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
Fifteen-Year-Old Noah Hasn’t Been Kicked Off Any Social Media Platforms – He’s Still Fighting Australia’s Under-16 Ban in Court
Australia’s under‑16 social‑media ban, introduced late last year, has left many teens like 15‑year‑old Noah Jones largely unaffected, with most platforms still accessible through workarounds. The eSafety commissioner reports over 5 million accounts deactivated, yet more than two‑thirds of teenagers remain active on the ten targeted platforms. A high‑court challenge, led by the Digital Freedom Project, argues the ban infringes the constitutional implied right to political communication. Meanwhile, the government threatens fines up to $49.5 million per breach and is drafting a digital duty‑of‑care law.
States' Lawsuit Against HHS Cuts Moves Forward After Court Win
A federal judge in Rhode Island rejected Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 19 states and the District of Columbia. The states challenge a March 2025 directive to drastically cut HHS staff and dissolve...
Daybreak April 10: Tariff Arguments Before Trade Court Today
The Court of International Trade will hear arguments today on the legality of President Trump’s 10% global tariff imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. Plaintiffs—including Democratic state attorneys general, governors, and two small businesses—contend the tariff was...
PacifiCorp Case Appellate Ruling Could Jeopardize $1B in Oregon Wildfire Victim Damages
An Oregon Court of Appeals reversed a 2023 jury instruction, remanding a class‑action case that could jeopardize more than $1 billion in damages against PacifiCorp for the 2020 wildfires. The panel said the instruction was legally erroneous because evidence about four...
OpenAI Faces Regulatory Scrutiny as It Expands ChatGPT Pricing and Developer Capabilities
OpenAI is under investigation by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier after allegations that ChatGPT was used to plan the 2025 Florida State University shooting. The company has pledged full cooperation and highlighted ongoing safety upgrades for its massive user base....
ISDA, CMCE, ETE, FIA Respond to FCA on Commodity Derivatives Clearing Threshold
On April 9, ISDA, the Commodity Markets Council Europe, Energy Traders Europe and FIA responded to the FCA’s CP26/8 consultation on raising the UK commodity‑derivatives clearing threshold. They endorse an increase from the current €3 bn (≈$3.2 bn) but argue the FCA’s proposed...
High Court Dismisses £8m Claim, Barrister Pays Costs
An update on the attempt by a tax barrister to sue me for £8m. Last month, the High Court threw out the claim. The Court then made a highly unusual order: Mr Kamal was required to pay all of our costs, £146,644. And...
Shifting Trauma Burden to Firms in Depo Provera MDL
I often use social media as two things: an outlet for my inner child and all the laughs that comes with it, and as a way to help the community both near and far. But recently it’s been a welcomed...
Europe Should Regulate Big Tech Instead of Banning Kids From Social Media, Estonia Says
Estonia’s education minister Kristina Kallas warned the EU against banning minors from social media, arguing that regulation of large platforms is more effective. While France, Denmark and Greece are moving forward with age‑restriction bans, a POLITICO survey shows three‑quarters of...
Silent Ransom Group Leaked Another Big Law Firm: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
The Silent Ransom Group (SRG) breached law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in late January 2026 and spent a week inside its network before demanding a ransom. Negotiations stretched from early February to late February, with Orrick offering a maximum...
Apple Targets PTAB Review in IPR2026-00332
Apple Inc. filed an inter partes review petition (IPR2026-00332) with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board on April 3, 2026, seeking to invalidate at least one issued patent. The docket currently reveals only Apple as the petitioner, with details on...
Peru Pulls Permit for $1.8B Tia Maria Copper Mine
Peru's Ministry of Energy and Mines has revoked Southern Copper's permit for the $1.8 billion Tía María copper project, citing a lack of legal justification and incomplete technical plans such as waste‑dump design. The decision forces a fresh review of a...
Bank of France Calls for Tougher MiCA Limits on Stablecoin Payments
French officials are tightening crypto oversight as Bank of France Deputy Governor Denis Beau urged the EU to impose stricter limits on non‑euro stablecoins under the MiCA framework. At the same time, France’s National Assembly approved a provision requiring annual...
Needs Assessment Surveys for Minnesota EPR Law Remain Open
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has opened five online needs‑assessment surveys tied to the state’s Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act, its extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for packaging, food packaging and paper. The surveys target municipalities, counties, facilities, haulers...
Malayalam Director Ranjith Granted Bail in Sexual Harassment Case
The Ernakulam magistrate court granted bail to veteran Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith after an actress accused him of sexual harassment during a Fort Kochi shoot. Bail conditions include surrendering his passport, staying within Ernakulam district, avoiding the crime scene, posting a Rs 1 lakh...
Categorical Privilege Logs Are Not Disfavored
In Thompson v. Seattle Public Schools, the Western District of Washington held that categorical privilege logs are permissible under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(5)(A)(ii) and are not disfavored by the courts. The defendant’s request for a court order to...
We Need You: Our Privacy Cannot Afford a Clean Extension of Section 702
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is warning Congress against a "clean" reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expires soon. Section 702 lets the NSA collect full overseas communications and permits the FBI to query the U.S....
Statement Regarding Staff No-Action Letter to Bank of England
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a statement confirming it will not pursue enforcement against the Bank of England after receiving a staff no‑action letter. The letter, from the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance, affirms that the BOE’s practices...
Statement Regarding Staff No-Action Letter to Bank of England
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s staff issued a no‑action letter confirming that the Bank of England’s proposed regulatory framework for cross‑border crowdfunding does not conflict with U.S. securities law, provided specific disclosure and investor‑protection safeguards are met. The letter...
Nearly 400 Voting-Related Court Cases Nationwide
Democracy by the numbers: Active Voting Rights Cases: 157 Active Redistricting Cases: 50 Active Anti-Voting Cases: 83 Active Pro-Voting Cases: 71 Active DOJ Lawsuits: 31 Stay informed about everything happening to voting and elections in court by subscribing to Democracy Docket now. https://bit.ly/4meZPiV
Guest Post: The Audit Committee: D&O Underwriting Is Behind Delaware Law
Stephen Hourigan argues that Delaware courts have redefined audit committees, demanding management‑independent, real‑time reporting, yet D&O insurers still base underwriting on outdated governance metrics. He cites Boeing, Wells Fargo, Walmart and McDonald’s cases to show that traditional audit‑committee scores missed structural...
Maryland Reaches Settlement in Principle With Dali Owner in Key Bridge Collapse Case
Maryland announced a settlement in principle with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., the owner and operator of the containership Dali that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024. The agreement resolves civil claims...
GM Faces Lawsuit over Cadillac Lyriq EV Defects
General Motors is being sued in a Washington state class action alleging that its Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV suffers software and electrical defects that can leave the vehicle unable to start, charge or operate. Plaintiffs claim GM knew of the...
The Emerging Goals Of Investigation
Internal investigations are formal inquiries that determine whether a company, its officers, or employees have breached laws, regulations, or internal policies. The process begins by defining clear investigative goals, which then shape a work plan to uncover facts, assess the...
Replace UBIT with Commerciality Test to Protect Donations
New journal article from me, Roger Meiners, and Andrew Morriss. UBIT has proved to be a paper tiger in controlling the growth of the large tax-exempt businesses. The solution is to replace UBIT's "relatedness" test with a "commerciality" test which...
CEO Fined $48M for Breaching Fiduciary Duties
Mindbody CEO was ordered to pay $48M in damages to common stockholders for a breach of fiduciary duties. A lot of folks are put in a "fiduciary" role and don't even know what that means. It carries significant responsibility (and potential...
GRC News Roundup: Drata, Diligent, HICX, Ibex & More
The GRC (governance, risk, and compliance) sector saw a flurry of product launches in April. HICX introduced a Supplier Registration platform, Drata rolled out an agentic AI TPRM assessment tool and named a new chief product and technology officer, and...
Disney Hires Notorious Lawyer to Suppress Critical CEO Biography
News: Disney and Bob Iger are engaged in a quiet war on an upcoming book that promises to reveal a VERY non-Disney version of its former CEO, and they’ve enlisted an infamous lawyer to bully the author. Details ⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/mi9nJu2EgN
OCC Drops Large‑Bank Recovery Plans Over Burden
OCC Rescinds Recovery Planning Guidelines for Large Banks, Citing Regulatory Burden | https://t.co/KTVJGVwr3F https://t.co/psr1VbrzvW https://t.co/pu8tK1oJ7I
UK Government Waters Down Pensions Mandation Powers
The UK government has softened its proposed authority to compel defined‑contribution pension schemes to invest in private markets. An amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill now limits any mandatory allocation to the targets set in the voluntary Mansion House Accord...
The Sports Stars, Hip-Hop Artists, and Celebrity Magicians Playing a Role in Pending Supreme Court Petitions
The Supreme Court’s upcoming term includes four high‑profile petitions that feature celebrities as parties or amici, ranging from an NFL arbitration dispute involving former coach Brian Flores to former NBA star John Stockton’s free‑speech challenge over vaccine‑mandate investigations. Hip‑hop icons...
TC Energy Sues Former Real Estate Director for $3 Million
TC Energy Corp., a leading North American energy‑infrastructure firm, has sued former land‑transactions manager Rick Urbanczyk for allegedly diverting at least $2.57 million Canadian (≈$1.9 million USD) in rebates and taking undisclosed commissions. The lawsuit also seeks $500,000 Canadian (≈$370,000 USD) in...
Can College Athletes Be Public Officials?
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed a bill that earmarks roughly $15 million for the University of Wisconsin system to service facility debt and create revenue‑sharing agreements with student‑athletes. The legislation clarifies that athletes receiving name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation are...
Father Leverages AI to File Racial Discrimination Suits Against Top Universities
Nan Zhong, a Palo Alto father, turned to artificial‑intelligence models to draft and file lawsuits against four university systems alleging racial discrimination in admissions after his son’s rejections. With no law firm willing to represent him, Zhong claims the AI‑generated...
California Launches $267 Million Hospice Fraud Crackdown, Charges 21 Suspects
California’s Department of Justice announced a $267 million fraud bust targeting bogus hospice services, filing charges against 21 suspects after Operation Skip Trace seized identities and billing records. The case underscores vulnerabilities in Medi‑Cal oversight and prompts a wider review of...
DOJ Launches National Fraud Enforcement Division to Centralize Criminal Fraud Prosecutions
On April 7, 2026 Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memorandum establishing the Department of Justice National Fraud Enforcement Division (NFED). The move transfers the Tax Section, Health Care Fraud Unit and Market, Government, and Consumer Fraud Unit to...
OPM Seeks Medical Records of 8 Million Federal Workers, Sparking Privacy Outcry
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a rule requiring insurers that cover federal employees and retirees to submit detailed, identifiable medical and pharmacy claims for roughly 8 million people. Critics say the move threatens privacy, could enable political targeting,...
Terra-Gen to Pay $5.6M to Settle CAISO Market Manipulation Charges
Terra‑Gen has agreed to pay $5.6 million to settle Federal Energy Regulatory Commission allegations that it manipulated the California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) day‑ahead market. The settlement includes a $4.95 million civil fine and $681,007 in profit disgorgement for a scheme that...
Fight over Houthi Sinking Arrives in US Court — with an Unexpected Litigant
A Texas anesthesiologist, Dr. Hassan Chahadeh, has filed a U.S. federal lawsuit claiming the loss of the cargo vessel Rubymar, the first ship sunk by Houthi forces in the Red Sea. He alleges that Iran and a network of Chinese...
Traders Place $950 Million Bet on Oil Falling Hours Before US‑Iran Ceasefire
Investors sold roughly 8,600 Brent and U.S. crude futures contracts – a $950 million short position – just hours before President Trump announced a two‑week US‑Iran ceasefire. The trade helped drive crude prices down about 15%, sparking debate over market manipulation...
Estate to Pay Parties’ Reasonable Indemnity Costs Amid Unusual Circumstances: BC Court of Appeal
The British Columbia Court of Appeal upheld the 1995 handwritten joint will made in Germany, ruling it valid and ordering Mr. Siebert’s estate to pay reasonable indemnity costs for both parties. The case pitted the joint will against a 2019...
Congressional Probe Targets Polymarket Over Pre‑Ceasefire Bets Worth Hundreds of Thousands
Lawmakers have sent letters to the CFTC and Polymarket after analysis showed at least 50 newly created accounts placed substantial "Yes" bets on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire hours before President Trump announced the deal, netting hundreds of thousands of dollars in...
PwC’s Julanne Discusses Everyday REIT Tax Challenges
PwC tax principal Julanne Allen highlighted that most REIT tax headaches arise from day‑to‑day operations rather than headline‑making transactions. She warned that internal teams often make well‑meaning decisions that fall outside REIT compliance without proper oversight. Allen urged proactive planning...
Navigating Career Pitfalls and Possibilities in an AI Era
The ACEDS webinar underscored that artificial intelligence is reshaping the legal sector, but human judgment remains indispensable. Panelists warned that the primary career risk is complacency, not job loss, and urged lawyers to master AI‑enhanced tools and workflows. They highlighted...
NCR Atleos Back Cash-Use Law in New York and Other Digital Transactions News Briefs From 4/10/26
NCR Atleos Corp., a leading ATM and payment‑services provider, announced its support for a new New York law that obligates retailers and food establishments to accept cash for in‑person transactions. The legislation, effective March 21, bars businesses from refusing cash and...
How a Local Election Board Lawsuit Connects to Trump's 2026 Interference Efforts
Fulton County commissioners Dana Barrett and Mo Ivory voted to reject two Republican nominees for the county Board of Elections after uncovering documented efforts to undermine elections and ties to the Election Integrity Network, a group founded by former Trump...
For CFOs, SEC’s Semiannual Reporting Proposal May Not Change Much
The SEC has forwarded a proposal to the White House to replace the mandatory quarterly 10‑Q filing with a semiannual reporting cadence, echoing President Trump’s 2025 push to cut reporting costs. CFOs argue that any savings will be modest because...
Rise in Whistleblower Tribunal Claims Prompts Warning From Workplace Lawyer.
Employment tribunal data shows whistleblowing detriment claims more than doubled last year to 1,546, yet none of the 519 cases heard in Q2 2025‑26 resulted in a win. The steep rise reflects heightened employee awareness and the expanding scope of...
Berger Montague PC Investigating Claims on Behalf of ImmunityBio, Inc. (IBRX) Investors After Class Action Filing
Berger Montague PC has filed a securities class‑action lawsuit against ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBRX) alleging that the company made materially false statements about its Anktiva cancer‑immunotherapy platform during a January‑March 2026 period. The complaint cites a podcast interview where the...
Creators, Commentators, or Publishers: Liability Remains the Same
Independent political commentators on YouTube have embraced the "creator" identity, but the legal label does not shield them. Courts treat their videos as publications, applying the same defamation standards that govern traditional broadcasters. The absence of FCC oversight removes a...