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
NCLAT Upholds Adani's Rs 14,535 Cr Bid, Dismisses Vedanta's Challenge in Jaypee Insolvency
India's National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) rejected Vedanta's plea against the Committee of Creditors' approval of the Adani Group's Rs 14,535 crore resolution plan for Jaiprakash Associates. The tribunal found no merit in Vedanta's seven objections, clearing the way for the plan's implementation.
DOJ Seeks to Erase Ruling, Hints at Future Grand Jury
The DOJ filed today to vacate a federal judge’s ruling tossing out the Fed subpoenas, citing mootness now that the investigation has been suspended. Powell and Tillis flagged this last week. The filing is procedural, aimed at preventing the ruling...
Opinions on UK Online Safety Act Emphasize Importance of Enforcement
The UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) has introduced visible parental controls and age‑verification prompts, with 53% of children reporting recent checks on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. However, the Internet Matters report finds that harmful content still reaches minors...
From Taylor Swift to Bollywood, Stars Turn to the Civil Courts to Fight Deepfakes
Celebrities from Taylor Swift to Bollywood stars are turning to civil courts to combat deepfake misuse. Swift filed a trademark for her voice and likeness; Indian courts have extended the misappropriation‑of‑personality tort to block deepfake porn and chatbots. Several jurisdictions,...
Alight Inc. Faces Securities Fraud Suit; Investors Have Until May 15 to Seek Lead Plaintiff Role
Alight Inc., the NYSE‑listed benefits platform, is embroiled in a securities fraud class action that claims the company misled investors about growth and dividend sustainability. The Rosen Law Firm says shareholders who bought shares between Nov. 12, 2024 and Feb. 18, 2026 must file...
The Government Has Money Set Aside for Women. Ladies Let's Go Get It!
The U.S. federal government must allocate at least 5% of its contracting spend—over $26 billion in FY 2024—to women‑owned small businesses. Certifications such as WOSB, EDWOSB, and state‑level WBE grant access to set‑aside contracts with reduced competition across sectors like IT, healthcare,...
Section 702 Vote Pushed Back Another Six Weeks Following GOP’s ‘But With Cryptocurrency Ban’ Failure
Congress pushed the reauthorization of the NSA's Section 702 surveillance authority back by roughly six weeks after the House attached a controversial rider banning the Federal Reserve from issuing a digital currency. The House approved a three‑year extension, but the...
‘Justice Sooner’: Victorian Budget Backs Fast-Tracked Youth Court
The Victorian government has allocated $117.5 million AUD (approximately $78 million USD) in the 2026‑27 budget to create a fast‑tracked youth court list and build dedicated youth holding cells at the County Court. Attorney‑General Sonya Kilkenny framed the investment as a cornerstone...
FAA Will Begin Making Space Rockets Pay Tolls
The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation will start charging a payload‑based toll on every U.S. commercial launch, set at $0.25 per pound of payload and capped at $30,000 per flight. The fee can rise to $1.50 per pound with...
APRA Flags AI‑related Cyber‑risk Gaps in Australian Banks, Urges Tighter Governance
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority warned that AI adoption is widening cyber‑risk gaps in the banking sector and called for enhanced governance frameworks, signalling tighter compliance expectations for banks nationwide.
Clene Secures FDA Pathway to File Accelerated‑Approval NDA for ALS Drug CNM‑Au8
Clene Inc. announced it will submit an accelerated‑approval New Drug Application for its ALS therapy CNM‑Au8 in the third quarter of 2026, following a FDA Type C meeting that said the company’s data could support the pathway. The filing hinges...
Surgical Malpractice Lawyer
Surgical malpractice lawyers help victims of operating‑room errors secure compensation and hold negligent providers accountable. Common claims involve wrong‑site surgery, retained instruments, anesthesia mistakes, and post‑operative neglect. Attorneys must prove duty, breach, causation, and damages using medical records and expert...
Nigerian Oil Trader Faces Global Asset Freeze After $40m Debt Default
An English High Court granted a worldwide freezing order on March 30 against Abdulrahman Musa Bashar, chairman of the Rahamaniyya Group, and his UAE‑registered firm Ultimate Oil and Gas FZCO. The order blocks disposal of assets in the UAE, Nigeria, the...
Toronto Dealer Faces $2 Million Fine
Independent Trading Group Inc. (ITG) agreed to a $2.05 million settlement after a CIRO panel found it failed to supervise more than $340 million in U.S. over‑the‑counter (OTC) securities trades by two offshore broker‑dealers, Seven Mile Securities and Blacktower Financial Management. The...
OpenAI Is 'Exploring' An IPO, Greg Brockman Says at Elon Musk Trial
OpenAI President Greg Brockman testified in Elon Musk’s lawsuit that the company is actively exploring an initial public offering. He disclosed his personal stake in OpenAI is worth roughly $30 billion, placing him among the world’s 100 wealthiest individuals. The latest...
FinCEN Eyes Contractors to Help Draft Its Own Regulations
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is evaluating the use of external contractors to draft regulatory guidance and rulemaking materials. The effort targets compliance with the 2020 Anti‑Money Laundering Act and the 2025 Genius Act governing U.S. stablecoins....
Trump's Plan to Transfer Millions of Student-Loan Accounts to the Treasury Is in the Works, Officials Confirm
The Trump administration is initiating a phased transfer of the federal student‑loan portfolio to the Treasury, beginning with about 9 million defaulted accounts. A Treasury letter confirmed two milestones: gathering stakeholder input on borrower assistance and swapping staff between the Treasury...
Customers Sue Chime over Alleged Iran-Linked Hack
Chime Financial’s mobile app outage on April 1 prompted the company to assure customers that their money and personal data remained secure. Within days, three class‑action lawsuits alleged that pro‑Iranian hacker group Team 313 breached Chime’s systems and stole Social Security numbers...
RBI Flags False Loan Waiver Claims by some, Warns of Legal Action
The Reserve Bank of India issued a warning on May 5, 2026 about unauthorized loan‑waiver schemes circulating on social media. The RBI said these campaigns falsely promise debt forgiveness in exchange for fees and could mislead borrowers. It warned that...
Todd Blanche Goes On TV To Defend Voter ID And Accidentally Reveals He Has Never Been To A Restaurant
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared on Meet the Press to defend voter‑ID laws and mistakenly argued that patrons must show identification to enter a restaurant. The claim, which is factually incorrect, ignited a wave of online ridicule and highlighted...
Endgame Looms in EPG Antitrust Fight as David Protein Urges Judge to Toss Case for Good
David Protein, after acquiring Epogee—the sole producer of the low‑calorie fat substitute EPG—faces a third amended antitrust complaint from three former customers who claim the company has monopolized access to EPG for high‑calories‑from‑protein (CFP) bars. The plaintiffs define the market...
Europe Revisits Deforestation Rule without Recommending Further Simplification
The European Commission decided not to propose any further amendments to the core text of the EU deforestation rule, while narrowing its scope to exclude leather and retreaded tires and adding products such as soluble coffee and palm‑oil derivatives. Implementation...
Evicting a Family Member With No Lease Can Be Painful, but Not That Problematic
Homeowners who house relatives without a lease may still face formal eviction if the occupant is deemed a tenant or licensee under state law. The process mirrors standard tenant evictions: serve a written notice, file a court petition, and, if...
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Understanding Trust Funds: A Guide to How They Work
A trust fund is a legal entity that holds assets for designated beneficiaries, managed by a trustee on behalf of the grantor. Trusts fall into two primary categories—revocable, which the grantor can modify or dissolve at any time, and irrevocable,...
D.C. Circuit Review—Reviewed: Press Passes, Mergers, Whistleblowers, and More
The D.C. Circuit issued rulings on five high‑profile disputes, ranging from the Pentagon’s journalist escort policy to the FCC’s pending TEGNA‑Nexstar merger review. The court stayed a district‑court injunction on the Pentagon’s press‑pass rule, declined to intervene in the FCC’s...
Former NLRB and In-House Employment Leader RyAnn Hooper Joins Littler in New York
Littler, the world’s largest management‑focused labor and employment firm, added RyAnn Hooper as of counsel in its New York office. Hooper arrives from New York Life, where she led the Fortune 100 insurer’s global employment law function, and brings two decades of experience...
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![[PODCAST] Railroaded by the Government of Canada and Alto: Why Has the High-Speed Rail Consultation Gone Off the Rails in...](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8We3!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F295276cf-1305-452e-80f0-7c255c0a2385_283x283.png)
[PODCAST] Railroaded by the Government of Canada and Alto: Why Has the High-Speed Rail Consultation Gone Off the Rails in...
In this episode, host Erin Durant, a lawyer and resident of the Alto high‑speed rail corridor, details her personal discovery of the project and the chaotic, opaque consultation process affecting rural Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. She critiques the government's...
One Name, Two Claims—And a Settlement: Prince Estate and ’Purple Rain’ Co-Star Resolve Trademark Dispute
Prince’s estate and former Purple Rain co‑star Patty Apollonia Kotero have settled their trademark dispute. Both parties filed a joint notice of dismissal, ending federal court litigation and TTAB proceedings without prejudice. The estate withdrew its cancellation claims and abandoned its pending...
No Notice, No Fix: Failure to Satisfy § 256(B) Renders Patent Invalid
The Federal Circuit affirmed that an omitted co‑inventor is a “party concerned” under 35 U.S.C. § 256(b), requiring notice and a hearing before inventorship can be corrected. Fortress Iron could not locate one omitted inventor, so the district court invalidated its patents for...
A Cure for Written Description and Enablement Headaches: Prior Art
The Federal Circuit reversed a district court ruling that invalidated Teva's anti‑CGRP antibody patents, holding that a single disclosed antibody can satisfy written‑description and enablement requirements when the broader genus was already well‑known at the priority date. The case stemmed...
DeSantis Moves to Gerrymander Florida Days After Supreme Court Guts Voting Rights Act
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a new congressional map that adds four Republican‑leaning seats, taking advantage of the Supreme Court’s recent Callais v. Robinson decision that weakens Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The proposal, slated for approval in a...
Following Newsom’s Veto, Lawmaker Returns With Drug-Free Homeless Housing Bill
California Assemblymember Matt Haney is reintroducing AB 1556, a bill that would establish rules for recovery‑focused residences within the state’s Housing First framework. The measure follows Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of a similar sober‑housing bill, AB 255, last year. AB 1556 permits sobriety...
World Liberty FI Sues Justin Sun
Interesting situation unfolding. @worldlibertyfi has officially filed a defamation lawsuit against Justin Sun. From their side, the claim is pretty straightforward, terms were clearly disclosed and signed at the time of purchase, then later challenged publicly after things escalated. They’re also alleging contract...
Kalshi
Kalshi: “Let’s just stipulate that these contracts involve ‘gaming.” Justice Dewar: “Well, actually, you certified to the CFTC that they do not involve gaming.’” Ouch. Rule 40.11(a)(1) surfaces again.
Nvidia Bet on Legal AI. The Inference Logic Is What Matters.
Nvidia’s venture arm NVentures led a $50 million Series D extension for Legora, marking its first legal‑tech investment and underscoring a bet on the massive inference workload legal AI generates. The EU AI Act will be fully enforceable on August 2, prompting procurement...
Musk's Lawyer Challenges $30B vs $1B Wake‑up Claim
"Are you saying it takes $30 billion to get you out of bed in the morning, but $1 billion doesn't get you out of bed in the morning?" — Elon Musk's lawyer to OpenAI President Greg Brockman during cross-exam in...
ICasino Operators Promise DC Launch Within Six Months
Several major iCasino operators said during a legalization hearing today they could have their platforms live in Washington DC within less than six months; City lawmakers are considering legalizing real money online casino games
TIAA Sues Ex-Advisor for Allegedly Chasing Clients From a $400M Book
TIAA has filed a federal lawsuit against former wealth‑management advisor Jesse Dusablon, accusing him of violating a non‑solicitation agreement by contacting clients from a portfolio worth more than $400 million. The suit, filed in the Southern District of Florida, alleges three...
Lobbyist’s Endorsement Reveals Big Tech’s Hand in Maryland AI Bill
I don't pay attention to @adamkovac, an Amazon/Google/Meta lobbyist who the WSJ once exposed as paying a libertarian sexual predator to lobby for big tech. However it's useful he endorses the @iamwesmoore bill on AI pricing. Shows that the Maryland...
Ontario Appeal Court Upholds Ponzi Conviction in $12M Investor Fraud
An Ontario appeal court upheld the fraud conviction of Daniel Reeve, who ran a $12 million (≈$9 million USD) Ponzi scheme that promised 60‑80% returns. The scheme siphoned funds for personal luxuries, a $3 million (≈$2.2 million USD) payment to his ex‑wife, and to...
Musk's Lawyer Leverages Brockman's Emails, Boosting Win Odds
Musk’s lawyer is calmly eviscerating OpenAI’s President Greg Brockman, largely using Brockman’s own diaries and emails. For the first time I think Elon has a real chance of winning.
Borrower Says Mr. Cooper's Escrow Blunder Sent His Home to Tax Sale
A federal lawsuit filed May 1, 2026 accuses mortgage servicer Mr. Cooper of misrouting escrow tax payments to the wrong parcel, leading to a Louisiana homeowner’s property being sold at a tax sale in June 2025. The borrower, Tyler Michael Crochet, repeatedly flagged the...
STAT+: French Regulator Fines Novo and Lilly over Weight Loss Ad Campaigns
France’s medicines regulator ANSM imposed a $2 million fine on Novo Nordisk for misleading advertisements promoting its Wegovy and Saxenda weight‑loss drugs. Eli Lilly was also fined about $127 000 for an ad campaign that indirectly promoted prescription‑only Mounjaro. The actions reflect heightened...
Missed Live Argument, Catching Replay of Massachusetts V. Kalshi
Picked an ill-advised time for air travel without WiFi. Missed the entire oral argument in Massachusetts v. Kalshi. Will watch the replay shortly. Looking forward to it. This is a venue (state court civil enforcement) that should be favorable for...
States Step Into the Void with ‘Mini-CFPBs’, Creating New Risks for Brokers
With the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) operating at reduced staffing levels, several states are moving to fill the enforcement vacuum. Illinois is considering a bill to create a state‑level “mini‑CFPB,” and other Democrat‑run states are watching closely. The patchwork...
N.M. City to Pay $6.5M in Fatal Shooting of Man During Mental Health Call
The City of Albuquerque has agreed to pay $6.5 million to the family of Jesus “Jessie” Crosby, who was fatally shot by police during a mental‑health crisis in 2022. The settlement, the largest APD shooting payout since a $7.95 million deal in...
$2B Trade Secrets Verdict Overturned by the Virginia Supreme Court
The Virginia Supreme Court has overturned a record $2 billion trade‑secrets verdict against Pegasystems, ordering a new trial. The high court found the Fairfax County judge erred by shifting the burden of proof to the defendant and by barring key defense...
Ohio Doctor Famous for Saying COVID-19 Vaccine Caused People to Become Magnetized Owes $698,000 in Back Taxes
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, the Ohio physician who claimed COVID‑19 vaccines magnetized people, was ordered to pay $698,982 in back taxes for 2001, 2012 and 2013, plus penalties and interest. U.S. District Judge Philip Calabrese issued the judgment after the Department...
Justice Kafker Questions Congress’ Intent to Curb State Betting Authority
“Justice Scott Kafker expressed doubt that Congress meant to eliminate states' ability to regulate sports wagering when it moved to reform how swaps were regulated through Dodd-Frank, a law enacted in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.”