Uber Settles $178M Class Action with Australian Taxi Drivers over Alleged Illegal Operations

In a recent development, Uber has agreed to a settlement of $178M with Australian taxi drivers in a class action, according to details available from an article on Law.com. According to plaintiff law firm Maurice Blackburn, the rideshare platform purportedly “fought tooth and nail” against the undertaking. The class action alleged that Uber operated illegally…

Read More

Schumer and McConnell Clash Over Judicial Conference’s Revised Case Assignment Policy

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer voiced praise on Tuesday for the Judicial Conference’s revised policy on random case assignments, as a safeguard to thwart litigants from judge-shopping. Schumer asserted that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is contesting the policy because it would pose difficulties for staunch right-wing partisans to manipulate court proceedings to their advantage….

Read More

Schumer and McConnell Spar Over Judicial Conference’s New Policies to Combat Judge-Shopping

In an ongoing saga of judicial politics, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has praised the recent changes in the Judicial Conference’s policy on random case assignments. The enhanced policy, designed to disrupt the practice of ‘judge-shopping,’ has been met with resistance by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell who perceives it as a roadblock for hard-right…

Read More

USPTO Directive Aims to Enhance Clarity in Means-Plus-Function Patent Evaluations

In an effort to streamline and increase the efficacy of the patent approval process, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued a directive to patent examiners. The primary motive of this instruction was to promote a “consistent and clear analyses” during evaluation of patent applications, particularly ones containing means-plus-function claims. The USPTO believes…

Read More

Apple Triumphs in Decade-Long Anti-Poaching Derivative Suit Saga

In a decade-long legal saga regarding anti-poaching agreements, tech heavyweight, Apple, has prevailed. A proposed class derivative suit brought against Apple by a shareholder has been definitively dismissed by a California federal judge. The allegations central to this case accused Apple’s upper management of precipitating business losses through the establishment of unlawful anti-poaching deals with…

Read More

Acorda Pharmaceuticals Seeks $66M as Federal Circuit Hears Multiple Sclerosis Drug Patent Appeal

In a recent patent battle, Acorda Pharmaceuticals appealed to the Federal Circuit, urging them to award the company an additional $66 million over the already secured $16.5 million it won in an arbitration case against Alkermes, a Dublin-based biopharmaceutical company. The dispute lays its foundation in a licensing disagreement revolving around a drug intended for…

Read More

Baker McKenzie Partner Sues IRS for Transparency on High-Income Partnership Probes

In a development that has caught the legal profession’s attention, George Clarke, a partner at Baker McKenzie has brought a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Filed in the federal court of Washington, D.C., this case signifies Clarke’s stand to compel the IRS into providing more detailed information regarding its intensified efforts to investigate…

Read More

Prominent Union Counsel Nicole Berner Confirmed to Fourth Circuit Judgeship

In a close decision, Nicole Berner, the general counsel to the Service Employees International Union, has been confirmed by the Senate to a Fourth Circuit judgeship. Berner’s confirmation came Tuesday evening when the Senate delivered a narrow 50-47 majority in her favor. Nicole’s confirmation continues to illustrate the ongoing influence of legal counsel from prominent…

Read More

Fourth Circuit Declines Reconsideration in Cox Communications’ $1 Billion Piracy Verdict

The Fourth Circuit has recently decided against reconsidering its previous ruling, which emptied a hefty $1 billion verdict against Cox Communications. This verdict had been given due to allegations that the internet service provider had permitted piracy on its networks. Both the record labels that brought the accusations and Cox Communications had expressed dissatisfaction with…

Read More