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
Smartphone Users Battle Meta Over 'Brazen Plot' To Identify Web Surfers
Meta Platforms is accused of a covert scheme that exploited a localhost vulnerability in Google’s Android OS to de‑anonymize mobile web users and tie their browsing activity to Facebook and Instagram accounts. Plaintiffs, led by California resident Devin Rose, filed a class‑action suit alleging privacy violations, wiretapping law breaches, and intrusion‑upon‑seclusion claims. Meta argues the plaintiffs lack standing and that its privacy policy disclosed the data collection. Google is also named, with the company denying any knowledge of Meta’s alleged tracking method.
Fluid Proposes Establishing a Foundation Funded by $3M Annual Grant From DAO
Fluid DAO’s governance has put forward a proposal to create a Cayman‑registered non‑profit foundation that would own the protocol’s smart‑contract code, front‑end, domains and trademarks. The foundation would be funded by a $250,000 monthly grant—about $3 million a year—drawn from the...
GAO Calls for Stricter IRS Oversight of Tax Preparers
The Government Accountability Office released a report warning that unpaid tax preparers, especially unenrolled ones, frequently make serious errors that can cost taxpayers benefits and trigger audits. Over half of individual filers used a paid preparer in fiscal year 2024,...
Senator Singles Out FCC Bureau Chiefs On ‘Equal Time’ Concerns
Senator Richard Blumenthal has publicly criticized the acting FCC Bureau Chief and the head of the Enforcement Bureau, alleging they have weaponized the commission’s equal‑time rule against political candidates appearing on non‑news programs. The dispute centers on whether talk shows,...
Federal Judge Accused Of Driving ‘Super Drunk’ Takes ‘Voluntary’ Leave From The Bench
Federal Judge Thomas Ludington, a 72‑year‑old Eastern District of Michigan appointee, was arrested in October for driving with a 0.27 blood‑alcohol concentration, more than three times the legal limit. He has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor DUI charges and voluntarily...
Prompting Protection: What Every Company Needs to Know About the Potential New AI Bills
Two bipartisan bills—the TRAIN Act and the CLEAR Act—are moving through Congress to increase transparency around copyrighted material used in generative AI training. The TRAIN Act would let copyright owners obtain data disclosures via administrative subpoenas after suspecting infringement, while...
Discord Delay Global Rollout of Age Verification to Improve Transparency and Add More Options
Discord has postponed its global age‑verification rollout after admitting its initial communication was unclear. The delay applies only to regions without existing legal mandates, while the UK, Australia and soon Brazil will continue enforcing checks. The company outlined five prerequisites—more...
Ghana: Tighten Mining Act to Halt Mercury Smuggling
Ghanaian officials and civil‑society groups are urging a revision of the Minerals and Mining Act to curb the rampant smuggling and use of mercury in artisanal and small‑scale gold mining (ASGM). The current legislation lacks a national mercury storage and...
ADVP Expects Digital Identity Consultation to Play by Rules of Data Act, DIATF
The Association of Digital Verification Professionals (ADVP) has urged the UK government to shape its upcoming digital‑identity consultation around the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, warning that a single, government‑only wallet would lock out the private sector. ADVP argues...
The Legal Void of the Asteroid Gold Rush
Asteroid mining firms such as AstroForge and Karman+ are moving from concept to launch, targeting metallic near‑Earth asteroids and testing zero‑gravity excavation. A new paper in Acta Astronautica highlights the regulatory vacuum surrounding these activities, noting that existing treaties like...
Time of Production of Substantive and Impeachment Video Vis-À-Vis Date of Deposition
The D. Md. court in Frankhouse v. Jobe ruled that a cell‑extraction video with both substantive and impeachment relevance must be produced before the plaintiff’s deposition. The decision hinged on Federal Rule 34, which grants the requesting party the right...
STAT+: Drugmakers Lay Out Their Legal Arguments Against Trump’s Drug Pricing Experiments
Pharmaceutical and biotech firms are mobilizing against two Trump administration proposals that would tie Medicare drug prices to those paid in other affluent nations. The initiatives – the GLOBE model for Part B physician‑administered drugs and the GUARD model for Part D...
60,000 Forged Certificates — Only One Man to Blame?
A UK‑based individual forged more than 60,000 authenticity certificates for CFM56 engine components between 2019 and 2023, selling counterfeit parts valued at roughly $9.3 million. The parts entered the global aftermarket and were installed by multiple MROs and airlines without proper...
The Nova Scotia Case of the Unionized Employee Who Didn’t Work a Single Day: Gentleman V. Kings (County)
The Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruled that accepting a union‑covered job makes a person an employee under the collective bargaining agreement, even if they never start work. Beverly Margaret Gentleman’s rescinded offer was deemed a termination of a probationary employee,...
Know the Income & Net‑Worth Thresholds for Accredited Investing
Income and net worth matters when qualifying as an investor. Single investors need $200K income over the past two years. Married couples filing jointly need $300K combined income. Or, a net worth of $1M+, excluding primary residence equity. We break down the requirements and...
Twitch Teams Up With The Age Verification Company Discord Just Ditched
Twitch has entered a partnership with Persona to meet the United Kingdom's Online Safety Act requirements, using the firm’s age‑verification service for all users. The process redirects users off Twitch onto Persona’s platform, giving the streamer little oversight of post‑verification...
Does Section 230 Immunize Twitter's Knowing Possession of Child Sex Abuse Materials?
A petition for Supreme Court review challenges the Ninth Circuit’s ruling that Section 230 shields Twitter from civil penalties despite its knowing possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The petition argues that the Good Samaritan immunity in 47 U.S.C. §230(c)...
APA Vacatur and the Complete-Relief Principle
The Supreme Court’s decision in *Trump v. CASA, Inc.* clarifies that the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) does not categorically ban vacatur, but permits it when it is the only way to provide complete relief, especially for unregulated third parties. Justice...
The Sudden Return of Summary Reversals
The Supreme Court has revived its use of summary reversals, issuing unsigned decisions without briefing or oral argument. After a lull from 2021‑2024, four such reversals have been issued this term, surpassing the total of the prior three terms. The...
The Market Shift Reshaping Legal AI: Here’s What Comes Next
Clio highlights how consumer‑facing AI, like Claude’s legal plugin, can lower barriers to legal information for the 70% of people who never see a lawyer. At the same time, the firm warns that generic foundation models lack the verified, jurisdiction‑specific...
The Sales Tax “Nexus” Trap Most Brands Miss
In this episode, Richard interviews Ryan Pinkham, VP of Go‑to‑Market at TaxCloud, about the complexities of sales‑tax compliance for growing e‑commerce brands. They explain why sales tax is far from simple—50 states, multiple jurisdictions, and ever‑changing rules can lead to...
Detecting Deep Fakes
Legal tech expert Craig Ball was invited to speak in Texas about the growing threat of deep‑fake evidence in litigation. He highlighted how AI‑generated videos can now mimic real people with near‑photographic fidelity, complicating evidentiary verification. The article outlines emerging...
Marquis Sues Firewall Provider SonicWall, Alleges Security Failings with Its Firewall Backup Led to Ransomware Attack
Fintech firm Marquis has filed a lawsuit against firewall vendor SonicWall, alleging that a 2025 breach of SonicWall’s cloud backup service exposed critical firewall configuration data. The compromised backup files allegedly gave threat actors the keys to bypass SonicWall defenses,...
Adventures in Standard of Review: Gannett V. Halifax Regional Centre for Education, 2026 NSCA 16
The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal in Gannett v. Halifax Regional Centre for Education clarified that a statutory "review" triggers a limited judicial intervention rather than a full appellate standard. Justice Fichaud rejected Gannett’s request for correctness review, applying the...
Explainer: Why Legal Clarity Could Create Commercial Paralysis
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s emergency tariffs, wiping out roughly $175 billion in duties. While the decision removes a costly tariff burden, it also leaves the maritime sector with unresolved refund mechanisms and a patchwork of competing...
Mexico Makes Biometric ID the Gateway to Mobile Connectivity as SIM Registration Deadline Approaches
Mexico will require every mobile line to be linked to a biometric CURP ID by July 2026. The law, effective Jan 9, 2026, obliges registration of prepaid, postpaid, physical SIMs and eSIMs, giving existing users until June 30 to comply and suspending unregistered...
Charter Warns California Delay Could Jeopardize Cox Merger Timeline
Charter Communications has asked the California Public Utilities Commission to render a decision on its proposed acquisition of Cox Communications by July 16, 2026. The request stems from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Hart‑Scott‑Rodino antitrust clearance, which expires on September...
Pinsent Masons Selects Legora for Corporate, Commercial and Property Groups – Interview
Pinsent Masons announced on 23 February that it has rolled out the legal GenAI platform Legora across its corporate, commercial and property groups, expanding its user base to 1,000 lawyers. The firm completed a focused pilot that began in November,...
Why More Council Tenants Are Taking Legal Action over Dangerous Living Conditions
Over the last three years, legal actions by council tenants over unsafe or deteriorating homes have surged dramatically, driven by chronic under‑investment and mounting repair backlogs. High‑profile cases such as the death of Awaab Ishak have spurred new statutory duties,...
Douglas Irwin on Tariffs in America and the Supreme Court Case
Supreme Court ruled on Feb 20, 2026 that the International Economic Emergency Powers Act does not give the president authority to impose tariffs. The decision directly challenges the wave of tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump during his second term,...
SEC Revises IPO Float Rules to Revive Listings
The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission issued Memorandum Circular No. 11, Series of 2026, revising public‑ownership requirements for IPOs. The new tiered framework reduces the minimum float to 33 percent for firms under P500 million and as low as 15 percent for companies above P50 billion, with a...
New Texas Law Requires Insurers Provide Reason for Declining or Canceling Policies
A Texas law, HB 2067, took effect on Jan 1 2026 requiring all property‑and‑casualty insurers to provide written reasons when declining, canceling, or not renewing auto or homeowners policies. The mandate rolls out in three phases—first residential property and private passenger auto, then...
Acknowledging Amendments: When Is an Amendment Material to an Invitation for Bids?
The GAO’s Morrish‑Wallace Construction decision clarified that an amendment to an Invitation for Bids is material when it adds new performance requirements, even if the price impact is negligible. In the case, a revised sheet‑pile cap size increased material costs...
Autonomous Crypto Entities Will Outpace Regulators and Humans
The SEC doesn't know how to regulate a company with no CEO The IRS doesn't know how to tax an entity with no address Banks don't know how to serve a business with no humans But crypto doesn't care Zero human companies will emerge...
SEC Exemption Boosts Confidence, Not Immediate Prices
"The SEC innovation exemption may not translate into higher prices in the short term. But it gives investors CONFIDENCE. It says the industry is here for the long-term." https://t.co/FZZs6V5xGq
EDRM Earns JD Supra’s Readers’ Choice Award for 2026
The Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) was named JD Supra’s #1 firm in eDiscovery for 2026, marking its fourth straight year at the top. The award reflects reader‑driven data from 2025, highlighting the firm’s extensive author network and high‑engagement content. Individual...
Market Makers' Confidentiality Duty Under Scrutiny in Terra-Jane Lawsuit
"What's interesting about the Terra-Jane Street lawsuit: How much duty do market makers have to the platforms they work with to keep information confidential?" https://t.co/FZZs6V5xGq
Binance Co‑CEO Accuses WSJ of Defamation, Ignored Corrections
🚨BINANCE CO-CEO RICHARD TENG BLASTS THE WALL STREET JOURNAL "The Wall Street Journal published defamatory claims, and despite our efforts to set the record straight, the journalist failed to acknowledge any of our corrections on the allegations." https://t.co/ivcRFw5tvx
The Rising Tide of AI-Washing Cases in Securities Fraud Litigation
Public companies are increasingly inflating AI capabilities to attract investors, a practice dubbed AI‑washing that has sparked a surge in securities fraud litigation. Recent cases such as Opendoor and Upstart illustrate how exaggerated AI claims led to false statements, stock...
Testnets Essential for Identifying Legal Risks, Says Robinhood Counsel
"From a legal perspective is very helpful to have a testnet, so we can understand what the risks are and what we need to mitigate. " Robinhood Crypto's Deputy General Counsel Coy Garrison https://t.co/JXKHxOQebE
Robinhood's Crypto Strategy, Terra Lawsuit, SEC Innovation Exemption
UP NEXT, DEX in the City @kkirkbos and Jessi Brooks sit down with Coy Garrison and Seong Seog Lee to unpack Robinhood’s crypto approach, followed by Terra litigation and the SEC’s innovation exemption. 🔍 Come join us! https://t.co/JXKHxOQebE
How Disconnected Clouds Improve AI Data Governance
Microsoft has launched Azure Local, a fully disconnected private cloud that unifies Azure, Microsoft 365, and Foundry services for regulated enterprises. The offering supports offline governance, policy enforcement, and AI inferencing on on‑prem hardware, ensuring data never leaves customer‑controlled boundaries....
SpaceX's Claim to Oust Liberty From AWS‑4 Is Wrong
"SpaceX is incorrect in asserting that it can essentially evict Liberty from its AWS-4 spectrum by acquiring EchoStar's 2GHz MSS authorizations," via @thebauminator https://t.co/08hWxrztyf
SCOTUS Tariff Ruling: What Actually Changes
Must Read: Important new blog on what the SCOTUS tariff ruling does and does not actually change by @KClausing Obstfeld @PIIE
Standing in and After Bost
The Supreme Court in Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections held that any candidate for office has automatic standing to contest ballot‑counting procedures, even without showing the rule will affect the election outcome. The five‑justice majority rejected the traditional...
Navigating the Shift in Professional Services with AI
AI agents from vendors like Anthropic are automating tasks traditionally performed by entry‑level consultants in finance, law and other professional services. Kantata’s chief product officer Sarah Edwards explains that the industry is moving from a head‑count‑driven pyramid to an upside‑down...
MedisourceRx - 717970 - 12/12/2025
The FDA issued a warning letter to MedisourceRx after an inspection found the facility’s compounded sterile drugs failed to meet 503B outsourcing‑facility requirements. Specific violations include marketing unapproved new drugs, misbranding due to inadequate labeling, and inadequate adverse‑event reporting. The...
26North’s Josh Harris: Retail Capital Presents ‘Recipe for Problems’
At the PEI Group’s NEXUS 2026 conference, 26North veteran Josh Harris warned that blending unaccredited retail investors with traditional wealth capital in private‑market vehicles creates a regulatory mismatch. He argued that differing oversight levels could spark investor backlash and damage the...
HRLocker Research Finds Majority of Irish SMEs Risk GDPR and WRC Breaches Due to ‘Document Disorder’
HRLocker’s Irish SME HR Report reveals that a majority of Irish small and medium‑size enterprises are at risk of GDPR and Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) violations due to chaotic HR document storage. Sixty‑six percent of respondents keep employee records in...
How Camunda’s Skyflow Connector Helps Regulated Organizations Orchestrate Sensitive Data Safely
Camunda introduced a Skyflow connector that tokenizes and de‑identifies PII/PHI within BPMN workflows. The connector forwards selected fields to Skyflow’s vault, replaces them with tokens, and permits controlled re‑identification only at approved steps. This approach shrinks the cleartext data footprint...