Florida

  • May 21, 2024

    22 States Tell 11th Circ. Corp. Transparency Act Goes Too Far

    The federal Corporate Transparency Act unconstitutionally displaces state authority and its enforcement would economically harm states and their residents, attorneys general from 22 states told the Eleventh Circuit, urging it to uphold a ruling that struck down the law.

  • May 21, 2024

    PE Firms Close Separate Funds With Nearly $1.3B Total In Tow

    Winston & Strawn LLP-advised private equity shop Paceline Equity Partners LLC and Kirkland & Ellis LLP-advised private equity firm Eir Partners on Tuesday separately announced that they have clinched funds totaling nearly $1.3 billion combined, with the former's fund focusing on corporate debt and real assets and the latter's targeting healthcare technology investments.

  • May 21, 2024

    College QB Sues Gators' Coach For False $13.9M NIL Deal

    Former prospective University of Florida Gators quarterback Jaden Rashada alleged in a federal lawsuit Tuesday that the football coach and boosters lured him to the university with false promises of a $13.85 million name, image and likeness deal that cost him a legitimate deal he had lined up at a different school.

  • May 21, 2024

    3rd Suit Alleges Panera's 'Charged' Drink Caused Heart Attack

    An 18-year-old man sued Panera Bread Co. in Pennsylvania federal court Monday alleging its highly caffeinated "Charged Lemonade" drink caused him to suffer a heart attack, at least the third such suit filed against the franchise over the now-discontinued beverage. 

  • May 21, 2024

    DC Circ. Won't Let Fla. Halt Wetlands Permits Decision

    The D.C. Circuit on Monday refused Florida's request to pause a lower court's ruling that stripped the state of its federally delegated authority to administer a Clean Water Act permitting program until its appeal is resolved, rejecting its argument that the decision is likely to be reversed.

  • May 21, 2024

    Earth, Wind & Fire Cover Band Owes $750K In TM Suit

    A Florida federal judge has ordered a concert producer and promoter to pay $750,000 to the entity that owns the music of Earth, Wind & Fire after the band won a summary judgment ruling in March that found the defendants infringed the legendary group's trademarks by organizing concerts featuring their music and name.

  • May 21, 2024

    Conn. Law Firm's Trade Secrets Case Likely Moving To Fla.

    A trade secrets lawsuit brought by a Greenwich, Connecticut, law firm against a former independent contractor is poised to move to the Southern District of Florida after a federal judge in Hartford said Tuesday that a new venue appears to be more appropriate.

  • May 21, 2024

    Strategic Hiring Was The New Normal For BigLaw In 2023

    The 400 largest law firms by headcount in the U.S. grew more slowly in 2023 than in the previous two years, while Kirkland & Ellis LLP surpassed the 3,000-attorney threshold, according to the latest Law360 ranking.

  • May 21, 2024

    The Law360 400: Tracking The Largest US Law Firms

    The legal market expanded more tentatively in 2023 than in previous years amid a slowdown in demand for legal services, especially in transactions, an area that has been sluggish but is expected to quicken in the near future.

  • May 20, 2024

    Fla. Pet Store Wins $53K Atty Fee Award In Explicit Video Suit

    A Florida state court judge has awarded the operators of a pet store nearly $53,000 in attorney fees defending against a lawsuit over sexual harassment and gender discrimination after a manager allegedly showed a video of his genitalia to an underage female employee while on the job.

  • May 20, 2024

    TD Ameritrade Must Face Most Claims In Fraud-Abetting Suit

    A Florida federal judge has sustained most of a receiver's lawsuit against TD Ameritrade alleging the broker-dealer was responsible for furthering an alleged $9.8 million commodity pool fraud scheme.

  • May 20, 2024

    Transparency Act Violates Constitution, Groups Tell 11th Circ.

    The Corporate Transparency Act's reporting requirements violate the Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination and other constitutional provisions, libertarian think tank Cato Institute and others said Monday in urging the Eleventh Circuit to uphold an Alabama district court's ruling against the law.

  • May 20, 2024

    Venezuelan Facing 2 Years In Prison For Laundering Scheme

    An ex-Venezuelan National Guard major is facing up to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a count of money laundering conspiracy involving the bribing of foreign officials to help cover up a $1.7 million fake import scheme and then moving the fraud proceeds through U.S. banks.

  • May 20, 2024

    Trial In Blackmail Case Over Judge's Photos Delayed

    A Florida state judge agreed Monday to push back the trial in a Palm Beach County judge's suit accusing an attorney of trying to blackmail her with nude photographs, after the defendant cited discovery delays and an ongoing bellwether trial in multidistrict litigation against Chiquita that is tying up the schedule of two key witnesses.

  • May 20, 2024

    Agricultural Groups Agree To Toss Claim In H-2A Rule Dispute

    Several Florida-based agricultural groups agreed to toss a claim in their suit challenging the U.S. Department of Labor's rule raising the wages of H-2A agricultural workers, saying while they still believe the allegation is viable, trimming the suit will expedite the litigation.

  • May 20, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    Delaware was full of drama last week, as proposed changes to the state's corporate law statutes raised eyebrows and a professor's friend-of-the-court brief sparked a very unfriendly public exchange. Delaware's court of equity banged the gavel on pipeline and social media disputes, and shareholders filed new suits alleging insider trading, vote bungling, unfair stock buybacks and merger shenanigans. In case you missed any of it, here's the recap of all the top news last week from Delaware's Chancery Court.

  • May 20, 2024

    CORRECTED: DeSantis Signs Bill Adding 9 New Judgeships

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law a bill that will add nine new judgeships in the state, including two circuit court judges in Pensacola and southwest Florida and seven additional county court judges.

  • May 20, 2024

    Fried Frank, K&L Gates Lead $950M Sale Of Transportation Biz

    Transportation and distribution services provider Saltchuk Resources Inc., advised by K&L Gates LLP, on Monday announced plans to acquire energy transportation services provider Overseas Shipholding Group Inc., led by Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, in a take-private transaction valued at $950 million.

  • May 20, 2024

    Squire Patton Lands Ex-Polsinelli Latin America Head In Miami

    The former head of Polsinelli PC's Latin America practice has joined Squire Patton Boggs LLP as a partner in its financial services practice in Miami after most recently practicing at his own boutique firm, the firm announced Monday.

  • May 20, 2024

    6th Circ. Orders Sanctioned Prison Co. To Pay NLRB Atty Fees

    The Sixth Circuit said a Federal Bureau of Prisons contractor has to pay the U.S. National Labor Relations Board's attorney fees from arguing the contractor should be held in contempt in a dispute over two fired union supporters, with one judge dissenting in part over 0.4 billable hour.

  • May 20, 2024

    Red Lobster Hits Ch. 11 Reeling From Endless Shrimp Deals

    The Red Lobster seafood restaurant chain has filed for Chapter 11 protection in a Florida bankruptcy court with $294 million in debt and sale plans, saying its problems included its equity owner and shrimp supplier possibly pushing it into a disastrous all-you-can-eat shrimp offer.

  • May 20, 2024

    Davis Polk, Wachtell Guide $2B SouthState Banking Deal

    Florida-based SouthState Corp. said Monday it has agreed to purchase Texas-based Independent Bank Group Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $2 billion, with Davis Polk and Wachtell steering the regional lenders on the deal. 

  • May 17, 2024

    Real Estate Authority: Loan Doctors, CFIUS, Mixed-Use Boom

    Catch up on the week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including potential conflicts of interest in special servicing, a data center buy stymied by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, and one hospitality pro's prediction for more mixed-use residential and hotel demand.

  • May 17, 2024

    $440M Cruise Line Ruling Over Cuba Dock May Be In Jeopardy

    An Eleventh Circuit panel appeared reluctant Friday to affirm a nearly half-billion-dollar judgment against four major cruise lines for "trafficking" in property seized by the communist Cuban government, as the underlying concession for a port facility in Havana expired in 2004.

  • May 17, 2024

    OB-GYN Enough Like GYN Oncologist For Expert Witness Law

    A Florida state appeals court on Friday revived a suit accusing a gynecological oncologist of performing an unnecessary surgery, saying the credentials of the patient's medical expert — an OB-GYN — satisfied the state's "same specialty" requirement.

Expert Analysis

  • The 7 Most Notable FCRA Cases Of 2023 So Far

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    Both consumer reporting agencies and furnishers should take note of Fair Credit Reporting Act decisions by federal district and appellate courts so far this year, especially those concerning dispute processing and the distinction between legal and factual inaccuracies, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • 3 Factors That May Complicate Jury Selection In Trump Trials

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    As former President Donald Trump prepares to face four trials in Georgia, Florida, New York and Washington, D.C., judges and attorneys in these venues may find it challenging to seat fair and impartial juries for several key reasons, says Richard Gabriel at Decision Analysis.

  • To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation

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    Firms seeking to appeal to sophisticated clients and top-level partners should promote mentorship, ensure that attorneys from diverse backgrounds feel valued, and clarify policies about at-home work, says Patrick Moya at Quaero Group.

  • Perspectives

    More States Should Join Effort To Close Legal Services Gap

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    Colorado is the most recent state to allow other types of legal providers, not just attorneys, to offer specific services in certain circumstances — and more states should rethink the century-old assumptions that shape our current regulatory rules, say Natalie Anne Knowlton and Janet Drobinske at the University of Denver.

  • Identifying Trends And Tips In Litigation Financing Disclosure

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    Growing interest and controversy in litigation financing raise several salient concerns, but exploring recent compelled disclosure trends from courts around the country can help practitioners further their clients' interests, say Sean Callagy and Samuel Sokolsky at Arnold & Porter.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Elrod On 'Jury Duty'

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    Though the mockumentary series “Jury Duty” features purposely outrageous characters, it offers a solemn lesson about the simple but brilliant design of the right to trial by jury, with an unwitting protagonist who even John Adams may have welcomed as an impartial foreperson, says Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Elrod.

  • Pickleball Makes Waves In Fla. Real Estate, With Risks In Play

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    Pickleball's burgeoning popularity in Florida is catalyzing a transformation in the state's commercial real estate market, but investors must take steps to navigate legal challenges related to noise, insurance and community dynamics, says Emmanuelle Litvinov at DarrowEverett.

  • Upcoming High Court ADA Cases May Signal Return To Basics

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    Recent cases, including Acheson Hotels v. Laufer, which will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in October, raise a fundamental question of whether Americans with Disabilities Act litigation has spiraled out of control without any real corresponding benefits to the intended beneficiaries: individuals with true disabilities, says Norman Dupont at Ring Bender.

  • 4 Business-Building Strategies For Introvert Attorneys

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Introverted lawyers can build client bases to rival their extroverted peers’ by adapting time-tested strategies for business development that can work for any personality — such as claiming a niche, networking for maximum impact, drawing on existing contacts and more, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

  • Opinion

    3 Ways Justices' Disclosure Defenses Miss The Ethical Point

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    The rule-bound interpretation of financial disclosures preferred by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — demonstrated in their respective statements defending their failure to disclose gifts from billionaires — show that they do not understand the ethical aspects of the public's concern, says Jim Moliterno at the Washington and Lee University School of Law.

  • What 11th Circ. Revival Of Deaf Employee's Bias Suit Portends

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    The Eleventh Circuit's recent Beasley v. O'Reilly Auto Parts decision, which created a circuit split involving the issue of linking accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act to essential job functions, is a curiosity about the court's analysis at least and a potential game changer for employer duties at most, says John Doran at Sherman & Howard.

  • What Courts' Deference Preference Can Mean For Sentencing

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    The Fifth Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Vargas decision deepens the split among federal appeals courts on the level of deference afforded to commentary in the U.S. sentencing guidelines — an issue that has major real-life ramifications for defendants, and is likely bound for the U.S. Supreme Court, say Jennifer Freel and Michael Murtha at Jackson Walker.

  • For Tribes, Online Gambling May Soon Be A Safe Bet

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    The Bureau of Indian Affairs' proposed changes to the Indian Gaming Regulation Act would expressly allow tribes to execute compacts with states that enable online gambling and sports betting activities, strengthening tribes' ability to position themselves in the gambling industry despite protests from casino operators, says Blair Will at Hall Estill.

  • Caregiver Flexibility Is Crucial For Atty Engagement, Retention

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    As the battle for top talent continues post-pandemic, many firms are attempting to attract employees with progressive hybrid working environments — and supporting caregivers before, during and after an extended leave is a critically important way to retain top talent, says Manar Morales at The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.

  • Can Class Actions Guide AI Risk Mitigation Efforts?

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    The speed at which artificial intelligence is developing will likely outpace the legislative response, and two recently filed class actions naming OpenAI as a defendant raise the question of whether existing laws may be used to place some meaningful guardrails on the development of AI, says Thomas Carey at Sunstein.

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