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
Responsible AI Governance Starts With Ownership
The article asserts that responsibility for workplace AI systems rests with the organization that deploys them, not the vendors. It highlights the need for cross‑functional ownership—HR, legal, compliance, security, and business leaders must be involved before any AI goes live. Practical steps include inventorying AI use cases, assigning decision owners, and defining trigger points for intervention. As AI becomes more autonomous, governance must be embedded into the system to match machine‑speed decisions.
The Jones Act Waiver Extension Triggers Explosive Dialogue
The U.S. administration has extended the Jones Act waiver for an additional 90 days starting May 18, aiming to keep petroleum and LNG shipments flowing amid the ongoing Strait of Hormuz blockade. The original 60‑day waiver, enacted in mid‑March, was intended...
DOJ Sues Cloudera For Deliberately Excluding American Workers From Tech Jobs
The Justice Department sued Cloudera, accusing the data‑AI firm of deliberately steering U.S. workers away from at least seven high‑pay technology positions by using a hidden email address that automatically bounced external applications and omitting the jobs from its public...
£3.78m Fine for Bank of Ireland UK’s CoP Failure
The UK Payment Systems Regulator fined Bank of Ireland UK £3,779,300 (about $4.8 million) after the bank missed the Group 1 Confirmation of Payee (CoP) deadline of 31 October 2023, only activating the safeguard in January 2025. During the 14‑month gap, more than 1.14 million new...
Slovakia May Lose EU Funds Like Hungary. MEPs Warned Fico Not to Follow Orbán’s Path
The European Parliament has called on the European Commission to trigger the rule‑of‑law conditionality mechanism that could freeze EU funds for Slovakia, mirroring the tool used against Hungary that suspended over €20 bn (≈$22 bn). The move follows criticism of Prime Minister...
FCC Orders Early Review of Disney’s ABC Licenses After Trump’s Kimmel Critique
The Federal Communications Commission directed Disney’s eight ABC‑owned TV stations to submit broadcast‑license renewal applications by May 28, 2026—more than two years ahead of the scheduled 2028‑2031 window. The move follows President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s public...
USDA Pushes Faster Meat Plant Lines, Sparking Labor and Safety Backlash
The USDA announced proposals to increase line speeds in poultry, turkey and swine processing, raising poultry to 175 birds per minute and removing caps for pork. Labor unions and environmental advocates have lodged tens of thousands of comments warning of...
Integrity in Expert Testimony: Why This Expert Witness Loves Abraham Lincoln
A dental expert witness draws on Abraham Lincoln’s courtroom ethics to shape modern testimony. Lincoln’s reputation for honesty, thorough preparation, and plain‑spoken communication serves as a template for experts who must explain complex science without bias. The author highlights Lincoln’s...
Addicts Say Kalshi and Polymarket Mirror Sports Betting Risks
Two self‑excluded gambling addicts— a 21‑year‑old soccer coach and a tax accountant—relapsed on prediction‑market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket, saying the experience felt identical to sports betting. Clinicians and lawmakers are now debating whether these binary‑option markets should be regulated as...
Hangzhou Court Rules AI‑Replacement Dismissal Unlawful, Boosting Labor Protections
The Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court rejected a tech company's attempt to fire a senior quality‑assurance supervisor after AI took over his duties, ordering the dismissal unlawful and underscoring that AI efficiency gains do not excuse contract termination. The ruling, released...
These Men Allegedly Profit Off Teaching People How to Make AI Porn
Three Arizona women have sued three men and 50 unidentified defendants, alleging they scraped women’s social‑media photos to create AI‑generated porn influencers via AI ModelForge and sold step‑by‑step courses on the Whop platform for $24.95 a month. The plaintiffs claim...
Bipartisan Disaster Tax Relief Bill Passes House, Backed by Insurers
The U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 5366, the Dough LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act, extending personal casualty loss deductions through 2026 and exempting wildfire compensation from federal income tax through 2030. Insurers, led by the American Property...
Better Red Than Race
The Supreme Court, in a 6‑3 opinion authored by Justice Sam Alito, narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by requiring plaintiffs to prove a "strong inference" that a map was drawn with the intent to diminish minority voting power....
Supreme Court's 6‑3 Vote Cuts Louisiana Black District, Redrawing Voting‑Rights Landscape
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6‑3 decision, struck down Louisiana’s majority‑Black 6th congressional district, ruling the map relied too heavily on race. The ruling narrows Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, prompting GOP states to consider redrawing maps ahead...
Hawaii to Introduce SB 2043 Refining Captive Examinations
Hawaii is poised to overhaul its captive insurance oversight with Senate Bill 2043. The bill requires all captives, except risk‑retention groups, to undergo an initial regulatory examination within five years of receiving a license. This marks a shift from the...
US Biopharma Company Avalyn Pharma Hires Freshfields’ Global Head of Life Sciences as GC
Avalyn Pharma, a Boston‑based clinical‑stage biotech developing therapies for pulmonary fibrosis and other rare respiratory diseases, filed for an IPO targeting roughly $258.7 million to fund late‑stage trials and commercial expansion. To steer the complex legal and regulatory landscape of a...
Chief Justice Roberts' Long Fight to Restore Jim Crow
Chief Justice John Roberts has spent his judicial career eroding the Voting Rights Act, especially Section 2, which bans race‑based gerrymandering. Recent Supreme Court rulings have effectively allowed partisan maps to serve as a proxy for racial discrimination, putting dozens of...
DHS Issues New Rule on Asylum Fees, Sets Penalties for Nonpayment
The Department of Homeland Security issued an interim final rule to enforce the immigration fees mandated by the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Act of 2025. Starting May 29, 2026, USCIS will charge an Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) and reject any Form...
Mint Explainer: How the Musk vs Altman Case Could Reshape OpenAI’s Future
Elon Musk took the stand this week, accusing OpenAI of operating as a “stolen charity” and igniting a high‑profile legal clash with CEO Sam Altman. The dispute hinges on claims that OpenAI misused proprietary AI code and breached fiduciary duties....
Palana S.A. Unites Three Firms in Compliance Platform Play
Palana S.A., a Luxembourg‑London regulatory technology group, merged its Avanterra and Palana Services units into a single entity on 1 April 2026. The unified firm now reports €20.5 million in revenue (about $22.3 million) and employs 120 staff, reflecting a 32% CAGR over the...
FIFA Secures Last-Minute Federal Tax Breakthrough for 2026 World Cup Teams
FIFA clinched a last‑minute agreement with the U.S. Treasury that grants all 48 2026 World Cup participants exemption from federal taxes on tournament earnings. The deal aligns the United States with Canada and Mexico, which already offered blanket tax breaks,...
Tariffs, OFAC and the DOJ (Part 1)
The Department of Justice and U.S. regulators are intensifying enforcement of trade compliance, zeroing in on both import and export violations. Civil and criminal penalties are climbing, with tariffs now a focal point under the False Claims Act. Export controls...
Mercury Gets Conditional OCC Nod to Launch Its Own National Bank
Fintech firm Mercury secured conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to pursue a national bank charter, entering the “bank organisation phase.” The move positions Mercury to offer Zelle integration, expanded loans and faster payments while...
Final Recommendation that the Secretary of State Replace the Assimilated Technology Transfer Block Exemption
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued its final recommendation that the Secretary of State replace the Assimilated Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation (TTBER) with a new UK‑specific block exemption order when the current regime expires on 30 April 2026. The...
FCC Adjusts Satellite Spectrum to Expand Broadband Capacity
The FCC voted to replace decades‑old power‑flux density limits with performance‑based protection criteria, unlocking up to a 700% increase in downlink capacity for low‑Earth‑orbit (NGSO) satellites and projecting more than $2 billion in economic benefits. The new rules let LEO constellations...
When the Schools Choose
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear *St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy*, a Colorado case challenging a state nondiscrimination law that bars taxpayer‑funded Catholic preschools from rejecting LGBTQ families. A ruling in favor of the schools could extend...
Expat Taxes/Solar Eclipse Tracker /Double the Wait in Portugal
The blog highlights four timely items for global travelers. U.S. expatriates enjoy an automatic June 15 tax filing deadline and may exclude up to $120,000 of foreign earned income. Portugal has doubled the residency requirement for citizenship, extending it to ten...
Application of the Chapter I Prohibition in the Competition Act 1998 to Technology Transfer Agreements
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened a public consultation on draft guidance that clarifies how the Chapter I prohibition of the Competition Act 1998 applies to technology transfer agreements. The guidance aims to help businesses assess whether licensing, joint‑development...
Kirkland & Ellis Leads Power Sector M&A Legal Advisory by Value in Q1 2026
GlobalData’s Q1 2026 league table shows Kirkland & Ellis topped the power‑sector M&A advisory market by deal value, handling $42.7 billion across five transactions. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher led the sector in transaction count with 11 deals, though its total value ranked ninth. The rankings also...
If Free Help Was Available and You Turned It Down, Can You Still Claim Undue Hardship?
A blind customer‑care advocate at a beverage company requested screen‑reading software, but the employer declined a free assessment from a state vocational counselor and later terminated him, citing incompatibility with its proprietary system. The EEOC sued under the ADA, and...
Australian Regulator Warns Banks Over AI Risks
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) warned banks that AI‑driven hacking tools such as Anthropic’s Claude Mythos are raising the speed, scale and probability of cyber attacks. A recent supervisory review found many institutions’ IT security practices lag behind rapid AI...
Crypto Non-Compliance Could Land South Africans in Jail
South Africa’s National Treasury is drafting new Capital Flow Management Regulations that would bring crypto‑assets under the country’s exchange‑control framework. Breaches could attract up to five years in prison, a R1 million fine (about $54,000) or both, and authorities could demand...
Renters' Rights Act: The Rules that Landlords Must Follow by the End of May to Avoid a £7,000 Fine
The UK Renters’ Rights Act takes effect on 1 May, ending no‑fault evictions and moving most tenancies to rolling terms. Landlords must hand tenants the government‑issued Renters’ Rights Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May or face fines up to £7,000 (about $8,800)....
Public Schools and Social Media Addiction: Billions at Stake as Groundbreaking Trial Starts in June
A federal multi‑district litigation (MDL) in Oakland will feature the first bellwether trial of public school districts suing Meta, TikTok, Snap and Google for alleged social‑media addiction among minors. The case, filed by Breathitt County, Kentucky, begins jury selection on...
FCC’s Latest Move Creates Uncertainty for All Broadcasters
The FCC ordered The Walt Disney Company to file fresh license renewals for all its ABC‑owned stations within 30 days, citing an investigation into the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. The directive, issued by Video Division Chief David...
NCC Expands Regulatory Remit to Tower Companies and Warns of Potential Fines
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced it will extend its regulatory oversight to include tower companies, in addition to mobile network operators. The move aims to compel tower firms to upgrade infrastructure and support systems critical for nationwide service delivery....
What a Weakened Voting Rights Act Means in Today's America
The Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision narrows Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, curbing federal oversight of racially discriminatory gerrymandering. The ruling arrives as the United States has become far more diverse—white share has dropped from about 85% in...
Zurich Malaysia Fined for Sanctions Screening Failures
Zurich General Insurance Malaysia (ZGIMB) and Zurich General Takaful Malaysia (ZGTMB) were hit with Administrative Monetary Penalties of RM1,040,000 and RM520,000 respectively, totalling RM1.56 million (approximately $343,000). The fines stem from outdated sanctions screening databases that allowed prohibited entities onto the...
Senators Say Lawyers Helped Wealthy Clients Dodge Taxes in Puerto Rico
Senate Finance Committee has asked the IRS to examine whether wealthy Americans used Act 60, Puerto Rico’s tax incentive, to dodge federal taxes on capital gains earned before moving. The committee identified roughly 100 taxpayers who may have improperly avoided taxes...
Digital Nomads Are Growing Up. And the Law Is (Finally) Catching Them
The International Bar Association’s Global Employment Institute released a March 2026 report that maps the rapidly evolving legal landscape for digital nomads. While more than 60 countries now offer dedicated visas, the rules remain fragmented, with varying application procedures, income...
Delta Air Lines Settles Coffee Burn Lawsuit After Revealing Victim Was a Nurse Who Sat in Soaked Clothes
Delta Air Lines reached an out-of-court settlement with Kimberley Hickey, a passenger who claimed second-degree burns after a cup of hot water spilled on a supposedly defective tray table during a Detroit‑Amsterdam flight. The airline contended the tray table was...
The Ethics of Autonomous Weapons Systems
In this episode, law professor Yuval Shani discusses the rapid integration of AI into warfare, highlighting how autonomous weapon systems—ranging from fully autonomous drones to AI-driven decision‑support tools—are already in use by militaries such as Israel, the United States, and...
Review of the Interaction Between the Market Access Principles and England’s Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) Regulations 2020
The Competition and Markets Authority’s Office of the Competition (OIM) has launched a joint review, commissioned by Defra, the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments, into how the Market Access Principles affect the UK internal market for manufactured solid fuels...
Why We Are Suing the Department of Education
ProPublica has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education after the agency failed to update its public list of civil‑rights investigations since January 2025 and ignored repeated requests for records. The Office for Civil Rights...
Latest Speakers Announced for LegalEdCon 2026
LegalCheek announced the third batch of speakers for LegalEdCon 2026, the ninth annual legal‑education conference. The in‑person event will take place on May 14, 2026 at Kings Place in London and is expected to draw learning‑and‑development and graduate‑recruitment teams from...
The SEC Tried to Silence Activist Investors. Now They’re Fighting Back.
Since the Trump administration, the SEC barred shareholders with less than $5 million in holdings from filing exempt solicitations on EDGAR, the primary channel for activist communication. In reaction, As You Sow launched the Proxy Open Exchange (POE), a public platform...
Should Companies Be Using AI to Draft Their Proxy? An Example to Scare You
The article warns that relying on large‑language‑model AI to draft proxy statements can produce generic, boilerplate language that lacks company‑specific facts. It contrasts an AI‑generated CD&A paragraph with a human‑crafted version, highlighting differences in specificity, performance linkage, and strategic nuance....
As Costs Rise, Should Singapore Employers Rethink Flexible Work Arrangements?
Rising fuel and utility costs are prompting Singapore firms to reconsider flexible work arrangements (FWAs) as a cost‑mitigation tool. Lawyers stress that under the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG‑FWAR), employers must follow a clear, documented process and...
Urban Renewal Authority Did Not Consider Bid-Rigging Risks at Wang Fuk Court, Fire Inquiry Hears
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) admitted it did not assess bid‑rigging risks when overseeing the renovation tender for Wang Fuk Court, the Tai Po public housing estate devastated by a November fire that killed 168 people. Will Power Architects was hired for a...
What Makes a Good Mediator?
A survey of veteran mediators conducted by Northwestern law professor Stephen Goldberg finds that establishing genuine rapport outweighs the use of specific mediation techniques in driving successful outcomes. Respondents stress that parties must feel understood before they will disclose interests...