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
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe Signs Bill Ending Divorce Ban for Pregnant Women
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed HB 1908 on April 7, 2026, repealing a decades‑old statute that prevented pregnant women from finalizing divorces. The unanimous legislation, championed by Rep. Cecelie Williams, removes a legal obstacle that trapped many women, especially those fleeing abuse, in unwanted marriages.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth Urges DHS to Reinstate TSA’s Shoes‑off Rule Amid Security Concerns
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D‑IL) has written to DHS demanding the return of the TSA’s shoes‑off policy, labeling its removal by former Secretary Kristi Noem as reckless. The move follows a DHS watchdog report that airport scanners cannot reliably screen footwear,...
Qatar Foundation Enrolls Venable
The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development has engaged Venable to provide U.S. government‑relations services, paying a $25,000 monthly retainer. The firm will work to shape the Foundation’s public profile among Congress and the administration, ensuring policymakers understand...
Maryland Legislators Consider State Registry for Captives
Maryland lawmakers are moving a bill that would compel the Maryland Insurance Administration to conduct a comprehensive study of captive insurance entities operating in the state. The study could pave the way for a formal state registry of captives, mirroring...
Mercor Faces Five Contractor Lawsuits Over Alleged Data‑Privacy Breach
AI‑training firm Mercor, valued at $10 billion, has been hit with five contractor lawsuits in California and Texas alleging data‑privacy violations tied to a breach of the open‑source LiteLLM project. The suits claim the company exposed Social Security numbers, addresses and...
Education Dept Ends Six Transgender Student Settlement Agreements, Sparking Legal Pushback
The U.S. Education Department announced it will terminate six settlement agreements with school districts that secured transgender student protections under Title IX. The move affects districts in California, Delaware, Washington and Pennsylvania and has ignited legal challenges and concerns from parents...
Courtroom5 Launches The LAW Accelerator, a Structured Program to Help Self-Represented Litigants Navigate Civil Court
Courtroom5 announced the launch of The LAW Accelerator, a structured program designed to guide self‑represented litigants through civil court procedures. The platform combines an interactive dashboard, document assembly, and strategy modules to deliver step‑by‑step assistance. It targets the roughly 75%...
Writers Guild Secures Tentative Four‑Year Deal as Hollywood Enters New Bargaining Cycle
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced a tentative four‑year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, a month before its prior deal expired. The agreement, which includes wage hikes and AI safeguards, sets the stage for...
Patlytics Secures $40 Million Series B to Accelerate AI‑Driven Patent Law Platform
Patlytics announced a $40 million Series B financing round led by SignalFire, with participation from N47, Liquid2 Ventures and legal‑industry investors. The funding will fuel the startup’s AI‑driven platform that automates the entire patent lifecycle for more than 40% of the...
CZ’s Memoir Reveals Early Gensler Ties, $4 B Penalty and Prison Sentence
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao released his memoir "Freedom of Money" Tuesday, detailing early contacts with SEC Chair Gary Gensler, a $4.3 billion corporate penalty and a four‑month prison sentence after pleading guilty to anti‑money‑laundering violations. The book also revisits his 2022...
TCPA Lawsuits Hit Nine More Mortgage Lenders
Consumers have filed new Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) lawsuits against nine mortgage lenders, including Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage, alleging unwanted calls and texts despite Do‑Not‑Call registrations. Plaintiffs claim some lenders made dozens of robocalls, while lenders such...
Paramount Issues Statement on Jeff Shell
Paramount Global (Nasdaq: PSKY) issued a statement confirming that President Jeff Shell will step down from his executive and board roles. An independent‑counsel review found the civil complaint alleging SEC disclosure violations against Shell to be without merit. Shell plans to...
Chinese City's Bid to Become High Seas Treaty Secretariat Sparks Influence-Gathering Fears
The United Nations’ High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) entered into force in January 2025, creating a framework to protect two‑thirds of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction. Three cities—Brussels, Valparaíso, and Xiamen—are competing to host the treaty’s secretariat, which will coordinate...
Former British Council Worker Successfully Appeals Payout Deduction
A former British Council teaching centre lead in Morocco successfully appealed a 35% deduction from her unfair‑dismissal compensation, arguing the deduction was based on a flawed Chagger test. The Employment Appeal Tribunal agreed, overturning the Chagger‑based reduction but upheld the...
Poland Rules RegioJet ‘Violated Passengers’ Rights’ over Cancellations, Threatens Multi-Million-Euro Fine
Poland’s rail regulator UTK ruled that Czech operator RegioJet breached passenger rights by cancelling 23 scheduled services in December 2025, part of a broader disruption that saw over 1,000 trains scrapped during the holiday peak. The regulator can fine the...
Employer Sponsored - Salary Requirements Changes Effective From 1 July 2026
Australia’s employer‑sponsored visa program will enforce stricter salary requirements starting 1 July 2026. Applicants for Subclass 482, 186 and 494 visas must receive the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR), which reflects the prevailing market pay for their occupation. The rule ties salary levels...
AI Can’t Capture Legal Nuance Behind Simple Decisions
Even “simple” legal decisions are more complex than they appear. Using AI in court risks overlooking context, nuance and fairness, especially in cases where human judgment and interpretation matter most. What seems routine can still carry significant consequences. In law, consistency is...
Know the FDA Process: Key to Biotech Investing
Investors should understand the #FDA regulatory process well. Here is a quick summary At each step investors should ask themselves if the company is developing things in a way that will satisfy the FDA Until a drug is approved the FDA is...
Mississippi Judge Rules Private Oyster Lease Scheme Is Unconstitutional
A Mississippi chancery court ruled that the state’s on‑bottom oyster lease program violates the state constitution, issuing a permanent injunction that bars new private leases on natural reefs. The 2024 law had allowed the Department of Marine Resources to lease...
Cumulus Bankruptcy Faces Objections Over Royalties, Release
Cumulus Media’s prepackaged Chapter 11 plan, filed on March 5, seeks to reduce debt while keeping its radio stations operating, but two objections threaten its approval. The U.S. Trustee challenges the plan’s third‑party release structure, arguing it violates the Supreme Court’s 2024...
ISDA, AFME, ICMA and EBF Publish Paper on Proposals Relating to MIFIR PTT in the EC’s Market Integration and Supervision...
On April 7, ISDA, AFME, ICMA and the European Banking Federation released a joint paper commenting on the European Commission’s Market Integration and Supervision Package, specifically the post‑trade transparency (PTT) provisions of MiFIR. The paper backs the EC’s proposal to remove...
DHSC Pledges Plan to Halt Spiraling Cost of Clinical Negligence ‘This Autumn’
The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will issue early proposals this autumn to curb the soaring cost of NHS clinical negligence claims, which have jumped from roughly $750 million in 2006‑07 to about $4.5 billion in 2024‑25. A National...
FDA Seeks Input on Digital Health Technologies in Clinical Investigations for Drugs and Biological Products
The FDA has issued a Federal Register notice seeking stakeholder input on the use of digital health technologies (DHTs) in clinical investigations for drugs and biologics. The agency asks for comments on regulatory challenges, guidance needs, and topics for future...
Netanyahu and Trump Must Face Hague War Crimes Trial
Both men should face trial at The Hague. Netanyahu, of course, is already a wanted war criminal. Trump should be too.
Guidance: Groceries (Supply Chain Practices) Market Investigation Order
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) enforces the Groceries (Supply Chain Practices) Market Investigation Order 2009, requiring the ten largest grocery retailers to comply with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP). The Order obliges designated retailers—including Amazon, B&M, Home...
Education Department Rescinds Title IX Pacts Protecting LGBTQ+ Students
The U.S. Department of Education announced on April 8, 2026 that its Office for Civil Rights is rescinding parts of resolution agreements that previously extended Title IX protections to LGBTQ+ students. The agreements, enacted under the Obama and Biden administrations, mandated policies on...
Department of Labor Issues FMLA Guidance in Recent Opinion Letters
The U.S. Department of Labor released opinion letters clarifying two key FMLA issues. First, travel time to and from qualifying medical appointments for an employee’s own serious health condition or a covered family member is counted as protected FMLA leave,...
Trump’s Personnel Agency Is Asking for Federal Workers’ Medical Records
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a notice demanding that 65 insurers provide monthly, personally identifiable health data for more than 8 million federal employees, retirees and their families. The request covers medical, pharmacy, encounter and provider information without...
Australian Regulator Imposes Capital Add-On to Sovereign Insurance
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has imposed a A$2 million (US$1.4 million) capital add‑on on Sovereign Insurance Australia (SIA) due to a heightened risk profile. APRA identified serious deficiencies in SIA’s risk‑management framework, operational risk handling, and regulatory reporting. The insurer,...
Podcast | Split the Difference: Episode 19 – Prediction Markets and Event Contracts
Episode 19 of the Split the Difference podcast examines how the United States and United Kingdom regulate prediction markets and event contracts. Hosts Mark Highman, Stephan Ariyan, Hannah Meakin, and Simon Lovegrove outline the key legal distinctions, including the US...
Trio of Firms Guide Pershing Square’s €55bn Bid for Universal Music
Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital is pursuing a non‑binding €55 billion (~$60 billion) offer to acquire Universal Music, the world’s largest label. The bid, led by a trio of advisers—Sullivan & Cromwell, White & Case and Dutch firm Stibbe—will merge Universal with Pershing’s blank‑check vehicle...
US Computer Chip Giant Intel Taps Zoom for CLO Replacement
Intel has appointed Aparna Bawa, formerly Zoom’s chief operating officer, as its new chief legal and people officer. Bawa will oversee global legal, ethics, compliance, human resources and culture, reporting directly to CEO Lip‑Bu Tan. She replaces April Miller Boise, who...
Former DOJ Privacy, Cybersecurity, and AI Counsel Michelle Ramsden Joins Jones Walker
Michelle Ramsden, former senior counsel for privacy, cybersecurity and AI at the U.S. Department of Justice, has joined Jones Walker LLP as special counsel in its Corporate Practice Group in Atlanta. She will bolster the firm’s privacy, data strategy and...
Germany Proposes Minor Reforms to Arbitration Law
On 27 January 2026 Germany’s Ministry of Justice released a draft bill to modernise its arbitration law. The proposal keeps the system largely intact but introduces minor tweaks such as relaxed formalities for arbitration agreements, allowance for virtual hearings and electronic awards,...
SEC Enforcement Haul Hits $17.9B as Agency Sharpens Focus on Retail Investor Protection
The SEC reported a record $17.9 billion in enforcement remedies for fiscal 2025, driven by $10.8 billion in disgorgement and $7.2 billion in civil penalties. Retail investor protection topped the agenda, with two‑thirds of cases naming individual defendants and a 27 % rise in...
ICT Sector BEE Code Under the Microscope as Starlink Circles
The B‑BBEE ICT Sector Council has opened a formal review of the 2016 ICT sector code and released an updated equity‑equivalent investment programme (EEIP) framework. The new rules clarify two measurement options – a contribution equal to 30% of the...
Giving Innovation a Spine: Why Organisations Need Governed Orchestration
The article argues that the next wave of legal technology must move beyond isolated productivity tools toward governed orchestration, a structured integration layer that embeds AI within controlled workflows. Autologyx is highlighted as a pioneer offering a framework to connect...
Never Too Late: If You Missed the IPKat Last Week!
The IPKat blog recapped a quiet week, highlighting key WTO developments from the 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé. Seun Lari‑Williams noted the Multi‑Party Interim Appeal Arbitration (MPIA) is moving toward a permanent two‑tiered system, while Daniel J. Gervais warned that...
New Cross-Border Bill in Singapore Covers Provisions on Designated CIQ Zones, Incident Management, and More
Singapore’s Parliament passed the Cross‑Border Railways (Border Control Co‑Location) Bill, clearing the legal path for the Johor Bahru‑Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS Link). The legislation creates designated CIQ zones at Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar stations, allowing Malaysian and Singapore pre‑clearance officers to...
FDA Extends Deadline as Hidden Gluten Puts Regulatory Fine-Tuning Under the Spotlight
The FDA has extended its Request for Information on gluten labeling and cross‑contact to April 22 2026, inviting broader industry and consumer input. Current rules cap gluten at 20 ppm for a "gluten‑free" claim, yet hidden sources and inconsistent cross‑contact disclosures leave many...
Egypt to Regulate Social Media for Minors with Special SIM
Egypt’s telecom regulator will roll out special SIM cards for minors within 60 days, embedding app and content restrictions at the network level. In Nigeria, the South East Development Commission aims to build a $200 billion economy by 2035, launching a...
Not All Exporters Will Get a Tariff Refund From the US. Here’s Why
Australian exporters can seek refunds for tariffs deemed illegal after the US Supreme Court ruled Donald Trump’s IEEPA‑based duties unlawful. The Court of International Trade ordered refunds, prompting firms such as Rio Tinto, Breville and Bondi Boost to file claims. Refunds are...
Close Brothers Set for £320m Motor Finance Hit as It Eyes Legal Rows
Close Brothers announced a £320 million (≈$406 million) provision for the FCA’s motor‑finance redress scheme, matching its earlier estimate. The charge will shave 25 basis points off its CET1 capital ratio, leaving it at 14%, still above the 12‑13% target. Analysts warn...
New Rules Would Cap English Timber Buildings at Four Storeys
The UK Health and Safety Executive has opened a consultation to amend Approved Document B, effectively banning structural timber in English buildings taller than 11 metres (about four storeys). The proposal would require any building above that height to meet an...
‘Inactionable Puffery’, Personal Jurisdiction, SEC Remit: Why Adani Lawyers Want US Bribery Case Dismissed
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar with paying $250 million in bribes to unnamed Indian officials to secure power‑supply contracts for Adani Green Energy. The duo’s legal team filed a motion in a...
Landlords Evicting Tenants Before Law to Prevent Practice Comes Into Force in England
Landlords across England are issuing a surge of Section 21 no‑fault evictions just before the Renters’ Rights Act takes effect on 1 May 2026, a law that will abolish the practice. Charities report evictions rose from one‑fifth of complaints in October to nearly...
Legal Tech Looks Fast From the Outside.
The article observes that legal‑technology solutions appear sleek and rapid on the surface, yet many firms encounter hidden latency and integration challenges. It highlights a gap between marketing hype and real‑world deployment speed. The piece encourages practitioners to probe underlying...
Matthew Perry’s Stepmom Asks Court to Give ‘Heartless Woman’ Jasveen Sangha the Maximum Prison Sentence
Matthew Perry’s stepmother, Debbie Perry, filed a victim impact statement urging the court to impose the maximum prison term on Jasveen Sangha, the alleged “Ketamine Queen.” Sangha, who pleaded guilty in September 2025, is one of five defendants charged in...
Widow of Man Killed in New York MRI Accident Sues Radiology Providers
Adrienne Jones McAllister has filed a lawsuit in Nassau County Supreme Court against Nassau Open MRI, East Coast Radiology PC, and related parties over the death of her husband, Keith McAllister, who was pulled into an MRI scanner by a 20‑pound weight‑training necklace....
Trust Is Not Enough: German Supreme Court Tightens Liability for Google Ads
The German Supreme Court reversed lower‑court rulings and held that a retailer can be liable for unlawful Google Ads under §8(2) of the Act against Unfair Competition (UWG). The court reasoned that the retailer’s cooperation agreement with Google constitutes an...