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
Drinks With The Deal: Cooley’s Proffitt on Leading Through Change
Rachel Proffitt, Cooley’s partner and CEO, sat down on the Drinks With The Deal podcast to outline her leadership philosophy for navigating rapid change. She highlighted the importance of flexible organizational structures, proactive talent management, and the strategic use of artificial intelligence in legal services. Proffitt also discussed broader structural shifts reshaping the law firm model, including evolving client expectations and competitive pressures. The conversation offers a window into how a top-tier firm is adapting to a digitized, client‑centric market.
Who Is Todd Blanche, Trump’s Acting Attorney General?
Todd Blanche, longtime Trump defense lawyer, has been appointed acting attorney general after President Trump abruptly dismissed Pam Bondi. Blanche previously served as deputy attorney general, overseeing day‑to‑day Justice Department operations following Trump’s re‑election. He defended Trump in three of...
Georgia Has $3.3 Billion in Unclaimed Property. New Bill Aims To Give Some Residents a Check.
Georgia’s Senate Bill 403 proposes that the Department of Revenue automatically issue checks for unclaimed property balances under $500, targeting the $3.3 billion currently held by the state. The bill would cross‑reference tax filings with the unclaimed‑property database, shifting the burden...
(PR) Intel Appoints Aparna Bawa as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal & People Officer
Intel announced the appointment of Aparna Bawa as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal & People Officer, reporting directly to CEO Lip‑Bu Tan. Bawa will oversee the company’s global legal, ethics, compliance, people, and culture organizations as Intel accelerates its...
Florida Poker Business Wrongfully Ousted Pregnant Workers, EEOC Alleges
The EEOC filed a lawsuit against BestBet Jacksonville, alleging the casino‑style poker venue violated the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act by refusing reasonable accommodations for multiple pregnant employees. One worker with low‑blood‑pressure issues and a subchorionic hematoma was denied a doctor‑recommended...
My Amicus Brief in the Geofence Warrant Case, United States V. Chatrie
Legal scholar Orin S. Kerr submitted an amicus brief in the Supreme Court’s United States v. Chatrie, a case that tests the Fourth Amendment’s reach over geofence warrants. The brief contends that a user’s Google Location History does not qualify...
Kentucky Wildlife Officials Want to Restrict Wakeboats. State Lawmakers Won’t Let Them
Kentucky wildlife officials proposed 200‑foot buffer zones and a list of 17 eligible lakes to curb wakeboat‑generated wakes, aligning the state with neighboring regulations. In March, lawmakers amended Senate Bill 39 to block any new wakeboat restrictions, effectively vetoing the...
India's New Father MP Raghav Chadha Calls for Legal Paternity Leave
Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha, who became a father in October 2025, asked the Indian Parliament to codify paternity leave as a legal entitlement. His appeal highlights a growing push for gender‑balanced parental leave in a country where maternity...
Tips on Finding Sham Transactions
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) released a concise five‑page guidance outlining how companies can detect sham transactions used to conceal sanctioned individuals. The document provides concrete examples—such as jets transferred to trusts, funds moved to children’s...
POTUS Goes to SCOTUS, TMZ Takes Washington, and Congress Moves to End the Shutdown
In this episode, Amber Duke covers President Trump becoming the first sitting POTUS to attend Supreme Court oral arguments on his birthright citizenship executive order, highlighting the justices' skeptical reactions and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's memorable analogy about allegiance. She...
DOL Proposes up to 33% Hike in H‑1B Prevailing Wages, $46 Bn Cost over Decade
The U.S. Department of Labor unveiled a rule that would raise H‑1B, H‑1B1, E‑3 and PERM prevailing wages by as much as 33%, translating to an average $14,000 annual increase per worker. The agency estimates the change could generate up...
ByHeart Botulism Infant Formula Cases Consolidated in New York Federal Court
A United States Judicial Panel ordered the consolidation of nineteen infant formula lawsuits into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Southern District of New York. The actions stem from the November 2025 recall of ByHeart, Inc. formula alleged to be...
Bipartisan INSULIN Act Targets $35 Monthly Cap for Private‑Insurance Users
A coalition of Democratic and Republican senators has introduced the INSULIN Act, aiming to cap insulin prices at $35 per month for people with private insurance. The bill also proposes a pilot program for uninsured patients in ten states, sparking...
ABA Amicus Brief Supports Law Firms Targeted by Executive Orders
The American Bar Association filed an amicus brief supporting law firms that successfully challenged Trump‑era executive orders aimed at punishing them for representing disfavored clients. The brief argues the orders violate lawyers’ First Amendment free‑speech and associational rights, as well...
The Risks of Autonomous Vehicle Self-Certification in Freight
The article warns that allowing autonomous‑vehicle (AV) manufacturers to self‑certify their freight trucks could bypass critical safety oversight that human drivers currently undergo. It highlights the stark contrast between mandatory medical exams for Class 7/8 drivers and the proposed lack of...
The Biden Fiduciary Rule Is Officially Dead. What Comes Next?
The Labor Department’s Retirement Security Rule, which would have extended fiduciary duties to one‑time advice for participants with roughly $14 trillion in 401(k) and similar plans, was vacated after the Biden administration declined to defend it and federal courts nullified the...
AI in Legal Workflows Raises a Hard Question: Who Owns the Risk?
Legal departments are rapidly integrating AI tools into everyday workflows, but recent concerns highlight that any mishandling of privileged information, bias, regulated data exposure, or evidentiary integrity ultimately falls on the organization. General counsel, managing partners, CIOs, and legal operations...
Sovereignty in Orbit: Can National Laws Govern Global Space Markets?
National space laws provide the licensing backbone for launches, spectrum, and remote‑sensing, but they cannot alone resolve cross‑border disputes that arise from global satellite constellations, orbital debris, and lunar‑resource activities. The Outer Space Treaty remains the legal floor, tying private...
New Brunswick Introduces Legislation to Expand Small Estate Threshold
New Brunswick's government introduced legislation to raise the small‑estate threshold from $3,000 CAD (about $2,200 USD) to $25,000 CAD (roughly $18,000 USD). The change lets the public trustee administer more estates without court orders and permits direct asset release to verified executors without probate....
A Dog and Its Tail: Don’t Let Version Uncertainty Cloud Linked Attachment Production
Linked (cloud) attachments remain a critical e‑discovery blind spot, despite tools that can collect and search them. Recent developments—such as the Carvana court‑ordered capability test, the Sedona Conference’s 2025 commentary, and the proposed Reconstruction‑Grade eDiscovery (RG) standard—reinforce the duty to...
New Brunswick Launches Virtual Bail Hearings in Fredericton and Woodstock Courts
New Brunswick will launch centralized virtual bail hearings in Fredericton and Woodstock starting April 9, expanding later to Moncton. The program moves all bail participants online via Microsoft Teams, freeing a courtroom that currently hosts bail hearings two days a week....
Ontario Superior Court Orders Capacity Assessment Before Medical Negligence Case Proceeds
Ontario Superior Court of Justice ordered a self‑represented plaintiff in a medical negligence lawsuit to undergo a capacity assessment. The court found sufficient evidence that the plaintiff’s physical and mental ability to manage the case was in question, satisfying the...
Income Tax Dept Opposes Benefits to Jane Street Singapore
India's Income Tax department has issued a draft assessment denying treaty benefits to Jane Street's Singapore subsidiary for FY 2023‑24. The department invoked the Multilateral Instrument‑Principal Purposes Test (MLI‑PPT) of the India‑Singapore tax treaty, alleging that the main purpose of...
Don’t Write ‘April Fools’ On Your Tax Return Or Try A Trump-Protest Stunt Because The IRS Won’t Be Laughing
The article warns taxpayers against using April Fools’ pranks or political protests—such as writing “April Fools” on a return or refusing to pay—to object to President Trump’s policies. The IRS classifies such filings as frivolous, imposing a $5,000 penalty plus interest...
Some World Cup Fans Could Be Required to Post ‘Visa Bonds’ Up to $15,000 to Enter US
The U.S. State Department has broadened its visa‑bond program to 50 nations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, requiring a security deposit of $5,000 to $15,000 for B‑1/B‑2 visa applicants. The bond, refundable if travelers depart on time, is...
&Lsquo;Seminal Cases'? Appeals Courts Confront Fake Cites in Wave of AI-Related Sanctions Orders
U.S. appellate courts are now reviewing a wave of district‑court sanctions issued against attorneys who used generative AI to insert fabricated citations in legal briefs. Judges have imposed monetary penalties and, in some cases, adverse rulings for failing to verify...
Register Now to Celebrate the Best of the Legal Industry at the May 5th Canadian Law Awards Gala
The 2026 Canadian Law Awards gala will take place on May 5 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, hosted by award‑winning journalist Farah Nasser. Lexpert and Canadian Lawyer will honor the year’s most outstanding deals, individuals, teams, and initiatives across Canada’s...
Today’s Podcast Episode: A Deep Dive on BNPL Regulation and Other “Hot” Topics with Max Dubin of the New York...
Ballard CFS Group released a new Consumer Finance Monitor podcast featuring Max Dubin, Chief of Staff to the Acting Superintendent of Banking at the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS). The conversation centers on DFS’s proposed framework to regulate...
Court Dismisses Cyber Coverage Suit over Fraudulent Wire Transfer
A federal court in Mississippi dismissed a law firm's cyber‑insurance claim after a fraudulent wire transfer of about $158,850. The firm sought coverage under a social‑engineering endorsement, but the court ruled the policy only applies when the fraud imitates an...
Georgia Passes Landmark HOA Reform To Protect Homeowners
Georgia lawmakers have passed SB 406, the Georgia Property Owners’ Bill of Rights Act, creating the state’s first formal oversight of homeowners associations. The bill mandates annual registration of HOAs with the secretary of state and bars unregistered groups from...
*NSYNC Choreographer Sues Sony Music for Letting Deadpool Dance His “Bye Bye Bye” Routine
Choreographer Darrin Henson, creator of *NSYNC’s iconic “Bye Bye Bye” dance, has filed a lawsuit against Sony Music for licensing the routine without his permission. The complaint, lodged on March 27, alleges that Sony allowed the choreography to be used in...
Bank of America Agrees $72.5M Settlement with Epstein Victims
Can someone help me answer this- how come Bank of America has to pay a settlement for sex trafficking when there has been ZERO arrests for sex trafficking? How does that work? "A federal judge gave preliminary approval for Bank of...
Creators' Rights Claim Masks Push for Economy‑Destroying Laws
This "creators bill of rights" is nothing but PR slop when the people involved are also pushing laws like KOSA and repealing Section 230, two policies that would destroy the creator economy as we know it.
Meta Caves To The MPAA Over Instagram’s Use Of ‘PG-13,’ Ending A Dispute That Was Silly From The Start
Meta has reached a settlement with the Motion Picture Association, agreeing to stop calling its Instagram Teen Account moderation "PG-13" and to add a disclaimer clarifying the distinction from movie ratings. The company will continue using the same age‑appropriate filters,...
Only 1,253 of 1.2 Million Eligible Enrolled, Study Finds
D.C. Memo: Benton Researcher Says ‘No Meaningful Opportunity’ to Know if N.Y.’s Affordable Broadband Law Is Working; Benton's Caroline Stratton found 1,253 New York households enrolled in ABA plans in 2025 based on a partial data set. About...
FCC Cracks Down on Foreign Bank Impersonation Scams
FCC Acts to Protect U.S. Consumers from Bank Impersonation Scams Linked to Suspicious Foreign Call Traffic https://t.co/4LNmknNXR0
Are Your Staff First Aid Certified? A Retailer’s Guide to Canadian Compliance
Canadian retailers face a complex web of provincial first‑aid regulations that, if ignored, can lead to steep penalties and costly injury claims. A recent CAD 100,000 (≈US 73,000) fine underscores the financial risk, while national injury costs top CAD 26 billion (≈US 19 billion) annually. Compliance...
Jeff Shell's Paramount Exit Negotiated Amid Rapid Investigation
News: Lawyers for Jeff Shell have begun discussions about his exit as President of Paramount. Contours of any future role (like "consultant" or outright ouster) will be determined by the internal investigation, which is expected to be done in a...
WSJ Urges Antitrust Crackdown on Lucrative Industry Fox Must Negotiate
Am I hallucinating or did I just read a WSJ editorial (not op-ed) calling for increasing antitrust scrutiny of a highly profitable industry. (It does happen to be one that Fox Corp. is forced to bargain with) https://t.co/L6pyj5xLJX
Compliance or Capability: Washington Forces Police to Choose
Washington’s Driver Privacy Act, which took effect this week, bars law‑enforcement use of automated license‑plate readers (ALPR) near schools, courts, food banks, places of worship, and reproductive or gender‑affirming health facilities. Though marketed as an immigration‑protection measure, the law effectively...
Tegmark Calls for Ban on Open‑Source AI
I've been in the room with Vitalik-backed Max Tegmark and United States Senators when Tegmark pounds the table demanding open source AI software be made illegal. https://t.co/vmjW8mAykb
DOJ Weighs in Favor of Pharma on 340B Dispute
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a brief backing pharmaceutical manufacturers in the ongoing 340B drug‑discount litigation. The brief argues that discounts should be calculated using the average manufacturer price rather than the lowest price, a stance that could curb...
Atlanta Prosecutor Repeatedly Cites Non-Existent Cases To Avoid Murder Retrial
Atlanta prosecutor Deborah Leslie admitted in a sworn affidavit that she used an AI tool to generate and cite nonexistent case law while arguing before the Georgia Supreme Court to block a murder retrial. The fabricated citations were part of...
Starlink's $35 Fee Challenges Broadband Affordability Goals
Question for @elonmusk: How do you expect state broadband affordability laws and the federal $42.45 billion BEAD program to succeed if you keep charging $35 for a monthly a @Starlink plan? https://t.co/NqXTOLBbYQ
Lawyers Move to Block US Deportations to Uganda Amid Reports Flight en Route
The Uganda Law Society and the East Africa Law Society have filed a court injunction to stop a controversial deportation arrangement between the United States and Uganda after reports that a private aircraft would deliver a dozen individuals to Entebbe...
Circle Acts After Courts; Hackers Moved $300M Unchecked
Circle does blacklist addresses, but only after legal processes ⚖️ Meanwhile, hackers ran $300M through CCTP unchecked. ~ @omeragoldberg https://t.co/DpFazTNV4V
EEOC Sues Butterball for Firing Employee Undergoing Cancer Treatment
The EEOC has filed a lawsuit against Butterball, alleging the turkey‑processor fired a long‑tenured employee undergoing breast‑cancer treatment after improperly handling her leave request through third‑party administrator Voya Financial. The employee, Marie Marc, reported her diagnosis in August 2023, but...
Circle Acts Only When Legally Compelled, Leaving Billions Unchecked
Circle historically only moves when legally forced ⚖️ Otherwise? Reluctant to act. That’s billions in stolen crypto left unchecked. ~ @omeragoldberg https://t.co/DpFazTNV4V
Arkema: Statement About the Number of Shares and Voting Rights in Compliance With the Article L.233-8 II of the French...
Arkema filed a regulatory notice on March 31, 2026 detailing its capital structure in compliance with French Commercial Code article L.233‑8 II and AMF article 223‑16. The company reported 76,060,831 outstanding shares and a total of 95,361,133 voting rights, of which 94,966,115 are held...
EEOC Sues Trucking Firm for Allegedly Refusing to Hire Women Drivers
On March 31, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a federal lawsuit against Central Transport, LLC, alleging the trucking carrier has systematically refused to hire female drivers since 2016. The complaint details multiple incidents at terminals nationwide, including Phoenix, Detroit and...