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
Poland Phases Out Aid for Ukrainian Refugees
Poland enacted a law that curtails social benefits for Ukrainian refugees, restricting healthcare to minors, workers, victims of torture or rape, and other vulnerable groups. Food, housing aid and school transport subsidies will only continue for the most vulnerable and will end for most pupils at the close of the academic year. The measure follows a sharp decline in public support, with only 48% of Poles favoring assistance, and comes amid criticism from rights groups. Despite the cutbacks, refugees retain protected status until at least March 2025, and Ukrainian workers still contribute roughly 2.7% of Poland’s GDP.
Ofcom Invites Small Games Studios to Workshop on Navigating Regulation
UK communications regulator Ofcom has announced a virtual focus group for small video‑game studios to discuss regulatory challenges. The workshop aims to collect real‑world feedback on current guidance and identify ways the regulator can better support early‑stage developers. Interested companies...
Choice Promotes Jeff Lobb to SVP, General Counsel & Secretary
Choice Hotels International has promoted Jeff Lobb to senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary, effective March 26. Lobb, a Choice veteran since 2006, succeeds retiring executive Simone Wu, who led the legal function for 14 years. In his new...
Exclusive: IManage Expands Insight+ with Enterprise‑wide Context and Data Warehouse Connectivity
iManage announced a major upgrade to its Insight+ platform, adding enterprise‑wide contextual integration and direct data‑warehouse connectivity. The enhancement lets the system pull metadata from billing, practice‑management and HR systems, enriching document and email searches with matter profitability, partner responsibility,...
Behind the Idea: Cumbuca
Cumbuca, founded by Daniel Ruhman, acts as a regulatory proxy that grants international fintechs direct access to Brazil’s Central Bank payment infrastructure. By holding its own payment‑institution licence, the company lets clients launch in weeks instead of the years typically required...
Startup Lender Alleges Rival Sabotaged Its Business
Lendwise Mortgage, a newly launched California lender, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court accusing rival Priority Financial Network (PFN) and its CEO Marc Shenkman of submitting false fraud reports to shared partners. The alleged false reports claimed Lendwise...
The Kaiser Settlement Should End the Guesswork in Medicare Advantage Oversight
The U.S. Department of Justice secured a $556 million settlement with Kaiser Permanente for allegedly submitting unsupported diagnosis codes to boost risk‑adjusted Medicare Advantage payments. The case, covering nearly a decade of overcoding, underscores the systemic pressure on clinicians to add...
Licensing Fees for Translations
An academic author discovered the original publisher increased the licensing fee for a foreign-language edition to $3,000, straining the translation publisher’s budget. The fee level raises questions about standard pricing for scholarly works, which typically depend on projected sales, language...
SEC Is Pushing Back Against New Wave of High-Leverage ETF Plans
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has warned leveraged‑ETF issuers to pause the effective dates of new high‑leverage funds, citing concerns over compliance with Rule 18f‑4. The agency’s Division of Investment Management used a brief group call to signal that proposed...
Meta Will Allow Rival AI Chatbots on WhatsApp in Europe, but for a Fee
Meta announced it will permit third‑party general‑purpose AI chatbots on the WhatsApp Business API in Europe for the next 12 months, aiming to ease pressure from an EU antitrust investigation. The company will charge a usage fee of €0.049 to...
Reframing Corporate KYC: Encompass Targets Back-Book Exposure with Scalable EC Review
Encompass has introduced EC Review, a scalable service that automates the remediation of legacy corporate KYC records for banks. Using the firm’s EC360 data engine, the solution processes thousands of client profiles in batch, delivering refreshed ownership and control data...
AI Adoption Among Legal Professionals Has More Than Doubled in a Year, New 8am Report Finds, But Firms Lag Far...
According to 8am’s 2026 Legal Industry Report, 69% of legal professionals now use generative AI tools, more than doubling adoption within a year. While individual practitioners embrace AI for drafting, research, and document summarization, only 46% of law firms have...
Do You Waive Privilege by Using AI? Two Federal Courts Say It Depends
In February 2026 two federal judges tackled whether content generated with publicly available generative AI tools is shielded by attorney‑client privilege or the work‑product doctrine. Magistrate Judge Patti, hearing Warner v. Gilbarco, treated AI as a mere drafting tool and...
“Larry Tribe Slams Sotomayor to Obama; ‘Bluntly Put, She’s Not Nearly as Smart as She Seems to Think She Is’”
On Monday, the Supreme Court granted a stay in the Malliotakis case, a move that legal scholars say could broaden the Court’s emergency‑relief jurisdiction to include rulings from state courts. The decision arrives as the Court’s emergency docket is already...
Cumulus Files for Another Chapter 11, With Lender Support
Radio broadcaster Cumulus Media has filed a prepackaged Chapter 11 reorganization, aiming to eliminate approximately $600 million of debt. The plan, backed by its lenders, allows the company to continue operating its 394 radio stations, Westwood One network, and podcast platform...
Class Action Targets UWM over Brokers' Unsolicited Text Campaign
UWM is facing a federal class‑action lawsuit alleging that its brokers sent unsolicited text messages to a consumer despite his Do‑Not‑Call registration. The plaintiff claims the texts were dispatched using UWM’s proprietary Lead Pipeline, Action IQ and ChatUWMAssist tools, and...
Ivo 6x’s Revenue, Opens in London + NY
Ivo, a San Francisco‑based contract intelligence platform, announced the opening of new offices in London and New York after reporting a six‑fold revenue increase over the past year. The growth follows a recent $55 million funding round and a plan to...
SEC Enforcement Division Revises Its Playbook: What the Updated Manual Signals About Enforcement Practices and Defense Strategy
The SEC Enforcement Division has updated its manual to require two‑level, director‑level approval before a Wells notice can be issued. This formalizes a practice that previously existed informally, potentially creating a bureaucratic bottleneck that slows investigations toward charging decisions. The...
GMS Pushes EU to Recognise India’s Ship Recycling Capacity
GMS, the world’s largest cash buyer of ships for recycling, is urging the European Commission to add qualified Indian ship‑recycling yards to the EU Ship Recycling Regulation list. Over 110 Indian yards hold Hong Kong Convention compliance, yet none have been...
Why so Many Firms Lose Momentum with Copilot, and What Leaders Can Do to Get Things Moving Again
UK law firms have embraced Microsoft 365 Copilot, purchasing licences and running pilots, but usage has plateaued as enthusiasm wanes. The stall stems from a lack of governance, role‑specific training, and confusion between the free Copilot Chat and the full Copilot...
SEC Sends Crypto Securities Framework to the White House
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission delivered an interpretive framework to the White House on March 3, outlining how certain crypto assets may be treated as securities. Unlike prior staff memos, this commission‑level guidance carries stronger legal weight without requiring a...
Craig Matthews, LEAP CEO: LegalEx London Shows How AI, Used Properly, Can Unlock Real Efficiency for Law Firms
At LegalEx London, LEAP CEO Craig Matthews emphasized that AI must be integrated, governed, and purpose‑built to deliver real efficiency for law firms. He warned that firms face daily pressures around productivity, risk, cybersecurity, and burnout, and that AI can...
‘Anthropic Unveils Claude Legal Plugin and Causes Market Meltdown’ – Our Analysis
Anthropic unveiled a Claude legal plugin on February 3, 2026, enabling its large‑language model to perform document review and other legal tasks. The announcement triggered a sharp sell‑off in publicly listed legal‑software firms such as Pearson, RELX, Thomson Reuters, Wolters Kluwer and...
FDA's Extremist Shifts Harm Rare Disease Stakeholders
In this week's Biotech Scorecard newsletter: The extremism of the FDA’s Peter Marks and Vinay Prasad has come with costs Two regulators, two extreme regulatory philosophies, one replacing the other. The rare disease community is suffering whiplash. Drugmakers ( $QURE...
FCC Seeks Industry Input on Global Space Policy Discrimination
Not just @defis_eu Space Act: @FCC wants industry input on discriminatory policies at @esa, Brazil, Canada, South Korea, Gulf Cooperation Council. @spacegovuk @BrendanCarrFCC #MWC26. https://t.co/WNE0RDXEPN https://t.co/l6A5Fqkgw1
Provide the Requested Hit Report, Court Rules: EDiscovery Case Law
The Southern District of New York magistrate ordered Sun to produce a hit report for its 57‑term counterproposal after Sun refused, emphasizing the need for transparent term negotiations. The court also compelled Sun to search director Steven Liu’s cellphone, rejecting...
Singapore Petrochemical Firm Cites War, Declares Force Majeure
I said before that force majeure could be the result of the war. Here we go. Singapore petrochemical firm declares it. More to come. Add shipping contracts. And other areas.
Labubu Sues Bambu Lab Over User-Created
Labubu sues 3D printer maker Bambu Lab for items made by its users — MakerWorld design repository in hot water over IP theft by its users https://t.co/j5PlQ5wuG6 @stlDenise3D
Bundledocs Unveils Bundledocs Review Collaboration Platform
Bundledocs announced Bundledocs Review, a real‑time collaboration layer built into its cloud‑based document bundling platform for legal teams. The new solution adds secure shared workspaces, granular permission controls, live commenting, annotation and a full audit trail, eliminating the need for...
Revolut Seeks U.S. Banking Charter After Securing UK License
Revolut, which struggled but eventually obtained its U.K. bank charter, has applied for one in the U.S., the company announced this morning: https://t.co/rNHcC6IgWC
Supreme Court's Power to Reshape Supply Chains Challenges Its Relevance
When nine justices can redirect global supply chains overnight, it’s fair to ask whether the Court’s structure still fits the modern economy. #SupplyChain #GlobalTrade https://t.co/N2tgQ7sgEX https://t.co/kCnjdrx0CX
Lack of Regulatory Action on Hyperscaler Dominance Prompts Inquiry Chair to Quit
Kip Meek, chair of the UK Competition and Markets Authority's cloud inquiry, resigned in protest over the regulator's sluggish response to hyperscaler dominance. The CMA’s report highlighted that Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services control roughly 70‑90% of the UK...
MrBeast Video Editor Fired From Beast Industries Following Kalshi Insider Trading Probe – Decrypt
Beast Industries, the media arm behind YouTube star MrBeast, terminated video editor Artem Kaptur after an internal probe linked him to insider trading on the prediction‑market platform Kalshi. Kalshi’s surveillance flagged Kaptur’s near‑perfect trades on low‑odds contracts that corresponded with...
Unanimous Vote Passed on SB 275, the State-Endorsed Digital Identity Program Amendments Bill
Utah’s Senate voted unanimously to pass SB 275 Sub 2, amending the State‑Endorsed Digital Identity Program. The legislation authorizes a wallet‑based digital ID that places data control and privacy in the hands of citizens. It builds on the SB 260...
Korea Plans Mandatory Sustainability Reporting Beginning in 2028
South Korea’s Financial Services Commission unveiled a draft roadmap that will make sustainability reporting mandatory for large listed firms starting in 2028, using 2027 data. The new standards align closely with the IFRS Foundation’s ISSB IFRS S1 and S2 requirements, covering...
The New Reality of Worksite Enforcement: Navigating I-9 and E-Verify Shifts in 2026
Employers face a wave of I‑9 and E‑Verify volatility as ICE worksite enforcement resurged in 2025 and federal programs that stabilized work authorization were dismantled. The termination of humanitarian parole, TPS volatility, and the end of automatic EAD extensions have...
OCC's GENIUS Implementation Draft Rule Keeps Yield on the Table
The OCC has issued a draft implementation rule for the GENIUS Act that establishes a rebuttable presumption that stablecoin issuers and their affiliates may not pay interest or yield on payment stablecoins. While the language appears to ban direct yield,...
&AI Launches Opportunities: Real-Time Patent Defence Feed
&AI, a patent‑litigation startup, has launched Opportunities, a real‑time feed that delivers new patent litigation filings within minutes. The platform lets defense teams filter parties and case types, automatically matches cases to the most suitable attorney, and enriches each alert...
One of Trump’s Earliest Authoritarian Moves Is Starting to Explode in His Face
President Trump’s second‑term administration issued executive orders that punished law firms representing liberal causes or the Mueller investigation, prompting four firms to sue. Federal judges declared the orders unconstitutional, and the Department of Justice briefly moved to dismiss its appeals...
The SCOTUS Tariff Decision as a Subsequent Event
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Learning Resources v. Trump is being classified as a non‑recognized (Type 2) subsequent event under ASC 855 for firms that imported goods subject to IEEPA tariffs and have not yet issued financial statements as of February 20, 2026. The...
Simmons & Simmons Launches AI + Legal Privilege Guide
International law firm Simmons & Simmons has released an “AI and Legal Privilege Guide and Policy Framework” to help organisations manage confidentiality risks when using artificial intelligence. The guide responds to a recent UK court ruling that uploading client documents...
AI Legal Research Startup Descrybe Launches ‘Legal Reasoning’ Tool; Says It Outperforms ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini on Bar Exam Benchmark
Descrybe, an AI legal research startup, unveiled DescrybeLM, a legal reasoning engine that it claims surpasses leading general‑purpose models such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini on a standardized bar‑exam benchmark. The company published the benchmark methodology and scoring data, inviting...
DBS Hong Kong Teams with Know Your Customer on Digital KYC
DBS Bank Hong Kong has teamed with RegTech firm Know Your Customer to embed AI‑driven digital KYC into its SME onboarding workflow. The platform provides real‑time business verification and automatic UBO mapping across more than 140 jurisdictions, cutting manual compliance...
Structured Payments Data Strengthens AML Compliance
Financial institutions are accelerating payment‑system upgrades as instant‑payment demand surges, with ISO 20022 becoming the default messaging format on SWIFT after the November 2025 cut‑over. Structured payments data under ISO 20022 enriches transaction details, enabling real‑time AML monitoring and more...
Arctic Intelligence, BitCompli Team up on Digital Asset Risk Tools
Arctic Intelligence and BitCompli announced a strategic partnership to deliver enterprise‑wide risk assessments for digital‑asset firms worldwide. The collaboration combines Arctic’s Arctic Accelerate platform with BitCompli’s regulatory expertise to meet tightening rules such as the UK FCA, EU MiCA, and...
Cross-Border M&A: How to Do Deals in Italy with Mauro Sambati and Donato Romano
In this episode, partners Mauro Sambati and Donato Romano of Gianni Origoni discuss the intricacies of cross‑border M&A in Italy, emphasizing the importance of cultural communication, relationship building, and navigating the country’s evolving Golden Power regulations. They explain how Golden...
Call for Papers: 11th Journal of Private International Law Conference (Zurich, 1–3 April 2027)
The Journal of Private International Law (JPIL) will host its 11th conference at the University of Zurich from 1‑3 April 2027. Scholars and practitioners are invited to submit abstracts of up to 500 words by 30 June 2026, with options for individual papers or...
Conference: Assimilated Law – the Role and Future of Retained EU Law in the UK (Oxford, 13/14 April 2026)
The University of Oxford will host a two‑day conference on 13‑14 April 2026 to examine the role and future of “assimilated law,” the body of retained EU legislation that remains in the UK post‑Brexit. Organized by Professor Anne Davies and Dr Johannes Ungerer...
From Water Pistols to Tanks: Why Data Science Is the Gold Standard to Counter Class Action Fraud (Donald Beshada, CEO,...
In this episode of Technically Legal, host Chad Main talks with Donald Bishada, former litigator and CEO of Covalent, about the challenges of class‑action fraud in the digital age. Bishada explains how traditional settlement notices—once delivered via magazines—are now vulnerable...
B2B Used Car Auction Merger Cleared by CMA
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cleared Constellation Developments’ acquisition of ABVR Holdings (Aston Barclay) through its British Car Auctions (BCA) business after a phase‑2 inquiry. BCA is the UK’s largest B2B used‑vehicle auction provider, while Aston Barclay ranks...