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
U.S. Court Upholds Some Patents in LG ATSC 3.0 Infringement Case
A U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a jury verdict that LG Electronics willfully infringed Constellation Designs’ patents used in its NextGen TVs, confirming a $1.68 million past‑damages award and a $6.75 per‑TV royalty for future sales. The court affirmed most findings but vacated those related to optimization claims, remanding the case for further review. LG announced it will cease selling NextGen‑enabled televisions after the loss, while other major brands continue to offer ATSC 3.0 models. The patents at issue expire in 2028, limiting long‑term disruption.
Today’s Podcast Episode: Debt Sales 101 Mini-Series — Episode 6: After the Close: Compliance, Oversight, and Ongoing Risk
In the sixth episode of Ballard CFS Group’s Debt Sales 101 mini‑series, the hosts examine post‑close obligations for sellers of debt portfolios. They explain that regulators treat debt sales as an ongoing managed activity, requiring continuous oversight of buyers, monitoring of...
New EUDR Report Evaluates and Proposes Simplifications
Long-awaited report on EUDR (Deforestation). Fulfilling a mandate under Article 34(1a) of the Regulation. It assesses simplifications to date and introduces new ones. /1 https://t.co/YemuXVuVdR
AI Copyright Litigation Continues as NVIDIA Training Data Case Moves Forward
Federal Judge Jon S. Tigar denied NVIDIA’s motion to dismiss, allowing the core copyright claims in Nazemian et al. v. NVIDIA to proceed. The plaintiffs allege NVIDIA copied and stored unauthorized digital copies of books from shadow libraries to train its NeMo Megatron large‑language...
FTC Taps On Tennessee Supreme Court To Join Florida And Texas
The Federal Trade Commission sent a letter to the Tennessee Supreme Court urging it to stop relying on American Bar Association (ABA) accreditation for law schools, echoing similar moves by Florida and Texas. The FTC claims the ABA’s monopoly drives...
Money Transmission & Developer Liability
Cooley partner Brian Klein discussed on the Law of Code podcast the motion for acquittal filed on behalf of Roman Storm, a co‑founder of the Tornado Cash mixer. The conversation centered on how U.S. money‑transmission statutes could be applied to...
E15 Legislation Faces Hurdles as House Weighs Standalone Vote
Congressman Don Bacon warned that partisan opposition is blocking a year‑round E15 ethanol blend, which was omitted from the 2026 farm bill. He argues the ban harms the agricultural sector because distillers grains, a by‑product of ethanol, are in high...
Beyond the DOJ Complaint: Potential Exclusionary Conduct Theories in the Apple Ecosystem
The U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust complaint accuses Apple of leveraging its near‑70% smartphone share and 99% control over iOS functionalities to neutralize competing technologies such as middleware, super‑apps, and digital wallets. The filing highlights a pattern of exclusionary conduct...
Metlakatla Indian Community Hopes Lawsuit Against Alaska’s Governor Will Revitalize Fishing Community
The Metlakatla Indian Community (MIC), Alaska’s sole native reserve, is suing Governor Michael Dunleavy to expand its 3,000‑foot exclusive fishing zone that dates back to an 1891 treaty. Unlike most Alaska tribes that sold off fishing rights under the 1971...
Chris Brown Hit With Paternity Suit Involving Diamond Brown’s Four-Year-Old Daughter
Diamond Brown filed a paternity lawsuit on April 3 seeking full physical and legal custody of their four‑year‑old daughter, Lovely Symphani Brown. The filing came just days before Chris Brown announced the birth of a new child with partner Jade Wallace. Brown...
Acting Attorney General Confirms Probe Into Beef Processors
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the Justice Department has launched a fresh antitrust probe into the U.S. beef industry, reviewing more than 3 million documents and interviewing hundreds of ranchers, producers and processors. The investigation targets the four largest...
Blank Rome Welcomes Leading Corporate Partners Sean P. Coyle and Vijay S. Choksi in West Palm Beach
Blank Rome LLP announced that Sean P. Coyle and Vijay S. Choksi have joined its Corporate, M&A, Securities and Cannabis teams in the firm’s newly opened West Palm Beach office. Both lawyers arrive from Fox Rothschild, bringing deep transactional experience...
New EO 14260 Lawsuit Highlights State Overreach
Another lawsuit filed under the banner of EO 14260: something something STATE OVERREACH something something
Crypto Market Structure Bill Likely to Pass This Year
JUST IN: 66% chance that crypto market structure legislation gets signed into law this year
SEC Drops Lawsuit Against Former Iconix CEO Neil R. Cole
On May 4, 2026, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of its civil enforcement action against former Iconix Brand Group CEO Neil R. Cole. The case originated from a 2019 SEC fraud complaint that accused...
DOJ Confirms Antitrust Probe of Beef Processors
The U.S. Justice Department confirmed a combined criminal and civil antitrust investigation into the meat‑packing sector as beef prices hit record highs and cattle inventories shrink. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the probe will move quickly, targeting major processors...
Everlaw and Legora Announce Integration to Connect Discovery and Drafting
Everlaw and Legora have announced a technology partnership that embeds Everlaw’s document repository directly into Legora’s drafting and collaboration platform. The integration lets litigators pull relevant evidence into witness statements, deposition questions, and trial briefs without leaving Legora, preserving a...
Brad Karp Takes His Epstein-Stained Résumé To Harvard Law
Former Paul Weiss chair Brad Karp, whose tenure ended amid a controversial Trump‑era settlement and newly surfaced Epstein connections, appeared as a guest lecturer in Harvard Law’s Legal Professions course. Karp framed the 2025 deal to eliminate DEI programs and...
Europe’s Laws ‘Ill-Equipped’ to Deal with Superhacking AI, Lawmakers Warn
European lawmakers warned that the EU’s current cybersecurity framework cannot cope with AI‑driven hacking tools such as Anthropic’s Mythos, which recently outperformed humans in finding vulnerabilities. In a letter signed by thirty MEPs, they called on Commission Vice‑President Henna Virkkunen...
Court Refuses to Enter Fed.R.Evid. 502(d) & “Clawback” Order Without Agreement; Also Refuses to Order Production of Responsive Documents That...
In Medal v. Amazon.com Services, the Western District of Washington held that a Federal Rule of Evidence 502(d) confidentiality order and a procedural clawback provision cannot be imposed without the parties’ consent. The court also declined to compel production of...
Trump Administration Sues Minnesota to Block Climate Lawsuit
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit in Minnesota federal court seeking to block the state’s six‑year‑old climate suit against Exxon Mobil, the American Petroleum Institute, Koch Industries and Flint Hills Resources. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had alleged the companies violated state consumer‑protection...
Court Confirms when a Worker Is a Dog’s ‘Owner’
Ontario’s Dog Owners’ Liability Act (DOLA) expands the legal definition of a dog’s owner to anyone who has care and control of the animal at the time of an incident. A court upheld that a part‑time dog walker was the...
China Blocks US Sanctions on Refiners Buying Iranian Crude
China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a directive telling domestic refiners to ignore U.S. sanctions on Iranian crude, effectively allowing them to continue purchases. The move comes as President Donald Trump prepares for a high‑profile summit with President Xi Jinping in...
Elon Musk’s only AI Expert Witness at the OpenAI Trial Fears an AGI Arms Race
Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI brought in Stuart Russell, a UC‑Berkeley AI professor, as the sole technical expert witness. Russell warned jurors about cybersecurity, misalignment and the winner‑take‑all dynamics of artificial general intelligence, but the judge sharply curtailed his testimony. Musk’s...
The Human Edge in AI‑Driven M&A: Why Judgment Still Wins Deals
AI is rapidly automating routine M&A tasks such as document review and draft generation, but lawyers remain essential for strategic guidance, negotiation tactics, and translating complex data into client‑focused outcomes. The conversation with corporate finance lawyer Mujir Muneeruddin highlights that...
Congress Already Strips Pensions for some Crimes, a New Bill Would Expand the List
Congressional pensions can currently be forfeited only for a narrow set of crimes such as bribery, treason and espionage. A bipartisan bill, the Congressional Pension Integrity Act, introduced by Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, would expand the list to include violent offenses,...
Digital Chamber Calls for More Clarity in SEC-CFTC Guidance on Crypto Securities Laws
The Digital Chamber submitted a comment letter to the SEC and CFTC urging clearer guidance on how federal securities laws apply to digital assets. It focuses on refining the definition of an “investment contract,” establishing objective criteria for token classification,...
Forbes Preliminarily Agrees to Pay $10 Million to Settle California Wiretapping Lawsuit
Forbes Media has entered a preliminary settlement to pay $10 million and modify its data‑collection practices after a California class‑action lawsuit alleged illegal tracking of website visitors. The agreement mandates clearer notice and opt‑out mechanisms for California residents and acknowledges the...
Littler Welcomes Katharine Lennox as Shareholder in Rochester
Littler, the world’s largest employment‑law firm, announced that Katharine Lennox has joined its Rochester office as a shareholder in the Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets Practice Group. Lennox arrives from McGuireWoods with nearly 15 years of litigation experience across trade‑secret,...
Episode 411 — Third-Party AI Risk and Vendor Due Diligence
The *Corruption, Crime & Compliance* podcast highlights the expanding risk of third‑party AI embedded in SaaS, analytics and service platforms. Companies now face data leakage, bias, regulatory liability, and IP concerns stemming from vendors’ AI use. Host Michael Volkov recommends...
Tracking Pixels, EU Regulators, and You: A Calm Person’s Guide to What Just Happened
In March and April 2026 France’s CNIL and Italy’s Garante issued guidance clarifying how the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR apply to email tracking pixels. Both regulators treat pixel data as ePrivacy‑subject, requiring consent unless a narrow exemption applies. France allows...
Swiss Lawmakers Ponder Less Capital Backing for UBS, Delay Bill
Swiss lawmakers have postponed the preliminary vote on a bill that would set new capital requirements for UBS Group AG, pushing the decision back by several months. The delay occurred after the Economic Affairs and Taxation Committee of the Upper...
The Government Should Promote Innovation, Not Punish It
District Attorney Thien Ho warns that vague crypto regulations punish innovation, citing the DOJ’s 2025 memo that curtails Section 1960 prosecutions of decentralized software. He argues that applying a law meant for traditional money‑transmitters to open‑source developers misfires, driving talent offshore...
Cooley Welcomes Norm Armstrong as Chair of Global Antitrust and Competition Practice
Cooley has hired Norm Armstrong Jr. as a partner and chair of its global antitrust and competition practice, based in Washington, DC. Armstrong, a former deputy director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, brings extensive experience in enforcement, merger reviews,...
Sedition Act Needed for 3R Issues, Not Political Criticism, Says Fahmi
Malaysia’s government reaffirmed that the colonial‑era Sedition Act will remain in force for matters involving race, religion and the Malay royalty, but should not be used to curb political criticism. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim...
Hands Off My Trademark! Notepad++ Dev Threatens Legal Action Against macOS Port
The open‑source text editor Notepad++ remains a Windows‑only product, but a third‑party developer released a macOS port called “Notepad++ for Mac.” Founder Don Ho warned that the project’s use of the Notepad++ name, logo, and domain misleads users and infringes...
Aave Asks Court to Vacate Restraining Notice Targeting Recovered Kelp DAO Assets
Aave LLC filed an emergency motion in the Southern District of New York to vacate a restraining notice that freezes roughly $71 million worth of ETH recovered from the Kelp DAO bridge exploit. The notice, filed by plaintiffs seeking to satisfy...
Retirement Assets Surge Into Opaque Collective Investment Trusts
Retirement planners are moving trillions of dollars into Collective Investment Trusts, a little‑known vehicle that now rivals mutual funds and ETFs in size. The lack of a single regulator and limited disclosure has sparked alarm among advisors and policymakers.
Landlords Push $1.5 Billion Settlement Over Pandemic Eviction‑Moratorium Losses
A coalition of over 1,500 property owners, led by Texas landlord Matthew Haines, is negotiating a settlement with the Justice Department to recoup as much as $1.5 billion they say they lost when the CDC’s eviction moratorium halted rent collection. The...
Solana Institute,
JUST IN: The Solana Institute and DeFi Education Fund demand precise execution of the GENIUS Act following USOCC.
Tilray’s Rescheduling Rally Fizzles as DOJ Plan Stalls, Shares Slip Below $6
Tilray Brands saw its stock plunge from a brief high of $8 to around $6 after the Justice Department announced only a partial, immediate rescheduling of FDA‑approved medical marijuana products. The limited scope of the move and pending administrative hearing...
Bipartisan Bill Would Use Tax Credits to Build US Plant-Based Materials Sector
Two bipartisan congresswomen introduced the Biobased Materials Investment and Production Act, offering a 30% investment tax credit for new or retrofitted biomanufacturing facilities and a production credit of $0.10 per pound of renewable material, capped at $10 million annually. The legislation...
New Mexico Labels Meta Products a Public Nuisance
New Mexico is calling Meta products a public nuisance and no one is certain what com es next. https://t.co/YhNCT2UMeD
Job Of The Month: Partner At Elite Litigation Boutique
A Texas‑based commercial litigation boutique in Houston is hiring a litigation Partner with 8‑10 years of sophisticated experience. The role is fully hands‑on, requiring depositions, motion practice, court appearances, and brief writing. The opportunity was highlighted as the "Job of...
Legal AI Startup Legora Hits $5.6 Billion Valuation with Nvidia Backing; Jude Law Leads New Campaign
Legora, a legal‑tech artificial‑intelligence startup, announced a valuation of $5.6 billion after securing venture backing from Nvidia. The company simultaneously unveiled a global advertising campaign fronted by actor Jude Law, signaling a push to mainstream its services for law firms and...
Staggering Corruption and Incompetence in the DOJ James Comey Indictment
Former FBI Director James Comey has been hit with a second criminal indictment, this time alleging misconduct related to a social‑media post that displayed the number 8647. The indictment gained fresh scrutiny after Treasury official Todd Blanche appeared on Meet...
Sony Agrees to $7.85 Million Settlement in PlayStation Store Class Action
Sony has secured preliminary court approval for a $7.85 million settlement that resolves a U.S. class‑action lawsuit accusing the company of monopolizing its digital storefront. The deal will credit eligible PlayStation Network accounts, a move that could affect more than 4.4 million...
Wachtell's Socialist Pay Model Threatens Star Rainmakers
Must-read on Wall Street: Wachtell faces a fascinating dilemma: it leads Big Law in profits per partner, but its quasi-socialist pay model is starting to cost it star rainmakers, just as the market tilts decisively toward them. @sindap and @mroliverbarnes...
Dutch Court Blocks Meta From Using Amsterdam Resident’s Data for AI Training
An Amsterdam district court ordered Meta to stop using the personal data of a local user for its artificial‑intelligence models, citing the individual's inability to opt out under EU privacy law. The ruling marks the first Dutch judgment that directly...
The Second ‘Redemption’
On April 29, 2026 the Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that effectively dismantled the core protections of the Voting Rights Act, a statute Congress has reauthorized and expanded since 1965. The six Republican‑appointed justices framed...