Florida

June 20, 2024
Chancery Preserves Most Of Hertz Shareholder Buyback Suit

Several Hertz directors who authorized $4 billion in stock buybacks in 2022 that vaulted a private equity-based shareholder into a controlling position will have to face claims in Delaware's Court of Chancery that they breached their fiduciary duties to the company.
June 20, 2024
ACC Fights FSU's Stay Appeal In Media Rights Contract Suit

The Atlantic Coast Conference has urged North Carolina's highest court to support a judge's decision to reject a bid by Florida State University to pause the organization's media rights lawsuit while a related action plays out in the Sunshine State.
June 20, 2024
11th Circ. Upholds $2.5M Pelvic Mesh Verdict, Rules Suit Timely

The Eleventh Circuit on Thursday refused to throw out a woman's $2.5 million victory against Coloplast Corp. in a suit alleging she was implanted with defective pelvic mesh, saying the evidence does not support a conclusion that her claim was filed too late.
June 20, 2024
Fireball Maker Must Still Face Claims It Duped Whiskey Lovers

A Florida federal judge has trimmed allegations that Sazerac Co. duped consumers into believing miniature bottles of malt beverage were whiskey by selling them under the Fireball brand name, but said a consumer can pursue claims that the beverage's bottle and their display case are nevertheless deceptive.
June 20, 2024
Fla. Panel Rules Riot Law Doesn't Apply To Peaceful Protest

Florida's Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a state riot law passed by the Legislature in response to the George Floyd demonstrations doesn't apply to nonviolent protests.
June 20, 2024
Transport Co.'s Missing Worksite Info Dooms H-2B Request

An agricultural transportation company's efforts to hire 28 truckers through the H-2B seasonal visa program were doomed by a job order that lacked specific information on the truckers' driving routes, according to a recent U.S. Department of Labor decision.
June 20, 2024
11th Circ. Nixes J&J Sunscreen Benzene MDL Settlement

The Eleventh Circuit on Thursday vacated an order granting approval to a settlement resolving claims that Johnson & Johnson sold sunscreens containing benzene, saying a pair of circuit court decisions since the approval mean the deal needs another look.
June 20, 2024
Judge Won't Stay Ruling That Prompted Navy Debarment

A Court of Federal Claims judge has refused to stay his judgment rejecting a company's protest over the termination of a Navy task order, a ruling that prompted the Navy to propose debarring the company, saying a stay wouldn't affect the debarment process.
June 20, 2024
11th Circ. Backs Stryker's Defeat Of Fired Worker's Leave Suit

The Eleventh Circuit refused Thursday to revive a suit claiming medical technology company Stryker illegally fired a worker on leave awaiting the birth of his child, ruling that because the leave didn't formally kick in until the child was born, his termination was fair game.
June 20, 2024
Fla. Calls Abortion Drug Case Irrelevant To Migrant Parole Suit

Florida has rebuffed the Biden administration's efforts to use a high court ruling maintaining access to the abortion drug mifepristone to nix challenges to its migrant parole policies, telling the Eleventh Circuit that the healthcare case is unrelated to the immigration one.
June 20, 2024
Fla. Judge's 'Conservative' Label No Cause For Reprimand

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday declined to sanction a judge for calling herself a "conservative" during her first campaign for office last year, but the state justices did issue a public reprimand over the jurist's approval of a social media post that misled voters about her fundraising ahead of the election.
June 20, 2024
Dickinson Wright Brings On McDermott, Bell Nunnally Attys

Dickinson Wright PLLC added a pair of new members who include a commercial finance and real estate attorney from Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP based in Austin, Texas, and a tax and incentives attorney from McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
June 20, 2024
Raytheon, Christian Ex-Worker Agree To End Vax Bias Suit

Raytheon and a Christian former data manager agreed to end her suit alleging the defense contractor unlawfully fired her because she requested a religious exemption to its COVID-19 vaccination policy, a filing in Florida federal court said.
June 20, 2024
Ex-BVI Ports Director Gets 9 Years For Drug Smuggling Plot

A Florida federal judge on Thursday sentenced the former managing director of the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority to just over 9 years in prison for participating in a scheme involving a former BVI premier to move tons of Colombian cocaine through BVI ports to the United States.
June 18, 2024
Fla. Immune To Contract Suit Over COVID Tests, 4th Circ. Says

The Fourth Circuit reversed on Tuesday a district court decision denying a motion to dismiss by a Florida state agency in a breach of contract case involving COVID-19 tests, finding the lower court erred in ruling that the state did not have sovereign immunity and remanding the case for further proceedings.
June 18, 2024
11th Circ. Orders New Shrimp Secrets Trial Over Judge's Exit

The Eleventh Circuit ordered a new trial in a trade secrets dispute involving breeders of disease-resistant shrimp, saying Tuesday that a magistrate judge who oversaw the trial's conclusion so that a federal judge could catch a flight exceeded his authority by answering jury questions and rejecting a defense counsel's request for clarification on damages awarded.
June 18, 2024
Panama Gov't Faces New Proceedings Over Canal Expansion

The Panamanian government is facing two new arbitration proceedings brought by two shareholders of a contractor over efforts to expand the Panama Canal, according to a statement issued Monday by the Panama Canal Authority.
June 18, 2024
11th Circ. Affirms Warrantless Search Of Probationer's Home

The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday affirmed the denial of a woman's bid to suppress evidence obtained by police in a warrantless search of her home, finding that the search was reasonable because her live-in boyfriend's probation conditions authorized warrantless home searches.
June 18, 2024
Blue States And Enviro Groups Back DOE Furnace Rule

Several blue states and environmental and consumer groups have thrown their support behind the U.S. Department of Energy's tighter energy efficiency standards for furnaces and water heaters, telling the D.C. Circuit that challenges to the new rules are meritless.
June 18, 2024
Fla. Judge Admits To Ethics Charges In Mishandling DQ Bid

A Miami-Dade County state court judge has admitted to violating the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct while overseeing proceedings, saying that he made improper commentary in orders of recusal that he granted in two separate criminal cases, Florida Supreme Court records show.
June 17, 2024
Fla. Condo Board Says Group Wrongly Accused It Of Crimes

A Florida condominium association has brought a Miami-Dade County state court lawsuit against a residents group over defamation, accusing the group of luring tenants into a WhatsApp chat to disseminate false statements, including that board members committed crimes.
June 17, 2024
Disney Cruise Says Ex-Worker Must Arbitrate In London

Disney Cruise Lines has told a Florida federal court that a Honduran ex-employee who was fired for twice testing positive for marijuana must arbitrate his wrongful termination claim in London.
June 17, 2024
SEC Fines Unlicensed Brokers $2.7M In Microcap Stock Case

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ordered two unlicensed brokers, including one from Florida, to collectively pay a $2.7 million fine for allegedly scamming elderly people into buying microcap shares in companies and lying that the stock was being offered to them at a discount.
June 17, 2024
Ex-Stimwave CEO Gets 6 Years For Dummy Implant Scheme

The founder and former CEO of Stimwave Technologies was sentenced to six years in prison Monday after tearfully proclaiming her innocence to healthcare fraud charges, with a Manhattan federal judge saying it's "sad" the defendant doesn't recognize the harm she inflicted by selling nonfunctional pain management device components.
June 17, 2024
Primo Water, BlueTriton All-Stock Merger Creates Water Giant

Primo Water Corp., the parent company of popular water brands such as Alhambra and Crystal Springs, on Monday announced plans to merge with the parent company of water brands Poland Spring and Arrowhead, BlueTriton Brands Inc., in an all-stock deal built by five law firms that is meant to create a North American water giant.

Expert Analysis

What To Know About FCA Cybersecurity Enforcement

Now is a good time for practitioners, government contractors and potential relators to review recent developments in cybersecurity-related False Claims Act enforcement, and consider best practices for navigating this space in the new year, say Ellen London at London & Stout, and Li Yu and Molly Knobler at DiCello Levitt.
How New Fla. Condo Law Will Affect Owners' Finances

As this December is the deadline for condominiums in Florida to be in compliance with legislation passed after the Champlain Towers collapse, condo owners will need to prepare for both the immediate and long-term financial implications, says Greg Main-Baillie at Colliers.
4 Legal Ethics Considerations For The New Year

As attorneys and clients reset for a new year, now is a good time to take a step back and review some core ethical issues that attorneys should keep front of mind in 2024, including approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution and care, and avoiding pitfalls in outside counsel guidelines, say attorneys at HWG.
5 Privacy And Cybersecurity Resolutions For 2024

In 2023, companies grappled with an unprecedented array of data privacy and cybersecurity challenges that are likely to continue in 2024, meaning businesses will be well-served to incorporate strategies, such as data governance and website configuration, into their compliance programs, say Steven Stransky at Thompson Hine and Violet Sullivan at Crum & Forster.
What The Law Firm Of The Future Will Look Like

As the legal landscape shifts, it’s become increasingly clear that the BigLaw business model must adapt in four key ways to remain viable, from fostering workplace flexibility to embracing technology, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.
The Year Ahead In Foreign Investment And National Security

In 2024, expect the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, already at the forefront of addressing national security threats, to increase monitoring and enforcement related to outbound investment, focus on supply chain resilience in nondefense sectors, and heighten oversight of agricultural transactions, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.
4 PR Pointers When Your Case Is In The News

Media coverage of new lawsuits exploded last year, demonstrating why defense attorneys should devise a public relations plan that complements their legal strategy, incorporating several objectives to balance ethical obligations and advocacy, say Nathan Burchfiel at Pinkston and Ryan June at Castañeda + Heidelman.
After Headwinds, 2024 May See Offshore Wind Momentum

Despite skyrocketing raw material costs, conflicting state and federal policies, and other setbacks for the offshore wind sector in 2023, the industry appears poised for growth in the coming year, with improving economics, more flexible procurement procedures and increasing legislative support, say Emily Huggins Jones and Ben Cowan at Locke Lord.
How State AGs Process And Prioritize Consumer Complaints

Recent state attorneys general actions illustrate how their offices triage, monitor and respond to consumer complaints — and why businesses need to be proactive in addressing these issues as they arise, say Meghan Stoppel and Hannah Cornett Land at Cozen O'Connor.
Law Firm Strategies For Successfully Navigating 2024 Trends

Though law firms face the dual challenge of external and internal pressures as they enter 2024, firms willing to pivot will be able to stand out by adapting to stakeholder needs and reimagining their infrastructure, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Consultants.
The Most-Read Legal Industry Law360 Guest Articles Of 2023

A range of legal industry topics drew readers' attention in Law360's Expert Analysis section this year, from associate retention strategies to ethical billing practices.
Inside Higher Education's New FCA Liability Challenges

As the educational sector expands its use of government funding, schools are at increased risk under the False Claims Act, but recent settlements offer valuable lessons about new theories of liability they may face and specific procedures to reduce their exposure, say James Zelenay and Jeremy Ochsenbein at Gibson Dunn.
5 Most Notable Class Action Standing Cases Of 2023

Key appellate class action decisions this past year continued the trend of a more demanding approach to the threshold issue of standing during each phase of litigation, say attorneys at MoFo.
Attorneys' Busiest Times Can Be Business Opportunities

Attorneys who resolve to grow their revenue and client base in 2024 should be careful not to abandon their goals when they get too busy with client work, because these periods of zero bandwidth can actually be a catalyst for future growth, says Amy Drysdale at Alchemy Consulting.
In The World Of Legal Ethics, 10 Trends To Note From 2023

Lucian Pera at Adams and Reese and Trisha Rich at Holland & Knight identify the top legal ethics trends from 2023 — including issues related to hot documents, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — that lawyers should be aware of to put their best foot forward.