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
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 filings give him “a team of deep lawyers” and keep the case alive as his son remains eligible for college.
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...
Argentina Passes Glacier Mining Bill
Argentina's Congress approved an amendment to the 2010 Glacial Law, opening high‑altitude glacial regions to mining. The new bill grants individual provinces the authority to set their own environmental standards for such operations. This shift overturns previous nationwide prohibitions on...
Inside the Prediction Markets: Who Controls the Trade
Prediction markets are caught in a federal‑state showdown as regulators vie for jurisdiction. A U.S. Third Circuit court ruled that Kalshi’s sports contracts are derivatives, not gambling, giving the CFTC a foothold. The CFTC and DOJ have sued Arizona, Connecticut...
Unfair Reviews Can Mask Illegal Bias and Termination
An unfair performance review isn’t just “bad feedback.” It can be the setup. As an employment lawyer, I see this all the time—sudden criticism that doesn’t match your work is often masking bias and building a record to push you out. The...
Defining Liability for Autonomous Finance Errors Now
When the Agent Gets It Wrong, Who Pays? The rails for autonomous finance are live. The liability architecture for those rails is being written right now, by the institutions and regulators willing to commit to an answer. https://t.co/fHnMD6byH6 https://t.co/ejtLZek5s3
Trump-Era Litigation Keeps Reshaping Federal Courts and Legal Practice
Litigation stemming from the Trump administration continues to dominate federal courts, extending beyond high‑profile policy fights into fundamental questions about agency data access, executive authority, and statutory limits. Recent challenges force agencies to defend data‑access decisions, highlighting disputes over administrative...
White House Bans Staff Betting on Iran War Predictions
"Well-timed bets about the war in Iran have raised eyebrows and calls from Democrats for more regulation" White House Warns Staff Not to Place Bets on Prediction Markets Amid Iran War https://t.co/4EjydM6lal
Judge Says DoD Trying to Censor Public Information
Buried in Judge Friedman's 20-page opinion once again hitting Sec Hegseth's access restrictions is this line: “What this case is really about: the attempt by the Secretary of Defense to dictate the information received by the American people, to control...
High Court Q1 Claims Volume Hits Record Levels
Litigation activity in England's High Court surged in Q1, with 2,192 claims filed – the highest opening‑quarter total since before 2019. The Commercial Court drove much of the growth, posting a 71% year‑on‑year increase and a 44% rise from the...
☕ Morning Briefing — Friday, April 10, 2026
The U.S. government’s anti‑fraud task force, led by Vice President JD Vance, has flagged roughly $6.3 billion in questionable federal contracts involving 895 agreements across 392 entities, with about $3 billion still pending disbursement. Simultaneously, Vance is heading high‑stakes Iran negotiations after...
California Dreamin’ or an Antitrust Nightmare?
California is poised to test a state‑level antitrust regime with two bills—Assembly Bill 1776 (the COMPETE Act) and Senate Bill 1074 (the BASED Act). Both proposals aim to break from established federal antitrust doctrine, granting California courts broader discretion to...
Binance Helps Freeze $12M in Phishing Scam Funds
BIG: 🚨 Binance supported a UK National Crime Agency–led operation targeting approval phishing scams, helping freeze $12M in illicit funds and protect over 20,000 victims across the UK, US, and Canada https://t.co/dB0eSANr9o
Dallas Federal Jury Convicts Four Deuce Oakland Crips Gang Member of Multiple Drug Trafficking and Firearms Crimes
A Dallas federal jury convicted Jamarian Augustus Hewitt, a Four Deuce Oakland Crips member, of extensive drug‑trafficking and firearms offenses after a four‑day trial. Prosecutors detailed his operation of the Zillionaire Exotic Pop storefront, where he moved 200‑300 pounds of...
Grand Jury Indicts Jamestown Man and Buffalo Woman on Narcotics Conspiracy Charge
A federal grand jury indicted Brandon Murray of Jamestown and Latika Saintkitts of Buffalo on narcotics conspiracy charges spanning 2021‑2024, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. Saintkitts also faces separate counts for distributing crack cocaine and fentanyl in 2024. Both were...
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 111 Border-Related Cases This Week
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 111 border‑related cases this week, ranging from drug importation to attempted alien trafficking and re‑entry after deportation. The district, which includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry—the world’s busiest land crossing—remains the...
Federal Jury Finds San Antonio Tax Preparer Guilty of Filing False Tax Returns
A federal jury in San Antonio convicted Natasha Sheree Banks‑Brown, owner of Tasha’s Total Tax Service, on 11 counts of aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns. Prosecutors said she prepared roughly 1,200 returns between 2017 and 2021...
We Wanted Smarter Legal Tech, but Instead Got an Expensive Dependency
Law firms accelerated AI spending in 2025, up nearly 10%, yet measurable productivity gains remain elusive. While eDiscovery AI tools have slashed per‑document review costs to as low as $0.11, most firms retain hourly billing and even raise rates, passing...
Homeowner Sues U.S. Bank, Alleges Foreclosure without a Single Required Notice
Gloria Hill has filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Bank Home Mortgage, alleging the bank foreclosed on her Nebraska home without providing any of the required notices or loss‑mitigation outreach. Hill claims she never missed a payment on her $181,550...
RICO Suit Alleges California Mortgage Fund Funneled $75m to Insider Entities
A federal RICO lawsuit alleges that Pacific Freedom Fund diverted more than $75 million of investor capital to affiliated entities instead of originating real‑estate loans. The fund raised $74.2 million from 138 investors but held only six loans with a combined principal...
Maine Passes Balcony Solar Law, Virginia and Colorado to Follow
Maine Governor Janet Mills signed LD 1730 on April 6, 2026, legalizing plug‑in, or balcony, solar systems up to 1,200 watts. The law requires UL 3700‑certified panels, rapid‑shutdown inverters, and notification for units over 420 watts, while barring utilities from imposing interconnection fees or approvals....
Glasgow Hospital Loses Multiplex Cladding Challenge Appeal
The Greater Glasgow Health Board’s appeal to bring a £16.3 million (≈$20 million) damages claim against construction firm Multiplex over unsafe cladding at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital was rejected by Scotland’s Inner House of Court. Judges ruled the board missed the...
Defect Claims Plague Former Parent Company of Defunct Tier One
Shepherd Building Group (SBG) remains burdened by defect claims tied to its former subsidiary Shepherd Construction (SCL), which was dissolved after its last job in 2021. In the 18‑month period to 30 June 2025, SBG recorded $23.6 million in contract provisions, down from...
"Bondi Either Shows Up Or Gets Locked Up"
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi says a congressional subpoena on the Jeffrey Epstein files no longer applies because she was fired, arguing the request was issued in her official capacity. Legal experts note that Congress can re‑issue the subpoena to...
Veeva V. Epic: Kicking the Can in Dane County
Veeva filed a robust opposition to Epic Systems’ motion to dismiss, targeting the enforceability of Epic’s equity clawback, non‑compete provisions, and arbitration clauses. The response leaned heavily on a Wisconsin "in terrorem" theory, arguing that the clawback itself deters competition...
Lawsuit Challenges Newspaper Notice for Bond Sale in Louisiana
Louisiana advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the Port of South Louisiana’s $400 million bond sale intended to fund dock and ancillary facilities at the RiverPlex MegaPark. The plaintiffs allege the port failed to publish the required public notice in...
FDA Probes Abortion Pill Anew After Court Keeps Mail Access Alive
The FDA announced a renewed, accelerated safety study of the abortion pill mifepristone, aiming to complete the review faster than typical academic timelines. The move follows a Louisiana federal judge’s decision to temporarily allow the drug’s distribution by mail while...
The EU’s Big Tech Rulebook Is Shifting the Digital Economy, Says Ribera
European Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera hailed the Digital Markets Act as a "success story" that is reshaping the EU digital economy. She said the DMA has boosted interoperability and data access, narrowing the gap between U.S. tech giants and European...
New Law Transforms Workplace Rights for Women
The UK’s Employment Rights Act 2025, rolling out through 2026‑27, introduces sweeping workplace reforms aimed at women. Large employers must publish menopause support plans, while all firms need actionable gender‑pay‑gap reduction strategies. New sick‑pay rules eliminate the £125 (≈ $156) lower‑earnings...
Govt Proposes Overhaul of Company Incorporation Rules to Cut Paperwork, Enable Risk-Based Checks
The Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs has released a draft to overhaul the Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014, eliminating mandatory physical verification of registered offices and introducing risk‑based checks. The proposal also consolidates multiple filing forms into streamlined e‑forms and adds...
CFTC Brief Skips Rule Banning Gaming Event Contracts
The CFTC's brief vs. Arizona omits any reference to Rule 40.11(a)(1)-- its own regulation (still in effect) which expressly bans event contracts relating to "gaming" or "activity which is illegal under state law." Unwise not to at least address it...
The Dreaded “Zero Slate” Contest Rears Its Ugly Head
The SEC’s shift away from active oversight this proxy season has revived activist use of the “zero‑slate” tactic, where shareholders submit a floor proposal under Rule 14a‑4 to force inclusion of their items. Trillium Asset Management warned retailer BJ’s that it...
Utmost Worldwide Guernsey Fined £1.96m over Financial Crime Risk Failures
Guernsey's financial regulator fined Utmost Worldwide's island branch £1.96 million (about $2.5 million), the largest penalty it has ever issued. The fine stems from a decade‑long underestimation of financial‑crime risk in its life‑assurance business, especially the use of unregulated brokers in South...
Friday Fantasies
The IPKat’s latest update highlights several key developments for IP professionals. An online lecture on plant property rights will be held on April 28, while the CIPA Future Attorneys Conference in London closes registration today. George Washington University Law School announced...
Deductions Through Bonus Depreciation and TPR – Maximize and Plan
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) permanently restores 100% bonus depreciation for qualified production property (QPP) placed in service after Jan 19 2025, overturning the TCJA’s scheduled phase‑out that would have capped 2025 deductions at 40%. The legislation creates a new...