Commercial Contracts

  • July 05, 2024

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen collapsed sports television company Arena Television hit Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Bank with a claim, James Vorley, the Deutsche Bank metals trader convicted of fraud, sue his former employer, and journalist John Ware file a defamation claim against Pink Floyd band member Roger Waters and Al Jazeera Media Network. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • July 05, 2024

    Novartis Allegedly Sat On Drug Rights To Avoid $1B Payment

    Drugmaker Novartis has allowed its right to develop a promising cancer treatment to "wither on the vine" to avoid having to pay nearly $1 billion under an interest purchase agreement with a Massachusetts company, a lawsuit filed in state court alleges.

  • July 05, 2024

    Scotts Miracle-Gro Investor Sues Board Over Inventory 'Flood'

    Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. executives "repeatedly and consistently obfuscated the truth" about excess inventory as the company pushed the extra products on its distributors, according to a new investor suit.

  • July 05, 2024

    3rd Circ. Preview: Ponzi Scheme, Merck Vaccine Heat Up July

    The Third Circuit's July argument schedule is sizzling with several high-stakes cases, including two whistleblowers attempting to make drugmaker Merck answer for allegedly inducing the U.S. government to pay for substandard mumps vaccines.

  • July 03, 2024

    Electric Jet Co. Scoffs At Boeing Bid To Undo $72M IP Verdict

    Zunum Aero Inc. said that a federal judge should reject The Boeing Co.'s efforts to cancel a $72 million jury award for misappropriating the electric jet startup's trade secrets, saying evidence presented during a 10-day trial in May amply supports the verdict.

  • July 03, 2024

    Broiler Chicken Buyers' Attys Get $51.6M Fees In Antitrust Suit

    An Illinois federal judge overseeing sprawling antitrust litigation against broiler chicken producers awarded class counsel more than $51.6 million in attorney fees in a $181 million deal for chicken buyers after the initial $57 million award was tossed by the Seventh Circuit last year, according to an order Wednesday.

  • July 03, 2024

    Roche Says Stanford Profs Stole Cancer Detection Tech

    Roche Molecular Systems has accused Stanford University and several faculty members of swiping its proprietary cancer detection technology and secretly founding a new company with it, according to a suit filed in California federal court.

  • July 03, 2024

    Don't Dismiss Suit Over Ex-Employee's 'Raid,' Lender Says

    Mortgage lender Caliber Home Loans Inc. has accused a competitor of taking "another bite at the preemption apple" in seeking dismissal of the latest version of a suit over alleged poaching, telling a Dallas federal judge that the suit revision raises "additional, distinct facts" that support allowing its claims to go forward.

  • July 03, 2024

    Marriott Unit Settles Dispute Over COVID Event Cancellation

    A data management company has told a New Jersey federal judge it settled its suit against a Marriott-branded hotel for not nullifying a contract and demanding payment for a 2021 event that the company canceled because of a COVID outbreak.

  • July 03, 2024

    FTC Warns Cos. Over Warranties That Limit Right To Repair

    The Federal Trade Commission is warning a group of air purifier sellers, treadmill makers and gaming tech companies not to scare their customers from using independent dealers to repair their products, saying their use of "warranty void" notices might be in violation of federal right-to-repair laws.

  • July 03, 2024

    5 Argument Sessions Benefits Attys Should Watch For In July

    Republican state attorneys general will try to convince the Fifth Circuit to knock down a U.S. Department of Labor rule covering how retirement plan managers can consider environmental and social factors when picking investments, while Kellogg workers will challenge class action waivers at the Sixth Circuit. Here are five argument sessions coming up this month that benefits attorneys should keep an eye on.

  • July 03, 2024

    One Judge Not Enough For TCPA Deal's Toss, 11th Circ. Told

    An Alabama woman has said a recent Eleventh Circuit decision tossing her and other class members' $35 million settlement with GoDaddy.com should get another look from a three-judge panel because outstanding questions about which of the panel's opinions control are poised to sow confusion with the district court.

  • July 03, 2024

    Fla. Disinfectant Co. CEO Must Face $5M Canadian Judgment

    A Florida judge on Wednesday ordered the CEO of a disinfectant company to appear in state court to face a $5.1 million judgment in Canada that he's allegedly avoiding over breaching an agreement for parts that were supplied to his business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • July 03, 2024

    Geico To Pay Policyholders $2M To Settle Underpayment Suit

    Geico policyholders asked a New Jersey federal judge for preliminary approval of a $1.9 million settlement resolving claims the insurer breached their policies by failing to pay title or registration transfer fees upon the total loss of an insured vehicle.

  • July 03, 2024

    Developer Owes $10M For Boston Project Delays, Suit Says

    Massachusetts contractor Suffolk Construction Co. Inc. claims the developer of a significant mixed-use residential and commercial block in Boston's South End still owes it more than $10 million, saying delays due to the pandemic and a change in the type of cabinetry in the apartments contributed to higher costs.

  • July 03, 2024

    Penile Implant Doc Seeks $7M Atty Fees, Costs In $18M IP Win

    A urologist who won $18.3 million in royalties and damages after a jury found a rival stole his penile implant trade secrets and infringed his intellectual property asked a California federal judge for $6.5 million in attorney fees and $614,000 in costs, saying he is owed the funds as the prevailing party in the litigation.

  • July 03, 2024

    Akerman Beats DQ Bid In Sneaker Product IP Battle

    Akerman LLP can't be disqualified from defending a manufacturing company against claims that it stole from a social media influencer it partnered with to sell sneaker care products, a California federal judge has ruled.

  • July 03, 2024

    4 Mass. Rulings You Might Have Missed In June

    Massachusetts state courts last month dealt with thorny contract disputes, mistakenly disclosed emails between a defendant and an attorney, and a company's overtime policy change that may not have been spelled out to workers.

  • July 03, 2024

    Judge OKs Bid To End FindLaw Trade Secrets Lawsuit

    A New York federal judge has approved a deal to resolve a trade secrets dispute between West Publishing Corp. and RizeUp Media Inc. stemming from the departure of several key employees from West.

  • July 03, 2024

    DLA Piper Adds McGuireWoods' Downtown LA Shop Lead

    McGuireWoods LLP's former Los Angeles downtown office head is taking her class action and complex litigation-focused practice in finance, technology, aerospace and oil industries to DLA Piper, the firm announced this week.

  • July 03, 2024

    Markel Drops Suit Over Law Firm's Malpractice Coverage

    A Markel unit told a New York federal court it is dropping its suit against Harris Sliwoski LLP over coverage for malpractice claims lodged against the Seattle-based firm by Haiti after a $31 million judgment entered against the Caribbean country.

  • July 03, 2024

    Pennsylvania Casino Can't Reopen 'Legal Advice' Battle

    Parx Casino can't get a Pennsylvania federal court to reconsider its orders to turn over most of its disputed communications with Eckert Seamans in a lawsuit over whether the law firm put the casino operator's interests ahead of another client that makes gaming machines, the court ruled Wednesday.

  • July 02, 2024

    ACC Invokes 'Casablanca' In Media Rights Row With Clemson

    The 1942 Hollywood classic "Casablanca" was given some airtime on Tuesday in a North Carolina state courtroom when the Atlantic Coast Conference, in seeking to prevent dismissal of its suit over media rights, drew a comparison between Clemson University and the duplicitous character of Captain Louis Renault.

  • July 02, 2024

    Health Data Co. Alleges Contract Breach, Seeks Del. TRO

    A Blue Cross Blue Shield Association healthcare data licensee has sued for a Delaware Court of Chancery injunction that would bar a client from sharing a valuable database of BCBS medical and pharmacy claims with direct competitor Cigna Corp.

  • July 02, 2024

    Conn. Justices Send Trade Secrets Row Back To Trial Court

    The Connecticut Supreme Court ordered a "limited" new trial Tuesday in a trade secrets case that pit Dur-A-Flex Inc. against numerous companies tied to research chemist Samet Dy, its former employee, finding error in the lower court's rulings on issues including damages and the enforceability of Dy's noncompete agreement.

Expert Analysis

  • A Look At Calif. Contract Considerations In Fiji Water Ruling

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    A California appellate court's recent decision in Carolina Beverage v. Fiji Water, that a party may not seek contractual recovery on the basis of constructive termination, offers a look at contract construction and other considerations on negotiating distribution agreements, says Michael Laszlo at Clark Hill.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

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    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Practical Private Equity Lessons From 2 Delaware Deals

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    A pair of Delaware Chancery Court cases remind private equity sponsors that specificity is crucial through the lens of deal certainty, particularly around closing conditions and agreement sections of acquisition agreements, say Robert Rizzo and Larissa Lucas at Weil Gotshal and William Lafferty at Morris Nichols.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

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    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • How Uyghur Forced Labor Law Affects Importing Companies

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    Amid a growing focus on forced labor in supply chains and a likely increase in enforcement under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, companies may face costly import delays unless they develop and implement compliance best practices, say Thad McBride and Lauren Gammer at Bass Berry.

  • Revisiting Morals Clauses In The Age Of Deepfakes

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    Deepfakes and other forms of misrepresentation powered by artificial intelligence have complicated the traditional process of reputation management for companies entering into talent agreements with celebrities, bringing new considerations for the morals clauses that usually shield against these risks, say attorneys at Pryor Cashman.

  • 4 Tips For Drafting Earnouts To Avoid Disputes

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    Amid slowed merger and acquisition activity, buyers and sellers are increasingly turning to earnout provisions to get deals done, but these must be carefully drafted to avoid interpretative differences that can lead to later disputes, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • Atmospheric Rivers: Force Majeure Or Just A Rainy Day?

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    As atmospheric rivers pummel California with intense rainfall, flooding and landslides, agencies and contractors in the state struggling to manage projects may invoke force majeure — but as with all construction risk issues, the terms of the agreement govern, and relief may not always be available, say Kyle Hamilton and Corey Boock at Nossaman.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • What 11th Circ. Fearless Fund Ruling Means For DEI In Courts

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    The Eleventh Circuit's recent backing of a freeze on the Fearless Fund's grants to women of color building new companies marks the latest major development in litigation related to diversity, equity and inclusion and may be used to question other DEI programs targeted at providing opportunities to certain classes of individuals, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Opinion

    Paid Noncompetes Offer A Better Solution Than FTC's Ban

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    A better alternative to the Federal Trade Commission's recent and widely contested noncompete ban would be a nationwide bright-line rule requiring employers to pay employees during the noncompete period, says Steven Kayman at Rottenberg Lipman.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Cyber Takeaways For Cos. From Verizon Data Breach Report

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    Camilo Artiga-Purcell at Kiteworks analyzes the key findings of the 2024 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report from a legal perspective, examining the implications for organizations' cybersecurity strategies and compliance efforts.

  • Foreign Discovery Insights 2 Years After ZF Automotive

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    Although an Arizona federal court decision last month demonstrates that Section 1782 discovery may still be available to foreign arbitral parties, the scope of such discovery has narrowed greatly since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision in ZF Automotive, and there are a few potential trends for practitioners to follow, say attorneys at Venable.

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