In a significant judicial development, the Tokyo High Court has ruled that Japan’s prohibition on same-sex marriage is both discriminatory and unconstitutional. This ruling involves a legal battle initiated by a same-sex couple from Tokyo who had registered as partners and sought recompense from the government. They argued that the non-recognition of same-sex marriage was…
In a significant legal development for privacy advocates, a Denver-based family law firm, Sherr Puttman Akins Lamb PC, is facing a class action lawsuit in Colorado state court. The litigation was initiated by the former spouse of a client, who alleges that her sensitive information, including her social security number, was compromised during a data…
The impending expiration of the 2017 Trump tax law provides a pivotal moment for Congress and the President to shape a more equitable tax policy. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities highlights the opportunity to redirect funds towards essential investments that benefit society as a whole The 2017 tax cuts largely favored high-income earners,…
In a legal move that underscores heightened scrutiny over voter rolls in the lead-up to the 2024 election, the state of Ohio has launched a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This lawsuit, initiated by Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, seeks access to specific immigration and citizenship data that LaRose argues…
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally filed a lawsuit against the Virginia Board of Elections and the state Commissioner of Elections, alleging that a state program infringes on federal voter registration requirements. As detailed in a recent announcement from the DOJ, the lawsuit argues that the program violates the “quiet period” provision…
T-Mobile has reached a settlement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), agreeing to pay a $15.75 million fine in response to a series of data breaches spanning three years. These breaches have affected millions of customers, exposing sensitive information such as names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers. The settlement…
T-Mobile has agreed to pay a $15.75 million fine and implement enhanced security measures following a settlement concerning multiple data breaches over a span of three years. The breaches, which occurred in 2021, 2022, and 2023, affected millions of customers, exposing sensitive personal information such as customer names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers,…
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has blocked links to the JD Vance dossier that contains research by the Trump campaign on the vice-presidential nominee. The platform has also suspended journalist Ken Klippenstein, who published the dossier that reportedly resulted from an Iranian hack of the Trump campaign. X’s safety account explained that Klippenstein was…
AT&T has consented to a $13 million fine following an incident where it provided customer billing information to a vendor for the creation of personalized videos and subsequently failed to ensure the data’s destruction. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) disclosed this agreement on Monday, revealing that the vendor’s breach exposed the information of 8.9 million…
A judge in Franklin County, Ohio, has issued a temporary restraining order against security researcher David Leroy Ross for revealing the severity of a recent ransomware attack on the city of Columbus. Ross presented evidence that contradicted city officials’ claims, showing that the stolen data was both usable and contained highly sensitive information. The ransomware…
A data breach that reportedly exposed the Social Security numbers of 2.9 billion people has called mainstream attention to the conditions that enable massive data leaks and the complexities of litigating on behalf of their victims. The breach became public knowledge this month after a California resident filed a class action lawsuit against background check…
A Social Security Administrative Law Judge, Michael L. Levinson, has failed in his attempt to overturn his removal after the Federal Circuit affirmed the Merit Systems Protection Board’s decision. This decision was grounded in findings that Levinson had committed multiple deficiencies and misconduct. The Federal Circuit emphasized several inadequate decisions that contributed to the judge’s…
The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), along with numerous healthcare providers, has filed a class action lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group (UHG) following a cyberattack on Change Healthcare, which UHG acquired in 2022. The plaintiffs claim that inadequate security measures contributed to significant financial damage to healthcare providers. NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey has emphasized that…
The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office confirmed on Friday that a proposed constitutional amendment to change identification procedures for in-person voting and mail ballots has qualified for the November ballot in Nevada. The amendment includes provisions that would require voters submitting mail ballots to provide the last four digits of their driver’s license or Social…
The Greek Ministry of Labor and Social Security has implemented a stringent order restricting outdoor work during the most intense periods of an ongoing heatwave. Businesses are now mandated to halt heavy outdoor labor activities, including manual labor, deliveries, and construction, from noon until 5 PM. This directive comes as temperatures in parts of Greece…
A disbarred Cincinnati attorney, Richard Louis Crosby III, 37, of Mason, Ohio, admitted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio this week that he used false identities to obtain employment with at least seven law firms as part of his guilty plea. Crosby pleaded guilty to three counts of Social Security…
AT&T has revealed that a security breach on a third-party cloud platform resulted in the exposure of call and text records for nearly all its cellular customers. The incident was part of a larger attack affecting multiple companies using Snowflake’s AI data cloud, which was infiltrated by hackers using information-stealing malware. AT&T confirmed the scope…
The latest edition of “All’s Fair In Love And Litigation” on Above the Law has covered a variety of intriguing legal developments, each with its own distinct set of implications for the legal community. In a surprising move, Foley & Lardner has made a significant recruiting play by hiring a team of lawyers from a…
In a turn of events that underscores the importance of due diligence in legal hiring, Richard Crosby III, a disbarred attorney known for his audacious resume fabrications, has pleaded guilty to three counts of Social Security number fraud. Crosby, previously disbarred for stealing client money, continued his legal career under false identities, securing positions at…
Disbarred Cincinnati lawyer and one time Democratic congressional candidate Richard Crosby has pleaded guilty to three counts of social security number fraud. Crosby admitted to using aliases and falsified credentials to secure employment at various law firms across the United States after losing his legal license. Crosby’s criminal activities came to light after he was…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has achieved partial success in a lawsuit alleging race and gender discrimination by a Black supervisory attorney, according to a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The judge granted partial summary judgment in favor of the agency, ruling that the plaintiff, John Sheil, had insufficient…
A ransomware attack has disrupted the operations of Patelco Credit Union, a California-based nonprofit cooperative with over 450,000 members. The attack, which occurred on June 29, has led to the shutdown of several banking services. Patelco CEO Erin Mendez acknowledged in a July 1 message that the incident’s repercussions could persist for weeks. Patelco has…
This week, as we honor Juneteenth, we are reminded of the delayed arrival of emancipation news to Black Americans. This delay is emblematic of ongoing disparities, including those found within the United States tax system. As the temporary provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) near their 2025 expiration, Congress faces a critical…
In the coming weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on whether two fishing companies must bear the costs of third-party observers to ensure regulatory compliance on their vessels. On the surface, this issue appears to have little connection to biotechnology or medicine. However, the outcome could potentially alter the way the FDA interacts with…
Kirkland & Ellis, the country’s largest law firm by revenue, faces significant legal scrutiny following a broad data breach impacting approximately 2,600 companies. The firm has been named in a lawsuit filed in a Massachusetts federal court, which is part of a multidistrict litigation stemming from a hack of Progress Software Corp.’s MOVEit file transfer…