tips from federal income tax. The rule, effective for tax years 2025‑2028, will...
Chinese Steelmakers Coordinate Response to EU’s Carbon-Linked Import Imposts
Chinese steelmakers are coordinating a joint response to the EU’s fully implemented Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). They are revising export strategies, compliance systems and pricing models to address new carbon‑price differentials. The EU’s expansion of CBAM to downstream products...
United Airlines Floats Merger with American Airlines, Potentially Creating World's Largest Carrier
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby raised the prospect of merging with American Airlines during a White House meeting, a move that could combine two of the biggest U.S. carriers and command roughly 40% of domestic capacity. Analysts warn antitrust hurdles,...
Unions Say Bangladesh Worker Protections Still Fall Short
Bangladesh has officially ratified three key International Labour Organization conventions—ILO 155 on occupational safety and health, ILO 187 on safety management systems, and ILO 190 on workplace violence and harassment—in 2025, becoming the first South Asian nation to do so....
Weaseling Around The Order Ignored
The D.C. Circuit majority, led by Judges Neomi Rao and Andrew Walker, issued a mandamus order halting Judge James Boasberg’s contempt proceedings after the executive branch ignored a temporary restraining order that barred the removal of certain aliens. The panel...
Notice: Notice to Exporters 2026/11: Expiry Date for F680s on SPIRE
The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) announced that the Ministry of Defence’s security approval form F680 will be withdrawn from the SPIRE system. The change, detailed in Notice to Exporters 2026/11, signals a migration to a new licensing platform. Exporters are instructed...
Pirate Site Anna’s Archive Hit with $322M Default Judgment over Music Scraping — but Will Spotify and Record Labels Ever...
A New York federal judge granted a $322 million default judgment against the shadow library Anna’s Archive for scraping millions of Spotify tracks and distributing them via BitTorrent. The lawsuit, filed by Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment...
IManage Appoints Ryan Begin and David Zember to Expand Global Partner Strategy and Technology Ecosystem
iManage announced the hiring of Ryan Begin as Vice President of Technology Partnerships and Ecosystem Strategy and David Zember as Vice President of Global Channels and Alliances. Begin, a former Salesforce executive who helped scale the AppExchange to over 7,000...
What Is a MiKaDiv Solution and How Does It Scale?
MiKaDiv compliance in Germany is an end‑to‑end operating model that governs how shareholder and dividend data are captured, structured, validated and delivered to the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt) in XML format. Label emphasizes that a true MiKaDiv solution goes beyond...
Jury Selection Starts for Harvey Weinstein's New Rape Retrial in Manhattan
Harvey Weinstein’s third-degree rape retrial in Manhattan began Tuesday with jury selection, following a June 2025 mistrial caused by a juror deadlock. The 74‑year‑old producer, already serving a 16‑year sentence in California, faces a new trial on the alleged assault...
Juro Launches Operator Contract Chat
Juro has introduced Operator, a conversational AI that lets users query their contract repository using natural language and receive answers with citation links. The tool can surface data such as contracts exceeding $100k that are set to auto‑renew or specific...
AI in Law: Cutting Through the Noise
Legal Futures highlights that AI is now unavoidable for law firms, but successful adoption hinges on ethical, transparent, and workflow‑integrated solutions. The article warns that many vendors offer buzz‑word‑driven tools that add complexity, raise GDPR and cybersecurity risks, and can...
Trump Reverses Himself, Joins Obama and Biden in Demanding "Clean" Renewal of NSA Domestic Spying Powers
President Donald Trump has abruptly shifted from his campaign promise to "kill" FISA, now demanding a clean renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act without any reforms. The move aligns him with former President Barack Obama and Speaker...
IManage to Unveil Major Platform Advancement at ConnectLive 2026
iManage announced that its ConnectLive 2026 conference in Chicago and London will showcase a major evolution of its platform, emphasizing AI‑powered knowledge work. The upgrade includes a refreshed user interface, streamlined workflows, tighter Microsoft 365 integration, and new AI governance controls. Attendees...
US Rail: Is the STB Sugaring the Merger Pill with a Move on Switching?
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is revisiting the 40‑year‑old captive‑shipper switching rules just as it evaluates the Union Pacific‑Norfolk Southern merger, the first potential transcontinental railroad consolidation in the United States. The regulator has ordered antitrust‑grade discovery, signaling a tougher...
Fed Chair Nominee Kevin Warsh Discloses $192 Million Crypto Portfolio, Sparking Scrutiny
Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve, filed a 69‑page financial disclosure showing at least $192 million in combined assets with his wife, including dozens of crypto and blockchain positions. The revelation has ignited a political‑finance firestorm...
He Was Put on a PIP the Day He Returned From FMLA Leave. His Employer Still Won.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for a manufacturing firm that placed a Black engineer on a performance‑improvement plan (PIP) immediately after his third FMLA leave and later terminated him. The court held that suspicious timing alone does not prove...
This Monkey Selfie Will Protect You From AI Slop
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the Copyright Office’s refusal to register works created solely by artificial intelligence, cementing the view that such output has no copyright protection. The ruling echoes a decade‑old dispute over a...
White House Ramps up Pressure to Pass Crypto Bill as Congress Returns
The White House is intensifying its push for Congress to pass the market‑structure crypto bill, known as the CLARITY Act, as the Senate reconvenes after a recess. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt and former AI‑crypto...
Eight Top Tips for Handling Complex Legal Cases
Complex litigation demands more than legal acumen; the logistics of scheduling, exhibit handling, and technology are decisive. Centralizing coordination, standardizing exhibit protocols, and limiting platforms reduce errors and delays. Consolidating vendors under a single case manager and mapping data security...
Why Automated PEP Screening Is No Longer Optional
Automated screening for politically exposed persons (PEPs) and their close networks is becoming a regulatory imperative. The UK’s Money Laundering Regulations now demand ongoing due diligence not only on PEPs but also on relatives and close associates (RCAs), with continuous...
‘No More Excuses’: Von Der Leyen Says EU Age Checking App Is Ready
The European Commission announced that its EU‑wide age verification app is technically ready and will be released to citizens in the coming weeks. The tool lets users prove their age via passport, national ID or trusted providers such as banks,...
Tao Bin 'Copycat' Found Registering Trademark in Vietnam
The Vietnamese Department of Intellectual Property flagged a trademark application that closely copies Thailand’s Tao Bin smart‑beverage vending‑machine brand. It advised Forth Vending Co Ltd, the brand owner, to file an opposition within the statutory 60‑90‑day window. The detection came through...
Kirkland & Ellis Looks to Lure Rival Firm’s Top Partner with Whopping $80 Million Pay Package
Kirkland & Ellis is reportedly preparing a three‑year, $80 million guaranteed compensation package to lure Joshua Feltman, the head of restructuring and finance at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The move follows the departure of partner David Nemecek to Simpson Thacher,...
I’m Selling My Law Practice and Retiring. Do I Pay Off the $2 Million Loan on My Office Building —...
A 64‑year‑old attorney is retiring and must decide whether to pay off the $2 million mortgage on his office building or keep the loan. The building, valued at $3.5 million, generates $26,000 a month in rent under a 10‑year triple‑net lease. With...
‘The Real Challenge Is Managing Risk at the Speed of Innovation’: Expereo GC Sujata Kukreja
Expereo general counsel Sujata Kukreja describes a lean, T‑shaped legal team that manages enterprise risk across APAC, Europe and the Americas while embedding AI, ESG and revenue‑generation initiatives. She highlights AI adoption to automate 30% of routine tasks and a...
SEC Chairman Atkins (Again) Highlights Initiative to Make IPOs Attractive
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins reiterated his “Make IPOs Great Again” agenda, outlining three pillars aimed at revitalizing public offerings. He called for streamlined, investor‑focused disclosure reports, a return of corporate‑governance authority to state law, and new litigation alternatives that protect...
The Property Firm’s Guide to Mastering Compliance in 2026
InfoTrack’s new Property Firm’s Guide to Mastering Compliance 2026 maps a rapidly tightening regulatory landscape across the FCA, SRA and Companies House. It stresses that compliance must move beyond check‑boxes to a unified operating model built on digital onboarding, real‑time...
EU Cracks Down on Chinese Goods Bypassing Tariffs via Belt and Road Initiative
On April 15, 2026, the European Commission announced anti‑dumping duties on glass‑fibre produced by Chinese firms operating in Egypt, Bahrain and Thailand, aiming to block Belt‑and‑Road routes used to evade EU tariffs. The duties, ranging from 11 % to 25.4 % of...