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
It Shouldn’t Be That Hard To Understand This — See Also
The piece aggregates several legal‑industry stories, from the historic confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson—who could become the first Black woman on the Court—to a Japan‑theft hypothetical used to lampoon right‑wing jurisdiction arguments. It also tracks the fallout from former Florida AG Pam Bondi’s license controversy, Stephen Colbert’s satirical take on her dismissal, and DLA Piper’s pending maternity‑leave discrimination trial. Together, these links illustrate how law‑focused media spotlights political, corporate, and cultural disputes.
Copyright Enforcement Fuels Unwanted Publicity for Underdogs
What I hate about copyright and trademark law is that you're essentially forced by the law to send legal letters, takedown requests and eventually sue If you don't, whatever rights you own are invalidated in court whenever you do really need...
Connecticut 2026 Employment Law Update: Time for Some Spring Cleaning
Connecticut’s 2026 employment law rollout adds paid sick leave for employers with eleven or more workers, with a full expansion to all employers slated for January 1, 2027. The state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program raised its maximum weekly benefit...
FTC Prioritizes Children’s Online Safety in 5-Year Strategic Plan
The FTC unveiled its 2026‑2030 strategic plan, re‑adding “without unduly burdening legitimate business activity” to its mission and emphasizing children’s online safety as a top priority. The agency highlighted ongoing COPPA enforcement and new powers under the 2025 Take It...
The FAA’s “Temporary” Flight Restriction for Drones Is a Blatant Attempt to Criminalize Filming ICE
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide temporary flight restriction (TFR 6/4375) on Jan 16, 2026 that bars any drone from flying within 3000 feet of ICE or CBP vehicles. The restriction, slated to last 21 months until Oct 29, 2027, carries criminal and civil penalties, including...
Questions Raised After Cherry Creek Students Notified of Data Breach, Lawsuit
The Cherry Creek School District confirmed that a recent email to families about a class‑action settlement for a Naviance data breach was legitimate, but the district itself was not affected. The settlement covers roughly 10 million students nationwide who used Naviance...
BakerHostetler’s 2026 Report: Findings From 1,250 Clients’ Breach Experiences in 2025
BakerHostetler’s 2026 Data Security Incident Response Report examined 1,250 breach clients from 2025. Network intrusions (47%) and email compromise (32%) dominated, while ransomware payments rose 36% to an average $682,702 after initial demands jumped 70% to $4.2 million. Class‑action lawsuits increased...
California's Pay Data Deadline Is Around the Corner: Here's What Employers Need To Know
California’s Civil Rights Department requires employers with 100 or more employees – and those with 100+ labor‑contractor staff – to file a detailed pay‑data report by May 13, 2026. The report must cover a single snapshot pay period between October 1 and December 31,...
States Fight Trump's Latest Voting Power Grab: Live with AG Weiser
Attorney General Bill Weiser discussed the coalition of 20+ states suing President Trump’s new executive order that seeks federal control over mail‑in voting, arguing it exceeds constitutional authority. He highlighted the history of Trump’s attacks on mail‑in ballots, noting the...
CJEU Clarifies the Standard for Accessing Evidence in Competition Damages Cases
On 29 January 2026 the CJEU ruled in Meliá Hotels v. Associação Ius Omnibus that the EU Damages Directive permits pre‑action evidence disclosure when national law allows it. The Court set a “reasonably acceptable” plausibility standard, meaning claimants need only...
Arizona Breaks New Ground with Criminal Charger Against Prediction Market Platform
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed the first criminal complaint against a CFTC‑regulated prediction‑market platform, alleging illegal gambling on state elections. The 20‑count, misdemeanor‑level indictment in Maricopa County targets bets on the 2028 presidential race and 2026 gubernatorial contest. By...
Ashes of Creation Case: Sharif's Injunction Request Denied, IP Sale Reversed, But Company Still Wants to Sell
A court denied Steven Sharif's request for an injunction, effectively nullifying the earlier restraining order that had frozen changes to the Ashes of Creation assets. The judge also reversed the sale of the IP and assets, returning them to Intrepid...
This Person Was Real Talky At The Birthright Citizenship Oral Argument
The article poses a trivia question about the *Trump v. Barbara* oral argument, which challenges Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to end birthright citizenship. According to Dr. Adam Feldman’s analysis, one participant delivered a 7,575‑word statement, far outpacing the...
Joseph Lazzarotti Discusses Achievements and Advice as a Distinguished Leader Honoree
Joseph J. Lazzarotti, a partner at Jackson Lewis, was named a Distinguished Leader by the Daily Business Review, where he highlighted the importance of trust, integrity, and client‑focused counsel. He used the platform to share practical advice for law firms...
The Effective Sanctions Screening: Insights From the Wolfsberg Group on Financial Crime Compliance
The Wolfsberg Group, a coalition of 13 global banks, has issued a comprehensive sanctions‑screening guide for financial institutions. The guide outlines best‑practice due diligence, transaction and customer screening, and continuous monitoring, emphasizing a risk‑based approach tailored to an institution’s size,...
Nursing Home Oversight: CMS Revises Survey Rules, Strengthens Penalties and Immediate Jeopardy Standards
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued sweeping revisions to its nursing home survey rules, tightening onsite timelines, clarifying revisit protocols, and expanding civil money penalties. The agency also refined the definition of Immediate Jeopardy to include scenarios...
Buy American and Made in USA: One Slogan, Two Compliance Systems
Companies often conflate Buy American procurement rules with FTC Made in USA advertising standards, creating compliance risk. The FTC requires an "all or virtually all" domestic content test for consumer labels, while FAR Buy American mandates a 65% domestic content...
Immigration Pathways for Biomedical Engineers: EB-2 NIW, EB-1A, and Employment-Based Options
Biomedical engineers seeking U.S. permanent residence can choose between the self‑sponsored EB‑2 National Interest Waiver and the high‑threshold EB‑1A Extraordinary Ability category, while temporary visas such as O‑1, H‑1B and TN remain options. The EB‑2 NIW hinges on demonstrating that...
Key Considerations In Developing Internal Controls: Fight Risks And Prevent Illicit Activities
Internal controls are essential mechanisms that safeguard financial integrity, ensure regulatory compliance, and boost operational efficiency for both small and large organizations. Small firms benefit from simple, owner‑managed frameworks, while large enterprises need complex, technology‑driven systems to address diversified operations...
Home Health Company’s Overtime Settlement: A Cautionary Tale for Healthcare Employers With ‘Program Managers’
ViaQuest Residential Services, a Columbus‑based home health provider, agreed to a $975,000 settlement after a collective action alleged it misclassified its program managers as exempt from overtime. The lawsuit centered on whether the managers’ primary duties were supervisory or direct...
Live From LegalWeek with Chris Kruse & Amit Dungarani
In this Legal Speak episode recorded at LegalWeek, CRO Chris Cruz and VP of Product Marketing Amit Dungarani discuss CasePoint’s AI‑driven eDiscovery platform and the broader AI surge in legal tech. They note that while AI hype remains strong, firms...
Accusing Someone Who Called Police of "Blatant Racial Profiling" May Be Defamation
In Riera v. Central Washington University, faculty member Miguel Riera sued colleague Erin Erdman for defamation after she labeled his April 1 police call as an "incident of blatant racial profiling." The district court permitted the claim to proceed, finding...
Unifying Financial Crime Management: An Integrated Approach to Regulatory Compliance and Risk Mitigation
Financial institutions are adopting an integrated financial‑crime management program that unifies AML, KYC, anti‑bribery, fraud and cyber‑risk controls under a single compliance framework. The approach consolidates data from onboarding, transaction monitoring, cloud arrangements and risk assessments, enabling the Chief Compliance...
Steps for Company Counsel to Take to Avoid FCA Liability for FalseCertifications Based on DEI Practices
The Department of Justice is expanding False Claims Act (FCA) enforcement to penalize federal contractors and grant recipients who submit false certifications about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) compliance. New guidance, including the Bondi Memo and a GSA proposal, requires...
FTC Warning Letters Signal Continued Federal Focus on Debanking and Financial Access
The FTC has issued warning letters to major payment networks and financial service providers, reminding them that denying customers access based on political or religious beliefs may breach Section 5 of the FTC Act. The letters tie the issue to President...
Perplexity Asks Federal Court to Lift Amazon Shopping Agent Ban
Perplexity has filed an appeal to a federal circuit court asking it to lift a March injunction that barred its AI shopping agent, Comet, from accessing Amazon’s site. The district court had found Amazon likely to succeed on its claim...
The Friday Five: Five ERISA Litigation Highlights - April 2026
The Fifth Circuit ruled that an ERISA administrator who issues a disability‑benefits decision beyond the statutory deadline loses the deferential review standard and faces de novo review, as seen in the Cogdell case. Federal courts also rebuked administrators for relying on...
Trump Admin To Court: Don't Strike Down Video Privacy Act
The Department of Justice is urging the First Circuit to uphold the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) as Hearst Television faces a lawsuit over sharing users' video‑viewing data with ad‑tech firms. A lower court dismissed the case, finding the...
Shape Up or Be Shipped Out: The New Broker and Freight Forwarder Financial Responsibility Final Rule Puts Delinquent Brokers on...
The FMCSA’s Broker and Freight Forwarder Financial Responsibility Rule is now fully active, requiring every broker and freight forwarder to maintain at least $75,000 in a surety bond or trust fund. If the security falls below that level, the carrier...
SEC Speaks – Are You Listening?
The SEC’s 2026 SEC Speaks conference highlighted a shift toward a "back‑to‑basics" enforcement philosophy after the abrupt resignation of Enforcement Director Judge Margaret Ryan. Acting Director Sam Waldon resumed leadership, and the Commission, now down to three members, reaffirmed a limited...
Tenn. General Assembly Approves Screen Time Limits for K-5
Tennessee's House approved House Bill 2393, mandating K‑5 districts to prioritize teacher‑led, non‑digital instruction and ban student social‑media use during school hours. The bill, which passed 87‑6, includes exceptions for teachers, students with disabilities, virtual schools, and state‑required electronic testing....
Anti-Money Laundering: AML Important Definition
Anti‑money laundering (AML) encompasses laws, regulations and procedures that force banks and other firms to detect and report illicit funds. Originating with the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act in 1970, AML standards have expanded globally through bodies such as the Financial...
Jury Awards Cemex Driver $5M in ‘Egregious’ Disability and Race Bias Lawsuit
A federal jury in California awarded $5 million to a former Cemex truck driver who proved race and disability harassment, finding the company created a hostile work environment under Title VII and California law. The plaintiff’s claims against individual coworkers were...
Congressional Delays Stall 21st Century ROAD Housing Act, Threatening Investors
Congressional stalemate has halted the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a bipartisan bill that would temporarily ban a central bank digital currency and force institutional investors to sell build‑to‑rent homes within seven years. The delay threatens both housing affordability...
Paramount Pursues $110 B Warner Bros. Discovery Deal as California AG Threatens Antitrust Action
Paramount Pictures has announced a pending $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, the largest media merger of the year. California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned the state will aggressively challenge the deal, citing red‑flag concerns over competition, newsroom consolidation and...
Tech Giants Oppose Colorado Bill to Carve Out Critical Infrastructure From Right‑to‑Repair
Tech manufacturers including Cisco and IBM backed SB26-090, a Colorado bill that would exempt critical‑infrastructure information‑technology equipment from the state's 2024 right‑to‑repair law. Lawmakers moved the measure out of committee, prompting fierce opposition from repair advocates who warn the language...
Patentability of AI Related Inventions
The USPTO, under new Director John Squires, has signaled a shift toward accepting AI‑related patent applications by overturning overly broad Section 101 rejections and emphasizing traditional novelty, obviousness, and disclosure standards. The agency now evaluates AI inventions primarily on whether they...
Legal Docs Reveal Miyamoto Originally Saw Donkey Kong as "a Human in a Gorilla Costume," Disclose Other Names Considered for...
Legal documents from the 1983 Universal v. Nintendo lawsuit have been released, revealing Shigeru Miyamoto’s original vision of Donkey Kong as a human in a gorilla costume. The filings include a 1.3‑gigabyte trove of evidence and a list of alternate...
FMC Again Rejects Maersk Petition to Waive Notice Period for Emergency Fuel Surcharge
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has again denied Maersk’s petition to waive the statutory 30‑day notice required before imposing an emergency bunker fuel surcharge on U.S. trades. The carrier’s request, filed on March 11, was unanimously rejected, meaning Maersk cannot apply...
As the Senate Weighs the Trump-Backed SAVE Act, These States Are Advancing Their Own Voting Restrictions
The Senate is dragging its feet on the Trump‑backed SAVE Act, a federal voter‑ID bill that would require proof of citizenship and photo identification nationwide. Meanwhile, Republican governors in Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota and Utah have signed state versions of...
What a US Attorney General Actually Does – a Law Professor Spells It Out
President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 2, 2026 after just 14 months in office, marking the shortest tenure for the role in six decades. The article explains the Attorney General’s expansive duties, from supervising 93 U.S....
Short Circuit: An Inexhaustive Weekly Compendium of Rulings From the Federal Courts of Appeal
The Institute for Justice’s weekly "Short Circuit" roundup highlights a diverse set of recent appellate decisions, from the D.C. Circuit rejecting the EPA’s delegation of endangered‑species enforcement to Florida, to the First Circuit’s unusually narrative opinion on the Ponzo brothers....
AI Automates Global Product Compliance, Ending Spreadsheet Chaos
https://t.co/6WvpufeY6S is building AI infrastructure that automates product compliance for global retailers. Managing compliance across markets means different regulations per country, fragmented documentation, and constant changes. Most teams still run it on spreadsheets. Every product launch becomes a fire drill. Complir maps...
Fox, Sinclair Slam NFL Antitrust Exemption for Streamers
An NFL Partner 👇 Fox, Sinclair Decry NFL Antitrust Exemption as Sop to Streamers https://t.co/ORRVrmc6xZ via @sportico @crupicrupicrupi
Litigation Update | March 2026
The latest litigation update highlights several pivotal rulings and policy shifts affecting patent practice. The Federal Circuit affirmed that means‑plus‑function claims require a clear justification for omitted structural elements, while a software claim was invalidated at Alice step one for...
Flores NFL Discrimination Case Discovery Set for 2027
Brian Flores' race discrimination case against the NFL and six of its clubs was filed in February '23. An order from the court today set the discovery deadline in April '27. No mention in the order of a trial...
Howe Debuts Westlaw CoCounsel in Appellate Brief
“Howe claims that this appeal was his first time utilizing Westlaw CoCounsel “in this way for a Court of Appeals brief.”” 👀 https://t.co/FBc20Es4dL
FDIC Board Meeting Likely Unproductive on GENIUS
FDIC board meeting on Mon. Agenda includes NPRM on GENIUS implementation. Given the board is literally only FDIC Chair Hill, Comptroller Gould, & CPFB acting Director Vought, probably not worth the time to tune in. https://t.co/XvDu8U3oh3
Crypto Protocol Designers Could Face Legal Liability Next
Could crypto builders face legal liabilities for protocol design? 👀 @TuongvyLe12, Jessi Brooks & @_Ryne_Miller discuss the verdict against Meta and YouTube and if crypto is next. https://t.co/FtAURkt30R
SEC FOIA Reveals Likely Investigations Into Ten Major Firms
The SEC released its FOIA Logs for March 2026 today. Companies with likely ongoing SEC investigations: Danaher AppLovin Starbucks Honeywell ASP Isotopes Organon & Co Sable Offshore Boston Scientific Perimeter Solutions Bristol-Myers Squibb Crowdstrike Holdings https://t.co/Y8ePn4WjPH