Massachusetts

  • May 01, 2024

    Hub Hires: Goodwin, Nixon Peabody, DraftKings

    The season of legal industry hiring has sprung in Boston, with three BigLaw firms recently launching new offices in the city, including one seeded by a major 25-attorney move across Beantown.

  • April 30, 2024

    Blank Rome Opens Boston Office With New 25-Atty Team

    Blank Rome LLP said Wednesday that it has opened a Boston office with 25 corporate and finance attorneys from Burns & Levinson LLP, including 13 partners.

  • April 30, 2024

    Sen. Warren Probes Annuity Cos. Over Use Of 'Secret' Perks

    Large annuity providers are using lavish vacations and other kickbacks to drive sales that disadvantage consumers, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said Tuesday, demanding information from more than a dozen companies on the heels of a new Labor Department rule aiming to ramp up scrutiny on financial advisers.

  • April 30, 2024

    1st Circ. Says Flyers' JetBlue-Spirit Deal Challenge Moot

    The First Circuit has tossed an appeal brought by airline customers who had challenged a since-abandoned merger between JetBlue Airways Corp. and Spirit Airlines in light of the government's successful antitrust intervention.

  • April 30, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Upholds TM Win For Brazilian Hair Products Co.

    A Tuesday precedential ruling from the Federal Circuit sided with a Brazilian hair products maker in its legal fight with a Massachusetts businessman over who could claim a Portuguese phrase celebrating curly hair.

  • April 30, 2024

    Ex-DraftKings Exec Blocked From US Role At Rival Fanatics

    A Boston federal judge Tuesday blocked a former DraftKings executive from doing the same line of work for rival Fanatics in the U.S., citing his "evasive" testimony about his decampment to Fanatics.

  • April 30, 2024

    Ex-Mass. Pol Can't Sink Fraud Case With 'Imaginative' Attacks

    A Boston federal judge on Tuesday rejected what he called an "imaginative and novel" effort by a former Massachusetts politician to dismiss charges of lying to get COVID-19 relief funds and underreporting income on his taxes.

  • April 29, 2024

    1st Circ. Slashes Atty's Convictions In Email Fraud Case

    An Illinois lawyer convicted of receiving proceeds from a business email compromise scheme had three of six counts vacated Monday by the First Circuit, which ruled that Massachusetts wasn't the right venue for those charges.

  • April 29, 2024

    UnitedHealth's Cyberattack Response Is 'Inadequate,' AGs Say

    Nearly two dozen state attorneys general urged UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiary Change Healthcare "to do more" to address the fallout from a February cyberattack by Russian ransomware group Blackcat that breached their systems and services, noting their response efforts to the outage "have been inadequate."

  • April 29, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    A multibillion-dollar Tesla trust proposal, a Truth Social bond, power plays over Prince's estate, and three in the ring for World Wrestling Entertainment. All of this and much more came up in Delaware Chancery Court dockets last week.

  • April 29, 2024

    No Need To Delay $811M Immigrant Bond Co. Fine, CFPB Says

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau told a Virginia federal judge that there is no need to hold off fining a bonding company $811 million for predatory bonding practices, saying the company's fear of collapse is mooted by a recent sale.

  • April 29, 2024

    Kirkland Adds 2nd Funds Group From Goodwin This Year

    Kirkland & Ellis LLP has hired a group of four attorneys specializing in investment funds from Goodwin Procter LLP, the firm said Monday, following its addition of five investment funds lawyers from the same firm in February.

  • April 29, 2024

    Reebok Says TM Foe Must Foot Bill After Key Depo Called Off

    Reebok asked a Massachusetts federal judge to force an Italian shoemaker to pay legal costs and produce its former CEO for a deposition in a trademark case, saying the scheduled meeting in Milan was canceled just hours before Reebok's attorneys were scheduled to board a flight.

  • April 29, 2024

    Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Beats NY Sex Assault Suit For Good

    A New York federal judge denied a former model's request to amend her dismissed lawsuit brought under the city's Gender Motivated Violence Protection Law accusing Steven Tyler of assaulting her in 1975, ruling Friday that the law is not retroactive and the statute of limitations to pursue her claims would have expired decades ago.

  • April 29, 2024

    DOJ Not Required To Probe Alleged Bias In Boston Contracts

    A Boston federal judge won't second-guess a U.S. Department of Justice decision not to investigate allegations of systemic racism in the city's municipal contracting practices, deferring to the department's finding that it lacked jurisdiction for the claims.

  • April 29, 2024

    Deciphera Stock Soars On $2.4B Deal With Japan's Ono

    Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Monday it has agreed to be purchased by Japan's Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. for $2.4 billion, which sent the Waltham, Massachusetts-based cancer drugmaker's stock soaring more than 72%.

  • April 26, 2024

    Law360 Reveals Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar

    In the past year, plaintiffs have won settlements and judgments for millions and billions of dollars from companies such as Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Facebook and Fox News, with many high-profile cases finally wrapping up after years of fighting. Such cases — involving over-the-top compensation packages, chemical contamination, gender discrimination and data mining — were led by attorneys whose accomplishments earned them recognition as Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar for 2024.

  • April 26, 2024

    Ex-McKinsey Partner Says Firm Made Him Opioids 'Scapegoat'

    A former McKinsey & Co. partner lobbed defamation claims at the consulting firm, claiming Friday that it lied to the government and the public about his purported role in deleting evidence amid government investigations into the firm's work with opioid manufacturers, an alleged scheme designed to make him the "scapegoat."

  • April 26, 2024

    Crypto Atty's Senate Bid Takes Detour For SEC-Coinbase Suit

    The pro-cryptocurrency attorney vying to unseat Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts added to his pro bono work in the digital asset space on Friday by taking up the mantle for Coinbase users in the crypto exchange's ongoing battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

  • April 26, 2024

    ERISA Suits Targeting Annuity Deals Could Escalate

    A quartet of lawsuits targeting employers who terminate their pension plans and exchange them for annuity insurance contracts could trigger a new wave of class action litigation if they gain traction, since hundreds of thousands of retirees have been subject to pension risk transfers in recent years, attorneys say.

  • April 26, 2024

    Ex-Mass. Trooper Handed 5 Years For No-Work OT, Tax Fraud

    A former Massachusetts state trooper convicted of stealing overtime pay, lying on his taxes and cheating to get student aid for his son was sentenced Friday by a federal judge to five years in prison for his leadership role in the sprawling overtime fraud scheme.

  • April 26, 2024

    Sonus $4.5M Settlement With Investors Gets Final OK

    A Massachusetts federal judge has granted final approval to a $4.5 million settlement, including $1.5 million in fees for class counsel, to resolve a securities class action between the former Sonus Networks Inc. and investors over a 2015 stock price decline tied to the communications company's revenue forecasting.

  • April 26, 2024

    Gov't Wants Ex-Boston Celtic Imprisoned For Health Plan Scheme

    Prosecutors asked a Manhattan federal judge to sentence former Boston Celtics player Glen "Big Baby" Davis to roughly three years in prison after he was convicted of scheming with a group of ex-pros to submit fraudulent invoices to the NBA's healthcare plan.

  • April 26, 2024

    Mass. Justices Dash Deported Man's Hope For Remote Retrial

    Massachusetts' high court ruled Friday that a man deported to the Dominican Republic cannot appear remotely for his retrial on charges that the justices previously vacated, citing court rules.

  • April 25, 2024

    Feds Say COVID Fraud Case Against Ex-Pol Clears Early Bar

    Federal prosecutors said Thursday that a former Massachusetts politician should save for trial his arguments seeking to dismiss claims that he lied to rake in COVID-19 relief funds and tried to avoid reporting income to the Internal Revenue Service. 

Expert Analysis

  • How To Protect Atty-Client Privilege While Using Generative AI

    Author Photo

    When using generative artificial intelligence tools, attorneys should consider several safeguards to avoid breaches or complications in attorney-client privilege, say Antonious Sadek and Christopher Campbell at DLA Piper.

  • How New Lawyers Can Leverage Feedback For Growth

    Author Photo

    Embracing constructive criticism as a tool for success can help new lawyers accelerate their professional growth and law firms build a culture of continuous improvement, says Katie Aldrich at Fringe Professional Development.

  • Deepfakes Remain A Threat Ahead Of 2024 Elections

    Author Photo

    Although this electoral season has already seen phony videos and images created to deceive the voting public — and deepfakes are surely destined to become all the more pervasive — there is still a lack of legislative progress on this issue, says Douglas Mirell at Greenberg Glusker.

  • Twitter Legal Fees Suit Offers Crash Course In Billing Ethics

    Author Photo

    X Corp.'s suit alleging that Wachtell grossly inflated its fees in the final days of Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition provides a case study in how firms should protect their reputations by hewing to ethical billing practices and the high standards for professional conduct that govern attorney-client relationships, says Lourdes Fuentes at Karta Legal.

  • ABA's Money-Laundering Resolution Is A Balancing Act

    Author Photo

    While the American Bar Association’s recently passed resolution recognizes a lawyer's duty to discontinue representation that could facilitate money laundering and other fraudulent activity, it preserves, at least for now, the delicate balance of judicial, state-based regulation of the legal profession and the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • 1st Circ. Harvard Ruling Provides Primer On Policy Provisions

    Author Photo

    In its recent finding of no coverage for Harvard due to the school's failure to give Zurich American Insurance timely notice of its claim, the First Circuit provides a good analysis of the distinctions between occurrence and claims-made policies, including the rationale for differences in notice provisions, says Andrew Paliotta at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Law Firm Professional Development Steps To Thrive In AI Era

    Author Photo

    As generative artificial intelligence tools rapidly evolve, professional development leaders are instrumental in preparing law firms for the paradigm shifts ahead, and should consider three strategies to help empower legal talent with the skills required to succeed in an increasingly complex technological landscape, say Steve Gluckman and Anusia Gillespie at SkillBurst Interactive.

  • Fair Lending Activity: Calm On The Surface, Churning Below

    Author Photo

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recently released annual fair lending report to Congress confirms that despite the paucity of public fair lending enforcement actions in 2022, the CFPB and prudential banking agencies are engaged in significant nonpublic oversight, examination and enforcement activities, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • The Basics Of Being A Knowledge Management Attorney

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Michael Lehet at Ogletree Deakins discusses the role of knowledge management attorneys at law firms, the common tasks they perform and practical tips for lawyers who may be considering becoming one.

  • To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation

    Author Photo

    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.

  • What Circuit Split May Mean For FCA Kickback Liability

    Author Photo

    The recent circuit split on the meaning of the resulting-from provision in False Claims Act kickback cases could have significant ramifications for FCA liability, as it could affect the standard of causation that plaintiffs must meet to establish liability, say former federal prosecutors Li Yu, Ellen London and Gregg Shapiro.

  • Perspectives

    More States Should Join Effort To Close Legal Services Gap

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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.

  • 10 Legal Subject Matters Popping Up In AI Litigation

    Author Photo

    The past five years have brought judicial opinions addressing artificial intelligence in many different legal areas, so a study of existing case law is an important first step for in-house counsel addressing how to advise on the uncertainty driving many of the AI legal disputes, says Mark Davies at Orrick.

  • Series

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

    Author Photo

    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.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Massachusetts archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!