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
AAFA Claims CalRecycle’s Selection of Landbell USA Fails to Uphold Statutory Requirements
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) filed a petition in Sacramento Superior Court challenging CalRecycle’s February selection of Landbell USA as the producer‑responsibility organization (PRO) under California’s new Responsible Textile Recovery Act (SB 707). AAFA alleges Landbell violates statutory requirements because it is not a producer‑formed 501(c)(3) nonprofit, lacks a diverse governing board, and has insufficient financial controls. CalRecycle chose Landbell over the Circular Textile Alliance and the Textile Renewal Alliance, both of which meet the law’s criteria. AAFA seeks a writ of mandate to vacate the approval and force a reevaluation before upcoming registration deadlines.
Illinois Hospital Sued Over Vaccine Mandate
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Silver Cross Hospital for refusing a religious accommodation request from a surgical technologist who declined the COVID‑19 vaccine. The employee asked for an exemption in August 2021; the hospital denied the request and terminated...
FDA Signals Possible Approval of Peptides and Novel Ingredients in Supplements
The Food and Drug Administration indicated it could broaden the definition of permissible dietary supplement ingredients, potentially allowing peptides, novel probiotics and other non‑food substances. The move follows a public meeting convened at the request of the Natural Products Association...
Judge Blocks Nexstar's $6.2 Billion Tegna Deal, Halting TV‑Station Giant
A federal judge has issued a 14‑day temporary restraining order on Nexstar Media Group's $6.2 billion purchase of Tegna, stopping the creation of a broadcast entity that would control 260 stations and reach about 60% of U.S. households. The injunction follows...
Albany Diocese Reaches $148 Million Agreement With Abuse Survivors Committee
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany agreed to fund a $148 million settlement for clergy‑abuse claims, pending approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and a survivor vote. The 126 parishes will contribute $50 million, while the diocese and its affiliates cover the...
A Florida Hospital Drops Its Lawsuit Against a Woman Who Refused to Leave the Facility
Florida’s Tallahassee Memorial Hospital withdrew a lawsuit it filed to evict a former patient who remained in room 373 for months after her October discharge. The hospital had sought a court injunction and sheriff assistance, arguing the occupied room strained...
The Bahamas Updates Its Maritime Regulatory Framework
The Bahamas will enact a comprehensive suite of Merchant Shipping Regulations on April 1, 2026, modernizing its maritime legal framework. The rules consolidate registration, fees, marine safety investigations, inspections, seafarer standards, and yacht regulations while aligning with IMO conventions. They...
A Major Change May Be in the Works for Your 401(k)’s Oversight
The U.S. Department of Labor is signaling a shift away from relying on court cases to enforce ERISA duties, a practice known as “regulation by litigation.” 401(k) lawsuits have climbed from 49 in 2023 to 69 in 2025, driven largely...
ExposeIQ Unveils AI‑Human Platform for Live Deposition Analysis
ExposeIQ introduced a litigation platform that blends artificial intelligence with mandatory human verification to deliver live deposition insights within 30‑60 seconds. The tool promises to shave 50‑70 hours of manual review from each case, giving trial teams a measurable strategic...
Caster Semenya Slams IOC Chief over New Olympic Gender Test, Calls Policy a "Disrespect for Women"
South African double Olympic champion Caster Semenya publicly condemned IOC President Kirsty Coventry's new eligibility rule that limits women's events to "biological females" via a one‑time SRY gene test. Semenya called the measure "nonsense" and a "disrespect for women," warning...
PTAB Upholds Seer's Nano‑Particle Protein Enrichment Patent, Securing 23 Claims
The U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board affirmed 23 claims of Seer Inc.'s U.S. Patent No. 11,435,360 B2, preserving the core of its nano‑ and micro‑particle protein enrichment technology. The decision thwarts a challenge by Bruker subsidiaries PreOmics GmbH and...
The Government Can Take Your Blood. Can It Take Your Thoughts?
Meta’s $799 wristband, released last fall, reads electrical signals in the wrist to infer a user’s intended gesture before the hand moves, turning thought into device input. The technology revives a longstanding Fifth Amendment debate about where the body ends...
Stablecon Launches First Policy Council of Stablecoin Experts
I'm excited to announce our inaugural @TheStablecon Policy Council: 🧠 @JoAnnBarefoot of @AIRinnovate 🧠@ChrisBrummerDr of @blupryntco and @Georgetown 🧠@CodyCarboneDC of @DigitalChamber 🧠@ccatalini of @MITSloan 🧠@_jikim of @crypto_council 🧠@Amanda_S_Wick of @AWICglobal 🧠And Stablecon's Head of Policy, Justin Friedman. These are current and former regulators, founders,...
BSP to Expand Credit Exposure Reporting
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced plans to broaden its Comprehensive Credit and Equity Exposures Report (COCREE) to cover non‑bank financial institutions, including savings‑loan associations, credit‑card firms, and government‑linked lenders. Reporting for the newly covered entities will begin for...
GlobalFoundries Sues Tower Semiconductor for Patent Infringement
GlobalFoundries filed two patent infringement lawsuits against Israel‑based Tower Semiconductor, alleging violation of 11 patents covering analog, radio‑frequency and silicon‑photonics manufacturing processes. The complaints were lodged with the U.S. International Trade Commission and the Western District of Texas, seeking injunctions...
German CRD VI Implementing Act Published in the Federal Gazette
On 30 March 2026 Germany published the Banking Directive Implementation and Bureaucracy Relief Act (BRUBEG), transposing the EU’s CRD VI into national law. The act introduces new market‑access rules for third‑country credit institutions, tighter notification and approval thresholds for bank M&A, and enhanced...
Fourth Circuit Overturns Class Certification of 401(k) Plan Investment Loss Case
The Fourth Circuit reversed a district court ruling that had certified a class action against Genworth Financial over alleged underperformance of BlackRock target‑date funds in 401(k) plans. The appellate court held that Rule 23(b)(1) cannot be used for defined‑contribution plans because...
Stay Calm, Call Police, Get Info, Support Child
What should you do if your kid was on a school bus when an accident occurred ?
Arbitrators, High-Profile Expungement Firm Square Off Over ‘Defamatory’ Award
A FINRA arbitration panel accused Peter Lindholm of HLBS Law of lying about his client Yvan Cao’s availability, labeling the conduct defamatory and recommending referral to licensing authorities. HLBS and its founder Owen Harnett have formally requested that FINRA correct...
Under Pressure, LexisNexis Integrates Anthropic Legal AI
LexisNexis swiftly integrated Anthropic’s Claude legal plugin into its Protégé platform within weeks, leveraging early access and dedicated "tiger teams" to stay ahead of AI disruption. The company adopted a coopetition model, using Anthropic’s technology while relying on its century‑old...
LTC4 Launches Milestone ‘Working with AI’ Core Competency
LTC4, the nonprofit legal‑technology training organization, has introduced a new core competency called “Working with AI.” Developed with input from lawyers, IT professionals and adoption specialists, the program outlines standards for AI literacy, workflow integration, oversight, and ethics. Firms can...
Sumsub and Approvely Unite on Identity and Payments
Sumsub, a global verification and anti‑fraud platform, has partnered with Approvely to embed its KYC and AML screening directly into Approvely’s payments and risk‑management stack. The integration gives gaming merchants a single, compliant path from identity verification to transaction processing...
Delaware Judge Reassigns Musk Cases After LinkedIn Row
A Delaware Court of Chancery judge stepped aside from several high‑profile lawsuits involving Elon Musk after the billionaire posted a contentious comment on LinkedIn. The judge’s recusal prompted the court to reassign the cases to a different chancellor, resetting procedural...
CRD VI Implementation – Germany Video
The European Union’s Capital Requirements Directive VI (CRD VI) is now being harmonised across the EEA, reshaping how third‑country banks access the EU market. Germany’s existing BRUBEG regime is already stringent, and the new rules will curb individual waivers that conflict with...
SEC Semiannual Reporting Plan Advances to White House for Review
The SEC’s semiannual reporting proposal has been forwarded to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget for review, clearing a key procedural hurdle. After OMB clearance, the commission can vote to release the draft and solicit public comment, followed...
MeitY Proposes To Make Advisories Legally Binding For Social Media Platforms
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has proposed amendments to the 2021 IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, making government advisories legally binding for social media platforms such as Meta, Google and X. Platforms must...
Tariff Refunds: Court Expands Scope to Include Finally Liquidated Entries
The U.S. Court of International Trade broadened a prior order, directing Customs and Border Protection to refund tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for all import entries, including those already finally liquidated. The amendment follows the...
Landmark US Verdict Against Meta and YouTube Signals New Risk for Influencer Marketing
An LA jury found Meta and YouTube (Google) intentionally designed addictive platforms, awarding $6 million to a plaintiff who alleged childhood mental‑health harm. The verdict assigned 70 % of liability to Meta and 30 % to Google, citing features like infinite scroll and...
Spotting Fake Trademark Renewal Scams: A Quick Guide
Time to renew your trademark before it's too late?! Slow down and check that the trademark renewal isn't a scam. Here's what I received a few days ago, and how I figured out it wasn't legit: https://t.co/HDUOjUwIo1 #scams #spam #trademark...
Belgium: (Tele-)work Performed Simultaneously Within the European Economic Area – What Changes with the Moguntia Ruling?
The Court of Justice of the EU’s Moguntia ruling clarifies that all professional activities, even those performed outside the EU, must be considered when determining the applicable social‑security legislation for employees working across Member States. The decision directly challenges the...
CME Group Imposes $145k Fine on Oil Brokerage
CME Group announced a $145,000 fine against Oil Brokerage Ltd for failing to report block trades and provide accurate trade details between November 2024 and July 2025. The violations involved a wide range of energy contracts, including propane, butane, gasoline,...
In the Loop: The Feds Will See You Now
The Federal Trade Commission, under Chairman Andrew Ferguson, has launched a new healthcare task‑force aimed at tightening antitrust oversight of the sector. The unit will focus on merger reviews, pricing practices, and data‑driven market analyses. Private equity and hedge fund...
Trump to Take First Steps in Opening Retirement Funds to Private Markets
The Trump administration announced its first steps toward allowing retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs to invest in private‑market assets, including private equity and venture capital. The proposal would amend Department of Labor fiduciary rules, aiming to broaden investment...
Vermont Passes House Bill 649 Impacting RRG Investments and Cell Funding
Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed House Bill 649, a statewide captive insurance update that bars risk retention groups (RRGs) from extending loans or making investments in their member‑owners or affiliates. The law also mandates quarterly financial statement filings for RRGs,...
EU Council Adopts Relaxed CO₂ Targets for HGV Manufacturers
The EU Council has endorsed a revised CO₂ compliance framework for heavy‑duty vehicle manufacturers, replacing the linear reduction curve with a “staircase” approach. Under the new rule, the 15% emissions cut required for 2025 will remain in force through 2029,...
Lubricants, Wholesaler Groups Talk EPR Lawsuits
The Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA) filed a lawsuit in Colorado challenging the state’s new extended producer responsibility (EPR) law that imposes a 56‑cent‑per‑gallon fee on packaged lubricants. The suit argues the fee and associated compliance costs cripple small manufacturers...
Monday Memo: “Tell Me What Happened”
Personal injury attorneys face a paradox: injuries happen constantly, yet the market is flooded with lawyers, creating an oversupply that outstrips demand. Most firms rely on interchangeable billboards and TV spots promising six‑figure settlements, resulting in a noisy, undifferentiated advertising...
Zeidler Advises on UCITS Eligibility for Structured Notes
Zeidler Group has highlighted the regulatory hurdles UCITS funds face when seeking exposure to structured debt securities, noting that eligibility must align with Article 50(1) of the UCITS Directive and the Eligible Assets Directive. The firm recently guided a Luxembourg‑based...
Global Regulation Round-Up: PRI Calls for Clarity in Korea’s Sustainability Disclosure Plans
Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) has urged South Korean authorities to provide clearer guidance on upcoming sustainability disclosure requirements. The call comes as Japan launches its first mandatory emissions trading scheme, covering power generators and heavy industry. Meanwhile, New Zealand has...
Nexstar TRO Questions DOJ’s Presumption of Regularity
In light of the #Nexstar TRO it is worth asking how much the death of the "presumption of regularity" is hitting DoJ generally -- including antitrust. If NXSTR banked on DoJ seal of approval, is that going to backfire?
Textron Aviation Secures Summary Judgment
Textron Aviation, a subsidiary of industrial conglomerate Textron, secured a summary judgment that dismissed a lawsuit filed by more than 400 owners of its Cessna TTx aircraft. The plaintiffs alleged cosmetic window cracking and claimed breaches of express and implied...
IRS IRIS System: What Filers Must Do Before 2027
The IRS will retire the legacy FIRE system on December 31 2026, making the newer Information Returns Intake System (IRIS) mandatory for all 1099 and 1042‑S filings. IRIS, live since 2023, offers real‑time validation and multiple submission routes, from a web portal...
Zimbabweans Openly Back Amendment Bill, Minority Voices Heard
Law-Making at its best…. In many jurisdictions, only parliamentarians participate in debating proposed laws… Zimbabweans are FREELY giving their views in FULL SUPPORT of the Amendment Bill (3). Even the dissenting MINORITY is participating in this process… https://t.co/Y4c2APsXYg
AI Risks, Gifting Strategies, Estate Planning for Advisers
🆕 Adviser links: gifting business interests, common estate planning questions, and how AI can interfere with a client-adviser relationship. https://t.co/2RIWP8oFsu chart: https://t.co/v0NmNP4knY https://t.co/rcAIkfpp3A
An Employer’s Guide to Neonatal Care Leave and Pay
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023, effective April 2025, gives employees a statutory right to neonatal care leave (NCL) and, where eligible, neonatal care pay (NCP). Employees earn one week of NCL for each uninterrupted week their newborn...
Global Trade Compliance Is Under Strain. Execution Models Must Evolve
Global trade compliance is shifting from a downstream checkpoint to an integral part of supply‑chain execution as enforcement tightens and sanctions screening expands. New regulations increase the risk of costly border delays, prompting firms to embed compliance directly into transaction...
Sri Lanka Building Data Minimization Into Digital ID to Protect Privacy
Sri Lanka is set to launch its first digital ID, SL‑UDI, later this year, embedding data minimization and purpose limitation at the core of the system. The platform uses role‑based access controls, encryption, immutable audit logs, and secure API integrations...
Gender Pay Gap Reporting – Lessons Learned and What Comes Next
In this episode, host Robert Shaw talks with pay‑gap strategist Michelle Jimmer about the evolving landscape of gender pay gap reporting in the UK, including upcoming requirements under the Employment Rights Act 2025. They explore common pitfalls—such as treating data...
Departure of Justice
Harry Litman hosts a panel with former DOJ officials Paul Fishman and Stacey Young, plus reporter Evan Perez, to dissect the Department of Justice’s recent controversies. The discussion spotlights the agency’s aggressive tactics in the Minnesota investigations and a series...
The State Of Stablecoin In Japan
Japan’s first regulated yen‑pegged stablecoin, JPYC, launched in October 2025 after the 2023 revision of the Payment Services Act. Operating under a Type II funds‑transfer license, JPYC can issue and redeem up to ¥1 million (≈US$6,700) per user daily and targets roughly ¥10 trillion...