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
Indonesia: Balancing Screen Time and Safety for Child Well-Being
Indonesia’s child‑rights watchdog KPAI is urging the government to rigorously enforce the upcoming PP Tunas online‑safety rules, slated for full effect in March 2026. The regulation will compel digital platforms to adopt age‑appropriate design, restrict users under 16 on high‑risk social media, and meet stricter reporting and moderation standards. Simultaneously, the “One Quality Hour with Family” campaign promotes daily gadget‑free time to reinforce parental oversight. Together, legal safeguards and household habits aim to curb exposure to harmful content and exploitation.
Meta and Google Ordered to Pay $3M for Child Addiction
Instagram and YouTube were found liable by a jury for their product design that damaged the mental health of a child who became addicted to the platforms. Meta and Google must pay $3M, in what is the first of thousands of...
EPA Proposes to Extend Compliance Dates for PCE and CTC TSCA Risk Management Rules
The EPA announced a proposal to extend the compliance deadlines for the 2024 TSCA risk‑management rules covering perchloroethylene (PCE) and carbon tetrachloride (CTC). For non‑federal entities, initial monitoring would move to June 21, 2027, with key milestones in September and December 2027. The...
USPTO Grants Trademarks on First‑Come, First‑Served Basis
the USPTO doesn't care how long you've been using your name. first come, first served for them. just saying.
Judge Grants Zaglin Request For A Federal Prisoner To Appear As A Witness During Hearing On A New Trial
In September 2025 Carl Zaglin was convicted of FCPA violations and sentenced to eight years in federal prison. He has filed a motion for a new trial, alleging that co‑defendant Aldo Marchena discussed lying about Zaglin while incarcerated at FDC...
MHRA’s Tallon on the Tall Order of Boosting the U.K. as a Destination for Clinical Trials
Lawrence Tallon, the MHRA chief, is set to oversee the launch of the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 on April 28, 2026. The amendment represents the most extensive overhaul of U.K. clinical‑trial rules in two decades, targeting faster approval,...
Kenya Dispatch: Electoral Commission Pushes Back Against Court Bid to Force District Boundary Review Before 2027 Polls
Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) asked the High Court to dismiss a petition seeking a pre‑2027 electoral boundary review. The commission argues a full delimitation needs at least two years and must be completed 12 months before elections,...
FKA Twigs Is Suing Shia LaBeouf Over ‘Illegal’ NDA
FKA Twigs has filed a new lawsuit against Shia LaBeouf, claiming the nondisclosure agreement (NDA) she signed to settle a 2020 sexual‑abuse case is illegal under California's STAND Act. The complaint seeks a court declaration that the NDA is unenforceable, without requesting...
Driving Home the Point – Accommodating Employee Commutes
Employers are increasingly confronted with requests for commuting accommodations under the ADA, a trend amplified after COVID‑19. Recent appellate decisions—Charter Communications (7th Cir., 2023) and Tudor v. Whitehall (2d Cir., 2025)—hold that schedule adjustments can satisfy disability‑related commute challenges. The EEOC’s February 2026...
Oracle Secures Disproportionate Power on Trump’s PCAST Council
The announcement of Trump's PCAST council looks like a who's who of Silicon Valley, Zuckerberg, Huang, Brin, Su. But the most surprising detail to me: Oracle has two seats at a 13-person table. Larry Ellison and Safra Catz give Oracle more...
7 Employer Tips For Handling Calif. Privacy Risk Assessments
California employers must now meet the California Consumer Privacy Act’s (CCPA) risk assessment mandate, which requires a systematic review of personal data practices. Law360 outlines seven practical steps, including data mapping, privacy impact analyses, vendor oversight, employee training, documentation, continuous...
Canadian Regulator Secretly Threatens Banks Over Risky Mortgages Ahead of 2027
Canada’s banking regulator OSFI has moved from informal concerns to formal legal warnings that major banks may be breaching the Bank Act by using stale, blanket appraisals for pre‑construction mortgages. The watchdog cites rising default risk as new‑home prices are...
Harming Species
The Trump administration has proposed repealing the Endangered Species Act’s definition of “harm,” effectively removing the federal prohibition on habitat destruction for listed species. A recent study by Berry Brosi and colleagues shows that 42.4% of known habitat patches for...
Congress Advances Plan To Crack Down on Crime in DC
Congress passed the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission bill, combining intensified law‑enforcement, immigration enforcement, and city‑wide beautification initiatives. The measure cleared the House 218‑206 along party lines and follows President Donald Trump’s executive order to spend roughly $2 billion...
CMS Considers New Ownership and Identity Verification Requirements for Medicare-Enrolled Providers and Suppliers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Request for Information seeking feedback on proposed rules that would tighten ownership and identity verification for Medicare‑enrolled providers and suppliers. The agency is weighing a citizenship or permanent‑resident requirement for...
Insurance Coverage for Emerging AI and Social Media Liabilities
A Delaware court denied Meta coverage under its Commercial General Liability policy for thousands of lawsuits alleging that Facebook and Instagram were intentionally designed to foster addiction and mental‑health harms. The judge applied a narrow definition of “occurrence,” concluding that...
Luxembourg Financial Services Regulator CSSF Updates Its Position on Crypto-Assets in Investment Funds: What Has Changed Since 2022?
The Luxembourg regulator CSSF issued a revised FAQ on 4 February 2026, fully aligning its crypto‑asset rules with the EU Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCAR) and replacing the term “virtual assets” with “crypto‑assets.” For UCITS, indirect exposure to crypto‑assets remains allowed up...
Meta and YouTube Lose Landmark Social Media Trial
In this WSJ "What's News" episode, Alex Oselev reports on a landmark California jury verdict finding Meta and YouTube negligent for designs that harm children, ordering $6 million in damages and highlighting the potential erosion of Section 230 protections. The show also...
AI Legal Risks Abound Despite Trump’s Push for Federal Policy
Companies deploying AI-driven human resources tools face mounting legal exposure despite the Trump administration’s push for a federal AI regulatory framework. Even if Congress preempts state AI statutes, firms remain vulnerable to discrimination lawsuits under existing civil rights laws when...
Managing Injury and Lineup Information as Employers in the New Age of Legal Sports Betting
The expansion of legal sports betting across U.S. states is turning player injury and lineup data into high‑value, nonpublic information. Teams and universities now face heightened legal and compliance scrutiny when handling that data, as regulators view leaks as potential...
What Is the IRS Penalty for Failing to File a Tax Return?
The IRS imposes a failure‑to‑file penalty of 5% of unpaid taxes for each month a return is late, capping at 25% after five months, with daily‑compounded interest added on top. Filing even after the deadline stops the steeper failure‑to‑file clock,...
Why US Legal Teams Need to Assess Non-Solicitations Now
Scott McDonald explains that the enforceability of U.S. non‑solicitation agreements hinges on the employer’s goodwill investment in cultivating customer relationships and the confidential information surrounding those ties. Recent court decisions have sharpened scrutiny of vague or overly broad clauses, prompting...
Meta and YouTube Fined $3 Million for Harming Mental Health
A California jury found Meta and YouTube negligent for harming a young woman's mental health, ordering $3 million in compensatory damages. The verdict follows a similar New Mexico case that imposed $375 million on Meta. Both companies plan to appeal, and the rulings...
REMAX Settles in Batton Commissions Case
RE/MAX announced a settlement in the Batton antitrust lawsuit, agreeing to contribute $8.5 million to the settlement fund. The agreement releases the company, its affiliates, franchisees and agents from all claims, while explicitly denying liability. The settlement amount is substantially lower...
Regulatory Education for Industry (REdI) Annual Conference 2026: Innovative Regulatory Strategies to Advance Medical Products - 05/19/2026
The FDA’s Regulatory Education for Industry (REdI) Annual Conference will take place May 19‑20, 2026, offering both virtual and in‑person sessions at the White Oak Campus in Maryland. The two‑day program features three dedicated tracks—drugs, devices, and biologics—allowing participants to...
The EU’s Biggest Test for Device Makers: Replaceable Batteries
The EU has adopted a Batteries Regulation that will require all electronic devices placed on the market after February 2027 to feature easily replaceable batteries. The rule, initially focused on electric vehicles and micro‑mobility, now extends to consumer gadgets such as...
When Antitrust Meets National Security and Gets It Right
The U.S. Department of Justice approved the Hewlett Packard Enterprise‑Juniper Networks merger, citing modest antitrust risk and clear national‑security benefits. Critics argue the consent decree was politically motivated, but the Tunney Act hearing highlights pro‑competitive remedies such as divestitures and...
Sam Altman Et Al. "May Not Inquire Into Musk's Ketamine Use" At Trial of Musk Suit Over OpenAI
A federal judge in Northern California granted Elon Musk’s request to bar questions about his alleged ketamine use in the ongoing Musk v. Altman lawsuit, deeming the evidence irrelevant and lacking supporting record. The court, however, denied Musk’s broader motion,...
Readying Industrial Connectivity for Cybersecurity Requirements
Cyber attacks on industrial operations have highlighted the lag in OT cybersecurity compared with IT. The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), effective from December 2024, forces manufacturers to report vulnerabilities and obtain CE marking for new digital products by December 2027. Standards...
Warranty Can't Be Voided for Third‑Party Parts Without Proof
Today I learned about the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act In the United States, a manufacturer cannot legally void your warranty just because you used a third-party part or modification unless they can prove that your specific modification caused the failure you...
French Prosecutors Probe Rothschild Paris over Epstein Informant Ties
As reported by the respected French newspaper Le Monde, French prosecutors are probing Rothschild’s Paris branch over links to former French Diplomat and EPSTEIN INFORMANT Fabrice Aidan. THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN STORY JUST WON'T GO AWAY. https://t.co/YoRpcXnqy6
FSOC Guidance Sets 'Very High' Bar for Nonbank Designation
The Financial Stability Oversight Council voted to issue guidance that pivots to an activities‑based framework for designating non‑bank firms as systemically important, reinstating the high‑threshold standards first used in 2019. The proposal rescinds the Biden‑era rule that lowered the bar,...
Prediction Markets Ignore Legislation About Themselves
Hmmm.... @Kalshi & @Polymarket have dozens of prediction markets on whether or not Congress will pass certain laws.... Yet none on if Congress will advance laws, like the PREDICT Act or The Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act, that regulate prediction markets🤔...
Jury Finds Meta and YouTube Negligent in Landmark Case
Meta and YouTube just lost a landmark social media case in which a jury found them negligent. Now the question is how, if at all, these platforms change? https://t.co/JAjzgzH2NM
When Is a Compliance Officer Also a Whistleblower?
Compliance officers are increasingly stepping into whistleblower roles, filing legal actions against their own firms for alleged misconduct. This shift reflects heightened regulatory scrutiny and expanded statutory protections for internal reporters. Employers must navigate the delicate balance between enforcing compliance...
Privacy Erosion Stems From Missing Data Laws, Not AI Rules
She's spot on about surveillance, but these massive invasions of privacy are not solely bc of lack of federal legislation to regulate AI, it's bc of lack of data privacy laws. AI is exacerbating all of this, but all the...
Pentagon Press Association Backs NYT to Block Interim Media Policy
The Pentagon Press Association filed an amicus brief supporting the N.Y. Times's motion to strike down the Pentagon's interim media policy, alleging it violates Judge Friedman's order. https://t.co/7B2H05fqFp https://t.co/bDLCe723yt
Patent Certifications and Suitability Petitions
Under the Hatch‑Waxman law, generic manufacturers must file a Paragraph IV certification asserting that a listed patent is invalid, unenforceable, or not infringed to obtain FDA approval. The first substantially complete ANDA with such a certification secures a 180‑day exclusivity period,...
Maverick Can Proceed with Gorham Building Foreclosure
A New York judge denied an injunction, allowing Maverick Real Estate Partners to resume foreclosure on the Gorham Building at 390 Fifth Avenue. The Schwalbe family, who owe a $41 million loan, claim Maverick demanded escalating fees—$400,000, then $750,000—beyond the original...
Article Reporting on Jan. 6 as "Insurrection" Not Defamatory + Pardon Isn't "Acquittal"
A federal judge in Tennessee dismissed a libel suit filed by Shannon Bitzer against WBIR and Tegna, ruling that the outlet’s article describing his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 2021 Capitol events as an "insurrection" was substantially true and protected by...
California Bill Ignites Push to Protect Iconic Surf Breaks as Official ‘Surfing Reserves’
California Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin introduced AB 1938 to establish state‑designated surfing reserves that protect iconic wave sites such as Malibu, Rincon, Trestles and Maverick’s. The bill seeks to recognize the cultural, historical, economic and ecological value of these surf zones and...
Elon Musk Demands Delaware Judge Recuse Herself After ‘Support’ Post Celebrating $2B Court Loss
Elon Musk’s legal team has filed a motion asking Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick to recuse herself after a LinkedIn “support” reaction to a post celebrating a $2 billion jury verdict against Musk. The request intensifies the ongoing clash between Musk and...
KOSA Child‑protection Bill Gains Bipartisan Support Despite Facebook Opposition
Good example on how the child harm legislation (KOSA) that Facebook fought to block was so bipartisan. Hawley and Markey. One more colorful. Both experts on the issue and protecting children. https://t.co/GYnuEyZDrv
DOL Alternative Assets Rule Passes White House Review
The Department of Labor’s proposed fiduciary rule for alternative investments in defined‑contribution plans has cleared the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs review and will soon be published for public comment. Adoption of private‑equity and other alternatives remains low—just 3.9%...
Thompson Hine Launches SmartPaTH Plus, Integrating AI in Over 100 Workflows
Thompson Hine unveiled SmartPaTH Plus, a generative‑AI upgrade to its legal service platform that now automates over 100 workflows. The enhancement adds AI‑driven contract analysis, predictive cost modeling, and real‑time compliance alerts, aiming to boost predictability and transparency for corporate...
Trump's Antitrust Moves Harm Real Estate Market
Corruption is costly - Trump's antitrust choices are reshaping real estate, in a bad way. https://t.co/GTF4dsuUBb
IP Considerations Following FDA Announcement on Flexibility for Cell and Gene Therapies
The FDA announced new guidance that expands flexibility in chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) for cell and gene therapies (CGTs) across their development lifecycle. Sponsors can now defer full cGMP compliance until later trial phases and make iterative manufacturing changes...
Gaming Industry IP News: Copyright Enforcement Service Targets Minecraft-Like Game, Nintendo Continues to Combat Switch Emulators, Valve Secures Court Victory,...
Recent developments highlight the growing tension between AI-driven copyright enforcement and the gaming industry, as Tracer.AI’s automated claim briefly removed the Minecraft‑style indie title Allumeria. Nintendo intensified its anti‑emulation campaign, issuing DMCA notices to GitHub to shut down Yuzu and...
Afroman And Elon Had Very Different Trial Experiences
Rapper Afroman successfully defended a $3.9 million defamation suit filed by Ohio officers after a police raid, with a jury rejecting the claim and reinforcing First Amendment protections. In parallel, the Department of Justice drew scrutiny for lowering hiring standards, internal...
Parents Demand Stricter Social Media Duties, Section 230 Reform
Outside the LA courthouse parents who say social media addiction killed their children outline the policies they want to come as a result of this legal win: - Senate version of KOSA w/ strong duty of care - Reform/repeal Section 230 - Age...