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
3 Fla. Officers Cleared in 2019 Fatal Shooting Due to State's 'Stand Your Ground' Law
South Florida Judge Ernest Kollra ruled that three Miami‑Dade police officers involved in the 2019 fatal shooting of UPS driver Frank Ordonez cannot be prosecuted, invoking Florida’s “stand your ground” law. The decision follows a similar ruling in September that cleared a fourth officer, Jose Mateo, for the same incident. Prosecutors plan to appeal all four rulings, while the officers remain suspended. The shooting also killed a second civilian, Cutshaw, and two robbers.
New Data Puts a Number on the Insurance-Safety Gap in Trucking
A new FMCSA‑based study of 314,078 interstate for‑hire carriers links insurance underwriting type to safety outcomes. Non‑underwritten carriers consistently post higher composite risk scores and dirty‑inspection rates than peers in underwritten programs, with gaps widening for mid‑size fleets. Risk Retention...
HaystackID CoreFlex Wins 2026 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award for Advancing GenAI-Driven Legal Workflows
HaystackID announced that its CoreFlex platform has won the 2026 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award from the Business Intelligence Group, recognizing its generative‑AI‑driven legal and investigative workflows. CoreFlex provides a cloud‑native interface that consolidates matter management, data ingestion, reporting and automation,...
EU AI Act Compliance Guide for CISOs & GRC Leaders | Kovrr
The European Union’s AI Act, set to become enforceable on August 2, 2026, imposes a risk‑based regulatory framework on any organization that develops, deploys, or offers AI within the EU market. It distinguishes unacceptable, high‑risk, limited‑risk and minimal‑risk systems, with high‑risk AI...
Ofcom to Investigate Complaints of Climate Change Denial for First Time Since 2017
Ofcom has reversed its earlier stance and will reopen climate‑change denial complaints against TalkTV and TalkRadio, marking the regulator’s first climate‑misinformation investigation since a 2017 breach. The decision follows a Good Law Project letter that prompted Ofcom to reconsider more...
Lawsuit Alleges La. Firefighters Failed to Search for Victims in Deadly House Fire
A Shreveport family has filed a wrongful‑death lawsuit alleging the fire department failed to inform first‑arriving crews that multiple occupants were trapped in an April 2025 house fire. Dispatch messages reportedly omitted the occupant detail, and Engine 6 began fire suppression without...
PNGRB Directs City Gas Distributors to Provide Connections to Institutions, Community Ktichens Within 5 Days
India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has mandated city gas distributors to supply piped natural gas (PNG) connections to schools, colleges, hostels, community kitchens and Anganwadi centers within five days where pipelines exist. The directive follows a surge...
UK Politicians Continue to Miss the Point in Latest Social Media Ban Proposal
The UK Parliament is debating a new amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would give the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology authority to block social‑media access for anyone under 18, replace the earlier Lords‑proposed...
A Poll - Are You Waiting for USDA Guidance on LLCs and S-Corporations
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted in July 2025, reshapes how LLCs, S‑corporations, and similar entities are treated for USDA payment limits. Previously restricted to a single payment cap, these entities will now be evaluated like general partnerships, with...
Internships at the HCCH
The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) has opened applications for three‑ to six‑month legal internships at its Permanent Bureau in The Hague, running from September 2026 to February 2027. Interns will rotate through the Family and Child Protection Law, Transnational...
Felon Gun Possession Bans, the Commerce Clause, and the Second Amendment
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the constitutionality of the federal ban on firearm possession by felons in U.S. v. Williamson, but Judge Don Willett, joined by Judge Cory Wilson, issued a concurrence questioning the ban’s basis in the Commerce Clause. Willett...
Louisiana Fatherhood Task Force Unveils Bipartisan Policy Plan for Dads
The Louisiana Fatherhood Task Force presented bipartisan recommendations to improve state resources and policies for fathers. The plan seeks to modify existing statutes and expand support services, marking a rare cross‑party effort on family policy in the state.
BC Supreme Court Refuses to Consolidate Family Law and Injury Actions Arising From Family Violence
The British Columbia Supreme Court upheld an associate judge’s refusal to merge a family‑law case and a personal‑injury lawsuit stemming from a knife attack between spouses. The court found the judge correctly applied the consolidation test, giving weight to the...
Senate Bill Targets Sports‑Betting Prediction Contracts as Polymarket Faces Regulatory Backlash
U.S. senators have introduced a bipartisan bill to bar sports‑betting‑related prediction market contracts, directly affecting platforms like Polymarket. The move comes as the crypto‑based market grapples with insider‑trading allegations and a high‑visibility Washington “Situation Room” event that has intensified the...
The EBA Publishes Its Second MREL Impact Assessment Report
The European Banking Authority released its second impact assessment of the Minimum Requirement for Own Funds and Eligible Liabilities (MREL). The report finds that by the end of 2024 EU resolution entities hold MREL‑eligible instruments equal to 34.7% of total...
Superhuman CEO Shishir Mehrotra Tackles AI Impersonation and Leadership Risks
Superhuman chief executive Shishir Mehrotra faced a class‑action lawsuit after Grammarly’s Expert Review used his name without consent, prompting the company to kill the feature and issue a public apology. In a candid interview, Mehrotra outlined how the incident reshapes...
Police Can Demand Phone Passwords only with Court Warrant
Secretary for Security Chris Tang addressed public concerns about a provision granting police the authority to require individuals to provide phone passwords. He stressed that such a power can only be exercised after officers obtain a court warrant for national security-related...
Catholic Priests Say Charging Them with Sexual Abuse Violates Their Religious Freedom
Two Catholic priests from Minnesota’s St. Cloud Diocese have been charged under a state law that classifies clergy as a prohibited occupational relationship, making sexual contact a crime regardless of consent. Their shared defense attorney, Paul Engh, filed motions to...
Disaster Preparedness for Trust and Estate Planning
In this episode, ACTEC Fellow Jeff DeFrancisco recounts his personal experience surviving the 2025 Eaton Fire in California and outlines a three‑phase disaster recovery framework—short‑term, mid‑term, and long‑term. He offers concrete preparation tips for each phase, from evacuation plans and...
White House Secures Tentative Deal on Stablecoin Yield Legislation
The White House and a bipartisan group of senators have reached a tentative agreement on legislation to settle the stablecoin yield dispute, aiming to provide regulatory clarity for the $150 billion stablecoin market. Details of the deal were not disclosed, but...
Independent Report: Report on the Proposed Electric Car Grant Subsidy Scheme by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles
The Competition and Markets Authority’s Submissions Assessment Unit (SAU) has released its final report advising the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) on the proposed Electric Car Grant subsidy scheme. The report evaluates OZEV’s assessment of the scheme’s compliance with...
The Bipartisan Budget Act Audit Regime
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 introduced a centralized audit system for partnerships, restricting Administrative Adjustment Requests (AARs) once the IRS issues a Notice of Administrative Proceeding (NAP). This limitation can trap taxpayers, as illustrated by an estate‑partnership scenario where...
AI Vs. Automation in eDiscovery: What’s Different, What’s the Same, and Why It Matters Now
The article clarifies that AI and automation, while related, serve distinct roles in eDiscovery. Automation executes repeatable, rule‑based tasks such as legal‑hold notifications and workflow routing, whereas AI interprets data, classifies documents, and generates insights. Legal teams are urged to...
ELTEMATE CEO: Legal Departments &Lsquo;Leading the Way' With AI Adoption
ELTEMate co‑CEO Dr. Sebastian Lach says corporate legal departments are outpacing other functions in adopting generative AI. He argues that true success will depend on a holistic approach that blends technology, policy, and talent. The commentary follows Hogan Lovells' recent...
Journal of Free Speech Law: "Making Broadcast Content Regulation Aggressive Again," By Stuart Minor Benjamin
Stuart Minor Benjamin’s article examines the United States’ broadcast‑regulation trajectory, noting that the FCC’s content rules have been largely dormant since the Reagan era. He argues the second Trump administration is poised to revive aggressive oversight, leveraging the public‑interest licensing...
New State Regs Are a ‘Blueprint’ for Discriminatory AI Claims
Illinois’ Limit Predictive Analytics Use Act has moved AI risk from theory to courtroom. The law grants workers a civil right of action when employers use discriminatory algorithms or fail to disclose AI tools. Since its enactment, several lawsuits have...
Wall Street Will Eventually Submit to the Rules of DeFi
Mitchell Amador argues that DeFi will not fracture under regulation but will evolve into interoperable tiers ranging from fully permissionless to highly compliant. In 2026 regulatory pressure will push institutions toward on‑chain liquidity, creating a hybrid ecosystem where compliant players...
Jury Awards $22.5M Verdict in Pregnancy Accommodation Lawsuit
An Ohio jury held Total Quality Logistics 90% responsible for a wrongful‑death claim after denying a high‑risk pregnant employee’s request to work from home, awarding $22.5 million of a $25 million verdict. The employee, Chelsea Walsh, sought remote work based on doctors’...
The AI-Native Law Firms Is Atrium LTS All over Again
The article draws a parallel between emerging AI-native law firms and the short‑lived legal‑tech startup Atrium LTS, suggesting that the new wave may repeat past mistakes. While AI promises to automate routine tasks and lower costs, many of these firms...
FCC Tackles Media M
■ @NXSTMediaGroup to @FCC: There is No @TEGNA Merger ‘Emergency’ ■ @FCC Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz: U.S. on the Cusp of ‘Scale in Space’ ■ FCC Approves $171 Million Gray Media Purchase of Allen Media Group TV Stations ■ Analyst:...
FCC Bans Imports of Non‑US Consumer Routers
Interesting. FCC has banned the import of all new consumer routers manufactured outside of the US. https://t.co/AtctxEoKFs
Hong Kong Proposes Blanket Smoking Ban on Construction Sites, Seeking to Penalise Workers, Contractors
Hong Kong’s Labour and Welfare Bureau is set to introduce a blanket smoking ban across all construction sites, both indoor and outdoor, following the deadly Tai Po fire in November 2025. The proposal imposes a HK$3,000 (≈$384) fixed penalty on workers caught...
CFTC Forms Innovation Task Force to Regulate Crypto, AI
JUST IN: 🚨 CFTC launches Innovation Task Force to create clear rules for crypto, blockchain, AI, and prediction market innovations https://t.co/YCAYilyiso
Regulation Shifts, Not Stops Bad Behavior; Insider Trading Prevails
As every parent of teenagers knows all too well, in an open system, regulation merely moves the location of bad behavior; it doesn't eliminate it. That prediction markets are awash in insider trading should surprise no one.
Nebraska Advances Energy Storage and Data Centre-Focused Bill
Nebraska lawmakers have advanced LB1010, the Large Load Customer Regulation Act, to clarify eminent‑domain rights, regulation and taxation for battery energy storage systems (BESS). The bill also mandates data‑centre electricity‑use disclosures and updates provisions affecting cryptocurrency mining. Nebraska is the...
Pentagon Tightens Press Access, Ignoring Court Defeat
They simply ignore the rare defeat in court. There is no rule of law. Pentagon Further Limits Press Access Following Court Loss https://t.co/FsytLIDkcc
Seattle's Wage Law Backfires, Union Seeks Driver Caps
"Seattle’s minimum wage laws backfired on Uber and Lyft. Now the union wants to limit drivers." https://t.co/yyrovnhDDm https://t.co/j3U4RP4jg4
Hawai'i Supreme Court Clears Escrow Firm in $592k Deposit Dispute
The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that Title Guaranty Escrow Services acted correctly by releasing a defaulting buyer’s full deposit to the seller, because the escrow agreement, not the sales contract, dictated the disposition of funds. The decision overturned an appellate...
Borrower Sues Mr. Cooper, JPMorgan Chase over Post-Bankruptcy Credit Failures
Houston homeowner Sharon Norris filed a federal lawsuit on March 20, 2026, accusing Mr. Cooper, JPMorgan Chase, and the three major credit bureaus of failing to remove bankruptcy notations after her Chapter 13 discharge. The dispute arose when her credit reports...
Capital Flows Into Europe’s Digital Economy — And the Due Diligence Reckoning That Follows
In March 2026 two new funds signaled a surge of institutional capital into Europe’s digital economy. INVL Asset Management launched a feeder vehicle that lets investors participate with as little as €125,000 (≈$134,000) in Main Capital Partners’ B2B software private‑equity...
Why the Trans Amendment Bill Must Be Withdrawn
A coalition of transgender, intersex, gender‑diverse and LGBQA+ groups has condemned the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026, saying it erases legal recognition, imposes state surveillance, and criminalises allies. The proposal overturns self‑identification safeguards from the 2019 Act,...
DeepJudge Launches SuperSearch
DeepJudge announced SuperSearch, a next‑generation, intent‑based search platform for law firms. The tool surfaces granular, actionable insights across a firm’s internal data, enabling cross‑matter intelligence without manual tagging. Built on DeepJudge’s existing AI engine, SuperSearch creates a unified intelligence layer...
Borrower Sues UWM over Hard Credit Pull She Never Authorized
On March 20, 2026, Oakland homeowner Tiana Perez filed a federal lawsuit against United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) alleging the lender performed an unauthorized hard credit inquiry. Text messages reveal loan officer Cyrus Mulitalo admitted the pull was accidental and based on no...
Nicki Minaj Sued Over Alleged Unpaid $275K Production Costs
Nicki Minaj is being sued by 24/7 Productions for allegedly failing to reimburse more than $275,000 in concert‑related expenses. The production firm says it provided planning, staffing, audio, lighting, transportation and logistics for her 2022 MTV VMA appearance, 2023 Jingle Ball...
Asia Daily: March 24, 2026
Hong Kong amended its national security law, granting police authority to demand passwords and decryption tools, with up to one year in jail for refusal. A U.S. report warns that retirements and a steep drop in students studying China will...
Contingency Planning for Lawyers
The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) now mandates that sole‑practitioner lawyers and paralegals maintain a written contingency plan, effective Jan 1 2025, with the first certification due on the March 31 2026 annual report. The requirement targets only solo practitioners, but the article advises...
Financial Crime Risk Assessments: The New Regulatory Standard
Regulators worldwide are elevating enterprise‑wide financial crime risk assessments from a compliance formality to the core blueprint of AML/CTF programmes. The new standard demands assessments that are accurate, complete, evidence‑based and fully integrated with governance, controls and risk appetite. Generic...
No OT Pay Despite Misclassification: Fifth Circuit Upholds Jury Verdict
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a jury verdict that denied overtime pay to Jerry Merritt, a former Texas Farm Bureau agency manager who was misclassified as an independent contractor. The court held that under the Fair Labor Standards Act an employer...
How Financial Crime Enables Child Exploitation Networks
Financial crime fuels a massive global child sexual exploitation market, with an estimated half‑million Filipino children forced to produce content and 105 million abuse files identified worldwide in a single year. Demand originates mainly from high‑income Western economies, where offenders may...
Tuju Skips Plea Taking, Kalonzo Asks Court for Deferment
Kenyan politician Stephen Tuju failed to appear for his scheduled plea taking, citing health concerns and being admitted to Karen Hospital. Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, leading Tuju's legal team, petitioned the court to defer the plea to a later...