Apple Inc. faces mounting legal challenges in the European Union. Even after receiving the third-largest antitrust fine the bloc has ever delivered, it appears the company’s issues are far from over. Now, it appears that Apple is set to encounter further complexities with the introduction of the EU’s new strict Digital Markets Act. Apple Inc….
In the aftermath of the inquest into the death of Vanessa Ford, a senior equity partner at the firm, law firm Pinsent Masons has begun outlining anticipated course of action. As per a recent coroner’s inquest, Ford suffered an “acute mental health crisis” preceding her death in September. Ford, aged 47 and professionally known as…
A recent federal court ruling that deems the Corporate Transparency Act of 2021 unconstitutional has left many businesses in a quandary. The act, aimed at combating money laundering, required companies to report “beneficial ownership” details to the Treasury Department. The lawsuit, filed by the National Small Business Association against the Treasury Department, was supported by…
Law firm CMS has bolstered its corporate practice in Poland, taking on a five-lawyer team from Deloitte Legal in Warsaw. Leading the charge, partner Ryszard Manteuffel, who boasts a robust legal background with stints at Dentons and Baker McKenzie, has been joined by counsel Robert Semczuk, with three more associates expected to integrate in upcoming…
In the current climate of social and corporate change, diversity, equity, and inclusion lawyers (often referred to as “DEI” lawyers) are in high demand. This uptick in interest is largely attributable to an increasingly fiery debate concerning corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. As firms seek to adapt and innovate, they’re increasingly asking an important…
The US Department of Labor’s freshly implemented worker classification rule has come under mounting criticism, with multiple lawsuits challenging the new regulation. A total of four suits, filed in federal district court across Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana, allege the rule undercuts established legal principles and is illegal, with the incoming policy becoming effective in…
In the rapidly evolving realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, legal professionals find themselves at the frontier of an ongoing debate. A proposed bill in California is set to critically weigh in on this matter, sparking thoughtful discourse among law practitioners across the globe. The bill, known as the A.B. 2811, has been introduced by…
Legal professionals across the globe should be aware of a crucial situation that is developing within the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC’s multi-billion dollar enforcement instrument is currently on a murky path, due to contrasting directions taken by courts across the nation. This potent tool of the SEC, disgorgement, has its…
Multinational corporations face a daunting task of bridging the regulatory gap between the EU’s robust environmental sustainability standards and the impending US rules long in the offing. Set to be ratified on March 6th, as suggested by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), these rules come across as a significant stride toward global environmental…
Governments globally are investing considerable effort into exploring how to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and mitigate its potential risks. The process of figuring out how to effectively regulate AI has been likened to a complex game of chess, influenced by policymakers’ views across six dimensions: potential risks, risk mitigants, targets of policies, safeguarding AI opportunities,…
In an ongoing case filed in California, two street artists, identified by their tags BATES and NEKST, are suing due to the unauthorized use of their tags on clothing sold by defendants. According to the complaint, this unauthorized use has detrimentally affected the artists’ reputations, leaving them seen as “corporate sellouts” who have sacrificed their…
State Departments of Revenue need to rethink their strategies in the battle against tax evasion, more explicitly, the sort that is facilitated by electronic sales suppression tools. Burying their heads in the sand and relying entirely upon post-hoc enforcement to identify and thwart the usage of these tools leaves the proverbial barn door wide open,…
The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued an advisory directive as of January 22, encouraging banks to thoroughly vet the “character and fitness” of their top leadership personnel. Given the recent corporate failures, including the bankruptcy of various crypto exchanges and bank busts, it’s crucial that financial institutions take this advice…
In a recent development, a California federal magistrate judge thwarted the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s attempt to acquire a summary judgment victory in a lawsuit led by Snapchat’s parent company. The litigation sought to procure trademark rights for the term “Spectacles” that refers to its flagship virtual-reality product. The intellectual property disagreement will be…
Perkins Coie has become the fourth US law firm to close its office in mainland China within an eight-month period, following in the steps of Akin Gump, Proskauer Rose, and Latham. The decision to shutter the office is yet another example of the increasing challenges foreign firms are facing while operating in the country. Read…
In an important decision for trademark protection within the entertainment industry, a Florida federal judge has sided with the owner of the intellectual property rights of the iconic musical group Earth, Wind & Fire. The legal dispute targeted a concert producer and promoter accused of misusing the band’s trademarks. As revealed by Law 360, this…
Last week, a conference held by the World Trade Organization (WTO) concluded without an agreement regarding the proposed expansion of a waiver on intellectual property (IP) rights for COVID-19 vaccines to include tests and treatments. This outcome was welcomed by those in opposition to the expansion of the waiver. The proposed expansion of the waiver…
Novant Health has come under scrutiny as a competitor hospital asserts that it should not be allowed to access confidential information shared with regulators. This information was submitted during the legal challenge to Novant’s $320 million merger with two North Carolina hospitals. The competitor argues that they provided these sensitive documents under the assumption they…
In a seemingly counterintuitive trend, while the number of civil cases filed in U.S. district courts fell by 8% last year, there was a 10% rise in the number of e-discovery decisions, totalling 5,216 for 2023. This information comes from the recently released eDiscovery Assistant 2023 Case Law Report. This notable increase is the largest…
In a striking development, a dental health insurer has requested a Washington federal judge to dismiss trade secret claims made against a former executive. The insurer’s plea hinges on the former executive not being given the opportunity to request legal fees. This stems from the company’s perspective that she should not be considered a ‘winning…
In a recent development, a California federal judge has denied a motion proposed by a group of authors petitioning against OpenAI, a Microsoft-supported company. The authors, who are suing the AI startup over alleged copyright infringement, sought to prevent OpenAI from defending itself against a similar suit taking place in a New York federal court….
Elon Musk dismissed four senior executives from Twitter in quick succession following the acquisition of the social media giant, which has since been renamed X Corp. This surprising move, the executives suggest, was a calculated attempt by Musk to avoid the $200 million severance package that would have been due to them otherwise. The aggrieved…
Major turkey corporations, including Cargill, Perdue, and Tyson are currently entangled in allegations of price-fixing. The situation escalated on Friday in an Illinois federal court, where they significantly clashed with a Burford Capital affiliate regarding the implications of a federal magistrate judge’s ruling in a parallel lawsuit. The contentious point of dispute lies in the…
On Monday, U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito Jr. proposed that a university’s policy relating to the reporting of bias incidents should have been granted further review by the court itself, citing the potential for such a policy to violate free speech. The high court decided, however, to nullify the U.S. Court…
Recent issues regarding Air Canada’s AI chatbot offer a compelling case study for litigation risks presented by novel technologies in corporate operations. As reported in the New Jersey Law Journal, attorneys have relayed warnings that mishaps like these with AI chatbots could be the precursors for emerging consumer protection class-action lawsuits. A marked increase in…