April 2024 – Page 7 – Legal News Feed

Bloomberg Law

Preserving Access to Justice: The Impact of Excessive Litigation Funding Disclosure

Pieter Gunst2 years ago05 mins

Unequivocally, litigation funding is a crucial mainstay in securing equitable judicial procedures. It levels the playing field in litigation broadening access for individuals and smaller businesses against more formidable, monetarily advantaged adversaries. The counterproductive consequence of imposing heightened public disclosure regulation on these funding arrangements is an unwarranted disadvantage. Legal representation is costly. The expense…

Bloomberg Law

Vice Taxation and Social Responsibility: Balancing Revenue with Public Good

Pieter Gunst2 years ago04 mins

As states grapple with ongoing revenue shortfalls, many are increasingly turning to the legalization and taxation of so-called ‘vice’ industries as a potential source of income. Meanwhile, federal government may not be far behind in tapping into this source. However, the influx of income from these industries, which include cannabis and legal online sports betting,…

Bloomberg Law

Foreign-Parented Multinationals Face Uncertainty Over Proposed Excise Tax Regulations

Pieter Gunst2 years ago03 mins

The Treasury Department recently proposed certain regulations that may leave foreign-parented multinational groups uncertain about their exact excise tax liability on corporate stock repurchases. This lack of clarity pertains primarily to the new funding rule directed towards US subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations. This rule seemingly expands the scope of transactions subject to the…

Law360

OpenAI Copyright Infringement Case: Judge Rejects Premature Selection of Interim Lead Counsel

Pieter Gunst2 years ago01 mins

In a recent development, a California federal judge rejected authors’ choice for interim lead counsel, in a case that involves allegations of copyright infringement against OpenAI. The court ruled that the selection process for interim lead counsel was initiated prematurely and should be postponed until a decision on class certification has been made. The particulars…

Law360

Pfizer, Wyeth Face $25.5M Settlement in Effexor Antitrust Lawsuit

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

A proposed class of indirect buyers is seeking judicial approval for a $25.5 million settlement to dismiss allegations against Pfizer’s subsidiary Wyeth. The allegations center around a supposed scheme involving Teva Pharmaceuticals that was designed to obstruct generic competition for Effexor XR, an antidepressant. The case is before a federal judge in New Jersey. Said…

Law360

Robinhood’s Top Lawyer Experiences 29% Pay Cut Amid Increased Scrutiny in 2023

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

Robinhood’s chief legal officer, Dan Gallagher, saw his earnings decrease by nearly 30% in 2023 compared to the previous year. As reported by Law360, Gallagher took home $10.7 million in 2023, a significant drop from the $15.1 million he pocketed in 2022. This information was discovered in a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and…

Law360

Shark Tank Sweatshirt Creators Win $18M Verdict in IP Infringement Case

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

In recent intellectual property (IP) news, a federal jury in Phoenix, Arizona, ruled in favor of two brothers who sold the “Comfy” sweatshirt, a product initially introduced on the reality TV show “Shark Tank.” The verdict stated that the Chicago-based hooded sweatshirt retailer, Top Brand, owes more than $18 million for infringing on the brothers’…

The American Lawyer

Global Law Firms Swap India Experts to Bolster Corporate Legal Capabilities

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

In a recent shift of legal expertise, global law firms White & Case and Linklaters have exchanged their India specialists between Singapore and London. White & Case has brought on board Savi Hebbur, a leading legal professional from Linklaters in London, while Sayak Maity, a seasoned expert in Indian law, has moved from White &…

Law360

AI’s Copyright Conundrum: Google Faces Class Action from Artists Over Imagen Tool

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

A proposed class action has been filed by a group of visual artists against Google, alleging that the tech giant’s text-to-image artificial intelligence (AI) tool, Imagen, learns by copying significant quantities of copyrighted artworks without obtaining requisite authorization. This is the most recent legal action questioning the use of comprehensive datasets for AI training. According…

Law360

Mistrial Declared in $86 Million Medtronic Stent Patent Case

Pieter Gunst2 years ago01 mins

In an unexpected turn in the $86 million patent case against Medtronic, a medical device behemoth, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright declared a mistrial. Taking place in Texas, the proceedings centered around the stents sold by the defendant. The mistrial was called when one of the jurors steadfastly held a position contrary to that of…

Law360

Sandoz Battles United Therapeutics Over $160 Million Hypertension Drug Dispute

Pieter Gunst2 years ago01 mins

Generic-drug maker Sandoz Inc. is currently embroiled in a heated legal dispute with biopharmaceutical firm United Therapeutics Corp., with the contention centering around more than $160 million in damages. The ongoing litigation is a result of allegations that United Therapeutics effectively hindered the sale of Sandoz’s generic version of a popular hypertension medication. The two…

Law360

Netflix Triumphs in Copyright Battle with Ex-Survivor Star Over Reality Show Concept

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

In a significant development in the entertainment law domain, Netflix has won a legal skirmish against Gervase Peterson, a former contestant from the reality show “Survivor”. Peterson had leveled allegations against the streaming service of copyright infringement, claiming that the Netflix show, “King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch” had lifted ideas from a teaser video…

Law360

No-Li Brewhouse Sues Tilray-Owned Competitor Over ‘Big Juicy’ Trademark Infringement

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

In the latest intellectual property battlefield, the brewing company No-Li Brewhouse LLC has taken legal action against a notable competitor in Washington Federal Court. The defendant in this case is a company owned by the cannabis behemoth Tilray Brands LLC. The accusation made by No-Li Brewhouse LLC centres around an alleged infringement of its ‘Big…

Law360

Bipartisan Effort Aims to Reform Patent Laws and Restructure PTAB

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

U.S. Representatives Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat from Ohio, and Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, have launched a fresh initiative to significantly alter the existing patent laws in the United States. This is not the first time the bipartisan duo has proposed such reforms. The recently introduced legislation includes two bills primarily aimed at overturning…

Law.com

FTC’s Noncompete Ban: Exploring Impacts and Controversies Across the Legal Industry

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently passed a controversial regulation which bans noncompete clauses—a development which could have broad impacts across the legal industry. Proponents of the ban argue that noncompete clauses unfairly restrict workers from seeking new employment in their field, while opponents fear the potential disruptions to businesses which often…

Law360

Fighting Digital Fraud: Chicago IP Law Firm Sues Over Attorney Impersonation

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

Greer Burns & Crain Ltd., a Chicago-based intellectual property law firm, has lodged its second trademark infringement lawsuit in an effort to safeguard its online reputation. The firm alleges that an unidentified defendant has been impersonating its attorneys by using a similar website domain name, causing confusion and reputational damage. The impersonator reportedly requested the…

Above the Law

Entangled Ethics and Elitism: Investigating Power Dynamics in the Legal Fraternity

Pieter Gunst2 years ago04 mins

Recent occurrences in the legal fraternity have again brought the issue of entangled ethics and elitism in the sector to the fore. A case exemplifying this involves Sandra Doorley, a Monroe County District Attorney. A collaboration between the police and District Attorneys (DAs) to evade the law, while shambolic, is quite prevalent. A recent report…

Above the Law

Formula 1 Cease and Desist Order: Trump Fundraiser Denied at Miami Grand Prix

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

In a recent turn of events, a Trump fundraiser has been hit with a cease and desist order by Formula 1 race organizers, barring him from fundraising at the Miami Grand Prix this weekend. (read more). In other news, TikTok, the popular video-sharing app operated by ByteDance, seems up for a significant legal battle. Though…

Above the Law

First Legal Practice Area Hits Historic $1,000 Median Partner Billing Rate

Pieter Gunst2 years ago03 mins

In recent years, the legal industry has seen an escalating uptick in billing rates. However, a trend highlighted in CounselLink’s 2024 Trends Report denotes a notably steep hike, signifying that for the first time, median partner billing rates in one practice area have crossed the $1,000 mark. As the Above The Law report illustrates, this…

Law.com

AI-Enhanced Video Reliability Questioned as Court Bans Evidence: Legal and Tech Challenges Arise

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

A recent ruling by a Washington state court has thrust the issue of AI-enhanced video reliability back into the spotlight. The court’s decision to ban the use of AI-enhanced video evidence due to concerns about its reliability could present significant challenges for the legal profession and the tech world, especially in light of the recent…

Law.com

FTC Alleges Amazon Executives Used Auto-Delete to Evade Antitrust Probe

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

In recent developments, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has alleged that Amazon executives used the auto-delete function of an unnamed messaging application, even as an antitrust probe unfolded against the online retail behemoth. The FTC has accused several executives within Amazon of utilizing a function that automatically deleted messages after a condensed period of time….

Law360

USPTO Seeks Public Input on AI’s Role in Patentability Assessment

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is calling for public perspectives on the role artificial intelligence (AI) should play in determining patentability. The office is particularly interested in how the rise of AI technology might influence the interpretation of critical patentability concepts, notably: what is or isn’t considered prior art, and the measure of…

Law360

Federal Circuit Reopens FullView Camera Patent Validity Debate Amid Polycom Infringement Case

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

On Monday, the Federal Circuit reopened a discussion on the validity of FullView Inc.’s panoramic camera system patent. This controversy raised questions on whether the patent should be invalidated on grounds of being obvious. This development happened simultaneous to the affirmation of a California federal judge’s decision that HP’s unit – Polycom Inc. – infringed…

Bloomberg Law

OpenAI Faces Copyright Lawsuit as Authors Challenge Chatbot’s Training Methods

Pieter Gunst2 years ago02 mins

A San Francisco class action attorney, who was representing comedian Sarah Silverman, Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist Michael Chabon, and other authors in a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI Inc., recently had his motion to serve as the plaintiffs’ interim lead counsel denied. The lawsuit accused OpenAI of training its AI model behind ChatGPT, its principal chatbot, by…

Jurist

Spanish PM Sánchez Stays in Office Amid Wife’s Corruption Allegations

Pieter Gunst2 years ago03 mins

The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, recently declared he will remain in office despite the corruption allegations levelled against his wife. The PM’s wife, Begoña Gomez, stands accused of improperly using her position to subtly manipulate business transactions. Sánchez stated that following a five-day period of contemplation, he has decided to continue his service….