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
$115,000 in Damages for Wrongful Dismissal Reversed by Court of Appeal
The New Brunswick Court of Appeal overturned a trial award of $115,240 in damages to former VIC Progressive Diamond Drilling president Laura Araneda, finding her dismissal was justified. The court highlighted her secret launch of a competing firm, diversion of a key client contract, inflation of inventory by roughly $338,000 USD to secure a $370,000 credit line, and the unauthorized withdrawal of $70,000 USD from a U.S. subsidiary. Justice Quigg applied a two‑part test, concluding the misconduct warranted summary dismissal. Araneda was ordered to repay the $70,000 plus interest and to cover $2,200 in costs.
$24,500 Awarded to Dependent Contractor
Ontario’s Divisional Court upheld a $25,436 judgment for a former general manager of Canada Suites, confirming his status as a dependent contractor after seven years of near‑exclusive work. The court rejected Canada Suites’ appeal on all four grounds, including alleged...
Hightower Faces Class Action Suit Over Data Breach
Hightower, a wealth‑management firm, is facing a class‑action lawsuit after a cyber‑criminal breach exposed the personal data of roughly 131,483 clients, including Social Security and driver’s license numbers. The suit, filed by former employee Elliott Adams in Illinois federal court,...
Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Ban Officials From Prediction Market Trading
bipartisan legislation introduced to ban members of congress, the president, and senior executive branch officials from trading prediction markets. the right move and long overdue. we already banned it at eurasia group.
Scottish Parliament Enacts ‘Calum’s Law’ to Regulate School Restraint
The Scottish Parliament unanimously passed Calum’s Law, a members’ bill introduced by Labour MSP Daniel Johnson, mandating statutory guidance on restraint and seclusion in schools. The legislation requires ministers to set training standards, obliges schools to notify parents of incidents,...
California’s Workplace Know Your Rights Act Deadline Approaching: What Employers Must Do
California’s Workplace Know Your Rights Act mandates that by March 30, 2026 every employer must give employees the chance to name an emergency contact and specify if that contact should be alerted when the employee is arrested or detained on...
The Blueprint for Construction eDiscovery: EDiscovery Best Practices
Construction eDiscovery faces distinct hurdles because project data lives in specialized platforms like Procore and Primavera, often spread across many custodians and devices. The article outlines how most critical information can be exported as CSV, Excel, XML, or PDF, providing...
Stablecoins, Trust Banks and World Liberty Financial International
World Liberty Financial International (WLFI) introduced USD1, a Treasury‑Bill‑backed stablecoin, after the One Big Beautiful Bill and the GENIUS Act created a federal framework for digital‑asset trust charters. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency approved national trust charters...
CFTC Probes Sudden Oil Futures Surge Ahead of Trump's Iran Remarks, Citing Insider‑trading Risk
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission opened a formal inquiry after a sudden, undisclosed spike in oil futures trading volume occurred minutes before President Donald Trump's televised statement on Iran. The probe comes as the Middle‑East conflict squeezes supply, with...
Data Brokers Sell Bulk Cell‑Phone Location Data to Police Without Warrants, Sparking Privacy Outcry
Data‑broker firms are selling bulk cell‑phone location records to police departments and federal agencies without a warrant. The practice has drawn criticism from privacy groups, a Senate hearing with FBI Director Kash Patel, and a pending congressional vote on FISA...
Updates on Legionnaires’ Disease Lawsuits in Las Vegas, Minnesota
Pritzker Hageman has filed two lawsuits alleging Legionnaires’ disease exposure at major hospitality properties. In Nevada, the firm sues The Grandview and South Point Hotel & Casino after a guest’s wrongful death linked to contaminated water systems. In Minnesota, a lawsuit targets...
SEC and CFTC Issue Landmark Guidance Defining Crypto Asset Securities Status
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission jointly released interpretive guidance that classifies crypto assets into five distinct categories and sets clear rules for when a token is a security. The guidance, effective March 23,...
Regulators Cut Reserve Requirements, Unlocking $175 Billion for U.S. Banks
The Federal Reserve, FDIC and OCC voted on March 19 to overhaul reserve‑requirement rules for the nation’s largest banks, cutting capital buffers by up to 7.8%. The change releases roughly $175 billion of excess equity, paving the way for more aggressive...
Circle Shares Tumble Amid Rumors of U.S. Stablecoin Yield Limits
Circle's shares fell more than 15% after media reports suggested the U.S. Treasury could restrict yield‑generating stablecoin products. The plunge highlights regulatory risk for stablecoin issuers and investors seeking higher returns on digital assets.
Rosen Law Sets April 14 Lead Plaintiff Deadline in REGENXBIO Securities Fraud Suit
Rosen Law Firm announced that investors who bought REGENXBIO shares between Feb. 9, 2022 and Jan. 27, 2026 must file to become lead plaintiff by April 14, 2026. The class‑action alleges the gene‑therapy company misled investors about its RGX‑111 trial, underscoring heightened scrutiny of biotech disclosures.
PA House Lawmakers Approve Data Center Regulation Bill
The Pennsylvania House approved House Bill 1834 by a 104‑95 vote, directing the state Public Utility Commission to create temporary and permanent regulations for commercial data centers. The bill blocks utilities from passing data‑center‑related infrastructure and grid costs onto residential...
New FCA Webpage on Non-Financial Misconduct
On 23 March 2026 the FCA unveiled a dedicated webpage outlining upcoming rules and guidance to curb non‑financial misconduct (NFM) such as bullying, harassment and violence. A new COCON 1.1.7FR rule will extend conduct‑rule coverage to work‑related NFM, while updated Fit‑and‑Proper (FIT)...
Court Upholds $133M FINRA Award Against Stifel
A Florida federal judge affirmed FINRA's $133 million arbitration award against Stifel, ending the firm's year‑long effort to overturn the penalty. The award relates to former broker Chuck Roberts' unsuitable structured‑note sales that harmed the Jannetti family, who originally sought $5 million....
SC Upholds States’ Right to Change Industrial Policy in a 25-Year-Old Dispute
The Supreme Court upheld Maharashtra’s right to withdraw electricity duty exemptions for captive power plants, overturning a 2009 Bombay High Court decision. The court validated state notifications from April 2000 and April 2001 but delayed implementation for one year to give firms...
U.S. Office of Space Commerce Publishes Framework for Certifying ‘Novel’ Space Operations
NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce unveiled a proposal for an opt‑in Space Commerce Certification to streamline approval of novel on‑orbit activities such as satellite servicing, in‑space manufacturing, and lunar stations. The framework would coordinate existing agency approvals, applying a light‑touch...
Digital Airman Certificate Bill Clears U.S. House
The U.S. House passed H.R. 2247, the Airmen Certificate Accessibility Act, allowing pilots to present FAA‑issued airman and medical certificates digitally or on paper during inspections. The legislation mandates the FAA to develop authentication methods and issue a final rule...
Blockchain Association Urges SEC to Treat DeFi as Infrastructure, Not Intermediary: Blockchain Association
Summer Mersinger of the Blockchain Association testified before the House Financial Services Committee, urging the SEC to classify decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols as infrastructure rather than financial intermediaries. The association argues that DeFi should receive tailored oversight that addresses traditional...
Florida Court Reinterprets Comp Tolling, Revives Claim Filing Window
The Florida First District Court of Appeal ruled that the state workers’ compensation statute of limitations is tolled—meaning the two‑year clock stops—while an employee receives benefits and resumes one year after the last payment. This reinterpretation overturns decades of case...
Usage-Based SaaS Pricing Triggers Tax Compliance Chaos
Usage-based pricing is the future of SaaS. It's also a sales tax compliance nightmare nobody warns you about. Here's the problem: Traditional subscriptions are simple for tax. Customer pays $99/month. Same price, same tax, same jurisdiction. Every month. Usage-based pricing? Complete opposite. Every transaction is...
No Congressional Bans, No Safeguards for Admin Traders
If we can't get legislation to make it illegal for members of Congress to trade stocks, I doubt any serious effort will be made to prevent administration employees from trading in this new and opaque prediction market...
US Clouds Cast Long Shadow over EU Data Sovereignty, Says Osmium
Osmium Data Group warns that using US‑owned cloud providers for backups undermines European data‑sovereignty, even when the physical datacenter sits in the EU. The firm evaluated four source‑and‑destination scenarios, ranking a Europe‑owned source and datacenter as highest compliance, while a...
Cox V. Sony Undermines Original Intent of Section 512
I like the Cox v. Sony result, but it does seem contrary to what the intent of the drafters of Sec. 512 actually intended in 1998. Mind you, this confusion is in part a measure of the effed-up process by...
Guidance: Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations Requests Privacy Notice
HM Treasury has published a Privacy Notice governing Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations requests, linking it to the Treasury’s Personal Information Charter. The notice outlines data‑protection standards, DPO contact information, and how requesters can exercise their rights....
Art, Legacy and Intestacy
Photographer Mike Disfarmer died in 1959 without a will, leaving thousands of glass‑plate negatives and modest cash. Decades later, his work resurfaced, sparking a legal battle between his distant heirs and the Arkansas Arts Center Foundation over copyright and reproduction...
LLMs and SCOTUS
The post argues that Supreme Court precedent makes AI output—specifically large language model (LLM) text—protected speech, limiting the government’s ability to regulate the AI industry. It traces the Court’s shift from the "clear and present danger" test to the "imminent...
Stifel Loses Bid to Overturn $133 Million Arbitration Award
Stifel Financial's bid to overturn a $133 million FINRA arbitration award was rejected by U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles, who confirmed the award tied to losses from former broker Chuck Roberts' structured‑note strategy. The judgment represents roughly 12% of Stifel's wealth‑division...
House Moves to Bring Back Civil Overland Supersonic Flight
The U.S. House approved H.R. 3410, the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act, mandating the FAA to draft new rules within a year that would permit civil aircraft to exceed Mach 1 over U.S. airspace without generating ground‑level sonic booms. The legislation also...
Funding to Organizations Involved in Climate Litigation
The article maps U.S. philanthropic money flowing to climate‑litigation NGOs using IRS Form 990 data and interactive Sankey charts. It highlights direct grants to groups such as Climate Central, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Union of Concerned Scientists,...
FCA CP26/10: Simplifying the Pensions and Investment Advice Rules
On 25 March 2026 the FCA published Consultation Paper CP26/10 to simplify pensions and investment advice rules. The paper proposes merging COBS 9 and 9A into a single framework, deleting overlapping rules covered by the Consumer Duty, and redefining suitability assessments...
Two States Sue Cord Blood Bank Over False Advertisements
Cord Blood Registry (CBR), which stores over a million umbilical‑cord samples, is being sued by the attorneys general of Texas and Arizona for allegedly misleading parents about the therapeutic value of its services. The states claim CBR’s advertising falsely promises...
SEBI, Google Roll Out ‘Verified’ Badge for Investment Apps to Curb Fraud
SEBI has partnered with Google to launch a “verified” badge for investment apps on the Play Store, initially covering more than 600 stock‑broker applications. Only apps belonging to SEBI‑registered entities will display the badge, helping investors differentiate legitimate platforms from...
CCPA Warns of Action Against Restaurant, Hotels Levying Additional Fuel-Related Charges
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued a warning that restaurants and hotels charging extra fees such as "LPG charges" or "gas surcharge" constitute an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The advisory mandates that menu...
ACA's Bans and Tax Rules Kill Portable Individual Plans
And, the ACA banned individual guaranteed renewable plans which existed, and protected against the emergence of preexisting conditions. The tax deduction for employer based group plans, but not for contributions to portable individual plans nails the coffin. Great essay.
1 in 3 GCs Who Left Fortune 500 Companies Were in Role Less than 3 Years, New Report Says
A new Russell Reynolds Associates report analyzing nearly 500 Fortune 500 general counsels reveals that 58% of those appointed in 2025 were newcomers to the role. Of the 67 GCs who departed that year, 31% left within three years, and more...
Proposed $805 Teen Fine Dwarfs $
It's also just New Mexico. If it's the average then scaled to US pop it approaches $60 BILLION (italics=estimated). So a fine of approximately $805 per minor. Seems reasonable. Senator Blackburn shared Meta's internal analysis that their estimated...
The Operating System Real Assets Has Been Missing, Now Powered by AI
Intapp unveiled Celeste, an agentic AI platform that embeds reasoning and execution directly into firm workflows, moving beyond generic chatbots. At Amplify 2026 the company demonstrated DealCloud with Celeste, allowing users to query and update deal data in plain English,...
Quitting a Disbanded Advisory Panel: Does It Matter?
Does it count if you quit a voluntary advisory panel that was already disbanded by a federal judge? The newly drama-averse Robert Malone tests this hypothesis. https://t.co/wEryoJvz99
Blume Ventures-Backed Zivy Pivots To Fintech Compliance Amid Rise Of AI Agents
AI startup Zivy, backed by Blume Ventures, announced it will cease operations on March 31, 2026 after struggling to convert users into paying customers. The Bengaluru‑based firm, which raised $1.2 million in a September 2024 pre‑seed round, saw demand evaporate as...
Why Won't Pam Bondi Release ALL Epstein Files?
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has refused to release all documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, citing legal obligations to protect victim identities, preserve ongoing investigations, and comply with privacy statutes. Critics argue that sensitive information could be redacted,...
New Child Support Guidelines: What Parents Need to Know
In 2024 the child support program collected $29.5 billion, with 97 % paid directly to families. New guidelines, effective this year, require both parents to share financial duties based on income, time spent with the child, and defined educational and medical expenses....
SEC, NOA Deepen Collaboration to Combat Illegal Schemes
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Nigeria’s National Orientation Agency (NOA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch nationwide enlightenment campaigns targeting Ponzi schemes. The partnership leverages NOA’s extensive outreach network to educate the public on the risks...
Nonsensical Spellings and Fabricated Authority Signal Improper Use of Artificial Intelligence
U.S. District Court in California dismissed the plaintiff’s copyright‑infringement complaint after finding that the filings were likely produced using generative AI. The court highlighted nonsensical spellings in AI‑generated images and “hallucinated” citations to nonexistent cases as clear indicators of artificial‑intelligence...
Justices to Hear Argument on Whether a Crime’s “Contemplated Effects” Can Expand Venue Beyond Where Offense Was Committed
The Supreme Court will hear Abouammo v. United States, examining whether a federal crime’s “contemplated effects” allow prosecutors to bring a case in a district where the impact, rather than the conduct, occurred. The dispute arises from a former Twitter...
Nein Delay: Lengthy Wait Sinks SiriusXM Patent Fight
In February 2017, research organization Fraunhofer‑Gesellschaft sued satellite radio provider SiriusXM for alleged patent infringement. After a nine‑year procedural delay, a Delaware federal judge dismissed the case, ruling that Fraunhofer’s repeated requests for extensions failed to move the litigation forward....
Strabag Cartel Fine More than Trebles to €146m After Leniency Status Unravels
Austrian construction giant Strabag has seen its cartel fine surge to €146 million—the maximum penalty, equal to about 10% of its 2021 turnover—after the Federal Competition Authority uncovered undisclosed cartel projects and revoked its leniency status. The Vienna Higher Regional Court...