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
Rising Legal Exposure for Ultra-Processed Food Manufacturers Amid New Government-Led Lawsuits: Swiss Re
Swiss Re's sigma insights report warns that ultra‑processed food (UPF) makers face growing legal exposure after the first government‑initiated lawsuit was filed in December 2025. Plaintiffs are expanding tactics from individual injury claims to public‑cost recovery actions that sidestep strict causation proof, leveraging theories such as unfair competition and public nuisance. The analysis highlights challenges including the absence of a universally accepted UPF definition and reliance on observational studies, which could affect litigation outcomes. If a case succeeds, it could create momentum for similar actions across multiple jurisdictions, raising potential defense costs and settlement liabilities for manufacturers.
Commission Seeks Feedback on Possible Revisions to the EU Taxonomy
On 17 March 2026 the European Commission opened a public consultation on proposed revisions to the EU taxonomy, aiming to simplify the framework and reduce reporting burdens. The draft changes streamline criteria and clarify compliance across most sectors covered by...
13 AGs Sue OneMain over Add-On Sales Policy
Thirteen state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against OneMain Financial, alleging the lender misled subprime borrowers into purchasing costly add‑on products such as credit insurance. The complaint says employees pressured borrowers, financed premiums into loans, and sometimes charged add‑ons...
Sex Matters v City of London Round Two
The Court of Appeal ordered the remittance of Sex Matters’ judicial review against the City of London’s trans‑inclusion policy for the women’s pond, overturning a High Court dismissal. The High Court had rejected the claim on procedural grounds, citing missed...
UK Government Moves Forward on Clarifying Fiduciary Duty and ESG
The UK government has tabled an amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill that will empower it to publish the long‑awaited guidance on trustees’ fiduciary duties, particularly regarding ESG considerations. The change formalises the government’s commitment to clarify how sustainability factors...
Pro Bono Net, the A2J Technology Pioneer, Rebrands As ‘Scale Justice’ to Reflect Its Evolving Mission
Pro Bono Net announced it is rebranding as Scale Justice, reflecting a shift from coordinating pro bono services to a broader, technology‑driven access‑to‑justice mission. The nonprofit, founded in 1998, now reaches more than 8 million people annually and claims to have...
DOGE Canceled Museum Grant for HVAC Systems After ChatGPT Flagged It As DEI
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) canceled a $349,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant intended for HVAC replacement at North Carolina's High Point Museum after feeding the proposal into ChatGPT, which flagged the project as DEI‑related. Plaintiffs allege that...
On the Move: Global Strategy Group Ups Padilla
Global Strategy Group promoted Marissa Padilla to partner in its Washington, D.C. office, where she will oversee client work, thought leadership, and new‑business initiatives across healthcare, tech, and advocacy. Ballard Partners added Rich Haslewood as a partner, tapping his deep...
Bankman-Fried’s Mom Told to Not Call Court on Son’s Behalf
Sam Bankman‑Fried’s mother, former Stanford law professor Barbara Fried, attempted to intervene in his post‑conviction proceedings by contacting the court for additional time to file papers. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected her request, stating she lacks legal standing despite...
The Remaining Questions After the Supreme Court’s Tariffs Ruling
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not give President Trump authority to impose the 2025 sweeping tariffs, striking them down in Learning Resources v. Trump. The decision left open critical issues, including how...
States Sue HUD over Fair Housing Guidance Tied to Enforcement Funding
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit challenging two September HUD memos that tie fair‑housing enforcement funding to new eligibility criteria. The memos would stop reimbursing state agencies for cases involving discrimination based on sexual orientation,...
Ghana: Chairman Wontumi Ordered to Open Defence in Illegal Mining Trial
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of Ghana’s New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, was ordered by the Accra High Court to open his defence in a criminal trial over alleged illegal mining on his Samreboi concession. The court dismissed his no‑case‑to‑answer motion,...
Cleveland Spiders Trademark Battle With Richmond Heads to Court
The trademark dispute over the historic "Cleveland Spiders" name has moved to a federal court in Ohio. Adam Barrington, owner of clevelandspiders.com, is appealing the TTAB’s decision that upheld the University of Richmond’s objections and is also facing opposition from...
Another Podcast with Clio Founder Jack Newton? Yep, But This Time, It’s Him Interviewing Me In My Seaside Hometown
Clio founder Jack Newton traveled to Rockport, Massachusetts to interview veteran legal‑tech journalist Bob Ambrogi for season three of the Matters podcast. The conversation, recorded in April 2025, traces three decades of legal‑technology evolution, from early case‑management software to today’s...
Most Top UK Websites Still Breaching Cookie Regulations
A new ALT Agency "UK Website Health Check 2026" audit of 200 high‑profile UK sites found that 120 (60%) deploy analytics or marketing cookies before a visitor has given consent, contradicting the ICO’s claim of widespread compliance. The study identified...
E.U. Law Tightens Marketplace Selling
The EU’s Digital Services Act, enforceable since February 2024, now obliges online marketplaces to verify seller identities, disclose contract details, and suspend non‑compliant traders. Enforcement has intensified, with authorities seizing 152 million illegal items worth €3.4 billion in 2023, more than double...
Save the Date: 24/25 September 2026, International Filiation Law in the EU
The International Filiation Law conference will convene on 24‑25 September 2026 at the University of Bonn. It will scrutinise the EU Parenthood Proposal, exploring academic and political reactions within a human‑rights and EU‑law framework. A diverse roster of speakers—from the German Federal...
"Perhaps Due to the Asynchronous Thelma and Louise, Neither Side Requests Sanctions"
Magistrate Judge Stephanie Christensen found that both parties in Creditors Adjustment Bureau, Inc. v. All Season Power LLC cited a non‑existent case and fabricated quotations, likely generated by artificial‑intelligence tools. Plaintiff’s brief contained four false citations, and the defendant inadvertently...
Cross‑border Property Ownership Complicates Estate Planning
"If I buy property in Singapore and I already own something in KL, how does that affect what happens to both if something happens to me?" That question told me everything about where this client was at.
Fourth Circuit Affirms $42 Million Jury Verdict in Abu Ghraib Case
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a $42 million jury verdict against CACI Premier Technology for conspiracy to commit torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment at Abu Ghraib. The panel rejected CACI’s extraterritoriality arguments, finding that U.S....
‘We Finally Have the Tools to Harness and Scale Law Firm Knowledge’
A Global Legal Post webinar highlighted how generative AI is unlocking firm‑wide knowledge for legal drafting, allowing even small practices to create sophisticated templates without large knowledge‑management teams. Panelists from Gleiss Lutz, Hengeler Mueller and Pérez‑Llorca explained that AI now drafts complex...
SEC and CFTC End Crypto Turf War, Reducing Regulatory Uncertainty
Something happened on March 11 that could reshape crypto for the next decade, and almost nobody is talking about it. The SEC and CFTC signed a historic agreement to end their regulatory turf war and coordinate crypto oversight. For years,...
Federal Judge Blocks Kennedy Changes to Childhood Vaccine Schedule; BANG
A federal judge issued a temporary injunction blocking Secretary Kennedy's revisions to the childhood vaccine schedule and halting new appointments to the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. The administration had re‑categorized six vaccines under a novel "parental‑choice" framework, prompting legal challenges. Kennedy’s...
Maruti Gets ₹5,786 Cr Income Tax Order; to Challenge Before Dispute Resolution Panel
Maruti Suzuki India received a draft income‑tax assessment of ₹5,786.4 crore for the 2022‑23 fiscal year. The company announced it will file objections before the dispute‑resolution panel. It emphasized that the order has no immediate effect on its operations, finances or...
From Copyright to Contract: How User Rights Are Being Reshaped
The digital marketplace has moved from owning books, music and films to licensing them, placing user rights under contract terms rather than the Copyright Act. In Canadian higher‑education libraries, over 90% of acquisitions are licensed, forcing librarians to navigate complex...
EU Data Act: Time for a Reality Check
The EU Data Act obliges manufacturers of IoT devices and SaaS providers to make user‑generated data readily accessible and transferable by design. Articles 3 and 4 require that data be supplied in a structured, machine‑readable format, often forcing back‑end redesign...
Will Anthropic’s Claude Partner Network Impact Legal Tech?
Anthropic has unveiled the Claude Partner Network, a $100 million initiative to accelerate enterprise adoption of its Claude large‑language model. The program enlists consulting giants such as Deloitte and Accenture to provide implementation, engineering, and go‑to‑market support. While the network promises...
Ballard Inks $2M Pact with Libyan Armed Forces
Ballard Partners has signed a six‑month, $2 million agreement to represent the general command of the Libyan Armed Forces, advising on public‑policy positioning, communications, and U.S. government engagement. The contract automatically renews for successive six‑month periods unless either party provides 30‑days...
One Harassment Claim Can Knock an Entire Case Out of Arbitration
The Sixth Circuit ruled that under the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA), a plausibly alleged sexual‑harassment claim renders a pre‑dispute arbitration agreement unenforceable for the entire lawsuit, not just the harassment claim. In the...
SEC Proposal to End Mandatory Quarterly Reporting Draws Opposition
The SEC is weighing a shift from mandatory quarterly earnings reports to a biannual cadence, a move first floated by former President Donald Trump and championed by SEC Chair Paul Atkins, who aims to release a proposal by early 2026....
Shoppers Stop and Scan: How a Simple QR Code Will Help Fight Overcharging at Retail Outlets
The Indian government will mandate QR‑code‑based digital certification for every retail shop, linking each outlet to a central compliance database. Shoppers can scan the code with a smartphone to see real‑time status on pricing, weights, and past violations. The scheme,...
The Clock Is Ticking: Why Statutes of Limitations Matter
Business owners often postpone addressing disputes, assuming they can resolve issues later, but such delays can cause claims to become time‑barred. A statute of limitations is a procedural deadline that, once missed, results in dismissal of the claim without relief....
Bakers Keep 17 Out of 20 Newly Qualifying Trainees
London‑based Baker McKenzie reported that 17 of its 20 newly qualified associates will stay, delivering an 85% retention rate for the 2026 cohort. One of the retained lawyers is on a fixed‑term contract, which slightly alters the calculation to 80%...
French Senate Approves Reform on Confidentiality of In-House Legal Advice: Potential Implications for Arbitration
On 14 January 2026 the French Senate passed a Bill creating a statutory confidentiality regime for in‑house legal advice. The protection applies only to communications drafted by qualified corporate counsel, purely legal in nature, addressed to management and marked as confidential, while...
Trump Orders Crackdown on ‘Made in USA’ Claims
President Trump issued an executive order directing the Federal Trade Commission to intensify enforcement against companies that falsely claim products are “Made in USA.” The FTC is now tasked with prioritizing investigations and penalties for misleading origin labeling across apparel...
5% Cap on Out-of-State Enrollment at Florida Universities Fails
Florida lawmakers abandoned a proposal to cap out‑of‑state undergraduate enrollment at the state’s flagship research universities at 5 percent. The bill, House Bill 1279, would have reduced the current out‑of‑state share, which stands at 20 percent at the University of...
Zimbabwe Law Counts Recalled Presidents as Full Terms
This gentleman did it better than most of us… He clearly EXPLAINED the issue of TERM LENGTHS & TERM LIMITS in a simple but BRILLIANT MANNER. For the benefit of those who do not understand Shona, let me try to Anglicise...
FAA Adopts Part 450 for Commercial Space Launches
The FAA has transitioned to the new Part 450 licenses for commercial space launch/reentry. https://t.co/HjK7RLvyJQ
Complaining About Judges
Leading feminist barrister Dr Charlotte Proudman is weighing legal action against the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) after it reversed a complaint against Circuit Judge Daniel Sawyer. The complaint, lodged in June 2025 over misogynistic tweets, was initially accepted but...
Sweden Mandates Permanent Hires After Two Years
Incredibly, Sweden passed a staffing law that went into effect--I'm not making this up--Oct 2022. It requires temp/staffing firms to offer permanent positions after 24 months, & there's legal speculation there it might apply to consulting firms too. 1/2 https://t.co/xwN37kW7ne
Trump Pushes Drug Pricing Overhaul Despite Congressional Resistance
The Trump administration is "gearing up for war" to push Congress to codify its drug pricing policy — despite little appetite for it on the Hill. Still, the pharma industry sees risk in the back-and-forth. https://t.co/DR2LotvXFq
Q&A: AI Class Action Has Major HR Implications
Employers are likely to encounter intensified scrutiny over AI‑driven hiring after a class‑action lawsuit targets a recruitment software provider for alleged bias. The case, distinct from earlier AI litigation, highlights legal exposure for companies using automated decision‑making tools, especially in...
Judge Warns Parties to Preserve Communications Amid DOJ Antitrust Scandal
It seems the judge in the Ticketmaster case, Arun Subramanian, is aware of the alleged corruption at DOJ Antitrust. He told settling parties to retain all communications. https://t.co/6Tuq2gxAJi
DOJ Seeks Retrial of Tornado Cash Cofounder Roman Storm
U.S. Department of Justice has moved to retry Roman Storm, co-founder and developer of the Tornado Cash cryptocurrency mixer https://t.co/LkuIGfnS8h
Luxury Brands Must Respond to Maturing ESG Frameworks, New Policy Survey Says
Baker McKenzie and Positive Luxury released the fourth edition of their ESG Policy Guide, warning luxury firms that maturing environmental, social and governance rules now demand concrete actions on circular design, packaging and supply‑chain traceability. Regulators across Europe, the U.S., Latin...
Greece Moves to Ban Social Media for Under‑15s
Greece is preparing a social media ban for children under 15 https://t.co/ecC5EHELKU via @NikasSotiris @PaulTugwell1 @flacqua @v_dendrinou https://t.co/yQMDvO18wa
SEC Plans Semiannual Filings as Enforcement Chief Departs
SEC eyeing toward cutting disclosures from 4 times per year to 2 times per year. Its enforcement chief just quit after only 7 months.
Stress-Testing Proposals to Add Autism to the VICP
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is steering a push to expand the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) to cover autism spectrum disorder claims. Recent actions include a proposal to amend the VICP Injury Table,...
Navigating Insider Conflicts: A Delaware and Nevada Playbook
Cooley’s latest memo delivers a concise playbook for handling insider‑conflict transactions under Delaware and Nevada corporate law. Targeted at companies approaching or completing an IPO, the guide stresses that rigorous process and transparent disclosure outweigh post‑hoc legal defenses. It outlines...
Why Fossil Fuel Producers Should Fear Your Local Zoning Board
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case in which Exxon Mobil and Suncor argue that cities like Boulder, Colorado lack standing to sue for climate damages. The article contends that while the Court debates federal pre‑emption, the real...