Today's Legal Pulse
DOJ says Title VII disparate impact liability is unconstitutional
The Office of Legal Counsel concluded that disparate impact liability under Title VII violates the Constitution. The Department of Justice echoed this view, declaring employment disparate impact rules unconstitutional.
Also developing:
Harvey Deploys 500+ Purpose‑Built Legal AI Agents and Low‑Code Builder
Harvey announced the live launch of more than 500 pre‑built legal AI agents and early‑access to its low‑code Agent Builder on May 5, 2026. The rollout targets firms of all sizes, adding to a platform already used by over 100,000 lawyers in 1,500 organizations worldwide.
New National Origin Discrimination Settlement: $1.25M Payout Linked to Ugly Email
The EEOC secured a $1.25 million settlement from R&R Janitorial, a federal contractor, after finding that Hispanic workers were terminated because of their Central American national origin. The case stemmed from derogatory remarks and an email likening immigrants to raccoons, which...
‘It’s Pretty Brutal’: Why UK Landlords Have Been Rushing to Evict Renters
The UK’s Renters’ Rights Act, effective May 1 2026, outlawed Section 21 no‑fault evictions, forcing landlords to use Section 8 notices with legal grounds. In the days leading up to the change, many landlords rushed to serve a flood of Section 21 notices, creating a...
But Wait, There’s More! SEC Submits Climate Disclosure Rulemaking to OIRA
The SEC has formally submitted a notice‑and‑comment rulemaking titled “Rescission of Climate‑Related Disclosure Rules,” which OIRA posted to its regulatory dashboard on Monday. The filing follows the agency’s March 2024 adoption of climate‑related disclosure requirements that were placed on stay...
AI Roundup: Udio Used YouTube Music; Meta/Zuckerberg Sued for Infringement; ElevenLabs Raises $500m
Udio disclosed that it scraped YouTube audio to train its generative‑music AI, prompting Sony to remain the sole major label still suing the platform over copyright infringement. Meta and Mark Zuckerberg are now facing a lawsuit from leading book publishers...
Q&A: State AGs Increasingly Taking the Lead on Antitrust Enforcement
State attorneys general are emerging as primary antitrust enforcers, exemplified by a bipartisan coalition of 34 AGs that won a landmark verdict against Live Nation after the DOJ settled its case. Recent multistate actions, such as blocking the Nexstar‑Tegna merger,...
The Case for and Against Co-Authoring With AI
The article debates whether lawyers should co‑author documents with generative AI. It contrasts Zack Shapiro’s view that AI can amplify human thinking with the author’s skepticism that AI‑generated briefs are flat, verbose, and risk competence issues. The piece highlights the...
Schools Tighten Rules on Athlete Use of Brand Assets
Schools are being more deliberate about how their brand assets are used by athletes. Can student-athletes include school logos, uniforms, or facilities in NIL content? I break this down in my book NIL 101: The House Settlement 40% off https://t.co/yBVisUkFCL https://t.co/SvJT7XJzb1
$375M Meta Verdict Shows States Don’t Need to Make a Federal Case to Have an Impact
A Santa Fe jury handed Meta a $375 million civil penalty for violating New Mexico’s consumer‑protection statutes by misleading users about platform safety and endangering children. The verdict underscores the expansive authority state attorneys general wield to pursue consumer‑fraud claims, even...
Sorsby Hires Kessler: Breaking Down QB’s NCAA Eligibility Push
Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has retained renowned sports litigator Jeffrey Kessler as he confronts an NCAA gambling investigation and a breach‑of‑contract lawsuit over a reported $5 million NIL deal with Cincinnati. The allegations include more than 10,000 wagers placed through...
Over One Third of Small Businesses to “Reduce or Stop” Trading with EU
The Federation of Small Businesses reports that more than one‑third of UK SMEs are set to reduce or stop trading with the EU, citing divergent regulations, mounting red tape and rising compliance costs. Only 10% see growth opportunities in the...
Nuro Secures California Permit to Test Driverless Uber‑Backed Lucid Gravity Robotaxis
Nuro has been granted a California DMV permit to test its driverless Lucid Gravity robotaxis without a safety driver, allowing operations up to 45 mph in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The approval clears a major regulatory hurdle for Uber’s...
Malaysia Seeks to Charge 2 over US$278 Million Arm Semiconductor Deal
Malaysia’s anti‑corruption commission is preparing charges against two unnamed individuals over a 1.1 billion ringgit (approximately $278 million) deal with British chip designer Arm Holdings. The investigation, now in its final stages, has gathered statements from 22 witnesses, including former economy minister...
Correspondence: CMA Advice to Defra on Reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued formal advice to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) on its proposed overhaul of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. The advice draws on the CMA’s recent veterinary services market...
InsurTech Startups Set to Compete for £50k Insurathon Prize 2026
Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has launched the ninth Insurathon competition, offering InsurTech startups up to £50,000 (≈ $62,500) in combined legal support and potential equity investment. Finalists receive £25,000 (≈ $31,250) in regulatory advisory services and a possible £25,000 equity...
Africa’s Peace-Building Faces Reality Check as Leaders Call for Active Prudence
The Johannesburg Arbitration Week 2026 opened with former African heads of state warning that technical peace‑building tools are outpaced by complex, entrenched conflicts. Leaders including Joaquim Chissano, Goodluck Jonathan, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Uhuru Kenyatta stressed the need for wisdom, inclusivity and sustained political will....
FIS Teams with Anthropic to Deploy AI Agents for Financial‑Crime Detection
FIS Global and AI firm Anthropic announced a joint effort to roll out a Financial Crimes AI Agent that accelerates anti‑money‑laundering investigations from hours to minutes. The first deployments will be at BMO and Amalgamated Bank, with broader availability slated...
CFTC Targets Minnesota in Prediction Markets Crackdown
"Selig, who has so far filed lawsuits against five states that tried to crack down..." CFTC eyes Minnesota as next front for prediction markets fight https://t.co/FJy7zAGifo
UMG Tells Appeals Court Salt-N-Pepa Termination Bid Lacks Legal Foundation
Universal Music Group asked the U.S. Second Circuit to uphold a January ruling that dismissed Salt‑N‑Pepa’s lawsuit seeking to reclaim ownership of their master recordings. The label argues the duo never owned the copyrights because the 1986 agreements transferred rights...
How DORA Redefines ICT Exit Planning for Financial Firms
The EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) now obliges financial institutions to maintain a documented, testable ICT exit plan for any service supporting a critical or important function. Simply having a termination clause is insufficient; firms must prove they can...
Murder Trial Hears Couple 'Looked Madly in Love' Before Violent Death
A Northern Territory Supreme Court trial is examining the murder of 22‑year‑old Ms Ashley, whose partner Braden Jentian has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege Jentian subjected Ashley to a prolonged, violent assault that ended in her death, citing nine documented...
Would Illinois's New Insurance Law Help or Hurt Your Wallet?
Illinois Senate Bill 1486, championed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, seeks to tighten consumer protections for auto and home insurers. The bill would require insurers to give 60‑day notice of any rate increase above 10%, ban cost‑shifting from out‑of‑state...
Unfit to Print: DC CRIME AND UNJUST PUNISHMENT
Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department is terminating several officers after an investigation uncovered systematic manipulation of violent‑crime statistics. Assistant Chief LaShay Makal and Second District Commander Tatjana Savoy were placed on administrative leave, while former Third District commander Michael Pulliam...
LTO Suspends, Eyes More Penalties vs Drivers in Calamba Road Rage
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) placed the drivers of a Yamaha Mio motorcycle and an L300 van under a 90‑day preventive suspension after a viral road‑rage fistfight in Calamba, Laguna, issuing show‑cause orders and requiring license surrender. Simultaneously, the Tourism...
Before You Fire Someone for FMLA Paperwork Problems, Make Sure Your System Worked
A Wisconsin federal court denied the employer’s motion for summary judgment on both FMLA interference and retaliation claims after a production employee was fired despite a broken third‑party administrator (TPA) system that repeatedly hung up on his calls. The employee,...
Stablecoin Yield Debate Central in GENIUS Rule Comments
Comment letters to the OCC’s proposed rule implementing the GENIUS Act reveal a stark clash between banks and crypto firms over whether consumers may earn yield on stablecoins. Banks argue any economic benefit tied to custody should be treated as...
RFK Jr. Clears Path for Minors' Use of Tanning Beds, Much to the Dismay of Dermatologists
Future Health and Human Services Secretary‑designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. withdrew the FDA’s proposed rule that would have barred minors from indoor tanning salons and required all users to sign a cancer‑risk acknowledgment. The rule, first drafted in 2015, aimed to curb exposure...
Is Your Grammar Too Good? A New Way to Repel Clients and Prospects
Sinceerly.com launched an "anti‑Grammarly" service that deliberately inserts typos and informal phrasing into lawyers' emails to hide AI‑generated cues. The free‑trial app claims the tweaks make messages appear more human, countering the perception that overly polished language signals machine output....
Referees Score Key Ruling Against HMRC
A UK tribunal has ruled that around 60 lower‑league football referees are self‑employed, not employees of Professional Game Match Officials Limited. The decision means HM Revenue and Customs will forfeit roughly $742,000 in unpaid employment taxes for the 2014‑2016 period....
Why Europe Must Refuse the Data-Sharing Deal with the US
The European Commission is weighing a deal that would let U.S. authorities access personal data of 450 million Europeans in exchange for preserving the visa‑waiver program. Critics, led by the European Data Protection Supervisor, argue the arrangement lacks reciprocity and undermines...
Disbar AUSA Kevin Bolan
U.S. Attorney Kevin Bolan failed to disclose a Dominican Republic murder charge against immigrant Bryan Rafael Gomez during a bail hearing, violating his duty of candor to the court. Judge Melissa DuBose, unaware of the foreign charge, released Gomez and...
New Section 68 Sparks Debate Over Trusts and Estates
The fate of a trust or estate under new Section 68 was the subject of great debate after a first-rate update—where I did my best to articulate, captivate, communicate, contemplate, deliberate, elevate, illuminate, and navigate what’s at stake. @CLATaxation DC...
Coimisiún Na Meán to Investigate Meta’s Content Promotion
Ireland’s media regulator Coimisiún na Meán has launched an investigation into Meta’s Facebook and Instagram recommender systems to determine whether they violate the EU Digital Services Act. The probe focuses on alleged “dark‑pattern” designs that may prevent users from opting...
Chancery Dismisses Merger-Related Fraud Claims As Preempted Under SLUSA
The Delaware Court of Chancery dismissed the fraudulent‑inducement claims in Guerra v. Snap, ruling that the state‑law class action is preempted by the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act (SLUSA). The court determined that the lawsuit satisfied every SLUSA element: it...
Doctors' Growing AI Deepfakes Problem
AI-generated deepfake videos are impersonating physicians to market dubious supplements and medical devices, prompting the American Medical Association to call for new privacy and identity‑protection laws. States such as California and Pennsylvania are already moving toward disclosure mandates and bans...
US District Judge Denies Conagra’s Motion to Dismiss Short-Weighting Lawsuit
A U.S. district judge denied Conagra Brands' motion to dismiss a 2024 lawsuit accusing the company of short‑weighting its Mrs. Paul’s and Van de Kamp’s fish products with sodium tripolyphosphate (STTP). The plaintiffs allege false "100 percent Whole Fish" labeling and...
Taurus Gets CySEC MiFID License to Serve Digital Asset Strategies of Over 40 Bank Clients Across All 27 EU Markets
Swiss fintech Taurus has earned a CySEC‑issued MiFID II investment‑firm licence, finalising the approval two months before the MiCA transitional deadline. The regulator’s nod makes Taurus the first pure‑infrastructure provider to secure EU‑wide authorisation, allowing it to offer digital‑asset services to...
Fincra Expands Ghana Presence with New Payments Licence Approval
Fincra, a Nigerian payments infrastructure provider, secured an Enhanced Category Payment Service Provider licence from the Bank of Ghana, allowing it to process cedi‑based payments, collect mobile‑money transactions, and receive inbound transfers. The approval follows a Canadian PSP licence obtained...
Meta’s AI Nightmare: China Reclaims Manus in Power Move
China's National Development and Reform Commission has blocked Meta Platforms' $2.5 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus, citing national‑security concerns, and ordered a full reversal of the deal. Meta must restore Manus’s assets, purge transferred data and technology, and meet a...
Reuters: US SEC Proposes Allowing Public Companies to Opt Out of Quarterly Earnings Reports
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a rule proposal that would let publicly traded companies voluntarily opt out of filing quarterly earnings reports, shifting to an annual reporting model unless they choose otherwise. The proposal follows a multi‑year...
Hospitals Sue Anthem over Policy Prohibiting Use of Out-of-Network Radiologists
California hospitals have filed a lawsuit against Anthem, challenging a new policy that will levy a 10% administrative penalty on claims involving out‑of‑network radiologists and other physicians starting June 1. The hospitals argue the policy breaches California’s AB 72, which permits...
UK Regulator Launches Review of ‘Aggressive’ Claims Management Firms Amid Compensation Concerns
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a comprehensive review of claims management companies (CMCs) after uncovering aggressive marketing, misleading advertisements, unfair exit fees and unauthorized sign‑ups targeting victims of the motor‑finance scandal. The regulator says it has already...
Blu Label Loses Court Bid as 1973 Law Reaches Into Digital Age
South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that the Companies Act of 1973 applies to modern electronic voucher transactions, rejecting Blu Label Unlimited’s attempt to retain R347,531 (about $18,000) paid to a liquidated outlet. The court held that Blu Label...
FCA Accuses Odey of “Creating False Reality” As Tribunal Hears Ban Appeal
The UK Financial Conduct Authority defended its £1.8 million (≈$2.3 million) fine and sector‑wide ban on hedge‑fund manager Crispin Odey, accusing him of a pattern of threats, fact‑distortion and falsifying records. At the Upper Tribunal, the FCA highlighted sexual‑harassment, bullying and governance...
Capitalising on Mauritius Protected Cell Companies to Unlock Investment Opportunities in Africa
Investors eyeing Africa’s booming infrastructure, real estate, private‑equity and finance markets face fragmented legal regimes, high compliance costs and contagion risk. Mauritius Protected Cell Companies (PCCs) offer a single legal vehicle that houses multiple segregated “cells,” each with its own...
Georgia Supreme Court Vacates Ruling Over AI Errors
The Georgia Supreme Court overturned a lower‑court decision that denied a new trial after AI‑generated citations—many fictitious—were inserted into the prosecutor’s filing. Assistant district attorney Deborah Leslie was sanctioned, barred from appearing before the state’s highest court for six months,...
Law Firms Do Innovation X4
Law firms are accelerating AI and knowledge innovation. Linklaters launched Applied Intelligence, a team of lawyers and data scientists building bespoke AI solutions beyond off‑the‑shelf tools. Foley introduced LearningLab, a free on‑demand CLE platform for in‑house counsel. K&L Gates created...
Inside a Historic Supreme Court Case on Pesticide Risks
The U.S. Supreme Court heard Monsanto v. Durnell, a pivotal case on whether federal pesticide law preempts state “failure‑to‑warn” claims over Roundup’s alleged cancer risks. Plaintiffs argue Bayer, the successor to Monsanto, should have warned users about glyphosate, while the...
Johannesburg Arbitration Week 2026: Can Institutional Cooperation Deliver the Next Phase of African Arbitration?
Johannesburg Arbitration Week 2026 highlighted the rapid growth of arbitration in Africa, driven by sectors such as mining, energy, infrastructure and the AfCFTA‑generated cross‑border disputes. The AFSA panel debated whether the continent should rely on heightened institutional competition or pursue...
Money Box Live: Changes to Rights at Work
The episode breaks down the new Employment Rights Act, highlighting key changes such as statutory sick pay from day one, expanded eligibility, and the introduction of two weeks of paternity leave from the start of employment. Experts John Palmer (ACAS)...