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
Lush Agrees to Settle Gender Identity Bias Lawsuit Dropped by EEOC
Lush Handmade Cosmetics agreed to settle a sex‑discrimination lawsuit after the EEOC, which had filed a complaint in 2024 alleging bias against a pansexual, nonbinary employee, withdrew its support in 2025 following a Trump administration executive order. The settlement required the plaintiffs to dismiss their California state‑law claims without prejudice, while the financial terms remain undisclosed. The case illustrates that gender‑identity discrimination claims can survive even when the EEOC steps back, leaving private litigants to pursue them. It also underscores heightened congressional interest in the agency’s case‑handling decisions.
Patent Claim Language May Imply a Required Order of Steps
The Federal Circuit affirmed that a patent’s claim language can impose a required sequence of steps, as illustrated in Sound View Innovations v. Hulu. The court held that the grammar and logic of claim 16 mandated receiving a request before...
Quo Vadis mRNA Vaccine Technology? The State of the IP Lawsuits
During the COVID‑19 pandemic, vaccine makers pledged not to enforce mRNA‑related patents, but that restraint has ended, sparking a wave of litigation over lipid nanoparticle (LNP) and mRNA payload technologies. Major cases include Alnylam’s suits against Pfizer and BioNTech, Arbutus’s...
Judge Blocks Subpoenas, Citing Trump's Insults of Powell
Judge blocks subpoenas in criminal probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Judge cites Trump's TruthSocial posts in his ruling in which Trump was called Powell incompetent and stupid. https://t.co/SA5Sib2xDN
Subpoenas Target Powell, Not Crime, Says Boasberg
BOASBERG: “.. the subpoenas’ dominant (if not sole) purpose is to harass and pressure Powell .. “.. the Government has offered no evidence whatsoever that Powell committed any crime other than displeasing the President ..” https://t.co/3e71QOib61 https://t.co/X3riZGOYAB
Some States Are 'Decoupling' From OBBBA Tax Changes
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) reshaped the federal tax code, but state responses are split. Roughly half of the states automatically conform, while many Democratic‑led jurisdictions are decoupling to protect revenue, creating a patchwork of adoption dates. This...
Corporate Trustee Seeks Eviction of Disabled Girl, Mother
Evolve, which is the corporate trustee for a disabled girl and her mother, is literally trying to evict them from their home, according to a lawsuit filed in a Louisiana court: https://t.co/SwUgZI86FG
Judge Dismisses DOJ Subpoenas, Boosts Fed, Undermines Pirro Probe
NEW: A federal judge threw out a pair of subpoenas the Justice Department issued to the Federal Reserve, handing a victory to the Fed and dealing a heavy blow U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's criminal investigation into Chair Jerome Powell.
The Supreme Court Declines to Answer AI’s Authorship Question—For Now
The U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari in Thaler v. Perlmutter, leaving the D.C. Circuit’s ruling that works generated entirely by artificial intelligence lack copyright protection. This decision upholds the long‑standing requirement for human authorship under the Copyright Act. While the...
Judge Blocks Powell Subpoenas, Cites Near‑Zero Evidence
Judge Blocks Subpoenas Against Fed Chair Jerome Powell Citing 'Essentially Zero Evidence': NBC News https://t.co/teqHqyL2FB
Mamdani's Estate Tax Will Suffocate NYC's Middle Class
A proposal circulating in Albany would slash New York’s estate‑tax exemption from over $7 million to $750,000 and raise the top rate to 50 percent. The change would shift the tax burden from ultra‑wealthy dynasties to typical middle‑class families who own modest...
Federal Judge Quashes Subpoenas Sent to Fed and Chairman Jerome Powell
A federal judge dismissed the subpoenas issued to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and the Fed over alleged renovation cost overruns, ruling they were primarily intended to harass and pressure the central bank. The decision was framed as a defense...
Epic’s MyChart Fragments Records, Hindering True Interoperability
Class-action lawsuit claims Epic’s MyChart fragments patient records across portals, blocking full access & delaying disability claims. True interoperability still a challenge in digital health. https://t.co/jiKal8ggTl #DigitalHealth
‘Nation’s First’ Smoke Damage Standards Bill Wending Through California Legislature
The Smoke Damage Recovery Act (AB 1795) is moving through the California Legislature to establish a statewide framework for evaluating and remediating wildfire smoke damage in homes. Prompted by the 2025 Los Angeles fires, which generated over 42,000 insurance claims—including 13,000 smoke‑damage...
Associate Judge Can Decide Whether to Set Aside Default Judgment: BC Court of Appeal
The British Columbia Court of Appeal overturned its 1991 Euro Ceramics ruling, holding that horizontal stare decisis does not bind it to that decision. It confirmed that associate judges have jurisdiction to decide whether to set aside a default judgment...
Failure to Meet Plausibility Requirement Dooms Patent Infringement Complaint Notwithstanding Simplicity of Technology at Issue
The Northern District of Illinois dismissed Kenny Mfg. Co.’s patent infringement complaint against Satori Home for failing to plausibly allege infringement. The court noted the complaint showed only a bracket base and arm, omitting the required two mounting locations. Even...
The USPTO Unchains Digital Designs
On March 13, 2026, the USPTO released supplemental examination guidance that broadens design‑patent protection to computer‑generated interfaces, icons, and immersive AR/VR designs. The new rules allow applicants to claim the digital design itself, provided the title and claim identify an...
EFF Launches New Fight to Free the Law
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has sued the Consumer Product Safety Commission to force the release of safety codes for children’s products that were incorporated into federal law but remain claimed as copyrighted. Public.Resource.Org, a nonprofit that publishes government documents, argues...
Legalweek Final Keynote: An Industry Still Whistling Past the Graveyard?
The Legalweek keynote urged law firms to reinvent their business models, echoing the disruptive pivots of Apple and Netflix in the early 2000s. Yet a new survey shows only 19% of firms have altered fee structures to accommodate AI, 72%...
The FTC Is Mailing $47M in Checks to Renters—But Many Don’t Realize They’re Eligible
The Federal Trade Commission is issuing $47.2 million in checks to more than 444,000 renters who paid undisclosed fees to Invitation Homes between January 2021 and September 2024. Eligible tenants will receive an average of $106, with checks that must be cashed within...
Linux Community Deems New CA Law Ridiculous, Unenforceable
As I read and listen to responses to the new CA law, a theme emerged: the Linux community thinks this is ridiculous and is unlikely to comply (and compliance would be next to impossible to enforce...) https://t.co/hiQJkTfESN
Fourth Circuit Removes Autonomy From Adults In Healthcare Ban Decision
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld West Virginia's ban on Medicaid coverage for gender‑affirming surgeries, extending the restriction from minors to adults. The ruling overturns a lower court finding that the 2004 statute violated anti‑discrimination laws and...
The IRS May Owe You Money From the Pandemic Years—But You Have to Claim It
A February 2025 U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruling in Kwong v. United States broadened the interpretation of IRC Section 7508A, extending tax filing, payment and refund deadlines to July 11, 2023. The decision means the IRS may have improperly...
VA Ordered to Restore AFGE Contract Under Federal Judge’s Temporary Order
A Rhode Island federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to reinstate its master collective‑bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees’ National Veterans Affairs Council, covering over 300,000 workers. The order restores the...
Canadian Court Rules Story on Bo Fan Murder and Alleged CCP Spy Links Was a Matter of Public Interest
A British Columbia Supreme Court anti‑SLAPP ruling in February 2026 upheld a journalist's right to publish a 2021 investigative piece on Create Abundance, a Canada‑registered group alleged to have ties to China’s United Front Work Department and linked to the...
Trump Account Tax Benefit: Here’s What Tax Pros Need to Know About the New IRS Guidance
The IRS and Treasury issued proposed regulations outlining the new Trump account, a child‑focused, tax‑advantaged retirement vehicle created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Eligible newborns born between 2025 and 2028 receive a one‑time $1,000 federal pilot contribution, and...
Coiled in Controversy: Summary Judgment on Walker Process Claim Unwound
The Federal Circuit reversed a district court’s summary‑judgment rulings in Global Tubing v. Tenaris, vacating both the inequitable conduct and Walker Process antitrust decisions. The appellate court found genuine factual disputes about whether Tenaris intentionally withheld material prior‑art information during...
Opinion: Tax Breaks for Football Players? That’s Just the Beginning in the SEC
Mississippi lawmakers have advanced a bill that would eliminate state income tax for college athletes, effectively granting them a financial advantage over peers in neighboring SEC schools. The proposal, still pending Senate approval, could give Ole Miss and Mississippi State a...
Adobe Ends Federal Subscription Lawsuit With $150 Million Settlement Package
Adobe agreed to a $150 million settlement to resolve a Justice Department and FTC lawsuit alleging it concealed early‑termination fees and made cancellations difficult. The deal provides $75 million in free services to eligible customers and a $75 million payment to the government....
Squires Again Broadens Discretion for Post-Grant Proceedings
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires issued a March 11 memorandum expanding the discretion used in institution decisions for inter partes review (IPR) and post‑grant review (PGR) proceedings. The new policy allows examiners to consider whether accused products or...
AFRINIC Accuses Litigant of Trying to ‘Paralyse’ It
The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) has accused member Cloud Innovation Limited (CIL) and its affiliate Larus Ltd of using a series of lawsuits to paralyse the regional internet registry. The litigation seeks to block IPv4 address allocations and impede...
Trusts, Businesses, and Property in High Net Worth Divorce
High‑net‑worth divorces rarely hinge on a single bank account; they involve layered trusts, corporate interests, and property held through multiple entities. Early in the case, parties must treat the process as a financial investigation, mapping the entire asset ecosystem and...
UK Freelancers Can Auto‑Calculate Statutory Late‑Payment Interest
Freelancers, small businesses and so on have a statutory right under uk law to charge interest on unpaid bills. But the calculation can be complex. So my old friend the brill actress and podcaster Laura Shavin built a calculator. It’s...
EEOC Issues Decision Allowing Federal Agencies to Restrict Bathroom Use for Trans Workers
The EEOC issued a 2‑1 decision overturning the 2015 Lusardi ruling, limiting transgender federal employees to bathrooms that correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Chair Andrea Lucas justified the move under Title VII, while Democrat member Kalpana Kotagal dissented,...
Policy Week in Review – March 13, 2026
The Workplace Policy Institute highlighted a surge of industry petitions to the NLRB, seeking new rules to protect secret‑ballot elections, reevaluate captive‑audience meetings, and restore a common‑law test for independent‑contractor classification. The Board also declined to overturn the 1970 Ex‑Cell‑O...
Costa Rica’s Head Start May Mask Tougher EUDR Road Ahead
Costa Rica has leveraged its long‑standing sustainability framework to launch a nationwide, deforestation‑free coffee program ahead of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). A pilot with the CoopeTarrazú cooperative in 2024 introduced satellite‑based mapping, AI tools, and due‑diligence training, leading to...
Billable Hours Block Law Firm Tech Adoption
Why is it so hard to get law firms to adopt technology?The answer: the billable hour. Not as a pricing mechanism, but as the operating system of the entire firm. It shapes comp, performance, and earnings, and thus behavior. I...
Housing Committee Passes Bill Protecting Connecticut Renters From Arbitrary Evictions
The Connecticut Housing Committee approved a bill, 11-8, that requires landlords of buildings with five or more units to provide a legitimate reason before evicting tenants who have lived there for at least one year. The legislation specifically targets no‑fault...
Judge Dismisses Pricing Suit Against Publix
A federal judge in Florida dismissed a class‑action lawsuit alleging Publix overcharged shoppers at self‑checkout. Plaintiff Wendy Koutouzis claimed weight‑based pricing errors on 18 items, but the court found she had received refunds for many disputed purchases and was charged...
Weekly Brief – 13th March 2026
Ofcom confirmed that AVS Group has not yet paid the £1 million fine, the £50,000 secondary penalty, or the £8,000‑per‑day daily charge for ongoing non‑compliance with the Online Safety Act, and is reviewing recovery options. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Starlink has applied for...
SerpApi Asks Court to Throw Out Reddit Scraping Complaint
SerpApi has asked a federal court to dismiss Reddit’s lawsuit alleging the company scraped Reddit content via Google Search. The API provider argues Reddit does not own the user‑generated posts, that the cited snippets are too brief for copyright, and...
Dynasty Fights Merrill’s Attempt to Force It to Arbitrate Raiding Dispute
Dynasty Financial Partners is fighting Merrill Lynch’s motion to force arbitration over a raiding claim tied to the OpenArc breakaway. Merrill argues the court should either compel arbitration or lift the existing stay so its lawsuit can proceed, while Dynasty...
Ghana’s Fugitive Ex-Finance Minister Eyes US Residency
Ken Ofori‑Atta, Ghana's former finance minister, remains in an ICE detention center in Virginia after being arrested for a visa overstay. His lawyer says he is pursuing permanent U.S. residency, arguing he would not receive a fair trial in Ghana...
Epic V. Health Gorilla: GuardDog Folds
Epic Systems secured a stipulated judgment and permanent injunction against GuardDog Telehealth in its lawsuit with Health Gorilla. GuardDog admitted its business model involved requesting and summarizing medical records via the Carequality and TEFCA interoperability frameworks under the guise of...
When the Press Is Silenced: Why the Criminalization of Journalism Matters to Cybersecurity, Compliance, and eDiscovery in 2026
Press freedom is under unprecedented attack, with over 330 journalists imprisoned worldwide by the end of 2025, marking a five‑year streak above 300 incarcerations. Authoritarian regimes such as Belarus and Azerbaijan are codifying repression through treason laws, extremist labels, and...
Wash. Sheriff Declines Requests From Prosecutors to Retract Post About Not Hiring Noncitizens
Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank refused to remove an X post declaring the sheriff’s office will not hire noncitizens, despite a legal memo from prosecutors that the stance violates Washington state law. The memo cites RCW 43.101.095, which permits lawful...
FATF Report – Understanding and Mitigating the Risks of Off-Shore VASPs
On 11 March 2026 the Financial Action Task Force published a report titled “Understanding and Mitigating the Risks of Off‑shore Virtual Asset Service Providers.” The paper details the specific money‑laundering and terrorist‑financing threats posed by offshore VASPs and outlines a suite of...
EU ‘Meaty’ Names Ban: What It Means for the Future of Plant-Based and Alt-Protein
The European Union has approved a ban on 31 meat‑related terms such as “chicken”, “beef” and “steak” for plant‑based substitutes, while exempting generic descriptors like “burger” and “sausage”. Brands will face short‑term disruption as they lose familiar shorthand for product...
Spotlight on Sanctions
A wave of sanctions activity is reshaping compliance across the United States, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom. The U.S. Treasury issued new Venezuela oil licenses, deployed the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act against a Russian cyber‑espionage broker,...
FCA Publishes Good Practice and Areas for Improvement in Relation to Consumer Understanding Under the Consumer Duty
On 13 March 2026 the FCA released a good‑practice review of firms’ consumer‑understanding under the Consumer Duty. It highlights that firms should use diverse data sources, test communications with real customers, and design clear, accessible journeys. The guidance stresses tailored support for...