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
The Triple‑Play – Adaptability, Cross‑Border Tools and Regulatory Capital, March 2026 - Four Lessons Learned in the Face of Constant...
The author reflects on a multi‑firm, multi‑practice legal career, distilling four lessons: engage recruiters only when truly considering a move, trust mentors who prioritize your interests, let evolving client needs shape your practice, and continuously expand beyond your comfort zone. He recounts transitions from a historic bankruptcy shop to leveraged finance and later to fund‑finance work, highlighting how market shifts forced each change. The piece underscores that experience, not just salary, is the true long‑term currency for lawyers. Ultimately, strategic moves driven by learning and client demand outweigh short‑term financial incentives.
Massachusetts Construction Industry Continues to Wait While Prompt Payment Law Is Put to the Test
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is hearing J.C. Cannistraro, LLC v. Columbia Construction, a dispute that could redefine how the state’s Prompt Payment Act (PPA) is applied to high‑value private construction projects. The PPA automatically deems payment applications approved when...
Virginia Tightens the Screws on Non-Competes – Again
Virginia's General Assembly passed Senate Bill 170, which will become law pending the governor's signature, and dramatically narrows the enforceability of non‑compete agreements unless severance is disclosed. The bill renders any non‑compete unenforceable for employees terminated without cause who receive...
Chance the Rapper Defeats Pat the Manager’s Claims in Chicago Contract Trial
A Chicago jury rejected former manager Pat Corcoran’s $3.8 million claim against Chance the Rapper, finding no enforceable oral "sunset" agreement. The jury also upheld Chance’s 2021 countersuit for fiduciary breach, but awarded only $35 in damages, far below the $1 million...
Nordeco Urged to Block Davao Light’s Takeover of Assets
Nordeco, a long‑standing electric cooperative in Davao, retains franchise rights until 2028 on the mainland and 2033 on Samal Island, giving it legal standing to challenge Davao Light’s asset takeover. A recent court ruling granted Davao Light temporary possession of...
“‘Embodied the American Dream’: Sandra Day O’Connor Remembered at Supreme Court.”
The Supreme Court held a bar memorial honoring the late Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, celebrating her trailblazing role as the first woman on the high court. Colleagues highlighted her pragmatic, consensus‑building jurisprudence and described her as the embodiment of the...
Judge Sentences Driver in Deadly West Portal Crash to 2 Years Probation, No Prison Time
An 80‑year‑old San Francisco driver, Mary Fong Lau, was sentenced to two years of probation after crashing into a bus stop at roughly 70 mph, killing a family of four. Superior Court Judge Bruce Chan also revoked her driver’s license for at...
Feds Rip California Law Regulating Oil and Gas Drilling
The U.S. Justice Department has sued California over Senate Bill 1137, which bars new oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet of homes, schools and hospitals on federal land. The government seeks a preliminary injunction, arguing the law infringes federal...
600,000 Black Women Job Losses Amid New Trump EO
Im sorry I have to say it. While you all are arguing about unimportant things, and tearing each other down. 600,000 black woman are being pushed out from their jobs. Also Trump quietly passed Executive Order 14281, this directly affects...
England and Wales Judges Receive Cautious AI Approval
#WhosNext? Judges? Court clerks? Judges in England and Wales Given Cautious Approval to Use #AI. (TIME) https://t.co/fSeIRgQLxq https://t.co/MT0oXidgKn
Fox News Tries to Get Gavin Newsom’s Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed
Fox News has moved to dismiss Governor Gavin Newsom's $787 million defamation lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court. The suit stems from host Jesse Watters questioning Newsom’s denial of a recent call with former President Donald Trump, which Fox claims was based...
Government Paperwork Overload Buries Business Owners in Waste
As a business owner, with a bunch of employees--the amount of crap I get in the mail from governments that I have to print, scan, then shred is utterly absurd.
US May Import Iranian Oil for First Time Since Carter
So under this OFAC licence, the US could (though probably won't) import its first Iranian oil since Jimmy Carter https://t.co/7slkt1bAxs
FCA Highlights Risks when Dealing with Unregulated Lenders
The FCA reminded regulated firms to conduct proper due diligence when dealing with unregulated lenders, safe‑custody providers, money brokers and financial leasing companies, known as Annex 1 firms. About 1,200 Annex 1 firms are registered solely for anti‑money‑laundering (AML) purposes and are...
Federal Judge Blocks Pentagon Press Credential Policy as Unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman has issued an injunction halting the Pentagon's new press‑credential rules, finding they breach the First and Fifth Amendments. The ruling follows a lawsuit by The New York Times alleging the policy discriminates against journalists who...
The Forest Service’s Proposed Rule on Locatable Minerals: Clearer Thresholds, Streamlined Review—What It Means for Idaho and the West
On Feb. 20, 2026 the U.S. Forest Service released a proposed rule that replaces the 1974 subjective “significant disturbance” test with objective, acreage‑based thresholds for locatable‑mineral activities on National Forest lands. The rule creates a new Operating Notice track for...
‘We Didn’t Know’ Is No Defense: Lessons for Construction Employers From a Cal/OSHA Appeals Board Decision
California’s Cal/OSHA Appeals Board reversed an ALJ ruling and upheld two serious citations against general contractor KPRS Construction for failing to inspect a roof where subcontractors worked, and for not guarding an opening that caused a worker’s fall. The Board...
Judge Sides with New York Times in Challenge to Policy Limiting Reporters’ Access to Pentagon
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued an injunction blocking the Trump administration’s Pentagon policy that limited press credentials for reporters who refused new rules. The ruling, brought by The New York Times, found the policy violated the First and...
Judge Rules Pentagon Press Policy Unconstitutional, Credentials Restored
Statement tonight from the Pentagon Press Association: "The Pentagon Press Association celebrates the decision by a federal judge today that the Pentagon’s press credentialling policy violated the U.S. Constitution. "Since the ruling clearly states that the policy must not be applied...
Elon Musk Wins Defamation Lawsuit Brought by Someone Musk Allegedly Misidentified in X Post
A Texas Court of Appeals ruled that Elon Musk’s X comments about a college student alleged to be a federal agent constitute protected opinion, not defamation. The plaintiff, Brody, was deemed a private figure, limiting any potential damages. The court...
April 2026 Visa Bulletin for Brazilians: EB-2 Current Despite Immigrant Visa Pause
The April 2026 Visa Bulletin lists Brazil’s EB‑2 category as Current on both the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing charts, eliminating any priority‑date backlog for approved I‑140 petitions. While U.S.-based applicants can immediately file Form I‑485 and obtain an...
Shielding Your Transactions: The Power of Cryptocurrency Anti-Money Laundering Measures
Cryptocurrency’s rapid adoption has heightened money‑laundering concerns, prompting regulators worldwide to impose stricter anti‑money‑laundering (AML) requirements on exchanges and service providers. The article outlines how traditional AML tools struggle with the pseudonymous, decentralized nature of digital assets, and highlights emerging...
Berkeley Homeless Evictions Spark Clash over ADA, Public Safety
The Berkeley Homeless Union has sued the city, claiming its eviction policies breach the Americans with Disabilities Act and endanger vulnerable residents. The city counters that it must preserve public safety, maintain the right‑of‑way, and has repeatedly offered shelter that...
New Fed Rules Crack Down on Temp Worker Exploitation
Canada’s federal Labour Code will be amended in early 2026 to ban wage differentials between temporary agency workers and permanent employees performing substantially the same duties, outlaw agency placement fees and “no‑hire” clauses, and extend equal‑pay protections to part‑time staff....
Trump Judges Are Very Different Than Other Republican-Appointed Judges
A Court Accountability analysis of 384 federal cases from the Trump II era finds that judges appointed by Republican presidents other than Donald Trump ruled against the administration roughly 68% of the time, while Trump‑appointed judges did so only 31% of...
Rep. Finke Was Right: Age-Gating Isn’t About Kids, It’s About Control
Rep. Leigh Finke testified against Minnesota’s HF1434, a sweeping age‑verification bill that would force websites to collect government IDs or biometric data for any content deemed “harmful to minors.” The legislation’s definition of harmful speech is broad enough to encompass...
JP Morgan Chase Settles SEBI Case over FPI Rule Violations
JP Morgan Chase settled a SEBI case over foreign portfolio investor (FPI) rule breaches by paying Rs 34.42 lakh. The regulator found the bank issued Category II licences to four UK FPIs not registered with the FCA and later re‑classified them without verification. Additionally,...
A Photojournalist Is Challenging FAA’s Drone Ban over DHS Vehicles
The FAA’s recent Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) FDC 6/4375 bans all drone flights within 3,000 feet laterally and 1,000 feet vertically of Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and Department of Homeland Security facilities and mobile assets. Photojournalist Rob Levine, represented by the...
Minnesota Considers Requiring Driver’s Ed For Everyone Under 21
Minnesota legislators have introduced bill HF3998 to raise the mandatory driver‑education age from 18 to 21, extending the current 30‑hour classroom and 50‑hour supervised‑driving requirements that apply only to teens. The proposal cites data showing drivers aged 18‑20 who skip...
Former FCC Chief Claims Newspapers Profit Double S&P
This is former @FCC Democrat Mike Copps blowing a gasket in 2007 over FCC efforts to allow TV stations to acquire their local newspaper (some followers might need to Google what a newspaper is): "We shed crocodile tears for the...
LinkedIn Faces SOC2 Non‑compliance Shock Monday
LinkedIn gonna be crazy on Monday when they all find out they’re not SOC2 compliant
CMS Leader Talks Risk-Based Surveys, Staffing Campaign, Survey Hot Spots
CMS announced that risk‑based surveys will be expanded to roughly 10% of U.S. skilled nursing facilities, with final criteria slated for release by late summer. Facilities receiving a risk‑based survey can still be escalated to a full recertification if inspectors...
Court Rejects DoD Media Badge Policy, DOJ Stumbles
Here's the Friedman decision shooting down the DoD media badge policy: I sensed this would happen when I attended the hearing two weeks ago and the DOJ was pathetic in its defense: https://t.co/liSQrc7eZd
2,000 Companies Sue for Refunds on Trump Tariffs
2,000 companies have sued for refunds on Trump’s illegal tariffs/import duties paid. Will and when will they be paid?
In Rare Move, ICE Drags Criminal Defendant Out of a Federal Courtroom
ICE agents in plain clothes entered a Los Angeles federal courtroom and forcibly removed Orlando Olivar, an alleged MS‑13 shot‑caller, despite the judge being absent. Olivar, charged with racketeering and methamphetamine offenses and slated for trial on May 19, was...
Ninth Circuit Presses Feds over Bid to Pause Expired Student Loan Relief Deadline
The U.S. Department of Education asked the Ninth Circuit to pause a missed deadline for processing student‑loan forgiveness claims, citing an $11 billion liability. The panel expressed skepticism about that figure and questioned the request to rewrite settlement terms after the...
EyePoint Sues Rival Ocular Therapeutix, Alleging False Claims About Eye Drug
EyePoint Therapeutics filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts accusing rival Ocular Therapeutix of spreading false and misleading statements about EyePoint’s lead experimental eye drug, Duravyu. The complaint alleges defamation, commercial disparagement, consumer‑protection violations, and interference with business relationships. EyePoint seeks a...
Publication Relating to Transparency Notifications
Nyxoah SA announced it received a transparency notification from Robert Taub and his controlled entity Robelga SRL after they crossed the 3% ownership threshold on December 30, 2025. The notification reveals that Taub and Robelga now hold 4,360,800 voting rights,...
Planned Parenthood Settles with EEOC to End DEI Investigation of Anti-White Discrimination
Planned Parenthood’s Illinois affiliate agreed to a $500,000 settlement that ends an EEOC investigation into alleged anti‑white discrimination tied to its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The commission found weekly race‑based affinity groups, mandatory DEI trainings that singled out...
Trump Suit Against Capital One Dismissed But Can Be Refiled
A federal judge in Miami dismissed the Trump Organization’s lawsuit against Capital One, which alleged political discrimination and de‑banking, but gave the company a 90‑day window to seek discovery and 14 days to file an amended complaint. The ruling called...
DoD Loses Legal Battle over Unconstitutional Press Policy
Bam. Department of Defense loses in its attempt to defend its unconstitutional new press policy. https://t.co/sOuyLwzWGG
DOJ Sues Harvard in Bid to Recoup Federal Grants, Cut Off Future Access
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit accusing Harvard University of violating Title VI by failing to curb antisemitic harassment and enforce campus protest rules, seeking repayment of all federal grant money and an injunction against future funding. The complaint...
The Dummy Server and the Chip War
A federal indictment unsealed on March 19, 2026 accuses three men, including Super Micro co‑founder Wally Liaw, of diverting roughly $2.5 billion in AI‑focused servers containing Nvidia GPUs to China. The scheme relied on dummy servers with swapped serial‑number stickers, staged in...
People Often Confuse One Attorney For Another
Lawyers with common surnames frequently receive calls, emails, and mail intended for other attorneys, with roughly a third of inbound inquiries being misdirected. The confusion stems from limited naming options for firms and geographic overlap, leading clients to assume the...
Work Allocation in Practice: Where Law Firms Should Begin
Law firms are urged to replace ad‑hoc staffing with structured work‑allocation systems, beginning with a small pilot led by a respected partner. The article recommends focusing on junior associates, using low‑tech tools such as spreadsheets or capacity reports, and assigning...
Court Doesn’t Buy Employer’s Defense for Not Complying with Race Bias Settlement
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Echols County School District could not invoke qualified immunity after allegedly failing to implement the hiring‑policy changes required by a 2020 race‑discrimination settlement. The district had submitted an outdated 2013...
Spotting Fake Trademark Renewal Scams Before You Pay
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...
Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Mississippi’s Five‑Day Ballot Grace Period
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday over whether federal law’s definition of “Election Day” bars states like Mississippi from counting mail ballots that arrive up to five days after the election. The case pits the Republican National...
Panda Express Allegedly Kept Accused Harasser, Fired Women Who Complained
A federal lawsuit filed in Chicago accuses Panda Express of repeatedly transferring a cook accused of sexual harassment while firing two women who reported him. The plaintiff, Esmeralda Contreras, alleges the harasser was protected as a top performer and that...
HHS Weighs Appeal of Controversial Vaccine Schedule Ruling
To appeal or not to appeal (yet): The potentially politically dicey situation facing HHS over a preliminary court ruling this week on #ACIP and the rewritten childhood vaccination schedule. By @ChelseaCirruzzo. https://t.co/3P1PW1lDFT