Know What's Happening in Legal
Know What's Happening in Legal
Delaware Supreme Court lets insurers pursue contract claims against Blackbaud over ransomware breach
The Delaware Supreme Court reversed lower‑court dismissals, permitting insurers to bring breach‑of‑contract actions against Blackbaud for its 2020 ransomware incident. Blackbaud had previously paid a $3 million SEC fine and $49 million to state attorneys general for misleading breach disclosures.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Oil majors acquire $164M of Alaska oil leases
Swissport’s Matchbox, a cloud‑based travel document validation platform, has earned ISO 27001, ISO 27017 and ISO 27018 certifications, confirming its information‑security, cloud‑security and privacy controls. The platform already validates more than four million passengers with 100% accuracy on inadmissible traveler detection. It updates a global immigration rules database of over 22 million entries every 24 hours, enabling real‑time eligibility checks across online check‑in, kiosks and gate processes. Airlines report an average time saving of 70 seconds per passenger and a 3% reduction in boarding‑denied cases.
Financial institutions are increasingly aligning anti‑money laundering (AML) regulations with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements, recognizing that both risk domains overlap. Recent regulatory updates, such as the AML Act of 2020, embed ESG considerations into sanctions screening, SAR reporting,...
CIM Group has filed a $150 million foreclosure lawsuit against the owners of Miami Beach’s Goodtime Hotel, alleging default on a loan that was originally $164 million and later reduced to $152 million. The hotel, a 266‑room property developed by Eric Birnbaum, Michael...
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., dismissed an antitrust lawsuit filed by Helena World Chronicle and Emmerich Newsapers that alleged Google monopolizes the online news market. The court found the publishers’ claim of a 66% market share unreliable, noting the...
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is urging the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to lift a district‑court injunction that halted enforcement of a state law requiring social‑media platforms to verify users’ ages and limit minors under 16 to one hour...
In this episode, Steve and Bruce Fretton discuss how heightened uncertainty—driven by tariffs, shifting interest rates, and tighter credit markets—has complicated middle‑market M&A. They note that private equity’s $2 trillion of undeployed capital is pushing deals forward, but valuation gaps and...
In this episode, Bruce Fenton and host Steve discuss how to structure middle‑market M&A deals amid heightened uncertainty, focusing on valuation gaps, earn‑outs, seller rollovers, and purchase‑price notes as tools to bridge price mismatches. They highlight the importance of rigorous...
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision issued a final technical amendment to the standardized approach for operational risk, clarifying the treatment of rental income from investment properties. The amendment, published on 23 March 2026, will be mandatory from 1 April 2029 and is incorporated...
Albertsons has issued a subpoena compelling former Kroger chief Rodney McMullen to testify in its antitrust lawsuit over the aborted $24.6 billion merger. A Delaware Chancery Court deposition is slated for April 8‑9 to assess whether Kroger exercised the required “best efforts” to...
A Minnesota federal court granted plaintiffs discovery into UnitedHealth’s AI system nH Predict, which the insurer uses to evaluate and deny post‑acute care claims. The ruling required production of documents describing the AI’s development, functionality, and oversight, while limiting some financial...
Polymarket has overhauled its market‑integrity rules to curb insider trading, banning trades based on stolen confidential information, illegal tips, and positions of authority. The platform will increase surveillance, ban offending wallets, refer cases to law enforcement, and impose monetary penalties....
The Southern District of New York denied the government’s motion for a new protective order to block further distribution of four deposition videos featuring senior federal officials in the DOGE litigation. Judge Colleen McMahon ruled that the videos are not...
Remote hiring has become commonplace, allowing firms to tap talent in Poland, Brazil and Kenya without a shared office. However, cross‑border recruitment introduces complex compliance obligations, especially under South Africa's Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) and broader AML rules. Companies...
The article stresses that progressive discipline is essential for documenting employee misconduct and enabling lawful terminations. It explains that waiting for a "last straw" without prior warnings leaves employers unable to fire for cause, forcing costly term‑in‑lieu payouts. The piece...
Prusa Research introduced an Open Community License (OCL) intended to keep its 3‑D‑printer designs open for non‑competitors while blocking rivals, especially low‑cost Asian manufacturers. A lawyer‑led line‑by‑line analysis highlights vague definitions, notably the inconsistent use of “commercial” versus “non‑commercial,” and...
The weekly bankruptcy alert for the week ending March 22 2026 lists seven Chapter 11 filings and three Chapter 7 cases across the Northeast and select other states. Notable Chapter 11 cases include Fordham Landing Preferred Sponsor LLC with assets and liabilities between $50 million and...
A D.C. senior judge struck down the Pentagon's new press‑credential policy, ruling it unconstitutional because it is vague and discriminates against journalists based on viewpoint. The policy forced reporters to acknowledge broad “solicitation” rules that could punish routine newsgathering, prompting...
On 23 March 2026 the FCA released a guidance document outlining good and poor practice for firms that design consumer segments for targeted support. The guidance builds on the FCA’s February 2025 policy statement and provides concrete examples on segment granularity, data use,...
Independent compliance audits are becoming essential for modern organizations, offering objective assessments that uncover hidden risks in HR, finance, and regulatory practices. Providers such as Guidepost, Exiger, Control Risks, Kroll, and Mintz Group combine forensic investigations, AI‑driven analytics, and global...
The Seventh Circuit vacated a punitive‑damages award in USAA Savings Bank v. Goff because the arbitrator ignored a contractually mandated post‑award review. The arbitration clause required a review mirroring state court procedures and expressly subordinated AAA rules to the agreement....
HMRC has launched a consultation proposing a dedicated reporting regime for close‑company transactions with participators, covering loans, asset sales, dividends and other value transfers. The existing loan‑to‑participator tax charge sits at 33.75% and will increase to 35.75% after 6 April 2026, creating...
The German environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) lost its climate lawsuit against BMW and Mercedes‑Benz at the Federal Court of Justice, which upheld the automakers' right to sell new internal‑combustion vehicles beyond the November 2030 deadline. The court ruled that only...
A Venezuelan migrant was formally charged with the murder of a Chicago high‑school student, prompting a criminal trial and raising questions about immigration enforcement. The case will proceed in Cook County court, where the suspect faces a potential life sentence.
The Federal Aviation Administration has opened a public comment period, ending April 22, to gather input on how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) should be incorporated into existing airports and emerging droneports. The request targets airports, operators, and other stakeholders to...
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a plan to ban for‑profit ticket touting, proposing amendments to the 2017 Ticket Sales Act. The new law would make it illegal to resell tickets above the original all‑in price, including fees and taxes. The...
The Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue issued Revenue Memorandum Circular 10‑2026, clarifying tax treatment for cash donations and mandating electronic filing of donor’s tax returns (BIR Form 1800). Donors must submit supporting documents within 30 days, and pure cash gifts are exempt...
Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane has refused the Justice Department’s request for full voter‑registration files, citing the state’s exemption under the National Voter Registration Act. The refusal places Idaho among roughly a dozen Republican‑led states pushing back against the...
Tax departments are increasingly turning to AI for analytical efficiency, but recent case law warns of privilege risks. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York held in United States v. Heppner that communications with a publicly...
India’s Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) has slashed the minimum investment for Social Impact Funds (SIFs) from ₹2 lakh (about $2,400) to just ₹1,000 (roughly $12). The move aligns SIF entry requirements with Zero Coupon Zero Principal instruments traded on the...
Rep. Eric Swalwell has voluntarily dismissed his lawsuit against the Federal Housing Finance Agency and its director Bill Pulte. The suit alleged violations of the Privacy Act and the First Amendment after a DOJ mortgage‑fraud probe accused Swalwell of designating...
Natalie Kuebler, managing director of Alt‑V Law, highlighted that compliance technology has become a strategic priority for law firms worldwide. She noted rising regulatory expectations and increasingly complex client due‑diligence requirements, driving firms to seek auditable, specialized solutions. Kuebler’s research...
Murphy’s Law is a South African‑built AI legal assistant trained by local practitioners to deliver jurisdiction‑specific advice. The platform automates compliance workflows, litigation document generation, contract drafting, legal research, and due‑diligence, while offering a chat interface, project vault, and courtroom...
SEBI has overhauled its "fit and proper" framework for market intermediaries, removing automatic disqualification for pending criminal complaints, FIRs, chargesheets and winding‑up initiations, while expanding disqualification to include convictions for economic offences and securities‑law violations. The new regime adopts principle‑based...
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced on March 19 that the deadline for bilingual bulk‑fertilizer labeling is extended to July 31, 2027, reflecting Ottawa’s new red‑tape reduction agenda. The original 2020 rule could have imposed a one‑time $120 million CAD...
Traliant unveiled a fully redesigned Preventing Workplace Harassment course that uses a cinematic, TV‑style narrative to teach anti‑harassment laws. The platform offers industry‑specific and international editions, automatically tailoring content to a learner’s role and location, and meets mandates across U.S....
Germany’s highest appeals court rejected environmentalists’ attempt to force Mercedes‑Benz and BMW to stop selling new combustion‑engine cars after 2030, ruling no company‑specific carbon budget exists. Abu Dhabi’s AD Nov announced temporary LNG production adjustments at its Das Island plant due...
A coalition of 220 leading economists and legal scholars has written to Colombian President Gustavo Petro urging the country to withdraw from investor‑state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms. They argue ISDS undermines climate action by allowing corporations to sue over non‑discriminatory...
SEBI has amended regulations for Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to increase operational flexibility. The changes let InvITs retain stakes in special purpose vehicles after project completion, provided they exit or acquire new assets within...
This administration let Hewlett Packard Enterprise keep Juniper Networks, settled with Ticketmaster, and let Google keep Chrome. But healthcare keeps being the exception. The Federal Trade Commission's new Healthcare Task Force looks like the beginning of a coordinated enforcement apparatus...
CinCin: cheers to money laundering? This "no KYC" crypto card leveraged the same Bluebanc+Sutton Bank corporate card loophole Fintech Biz Weekly reported on publicly *six weeks* ago. https://t.co/q2xHeLkzlp
FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson announced a new Healthcare Task Force that merges the Bureaus of Competition, Consumer Protection, Economics and the Offices of Policy Planning and Technology. The effort implements President Trump’s February 2025 executive order to boost competition,...
In the latest Judicial Notice, my legal news roundup: - another possible victim of Epstein files fallout; - another prosecutor’s potential #AI fail; and - a #Biglaw firm with $10 billion in annual revenue (a new record). LINK: https://t.co/xLC8gkzcrj https://t.co/k1U1dNGjAG
Major signpost of corruption. HHI is the standard way to measure market power in the antitrust space. But 'antitrust' lobbyist Mike Davis did not know what the term meant. Ergo he was just doing threats and relationship management.
The Gemini Space Station IPO promised crypto‑exchange growth, but within months the company announced a strategic shift to a prediction‑market platform called “Gemini 2.0,” cutting staff by roughly 25 % and prompting the exit of its CFO, COO and CLO. Shareholders filed...
I don’t understand this, if you’re flying…you need Real Id or a passport. You can t fly with any other ID. Someone here illegally cannot obtain that. So how can anyone who flies be illegal. Makes no sense .
Appellate Practice and Procedure Class No. 9 (@MercerLAWSchool, 2026), featuring Judge Elizabeth L. “Lisa” Branch and Judge Britt C. Grant (Eleventh Circuit). https://t.co/6zwa6AU7TF
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear California Crane School’s appeal accusing Google and Apple of a paid‑search antitrust conspiracy. Earlier rulings dismissed the case against Apple and sent Google‑related claims to arbitration, while upholding the arbitration clause in Google’s...
Federal Judge Suzanne Bauknight denied founder Fawn Weaver's request to place Uncle Nearest into Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the brand was placed in receivership following a $108 million default lawsuit by Farm Credit Mid‑America. The judge ruled only the court‑appointed receiver, Phillip Young,...
The Endangered Species Committee, dubbed the “God Squad,” reviews exemption requests that could sideline the Endangered Species Act for projects like offshore drilling in the Gulf of America. While the standard process demands rigorous justification, a formal hearing, and potential...
The Telangana High Court dismissed a writ petition filed by Fino Payments Bank MD and CEO Rishi Gupta, denying his request for bail after his arrest on GST evasion allegations. Authorities estimate the alleged evasion at roughly ₹840 crore (about $100 million)...
