Last week, a California federal judge’s patience was tested with Quinn Emanuel’s unique dual role within a current legal dispute. According to counsel for various adult performers, a partner within the heavyweight law firm was allegedly responsible for providing information leading towards their accusations against Fenix, OnlyFans’ parent company, and Meta. The performers assert that…
On August 7, 2023, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) posted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which officially went into effect in June 2023. As per the law, employers are obliged to offer reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees and job applicants, unless it would equate to undue…
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is close to reaching a potential settlement with tech behemoths Apple and Broadcom in a $1.1 billion patent dispute related to data transmission systems. This development follows a recent move by the U.S. Supreme Court, wherein the apex court opted not to consider the case at hand. The available…
The United Kingdom’s HM Treasury recently published a near-final draft statutory instrument and accompanying policy note, delineating proposed reforms to the nation’s securitization regime. These publications have sparked extensive dialogue within the domestic legal sphere, calling for a constructive response from legal professionals and key stakeholders. Previously, securitization has proven to be a lucrative strategy,…
In a recent turn of events, Activision, the well-known video game publisher, withdrew its lawsuit against a popular YouTuber known for the “It’s Enough Slices” TikTok audio. The legal action was dropped just weeks after Activision had initially filed. The lawsuit involved Activision seeking a declaration from a California federal judge that its use of…
Tensions have escalated in a pending antitrust suit against fragrance manufacturers, with allegations of undue influence making recent headlines. A group of plaintiff firms, Cohen Milstein included, have accused their competitors of attempting to manipulate the selection process for lead plaintiffs’ counsel in the lawsuit. The contention centers on a declaration made by Lieff Cabraser,…
On Thursday, a Federal Circuit panel critically examined Masimo’s challenge to overturn Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions which invalidated ten patents that Masimo had asserted against Apple. These patents centered around the technology used for measuring blood oxygen levels. In the course of the justification, one judge indicated that the board’s intricate findings might…
In an emerging predicament, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has found himself in the midst of an ethics scandal, generated by his ties to affluent figures. According to a recent report, Thomas’s circle is far richer, featuring more billionaire associates than the average person’s network of less wealthy friends . The precise nature of the…
The American Psychological Association (APA) has passed a resolution taking a stand against the current practice of mandatory mental health inquiries on bar exam applications. In this Above the Law article, it was made clear that according to statistical data gathered by the APA, there exists no correlation between the presence of mental health-related questions…
In a dramatic turn of events, the University of California has ceased assigning new work to the firm Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP. This step comes in response to the firm’s release of internal emails that disclosed derogatory language and offensive remarks between two of its former senior partners. This development is particularly notable…
Food waste recycler KDC Agribusiness LLC, currently undergoing Chapter 11 proceedings in Delaware, now faces a heightened risk to their business operations. This follows a recent decision by a bankruptcy judge who lifted a stay on a pre-existing lawsuit, a trade secret misappropriation suit, against the company. The suit, which has been pending in Delaware’s…
An unexpected rivalry in the world of legal professionals has emerged from California. A personal injury lawyer known locally as “Sweet James” from Orange County, California, is taking legal action against a counterpart from Los Angeles County. The LA-based lawyer, Raphael Contreras Sweet, has been drawing personal injury cases under the brazenly similar name “Sweet…
An Orange County, California, personal injury lawyer who had branded himself “Sweet James” has raised a legal dispute against a Los Angeles County rival. The rival, Rafael Contreras Sweet, has been gaining personal injury cases under the name “Sweet Justice”, leading to the conflict. Further details are found in the original article on Law360.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has made significant updates to its procedures, streamlining the employment verification process for eligible companies. The USCIS announced that starting August 1, 2023, they will be introducing a new version of the Form I-9, used for Employment Eligibility Verification. The updates bring considerable changes to the form…
A Chinese aerospace company is pushing back against a $279 million patent verdict awarded to a Texas competitor, arguing for the decision to be overruled. The central bone of contention revolves around the way the Shenzhen-based business was portrayed during the court proceedings. The legal team for the Texas-based competitor repeatedly labeled the Chinese business…
In light of the rapidly evolving Information Technology industry, legal professionals need to be constantly updated about the latest developments in the issue of the Right to Know. Fresh from August 2023, the Volume 8 edition of the monthly rundown on all things cyber, privacy, and technology, published by Clark Hill PLC, offers an insightful…
In a significant development in intellectual property law, Dril-Quip Inc. saw a victory backed by a Texas appellate court. According to the decision, a former chief engineer for FMC Technologies Inc. did not misappropriate the company’s design drawings upon transferring to the rival subsea drilling technology firm Dril-Quip. The ruling stands in alignment with several…
In a significant judgement that has profound implications for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) screening, the Court of Justice of the European Union (Court) passed a ruling undermining Hungary’s national foreign investment screening laws. Dated July 13, 2023, the decision specifically penalises the Hungarian government for blocking the proposed purchase of a Hungarian sand and gravel…
It’s no secret that advertisers provide the financial backbone to many publishing platforms, allowing them to deliver valuable content to their readership. In a gesture of gratitude, Above the Law has taken a moment to acknowledge their important sponsors. Their appreciation isn’t just in words, expressing interest in advertising with Above the Law or any…
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released an extensive proposed set of regulations to carry out the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The act, which became effective on June 27, 2023, extended protections for pregnant employees and applicants. The novel regulations propose measures forcing employers, with 15 or more employees, to provide reasonable accommodations…
The legal community is closely following the case surrounding Donald Trump’s alleged election interference, in which Special Counsel Jack Smith has proposed that the trial date be set for January 2, 2024. If the court accepts this, it would be the first of Trump’s three pending indictments to go to trial, the other cases being…
In the wave of the complex and rapidly evolving blockchain industry and cryptocurrencies, legal insight becomes a crucial guide in navigating the currents. CryptoLink, a comprehensive compilation of news stories published by third-party organizations and aggregated by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, provides a rich and current resource for legal professionals interested in…
In a significant development within the sphere of consumer financial protection, a New York federal court has placed a hold on a lawsuit filed jointly by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the New York Attorney General (NYAG). The lawsuit, against an auto finance company, details alleged violations of the Consumer Financial Protection Act…
As significant changes shape labour laws worldwide, one area that businesses should review is the longstanding practice of rounding non-exempt employee work time. Businesses must question — is it time to rethink your time-rounding practice? Rounding practices, in cases, have been rounding employee work time to the nearest 10 minutes or even the nearest quarter-hour….
In March 2021, the Italian government issued the Legislative Decree n. 24/2023, acting on the EU Directive n. 2019/1937 to introduce significant changes and obligations for employers regarding whistleblowing matters. Under this new legislation, corporations operating within Italy must exhibit due diligence and careful response to any received reports of misconduct as it protects the…