Today's Legal Pulse
Biden sues DOJ to block release of interview audio
President Biden filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the Department of Justice from publishing an audio interview, arguing the release would be improper. The action has sparked political commentary, including remarks from former President Trump.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
Busta Rhymes Settles With Ex-Assistant Over ‘Defamatory’ Assault Claims
Busta Rhymes reached a private settlement with former assistant Dashiel Gables, who alleged the rapper assaulted him in a Brooklyn lobby. Gables sued under the Fair Labor Standards Act, claiming workplace abuse and industry blacklisting, while Rhymes counter‑claimed defamation over reputational damage. The parties are finalizing settlement documents, with a formal motion due by June 1, and the criminal case remains sealed. No terms were disclosed, and both legal teams declined comment.
Western Lawmakers Move To Weaken Clean Air Act and Shield Fossil Fuel Companies From Climate Lawsuits
Republican lawmakers from Texas and Wyoming introduced two bills that would shield fossil‑fuel companies from liability for climate‑related damages and ease state enforcement of the Clean Air Act. The Senate proposal, dubbed the “Stop Climate Shakedowns Act,” seeks sweeping legal...
FCC to Vote on Revising EPFD Limits, Aiming to Boost NGSO Satellite Services
The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote this week on loosening equivalent power flux density (EPFD) limits for non‑geostationary satellite (NGSO) constellations. Proponents argue the change will unlock spectrum for faster broadband rollout, while geostationary (GSO) operators warn of...
Litera Appoints Grant Hewlett to Spearhead AI‑driven Firm Intelligence Portfolio
Litera announced the hiring of Grant Hewlett, a 15‑year legal‑tech veteran, to head its AI Firm Intelligence portfolio. The move underscores Litera’s strategy to embed artificial intelligence into the tools lawyers already use, aiming to boost efficiency and growth for...
China Blocks Meta’s $2 B Purchase of Manus AI, Citing Foreign Investment Rules
China’s National Development and Reform Commission has halted Meta’s $2 billion takeover of Manus AI, a Chinese‑founded agentic AI firm now based in Singapore. The move signals Beijing’s growing wariness of foreign ownership of strategic AI technology and puts pressure on...
‘Burdensome’ FMLA Process May Be Interference, Court Says in SC Johnson Lawsuit
A federal district court denied SC Johnson's motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the company interfered with an employee's Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) rights. The employee claimed that SC Johnson's outsourcing of leave administration to Prudential created a...
Beijing Enforces Citywide Drone Ban, Halting Sales and Flights From May 1
Beijing’s municipal government has ordered a citywide prohibition on drone sales and flights effective May 1, with fines of 500 yuan ($73) for violations. The move forces retailers, including DJI, to remove drones from inventory and requires police permission for any university...
UK High Court Rejects Redding and Mitchell Estates' Claim for Hendrix Royalties
A London High Court has ruled that the estates of Jimi Hendrix’s former bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell are not entitled to additional royalties from classic Hendrix recordings, siding with Sony Music. The decision hinges on a 1966...
Oklahoma: As if Work Reporting Won't Cause Enough Damage, GOP Moves to Kill Off Medicaid Expansion Entirely
Oklahoma's Republican legislature is advancing House Bill 4440 and House Joint Resolution 1067 to remove Medicaid expansion from the state constitution and either shift it to statutory law or repeal it entirely. Both measures cleared the Senate Rules Committee along...
Ex-USCIS Officer Shares Insights on Leading or Critical Role, Original Contributions, and Membership (Session Recording)
Immigration attorney Evan Law, a former USCIS officer, hosted a virtual Q&A focused on the EB‑1A green‑card category. The session dissected three core criteria: leading or critical role, original contributions, and professional membership. Access to the recording is limited to...
Revolut Taps Akahu’s Open‑banking API to Launch NZ’s First Automated Credit‑card Underwriting
Revolut has teamed up with New Zealand’s open‑finance platform Akahu to pull real‑time banking data via APIs for credit‑card underwriting, becoming the first issuer in the market to automate decisions under the newly regulated open‑banking regime. The move promises faster...
A Judge Just Turned The Government’s Own ‘Reconsider’ Motion Against Them And It’s Glorious
Judge Gary R. Brown’s April 27 order in Sanchez Alfaro v. Mullin rebukes the DOJ’s empty reconsideration motion after ICE illegally arrested a Special Immigrant Juvenile holder without a warrant and later admitted the mistake. The court found multiple constitutional violations, gave the government...
Michigan Senate Passes Bill to Curb Notifications, Data Collection
Michigan’s Democratic‑led Senate approved the “Kids Over Clicks” package, SB 757‑760, to restrict minors’ exposure to social‑media notifications, data collection, and advanced chatbots. The bills ban push notifications to users aged 10‑17 between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and during school hours, tighten...
Conservative Medical Professionals Sue Virginia over Proposed Abortion Rights Amendment
Conservative medical groups and a Bluefield town council member sued Virginia, claiming the ballot language for a proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion rights is misleading. They contend the wording omits provisions that would eliminate parental notification, remove age‑of‑consent limits, allow...
Antitrust and Hockey: Competition Law Lessons That Apply Beyond the Ice
The article reviews the NHL’s antitrust legacy, from the reserve clause that bound player mobility to the league’s group boycott of the rival WHA. It explains how drafts, salary caps and territorial rules survive under the non‑statutory labor exemption and...
Pay Transparency Fuels Offer Rejections when Salaries Fall Short
The Candidate Knows What the Job Should Pay. The Offer Doesn't. Pay transparency laws in a growing number of states have armed candidates with public salary ranges, closing the information gap that employers used to use as a negotiating advantage. Jackson...
Jones Act Waiver Extension Sparks Heated Debate
The Jones Act waiver extension triggers explosive dialogue: The US Jones Act has long been a source of controversy and the latest waiver extension is no exception https://t.co/uklJMlUbQf
EU Expands Sanctions to Blanket Ban Russian Crypto Exchanges, Stablecoins
The European Union approved its 20th sanctions package, imposing a sector‑wide ban on Russian crypto‑asset service providers, ruble‑backed stablecoins RUBx and A7A5, and the planned digital ruble. The measures take effect on May 24, 2026, and aim to close loopholes...
People, Process, Tech: Why Your Law Firm Marketing Data Is “Dirty”
Legal Fenix founder Ron Latz explains why law‑firm marketing data is often "dirty" and how firms can clean it by aligning people, processes, and technology. He advocates using fractional CMOs to provide strategic oversight without the cost of a full‑time...
Israel Seizes Gaza Aid Vessels in International Waters, Legality Questioned
"Israel Intercepts Gaza Aid Ships in International Waters, Organizers Decry Move" By what authority does Israel seize ships on the high seas? While this ship may be heading to Gaza, they were in international waters. https://t.co/3lWsLF2Grc
Lawfare Live: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 1
Lawfare will host a live webcast on May 1 at 4 p.m. ET titled “The Trials of the Trump Administration.” Editor‑in‑chief Benjamin Wittes and senior editors Anna Bower, Molly Roberts, Roger Parloff, plus contributor Nicholas Bednar will examine the Justice Department’s second...
China's Extraterritorial Rules Undermine Global Supply Chains
Bessent to China: I stressed that China's recent provocative extraterritorial regulations have a chilling effect on global supply chains. Mark Twain: Nothing needs reforming as other people's habits. The hypocrisy is on par with PRC's criticism of the "Made in...
Hopae Launches eIDAS 2.0 Readiness Tool to Prepare Financial Institutions for Mobile Wallet Identity
Hopae has launched a free eIDAS 2.0 readiness assessment tool to help financial institutions adapt to the EU’s new mobile‑wallet identity framework. The online service generates a compliance score and a personalized action plan, evaluating digital‑wallet integration, qualified electronic signatures and...
Social Media Law 'Promotes Robust Young Workforce,' Business Group Argues
The South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce filed an amicus brief urging a federal judge to uphold the state’s Social Media Regulation Act, which obligates online platforms to exercise reasonable care to curb compulsive use and to disable personalized...
NYC Rent Control Changes Spawn Thousands of Second Homes
Relatively recent changes to NYC's rent control system likely led to thousands of rent-controlled second homes https://t.co/Ow8vHAm1rq
Admin Mum on Whether Trump Will Seek to Legalize Iran War
The U.S. began Operation Epic Fury against Iran two months ago without a congressional authorization, and the 60‑day War Powers Resolution clock is set to expire Thursday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested the April 8 ceasefire pauses the clock, a...
Senate Joins CTA Relief Effort
The Senate introduced a bill mirroring the House’s Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) relief, codifying Treasury’s March 2025 rule that limits beneficial‑ownership reporting to foreign entities and ordering FinCEN to delete personal data already collected from U.S. business owners. Sponsored by Senators...
The Supreme Court Gutted the Voting Rights Act. Black Churches Know Exactly What to Do.
The U.S. Supreme Court on April 29 nullified the preclearance provision of the Voting Rights Act, raising the proof burden for challenges to racially biased district maps. Within hours, Florida’s Legislature approved a new congressional map that heavily favors Republicans,...
European Lawmakers Shelve Major Revision of REACH Chemical Regulation
European Parliament’s ENVI committee voted to shelve the ambitious overhaul of the EU’s REACH chemical regulation, arguing that the bloc needs certainty and predictability amid economic pressure. Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall confirmed the cancellation, shifting focus to simplifying and modernising...
Case Where Plaintiff Tried to Use ChatGPT in a Deposition Is Dismissed: EDiscovery Case Law
In Jones v. Delta Air Lines, the Eastern District of Michigan dismissed a pro se employment‑discrimination case with prejudice after the plaintiff repeatedly failed to meet discovery obligations and attempted to use ChatGPT during her deposition. Judge Susan K. DeClercq...
Why Bankers Should Read NY's Uphold Settlement Closely
The New York Attorney General Letitia James secured a $5 million settlement with cryptocurrency platform Uphold, requiring the firm to pay harmed investors and register as a broker for promoting the CredEarn yield product without authorization. The settlement is the first...
Advocates Question Safety Concerns Surrounding E-Bikes
California lawmakers are debating new regulations for electric two‑wheelers as safety worries mount on popular trails. Advocates argue that most injury data mixes legal e‑bikes with faster, illegal e‑motorcycles—often called e‑motos—distorting the true risk profile. While Class 1 and 2 e‑bikes...
MRA Pushes Back On MD Governor’s Pricing Comments
The Maryland Retailers Alliance (MRA) is contesting Governor Wes Moore’s description of the new Protection From Predatory Pricing Act, saying it mischaracterizes the law’s scope. Moore claimed the legislation bans individualized grocery pricing based on personal data, but MRA points...
Meta Threatens to Pull Its Apps From New Mexico if Forced to Make ‘Technologically Impractical’ Changes
Meta warned it could pull Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp from New Mexico if the state’s attorney general’s demands are enforced. The AG seeks a ban on end‑to‑end encryption for minors, mandatory age verification and a 99 percent detection rate for child sexual...
Crypto Regulation Shifts: Solana Institute, Clarity Act, Politician Education
My conversation w/ @KristinSmith... We discuss: -@SolanaInstitute mission -Status of Clarity Act -Impact of crypto legislation -Shifting regulatory backdrop -Crypto education among politicians And much more. https://t.co/g4XRK3VGZn via @CryptoPrimePod https://t.co/RsI19MhZhS
FCC Boosts Satellite Broadband Capacity Sevenfold
✅ PASSED ✅ The FCC voted today to increase the capacity of high-speed satellite broadband by 7X. America leads the way again. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/8zHRUVhnLx
Microsoft Launches Legal Agent in Word
Microsoft announced a new Legal Agent feature built into Word, extending its Copilot AI suite to the legal workflow. The tool can analyze documents, draft edits, and review contracts while automatically tracking changes and verifying suggestions. By embedding the assistant...
Supreme Court Ruling on Voting Won’t Change California Districts, but Could Hurt Democrats
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 decision that narrows Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, limiting courts' ability to block racially based redistricting. The ruling does not alter California’s newly adopted congressional maps, which were approved by voters through...
Tech Companies Demanding Redundant Court Orders From Estate Reps Should Pay the Cost: Judge
The Alberta Court of King’s Bench ruled that a grant of administration is sufficient authority for estate administrators to access a deceased person’s Apple account, rejecting Apple’s demand for a separate, specific court order. The decision arose from the Wada...
Rare Securities Class Action Lawsuit Trial Results in Defense Verdict
A federal jury in the Northern District of California found hedge fund Armistice Capital and its executives not liable for insider trading or a pump‑and‑dump scheme tied to the sale of roughly $200 million of Vaxart stock during the COVID‑19 pandemic....
Biglaw Partners Earn up to $40M on Firm Profits
The Top 20 Most Profitable Law Firms (2025) Some Biglaw partners make $40 million a year. And given the profits per partner at their firms, these pay packages are definitely doable—and often necessary. LINK: https://t.co/4C0ADAK23u https://t.co/4ywsZups4L
Judge Blasts Colony Ridge Settlement, Declines Oversight
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett dismissed a civil suit against Texas land developer Colony Ridge after the Justice Department approved a $68 million settlement that provides no direct compensation to alleged Hispanic borrowers. The agreement earmarks $48 million for infrastructure improvements...
‘Digital Trust’ a Value Proposition, Author Argues
Veteran compliance specialist Amy Reeder Worley argues that traditional compliance is increasingly a façade, calling it "a little bit of a lie." She promotes "digital trust" as a new value proposition for private‑fund managers, emphasizing immutable data, blockchain audit trails,...
BREAKING NEWS: DISBARMENT COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS FOR CORRUPTION
In this episode, host and guest Christopher Armitage discuss a disbarment complaint filed against Chief Justice John Roberts, alleging massive undisclosed income—estimated at $10‑$20 million—derived from his wife Jane Sullivan Roberts' lucrative legal recruiting business and undisclosed equity stakes. They link...
The Supreme Court’s Racist Rerun
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, effectively gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by requiring proof of intentional racial discrimination rather than disparate impact. The decision leaves the statutory text intact but strips...
Small Firms Can Train Great Lawyers Too
Small and midsize law firms are urged to replace the old "throw‑them‑in‑the‑deep‑end" model with a deliberate, repeatable training program. The article outlines a seven‑step framework—orientation, skills labs, purposeful shadowing, real mentoring, early business‑development habits, responsible AI use, and accountability structures....
When to Invest in Sales Tax Automation Software
The article outlines when businesses should invest in sales tax automation software, emphasizing that expanding jurisdictional footprints, e‑invoicing mandates, and the rising cost of manual compliance make automation increasingly essential. It identifies key triggers such as operating in multiple states...
NAB Hires FCC Staffer Ben Arden as SVP, Deputy General Counsel
Ben Arden, a former special counsel in the FCC’s Media Bureau, has been hired by the National Association of Broadcasters as senior vice president and deputy general counsel. In his new role, Arden will lead NAB’s policy and legal advocacy...
The Top 20 Most Profitable Law Firms (2025)
The 2025 Am Law 100 data show Biglaw generating $178.95 billion in gross revenue, a 13% jump from the prior year, while revenue per lawyer rose to $1.39 million and profits per equity partner (PEP) climbed to $3.59 million, up 14%. Partner compensation...
The Netherlands: Holiday Accrual During Dormant Employment?
Dutch courts are wrestling with whether employees in "dormant employment" – a status after 104 weeks of incapacity when salary payments stop – continue to accrue holiday entitlement. In August 2025, the Gelderland District Court aligned Dutch practice with EU law,...