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
"Likely Permanence" Of Employee's Incapacity Meant Dismissal Was Fair
The Fair Work Commission ruled that dismissing a WorkSafe Victoria inspector was fair because medical evidence indicated his post‑traumatic stress disorder was likely permanent. Commissioner Emma Thornton accepted that the employee’s capacity to perform any role was doubtful, removing the need for redeployment or rehabilitation. The decision highlights the weight given to expert medical opinions in unfair‑dismissal assessments. It clarifies that employers may lawfully terminate when incapacity is deemed unlikely to improve.
US Identifies Notorious Piracy Markets
The U.S. Trade Representative released its 2025 Notorious Markets List, identifying 37 online and 32 physical venues that facilitate trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy. The report spotlights the surge in illegal streaming of live sports, especially as the United States...
DoT Seeks Legal Clarity on Dues of Insolvent Telcos
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the Attorney General for legal guidance on how to handle adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues of insolvent telcos Reliance Communications and Aircel after the Supreme Court ruled that spectrum cannot be transferred or...
“Justice Department Makes Abrupt Reversal on Law Firm Sanctions; Decision Comes Less than a Day After the Trump Administration Told...
The Justice Department abruptly reversed its decision to drop appeals defending executive orders that sanction law firms, re‑asserting its position within 24 hours. The reversal follows a brief announcement that the Trump administration would cease defending the orders, which targeted...
Blind Man Who Was Told to Read Library Sign Cleared to Fight San Francisco
Anthony Lewis, a blind San Francisco resident, sued the city after a library security guard demanded his service dog’s rabies vaccination record. The U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero declined to dismiss Lewis’s ADA discrimination claim, allowing the case to move forward....
Mother of Mentally Ill Jail Inmate Blames Medical Director for Baby’s Death
A Texas mother has asked the Fifth Circuit to revive a lawsuit against Dr. Aaron Shaw, the former medical director of Tarrant County Jail, alleging deliberate indifference after her daughter, Chasity Congious, gave birth alone in her cell and the...
NLRB Swamped with 17,000 Cases, 10,000 Overdue
"The National Labor Relations Board has approximately 17,000 open unfair labor practice investigations on hand, including almost 10,000 cases that have been pending review for more than six months" https://t.co/m5FQS4iHKl @robertiafolla
The February 2026 Compliance Deadline Is Here: Practical Steps for Substance Use Disorder Information Privacy Compliance
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA issued a February 2024 Final Rule that modernizes 42 C.F.R. Part 2, aligning substance‑use‑disorder (SUD) privacy with HIPAA while preserving heightened protections. Effective February 16 2026, the rule permits a single written consent for all treatment,...
Judge Tosses College Volleyball Players’ Suit over Trans Athletes
A federal judge largely dismissed a lawsuit filed by women’s volleyball players seeking to stop the Mountain West Conference from allowing transgender athletes in championship matches. The court noted the NCAA’s 2025 rule now bars athletes assigned male at birth...
Jewish News Org Can’t Sue School Districts over Canceled Speaker
A federal magistrate judge dismissed Jewish Legal News' lawsuit against three Bay Area school districts that canceled pro‑Israel speaker Luai Ahmed, ruling the outlet lacked standing because it was not a direct recipient of the speech. The judge also held...
Guest Post: Will Allowing Companies to Block Shareholder Suits Create a D&O Mess?
In September 2025 the SEC overturned decades‑old guidance and now allows public companies to include forced arbitration clauses in their IPO registration statements. The change is expected to drive up legal expenses for securities claims, as firms will face dozens...
EPA Pushes Back on Drinking Water Fluoridation Regulation
The EPA is contesting a Ninth Circuit panel’s view that a district judge overstepped by introducing new scientific studies in a case challenging federal fluoride standards. Food & Water Watch argues the EPA’s optimal fluoridation level poses an unreasonable risk...
Seeking AI GRC Founder Connections After Impressive Vendor Meet
Looking to talk to more AI GRC platforms: 2 clients met with a vendor recently and were really impressed with the companies and space. Would love to meet some dope founders if anyone has recs
Victoria Sets Timeline for WFH Laws
Victoria will grant every worker the right to work from home at least two days a week starting September 1, after a bill is introduced to parliament in July. The legislation would make Victoria the first Australian jurisdiction to codify remote‑work...
ACA Connects: Hopeful, But Realistic About Cable Act Rewrite
ACA Connects is heading to Capitol Hill amid a hyper‑partisan climate and a fresh war in Iran, urging lawmakers to consider the mounting cost pressures on small and midsize cable operators. The association is pushing for a comprehensive rewrite of...
TEGNA Pays $6,000 to Settle FCC Probe over Public Inspection Files
TEGNA agreed to pay a $6,000 settlement to the FCC to resolve a probe into its Flagstaff station KNAZ’s failure to maintain timely public inspection files. The settlement cleared the FCC’s concerns, allowing the renewal of KNAZ’s broadcast license. This...
EFF to Third Circuit: Electronic Device Searches at the Border Require a Warrant
The Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU filed an amicus brief urging the Third Circuit to require a warrant for electronic device searches at the border. The brief centers on U.S. v. Roggio, where agents seized a traveler’s laptop, tablet,...
The Change-in-Position Doctrine After Centro De Trabajadores (D.C. Cir.)
The D.C. Circuit’s opinion in *Centro de Trabajadores Unidos v. Bessent* refines the change‑in‑position doctrine after *Loper Bright*. The panel affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction against an IRS‑ICE memorandum and held that when a statute unambiguously backs an...
Sony Sued by Lit, the Band Behind Pop-Punk Hit ‘My Own Worst Enemy,’ over Alleged Unpaid Streaming Royalties
Lit, the band behind the 1999 hit “My Own Worst Enemy,” has sued Sony Music Entertainment for allegedly underpaying more than $800,000 in streaming royalties. The lawsuit claims Sony applied a flat 14% rate instead of the contract‑specified net‑receipts formula...
Spilman V. The Salvation Army: California Court of Appeal Announces a New Framework for Nonprofit “Volunteers” In Wage and Hour...
California’s Court of Appeal in Spilman v. The Salvation Army established a new two‑part test to determine when nonprofit workers qualify as bona‑fide volunteers rather than employees under state wage orders. The court rejected the trial court’s reliance on a...
The Supreme Court Questions the Future of the Voting Rights Act
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear Louisiana v. Callais, a case that challenges the constitutionality of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Section 2 has long required states to create majority‑minority districts to prevent racial vote dilution, and the...
1,700 Dutch Police Officers Get Reminder Not to Access Files without Legitimate Purpose
The Dutch National Police identified roughly 1,700 officers who accessed internal systems without a clear operational need and will receive reminder letters. The audit was sparked by a query into the violent death of 17‑year‑old Lisa from Abcoude, which appeared...
New Lawsuit Aims to Halt Expansion of a Montana Coal Mine Blamed for Drying up the Land Above It
Environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit in Montana to block the Bull Mountains Mine expansion, arguing that the Trump‑era "energy emergency" justification violated the National Environmental Policy Act. The suit highlights long‑wall mining’s subsidence and dewatering effects, which have dried...
Cambridge Launches Initiative to Align, Improve Digital Identity Regulations
The University of Cambridge has launched the Cambridge DPI Regulatory Programme to help governments align digital identity regulations. The initiative, led by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance and its spinoff Financial Innovation for Impact, will produce four reports and...
Equal Protection Clause Challenge to Single-Sex Public School Classes Can Go Forward
The Tenth Circuit ruled that the equal‑protection claim against a public school’s single‑sex fifth‑grade classes can proceed, applying intermediate scrutiny to the district’s sex‑segregation policy. The court found the plaintiffs’ allegations of reliance on outdated gender stereotypes and unequal disciplinary...
Vibe Coding and the Control Plane
Dennis Kennedy warns lawyers against adopting "vibe coding," a practice that relies on large language models to generate code without a robust control plane. He explains that AI systems can suffer from control drift, silently violating constraints such as data‑privacy...
Paramount/WBD Deal Likely Survives, Lawsuit Threat Looms
Antitrust experts don't see Paramount/WBD deal getting blocked by DOJ or abroad, but any lengthy probes abroad could buy state AGs time to assemble a lawsuit — Will they have a legit enough antitrust case to win in court? Uphill battle. @axios https://t.co/czZPajmweE
Versant's CNBC Use Governed by Five-Year Comcast License
Things I Did Not Know About Versant, Chapter 1: 'Our use of the CNBC brand is subject to a trademark license agreement with Comcast that provides an initial term of five years, which may be extended'
Costs Loom Amid Evolving Trans Care Policies
Hospital groups and state attorneys general are urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to withdraw two proposed rules that would ban gender‑affirming, or “sex‑rejecting,” procedures for minors and prohibit Medicaid and CHIP payments for such care. CMS estimates...
California Legislature: Previewing the Year Ahead in California State Housing Policy
The Terner Center is hosting a March 24 webinar to preview California’s housing policy agenda for the 2025‑2026 legislative session. After a busy first year that delivered high‑profile bills on affordability, zoning and climate, lawmakers are expected to maintain an aggressive...
Turned Defensive Tactics Against Misaligned Controllers
"Prophylactic measures" are typically what boards use to defend against activists (e.g., poison pills, staggered boards, etc). With $MAPS I flipped the script. In the presence of controllers with misaligned incentives, I had to deploy prophylactic defenses to box the board...
Ebike Reform Feedback Wanted
New regulations for shared e‑bikes in New South Wales give Transport for NSW and local councils expanded powers to approve operators, enforce standards, and levy penalties. The reforms respond to a 200% jump in daily e‑bike trips during the 2024‑25...
TikTok Starts Court Battle to Save China Ties
TikTok has launched a legal defence in Dublin against the Irish Data Protection Commission’s €530 million fine, arguing it can safely transfer European user data to China. The case will determine whether TikTok must halt all data flows to Beijing unless...
“The Fire and BPA’s Preservation of Evidence”
The District Court in Oregon held Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) liable for willful spoliation of both physical evidence and electronically stored information after the September 2020 Holiday Farm fire. BPA moved and destroyed trees at the ignition site despite a preservation...
Preview of UK DVS Trust Framework 1.0 Shows What ‘Good Digital Identity Looks Like’
The UK government has released a pre‑release of Digital Verification Services (DVS) Trust Framework 1.0, superseding the Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework for business readiness. The new framework aligns formally with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and...
Denmark’s Bill to Implement the EU Pay Transparency Directive Sent for Public Consultation
Denmark’s Ministry of Employment has issued a draft bill to transpose the EU Pay Transparency Directive, opening a public consultation until 27 March 2026. The law will take effect on 1 January 2027, a year after the EU deadline, giving larger firms a delayed...
Trump Antitrust Division Unlikely to Block Paramount‑Warner Merger
The Trump Antitrust Division will likely not bring charges to block the Paramount-Warner merger. https://t.co/yh0yoJNUUF
TEGNA Inks FCC Consent Decree To Resolve OPIF Fail
Tegna has resolved a recent online public file (OPIF) rule violation by entering into a consent decree with the FCC’s Media Bureau. The agreement clears a key regulatory obstacle that has delayed its proposed sale to Nexstar Media Group. With...
CFTC Says It's 'Modernizing' Rules to Make a Place for DeFi in the US
The CFTC announced it is modernizing its rulebook to accommodate decentralized finance, working hand‑in‑hand with the SEC to clarify jurisdiction over on‑chain software. Chairman Michael Selig said regulated perpetual futures could launch in the United States within weeks, and that...
Collaborating Through the Chaos: A Chat With Legalweek Speaker Elan Hersh
Elan Hersh, Akerman’s e‑discovery services chair, spoke at Legalweek about the hidden costs of miscommunication in complex litigation. He emphasized that fragmented communication between counsel, clients, and technology teams fuels delays, escalates expenses, and jeopardizes data security. Hersh advocated for...
MSRB Reform Bill Would Reverse Dodd-Frank Majority Public Mandate
Senator John Kennedy introduced the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board Reform Act of 2026, aiming to shift the MSRB’s governance to a majority of regulated representatives and tighten SEC oversight. The proposal would replace the current Dodd‑Frank‑mandated public‑representative majority with a...
California Fines National High School Ticketing Platform $1.1 Million for Privacy Violations
The California Privacy Protection Agency fined PlayOn Sports, the nation’s leading high‑school ticketing platform, $1.1 million for violating state privacy law. The agency found the company collected student data and served targeted ads without a clear, in‑platform opt‑out mechanism, forcing users...
Cal/OSHA Releases Proposed Workplace Inspection “Walkaround” Rule
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has issued a proposed rule that defines who may accompany inspectors during workplace safety walk‑arounds. The rule mirrors the 2024 federal OSHA “walkaround” standard but expands the definition of employee‑authorized representatives to...
California Employment News: Navigating AI Compliance: Employer Best Practices Pt.1
California employers are confronting new AI regulations that could expose them to discrimination claims. Weintraub Tobin attorneys explain how AI tools used in hiring, performance management, and monitoring may trigger Title VII, the ADA, and the state’s Fair Employment and...
The Single Market Myth: How Ottawa and the Provinces Can Finally Dismantle Canada’s Costly Internal Trade Barriers
The Macdonald‑Laurier Institute argues that Canada’s internal trade barriers remain a costly, under‑addressed obstacle to growth. While the EU enjoys seamless cross‑border commerce, Canadian provinces still regulate goods, services and professional credentials independently, creating inefficiencies. The report proposes a joint...
Mirabelli Offers a Beautiful Vision of the Emergency Docket
The Supreme Court’s per curiam decision in Mirabelli v. Bonta marks a pivotal moment for emergency‑docket jurisprudence, with Justices Barrett, Kavanaugh, and Roberts joining a majority that clarifies when swift relief is appropriate. Justice Barrett’s four‑page concurrence and the Court’s detailed opinion...
Google Urges Supreme Court to Strike Down Geofence Warrants as Unconstitutional
Google filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to deem geofence warrants unconstitutional. The brief argues that location data stored in the cloud is protected by the Fourth Amendment and that such warrants sweep up thousands of innocent people....
International Finance Watchdog Warns Stablecoins Are Increasingly Used in Sanctions Evasion and Money Laundering
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) released a 42‑page report warning that stablecoins have become the most frequently used virtual asset in illicit transactions, including sanctions evasion by Iran and North Korea. It cited data showing stablecoins accounted for 84%...
AI Frees Lawyers; Redefining the Lawyer’s Core Role
By some reports, AI is saving lawyers nearly 240 hours a year on research and document review. That time has to go somewhere. The profession has spent decades defining itself by the work AI now does faster. Figuring out what...