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
How to Choose a 409A Valuation Provider: What Founders Need to Know
Startups need a defensible 409A valuation to set option exercise prices and avoid a 20% penalty tax. The article explains what a valuation provider does, how to differentiate strong firms from low‑quality services, and which questions founders should ask before signing. It breaks providers into four categories—specialized firms, Big Four accountants, cap‑table platforms, and solo practitioners—and outlines typical pricing ranges. Finally, it stresses that a valuation is an appraisal, not legal advice, and recommends pairing a reputable provider with startup‑focused counsel.
Fourth Circuit Upholds Insurrectionist’s Unregistered Silencer Conviction
The Fourth Circuit affirmed a three‑year prison sentence for Hatchet Speed, a convicted Jan. 6 insurrectionist, upholding his conviction under the National Firearms Act for possessing three unregistered silencers. The court classified Speed’s solvent‑trap cleaning tools as silencers, rejecting his argument...
Matt Riskin Commences at McLennan Ross as Partner
Matt Riskin, a former Bennett Jones partner, began as a partner at McLennan Ross in Edmonton on May 4, 2026. He will work within the firm’s health law, commercial litigation, and labour and employment groups, leveraging more than a decade of experience...
U.S. Farm Bill Adds Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Biofuel Definition, Opening Door to Incentives
The U.S. House approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, expanding the federal biofuel definition to include sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The National Business Aviation Association praised the move, saying it clears a legal hurdle and could...
China's New Trade Rules Heighten Supply‑Chain Pressure on U.S. Firms
Beijing introduced new trade rules this month that could undercut U.S. attempts to reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing. Analysts warn the measures will add legal and cost pressures for American exporters, while the Trump administration has remained publicly silent ahead...
PRA's Draft Rules Could Push UK Funded Reinsurance Capital to 10% of Liabilities
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) released consultation paper CP8/26 on April 29, proposing to increase the capital charge on funded reinsurance transactions from the current 2‑4% of underlying annuity liabilities to roughly 10%. The move would tighten balance‑sheet management for...
PRA Warns UK Insurers Over Over‑Optimistic MGA Assumptions and Oversight Gaps
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has issued a formal warning to UK insurers, flagging overly optimistic underwriting assumptions by Managing General Agents (MGAs) and gaps in oversight of delegated authority arrangements. Regulator director Shoib Khan warned that such optimism can...
Judge Approves $100M Borrowers Fund, $85M Settlement in Wells Fargo Diversity Quota Scandal
A federal judge approved two landmark settlements for Wells Fargo stemming from its 2022 fake‑interview diversity scandal. The bank will fund a $100 million borrowers assistance program that provides up to $10,000 for down‑payments and $5,000 for closing costs to low‑ and...
Mark Zuckerberg Sued for Copyright Infringement by Elsevier, Book Publishers
Elsevier, other book publishers and author Scott Turow filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg and Meta in the Southern District of New York. The complaint alleges Meta scraped millions of pages from shadow libraries, used the content to...
DOJ Launches West Coast Healthcare Fraud Strike Force to Target Medicare Abuse
The U.S. Department of Justice announced a new West Coast healthcare fraud strike force, linking the DOJ’s fraud unit with U.S. attorney offices in Arizona, Nevada and the Northern District of California. The unit will focus on Medicare and Medicaid...
CFOs Turn to Federated Data Platforms to Tackle Cross‑Border Payment Risks
A new PYMNTS survey finds chief financial officers worldwide are moving toward federated data platforms to solve cross‑border payment and compliance headaches. The shift reflects growing tension between centralizing finance operations and meeting fragmented regulatory demands.
Second Amendment Roundup: How a Fake Citation Misled Courts to Uphold "Sensitive Place" Gun Bans
The Second Circuit’s *Antonyuk v. James* upheld New York’s “sensitive place” gun bans by citing a supposed 1792 North Carolina statute that never existed. The decision misread colonial law, treating a privately‑published collection as binding authority, and the reasoning was adopted by...
Cap Table Administration for Startups
Cap table administration is a legal record, not just a spreadsheet, and mistakes can trigger hefty tax liabilities or jeopardize Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) benefits. Joe Wallin of Carney Badley Spellman offers ongoing attorney‑level counsel for startups, regardless of...
Evening Update: Senate GOP Slips $1B Shield Around Trump’s Ballroom Dream.
The Senate Republican leadership attempted to earmark roughly $1 billion to protect former President Donald Trump’s proposed luxury ballroom at Mar‑A‑Lago, but the measure fell short of the needed vote. The funding gap reflects growing fiscal caution and internal GOP friction...
“Sounds Great. Do You Want FDA Approval?” A Regulatory Analysis of Psychedelics
On April 18, 2026 President Trump signed an executive order compelling the FDA to prioritize review of psychedelic drugs, issuing priority‑review vouchers for three compounds already holding Breakthrough Therapy designation. The order also creates a Right‑to‑Try pathway for ibogaine, directs...
Businesses Get Second Chance to Sue Seattle over 2020 Protest Zone
The Ninth Circuit revived nuisance claims filed by two Seattle businesses that suffered losses during the 2020 Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) zone. The panel held that Washington’s equitable tolling rules could extend the two‑year statute of limitations, sending the...
News Outlets Show Virginia Court Rule Likely Prior Restraint on Speech
A federal judge in Virginia ruled that the state’s "Dissemination Restriction" – which bars attorneys with online access from sharing public court records with journalists – likely constitutes a prior restraint on speech. The judge refused to dismiss the lawsuit...
Texas Doctor Found Guilty For Illegally Distributing Millions Of Opioid Pills
A federal jury in Texas convicted Dr. Barbara Marino, the sole prescriber at Angels Clinica, of illegally distributing more than one million opioid and muscle‑relaxant pills through a cash‑only pill mill. Prosecutors said Marino earned roughly $400,000 in under a...
Elon Musk Wanted OpenAI to Go Commercial, Greg Brockman Testifies
OpenAI, founded as a nonprofit in 2015 by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman and others, achieved a high‑profile Dota victory in 2017 that Musk hailed as a catalyst for commercial ambition. According to testimony from OpenAI president Greg Brockman,...
Georgia Election Workers Are in Trump's Sights, Again
The Trump‑appointed Justice Department issued a sweeping subpoena demanding the names, addresses and contact information of every Fulton County election worker and volunteer who served in the 2020 presidential election. A federal judge forced the DOJ to disclose the origins...
‘Avatar’ Suit Focuses on Hot Topic in A.I. Age: A Character’s Face
Actress and Indigenous activist Q’orianka Kilcher has filed a California lawsuit against director James Cameron and Disney, claiming the studio used a teenage photo of her to model the facial structure of Neytiri, the blue‑skinned warrior princess in the multibillion‑dollar Avatar...
HHS Threatens to Withhold Millions From Hospitals Over Non‑Compliant Patient Meals
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that hospitals serving meals that violate the 2025‑30 USDA dietary guidelines risk losing millions in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. The move, framed as a “federal mandate,” has ignited pushback from...
Trump Could Lose Right to File Defamation Suits
My latest unveils the soon-to-be-tested legal theory that Trump may have to give up one of his favorite pastimes—bringing defamation suits. Also: why isn’t anyone talking about Gavin Newsom’s lawsuit? https://puck.news/if-trump-cant-be-sued-as-potus-why-can-he-sue-others/
Crypto Market Structure Bill Likely Enacted by July 4
The US Crypto Market Structure Bill could become law before July 4th. Senator Bernie Moreno just said the timeline is accelerating fast.🚀 https://t.co/PDuFzT1CQR
FMCSA Launches Motus Phase II, a Unified Registration System for U.S. Motor Carriers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced the rollout of Motus Phase II, a new electronic safety‑compliance platform that will replace the Unified Registration System and FMCSA Portal. Expected before the end of the second quarter of 2026, the system...
CEO Joins LegalEng to Deliver Execution, Not Just Advice
Thrilled to be joining LegalEng Consulting Group as CEO. LECG is built around a simple but powerful idea: in-house legal teams don't need more advice. They need someone who will stay to build, implement, and run the thing with them. Strategy...
Advisory Jury Limits Impact in Musk‑OpenAI Trial
Important nuance: the jury at this Musk-OpenAI trial is an *advisory* jury, hence not binding on the judge, and is only looking at liability (not damages, if any). Thanks to @bahhradx for correcting an earlier misstatement of mine.
FCC Proposes Tougher KYC and Upstream Rules to Crack Down on Robocalls
The Federal Communications Commission released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would tighten Know‑Your‑Customer (KYC) verification for voice service providers and add a Know‑Your‑Upstream‑Provider (KYUP) framework tied to STIR/SHAKEN. The moves aim to block illegal robocall traffic before it...
Louisiana Pushes Sweeping Gambling Crackdown, Treating Illegal Games as Racketeering
Louisiana lawmakers send sweeping gambling crackdown bill to Governor Landry for signature. The bill would treat illegal gambling operations, including sweepstakes casinos, as racketeering offenses carrying severe penalties. https://t.co/8ojcmpJG0t
Kalshi Rolls Out Facial-Recognition Safeguards to Bar Under‑age Traders
Kalshi announced a suite of new identity‑verification tools—including facial recognition, selfie checks and two‑factor authentication—to keep users under 18 out of its prediction‑market platform. The measures arrive as lawmakers and sports leagues push for stricter age limits on derivative‑style contracts.
SEC Updates Litigation Enforcement Manual, Driving Legal‑Tech Overhaul
The SEC announced major revisions to its litigation enforcement manual in February, urging staff to share evidence with prospective defendants and giving companies a clearer path to argue against enforcement actions. The changes, hailed by Chairman Paul S. Atkins as...
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Key Insights on Contingent Beneficiaries for Effective Estate Planning
Contingent beneficiaries serve as a safety net, inheriting assets only if primary beneficiaries cannot or choose not to receive them. Adding multiple contingents allows precise allocation of percentages, helping avoid probate delays. The 2019 SECURE Act now requires non‑spousal IRA...
South Africa Publishes Draft Rules for National Digital ID System
South Africa's digital‑identity regulator Schreiber released draft regulations for a national digital ID system on May 5, 2026. The draft, which is expected to enable a smartphone‑based identity framework, marks the continent’s first major move toward mobile digital identification. Officials say the...
First Circuit OKs Gun Possession Prosecution of Immigrant
The First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 1968 federal prohibition on firearm possession by illegal immigrants, reversing a district court ruling that had deemed the law unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. The panel, authored by Chief Judge David Barron,...
Seattle Council Moves Toward One‑Year Data Center Moratorium Amid Grid Strain
Seattle City Council members Eddie Lin, Debora Juarez and Joy Hollingsworth are drafting a one‑year moratorium on new data‑center projects after two developers pulled out of a combined 369 MW proposal, citing grid‑capacity worries and a flood of public opposition.
DOJ Civil Division Unveils FOCUS Initiative to Vet Data‑Mining Whistleblowers
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division announced the Fraud Oversight through Careful Use of Statistics (FOCUS) initiative, a program to vet and partner with sophisticated data‑mining whistleblowers who file qui tam complaints. By focusing on the 45% of complaints...
Man Group Applies for ADGM License, Opening Abu Dhabi Hedge‑Fund Hub
Man Group, the world’s largest listed hedge‑fund manager with $228.7 bn in assets, has filed for a Category 3A licence to operate in the Abu Dhabi Global Market. The move creates a regional hub aimed at tapping Gulf institutional capital and expanding...
Getting Investigations Right in the Public Sector
Australian public regulators face a skills gap in conducting methodical, legally compliant investigations, risking evidence mishandling and policy blind spots. The lack of standardized training can waste taxpayer resources and erode public trust. To address this, QUT Online introduced a...
Ladbrokes and Neds Caught Out: 500+ BetStop Breaches Trigger Crackdown
Entain Group, the owner of Ladbrokes AU and Neds AU, signed a court‑enforceable undertaking with the Australian Communications and Media Authority after an investigation uncovered more than 500 breaches of the national BetStop self‑exclusion register. The regulator found the company...
Eighth Circuit Reverses FCC’s Digital Discrimination Rules
The U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the Federal Communications Commission’s digital discrimination rules, which were adopted under Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to curb broadband inequities tied to race, income and ethnicity. The court held that the FCC exceeded its statutory...
What the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act Ruling Means for the 2026 Elections
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 decision that nullifies the remaining preclearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The conservative majority ruled the formula identifying jurisdictions with historic discrimination unconstitutional, ending federal oversight of voting‑law changes in...
Trump Defamation Theories & Newsom’s Weak Case
California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a defamation suit against Fox News, aiming to expose President Donald Trump’s alleged legal inconsistencies. The complaint argues that if Trump is immune from liability for statements made while in office, he should not be...
Fines Risk Highlighted as Data Points to Rollout Gap for Renters’ Rights Act
New Freedom of Information data from Landlord Studio shows only 153,000 downloads of the mandatory information sheet required under England's Renters’ Rights Act, far below the 2.3 million private landlords who must comply by 31 May 2026. The Ministry’s figures also recorded 189,000...
Is the Telephone Dying in Conveyancing – and Is It Slowing Down Your Sales?
Conveyancing firms are increasingly relying on email, portals and messaging, sidelining the telephone despite its speed advantages. While digital tools provide audit trails and scalability, they can create long email chains that delay resolutions, especially for complex, time‑sensitive matters. A...
New Regulations Heighten Exit Ban Risk for China Business Travelers
“These two latest regulations add to this growing number of legal instruments, raising the risk of exit bans even higher for those who travel to China on business.” Source: Safeguard Defenders https://t.co/zJzQlhkPQp
FTC Settles Lawsuit over Alleged X Ad Boycott
The Federal Trade Commission settled its lawsuit accusing Elon Musk of alleging a coordinated ad boycott against X. A federal judge ruled the FTC’s civil investigative demand violated the First Amendment, leading to the case’s dismissal and a settlement notice....
Barrister Accidentally Sent “Life-Threatening Information” To Journalist
Barrister Shivani Jegarajah was fined £10,000 (≈$12,700) after a Bar disciplinary tribunal found she unintentionally disclosed confidential immigration client information to a journalist, a breach that could have endangered the client’s life. The tribunal also ordered costs of £7,700 (≈$9,800)....
Dual FCA and SRA-Regulated Business Goes Into Administration
LCM Family, a Manchester‑based wealth‑management firm regulated by both the FCA and the SRA, has entered administration. The firm managed roughly £89 m (about $114 m) in assets for around 300 clients across 50 family groups. Administrators cite the prolonged ill health...
Legislature Votes Down Prosecutor-General Nominee
Taiwan’s opposition‑controlled Legislative Yuan voted down President William Lai’s nominee, Hsu Hsi‑hsiang, for prosecutor‑general. The KMT and Taiwan People’s Party united to block the appointment, citing concerns over independence and experience. The rejection triggers a Ministry of Justice recommendation for...
After She Complained of Gender Bias, a PCA Church Fired Her. A Judge Ruled It Retaliation.
A Chicago-area Presbyterian Church in America congregation was ordered to pay $93,000 after an Illinois Human Rights Commission judge ruled that the church retaliated against former operations director Emily Hyland for filing a gender‑bias complaint. The judge found the firing...