Today's Legal Pulse
Biden sues DOJ to block release of interview audio
President Joe Biden has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent the Department of Justice from publishing an audio recording of his interview. The action, reported by Axios and TIME, aims to keep the interview confidential amid political controversy.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
Tax Research on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: A Guide to Key Resources
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), enacted as P.L. 119‑21 in 2025, overhauled key provisions of the federal tax code, making permanent several temporary deductions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and revising rate brackets, the child tax credit, and relief for tips, auto‑loan interest, and Social Security income. Jenny Zook of the UW Law Library compiled a guide for the State Bar of Wisconsin that categorizes free government sites, subscription databases, tax journals, and state resources to help practitioners navigate the new law. The guide highlights free IRS and Congress.gov resources, subscription tools such as Bloomberg Law, Lexis+, Westlaw, and VitalLaw, and notes that many of these platforms are accessible through UW and Wisconsin State Law Library terminals. It also advises on using AI assistants for OBBBA research while emphasizing verification against primary sources.
ESMA Sets Out Actions to Simplify the Retail Investor Journey and Make Investing More Accessible
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) released its takeaways from the 2025 Call for Evidence on the retail investor journey, outlining concrete actions to make investing easier for EU consumers. It will focus on streamlining disclosure requirements, simplifying suitability...
Rhode Island Bill Proposes Age Restrictions on Weight-Loss and Muscle-Building Supplements
Rhode Island Senate Bill 2774, introduced on March 4, would prohibit the sale of over‑the‑counter diet pills and weight‑loss or muscle‑building supplements to anyone under 18. The bill requires retailers to store these products in locked cases or behind counters, limiting...
BC Employment Law Changes Aim to Add Early Dispute Resolution Opportunities
British Columbia announced amendments to the Employment Standards Act and the Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act aimed at streamlining dispute resolution. The changes let the Employment Standards Branch use Unclaimed BC to recover unpaid wages faster and require employers to deposit...
Brazil Supreme Court Orders Elon Musk and X Investigation Closed
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court ordered the closure of a two‑year investigation into Elon Musk and his platform X, concluding that there was no evidence the service was used to coordinate attacks against judges. The decision follows a recommendation from Prosecutor‑General...
NLRB Declines to Overrule Ex‑Cell‑O: What Employers Should Know
On February 26, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board denied a request to overturn the 1970 Ex‑Cell‑O decision, preserving the longstanding rule that limits remedies when an employer refuses to bargain during a test‑of‑certification. The Board, led by two Trump...
SEC and PCAOB Enforcement Grinds to a Near Halt Under New Leaders
The SEC launched only ten accounting and auditing enforcement actions in 2025, the fewest in nine years, and collected just $31 million in settlements, a sharp drop from $907 million the previous year. Most of the 2025 penalties were imposed during outgoing...
OPay Clarifies Reports on Alleged Office Closure by the Nigeria Revenue Service
OPay refutes online claims that its Lagos and Abuja offices were sealed by the Nigeria Revenue Service over alleged tax violations. The company confirms all locations remain open and fully operational. It explains the rumor originated from an NRS industry‑wide...
Campaigners Claim NHS Palantir System Could Be Accessed by Police and Immigration
Campaigners, including Medact and Amnesty International, warn that the NHS's £330 million Palantir Federated Data Platform (FDP) could allow police and immigration officials to access confidential patient records. Palantir denies any legal ability to share data with government departments, stating the...
Man Jailed for Running Illegal Sale-and-Rent-Back Scheme Targeting Struggling Homeowners
Rajinder Gill was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for operating an unauthorised sale‑and‑rent‑back scheme that defrauded vulnerable homeowners of £925,233. The scheme, run through Secure Property Consultants Ltd, forced owners to sell below market value, pay...
Concept Capital Group Update: Administrators Appointed
On 9 March 2026 the High Court appointed BTG as administrators of Concept Capital Group (CCG) after an application filed in February. The FCA had previously frozen roughly £23 million of CCG assets and launched High Court proceedings in July 2025 over an alleged...
Second Charge Mortgage Firms Told to Raise Standards for Consumers
The FCA has warned second‑charge mortgage lenders and brokers to raise standards after a review uncovered weak affordability checks, inappropriate debt‑consolidation advice, poor record‑keeping and opaque fees. The sector, which serves borrowers with high debt and low resilience, accounts for...
Fifth Circuit Emphasizes Need for Proof of Trade Secrets’ Economic Value and Effort Required to Create Compilation
The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for defendants in A+PEL’s trade‑secret lawsuit, finding the nonprofit’s Mentor Teacher training, client list, and member database were not protectable under the DTSA or Louisiana’s trade‑secret statute. The court highlighted A+PEL’s failure to maintain...
Indiana Judge Says State's Abortion Ban Violates Religious Freedom of Those Seeking Abortions
A Marion County Superior Court judge ruled that Indiana's near‑total abortion ban violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act for plaintiffs whose faith requires access to abortion. The decision grants a permanent injunction, allowing those individuals to obtain abortions despite the...
Estate Planning Must Address Digital Access Challenges
Many assume estate planning is handled once documents are signed, but DIGITAL estate planning does not behave that way. For many clients, the real issue is an ACCESS problem: email, cloud photos, financial logins, business accounts, and Terms of Service...
AI Simplifies EU Procurement Rules Under New Accelerator Act
#tradeXpresso: the proposed EU Industrial Accelerator Act triggered a lot of reactions, as it may impact access to public procurement. Navigating international rules on public procurement is not always simple. But we can easify things. 👇 “AI meets IAA” https://t.co/5QdEEcLoAS https://t.co/SMUwtZTxrj
Judge Supports Washington Legislature In Not Granting Press Passes To Conservatives
A federal judge ruled that Washington legislators were within their rights to deny press badges to three conservative media figures, rejecting a request for a restraining order. In a separate dispute, DISH Network lost its retransmission agreement with Gray Media,...
Tariff Takedown: Implications of Tariff Refunds for Government Contractors
On February 20, 2026 the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump‑era tariffs were not authorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and on March 4 the Court of International Trade began liquidating refunds for those duties. The rulings trigger...
Future Overregulation Will Eclipse Dodd‑Frank’s Limits
FWIW - The wave of overregulation ahead is going to make Dodd Frank look like feeble.
How South African Seafarers Can Master Offshore Tax Challenges: Top Tips and Tricks
South African seafarers remain tax‑resident unless they meet strict residency tests, despite working under international crew visas. The tax code offers a full seafarer exemption for those who spend at least 183 full days abroad and perform “passage” duties, while...
Denver Airport Illegally Solicited Gift Cards for TSA
Denver Airport Asked Passengers To Drop Off Gift Cards For TSA Screeners — That Is Illegal - View from the Wing https://t.co/xuXYrsYhrJ
South Korea Plans to Use AI for Crypto Tax Enforcement
South Korea’s National Tax Service (NTS) is bidding for an AI‑backed platform to monitor cryptocurrency transactions ahead of a 22 % tax on digital‑asset gains slated for January 2027. The project, valued at roughly 3 billion won ($2 million), will use machine‑learning to flag...
SAVE THE DATE: Stockholm Customs Day, Wednesday 25 March 2026 at 9:00am
Baker McKenzie will host a Stockholm Customs Day on 25 March 2026 at 9 am, targeting customs, trade compliance professionals and legal counsel. The half‑day, in‑person event features speakers from the firm’s Stockholm office and other global locations. The agenda covers the latest...
Joint and Several Liability (JSL) Legislation 2026: What Recruitment Agencies Must Know
From April 2026 the UK will enforce Joint and Several Liability (JSL) legislation, expanding HMRC's ability to hold recruitment agencies financially responsible for unpaid PAYE, NICs, and other employment taxes incurred by umbrella companies. The rule shifts tax risk from...
Ledgible and Label Launch Digital Asset Reporting Solution
Ledgible and Label have formed a strategic partnership to deliver an end‑to‑end digital‑asset reporting solution for global financial institutions. The joint offering combines Ledgible’s blockchain transaction aggregation and tax calculation platform with Label’s regulatory reporting and data‑quality engine, producing standardized,...
Critical EDGAR
The world's most important website is in shambles. What the heck is going on with EDGAR? https://t.co/pKsJXrmAal
Dominican National Sentenced to More Than Ten Years for Unlawful Reentry Into the United States and for Trafficking Fentanyl and...
Robely Eladio De Jesus Guerrero, a 38‑year‑old Dominican national, received a 125‑month federal prison term and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to unlawful reentry and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The court found he sold roughly 120 grams...
Grand Jury Indicts New York Man Charged with Federal Sexual Exploitation Crimes
A federal grand jury in Cincinnati indicted 43‑year‑old Kyle D. Lawrence of Buffalo on two charges of transporting a minor for sexual activity and transporting child pornography. The indictment follows a multi‑agency investigation that linked Lawrence to a missing Colerain,...
Lotte Card Fined 9.6 Billion Won for Leaking Users’ Social Registration Numbers
South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission fined Lotte Card 9.62 billion won after a hacking attack exposed the resident registration numbers of about 450,000 customers. The breach stemmed from unauthorized access to log files in the card’s online simple‑payment system, affecting data...
Napier AI Launches Insights AI in Transaction Monitoring
Napier AI has introduced Insights AI within its transaction‑monitoring platform after rigorous testing in the FCA’s Supercharged Sandbox. The feature injects behavioural analytics and natural‑language explanations directly into alerts, cutting manual investigation time. Built on Project Theseus, the frequency‑based AI...
FDA Cracks Down on Misleading GLP‑1 Telehealth Marketing
The FDA is targeting telehealth marketing of GLP-1 drugs. Who’s prescribing them? Medical groups face ‘tricky’ questions when partners make misleading claims via @KatieMPalmer https://t.co/pf4Fwa7W7r
Hong Kong Authorities Arrest 8 over Alleged Insider Trading Involving Brokerages, Hedge Fund
Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption and Securities and Futures Commission arrested eight individuals, including senior executives of two brokerages and a hedge‑fund manager, in a joint “Fuse” operation targeting insider dealing. Authorities allege the executives accepted over HK$4 million in...
Exxon Planned Texas Move Shows Delaware No Longer Corporate King
Exxon Mobil announced a proposal to reincorporate in Texas, leveraging the state’s recent overhaul of corporate statutes. The move marks a strategic shift away from Delaware, long considered the default jurisdiction for U.S. public companies. Unlike Tesla or Zynga, Exxon’s...
FCC Alert on Cybersecurity Risks
The Federal Communications Commission issued an unprecedented cybersecurity alert for telecom operators, noting a fourfold rise in ransomware attacks from 2022 to 2025. The agency urges carriers to patch systems promptly, enable multi‑factor authentication, segment networks, and monitor vendor security...
Winter 2026 ESG Investing Quarterly Update
The White House issued a December 2025 executive order directing the SEC, FTC and DOL to review proxy‑advisor regulations and ERISA rules, prompting ISS and Glass Lewis to overhaul their ESG voting policies. Federal legislation is moving toward a “pecuniary‑only” fiduciary...
Chaos at NJ Attorney’s Office Hampers Mortgage Fraud Cases
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey has halted new mortgage‑fraud prosecutions after a federal judge disqualified Alina Habba and three successors for illegal, non‑Senate‑confirmed appointments. No criminal charges have been filed since 2024 despite rising fraud reports, and staffing shortages...
Archer Files Counterclaim Against Joby “for Use of Chinese Technology in the S4 eVTOL”
Archer Aviation has lodged a counter‑claim against Joby Aviation, alleging that Joby concealed Chinese‑origin components in its S4 eVTOL and mislabeled them as consumer goods to sidestep U.S. tariffs. The filing, made on March 9 in the Northern District of California,...
Simpson Thacher Deadline Blunder Leaves Major Client Facing Merger Block
US law firm Simpson Thacher missed Aramark’s filing deadline by one day, causing the Competition Appeal Tribunal to reject the appeal against the CMA’s order to unwind its acquisition of Entier. The tribunal held that the deadline was 5 pm Thursday...
Legal Battle Intensifies over £3bn Bitcoin Haul Seized by British Police
London police seized roughly 61,000 bitcoin, now worth about £3.2 billion, after a fraud case involving Zhimin Qian that victimised over 128,000 Chinese investors. The haul represents the largest confirmed cryptocurrency seizure by law enforcement worldwide. Victims are challenging the Treasury’s...
Potential Designation of Aldi and Lidl Under the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened an Invitation to Comment on whether discount chains Aldi and Lidl qualify as Large Grocery Retailers under the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010. Stakeholders must submit their views by...
FSSAI Directs Independent Milk Producers, Vendors to Obtain Mandatory Registration
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued an advisory on March 11, 2026 mandating that independent milk producers and milk vendors obtain a registration or licence before operating. The directive excludes producers who are members of dairy cooperatives and...
Union Faces Legal Challenge over Gender Policy
The Community trade union is confronting a judicial review filed by members Norma Austin Hart and Alison Ann‑Dowling, who argue its gender equality strategy unlawfully groups women with non‑binary individuals, contravening a recent UK Supreme Court ruling on biological sex....
JPMorgan Sued over Alleged Role in $328M Crypto Ponzi Scheme
Investors have filed a proposed class action accusing JPMorgan of enabling a $328 million crypto Ponzi scheme run by Goliath Ventures. The complaint alleges the bank ignored red flags, allowing suspicious wire transfers into Coinbase wallets while serving as Goliath’s sole...
Conflict of Interest? Landlord Uses Legislative Position to Fight Renter Rights
Connecticut Sen. Rob Sampson, a landlord, used his role as ranking Republican on the Senate Housing Committee to attack a bill that would bar no‑fault evictions. During a committee hearing he warned he would sell his rental units if new...
Guest Post: The New Physics of Legal Tech: Who Performs Legal Work in the AI Era? (Part 3 of 3)
The third installment of Ken Crutchfield’s series examines how artificial intelligence is redefining who actually performs legal work. It argues that routine tasks—such as document review, contract drafting, and basic research—are increasingly handled by AI engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and...
W&M Trains Liberian Lawmakers
Washington & Madison (W&M) has signed a year‑long agreement to train members of Liberia’s legislature in the United States. The program will expose lawmakers to democratic governance practices, legislative drafting, committee oversight, ethics frameworks, and constituent engagement through workshops, policy...
77% of Banks Prioritise Compliance over Payment UX
European banks are increasingly putting regulatory compliance ahead of payment user experience, according to Aqua Global’s survey of 150 IT leaders. Seventy‑seven percent say compliance demands outweigh customer needs, and 67% devote more time to meeting new rules than enhancing...
Regulatory Compliance for Enterprise Email
Enterprise email is now a security perimeter, and regulatory compliance has shifted from a checkbox to a strategic imperative. Certifications such as SOC 1, SOC 2, ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 provide the architectural blueprints that turn email into a trust asset rather than...
ICAO Invites Applicants for TAB 2026 Assessment Cycle and Stricter LOA Requirements to Affect CORSIA Phase 2 Supply
ICAO’s Technical Advisory Body (TAB) has opened applications for its 2026 assessment cycle, introducing substantially stricter host‑party attestation (Letter of Authorization) requirements and tighter integrity criteria. The TAB will no longer consider first‑phase programs for new eligibility, though successful 2026...
Delhi HC Seeks Reply on Hero Moto's 'MotorHunk' Plea
The Delhi High Court directed the Registrar of Trademarks to respond to Hero MotoCorp’s appeal against the registration of the “MotorHunk” mark owned by Nitin Khanna’s automotive‑accessories platform. Hero argues that “MotorHunk” is deceptively similar to its own “Hunk” trademark...