Commercial Contracts

  • July 30, 2024

    Ameriprise Says LPL Uses Recruits To Harvest Rivals' Secrets

    LPL Financial should be barred from using any trade secrets and confidential client information it has harvested from Ameriprise Financial through the recruitment of its competitors' financial advisers, Ameriprise told a California federal judge Tuesday in alleging LPL has violated legal, regulatory and industry rules.

  • July 30, 2024

    Life Sciences Cases To Watch 2024: A Midyear Report

    From the U.S. Supreme Court down to the federal district courts, judges and lawmakers are grappling with questions crucial to the life sciences industry. Here are some of the biggest life sciences cases to watch in the second half of 2024. 

  • July 30, 2024

    Fla. Insurance Co. Accused Of Causing Black Mold Death

    A Florida insurance company was accused of wrongfully causing the death of a woman who died from black mold contamination in a state complaint brought by her sole descendant, who alleges the insurer didn't send a promised team to remediate the woman's home after it was damaged by Hurricane Ian.

  • July 30, 2024

    4th Circ. Refuses To Certify Class Of Golf Course Investors

    The Fourth Circuit on Tuesday declined to reverse a lower court order denying class certification to a group of Chinese investors who allege their money was used to purchase several golf courses, ruling they are not similar enough to make certification proper.

  • July 30, 2024

    Texas Appeals Court Says $10M Verdict For Railcar Co. Stands

    A Texas appeals court said that Trinity Industries Leasing Co. is entitled to the full $10.6 million verdict that a jury previously awarded the company, finding Monday that corrosion on a railcar by itself didn't trigger limitations on Trinity's breach claim.

  • July 30, 2024

    Fla. Court Won't Nix Award In Israeli Sunglasses Fight

    A Florida federal judge declined Monday to vacate an arbitral award issued to sunglasses maker Verso Israel LLC in a $3 million dispute with an Israeli pop star accused of undercutting a deal to promote the brand, ruling that the pop star's motion was filed far too late.

  • July 30, 2024

    Ex-HFZ Capital Chief Can't Reduce Bail In $86M Fraud Case

    A Manhattan judge on Tuesday denied, for now, a request by the former head of troubled real estate firm HFZ Capital Group to lower a hefty bail requirement so he can get out of Rikers Island while fighting $86 million theft and tax fraud charges.

  • July 30, 2024

    OnlyFans Dupes Users With Chatty Impersonators, Suit Says

    OnlyFans knowingly allows professional "chatters" to impersonate content creators on the subscription platform, duping users into thinking they're having a direct conversation with an individual they paid to connect with and resulting in personal information being shared with that stranger, according to a proposed class action filed in California federal court.

  • July 30, 2024

    $147.5M Deal In Life Insurance Cost Suit Meets Resistance

    A Connecticut federal judge should not give his preliminary approval to a $147.5 million class settlement that would end several lawsuits alleging that Lincoln insurance entities overcharged their policyholders because three later-filed cases in other jurisdictions could lead to even higher recoveries, counsel for a group of objectors said Tuesday.

  • July 30, 2024

    Exxon Loses Bid For Avangrid Docs In Mass. Climate Suit

    ExxonMobil will not gain access to potentially millions of documents from wind energy company Avangrid as part of the Massachusetts attorney general's long-running climate change suit, after a state court judge found it "inconceivable" that the sought-after material could be relevant to the case.

  • July 30, 2024

    Wash. Gym, Insurer Settle Athlete Abuse Coverage Dispute

    An insurer and a gym jointly asked a Washington state federal court to dismiss the insurer's lawsuit seeking to escape any defense or indemnification obligations for an underlying suit from an underage cheerleader's mother, who accused the gym of providing a space for its founder to sexually assault her daughter.

  • July 30, 2024

    CAA Beats 'Empire' Actor's Fraud Suit, But He Gets Take 3

    A Los Angeles judge on Tuesday granted Creative Artists Agency's motion to toss "Empire" star Terrence Howard's claims alleging the talent agency's conflicting interests led him to accept a salary below industry standards, but gave him another chance to amend the claims to address issues over the statute of limitations.

  • July 30, 2024

    Justices Urged To Certify Class Over Firm's Illegal Faxes

    A Georgia-based recruiting agency is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to toss a Fourth Circuit ruling that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act's fax machine definition is limited to standalone fax machines and does not include online fax services, saying the January decision creates a circuit split that needs settling.

  • July 29, 2024

    Medical Co. Can't Get Alleged Fraudulent Arbitral Award Nixed

    A New York federal judge has declined to vacate an arbitral award issued by a Swiss tribunal to a Singapore company in a dispute over a medical imaging joint venture, rejecting arguments that an agreement struck by the parties meant that a New York court could decide the issue.

  • July 29, 2024

    Comcast Reaches Deal To Bring Bally Sports Back To Xfinity

    Comcast has reached an agreement with the bankrupt owner of Bally Sports to again distribute its regional sports networks to Xfinity TV customers, according to an announcement made Monday.

  • July 29, 2024

    NIST Lays Out 200+ Ways To Tackle Generative AI Risks

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology has recommended hundreds of actions that can be taken to address issues of data privacy, intellectual property, environmental impact and more raised by generative artificial intelligence.

  • July 29, 2024

    7th Circ. Affirms Defective Protein Pouch Suit Came Too Late

    The Seventh Circuit on Friday upheld a Wisconsin federal court's decision to dismiss a suit brought by a protein powder maker founded by a bodybuilder over the manufacturer of zipper pouches on the grounds that statutes of limitations and other laws barred its claims.

  • July 29, 2024

    County's Pipeline Sinkhole Suit Too Late, Contractor Says

    A construction company says a Washington state court should toss a breach of contract suit linked to a public sewer pipeline project that allegedly triggered sinkholes along a Seattle canal, saying the claims brought by a Washington county are barred by the state's six-year statute of repose for construction.

  • July 29, 2024

    Judge Blocks Medical Records Co.'s Anti-Bot Captchas

    A Maryland federal judge on Monday enjoined electronic medical records company PointClickCare from blocking nursing home analytics company Real Time Medical Systems from accessing patient data with automated bots, saying PCC's firewall wasn't justified by concerns over security or system speed.

  • July 29, 2024

    Conn. Justices OK Vrbo Host's Short-Term House Rentals

    A divided Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Monday that a Vrbo host in Branford was allowed to rent out his property to vacationers under a set of regulations passed in 1994, before the local zoning board changed the rules in 2018 to ban his activities.

  • July 29, 2024

    Aerospace Co. Says $15M Buyer Broke Purchase Promise

    Colorado-based Cablenet Wiring Products Inc., which manufactures parts for aerospace companies, has filed suit against the entity that acquired it for $15 million, claiming the buyer violated the purchase agreement by firing Cablenet's CEO without cause, despite agreeing to retain the officer for at least a year after the acquisition.

  • July 29, 2024

    Subcontractor Partially Nixes Claims Over Defense Of MDL

    A subcontractor facing consolidated personal injury claims over a chemical leak at a LyondellBasell facility in La Porte, Texas, voluntarily tossed its coverage claims against one of its insurers in Texas federal court, while noting it's still pursuing its coverage demands against two other insurers.

  • July 29, 2024

    Okla. Soccer Club Can't Use Disputed Stadium During Suit

    An Oklahoma soccer team cannot use its chosen home stadium while it sues the parent league for denying it access to the facility, a federal judge determined Monday, ruling the plaintiffs have failed to show the existence of an enforceable contract.

  • July 29, 2024

    Fraudster Faces Florida Condo Eviction Over Chain-Smoking

    A Florida luxury condominium association has brought a state court lawsuit against an admitted real estate fraudster and seeks to have him removed as a tenant over his chain-smoking, saying he broke the terms of his lease but continues to reside in his condo unit.

  • July 29, 2024

    Sky Zone Operator Gets Injury Claims Sent To Arbitration

    The operators of a Sky Zone-branded trampoline park in the Chicago area have successfully pushed out of court a father's claims that his son was injured at the facility, after an Illinois appellate panel ruled that an arbitrator must determine if the waiver agreement the mother signed is in fact enforceable.

Expert Analysis

  • Mitigating Risks Amid 10-Year Sanctions Enforcement Window

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    In response to recent legislation, which doubles the statute of limitations for actions related to certain U.S. sanctions and provides regulators greater opportunity to investigate possible violations, companies should take specific steps to account for the increased civil and criminal enforcement risk, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • Opinion

    States Should Loosen Law Firm Ownership Restrictions

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    Despite growing buzz, normalized nonlawyer ownership of law firms is a distant prospect, so the legal community should focus first on liberalizing state restrictions on attorney and firm purchases of practices, which would bolster succession planning and improve access to justice, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.

  • Keys To Strong Parking, Storage Contracts For NYC Buildings

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    Drafting and enforcing unambiguous parking and storage unit license agreements are essential tasks for co-op and condo boards in New York City, with recent cases highlighting how prudent terms can minimize potential headaches, say Matthew Eiben and Adam Lindenbaum at Rosenberg & Estis.

  • Series

    Solving Puzzles Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Tackling daily puzzles — like Wordle, KenKen and Connections — has bolstered my intellectual property litigation practice by helping me to exercise different mental skills, acknowledge minor but important details, and build and reinforce good habits, says Roy Wepner at Kaplan Breyer.

  • Texas Ethics Opinion Flags Hazards Of Unauthorized Practice

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    The Texas Professional Ethics Committee's recently issued proposed opinion finding that in-house counsel providing legal services to the company's clients constitutes the unauthorized practice of law is a valuable clarification given that a UPL violation — a misdemeanor in most states — carries high stakes, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.

  • In Memoriam: The Modern Administrative State

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    On June 28, the modern administrative state, where courts deferred to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes, died when the U.S. Supreme Court overruled its previous decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council — but it is survived by many cases decided under the Chevron framework, say Joseph Schaeffer and Jessica Deyoe at Babst Calland.

  • Series

    After Chevron: FTC's 'Unfair Competition' Actions In Jeopardy

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    While the U.S. Supreme Court's decision ending Chevron deference will have limited effect on the Federal Trade Commission's merger guidelines, administrative enforcement actions and commission decisions on appeal, it could restrict the agency's expansive take on its rulemaking authority and threaten the noncompete ban, say attorneys at Baker Botts.

  • Expect The Unexpected: Contracts For Underground Projects

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    Recent challenges encountered by the Mountain Valley Pipeline project underscore the importance of drafting contracts for underground construction to account for unexpected site conditions, associated risks and compliance with applicable laws, say Jill Jaffe and Brenda Lin at Nossaman.

  • How To Clean Up Your Generative AI-Produced Legal Drafts

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    As law firms increasingly rely on generative artificial intelligence tools to produce legal text, attorneys should be on guard for the overuse of cohesive devices in initial drafts, and consider a few editing pointers to clean up AI’s repetitive and choppy outputs, says Ivy Grey at WordRake.

  • Series

    Boxing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Boxing has influenced my legal work by enabling me to confidently hone the skills I've learned from the sport, like the ability to remain calm under pressure, evaluate an opponent's weaknesses and recognize when to seize an important opportunity, says Kirsten Soto at Clyde & Co.

  • Anticipating Disputes In Small Biz Partnerships And LLCs

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    In light of persistently high failures of small business partnerships and limited liability companies, mediator Frank Burke discusses proactive strategies for protecting and defining business rights and responsibilities, as well as reactive measures for owners.

  • Opinion

    Industry Self-Regulation Will Shine Post-Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper decision will shape the contours of industry self-regulation in the years to come, providing opportunities for this often-misunderstood practice, says Eric Reicin at BBB National Programs.

  • 3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Roundup

    After Chevron

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    In the month since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 26 different rulemaking and litigation areas.

  • Opinion

    Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem

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    The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.

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