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Massachusetts
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June 26, 2024
Mass. Dunkin' Managers Can Sue For OT As Collective
A Massachusetts federal judge granted an unopposed request to certify a collective action brought by managers at 60-plus Dunkin' Donuts locations who claim they were required to work more than 40 hours a week without overtime pay.
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June 26, 2024
Macy's Email Demand Violates Privacy Law, Shopper Says
A requirement that Massachusetts consumers making online purchases from Macy's provide an email address to complete a transaction violates the state's consumer privacy law, a proposed class action filed Tuesday alleges.
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June 25, 2024
PTAB Wipes Out UMass Skin Disease Treatment Patent
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has sided with Forte Biosciences in invalidating a University of Massachusetts patent on treating the skin disease vitiligo, ruling that the patent does not adequately describe the invention or enable a skilled person to make and use it.
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June 25, 2024
Sarissa Capital, Founder Settle Bioverativ Suit In Del. For $40M
Remaining parties in a Delaware Court of Chancery class action over the $11.6 billion sale of biotech venture Bioverativ Inc. to Sanofi Inc. in 2018 have agreed to settle their outstanding claims for $40 million in cash, according to a stipulation filed with the court Tuesday.
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June 25, 2024
$3M Broker Commission Deal Stayed To Await NAR Settlement
A Massachusetts federal court will not consider a $3 million settlement reached between home sellers and a multiple listing service over broker commission rules until after a decision on a much larger settlement in the separate sprawling case against the National Association of Realtors.
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June 25, 2024
Oil Co. Accused Of Duping Consumers With Biodiesel Product
A Massachusetts home heating oil dealer falsely told consumers they were purchasing an environmentally friendly biodiesel product, a proposed class action filed in state court on Monday alleges.
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June 25, 2024
Exxon Bid For Avangrid Docs In Greenwash Case Faces Doubt
A Massachusetts judge on Tuesday questioned the relevance of potentially millions of wind energy company Avangrid's documents being sought by ExxonMobil in its defense of a greenwashing case brought by the state.
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June 25, 2024
Healthcare Co. Inks $1.5M Deal To End Pension Fund Suit
A Massachusetts healthcare company has agreed to pay $1.5 million to end a class action alleging it loaded its $500 million pension plan with costly investments and failed to keep administrative fees in check, plan participants leading the suit told a federal court.
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June 25, 2024
Feds Stonewalling Immigration Fee Record Request, Suit Says
A civil rights group in Boston filed suit Tuesday to force the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to hand over records about how the government decides requests to waive fees for people seeking immigration protections.
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June 25, 2024
Wynn Casino Can't Undo Rehiring Of Worker Fired For Slur
Wynn Resort's Encore Boston Harbor Casino has lost its effort to overturn an arbitrator's decision to reinstate and issue back pay to a call center reservation worker it fired for allegedly calling a Black colleague a racial slur.
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June 24, 2024
Bill Aimed At Native Boarding School Policies Heads To Senate
A bipartisan bill that would help to illuminate the federal government's past efforts to erase Indigenous culture by sending Native American children to assimilation-oriented Christian boarding schools is headed to the U.S. Senate for consideration after being stalled in committee for a year.
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June 24, 2024
AI Cos. Hit With Copyright Claims From Music Labels
Two artificial intelligence startups are facing copyright litigation by Sony Music Entertainment and a group of major record labels, claiming they rip off artists' songs without getting consent.
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June 24, 2024
Harvard Prof Calls NFL Sunday Ticket 'Highly Anticompetitive'
A Harvard law professor testified Monday in a multibillion-dollar antitrust lawsuit over the NFL's Sunday Ticket that pooling teams' television rights into exclusive deals is not like Beyoncé having an exclusive music distributor — as an NFL expert testified — but like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish pooling rights.
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June 24, 2024
Illinois, Other States Back FTC Bid To Affirm Intuit Ad Ruling
Illinois, along with 20 other states and the District of Columbia, defended the Federal Trade Commission in tax software giant Intuit's Fifth Circuit constitutional challenge to the agency's findings that the company engaged in deceptive advertising, saying in an amicus brief that the FTC's conclusion was correct.
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June 24, 2024
Justices Undo Terror Victims' Win, Citing Twitter Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday swept aside a D.C. Circuit ruling that threatened to expose major pharmaceutical companies to liability for terrorist attacks that injured or killed hundreds of U.S. soldiers and civilians in Iraq.
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June 24, 2024
Harvard Fertility Doctor Settles Secret-Impregnation Claim
A fertility doctor and longtime Harvard Medical School professor has settled claims that he secretly used his own sperm to impregnate a patient in 1980, according to a Monday court filing.
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June 24, 2024
Waste Management Co. Will Pay $395K To End 401(k) Fee Suit
Waste management company Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc. will pay $395,000 to resolve a proposed class action alleging it mismanaged its $813 million employee retirement plan by failing to look for less expensive funds, according to a Friday filing.
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June 24, 2024
Construction Super Says Name Was Secretly Used On Permits
A unit of construction engineering firm Structural Group Inc. improperly used the name of a licensed construction supervisor on at least half a dozen Massachusetts projects in which he was not involved, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Norfolk County Superior Court.
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June 21, 2024
NCAA Says Hoops Union Order Creates 'Destructive' Division
A National Labor Relations Board regional director's decision finding men's basketball players at Dartmouth College are employees under federal labor law pits students against each other, the NCAA argued, urging the board not to assert jurisdiction over student-athletes.
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June 21, 2024
Union Tells 1st Circ. It's Fit To Bring Debt Cap Challenge
A U.S. government workers' union challenging the constitutionality of the debt ceiling urged the First Circuit to ignore the Biden administration's argument that union members couldn't explain how it harms them, saying it's reasonable to expect their paychecks will be suspended when it is reimposed.
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June 21, 2024
Atty Convicted Of Pot Bribe Wins Bail At 1st Circ.
A suspended Massachusetts attorney convicted last fall of attempting to bribe a police chief to help his client secure a cannabis license will remain free pending his appeal, the First Circuit ruled Friday, reversing a district judge's decision.
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June 21, 2024
Ex-Mass. Pol Hit With New Charges In COVID Fraud Case
A former Massachusetts state senator already accused of pandemic-related fraud has been charged alongside his sister with attempting to cover up a scheme to make him eligible for unemployment benefits, the U.S. attorney's office announced Friday.
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June 21, 2024
Attys Eye $1.4M Slice Of State Street Retirement Plan Deal
Class counsel are requesting a one-third cut from a $4.3 million settlement with State Street Corp. to resolve claims the bank stocked its employees' 401(k) plan with imprudent funds that it managed or that were run by its subsidiaries or affiliates.
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June 20, 2024
1st Circ. Says Song Royalties Go To Artists, Not Band Owners
The First Circuit ruled that members of musical groups, not their owners or managers, are due royalties as featured "recording artists" under federal law.
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June 20, 2024
Boston College Settles 401(k) Participants' Suit
Boston College and participants in the school's employee retirement plan told a Massachusetts federal court they have struck a deal to resolve claims the college mismanaged the 401(k) plan.
Expert Analysis
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The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift
As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.
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5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money
As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.
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How Biotech Deals May Help Competition, Despite FTC View
The Federal Trade Commission's complaint against Sanofi's proposed partnership with Maze Therapeutics highlights increasing skepticism of so-called killer acquisitions, but a closer look reveals potentially legitimate reasons behind why entities might decide to delay or abandon the development of acquired products, say consultants at Analysis Group.
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Series
Playing Competitive Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My experience playing competitive tennis has highlighted why prioritizing exercise and stress relief, maintaining perspective under pressure, and supporting colleagues in pursuit of a common goal are all key aspects of championing a successful legal career, says Madhumita Datta at Lowenstein Sandler.
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Series
The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.
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Workplace Speech Policies Limit Legal And PR Risks
As workers increasingly speak out on controversies like the 2024 elections and the Israel-Hamas war, companies should implement practical workplace expression policies and plans to protect their brands and mitigate the risk of violating federal and state anti-discrimination and free speech laws, say attorneys at McDermott.
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Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success
Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.
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And Now A Word From The Panel: A Strong Year For MDLs
While the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation granted even fewer MDL petitions last year than in 2022, hitting a 21st-century low, a closer look at the record-setting number of total actions encompassed within current proceedings reveals that MDL practice is still quite robust, says Alan Rothman at Sidley.
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Series
Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer
While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.
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Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument
Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.
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Perspectives
6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice
An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.
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Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga
Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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Perspectives
Justices May Clarify Expert Witness Confrontation Confusion
After oral arguments in Smith v. Arizona, the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to hold that expert witness opinions that rely on out-of-court testimonial statements for their factual basis are unconstitutional, thus resolving some of the complications created by the court’s confrontation clause jurisprudence, says Richard Friedman at the University of Michigan Law School.
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Uncharted Waters Ahead For FCA Litigation In 2024
Following a year of significant court decisions, settlements, recoveries and proposed amendments, 2024 promises to be a lively year for False Claims Act actions and litigation, and one that will hopefully provide more clarity as FCA jurisprudence evolves, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.
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Series
Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer
After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.