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
EU Committee on Legal Affairs Issues Report on Generative AI and Copyright
On 25 February 2026 the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs adopted a report outlining a comprehensive approach to generative AI and copyright. The document calls for a new licensing framework, mandatory transparency of training data, and a flat‑rate fee of 5‑7 % of AI providers’ global turnover. It designates the EUIPO as the trusted intermediary for opt‑out registrations and sector‑based collective licences. The report also introduces a rebuttable presumption that copyrighted works have been used in AI models placed on the EU market.
Supreme Court Likely Blocks Mississippi Late Ballot Law
Fascist fuckers continue their quiet coup. Supreme Court Appears Poised to Reject Mississippi Law on Late-Arriving Ballots https://t.co/kFfLNDYgrM
UPDATE: March 20, 2026 Deadline for Comments on GSA’s Proposed AI Clause Extended to April 3, 2026
On March 6, 2026 the General Services Administration issued a draft contract clause, GSAR 552.239‑7001, that would embed AI‑specific safeguarding requirements into GSA Schedule contracts. The comment deadline was extended from March 20 to April 3, 2026, and the clause will be considered...
Mastering Risk: The Role of KYC in E-Commerce Businesses
Know Your Customer (KYC) processes are becoming essential for e‑commerce platforms to secure transactions, combat fraud, and meet evolving AML regulations. By collecting identity data and leveraging AI, machine learning, and biometric technologies, businesses can verify customers in real time...
Colorado’s Artificial Intelligence Law Could Be on the Chopping Block
Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the state’s AI law (SB 24‑205) in 2025, but warned that its complex compliance regime could stifle innovation. The governor’s AI Policy Working Group has drafted a bill to roll back many employer obligations while preserving...
FRAND Quarterly: Navigating the Global SEP Landscape – March 2026
The first quarter of 2026 saw intensified jurisdictional battles over standard‑essential patents, with U.S., U.K., German and Unified Patent Court courts issuing a wave of anti‑suit and anti‑interim‑license injunctions. In the United States, Judge Rodney Gilstrap allowed Samsung’s RAND counterclaims...
Collaborative Defense: Public-Private Partnerships in Anti-Money Laundering
Public‑private partnerships are emerging as a cornerstone of anti‑money‑laundering (AML) strategy, uniting government agencies, financial institutions, and law‑enforcement to detect illicit flows more effectively. By sharing data and leveraging private‑sector technology, these collaborations boost true‑positive alerts while cutting false positives,...
HPE Struggled With Asset Sale Required in DOJ Antitrust Deal
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is attempting to sell its Instant On networking business to satisfy a U.S. Justice Department antitrust condition tied to its planned acquisition of Juniper Networks. Court records show that the assets attracted only modest bids ranging from...
SWISSPORT’S MATCHBOX PLATFORM ACHIEVES ISO 27001, 27017 AND 27018 CERTIFICATIONS
Swissport’s Matchbox, a cloud‑based travel document validation platform, has earned ISO 27001, ISO 27017 and ISO 27018 certifications, confirming its information‑security, cloud‑security and privacy controls. The platform already validates more than four million passengers with 100% accuracy on inadmissible traveler...
CinCin Crypto Card Exploits Corporate Loophole for Laundering
CinCin: cheers to money laundering? This "no KYC" crypto card leveraged the same Bluebanc+Sutton Bank corporate card loophole Fintech Biz Weekly reported on publicly *six weeks* ago. https://t.co/q2xHeLkzlp
Bridging the Gap: AML Regulations and ESG Requirements in Harmony
Financial institutions are increasingly aligning anti‑money laundering (AML) regulations with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements, recognizing that both risk domains overlap. Recent regulatory updates, such as the AML Act of 2020, embed ESG considerations into sanctions screening, SAR reporting,...
CIM Hits Celebrity-Backed Goodtime Hotel With $150M Foreclosure Suit
CIM Group has filed a $150 million foreclosure lawsuit against the owners of Miami Beach’s Goodtime Hotel, alleging default on a loan that was originally $164 million and later reduced to $152 million. The hotel, a 266‑room property developed by Eric Birnbaum, Michael...
Judge Throws Out News Publishers' Monopoly Claims Against Google
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., dismissed an antitrust lawsuit filed by Helena World Chronicle and Emmerich Newsapers that alleged Google monopolizes the online news market. The court found the publishers’ claim of a 66% market share unreliable, noting the...
Virginia Presses To Reinstate Social Media Time Limits
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is urging the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to lift a district‑court injunction that halted enforcement of a state law requiring social‑media platforms to verify users’ ages and limit minors under 16 to one hour...
Structuring for Uncertainty - Legal Trends in Middle-Market M&A - Pt. 1
In this episode, Steve and Bruce Fretton discuss how heightened uncertainty—driven by tariffs, shifting interest rates, and tighter credit markets—has complicated middle‑market M&A. They note that private equity’s $2 trillion of undeployed capital is pushing deals forward, but valuation gaps and...
Structuring for Uncertainty - Legal Trends in Middle-Market M&A - Pt. 2
In this episode, Bruce Fenton and host Steve discuss how to structure middle‑market M&A deals amid heightened uncertainty, focusing on valuation gaps, earn‑outs, seller rollovers, and purchase‑price notes as tools to bridge price mismatches. They highlight the importance of rigorous...
Basel Committee Technical Amendment on the Standardized Approach to Operational Risk
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision issued a final technical amendment to the standardized approach for operational risk, clarifying the treatment of rental income from investment properties. The amendment, published on 23 March 2026, will be mandatory from 1 April 2029 and is incorporated...
Albertsons Files Subpoena for McMullen’s Testimony
Albertsons has issued a subpoena compelling former Kroger chief Rodney McMullen to testify in its antitrust lawsuit over the aborted $24.6 billion merger. A Delaware Chancery Court deposition is slated for April 8‑9 to assess whether Kroger exercised the required “best efforts” to...
Legal Roundup: Epstein Fallout, AI Misstep, $10B Firm
In the latest Judicial Notice, my legal news roundup: - another possible victim of Epstein files fallout; - another prosecutor’s potential #AI fail; and - a #Biglaw firm with $10 billion in annual revenue (a new record). LINK: https://t.co/xLC8gkzcrj https://t.co/k1U1dNGjAG
Lobbyist’s Ignorance of HHI Exposes Corruption Claim
Major signpost of corruption. HHI is the standard way to measure market power in the antitrust space. But 'antitrust' lobbyist Mike Davis did not know what the term meant. Ergo he was just doing threats and relationship management.
Court Allows Discovery Into Insurer’s Use of AI to Deny Claims
A Minnesota federal court granted plaintiffs discovery into UnitedHealth’s AI system nH Predict, which the insurer uses to evaluate and deny post‑acute care claims. The ruling required production of documents describing the AI’s development, functionality, and oversight, while limiting some financial...
Polymarket Is Cracking Down on Insider Trading with Updated Rules
Polymarket has overhauled its market‑integrity rules to curb insider trading, banning trades based on stolen confidential information, illegal tips, and positions of authority. The platform will increase surveillance, ban offending wallets, refer cases to law enforcement, and impose monetary penalties....
Court Refuses to Block Continued Distribution of DOGE Witness Deposition Videos
The Southern District of New York denied the government’s motion for a new protective order to block further distribution of four deposition videos featuring senior federal officials in the DOGE litigation. Judge Colleen McMahon ruled that the videos are not...
Why Strong Hiring Controls Matter in the World of Remote Work
Remote hiring has become commonplace, allowing firms to tap talent in Poland, Brazil and Kenya without a shared office. However, cross‑border recruitment introduces complex compliance obligations, especially under South Africa's Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) and broader AML rules. Companies...
When Is the 'Last Straw'?
The article stresses that progressive discipline is essential for documenting employee misconduct and enabling lawful terminations. It explains that waiting for a "last straw" without prior warnings leaves employers unable to fire for cause, forcing costly term‑in‑lieu payouts. The piece...
Legal Analysis Finds Ambiguities in Prusa Research’s Open Community License
Prusa Research introduced an Open Community License (OCL) intended to keep its 3‑D‑printer designs open for non‑competitors while blocking rivals, especially low‑cost Asian manufacturers. A lawyer‑led line‑by‑line analysis highlights vague definitions, notably the inconsistent use of “commercial” versus “non‑commercial,” and...
Weekly Bankruptcy Alert March 23, 2026 (For the Week Ending March 22, 2026)
The weekly bankruptcy alert for the week ending March 22 2026 lists seven Chapter 11 filings and three Chapter 7 cases across the Northeast and select other states. Notable Chapter 11 cases include Fordham Landing Preferred Sponsor LLC with assets and liabilities between $50 million and...
It's Viewpoint Discrimination, Stupid.
A D.C. senior judge struck down the Pentagon's new press‑credential policy, ruling it unconstitutional because it is vague and discriminates against journalists based on viewpoint. The policy forced reporters to acknowledge broad “solicitation” rules that could punish routine newsgathering, prompting...
FCA Publishes Good and Poor Practice Examples for Firms Designing Consumer Segments for Targeted Support
On 23 March 2026 the FCA released a guidance document outlining good and poor practice for firms that design consumer segments for targeted support. The guidance builds on the FCA’s February 2025 policy statement and provides concrete examples on segment granularity, data use,...
Conduct Independent Compliance Audits With These 5 Providers
Independent compliance audits are becoming essential for modern organizations, offering objective assessments that uncover hidden risks in HR, finance, and regulatory practices. Providers such as Guidepost, Exiger, Control Risks, Kroll, and Mintz Group combine forensic investigations, AI‑driven analytics, and global...
Real ID Requirement Makes Illegal Flyer Claim Contradictory
I don’t understand this, if you’re flying…you need Real Id or a passport. You can t fly with any other ID. Someone here illegally cannot obtain that. So how can anyone who flies be illegal. Makes no sense .
Eleventh Circuit Judges Teach Appellate Practice Class
Appellate Practice and Procedure Class No. 9 (@MercerLAWSchool, 2026), featuring Judge Elizabeth L. “Lisa” Branch and Judge Britt C. Grant (Eleventh Circuit). https://t.co/6zwa6AU7TF
"The Arbitrator Exceeded Her Authority": Specific Arbitration Agreement Terms Lead to Successful Appeal of Award
The Seventh Circuit vacated a punitive‑damages award in USAA Savings Bank v. Goff because the arbitrator ignored a contractually mandated post‑award review. The arbitration clause required a review mirroring state court procedures and expressly subordinated AAA rules to the agreement....
DUH Fails in Climate Lawsuit Against BMW and Mercedes-Benz
The German environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) lost its climate lawsuit against BMW and Mercedes‑Benz at the Federal Court of Justice, which upheld the automakers' right to sell new internal‑combustion vehicles beyond the November 2030 deadline. The court ruled that only...
Venezuelan Migrant Charged in Chicago Student Murder
A Venezuelan migrant was formally charged with the murder of a Chicago high‑school student, prompting a criminal trial and raising questions about immigration enforcement. The case will proceed in Cook County court, where the suspect faces a potential life sentence.
FAA Wants Feedback on UAS Airport and Droneport Integration
The Federal Aviation Administration has opened a public comment period, ending April 22, to gather input on how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) should be incorporated into existing airports and emerging droneports. The request targets airports, operators, and other stakeholders to...
Ontario Plans to Ban For-Profit Ticket Touting
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a plan to ban for‑profit ticket touting, proposing amendments to the 2017 Ticket Sales Act. The new law would make it illegal to resell tickets above the original all‑in price, including fees and taxes. The...
Cash Donations: What Business and Donors Need to Know
The Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue issued Revenue Memorandum Circular 10‑2026, clarifying tax treatment for cash donations and mandating electronic filing of donor’s tax returns (BIR Form 1800). Donors must submit supporting documents within 30 days, and pure cash gifts are exempt...
As Trump Demands Voter Data, This Fiercely Independent Red State Says No
Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane has refused the Justice Department’s request for full voter‑registration files, citing the state’s exemption under the National Voter Registration Act. The refusal places Idaho among roughly a dozen Republican‑led states pushing back against the...
AI Platforms and Privilege- Tax Departments Should Be Wary About What They Share
Tax departments are increasingly turning to AI for analytical efficiency, but recent case law warns of privilege risks. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York held in United States v. Heppner that communications with a publicly...
SEBI Cuts Minimum Investment in Social Impact Funds to ₹1,000 to Boost Retail Participation
India’s Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) has slashed the minimum investment for Social Impact Funds (SIFs) from ₹2 lakh (about $2,400) to just ₹1,000 (roughly $12). The move aligns SIF entry requirements with Zero Coupon Zero Principal instruments traded on the...
Swalwell Drops Pulte Suit While FHFA Fraud Probes Stall
Rep. Eric Swalwell has voluntarily dismissed his lawsuit against the Federal Housing Finance Agency and its director Bill Pulte. The suit alleged violations of the Privacy Act and the First Amendment after a DOJ mortgage‑fraud probe accused Swalwell of designating...
Orange Rag Legaltech Clinic: “How Should Firms Go to Market to Select the Best Compliance Technology?”
Natalie Kuebler, managing director of Alt‑V Law, highlighted that compliance technology has become a strategic priority for law firms worldwide. She noted rising regulatory expectations and increasingly complex client due‑diligence requirements, driving firms to seek auditable, specialized solutions. Kuebler’s research...
Proudly South African AI Legal Assistant
Murphy’s Law is a South African‑built AI legal assistant trained by local practitioners to deliver jurisdiction‑specific advice. The platform automates compliance workflows, litigation document generation, contract drafting, legal research, and due‑diligence, while offering a chat interface, project vault, and courtroom...
SEBI Removes Automatic Disqualification Triggers in Revised ‘Fit and Proper’ Norms
SEBI has overhauled its "fit and proper" framework for market intermediaries, removing automatic disqualification for pending criminal complaints, FIRs, chargesheets and winding‑up initiations, while expanding disqualification to include convictions for economic offences and securities‑law violations. The new regime adopts principle‑based...
Fertilizer Industry Optimistic About Red Tape Reduction
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced on March 19 that the deadline for bilingual bulk‑fertilizer labeling is extended to July 31, 2027, reflecting Ottawa’s new red‑tape reduction agenda. The original 2020 rule could have imposed a one‑time $120 million CAD...
Traliant Transforms Harassment Training with TV-Style Learning
Traliant unveiled a fully redesigned Preventing Workplace Harassment course that uses a cinematic, TV‑style narrative to teach anti‑harassment laws. The platform offers industry‑specific and international editions, automatically tailoring content to a learner’s role and location, and meets mandates across U.S....
International Business Briefs | German Court Rejects Bid to Ban Mercedes’ and BMW’s Fossil-Fuel Cars
Germany’s highest appeals court rejected environmentalists’ attempt to force Mercedes‑Benz and BMW to stop selling new combustion‑engine cars after 2030, ruling no company‑specific carbon budget exists. Abu Dhabi’s AD Nov announced temporary LNG production adjustments at its Das Island plant due...
Letter From 220 Economists and Legal Scholars to Colombian President Gustavo Petro Calling for Action on ISDS
A coalition of 220 leading economists and legal scholars has written to Colombian President Gustavo Petro urging the country to withdraw from investor‑state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms. They argue ISDS undermines climate action by allowing corporations to sue over non‑discriminatory...
SEBI Eases Norms for InvITs, REITs to Boost Operational Flexibility
SEBI has amended regulations for Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to increase operational flexibility. The changes let InvITs retain stakes in special purpose vehicles after project completion, provided they exit or acquire new assets within...