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
Fresh Call for UK Fashion Watchdog Amid Damning Survey
A new survey of UK clothing producers, analyzed by academics from the University of Leicester, University of Nottingham and the trade‑justice charity Transform Trade, reveals that unfair purchasing practices remain pervasive across the sector. The study found that brands and retailers routinely impose contract terms that shift risk onto manufacturers, depress margins and undermine labor standards. In response, the researchers are urging the UK government to create an independent fashion watchdog to monitor and enforce fair trading practices. The call adds momentum to ongoing debates about supply‑chain transparency and regulatory oversight in the British apparel industry.
Bill Links AI Liability to Human Standards, Threatening Immunity
So I actually read the bill. It would attach liability to the chatbot answer ONLY IF there would similarly be liability if a person said the same thing. It’s a challenging question, sure, but I don’t think the public will be okay...
US Appeals Court Rules Trump May Suspend Refugee Admissions
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that President Donald Trump possesses statutory authority to suspend refugee admissions under 8 U.S.C. § 1182(f), echoing the broad discretion affirmed in Trump v. Hawaii. The court, however, limited the suspension by preserving benefits for refugees...
FMCSA Chief Vows to “Clean Up the Mess” In Modern Trucking
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek D. Barrs announced a sweeping enforcement push at the Truckload Carrier Association convention, targeting fraud, unsafe operations, and regulatory loopholes. The agency is purging shell carriers, removing over 7,000 dubious CDL schools, and...
Russia Moves to Formalize Crypto and Stablecoin Rules
Russia is drafting separate legislation for stablecoins, highlighting their "colossal potential" for cross‑border payments amid sanctions. The Bank of Russia proposes allowing banks and brokerages to operate crypto exchanges under existing licenses, with a simplified notification process and a 1%...
The Fifth Circuit and the Louisiana 10 Commandments Law
In 2024 Louisiana enacted a statute requiring every public‑school classroom to display the Ten Commandments with a historical disclaimer. Parents sued, arguing the mandate violates the Establishment Clause under *Stone v. Graham*; a district court issued a preliminary injunction and...
Lawmakers Warn Student Loan Oversight Is Slipping
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkley allege that the U.S. Department of Education is obstructing congressional oversight of federal student loan servicers by withholding key performance metrics such as call wait times and borrower satisfaction. Historically, the department published detailed...
AI Hiring Must Expand Opportunities, Not Reinforce Bias
Law firm recruiters: AI in hiring should open doors, not quietly close them. If a model learns from your firm’s history, it will reproduce your firm’s history. Humans still need to own the decision. #LegalRecruiting #LegalTech #AI https://t.co/GNkRwGexTH
SRA Returns £9m to Clients of Closed Firm PM Law
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has returned £9 million to former clients of the collapsed PM Law Group, combining £5.6 million seized from the firm’s client accounts with £3.69 million from the industry compensation fund. More than 250 compensation applications have been received, and...
Munger Tolles & Olson's Senior Litigation Support Manager: Great Barrier to Innovation Is Structure
Senior litigation support manager Shannon Lex Bales argues that entrenched firm structures, not technology, are the primary obstacle to legal innovation. She notes that breakthroughs typically emerge when organizations adopt flexible processes, empower support staff, and align leadership with tech...
EDRM CEO Mary Mack: AI Pushing E-Discovery Clients to Put Premium on Trust, Reliability
EDRM CEO Mary Mack says AI is reshaping e‑discovery, but clients now value trust and reliability more than price. She notes that outcomes and long‑term relationships have become the primary purchasing criteria. Mack highlighted EDRM’s focus on transparent AI models...
Litigation Startup Advocacy Announces $3.5M Investment, With Backing From Fenwick & West, Relativity Labs
Litigation startup Advocacy announced a $3.5 million seed investment backed by law firm Fenwick & West, legal‑tech pioneer Relativity Labs, and a consortium of Big Law, boutique firms, and law‑school investors. The capital will accelerate development of its cloud‑based platform that...
CISF to Get Power to Initiate Legal Action Against Illegal Coal Mining
The Indian government will grant the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) legal powers to initiate action against illegal coal mining, mirroring the authority enjoyed by the Railway Protection Force. Currently limited to guarding ten mines, CISF will gain the ability...
ELI-Webinar “Enhancing Child Protection” (Int’l Filiation Law)
On March 12, 2026, the European Law Institute will host a webinar to present its newly approved report “Enhancing Child Protection: Private International Law on Filiation and the European Commission’s Proposal COM/2022/695.” The report, led by Dr. Ilaria Pretelli and...
Quebec Retailers Face Rising Language Compliance Pressure
Quebec’s Office québécois de la langue française has launched a province‑wide mystery‑shopper operation to gauge French language use in retail. The effort coincides with Bill 96‑driven tightening of language rules, including “markedly predominant” French signage, lower francisation thresholds, and mandatory French...
Whither 122(18)?
In late January, VC Zurn denied a temporary restraining order seeking to block the Fifth Third‑Comerica merger, rejecting the plaintiff’s claims under both Unocal fiduciary standards and Delaware General Corporation Law §141(a). The plaintiff contended that the merger’s “no‑shop” provisions violated...
Winning Firms Aren’t Choosing Between AI and Staff: They’re Enabling Both
Law firms are adopting Legal Soft’s VA+ model, which pairs AI‑driven automation with a certified virtual assistant who owns the outcome. The hybrid approach replaces the binary choice of hiring more staff or buying unmanaged software, delivering continuous execution, accountability,...
Court Clears Way for 24-Story Garment District Tower After Pretzel Mogul Loses Breach-of-Contract Suit
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Paul Goetz ruled in favor of Shahn Andersen, allowing him to proceed with the purchase of a 6‑story industrial building at 349 West 37th Street in the Garment District. The decision overturns seller George Makkos’ attempt...
Ofcom Investigates Two Imageboard Sites over CSAM and Non-Consensual Images
Ofcom has opened an investigation into the provider of two anonymous image‑board services to assess compliance with the UK Online Safety Act. The probe focuses on whether the platforms have conducted required illegal‑content risk assessments and implemented safeguards against non‑consensual...
Ghanain Man Pleads Guilty to Role in $100 Million Fraud Ring
A 40‑year‑old Ghanaian national, Derrick Van Yeboah, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was a senior member of a fraud operation that stole more than $100 million from U.S. victims through romance scams and business‑email‑compromise attacks between 2016...
DOL Clarifies Travel To and From Medical Appointments Is FMLA Protected
The U.S. Department of Labor issued new guidance confirming that travel time to and from medical appointments qualifies as protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. The clarification applies whether the employee is seeking treatment for their own...
ProPublica Wins Lawsuit Over Access to Court Records in U.S. Navy Cases
A federal judge ruled that the U.S. Navy must provide public access to all non‑classified court‑martial records and preliminary hearing documents. The decision follows ProPublica’s 2022 lawsuit alleging First Amendment violations by the Navy’s secrecy policies. The order requires transcripts...
Join Us on 25 March: Inside Harvey’s AI Agents & Shared Spaces
Harvey’s AI agents, launched a year ago, automate multi‑step legal workflows, while the newly released Shared Spaces platform enables real‑time collaboration between in‑house teams and external counsel. The company will host a TalkingTech webinar on 25 March to demonstrate these tools,...
The Artist Whose Work Was Used in Marathon without Permission Has Been Credited as Visual Design Consultant
Scottish artist Fern "4nt1r34l" Hook discovered Bungie used her artwork in the Marathon alpha without permission, prompting an investigation that confirmed the claim. Bungie identified a former staff member as the source of the breach and subsequently removed the infringing...
Dubai Crypto Regulator Says KuCoin Exchange Is Operating without Proper License and Must Stop
Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has ordered cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin to cease operations in the emirate, citing the absence of a required local licence. VARA also warned that any promotion or solicitation of KuCoin’s services violates its regulations and...
Arbitrations in Brazil: What Do Numbers Really Say?
The 2025 edition of Selma Lemes’s arbitration report shows Brazil’s arbitral market rebounding, with new cases rising 30% to 376 annually and the average dispute value jumping 122% to BRL 202 million in 2024. International filings also climbed to 64, the highest...
Vancouver Mayor's Bitcoin Investment Proposal Blocked by City, Provincial Law
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim’s proposal to allocate city reserve funds into bitcoin was rejected after staff concluded the investment violates the Vancouver Charter and British Columbia’s Municipal Finance Authority Act. The charter restricts municipal assets to government securities, bonds, and...
This Week in European MedTech and HealthTech: 6th March 2026
The European Commission unveiled a Health Package that revises the MDR/IVDR, removes the five‑year certificate cap and introduces risk‑based surveillance, while hard‑wiring cybersecurity reporting and aligning high‑risk AI obligations with the AI Act. The package also launches the first phase...
Emiru Responds to Mizkif Defamation Lawsuit, Claims Her Allegations Are ’Emotional Truth’
Emily "Emiru" Schunk filed a motion to dismiss Matthew "Mizkif" Rinaudo's defamation lawsuit, asserting her abuse and sexual assault allegations are protected as her "emotional truth" rather than factual statements. The case, filed in the Western District of Texas, also...
CobbleStone Software Announces Major VISDOM AI Enhancements to Accelerate Contract Review and Collaboration
CobbleStone Software has rolled out major upgrades to its VISDOM AI platform, boosting document processing speed and embedding AI tools directly into its collaborative editor. The new preloading feature lets users drag‑and‑drop contracts for background OCR and analysis, eliminating long...
23-037 - Jarrell Et Al V. Haaji Et Al
The Oklahoma district court issued a series of orders in the Jarrell v. Haaji litigation between 2023 and 2026. Initial rulings partially dismissed Roadways Enterprises’ motion to dismiss, while later orders compelled both Roadways and Haaji to supplement discovery responses....
26-143 - Salomov V. Noem Et Al
On March 4, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma issued an order partially granting Shakhboz Sharifovich Salomov’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus. The court directed the respondents, including Governor Kristi Noem, to provide...
25-1515 - Nigmatov V. Noem Et Al
Federal Judge Scott L. Palk adopted Report and Recommendation 11 in Nigmatov v. Noem et al, granting the petition in part. The court ordered respondents to provide a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) within seven days or release the petitioner if the...
Pudgy Penguins Accused of Infringing Original Penguin Trademark
Original Penguin’s owner, PEI Licensing, filed a Florida federal lawsuit against NFT collection Pudgy Penguins, alleging trademark infringement, dilution, and unfair competition over similar penguin designs on apparel. The complaint cites PEI’s use of the “PENGUIN” word mark since 1967...
Protected: AI for Lawyers Feedback on Redacting Documents
Tech4Law has posted a password‑protected article titled “AI for Lawyers Feedback on Redacting Documents.” The piece appears to focus on how artificial intelligence can assist lawyers in identifying and removing sensitive information from legal files. While the full content is...
Constitutional Conundrum
The High Court refused permission for the Charity Commission to seek judicial review of two safeguarding complaints, deeming the claim academic and non‑justiciable. The complaints – one by Damian Murray and another by Lara Hall – had previously been upheld...
Amendments Strengthening South Africa’s Voluntary Exclusion System.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition released draft amendments to South Africa’s National Gambling Regulations, tightening the Voluntary Exclusion Programme. The changes introduce a standardized electronic form, enforce same‑day notice escalation by operators, and set five‑day processing windows for...
Antitrust: Trump 2.0’s “Deal Friendly” Merger Review
The DOJ and FTC under the Trump‑era “Deal Friendly” approach have shifted toward expediting non‑problematic mergers, reviving early termination practices, and favoring structural remedies such as divestitures. In 2025, agencies filed 12 enforcement actions, with nine settled via consent orders,...
How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'Be an Active Participant,' Say Karthik Kumar and Frank DeCosta of Finnegan
Finnegan partners Karthik Kumar and Frank DeCosta, co‑leaders of the firm’s AI + Finnegan practice, were recently appointed practice group chairs. They attribute their rise to consistently acting as active participants and delivering meaningful contributions before receiving formal titles. Their promotion reflects Finnegan’s...
Court Ruling Highlights General Protections Regime Is a "Different Beast"
The Federal Circuit Court ordered Alfred Health to pay $30,000 after finding it engaged in unlawful adverse action against an aged‑care nurse practitioner. The judge highlighted the employer’s failure to review its procedures despite the ruling, emphasizing a need for...
The Smart Way To Handle Shared Inheritance: Buying Out Your Sibling When You Inherit a House
When multiple heirs inherit a family home, co‑ownership is imposed by law and often leads to conflict. A sibling buyout—one heir paying the others for their share—offers a way to keep the house and provide liquidity. The process hinges on...
Accountability Shifts to Decision Rights in AI Agents
Who’s Accountable when AI Agents Act “Agency isn’t a feature—it’s a transfer of decision rights,” says McKinsey Partner Rich Isenberg. “The question shifts from ‘Is the model accurate?’ to ‘Who’s accountable when the system acts?’” https://t.co/Lgqcxr3zq4 @McKinsey #AIGovernance
Google, DOJ Appeal Remedies Decision as US Judge Hires Technical Committee
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta appointed a multimember technical committee to monitor Google’s adherence to his behavioral‑remedies order. The judge’s final judgment found Google liable for antitrust violations but stopped short of imposing a structural breakup. Both the Department of...
NACDL Launches National ‘Criminal Case Tracker’ as Federal Grand Juries, Trial Juries Rebel Against Prosecutorial Overreach
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) has launched a digital Criminal Case Tracker to monitor federal prosecutions that employ novel or aggressive charging theories. The platform reveals a growing trend since early 2025 of grand juries issuing "no...
The First Question From The Florida Supreme Court's Newest Member: "Is Your Position More Like Justice Gorsuch in Bostock or...
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Judge Adam Tanenbaum to the state Supreme Court, marking his final reshaping of the bench. In Tanenbaum’s first oral argument, he asked the deputy solicitor general whether his statutory‑interpretation approach resembled Justice Gorsuch’s textualism in...
Nippon Life Insurance Company of America Sues OpenAI for Practising Law without a License
Nippon Life Insurance Company of America has filed a federal lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that its ChatGPT chatbot engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by helping a claimant reopen a settled disability case. The plaintiff claims the AI generated...
Independent Journalist Sarah Westall Files Landmark Federal Lawsuit Against U.S. Government and Alphabet/Google/YouTube Alleging Coordinated Censorship, Defamation, and Viewpoint Discrimination
Independent journalist Sarah Westall filed a federal lawsuit on March 5, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the United States government, Google LLC, and YouTube LLC. The complaint alleges coordinated government‑coerced censorship, defamation through...
Homeowner Numbers Stagnant; New Laws Fuel Economic Shift
That is not the scale of homeowners in America for 15 years now. The QM laws of 2010 and the 2005 BK reform law changed a lot for American economics https://t.co/SfPRuod5EC
US Senate Rejects War Powers Resolution on Iran
The U.S. Senate voted 47-53 to reject a War Powers Resolution that would have forced President Trump to obtain congressional approval before further military action against Iran, and the House followed with a 212-219 defeat of a similar measure. The...
Greece Appellate Court Upholds Convictions of Extreme Right-Wing Party Leadership
An Athens appellate court confirmed the 2020 convictions of Golden Dawn’s leadership, reaffirming the party’s status as a criminal organization. The ruling was praised by Defense Minister Nikos Dendias as a historic milestone for Greece’s justice system. The convictions stem...