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
Manufacturing Sector Warns State NCC Variations Are Increasing Building Industry Complexity, Says BPIC
Australia’s building and manufacturing sectors face rising compliance costs as state and territory variations to the National Construction Code (NCC) proliferate, according to the Building Products Industry Council (BPIC). Tasmania has introduced 125 new NCC 2025 variations on top of existing changes, while New South Wales’ variations jumped from 16 to over 210, adding roughly 70 pages of extra requirements. Adoption timelines for NCC 2025 differ, with Victoria and Tasmania targeting May 2025, other states moving to 2026 or 2027, fragmenting the intended national harmonisation. BPIC welcomes the federal Treasury’s NCC Modernisation Project but warns that without reform to jurisdictional amendment practices, regulatory fragmentation will undermine the code’s benefits.
Taiwanese Bulker Banned From Australia over Unpaid Crew Wages
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned the Liberia‑flagged bulk carrier FPMC B Forever from entering Australian ports after a port‑state control inspection uncovered crew underpayment and illegal charges for potable water. The vessel, owned by Formosa Plastics Marine Corporation, is...
The Future of Smart Contracting With Kraig Conrad
In this episode, hosts Mark and Pepe interview Kraig Conrad of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) about the evolution of contract management, especially within the U.S. federal sector. Conrad explains how the profession is shifting from a compliance‑driven, document‑centric...
India Proposes Licensing Fee for AI Companies that Train on Copyrighted Content
India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has drafted a working paper proposing a mandatory licensing regime that would let AI developers train models on copyrighted material in exchange for a fee paid to a government‑designated collective body....
MACC’s Padini Probe Expands to Wider Network
The MACC just detained 8 people over the Padini probe. None of them work for Padini. That one sentence tells you everything about where this investigation is actually pointing. MACC chief Azam Baki confirmed the arrests personally — and in the...
26-428 - Maldonado Perez V. Noem Et Al
On May 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti entered a final order in Maldonado Perez v. Noem et al. The court adopted the accompanying report and recommendation, dismissed the petitioners' writ of habeas corpus as moot, and denied their emergency motion for a...
26-354 - Rawal V. Figueroa
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma filed docket 26-354, Rawal v. Figueroa, on May 5, 2026. The entry provides downloadable MODS, PREMIS metadata and a ZIP archive of the case’s documents via GovInfo. Citation formats (Chicago, APA, MLA,...
26-575 - Solis Palacios V. Warden Et Al
The magistrate judge recommended that the court partially grant Solis Palacios’s habeas corpus petition, ordering a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) within five business days. The government must prove the necessity of continued detention at that hearing, and the petitioner should be...
25-1390 - Bullard Et Al V. Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company Et Al
On May 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti issued an order granting 17 motions to remand Bullard et al v. Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company back to the Oklahoma County District Court. The remand returns the case to state‑level jurisdiction...
26-966 - Ford V. Bichotte-Hermelyn Et Al
On May 5, 2026, the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma docketed case 26‑966, Ford v. Bichotte‑Hermelyn et al. The filing initiates a federal lawsuit filed by Ford against Bichotte‑Hermelyn and additional defendants. No substantive allegations or claims...
26-728 - Nguyen V. Warden of Diamondback Detention Facility Et Al
The magistrate judge in Nguyen v. Warden of Diamondback Detention Facility recommended denying both the petitioner’s preliminary injunction and the emergency motion to stay his removal to Vietnam. The recommendation comes after a six‑motion filing seeking to halt the removal...
26-053 - Hernandez Casallas V. Jones Et Al
The U.S. District Court for Oklahoma adopted a February 6 report granting Ricardo Alberto Hernandez Casallas a prompt bond hearing after finding Immigration and Nationality Act violations, and ordered the government to certify compliance within seven business days. A supplemental...
25-1043 - Coulson Et Al V. Singh Et Al
On May 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma granted a partial motion to dismiss filed by Paul Express Inc., one of four defendants in the Coulson et al v. Singh et al case. The...
Griffin TV Stations: The Latest DirecTV Retrans War Pawns
Griffin Media’s two CBS affiliates in Oklahoma—KWTV‑9 and KOTV‑6—have been removed from DirecTV after the satellite provider failed to sign a new retransmission‑consent deal. Griffin granted a temporary carriage permission, but DirecTV declined to continue broadcasting without a fresh agreement....
Daily Report Set to Present 2026 Southeastern Legal Awards
The Daily Report and Law.com will present the 2026 Southeastern Legal Awards tonight at The Whitley in Atlanta, honoring top attorneys and firms across seven states. This year marks the fourth expansion beyond Georgia, recognizing a broader regional talent pool....
Meta Asks California Judge to Throw Out Landmark Social Media Addiction Verdict
Meta Platforms has petitioned a Los Angeles judge to overturn a March jury verdict that held it liable for a woman’s depression linked to its platforms. The jury awarded $4.2 million against Meta and $1.8 million against Google, finding both companies negligent...
KC Challenges Contempt Claim
Leading defence barrister Rajiv Menon KC is awaiting a decision on whether he will be held in contempt of court for his closing remarks to a jury in the first Palestine Action trial on 8 January. While the jury acquitted the...
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Apple’s Appeal in Epic Games Antitrust Lawsuit
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Apple’s appeal, leaving a lower‑court order that found Apple in contempt of its own App Store reforms untouched. The decision restores the 9th Circuit ruling that Apple must allow Epic Games to direct...
UPDATE ON THE BIGGEST VACCINE MANDATE CASE
Jayden Beale’s human‑rights lawsuit against Queensland’s COVID‑19 vaccine mandates has survived a critical QCAT hearing, where the judge rejected the government’s attempt to dismiss the case and criticized its lack of evidence. The case, potentially the largest of its kind...
1993 Blank Form Topples RM1.4B Inheritance Claim
A signed blank form from 1993 just brought down a 20-company inheritance claim in 2026. The 20-company has assets of more than RM1.4 billion.
Australia Mandates 20% of New LNG for Locals
Australia will require its LNG producers to reserve 20% of its new gas production for the domestic market 🇦🇺🚢 The government aims to curb prices and avert shortages on the populous east coast. The gas industry AND environmentalists broadly oppose this https://t.co/9Nk7ADuxJe
Taiwan Weighing Separate, Tougher Penalties for Drug Driving
Taiwan’s transportation and interior ministries are debating a legal split between drug‑impaired and drunk driving, with the aim of imposing harsher penalties for the former. The move follows a series of recent narcotics‑related crashes, including a May 4 incident that killed...
Delaware Law and Entrepreneurial Corporate Governance
Recent Delaware Court of Chancery and Supreme Court decisions—such as the Musk compensation package, the Moelis shareholder agreement, the Match Group spin‑off, and the Palkon‑Maffei dispute—expose a growing judicial discomfort with fast‑paced, entrepreneurial corporate governance. The courts have emphasized strict...
States Are Increasingly Trying to Keep Kids Off Social Media
In 2026, 40 U.S. states and Puerto Rico introduced roughly 300 bills aimed at limiting minors' access to social‑media platforms. The proposals focus on mandatory age verification, parental consent, and restrictions on addictive features such as night‑time notifications and screen‑time...
Accelerating Business
The Financial Times’ "Accelerating Business" series spotlights the rapid infusion of AI and generative technologies into the legal ecosystem. It highlights a growing trend of mid‑career lawyers leaving traditional firms for legal‑tech startups, while in‑house teams grapple with whether to...
Hawaii Legislature Passes Bills for Automatic Voter Registration, Native Homestead Rights
The Hawaii Legislature approved two landmark bills as the session wraps up. Senate Bill 2239 will automatically register eligible residents to vote when they apply for a driver’s license or state ID, shifting the system to an opt‑out model effective...
Sullivan & Cromwell Discusses FinCEN, OFAC Proposed Rule on Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions-Compliance Requirements
On April 8, 2026 FinCEN and OFAC issued a joint notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) to implement the GENIUS Act’s framework for payment stablecoin issuers (PPSIs). The NPR clarifies AML/CFT and sanctions‑compliance duties, distinguishing primary‑market activities—where PPSIs must conduct CDD,...
AI Legal-Tech Start-Ups’ Alternative Career Path for Lawyers
The AI boom is reshaping legal careers as lawyers leave traditional partnership tracks for equity‑bearing roles at legal‑tech start‑ups such as Harvey and Legora, whose 2026 valuations reached $11 billion and $5.5 billion. These firms recruit former attorneys to develop technology, advise...
An Urgent Need to Preserve Representative Democracy
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 6‑3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais invalidated one of the state’s two majority‑Black congressional districts, effectively gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Analyses estimate the ruling could eliminate roughly 140 minority‑majority state legislative districts and...
CA9 Decision Determines Future State Court Enforcement
Underscores the importance of the CA9 decision. If CA9 affirms, the AZ ruling for the CFTC would likely be nullified and all CA9 states (even CA) could pursue state court enforcement vs. PMs. Conversely, if CA9 reverses, state court enforcement...
Dear PM: The BSA Situation Is Merely a Symptom of a Much Wider Malaise
Former NZ Herald editor Gavin Ellis urges Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to launch a public inquiry into the country's media regulatory framework. He argues that the recent controversy surrounding the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) is a symptom of an outdated,...
Alaska Clear to Proceed with Bear Killing Program
An Anchorage Superior Court judge denied a request to block Alaska’s bear control program, allowing unlimited bear killings across a 40,000‑square‑mile region of southwest Alaska. The state argues the measure is needed to protect the Mulchatna caribou herd and resume...
US Fintech Basic Capital Hires Inaugural GC From Goldman Sachs
Basic Capital, a New York‑based fintech that streamlines 401(k) plans, has hired Jake Eigner as its inaugural general counsel and head of regulatory affairs. Eigner arrives from Goldman Sachs, where he was a vice president in the legal department specializing...
"Subject to Contract" Negotiations and the Formation of Binding Agreements
The Technology and Construction Court held that a November 8, 2024 letter between GMC Utilities Group and Sumitomo Electric created a binding escrow arrangement despite the parties’ “subject to contract” label. The court concluded the “subject to contract” condition was waived because...
2025 ABA Private Target M&A Deal Points Study: What's Market?
The American Bar Association’s 2025 Private Target M&A Deal Points Study examined 139 purchase agreements closed in 2024 and early 2025. It reveals that purchase‑price adjustment escrows now appear in 58% of deals, while representation‑and‑warranty insurance (RWI) is referenced in...
South Korean Court Cuts Former Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo’s Jail Term to 15 Years
South Korea’s appeals court cut former prime minister Han Duck‑soo’s prison term from 23 to 15 years, maintaining most of his convictions related to the December 2024 martial law declaration by ex‑president Yoon Suk‑yeol. The decree, which suspended civilian rule for...
OSC and AMF Enter Into Cross-Listing Agreement with AMF France
The Ontario Securities Commission, AMF Québec and AMF France have signed a cross‑listing agreement that took effect on April 16, 2026. The pact creates a coordinated review process for companies seeking to list securities in both Canada and France, assigning dedicated regulator...
Bloomberg Law: Musk vs Altman & Taylor Swift Trademark (Podcast)
Bloomberg Law’s latest podcast spotlights two high‑profile trademark battles. In the first segment, Elon Musk confronts Sam Altman in a courtroom showdown over OpenAI’s strategic direction and governance. The second segment features Fox Rothschild’s Cynthia Katz explaining why pop star...
![[Video] SkadBytes Podcast | AI Regulation: EU and UK Update and What It Means in Practice](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://jdsupra-static.s3.amazonaws.com/profile-images/og.13534_143.jpg)
[Video] SkadBytes Podcast | AI Regulation: EU and UK Update and What It Means in Practice
The SkadBytes podcast highlights the shift from drafting AI rules to enforcing them, contrasting the EU’s and UK’s regulatory paths. In the EU, trilogue negotiations on the Digital Omnibus are advancing, tightening obligations for AI systems. The UK has revamped...
Dinotisia Launches Beta of AI‑powered Legal Search Service LegalQ in South Korea
Dinotisia announced the beta launch of LegalQ, an AI‑powered legal search service that uses multi‑agent retrieval‑augmented generation to answer natural‑language queries. The move follows a recent 90 billion‑won ($62 million) Series A round and signals the company’s push into sovereign AI for public‑data...
“Free of Cost Forever” Did Not Take the Royalty Owners Where They Wanted to Go
The Texas Supreme Court ruled in Fasken Oil & Ranch Ltd. v. Puig that a deed describing a royalty as “free of cost forever” does not shift the valuation point downstream. The court held that the royalty is calculated at...
Virginia Set to Permit State‑Court Class Actions, Redrawing Litigation Landscape
Virginia lawmakers are poised to approve a bill that authorizes private class actions in state courts, with Governor Abigail Spanberger expected to sign it into law. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, the change would make Virginia the only state besides Mississippi without a...
SALEFORM 2025: A Modern Rewrite for Vessel Deals in a New Global Reality
The Norwegian Shipbrokers’ Association and BIMCO have released SALEFORM 2025, a modernised standard‑form memorandum for vessel sales that updates the 2012 version. It introduces an escrow‑agent framework, mandatory KYC documentation, and a new termination right to address escrow onboarding delays. The...
Trial Evidence Surpasses All Expectations, Revealing Unprecedented Insights
I expected this trial to be crazy. But the stuff coming out in the evidence is so far beyond anything I thought we’d learn.
A&O Shearman Cuts Business Services Roles in London
Allen & Overy’s merger with Shearman & Sterling has led A&O Shearman to eliminate roughly 20 business‑services positions across finance, marketing and IT. The cuts, confirmed on 7 May, target only non‑partner, non‑fee‑earning staff, reflecting a broader effort to streamline after heavy investment...
Second Amendment Roundup: A Tale of Two Waiting Periods
The First Circuit upheld Maine's 72‑hour firearm waiting‑period law in Beckwith v. Frey, while the 10th Circuit struck down New Mexico's seven‑day waiting period in Ortega v. Grisham. Both cases stem from the 2023 Lewiston, Maine mass shooting and the...
Evening Update: ‘Protect My Name’ - Epstein-Linked Billionaire Accused of Rape Secretly Contacted Federal Judge
Apollo Global’s co‑founder Leon Black, whose past business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has long been scrutinized, is now facing a civil rape accusation. Court filings reveal that Black’s legal team secretly reached out to a federal judge to discuss procedural...
My First 3 Minutes in Hong Kong’s Court
Felix Tang, a council member of the Hong Kong Bar Association, recounts his first courtroom appearance, noting how the brief hearing underscored the need for meticulous legal knowledge. He describes Hong Kong’s pupillage and limited‑practice system as a disciplined, step‑by‑step...
Tonight in Your Rights: Patel Flails
FBI Director Kash Patel filed a $250 million defamation suit against Atlantic reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, accusing her of using “sham sources” while evidence emerged of Patel handing out personalized bourbon bottles to agents, raising press‑freedom alarms. In a separate case, U.S....
US Reinstates Deportation Proceedings Against Pro-Palestinian Student Mohsen Mahdawi
The U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals has reinstated deportation proceedings against Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, a pro‑Palestinian activist whose earlier case was halted by an immigration judge. The judge who blocked the Trump administration’s deportation effort was dismissed in...