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
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ANALYSIS: D-Day Looms for Ramaphosa as ConCourt Set to Rule on Phala Phala Scandal
On May 8, South Africa’s Constitutional Court will deliver a verdict on the Phala Phala scandal, deciding whether Parliament correctly dismissed a Section 89 panel report that found President Cyril Ramaphosa faced a serious case to answer. The case stems from a 2020 theft of nearly $4 million from the president’s farm, of which about $580,000 remains missing. The court’s ruling will determine if a formal impeachment inquiry must be launched or if Parliament’s discretion stands. The outcome arrives as the ANC has lost its parliamentary majority and faces a critical election year.
AI Misreads Contract, Turns Pipeline Leads Into Paid Referrals
Another AI mishap story Founder wants to set up a referral contract I write in their contract any companies already in their pipeline don’t count for referral fees. The founder runs my contract through AI, and AI gives them a clause that...
MSO Parlai and Its Hybrid Law Firm Moritz Announce $9M in Seed Funding
MSO‑backed legal tech provider Parlai and its hybrid law firm Moritz have closed a $9 million seed round. The financing, led by a consortium of venture firms, will fund the rollout of Moritz’s AI‑driven practice management platform and the opening of...
Acquitted Diggs Still Faces NFL Discipline, Potential Signings
Jury finds Stefon Diggs not guilty of strangulation, other charges. But Diggs could still face other legal consequences, including from NFL's personal conduct policy. It will be interesting to see if the verdict gives teams more reason to sign Diggs:...
Apple Settles Lawsuit over Late Siri AI Features for $250 Million
Apple agreed to a $250 million settlement to resolve a shareholder lawsuit alleging it delayed promised AI upgrades to Siri. The suit, filed in 2024 after Apple advertised new Siri capabilities that never shipped with the 2024 iPhone lineup, claimed the...
Private Equity Has Its Eyes On Biglaw’s Second Hundred Firms
Bob Maiden, an M&A adviser at Focus Investment Banking, predicts that private equity will make its first investment in a Biglaw "Second Hundred" firm—those ranked 101‑200—by calendar year 2026. He notes that these firms have smaller cap tables and active...
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NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE: Public Participation Process in ‘Frightfully Expensive’ NHI Scheme Under Scrutiny in ConCourt
The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), representing 65 medical‑aid schemes and 4.5 million beneficiaries, has filed a constitutional challenge alleging that Parliament failed to conduct a meaningful public‑participation process for the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill. The case is being heard...
SEC Backs Trump's Idea of Allowing Semi-Annual Earnings Reports
The SEC has issued a 279‑page proposal, echoing former President Donald Trump’s push, to let public companies choose semi‑annual earnings reports via a new Form 10‑S instead of the traditional quarterly Form 10‑Q. Executives welcome the move, arguing it cuts time spent...
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Sues NYT over Bias Claim
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging the newspaper discriminated against a white male editor by rejecting him for a deputy real‑estate editor promotion in favor of a female candidate. The EEOC claims the...
Apple Reaches $250 Million Settlement Over Claims It Misled People on A.I.
Apple agreed to a $250 million settlement to resolve class‑action lawsuits alleging it overstated the capabilities of its new AI feature, Apple Intelligence. The claims focus on iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models sold between June 2024 and March 2025, with eligible owners eligible for...
SEC Unveils Semi-Annual Reporting Proposal
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a 279‑page proposal allowing public companies to replace the mandatory quarterly 10‑Q with an optional semi‑annual “10‑S” filing alongside the annual 10‑K. If adopted, firms could choose a six‑month reporting cadence, eliminating...
FMCSA Update on 'Prohibited Coercion of Drivers' Amid Widespread ELD Cheating Reports
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a FAQ document in late April clarifying the "prohibited coercion of CMV drivers" rule under 49 CFR 390.6. The guidance defines coercion, lists examples such as forcing drivers to exceed hours‑of‑service limits or falsify...
PCAOB Chair Addresses the Board’s Credibility Problem
The SEC has dramatically reshaped the PCAOB, replacing most board members, cutting its budget and staff salaries, and even posting job openings that hint at a functional takeover. New chair Demetrios “Jim” Logothetis used an April 29 Investor Advisory Group...
Regulate, Consolidate, Reduce
Britain’s Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) released its 2026/27 annual plan, its likely final independent roadmap before merging into the Financial Conduct Authority. The regulator will operate on a £26 million budget—about $33 million—representing a 7% cut, while recovering £21.5 million (~$27 million) from fee‑paying...
FDA Approves Flavored E‑cigarettes as Safer Smoking Alternatives
Big news: The FDA for the first time has authorized flavored e-cigarettes. Smokers "deserve better, less harmful alternatives," the agency says. Indeed they do. #smoking #vaping https://t.co/Y0y24TsGDG
Top Google Scientist Says EU Data Measures Pose Privacy Risk for Users
A distinguished Google scientist warned EU antitrust regulators that the Commission’s draft rule to share search‑engine data with rivals could expose user privacy. He demonstrated that Google’s AI red team re‑identified anonymised search data in under two hours, questioning the...
EU Reissues Formal Recommendation to Bar Huawei, ZTE From Connectivity Infrastructure
The European Commission on May 4, 2026 formally recommended that all 27 EU member states keep Huawei and ZTE out of any connectivity infrastructure. The move follows a failed voluntary phase and precedes a draft cybersecurity law that could make...
Memo to Chairman Paul Atkins Re Rule 14a-8 Reform
The memo to Chairman Paul Atkins challenges the efficacy of Rule 14a‑8, arguing that it enables low‑stake activists to clutter proxy statements with proposals that lack economic substance. It highlights that most proposals receive little shareholder support and that there...
France Introduces Regulations to Slash Chinese Rare Earth Dependence
France announced a package of regulations designed to reduce the country's dependence on Chinese rare earths. The measures, announced on May 5, 2026, require tighter reporting, diversified sourcing and incentives for domestic processing, signaling a major shift in European mineral...
SEC Divisions of Investment Management and Corporation Finance Issue Staff Guidance Supporting Retirement Plans for Small Businesses
The SEC’s Investment Management and Corporation Finance divisions issued staff guidance clarifying how federal securities laws apply to pooled employer plans (PEPs). The guidance confirms that PEPs can rely on existing ERISA exemptions and may use a Form S‑8 registration when...
Former TSMC Engineer Gets 10‑Year Prison Term for 2‑nm Espionage
A former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) yield engineer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 2‑nanometer process trade secrets and passing them to equipment supplier Tokyo Electron Taiwan. Two other TSMC engineers received three‑ and two‑year terms,...
FRB Hires Christopher Warren to Launch AI‑native Newark Office and Co‑chair AI Practice
Falcon Rappaport & Berkman (FRB) announced that Christopher Warren has joined as New Jersey Managing Partner and co‑chair of its Artificial Intelligence Practice Group. The firm simultaneously opened a Newark office designed as an AI‑native incubator, signaling a deeper commitment...
Denmark Halts New Data‑Center Grid Connections Amid 60 GW Queue
Denmark’s state‑owned grid operator Energinet has placed a three‑month moratorium on all new data‑center grid connections after a 60‑gigawatt queue, nearly nine times the country’s 7‑GW peak demand, forced a pause. The move targets roughly 14 GW of AI‑driven data‑center projects...
From $200 Million to a Class-Action Lawsuit: Rapper Iggy Azalea Accused of Misleading Investors Over Meme Token
Australian rapper Iggy Azalea faces a New York class‑action lawsuit alleging she misled investors about the utility of her Solana‑based meme token, MOTHER. Launched in May 2025, the token surged to a $200 million market cap and $0.23 peak price, backed...
New FAR Clause Bars Racially Discriminatory DEI Activities for Federal Contractors
Starting April 24, all new federal solicitations must include FAR clause 52.222‑90, prohibiting contractors from any racially discriminatory DEI activity. Agencies must bilaterally amend existing contracts over $15,000 by July 24, reshaping compliance and DEI program design across the federal...
Gómez Wants ‘Rigorous’ Review Of Arab WBD/Paramount Investment
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gómez, the sole Democrat on the commission, is urging a comprehensive, independent review of foreign ownership stakes in the proposed Paramount‑Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The deal, valued at roughly $30 billion, would unite two major content producers...
Welcoming the Second Trustee
The article examines the shift from a first to a second trustee in family wealth trusts, emphasizing the human and qualitative dimensions rather than technicalities. It notes that the second trustee often triggers the first formal accounting review and may...
CMS Proposes Overhaul of Drug Prior‑Authorization Rules, Targeting Faster Approvals
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a proposal on April 10, 2026 to require electronic prior authorization for drugs across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP and ACA Marketplace plans. The rule would impose new data standards, tighter decision windows...
Provider-Payer Tensions Brew in Courtrooms: 3 Recent Lawsuits
Provider‑payer friction is spilling into the courts as health systems sue insurers over alleged underpayment. The California Hospital Association filed a suit against Anthem, claiming a 10% payment reduction for hospitals when out‑of‑network physicians treat patients. Broward Health is suing...
Federal Push to Eradicate Corporate DEI Programs Escalates with New Settlements and Lawsuits
Federal officials have intensified efforts to dismantle remaining diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs after a $17 million IBM settlement, a $500,000 Planned Parenthood settlement and lawsuits against Disney and Nike. The moves signal a broader regulatory sweep that HR leaders...
The Many Problems with and Caused by Monday's Supreme Court Voting-Case Order
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order on Monday that put its recent voting‑rights ruling into effect immediately, slashing the usual 32‑day waiting period to just five days. The expedited mandate enabled Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to suspend the congressional...
Someone Ask Alito: If December Was Too Late To Fix Unconstitutional Gerrymandering For The 2026 Midterms, Why Is May Okay?
Justice Samuel Alito criticized a December request to redraw Texas’s congressional map as untimely, citing the need for certainty before the 2026 midterms. Days later, he rushed the certification of the Callais decision, which declared a Louisiana map unconstitutional, shortening...
Ketanji Brown Jackson Sends Sam Alito Raging
The Supreme Court abruptly waived its own 32‑day rule in the Louisiana redistricting case, allowing the state to redraw congressional maps even after voting had begun. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, insisting the procedural safeguard should be followed to avoid...
AG Todd Blanche Corrects Leftist’s Narrative About Comey Indictment Being Just About Instagram Post
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed that the investigation into former FBI Director James Comey spanned eleven months, far longer than the media’s focus on a single Instagram photo of classified documents. Prosecutors have amassed a “twelve‑course” body of evidence...
Compliance Fundamentals: Understanding EMIR Reporting Requirements
Bloomberg Professional Services outlines the fundamentals of EMIR reporting, detailing the regulation’s purpose, scope, and recent reforms. EMIR requires EU and UK counterparties to submit transaction data to trade repositories within one business day, using ISO 20022 XML standards. The 2019...
Wall Street Regulator Moves to Repeal Biden Climate Rule
JUST IN: The Wall Street regulator is taking steps to scrap the Biden-era climate rule.
‘Jesus Said to Draw Them in’: Idaho Christians Push Back on Transgender Bathroom Law
Idaho's Republican‑led legislature approved a law that bars transgender individuals from using bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity, mandating use of facilities matching their sex assigned at birth. The measure, effective in July, applies to government buildings and many...
11th Circuit Rejects TOS Formation–Tejon V. Zeus
The 11th Circuit ruled that Zeus Networks’ terms‑of‑service were presented as a browsewrap agreement and therefore unenforceable. The court held that the hyperlink to the TOS was hidden in small, gray text beneath prominent red action buttons, failing the conspicuousness...
Missouri Rejects Proposed 34% Sports Betting Tax
NEW: Missouri cuts sports betting tax increase proposal from gaming bill; would have raised rate from 10% to 34% GGR, which would be among nation's highest; lawmakers said state needs more time to evaluate sports betting, which launched Dec '25,...
Vanderbilt Student's Lawsuit Over Suspension for Alleged False Accusations Can Go Forward
A federal judge in Middle District Tennessee allowed several of Vanderbilt University student Poe's claims to proceed, including negligence, Title IX selective‑enforcement, and breach‑of‑contract allegations related to his year‑long suspension for alleged false accusations. The court found genuine issues of material...
These TVs Are Part of the Roku/TCL Class Action Lawsuit
A California federal class action alleges Roku and TCL released defective software updates that "brick" certain smart TVs, rendering them unusable. The complaint lists specific models—Roku Select and Plus series, and TCL 3‑6 Series Roku TVs—sold from Dec. 16 2024 onward. Plaintiffs...
Anthem Submits Bid In Addy Bankruptcy Proceeding
Vancouver‑based fractional real estate platform Addy Technology Corp. filed a Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal in a British Columbia bankruptcy proceeding, signaling the end of its operations. The company, which once used special‑purpose vehicles (SPVs) to pool retail...
We Don’t Lack Ideas in Canada—We Bury Them in Red Tape
Canada’s Spring Economic Update signals a shift toward modernizing food‑safety regulation, proposing risk‑based, adaptive frameworks. Critics warn that fewer inspections could weaken oversight, but the government argues it will reduce administrative burdens while preserving safety. The current approval process can...
Trump Administration Has Transferred 17,400 People to More than 30 Countries Under Deportation Deals
The Trump administration has used third‑country transfer agreements to deport more than 17,400 individuals to over 30 foreign governments, with roughly 16,000 sent to Mexico. The program, documented by Human Rights First and Refugees International, includes transfers that violated federal...
Hollywood May Soon Be Able to Smooth Out Financial Woes — And Hide Bad News
The SEC has proposed optional semi‑annual reporting for public companies, a shift that could let Hollywood studios and streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney and Paramount smooth out volatile subscriber and ad‑sales data. The change aims to reduce short‑term earnings pressure...
A Tribe in Wisconsin Wants to Restrict Non-Members From Fishing for Walleye and Muskie. They Also Aim to Ban Trolling...
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on May 1, halting the Lac du Flambeau Band’s resolutions that would bar non‑tribal anglers from catching walleye and muskie on 19 reservation lakes and ban trolling and forward‑facing sonar. The tribe argues the measures...
Limitations of Liability Provisions in Construction Contracts: A Means to Manage Risk and Limit Financial Exposure
Construction contractors are increasingly inserting limitation of liability (LOL) clauses into their contracts to cap financial exposure. The article outlines which risks—delay damages, defective work, third‑party injury, pollution, cyber, and intellectual‑property claims—can be limited, and stresses the need to carve...
Brazil Tax Reform Regulations: What You Need to Know About April 30, 2026
On April 30, 2026 Brazil issued three comprehensive regulations—Decree 12,955/2026 (CBS), Resolution CGIBS 6/2026 (IBS), and Joint Ordinance MF/CGIBS 7/2026—collectively codifying over 1,200 articles that replace the legacy PIS/COFINS, ICMS and ISS taxes. The new rules introduce a "tax on...
Skadden Explores Cross-Border Tax Complexity for REITs
Skadden tax partner Sarah Beth Rizzo discussed the growing complexity of cross‑border REIT taxation at Nareit’s REITwise 2026 conference. She explained that U.S. REIT qualification rules, built for domestic assets, must be re‑engineered for global portfolios, often requiring private letter...
FCC Commissioners Could Retroactively Deny Nexstar-TEGNA Deal
Broadband group Broadband Communications Association of Pennsylvania has petitioned the FCC to have its three sitting commissioners revisit the Media Bureau’s March approval of Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of TEGNA. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr noted the approval was not...