Today's Legal Pulse

UK pushes commonhold reform to boost housing supply
The Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill proposes abolishing leasehold and mandating new homes be sold as commonhold, tying the change to a target of delivering 1.5 million homes annually—the highest since 1968. The model remains untested, with fewer than 25 developments and unresolved issues around dispute resolution.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
AAO Decision Review and Insights (EB-1A)
The Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) denied an EB‑1A petition in April 2026, finding the applicant failed to prove sustained national or international acclaim. While the petitioner presented awards, memberships, judging, and authorship evidence, the decision emphasized a lack of contextual proof of prestige and significance. The AAO highlighted that a single award or membership does not satisfy the “top few percent” standard. The ruling underscores the need for robust, documented evidence that situates achievements within the field’s hierarchy.

Robinhood Wins Form CRS Relief From SEC on Trump Accounts
The SEC granted Robinhood Financial a no‑action exemption from delivering Form CRS to clients opening Trump Accounts, a new child‑focused savings vehicle created by the 2024 tax bill. Robinhood will act as the initial trustee, spending about $100 million to build...

When Can an Employer Relocate an Employee?
Ontario Labour Relations Board decisions in Rainbow Concrete Industries Ltd. v. Grace and v. Gallagher confirmed that mandatory employee relocations can amount to constructive dismissal when they fundamentally alter employment terms. Both long‑term workers were ordered to move 125 km, creating...
Health Canada Cuts Red Tape for Natural Health Products, Paving Way for Faster Market Access
Health Canada announced a package of regulatory reforms to slash administrative burdens for the natural health products (NHP) sector, the first major overhaul since 2020. The changes include a new prebiotic monograph, streamlined labeling rules, and broader red‑tape reduction measures,...
With Legal Briefs in, Supreme Court Weighs Telehealth Access for the Abortion Pill
The Supreme Court issued a one‑week stay on the 5th Circuit’s May 1 ruling that would have ended telemedicine prescribing of the abortion pill mifepristone nationwide. The pause keeps the FDA’s 2023 rule—allowing mail‑order and pharmacy dispensing—alive until at least May 11,...

AI Chatbot Claimed to Be Licensed Doctor, Faces Lawsuit
AI SUED FOR CHATBOT REPRESENTING TO USER THAT IT WAS A LICENSED DOCTOR You know how it's illegal for you to hold yourself out as a licensed professional, like a lawyer or a doctor, unless you are actually, you know, a...
LinkedIn Illegally Blocking Free Accounts From Seeing ‘Who’s Viewed Your Profile’ Data, Group Alleges
LinkedIn’s "Who’s Viewed Your Profile" feature, traditionally a premium‑only perk, is being challenged by the NOYB digital‑rights group in an Austrian court. NOYB argues the paywall breaches GDPR Article 15, which grants EU users unrestricted access to personal data via...
Chile Senate Introduces Bill to Regulate Lithium, Copper and Rare Earths
A cross‑party group of Chilean senators has filed a bill creating a special legal regime for critical minerals such as lithium, copper and rare earths. The proposal, now before the Senate’s Mining and Energy Committee, aims to add traceability and...
Fastener Licensing Costs Threaten India's Make in India, 1% Input Halts Factories
A Global Trade Research Initiative report says India's Quality Control Orders on fasteners are raising licensing fees to as much as $4,800 and causing line stoppages across automotive and construction plants. The 1% cost component is now a bottleneck that...

Will Scotland Be the First Nation to Pass Primary Legislation Covering Live FRT?
The Scottish privacy commissioner is urging primary legislation to regulate live facial recognition (LFR) by police, which could make Scotland the first nation with a dedicated law. Across England and Wales, 13 forces already employ live FRT, and London Metropolitan...

France Identité App Launches Sandbox for iOS, Proves Age Check Privacy Bona Fides
The French government’s France Identité digital‑identity app has released a sandbox build for iOS, joining its existing Android version, enabling developers to test end‑to‑end flows across the two dominant mobile ecosystems. Both sandbox versions now support the OpenID 4 Verifiable Presentations (OID4VP) 1.0...
U.S. Agency to Test Frontier AI Models as White House Mulls Safety Executive Order
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced it will safety‑test frontier artificial‑intelligence models before they reach the market. At the same time, the White House is studying an executive order that would mandate pre‑deployment reviews, a move likened...
FCA Launches Market Review, Tightening Grip on Law Firms and Claims‑Management Companies
The UK Financial Conduct Authority has opened a comprehensive review of the claims‑management market, extending scrutiny to law firms, lead generators and other intermediaries. The regulator warned that failure to cooperate will trigger robust action and signaled possible legislative changes,...
California Clears Path for Autonomous Tesla Semi Testing as Production Ramps Up
The California Department of Motor Vehicles adopted new regulations permitting manufacturers to seek permits for testing heavy‑duty autonomous trucks, including the Tesla Semi. The rules require 500,000 miles with a safety driver before fully driverless trials, a timing Tesla says...

New Jersey Passes Independent Contractor Rule Putting Advisor Businesses at Risk
New Jersey’s Department of Labor finalized an ABC test rule that will take effect on October 1, raising the bar for classifying workers as independent contractors. The three‑prong test places the burden on firms to prove independence, a stricter standard than...

”It’s Deja Vu All Over Again”: How New Mexicans, Advocates Repeatedly Fight Back A Push to Allow Oil and Gas...
In February 2026 the New Mexico House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources Committee voted 5‑4 to table HB207, a bill that would have permitted the discharge of treated oil and gas wastewater into rivers, streams, and for uses such as...
UK Regulator Probes PayPal, Visa and Mastercard over Digital‑wallet Competition
The UK Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation on May 6, 2026 into PayPal, Visa and Mastercard for possible abuse of dominance in the digital‑wallet market. The FCA says the probe will examine contractual provisions tied to PayPal’s wallet...
Jury Finds LAPD Officer Not Liable for Accidental Shooting Death of Teen While Confronting Suspect
A Los Angeles County jury found Officer William Jones not liable for the 2021 death of 14‑year‑old Valentina Orellana‑Peralta, who was killed when a bullet from Jones’s high‑powered rifle penetrated a store fitting room. Jones testified he believed the suspect,...
DFIN Positions Clients for SEC’s Semiannual Reporting Proposal
Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN) announced that its ActiveDisclosure platform is ready to support public companies if the SEC adopts a semiannual reporting framework on Form 10‑S. The firm says the change could lower compliance costs while preserving market transparency.

Leftist Hypocrisy with the Voting Rights Act (VRA)
The author celebrates the Supreme Court’s ruling in *Louisiana v. Callais*, arguing it removes partisan bias from the Voting Rights Act and restores representation based on law rather than race. The piece denounces left‑wing criticism, labeling it personal attacks that...
House Labor Caucus Joins Growing Backlash Against Trump’s Jones Act Waiver Extension
The White House extended a Jones Act emergency waiver for another 90 days, allowing foreign‑flag vessels to transport fuel, fertilizer and other cargoes between U.S. ports amid Middle East shipping disruptions. House Labor Caucus co‑chairs Donald Norcross, Mark Pocan, Steven...

Blake Lively Sees Attorney Fee Motion as Act of Advocacy: ‘This Is About So Much More to Her’
Blake Lively settled most of her claims against Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios, but a pending motion for attorney fees remains unresolved. The fee request relies on California’s 2023 Protecting Survivors from Weaponized Defamation Lawsuits Act, which aims to shield sexual‑abuse...
Supervisory Duties Vis-À-Vis “Hallucinated” Citations
A California federal court in Hill v. Workday, Inc. sanctioned a supervising attorney $1,001 for filing briefs with AI‑generated “hallucinated” citations that were not verified. The decision reaffirmed lawyers' duty of candor and clarified that senior counsel must personally check...

Texas Lawmakers Back Effort To Lift Camp Fiber Requirement
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced support for removing the state‑mandated end‑to‑end fiber optic requirement that youth camps must meet to operate this summer. The rule, enacted after a July 2025 flood that killed 25...
Will Smith Scores Major Victory As Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Is Dismissed
A Los Angeles judge dismissed a sexual‑harassment lawsuit filed by former touring violinist Brian King Joseph against Will Smith, finding the complaint lacked sufficient factual allegations of severe or pervasive conduct. The dismissal is not final; the judge granted Joseph...

67 ELDs Revoked Since January. 2 More Just Made the List.
The FMCSA announced that Safe ELD (iOS/Android) and MYLOGS ELD have been removed from the agency’s registered electronic logging device list, bringing the total revocations to 67 since January 2025. The regulator framed the removals as part of an active enforcement campaign, not...

NACDS Submits Comments to FDA on Expanding Access to Nonprescription Drugs
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) submitted formal comments to the FDA supporting the agency’s initiative to expand over‑the‑counter (OTC) drug availability. NACDS highlighted the potential for greater convenience, preventive care, and timely treatment if prescription‑only therapies move...
AI Conversations Lack Confidentiality, Subject to Legal Subpoena
Lawyer here. Your conversations with AI are not private. We have privacy rights in professional and intimate relationships: attorney-client, doctor-patient, therapist-patient, clergy, spouses. AI is a robot. No privacy rights. Your chats can be turned over to the government or subpoenaed by...

Chicago/Midwest People & Company News, Week of May 8, 2026
McHugh Construction hired veteran construction attorney Alec Miller as general counsel, overseeing legal, risk and compliance functions. JLL promoted Jeff Lepley to senior managing director of its Minneapolis capital markets team and added Brandon Keesee while promoting Michael Martin to...

Binance Says Treasury Sent Letter Over Monitorship of Exchange
Binance, still under a court‑appointed monitor after pleading guilty to U.S. sanctions and AML violations, received a formal letter from the Treasury Department requesting interviews with staff and records to probe possible sanctions breaches. The request comes amid media reports...

How AI Shapes the Way IBM's Legal Chief Approaches Almost Everything
IBM appointed Anne Robinson as general counsel in July 2024 and has since made artificial intelligence a cornerstone of the legal function. She is deploying IBM Watson and custom large‑language‑model tools to automate contract review, predict litigation outcomes, and streamline...

5 Tips For Aspiring Plaintiffs’ Lawyers
The article outlines five practical tips for law students and junior lawyers who want to build careers on the plaintiff side. It urges candidates to resist the default pull toward Biglaw, actively educate themselves about plaintiffs’ firms, seek on‑the‑feet courtroom...

Mark Ruffalo Calls on State AGs to Stop Paramount-WBD Merger
Actor Mark Ruffalo and antitrust analyst Matt Stoller have published a New York Times op‑ed urging state attorneys general to block the pending Paramount‑Warner Bros. Discovery merger. They argue the deal would further consolidate Hollywood, reducing the number of studios that foster risky,...

Borrowers Sue Shellpoint, SLS and Rushmore, Blame "Stop File" For Foreclosure
Borrowers Xong V. Dinh and Suong Thi Huynh have filed a lawsuit in Philadelphia alleging that three mortgage servicers—Rushmore Loan Management, Specialized Loan Servicing, and Shellpoint Mortgage—mismanaged a trial modification by returning their payments. The servicers allegedly placed the loan...

Rushmore, Nationstar Accused of Reviving Fees After 2021 Mortgage Settlement
A federal lawsuit filed in South Carolina on May 5, 2026 alleges that Rushmore Loan Management Services, Nationstar Mortgage (operating as Rushmore Servicing) and related trustees revived fees and corporate advances after a 2021 loan‑modification settlement. The plaintiffs, Jamal and Sylvia Middleton,...

TISA Feedback on UK Digital ID Address Inclusion Highlights Sectoral Divergence
The UK government’s national digital ID consultation has drawn mixed feedback from the financial sector. The Investing and Saving Alliance (TISA) largely backs the proposal, especially the inclusion of a verified home address to simplify KYC and AML processes, and...

Court Reverses Parts of Florida Foreclosure Ruling over Missing Spouse Signature
A Florida appeals court partially overturned a summary‑judgment foreclosure because a loan‑modification lacked the wife’s signature, deeming reformation inappropriate without proven mutual mistake. The appellate panel sent the reformation issue back for fact‑finding and also rescinded the trial court’s attorney‑fee...

US Bank Loses Foreclosure Fight After Suing a Dead Borrower
Three New York appellate decisions on May 6, 2026 underscore how procedural errors can derail foreclosures. U.S. Bank lost a case after suing a borrower who died in 2009, and two related cases highlighted failures to prove note ownership and the prohibition...

Hallucinations, Inaccuracies, And The Erosion Of The Rule Of Law
Sullivan & Cromwell, a leading global law firm, recently filed a brief that contained 36 AI‑generated citation errors across three pages, including fabricated case passages. The firm blamed non‑compliance with its internal AI policies, showing that existing training and safeguards...

New York Proposes Biometric Checks for Sports Betting Apps
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has directed the State Gaming Commission to explore mandatory biometric verification, such as facial recognition, for online sports betting platforms. The draft regulations would require operators to collect biometric data when accounts are opened and...
Six‑Month Tax Fight with NM Department Ends
Happy to report that my 6 month battle with the New Mexico department of taxation is OVER

SOF Insider Trading Case Spotlights Troops and Prediction Markets
Army Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a Green Beret, was arrested for allegedly using classified military intelligence about a January 2026 raid in Venezuela to place bets on the prediction‑market platform Polymarket. He wagered roughly $33,000 and reportedly netted...
The OpenAI Trial Is Exposing a Brutal Truth About Workplace Texts
The Musk v. Altman trial exposed a 2023 text exchange between OpenAI interim CEO Mira Murati and founder Sam Altman, revealing Altman's repeated requests for a board meeting and Murati’s refusals. The messages, captured on personal devices, highlight how informal workplace chats...

Trade Secret Litigation Trends in Life Sciences
Trade secret litigation in life sciences has surged since the 2016 Defend Trade Secrets Act, giving plaintiffs a federal pathway to sue. Heightened competition, M&A activity, and the shift toward biologics—an $11.9 billion market projected to top $20 billion by 2033—are driving...

Just Add ICE
The Department of Homeland Security released a press statement accusing Judge Melissa DuBose of freeing a violent illegal alien, but the judge was unaware that ICE had withheld a Dominican murder warrant from the court. ICE instructed DOJ attorney Kevin...
What GRC Users Hate Most About Current Platforms
Real question for GRC users: what do you hate most about your current platform? Asking because we are about to launch something built specifically to fix the things that drive practitioners crazy. So tell me, what are we trying to fix?

AI Model Training on Unlicensed Works: Fair Use?
“Is researching, developing, and improving AI models on unlicensed works to advance the state of the art in the United States, a transformative fair use purpose—or not?” - this is the question we all need an answer to https://t.co/PjM6ZNgPU2
Credit Card Sports Betting Banned in Nine States, Growing
"Using a credit card to place sports bets is not allowed in at least nine states, and another is looking to join the list." Credit cards to be BANNED under ‘betting’ rule spreading across the US https://t.co/eEZ35bptsr
Clement Suffers 9-0 Loss in Cox Vs. Sony Case
Hang on: Didn't Clement just lose Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment ... 9-0? https://t.co/XLC63vM9fX
NHTSA’s Stricter ADAS Screening Sets Autonomous Approval Blueprint
Glad NHTSA is screening these systems more carefully. Not all ADAS systems were created equal. Many are just plain unsafe. This is also a blueprint for what federal approval of fully autonomous vehicles could look like.