Asset Management

March 05, 2025
Rival Cos. Called 'Empower' Agree To End TM Fight, For Now

Empower Annuity Insurance Co. of America and Empower Finance Inc. agreed to end, for now, their trademark infringement dispute over the "Empower" mark, over a year after a Colorado federal judge found customer confusion was "unlikely" in the financial services sector and refused to order Empower Finance to change its name.
March 05, 2025
Debt Relief Co. Entities Want CFPB Excluded From Appearing

Two entities related to financial services firm StratFS have asked a New York federal judge to reject a bid by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to continue appearing in its joint suit with a multistate coalition of attorneys general after the CFPB failed to timely file a post-hearing briefing due to changing leadership at the agency.
March 05, 2025
US Looks For Pause In PetroSaudi $380M Seizure Suit

The United States has asked a California federal court to stay its suit to seize part of a $380 million arbitral award issued to a PetroSaudi unit, saying the civil case is up in the air because the oil producer's sole owner was convicted in August in Swiss criminal court.
March 05, 2025
SEC Defends 'Follow-On' Action From Post-Jarkesy Challenge

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is defending its ability to pursue industry bars in its administrative court, telling a Washington, D.C., federal judge that a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting the use of in-house courts does not prevent the agency from booting a father and son duo from the investment advisory industry.
March 05, 2025
401(k) Forfeiture Suits Are Prompting Plan Changes

It remains unclear whether a California federal judge keeping alive a proposed class action that challenges the use of forfeited funds in a Clorox employee 401(k) plan means similar cases will gain traction, but experts say plans are already getting tweaked to stave off forfeiture claims.
March 05, 2025
Judge Says DC Union Station Foreclosure Fight Too Late

A New York federal judge has cemented the transfer of Washington, D.C.'s Union Station to a South Korean bank, finding the borrower should have raised concerns about the mezzanine lender's foreclosure before an auction was held.
March 05, 2025
US Development Agency Opposes Credito Real Ch. 15

The U.S. International Development Finance Corp. has challenged Mexico-based payday lender Credito Real's petition for Chapter 15 recognition in Delaware, alleging its bankruptcy plan, which a Mexican court has approved, contains releases impermissible under U.S. bankruptcy law.
March 05, 2025
Biotech Co. Maravai Hit With Investor's Internal Controls Suit

Health research tools company Maravai LifeSciences Holdings Inc. has been hit with a proposed shareholder class action alleging it failed to report that it had issues with its internal reporting controls ahead of its announcement that an inaccurate report led to the misallocation of $3.9 million.
March 05, 2025
DOJ Fights Bid To Pause Piece Of Amedisys Merger Case

The U.S. Department of Justice is opposing a bid from Amedisys to pause allegations that it shirked its merger filing requirements until after a trial on UnitedHealth's acquisition of the home health and hospice company.
March 04, 2025
NJ Judge Nixes Derivative Suit Over $38M Tech Co. Spinoff

Top brass of a material-handling-equipment maker and the company's controlling shareholder no longer face a shareholder derivative action alleging that they breached their fiduciary duties with a plan to spin off assets to benefit the company's board chair.
March 04, 2025
Clorox Can't Escape Novel ERISA Suit Over 401(k) Forfeitures

Clorox must face a proposed class action claiming it unlawfully used forfeited 401(k) funds to cover its employer contributions rather than defray plan participants' costs, with a California federal judge ruling a plan participant's allegations were detailed enough to stay in court.
March 04, 2025
3 Firms Build Instinct Brothers' $242M SPAC Merger

Japanese regenerative medicine and stem cell technology company Instinct Brothers Co. Ltd. on Tuesday unveiled plans to go public through a merger with special purpose acquisition company Relativity Acquisition Corp. in a $242 million deal built by three law firms.
March 04, 2025
Pretium Clinches $500M Inaugural Legal Opportunities Fund

New York-headquartered investment firm Pretium, advised by Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP, on Tuesday revealed that it closed its inaugural Legal Opportunities Fund after securing roughly $500 million from investors.
March 03, 2025
Justices Mull If 2nd Circ. Overstepped In Hamas Banking Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday appeared receptive to a Lebanese bank's bid to reverse a ruling that revived a suit brought by victims of Hamas terrorist attacks, in a case that hinges on how civil procedure rules apply to requests to reopen final judgments.
March 03, 2025
Fenwick-Led AI Startup Coreweave Files For IPO

Artificial intelligence-focused startup CoreWeave Inc. filed plans for an initial public offering Monday, represented by Fenwick & West LLP and underwriters' counsel Latham & Watkins LLP, marking what could become the first major technology IPO of 2025.
March 03, 2025
SEC Expands Confidential Filing Options For Companies

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday said it is expanding the range of filings that companies can submit for confidential review before such documents become public, predicting that the new accommodations will spur capital formation.
March 03, 2025
Fired NBA Ref Wants $178K Atty Fees After 2nd Circ. Win

A former longtime NBA referee asked a Manhattan federal judge on Monday to approve an attorney fee of $179,000, after winning $2.9 million in pension benefits in a case over his termination for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
March 03, 2025
Kirkland-Led Garnett Station Partners Clinches $1.2B Fund

Kirkland & Ellis LLP-advised Garnett Station Partners on Monday announced that it wrapped its fifth fund after securing $1.2 billion from investors, which will be used to invest across the New York-based firm's core sectors of consumer and business services, health and wellness, automotive, and food and beverage.
March 03, 2025
Simpson Thacher-Led ICG Wraps $11B Secondaries Fund

British private equity shop ICG, led by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, said Monday it has clinched its fifth general partner-led secondaries fund well above target after securing $11 billion of capital commitments.
March 03, 2025
Energy Co. Inks $8.2M Deal In 401(k) Mismanagement Suit

An energy company will pay $8.2 million to resolve a class action lawsuit claiming it failed to trim high cost and underperforming target date funds from its retirement plan, according to Pennsylvania federal court filings.
March 03, 2025
Former SDNY Top Prosecutor Kim Returns To Private Sector

Veteran white-collar defense lawyer Edward Kim, who most recently served as acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Monday he is returning to the firm he founded, Krieger Lewin LLP, which will be known as KKL.
February 28, 2025
5 Argument Sessions Benefits Attys Should Watch In March

The Ninth Circuit will mull Express Scripts and OptumRx's bid to force a public nuisance suit brought by the state of California into federal court, and the Second Circuit will hear from pensioners who say that IBM's use of outdated mortality tables shrank their benefits payouts. Here, Law360 looks at these and other appellate arguments happening in March that should be on benefits lawyers' radar.
February 28, 2025
Up Next At High Court: Gun Violence Liability & Nuclear Waste

The U.S. Supreme Court will return to the bench Monday to consider Mexico's attempt to hold gun manufacturers and distributors liable for cartel-related gun violence and a nuclear waste site dispute that could determine who can challenge future agency actions.
February 28, 2025
2nd Circ. Revives Electrical Worker's Union Pension Fight

An electrical worker can try again to argue that two trustees of his union pension fund violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by paying themselves over $1 million in compensation from the fund's assets, with the Second Circuit ruling Friday that the worker has standing to sue.
February 28, 2025
Off The Bench: Trans Ban Recusal Bid, Wemby Spat, Fox Suit

In this week's Off The Bench, a Colorado federal judge won't recuse himself from a case centering on a transgender athlete over his pronoun use, the sale of a high-profile Victor Wembanyama jersey will go forward despite feverish litigation and a sprawling harassment suit against Fox Sports is shuffled from federal to state court.

Expert Analysis

Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.
What 2024's Noncompete Turmoil Means For Banks In 2025

A look back at the most significant legal challenges to the enforceability of various restrictive covenants like noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements in 2024 can help financial institutions address the use of these critical tools this year, say attorneys at Maynard Nexsen.
New Year, New Risks: 8 Top Cyber Issues For Finance In 2025

As financial institutions forge ahead in 2025, they must strike a delicate balance between embracing technological innovation and guarding against its darker threats, which this year could include everything from supply chain vulnerabilities to deepfakes, say attorneys at Baker Donelson.
8 Trends And Predictions Following PE's Late 2024 Surge

Private equity will remain at the forefront of value creation in 2025, and anticipated market trends include sponsors' desire to return capital to investors and a more business-friendly tack by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, say attorneys at Weil.
Series

Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.
An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.
The Securities Litigation Trends That Will Matter Most In 2025

2025 is shaping up to be a significant year for securities litigation, as plaintiffs and defendants alike navigate shifting standards for omission theories of liability, class certification, risk disclosure claims and more, say attorneys at Willkie.
What To Watch For In The 2025 Benefits Landscape

While planning for 2025, retirement plan sponsors and service providers should set their focus on phased implementation deadlines under both Secure 1.0 and 2.0, an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and the fate of several U.S. Department of Labor regulations, says Allie Itami at Lathrop GPM.
How White Collar Enforcement May Shift In Trump's 2nd Term

After President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House next month, the administration’s emphasis on immigration laws, drug offenses and violent crime will likely reduce the focus on white collar crime overall, but certain areas within the white collar world may see increased activity, say attorneys at Keker Van Nest.
The Justices' Securities Rulings, Dismissals That Defined '24

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 securities rulings led to increased success for defendants' price impact arguments, but the justices' decisions not to weigh in on important issues relating to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's pleading requirements may be just as significant, say attorneys at Skadden.
10 Noteworthy CFPB Developments From 2024

In a banner year for consumer finance regulation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau made significant strides in its efforts to rein in Big Tech and nonbank financial firms, including via rules regarding open banking, credit card late fees, and buy now, pay later products, say attorneys at Wiley.
Series

Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.
2024 Has Been A Momentous Year For ESG

Significant developments in the environmental, social and governance landscape this year include new legislation, evolving global frameworks, continued litigation and enforcement actions, and a U.S. Supreme Court decision that has already affected how lower courts have viewed some ESG challenges, say attorneys at Katten.
Making The Pitch To Grow Your Company's Legal Team

In a compressed economy, convincing the C-suite to invest in additional legal talent can be a herculean task, but a convincing pitch — supported by metrics and cost analyses — may help in-house counsel justify the growth of their team, say Elizabeth Smith and Roger Garceau at Major Lindsey.
The Story Of 2024's Biggest Bank Regs, And Their Fate In 2025

U.S. federal bank regulators were very active in 2024 with initiatives ranging from antitrust and capital to proposals regarding controlling shareholders and incentive-based compensation, but many regulations face an uncertain future under the new administration, say attorneys at Latham.