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
Hong Kong’s MPFA Proposes Raising MPF Income Thresholds to HK$10,500 Min and HK$40,000 Max
Hong Kong’s Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) has proposed raising the MPF income thresholds, moving the minimum from HK$7,100 to HK$10,500 (about $1,340) and the maximum from HK$30,000 to HK$40,000 (about $5,120) per month. The statutory 5% contribution rate would lift the monthly cap on employer and employee contributions from HK$1,500 to HK$2,000 (approximately $256), adding $500 more per month for high‑earners. About 78,000 employees earning at or below the new minimum would be exempt from mandatory contributions, ending a 12‑13‑year freeze on thresholds. While employee groups welcome the change, employers warn the higher cap could strain payroll budgets as the MPFA reviews the proposal for a mid‑2026 government submission.
CFTC Chief Miller Vows Crackdown on Insider Trading in Prediction Markets
CFTC enforcement chief David Miller announced a new enforcement drive against insider trading on prediction‑market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket. He pledged to hire additional staff, pursue civil and criminal cases, and roll out a streamlined cooperation policy, signaling...
Global Law Firms Standardise Around Esperantogix, a Single Platform for DMS, PMS, CMS, Email, Etc
Global law firms have jointly committed to a self‑built legal‑tech platform called Esperantogix, aiming to replace a patchwork of 14 separate tools for document, practice, and case management as well as email. The new system promises to reduce password fatigue...
The New Competitive Advantage
Regulatory maturity has become a differentiator for UK fintech firms, turning compliance into a growth catalyst. Companies that embed strong governance, operational resilience, and anti‑financial‑crime controls are scaling faster and attracting capital, with the UK capturing over a third of...
I Got Cease and Desisted. Now I Need Your Help.
Employment attorney Eric Meyer received a cease‑and‑desist letter demanding he stop using the blog name “The Employer Handbook.” After reviewing the claim, he decided to comply and began exploring alternative names, even soliciting suggestions from his readership. He considered several...
Change of Company Secretary
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners plc announced that Svetlana Walker will assume the roles of General Counsel and Company Secretary effective 1 April 2026, succeeding Clare Wardle. Walker arrives with more than two decades of international legal and compliance experience, most recently...
Book Review: Actionable Guidance on Business Development for Solo and Small Firm Lawyers
“Connections: Actionable Guidance on Solo Practice and Small Law Firm Business Development,” authored by Meranda Vieyra and published by the ABA, delivers a step‑by‑step business‑development playbook for solo practitioners and small‑firm attorneys. Drawing on more than two decades of legal...
Punjab and Haryana HC Orders Quarterly DPC Meetings to Safeguard Promotion Rights
The Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the state to convene Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meetings every three months, emphasizing that employees’ right to be considered for promotion is a constitutional guarantee. The ruling arose from a petition by a...
Stanford University Wins Battle to Keep Diaries of Mao Zedong's Secretary
A California court ruled that Stanford University’s Hoover Institution lawfully owns the diaries of Li Rui, former secretary to Mao Zedong, affirming his wish to keep the papers outside China. The collection, donated by Li’s daughter, spans 1938 to 2019...
Online, Off-Campus Hate Speech: Treating Public University Grad Students Like High Schoolers Is Problematic
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals is reviewing whether the University of Florida can discipline graduate‑student Preston Damsky for anti‑Semitic posts made off‑campus on X. A divided panel previously stayed a lower‑court injunction, allowing the university to proceed with expulsion,...
CII: Companies Should Disclose State Action that Weakens Shareholder Protections
The Council of Institutional Investors (CII) released updated corporate governance policies in March, inserting a new provision that requires boards to disclose when a jurisdiction weakens shareholder protections. The rule mandates a review of the specific standard weakened, analysis of...
Maine Lobsterman Asks US Supreme Court to Weigh in on GPS Monitoring Rule
Maine regulators mandated minute‑by‑minute GPS devices on every commercial lobster vessel in 2023, enabling 24/7 location tracking even when boats are docked. Five lobstermen, led by Frank Thompson, sued, claiming the rule violates their Fourth Amendment rights and constitutes invasive...
Agency Faces ‘£100,000’ Legal Costs From Mail and Telegraph over £200 Pictures Claim
A UK news agency, Central European News (CEN), is being sued by The Daily Mail and The Telegraph for failing to pay fees for two images, each valued at less than £200 (≈$250). The publishers have incurred roughly £100,000 (≈$125,000)...
EDRi-Gram, 1 April 2026
The European Parliament rushed a vote on the AI Omnibus proposal, accelerating a deregulation trajectory that critics say erodes safeguards for high‑risk AI systems. At the same time, legislators approved a controversial Deportation Regulation that would give the EU powers...
Your Employment Rights Don't Disappear With Documentation
The blog debunks the myth that employment rights depend on immigration paperwork, explaining that federal statutes such as the FLSA, OSHA, Title VII, and the NLRA protect all workers who perform labor, regardless of status. It outlines wage‑and‑hour guarantees, safety standards,...
CBN Begins Virtual Asset Anti-Money Laundering Supervision, Names Paystack, Flutterwave for Pilot
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has launched an anti‑money‑laundering, counter‑terrorism financing pilot targeting a select group of virtual asset service providers (VASPs). The pilot includes prominent fintechs such as Paystack, Flutterwave, KuCoin and others, and will require monthly AML/CFT...
Codified Strategy
Codified Strategy offers technology strategy, implementation, fractional CTO, and compliance services to law firms, barristers’ chambers, and in‑house legal teams at a fraction of Big 4 fees. Its portfolio includes road‑mapping, practice‑management system selection, AI policy, AML and cybersecurity guidance, plus...
Congress Quizzes Private Credit Firms Including Blackstone and Ares
Congressional Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee have issued formal inquiries to leading private‑credit firms such as Blackstone, Ares Management, KKR, Carlyle, Apollo, Blue Owl and BlackRock. The questions target fund marketing, valuation methods, fee structures, leverage levels, incentive...
Guidance: Redress of Individual Grievances: Service Complaints (JSP 831)
JSP 831, the Ministry of Defence’s guidance on redressing individual service complaints, has been refreshed several times since its 2012 debut, most recently on 1 April 2026. The latest revision incorporates the newly established Office of the Armed Forces Commissioner and adds an...
Composer’s Heirs Sue the Pants Off New Jeans
The heirs of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius have sued a budget retailer for using his portrait and the slogan “The price is music to my ears” in a new‑jeans advertising campaign. The estate claims the ad infringes on their trademark...
Barristers Push for Government to Keep Its Promise over Specialist Rape Courts
Barristers, led by the Bar Council and Criminal Bar Association, have tabled amendments to the Courts and Tribunals Bill demanding specialist rape courts for bail defendants. They argue that prioritising sexual assault and domestic‑abuse cases in a dedicated jury‑based court...
Estate Agents Accuse Rightmove of Charging Excessive Fees
Estate agents have launched a class‑action against Rightmove, alleging the portal’s subscription fees have more than doubled and now total roughly $1.9 billion in claimed damages. The claim, filed in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, accuses Rightmove of abusing its dominant market...
Autonomous Driving in Switzerland: Regulation, Pilots, and Why Chinese Players Chose Swiss Roads
In this episode of Autonomy Insiders, Oliver Nahon, Director of Operations at the Swiss Association for Autonomous Mobility (SAM), explains why autonomous vehicles are a strategic priority for Switzerland’s saturated transport system and outlines the country’s pioneering regulatory framework that...
£1.5 Million Recovered for SMEs by Small Business Commissioner
The Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) helped small firms recover more than £1.5 million (about $1.9 million) in overdue payments through its free enquiry service. Funded with an annual budget of £1.23 million (roughly $1.6 million) by the Department for Business and...
How Lawyers Protect Your Rights After Vehicle Collisions
After a vehicle collision, early steps determine claim success and recovery. In the Bronx, where traffic density raises accident risk, car accident attorneys provide localized expertise, guiding victims through investigations, insurance negotiations, and compensation calculations. Lawyers conduct thorough evidence gathering,...
LAC Overturns Interdict: CCMA to Decide Whether Section 188A(11) Jurisdictional Requirements Exist
The Labour Appeal Court (LAC) set aside an urgent interdict, ruling that the Labour Court overstepped by assessing jurisdiction for a section 188A(11) pre‑dismissal arbitration. The LAC clarified that only the CCMA can determine whether the four statutory elements—protected disclosure, good...
Eight Years in the Making – ETH Is a Commodity
On March 17, 2026 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued a joint interpretation formally classifying Ethereum (ETH) as a commodity. The guidance resolves years of regulatory uncertainty, shifting ETH and fifteen other major...
How AI, Digital Doubles and New Laws Are Rewriting Fashion and Beauty
Artificial intelligence has moved from hype to a core production tool in fashion, apparel and beauty, powering everything from recommendation engines to virtual try‑on and synthetic model creation. Brands are attracted by AI’s ability to cut costs, speed creative cycles...
CBN Gives Banks 21 Days to Grade Their Cyber Defences
Nigeria's central bank has issued a circular requiring banks, fintechs and other financial institutions to complete a new Cybersecurity Self‑Assessment Tool (CSAT) within 21 days for deposit banks and five weeks for other entities. The move follows a surge in...
‘A Firm Like Ours Will Never Replace Lawyers with AI' - but Goughs' IT Chief Has His Ear to the...
Goughs, a 130‑person family‑law firm in Wiltshire, accelerated its digital overhaul during the pandemic but now regrets not moving faster to the cloud. Partner‑lawyer Ross Phillips, who also heads IT, has built a modest tech stack using managed services, legal...
Silicon Valley Denies Social Media Addiction Trial Reality
'We're having a moment' - fear and denial in Silicon Valley over social media addiction trial https://t.co/XOuqSvxrap https://t.co/Q6xO3sWpxB
Virginia Appellate Court Invalidates Zoning Permits For Data Processing Center Next To Manassas
A Virginia Court of Appeals has invalidated the permits for the Prince William Digital Gateway, a proposed massive data processing center adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park. The court found the county failed to properly post public notice for the...
NinjaTrader Implements Adclear AI Finprom Marketing Compliance Platform
London‑based Adclear has partnered with retail futures platform NinjaTrader to embed its AI‑driven financial promotions compliance engine into NinjaTrader’s marketing workflow. The integration will automatically scan both NinjaTrader‑produced content and influencer‑generated posts, flagging regulatory breaches and cutting review time by...
DOJ F-Ups: Michael Flynn, Minnesota, and ICE
The Justice Department settled a lawsuit with former Trump aide Michael Flynn, paying $1.25 million to resolve claims he was wrongly prosecuted. Minnesota filed a suit accusing the DOJ and DHS of blocking state investigators from accessing evidence in the Renee...
Exclusive: Draftable Makes First Move Outside of Comparison with Draftable Clean
Draftable, known for its document comparison solution, has launched Draftable Clean, a metadata‑cleaning tool aimed at law firms. The new desktop and Outlook add‑in automatically strips comments, author details, and revision history before emails are sent. The product integrates with...
Louisiana May Broaden University Public Records Exemptions
The Louisiana Senate passed Senate Bill 289 with a 36‑2 vote, moving it to the House. The bill would exempt public universities from disclosing executive‑level job applications, donor identities, and certain proprietary research until specific conditions are met. Finalists’ applications...
Cooley Maintains Top Rankings in Global M&A and Private Equity
Cooley’s global M&A and private‑equity practices retained top positions in Bloomberg’s Q1 2026 league tables. The firm ranked #1 worldwide in both life‑science and technology deal counts, #3 overall M&A, and #2 in private‑equity transactions. It advised on high‑profile deals...
Meta’s Ray-Ban Glasses Face Investigation in Kenya
Kenya's data protection authority launched an investigation into Meta's Ray‑Ban smart glasses over allegations that footage, including sensitive personal moments, is reviewed by human contractors, raising privacy concerns echoed in the US and UK. In Nigeria, persistent naira volatility—fluctuating around...
Just over Half of Students Pass Latest SQE1 Sitting
The Solicitors Regulation Authority reported a 53% overall pass rate for the January 2026 SQE1 exam, up from a record low of 41% in July 2025. First‑time candidates performed better, with a 58% pass rate, while the two component papers...
April’s Employment Law Shake-Up: What HR Needs to Do Right Now
The UK government is launching its largest employment‑law overhaul in a generation, effective 6 April 2026. Statutory Sick Pay will be payable from day one with no earnings threshold, and paternity and parental leave become immediate rights for new hires. Redundancy consultation...
UBS Receives Reassuring Signals From Swiss Parliament
Swiss parliamentarians have informally assured UBS that the government’s proposed "too‑big‑to‑fail" capital hike will be softened. The Federal Council’s draft would force UBS to raise roughly $22 billion in capital, a figure the bank argues threatens its competitiveness. Lawmakers indicated a...
SEBI Algo Trading Norms Kick in Today: 2FA, Audit Trails for Brokers Now Mandatory
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has activated new algorithmic trading regulations, requiring brokers to maintain comprehensive audit trails for every automated trade. Mandatory two‑factor authentication, password‑expiry policies, and daily auto‑logout must secure API access. The rules also...
Australian Regulator Imposes Additional Licence Conditions on Fiducian
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has imposed additional licence conditions on Fiducian Portfolio Services Limited after a thematic review flagged weaknesses in its investment governance and board oversight. Fiducian, which oversees roughly 9,800 member accounts and about $2 billion USD...
India Grandfathered Gains From Investments Made Before April 2017
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced that gains from investments made before 1 April 2017 are exempt from the General Anti‑Avoidance Rule (GAAR). The amendment to Rule 128 of the Income‑Tax Rules, 2026, creates a clear cut‑off, applying GAAR only to...
Perplexity AI Accused of Embedding ‘Undetectable’ Trackers for Secretly Routing Sensitive User Data to Meta and Google
Perplexity AI is confronting a proposed class‑action lawsuit that alleges the startup embedded undetectable trackers in its search engine, routing user conversations—including those entered in Incognito mode—to Meta and Google. The complaint, filed by a Utah resident, claims the data...
Kmart, Shein Sued by Aussie Fashion Label Sabo Skirt for Allegedly Ripping Off Designs
Australian label Sabo Skirt has filed a Federal Court lawsuit against Shein, Kmart and 14 other retailers, accusing them of copying dozens of its designs. The claim alleges infringement across 36 distinct patterns, with Shein specifically targeted for six items and...
Letting Agents to Offer ‘Pet Interviews’ Under New Law
From 1 May 2026 tenants in the private rented sector can legally request to keep pets, and landlords must not refuse unreasonably. The new legislation prompts letting agents to add “pet interviews” to their vetting process, assessing temperament and gathering veterinary references....
EU Extends Iran Sanctions, Citing Human Rights Concerns
The European Union announced on March 30 that it will extend its sanctions regime against Iran until April 13, 2027, citing persistent human‑rights violations. The package adds travel bans, asset freezes and a prohibition on exporting equipment that could be...
In Hawaii Trial, Navy Fights Claim of Ongoing Fuel Spill Risk
The U.S. Navy faces a federal trial over alleged ongoing petroleum discharges from pipelines at Pearl Harbor, stemming from the 2021 Red Hill fuel spill that contaminated Oahu’s water supply. Plaintiffs, led by the Wai Ola Alliance, argue that the Navy’s...
Judge Rejects Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner’s Request to Keep Sex Tape Settlement Private
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Steven A. Ellis rejected Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner's motion to seal most of their 2023 settlement with Ray J, allowing the agreement's terms to become public except for a partially redacted bank account number. The...