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
Law Laggard (Copyright Research)
The Copyright Society released a 46‑page research paper by Bill Rosenblatt and Howie Singer examining how copyright law consistently trails technological advances. The study maps six media formats—from phonographs to user‑generated content—showing typical 20‑30‑year gaps before legal frameworks catch up. It warns that artificial intelligence could widen the lag, reshaping ownership definitions across creative sectors. The paper is freely downloadable, offering scholars and policymakers a detailed historical timeline and analysis.
OpenAI Lawsuits Test ‘Just Code’ Defense, Warning DeFi Developers
OpenAI's new product liability lawsuits are testing the "it's just code" defense — and DeFi devs should be paying very close attention. Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, Jessi Brooks & Vy Le on AI liability, DeFi's $300M bailout, and the stablecoin yield deal...
Can a Vaccine Mandate Be Avoided because of an Anxiety Disorder?
A Calgary teacher who quit rather than receive a COVID‑19 vaccine lost her discrimination lawsuit. The Alberta judge ruled her diagnosed anxiety disorder did not constitute a functional inability to be vaccinated, and upheld the school’s policy that only severe...
The First STATS Outcomes Will Be Set Before They Are Published
The Department of Education’s STATS earnings accountability rule is moving fast, with a comment deadline of May 20 and a final framework expected by July. Under the current timeline, the inaugural STATS outcomes will be calculated using IRS earnings data from...
Why Districts Are Rewriting Gaggle Contracts
Districts across the U.S., including Lawrence, Durham, Vancouver, and Montgomery County, are renegotiating or terminating contracts with student‑monitoring vendor Gaggle amid lawsuits, privacy breaches, and operational challenges. While Gaggle claims to have saved 5,790 lives, independent research has yet to...
Perkins Coie Turns to AI Avatars to Train Lawyers on Soft Skills
Perkins Coie’s London office is beta testing generative AI avatars for soft‑skill training. The simulations let lawyers practice client communication, negotiation, and courtroom presence in a risk‑free environment. Participants receive real‑time feedback from the avatars, which mimic diverse personalities and...
Dems Introduce Bill to Protect Feds’ Credit Scores During Shutdowns
Senate Democrats introduced the Federal Worker Credit Protection Act (S. 4478) to shield federal employees from credit‑score penalties when a shutdown forces furloughs or work without pay. The legislation bars credit bureaus from recording negative entries tied to missed payments during...
Apple to Pay Out $250 Million in iPhone AI Settlement. Here’s Who’s Eligible
Apple has agreed to a proposed $250 million class‑action settlement over allegations that its Apple Intelligence features were misrepresented. Eligible iPhone 15 and 16 models purchased between June 10 2024 and March 29 2025 could receive a presumptive $25 per device, with actual payouts ranging...
FCA Probe Into Mastercard, PayPal and Visa Puts Digital Wallet Competition Risk in Focus
The UK Financial Conduct Authority has opened a competition‑law investigation into Mastercard, PayPal and Visa over the funding and usage rules of PayPal’s digital wallet. The probe, launched under Chapter I and Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998, is still at...
Trump Administration Supports L.A. Wildfire Victims Suing State Farm
The U.S. Justice Department filed a brief backing 60 Los Angeles wildfire victims who sued State Farm and other insurers for allegedly colluding to push policyholders onto California’s costly FAIR Plan. The brief attacks the insurers’ defense that they are...
Academic Papers Announced for the ABA Administrative Law 2026 Conference
The American Bar Association’s Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Section will host its 2026 Spring Conference in Washington, D.C., on May 7, featuring a full day of academic paper workshops. More than 30 scholars and practitioners will present new research on...
Germany’s Historical Struggle and the Legal Debate on Israel’s Right to Exist
Germany is poised to criminalize any public denial of Israel’s right to exist, following a bill introduced by Hessen’s premier and justice minister. The proposal would add up to five years in prison or a fine to the existing hate‑speech...
Google Offers EU Concessions on News-Search Ranking to Head Off a Fresh DMA Fine
Google has submitted a remedial proposal to the European Commission to modify its "site reputation abuse" policy for news sites, aiming to settle a Digital Markets Act (DMA) antitrust probe. The investigation, launched in November 2025, alleges Google demotes news...
Mira Murati Tells the Court that She Couldn’t Trust Sam Altman’s Words
Mira Murati, OpenAI’s former CTO, testified under oath that CEO Sam Altman lied about a new AI model’s safety clearance, claiming legal approval that never existed. Her deposition, shown in the Musk v Altman trial, revealed a clash between Altman and chief...
Epstein-Linked Billionaire Accused of Rape Privately Reached Out to Federal Judge to Defend His ‘Good Name’
Leon Black, the billionaire founder of Apollo Global Management, denied ever meeting or raping a teenage girl alleged to have been assaulted in Jeffrey Epstein’s New York townhouse in 2002. In 2024 his legal team contacted federal judge Jed Rakoff to...
Goodbye Quarterly Earnings? Here's when Traders Believe This Big Change Will Happen
Traders on the Kalshi prediction market are betting that the SEC will replace mandatory quarterly earnings reports with semi‑annual filings, assigning a 73% probability that the rule change will be finalized by April 2027. The odds for an earlier January 2027 implementation...
False Positives, Real Casualties: The High Price of Populist Antitrust
The article critiques the growing “error‑cost” doctrine that favors antitrust caution, arguing that recent high‑profile merger challenges have produced false‑positive outcomes. Blocking JetBlue’s $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit preceded Spirit’s bankruptcy and the loss of roughly 15,000 jobs. Similar overreach in...
Supreme Court Refuses to Pause the Order Holding Apple in Contempt in the Epic Case
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Apple’s emergency stay request, leaving the Ninth Circuit’s contempt order intact. The order bars Apple from levying any commission on purchases made through external links in iOS apps, effectively suspending the 27% fee it had...
The Time Is Now: The Senate Must Act on Crypto Market Structure Legislation
The GENIUS Act’s stablecoin framework sparked a 49% surge, lifting the market to $306 billion in 2025 and drawing institutional capital back to the United States. Building on that momentum, the Senate Banking Committee is poised to advance the CLARITY Act,...
Let’s Talk “About”. . . That Bird?
The Federal Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that the term “about” in a poultry‑processing patent’s pH range (7.6 to 10) is indefinite. Applying the Nautilus standard, the court found the claim failed to give a person of ordinary skill...
AI Is Infrastructure: Notes From CodeX FutureLaw 2026
At Stanford Law School’s CodeX FutureLaw 2026 conference, speakers framed artificial intelligence as a foundational layer of legal infrastructure rather than a mere productivity add‑on. A courtroom panel revealed that most federal judges have already used AI for drafting orders,...
Report: SpaceX IPO Gives Musk Unchecked Power and Forbids Investor Lawsuits
SpaceX’s confidential IPO filing proposes a structure that gives Elon Musk overwhelming voting power through super‑voting shares and grants him unilateral authority over board appointments. The prospectus also mandates arbitration, forcing investors to waive the right to sue the company...
Clear Channel Generally Prevails In FCPA-Related Insurance Coverage Dispute
Clear Channel Outdoor resolved a $26.1 million FCPA enforcement action stemming from bribery by its former Chinese subsidiary, Clear Media. The settlement included $16.4 million in disgorgement, $3.76 million in prejudgment interest, and a $6 million civil penalty. Clear Channel sued insurer AIG for...
Shivon Zilis, Mother of Four of Elon Musk’s Children, Testifies in OpenAI Trial
Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI intensified as Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis took the stand, confirming a long‑standing personal and professional link with Musk. Zilis testified she acted as Musk’s informal conduit during the 2021‑2023 shift of OpenAI from a nonprofit...
Clients Win Six‑figure Settlements
Anything for content I guess. We could have just sat down and talked about these checks… Our client walked away with over $600,000 after a truck accident on the highway. Another client walked away with $175,000 after getting rear ended.
Forbes Ignored Evidence, Made Disgraceful Choice
If Forbes had only waited to hear the testimony at this week’s trial Or read @_KarenHao’s book Or @RonanFarrow’s @newyorker investigation Or my own writings since fall 2023 They would have realized how disgraceful this choice was.
Crypto Bill Won't Move without a Ban on Officials' Industry Ties, Says U.S. Senator Gillibrand
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand warned that the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act will not advance in the Senate without an ethics provision barring senior officials from holding crypto interests. The clause, aimed largely at potential conflicts involving former President Donald...
Supreme Court Forces Apple to Reveal App Review Costs
The Supreme Court has considered Apple's delaying motion and found it unworthy. Now Apple will have to come clean with the District Court and show exactly what its costs are for reviewing apps with competing payment systems, so they can bill...
Cubs Win Key Ruling in Wrigley View Rooftop Lawsuit
Looking forward to joining @CNN and anchors @brikeilarcnn and @Boris_Sanchez at 3:50 pm EST today to talk about the Chicago Cubs lawsuit against Wrigley View Rooftop. On Monday, I wrote about a key ruling by the judge in favor of...
Building a Mothership Platform, One Location at a Time
Littler Mendelson’s senior partner Stephan Swinkels outlines the firm’s "mothership" platform, a strategy that layers regional hubs into a unified global employment law practice. The model centralizes expertise, technology and client services while allowing each location to retain local market...
White House App Secretly Hides GDPR Notices, Harvests Data
White House app contains code to hide cookie options, GDPR banners, and paywalls - and collects extensive user data https://t.co/6SliF4VA1t
Universal Says “General Intent” Of Congress Has No Relevance to Salt N Pepa Termination Rights Battle
Universal Music contends that the 1976 Copyright Act’s “general intent” to protect creators is irrelevant in its dispute with Salt N Pepa over termination rights. The rappers argue they can reclaim ownership of their 1980s recordings under the termination provision, but Universal...
Army's $50B MAPS Vehicle Hit with Second Protest
The U.S. Army’s $50 billion Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS) vehicle has encountered a second protest, this time from Intelligence Consulting Enterprise Solutions, joining an earlier challenge by MetroStar Systems. Protesters argue the solicitation lacks transparency, citing frequent...
Zuckerberg 'Personally Authorized and Encouraged' Meta's Copyright Infringement
Five leading publishers and author Scott Turow have filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York accusing Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg of personally authorizing the illegal scraping of millions of copyrighted books, journal articles and web content...
How US In-House Teams Can Stop ADA Risk Before It Starts
U.S. employers are facing a rise in ADA accommodation disputes, prompting in‑house teams to rethink their compliance approach. Jeff Nowak advises that legal counsel need not be involved in every request; instead, companies should establish clear escalation points within the...
Navigating Regulatory Fragmentation: How Legal Leaders Are Staying Aligned Across APAC
Legal leaders across the Asia‑Pacific are confronting a patchwork of regulations that rarely align, forcing multinational firms to reconcile local compliance with consistent internal standards. A forthcoming webinar will showcase how general counsels and senior legal managers are building regional...
Path Looks Narrow for Bill To Speed First Union Contracts
The Faster Labor Contracts Act, introduced to accelerate the negotiation of first contracts after a union election, is encountering significant legislative resistance. Proponents argue the bill would reduce prolonged bargaining periods and lower litigation risk for employers. Critics, including major...
Walmart Seeks Summary Judgment in N.D. Illinois Suit
Walmart has filed a Rule 56 summary‑judgment motion in the Northern District of Illinois (case 1:24‑cv‑04562), seeking dismissal of the plaintiff’s claims without a trial. The retailer argues that the evidentiary record fails to create a genuine dispute over core elements...
Keir Starmer Told to “Put Fans First” By Including Touting Ban in Next Week’s King’s Speech
FanFair Alliance is pressuring Prime Minister Keir Starmer to embed a ban on for‑profit ticket touting in the upcoming King’s Speech, fulfilling a manifesto promise made ahead of the 2024 election. While the government announced an outright ban last November,...
Taranis Capital Taps IYE Global to Bolster Due Diligence and Risk Management
Dubai‑based Taranis Capital, a DFSA‑regulated investment platform, has entered a strategic partnership with IYE Global to strengthen its due‑diligence and risk‑management capabilities. IYE Global will provide independent, forensic intelligence covering pre‑investment vetting, counterparty assessments, governance reviews and ongoing risk monitoring....
EAT Rules Rail Worker’s Drug Test Result Was Disability Discrimination
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) overturned an employment tribunal ruling that dismissed a disability discrimination claim by rail worker Mr. Truman, who was denied a safety‑critical role after a drug test flagged his prescribed medical cannabis. The EAT held that...
Former Osaic B-D on the Hook for $2.5 Million After Losing Employment Retaliation Case
A FINRA arbitration panel awarded former FSC Securities compliance officer Cynthia Ann Posipanko $2.5 million, including $750,000 in punitive damages, after finding the firm engaged in retaliation and supervisory failures. The award breaks down into $1.47 million compensatory, $250,000 non‑economic, and $37,000...
More Liability Will Make AI Chatbots Worse At Preventing Suicide
California enacted a law that obligates AI chatbot providers to either flood users with 988 crisis‑line numbers or terminate the conversation whenever emotional distress is detected, creating a strict liability regime. New York is considering a similar bill that would...
His Holiness Deemed PEP, Triggers Enhanced Bank Due Diligence
In the defense of the unnamed bank, His Holiness is, under U.S. law, ~certainly a politically exposed person (PEP) as a head of state, and therefore a wide range of routine things need enhanced due diligence. Also, possible the banker's UI...
Minnesota Should Learn From Europe: Wealth Taxes Are a Failed Experiment
Minnesota’s House introduced HF 4616, a state‑level wealth tax that would impose a 1 % levy on individuals and trusts with taxable assets above $10 million starting in 2026. The Department of Revenue projects the tax could generate about $290 million annually from...
Kevin O’Leary Says Wall Street’s Tokenization Boom Is All Talk without Crypto Rules
Kevin O’Leary told investors at the Consensus conference in Miami that Wall Street’s token‑ization hype will stall until Congress enacts comprehensive digital‑asset regulations. He highlighted the GENIUS Act’s rapid stablecoin adoption as proof that clear rules unlock institutional participation. O’Leary...
Idaho Correctional Officer Shot During 2024 Hospital Ambush Response Sues Police, County
In March 2024, Boise police officers entered Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and mistakenly shot correctional officer Christopher Wilske, believing he was the armed suspect. The incident stemmed from a failed handoff of information about a high‑risk inmate being transported for...
Jackson Lewis Principals Brian L. Hayden and Joseph J. Lazzarotti Named Distinguished Leaders at 2026 Florida Legal Awards
Jackson Lewis principals Brian L. Hayden and Joseph J. Lazzarotti have been named Distinguished Leaders by Law.com’s 2026 Florida Legal Awards. Hayden, a Jacksonville principal, advises employers on employment policies and leads pro bono initiatives, while Lazzarotti, based in Tampa,...
FCC's Lifeline Overhaul Risks Cutting Millions of Low‑Income Users, Critics Say
The Federal Communications Commission adopted a February proposal to tighten identity verification for the Lifeline subsidy, potentially requiring full Social Security numbers and reclassifying the program as a federal public benefit. Stakeholders warn the changes could unintentionally exclude eligible low‑income...
Why Most Tools Fall Short for Large-Scale Information Governance and What Actually Works
Enterprise information governance projects struggle with multi‑terabyte, distributed data because most tools rely on Elasticsearch, a Java‑based, centralized index that demands massive memory, data duplication, and lengthy ingest times. The architecture forces a full copy of sensitive files, creating compliance...