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
Wtp Shifts Pension Accountability to Insurers
Kidbrooke’s analysis highlights that the Dutch Wet toekomst pensioenen (Wtp) transfers legal responsibility for pension transition communications from advisers and employers to insurers. Under the legacy defined‑benefit model, participants relied on trust, but the new defined‑contribution framework demands individualized explanations of investment risk and outcomes. The AFM has documented pervasive generic statements, calculation errors, and overly optimistic projections across insurers. To close the operational gap, Kidbrooke promotes its forecasting and scenario‑simulation APIs that embed participant‑level personalization into existing insurer workflows.
Courts Likely to Side with EEOC in DEI Probes, Attorneys Say
Attorneys at Duane Morris warn that courts are likely to side with the EEOC in enforcing its DEI‑related subpoenas, citing the agency’s recent push against Nike. EEOC’s 2025 data show heightened focus on disability, religious, pregnancy and retaliation claims, and...
AI Industry Recruiting Platform Faces Multiple Lawsuits over Data Breach
Mercor, an AI‑focused recruiting platform, disclosed a March data breach that exposed personal information of independent contractors and customers. The breach, linked to a hack of the open‑source LiteLLM interface, prompted at least four class‑action lawsuits filed in the Northern...
Blow the Whistle, Get Paid: Treasury’s New Proposed Weapon Against Financial Crimes, Including Healthcare Fraud
The U.S. Treasury’s FinCEN has proposed a whistleblower reward program that would pay 10 %‑30 % of penalties exceeding $1 million for original tips on financial crimes, including violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, IEEPA, TWEA and the Kingpin Act. The rule permits...
Trump Suit Over Wall Street Journal Epstein Story Dismissed
A federal judge in Miami dismissed Donald Trump’s $10 billion libel suit against the Wall Street Journal and its parent News Corp., finding the complaint failed to meet the strict actual‑malice standard for public‑figure defamation. The case centered on a 2025...
Judge Trashes Trump's Lawsuit Against The Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Birthday Letter
A federal judge in Florida dismissed former President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a story alleging a birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump failed to demonstrate actual malice, noting the...
Regulator Engages with Sentebale as It Files Defamation Case Against Prince Harry
Sentebale, the Prince‑Harry‑founded charity for vulnerable youth in Africa, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the prince, alleging a coordinated media campaign that damaged its reputation. The UK regulator for charities has opened a dialogue with Sentebale to assess the...
ILTA Just-In-Time: Legal L&D Is Losing Its Seat at the Table – Here's How to Get It Back in 2026
The TJ L&D Influence Report 2026 warns that most learning and development (L&D) teams are still measuring activity rather than effectiveness. Survey data shows a gap between legal L&D initiatives and the business metrics executives trust. The report urges L&D...
Meta Contests $25,000 Falana Judgment, Citing Jurisdictional Flaws
Meta has filed an appeal against a Lagos High Court judgment that ordered the company to pay $25,000 in damages to Nigerian lawyer Femi Falana for alleged privacy violations. The appeal argues that the trial court lacked jurisdiction under Nigeria’s...
The Cox Shock: A Tectonic Shift or Just a Tremor? (Guest Blog Post)
The Supreme Court’s Cox v. Sony decision overturns the long‑standing “specific knowledge plus material contribution” test for contributory copyright liability, effectively raising the bar for holding online platforms accountable. Justice Thomas’s opinion suggests that only inducement or a “tailored to...
The Looming Legal Fight Over Trump’s Presidential Papers
The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel issued a 52‑page opinion declaring the 1978 Presidential Records Act (PRA) unconstitutional, arguing that Congress overstepped its authority by claiming ownership of a president’s papers. If upheld, the memo would let former presidents—including...
CLARITY Act Secures Bipartisan Backing Amid Bank Opposition
The CLARITY Act has achieved what so many bills have failed to do - reach true bipartisan support. Big banks are digging in to protect their turf, but they’re up against a now or never moment for the American people....
IRS Updates Schedule D Line 21 Instructions (2018‑2024)
From IRS: Correction to the 2018 through 2024 Instructions for Schedule D (Form 1040), Line 21 (Yes, really, 2018 to 2024.) H/T: F. Bronstein https://t.co/7hLAdjavnf
Judge Tosses Trump's Lawsuit Against WSJ over Epstein Letter
Federal Judge Darrin P. Gayles dismissed President Donald Trump’s $20 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a story about a birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein. The judge found the complaint failed to meet the actual‑malice standard required for...
Uber Faces Another Bellwether Assault Trial Following $8.5M Verdict
Uber is heading back to federal court for a second bellwether assault trial, this time in North Carolina, after an $8.5 million verdict in Arizona. The case involves an alleged sexual assault by an Uber driver in March 2019, with the plaintiff...
Santa Clauses Get a Tax Break on Tips, but Not Accountants or Tax Pros
Congress’s 2023 tax overhaul introduced a $25,000 tip deduction, and the Treasury has now clarified that Santa Claus impersonators and more than 70 other niche occupations qualify as entertainers eligible for the break. The final rule places Santa, caricature artists,...
Littler Welcomes Shareholder Kathleen Lucchesi in Charlotte
Littler, the world’s largest employment‑law firm, announced that Kathleen “Kathi” Lucchesi has joined its Charlotte office as a shareholder. Lucchesi comes from Jackson Lewis with over 20 years of experience handling hiring, termination, discrimination, wage‑hour compliance, and federal investigations. Her...
Mike Selig Enforces Zero Tolerance as CFTC Tightens Market Rules
JUST IN: Mike Selig is enforcing a no-tolerance policy on misconduct while the CFTC intensifies regulation of trading in controlled markets.
CFTC Tightens Oversight, Selig Enforces Zero Tolerance
JUST IN: Mike Selig is enforcing zero tolerance for wrongdoers as the CFTC ramps up strict oversight of trading in regulated markets.
Asset Reality Tackles the Challenge of Seized Assets
Asset Reality is building a unified software platform to modernize how law‑enforcement agencies manage seized assets. The solution centralizes tracking, documentation, and recovery workflows for both physical items and digital currencies such as crypto. Founder Aidan Larkin, drawing on his...
BoE Updates Operational Resolution Guides
On 13 April 2026 the Bank of England published an updated operational guide for transfer resolutions and revised its bail‑in resolution guide. The transfer‑resolution guide details how the BoE would move a failed firm’s shares or business to a private‑sector purchaser or...
Getting Ahead of the New HIPAA Security Rule: Practical Steps You Can Take Now
On Jan 6 2025 the HHS Office for Civil Rights released a proposed amendment to the HIPAA Security Rule that would make encryption and multi‑factor authentication mandatory and tighten contingency planning. The final rule is slated for May 2026, giving covered entities roughly...
ESMA Releases Reporting Templates and Instructions for the Active Account Requirement
On 13 April 2026 ESMA published reporting templates and detailed instructions for the Active Account Requirement (AAR) under EMIR 3. The templates guide counterparties on how to disclose counterparty information, risk exposures, and the representativeness obligation to national regulators. ESMA’s goal is to...
FTC Mandates AI Disclosures Like Influencer Ads
The same FTC law (Section 5) that requires search engines, influencers and others to disclose sponsored content applies to AI. The disclosure these guys do doesn't happen out of the goodness of their hearts.
Kalshi Is Half Right About Prediction Markets and Gambling
Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour argues that its peer‑to‑peer prediction‑market platform differs from traditional sportsbooks because the house takes no position on outcomes, only fees. While the fee‑based, balanced‑book model mirrors the exchange‑style betting that has existed since the 1940s, it does...
Qualifications To Be An Expert Witness
The article outlines the two‑tiered criteria for serving as an expert witness: minimal legal standards and extensive practical demands. Legally, a witness must possess relevant knowledge, skill, experience, training or education, with jurisdiction‑specific certification rules. Practically, firms seek experts whose...
Shopify PCI Compliance: What the Platform Covers and What It Doesn’t
Shopify delivers a PCI‑compliant checkout and robust infrastructure security, earning its place as a default e‑commerce platform. However, its compliance certification only covers the payment page and the underlying hosting environment, not the scripts that run in a shopper’s browser....
Valuation Expert Witnesses: Definition, Roles, And Responsibilities
Valuation expert witnesses specialize in quantifying the worth of assets ranging from real estate and machinery to intellectual property and corporate securities. Their testimony is often pivotal in lawsuits involving financial reporting discrepancies, shareholder disputes, bankruptcy, or fraud. To be...
From The Archives
A 2010 C‑span roundtable convened former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, SEC FCPA chief Cheryl Scarboro, DOJ prosecutors and Andrew Weissmann to debate FCPA reform. Weissmann authored the "Restoring Balance" proposal, pressing for tighter limits on enforcement. In February 2025 President...
Casa Blanca Co-Founders Ordered to Pay $1M Into Court, Turn over Books
A New York state Supreme Court judge ordered Casa Blanca co‑founders Hannah Bomze and Erez Zarur to deposit $1.3 million into the court and grant investors full access to the brokerage’s financial records. The ruling follows a dispute over alleged commission...
US ESG Pullback Opens a New Competitive Question
The U.S. is retreating from mandatory sustainability disclosure as the SEC abandoned its defense of federal climate‑disclosure rules in March 2025 and the White House issued an executive order curbing ESG‑focused proxy advisers. State‑level actions, exemplified by Vanguard’s February 2026...
Cutting IRS Enforcement Costs Costs the Treasury
No peeking/cheating for this guessing game if you already read my story. Who said this about IRS? "Reductions in enforcement spending create missed opportunities and lost revenue for the United States, as compliance activities generate more revenue than their operating costs."
Important Update on Australia's Flip-Flopping "Best Method" Requirement for Divisional Patent Applications
Australia’s Full Court has affirmed that the “best method” disclosure for divisional patent applications must be assessed at the date the divisional is filed, not at the parent’s filing date. The ruling in The NOCO Company v Brown and Watson...
Berne Financial Services Agreement: What the UK-Swiss Deal Means in Practice
The Berne Financial Services Agreement (BFSA) took effect on 1 January 2026, creating a mutual‑recognition framework between the UK’s FCA and Switzerland’s FINMA. Under the pact, firms regulated in one jurisdiction can operate in the other without seeking additional licences, covering banking,...
The Implementation of the CRD6 in Italy: Comments on Selected Items Regarding Third Country Banks
Italy’s Legislative Decree No. 208, effective 9 January 2026, implements the EU CRD6 and CRR3 reforms, imposing a branch‑establishment requirement on third‑country banks that wish to provide core banking services such as deposits, loans and guarantees. The decree outlines limited exemptions – client‑initiated...
IRS Clarifies $25K Tip Deduction, Adds Santa Impersonators
The IRS finalized “no tax on tips” regs—and clarified who qualifies. Yes, up to $25K in tips can be deducted. But only for certain occupations (now defined), and only for voluntary, reported tips. Santa Claus impersonators made the list. Did your job? 👀 https://t.co/q1z55eZskn
Getting Privacy Policy Right in a Competitive Digital Economy
State and local leaders are trying to protect resident privacy while keeping their economies competitive, affordable and innovative. More than 20 states have enacted comprehensive consumer data privacy laws that focus on transparency, consumer choice and responsible data use. Research...
FinCEN Overhauls AML and CFT Rules with a New Effectiveness Standard
FinCEN issued a sweeping Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that replaces its July 2024 AML/CFT framework with an effectiveness‑based standard. The proposal mandates a continuous, structured risk assessment tied to the agency’s National Priorities and shifts compliance measurement from paperwork volume to...
IRS CI Chief Retires as Agents Return to Tax Enforcement
@IRS_CI Chief Guy Ficco is stepping down after 30+ years. But the bigger story: at one point, ~1,700 CI employees were reassigned away from tax enforcement. Now, agents are being pulled back to financial crime work. More: https://t.co/v4CZbQhHtf
Proposed “Dashboard” Dilutes Consumer Welfare, Mislabels Economics
Some scholars want to ditch consumer welfare for a "dashboard" that also weighs democracy, inequality, small business, privacy, and more. They claim it's grounded in modern economics. It isn't. New paper with @ErikHovenkamp, forthcoming at George Mason Law Review https://t.co/NpYTzcnt44
US Appeals Court Declares 158-Year-Old Home Distilling Ban Unconstitutional
An 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel declared the 158‑year‑old federal prohibition on home distilling unconstitutional, siding with the Hobby Distillers Association and four of its members. The court held that the ban is an improper means for Congress...
‘An Attack On Creative Freedom’: Maryland Passes New Law to Keep Rap Lyrics Out of Criminal Cases
Maryland’s legislature approved the Protecting Artists’ Creative Expression (PACE) Act, tightening when prosecutors can introduce rap lyrics as evidence. The bill requires a judge to determine that lyrics were intended as literal statements, relate directly to disputed facts, and meet...
Check Your Sources: Washington Appeals Court Sources Remote Title Insurance Services to the Location of the Property
The Washington Court of Appeals ruled that title‑insurance and escrow services delivered remotely are sourced to Washington because the purchaser’s first use occurs in the state. The court rejected the trial court’s reliance on RCW 82.32.730(1)(a), which ties sourcing to...
Court Dismisses Sludge Lawsuit, FTC Settlement Looms
Federal court dismissed the lawsuit against major advertisers who had decided toxic sludge isn’t good for their brands … yet a settlement is in the works with the FTC. Sounds like there is more reporting to do. https://t.co/tMvRJ0BlaB
Judge Dismisses Trump's Lawsuit Over WSJ Epstein Story
NEW: A judge has granted The Wall Street Journal's motion to dismiss President Trump's complaint over its Epstein reporting https://t.co/VWqnnfh1I3
Hogan Lovells Expands Ukrainian Mandate
Law firm Hogan Lovells has broadened its Ukrainian engagement to include a 50/50 partnership that will develop critical mineral and energy projects under the newly launched US‑Ukrainian Investment Fund. The firm’s mandate now spans the Ministry of Economy, the Agency for...
Elon Musk Sues OpenAI Over $38 Million Donation as Trial Looms
Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman of manipulating him into a $38 million donation under false promises that the company would stay nonprofit. The case is set for trial later this...
Kenya Ruling Expands Tax Net to Foreign Income Earned From Nairobi Operations
Kenya’s Tax Appeals Tribunal ruled that income from overseas projects is taxable in Kenya when the firm’s management and control are exercised locally. The decision stems from a KES 1.9 billion ($14.6 million) dispute with German engineering firm H.P Gauff Ingenieure GmbH & Co...
U.S. Judge Orders Google to Share Search Data, Shaking Up SEO Strategies
U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google must disclose portions of its search index and user‑interaction data to qualified competitors. The decision, detailed in a 230‑page opinion released on Sept. 2, threatens the search giant’s near‑90% market dominance and...
NCUA Opens Fifth Deregulation Round for Credit Unions, Comments Due April 13
The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) has opened a comment period for its fifth round of deregulation proposals, targeting rules that regulators deem redundant or overly prescriptive. Stakeholders have until 11:59 p.m. ET on April 13, 2026, to submit feedback, a move that...