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Massachusetts
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July 12, 2024
Ex-Magellan Execs Waive Conflicts Over Past Shared Counsel
Two former Magellan Diagnostics executives charged with conspiring to hide defects in the company's lead testing devices agreed on Friday to waive any potential conflict created by their prior joint representation by a Donnelly Conroy & Gelhaar LLP attorney.
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July 11, 2024
Atty's Missteps Conflicted Her At Trial, Mass. Justices Say
Massachusetts' highest court on Thursday ruled that a man convicted of murder should get a new trial because his lawyer would have had to deride her own performance during her client's police interview in order to provide the best possible defense.
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July 11, 2024
Hershey, Walgreens Sued For 'One Chip Challenge' Death
The Hershey Co. and its businesses that created and negligently marketed the "One Chip Challenge" to eat an ultra-spicy tortilla chip are responsible for the wrongful death of a Massachusetts 14-year-old, whose death coincided with the product being pulled from the shelves, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by the boy's mother.
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July 11, 2024
Insurer Can Tap Trust Fund For Old Claims, Mass. Court Says
A Massachusetts intermediate appellate court concluded Thursday that workers' compensation insurers who are no longer selling policies in the state but still paying benefits on older claims are entitled to seek partial reimbursement from an employer-funded state trust fund, reversing its own prior holding on the question.
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July 11, 2024
Fiat Chrysler Says Exploding Minivan MDL Still Lacks Detail
A Stellantis unit has asked a federal judge in Michigan to significantly pare back multidistrict litigation over a risk of spontaneous explosion in certain Chrysler plug-in hybrid minivans, arguing that many drivers' state claims are stale or are otherwise legally flawed.
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July 11, 2024
Orrick Adds Wilson Sonsini, Hooper Lundy Healthcare Attys
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP has hired seven new attorneys, including three partners who joined its life sciences and health tech platform in the firm's Washington, D.C., and Boston offices, the firm announced Thursday.
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July 11, 2024
Patent Cases To Watch In The Second Half Of 2024
A U.S. Supreme Court case over the reach of the judicially created double patenting doctrine and a dispute over which patents branded drugmakers can list in a federal database are among the cases attorneys will have their eyes on for the rest of the year.
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July 10, 2024
Drug Pricing, Overreach Dominate IP Disclaimer Feedback
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has received heated feedback regarding its proposal to make follow-on patents easier to invalidate, with drug pricing advocates applauding it, top technology and pharma companies decrying it, and high-profile officials calling the proposal an overstep of the agency's authority.
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July 10, 2024
Meijer Says Takeda Can't Force Antitrust Suit Into Arbitration
Meijer argued before a Massachusetts federal court that Takeda waited far too long to try to force the supermarket chain to arbitrate its proposed class action accusing the Japanese pharmaceutical company of conspiring to delay a generic version of its anti-constipation drug Amitiza.
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July 10, 2024
Atty Says Alaska Judge Reprimand Bolsters 4th Circ. Bias Suit
A former public defender awaiting a bench ruling on her sexual harassment claims against the federal judiciary said Wednesday that the judge deciding her case should note a recent ruling reprimanding an Alaska federal judge for his "sexualized relationship" with a clerk in which the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council determined that intent was irrelevant.
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July 10, 2024
Drug Test Co. Pays $1M To Settle Medicare Fraud Claims
A Los Angeles drug testing lab will pay at least $1 million to settle claims it doubled-billed Medicare for toxicology tests for people undergoing treatment for opioid use disorder, Boston federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
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July 10, 2024
Buyers Say Teva Had Multipart Scheme To Delay Inhaler Rivals
Employee benefit funds accusing Teva of orchestrating a decadelong scheme to delay generic competition for its QVAR asthma inhalers told a Massachusetts federal court the drugmaker is trying to end the case by addressing merely one aspect of a multipart scheme.
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July 10, 2024
Mass. Justices Say Intent Not Factor In Boston Appeal Bonds
Boston's zoning law does not require that courts make a finding of bad faith before ordering a challenger to post a bond, Massachusetts' highest court concluded on Wednesday in a case involving the appeal of the issuance of a cannabis dispensary permit.
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July 09, 2024
Terrorism Victims Push To Keep Pharma Suit In DC Circ.
Terrorism victims warned the D.C. Circuit against sending to a lower court a lawsuit seeking to link pharmaceutical companies to the attacks that injured them, saying a remand could delay the case and frustrate their efforts to collect evidence.
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July 09, 2024
1st Circ. Revives Debt Harass Claims Against National Grid
The First Circuit on Tuesday revived a proposed class action against National Grid USA Service Company Inc. and two debt collection firms whose multiple calls per day to a Massachusetts customer in 2017 and 2018 allegedly violated the state's consumer protection law.
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July 09, 2024
Baby Bottle Makers Sued Over Claims Products Are 'BPA Free'
Philips North America and baby product maker Mayborn USA sell baby bottles that contain "considerable amounts of harmful microplastics" despite being advertised as free of the potentially harmful plastic chemical BPA, according to a pair of suits filed in Massachusetts and Connecticut federal courts.
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July 09, 2024
Davis Malm, Partner Dropped From Investor Suit
Davis Malm & D'Agostine PC and one of its partners have been dropped from a suit alleging a former client of the firm convinced a group of investors to back a startup, then misused their funds.
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July 09, 2024
Chancery OKs $22M Golden Nugget Deal, Trims Fee To $4M
Former stockholders of Golden Nugget Online Gaming Inc. who challenged the venture's $1.56 billion all-stock sale in May 2022 to DraftKings Inc. got approval Tuesday to settle their Delaware Chancery Court class action for $22 million cash, with $4 million of it going to class attorneys.
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July 08, 2024
Shopify Privacy Ruling Threatens AGs' Work, 9th Circ. Told
Attorneys general from 30 states and the District of Columbia, along with a trio of California city attorneys, are calling on the Ninth Circuit to revive a proposed class action accusing payment processing company Shopify of collecting shoppers' sensitive information without permission, arguing that the dispute threatens to deprive them of their ability to enforce their states' consumer protection laws.
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July 08, 2024
Migrants Want Another Try In Martha's Vineyard Flight Suit
Several migrants who claim they were tricked into boarding flights to Martha's Vineyard have asked a Massachusetts federal judge to let them file an amended suit in an effort to cure the jurisdictional issues that doomed the initial complaint in March.
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July 08, 2024
Kirkland, Fenwick Steer Lilly's $3.2B Morphic Acquisition
Eli Lilly and Co. unveiled Monday a $3.2 billion all-cash deal to acquire biopharmaceutical company Morphic Holding Inc., which is developing oral therapies to treat Crohn's disease and other bowel chronic diseases, in a 10-figure transaction guided by Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Fenwick & West LLP.
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July 08, 2024
DraftKings Hiding Ball On Noncompete Law, 1st Circ. Told
A former DraftKings executive fighting a noncompete so he can work for rival sports-betting upstart Fanatics has told the First Circuit his ex-employer is overlooking the importance of a California law that could unwind the restrictive covenant.
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July 08, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Prince's heirs were left standing alone in a cold world last week after Delaware's Court of Chancery found their attempts to gain control of the late musician's estate too demanding. Delaware's court of equity also waved a wand for Walt Disney and slashed nearly $10 million from a damages award for Sears stockholders. In case you missed anything, here's a recap of all the latest news from Delaware's Chancery Court.
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July 08, 2024
Ex-Prosecutor Takes GC Role For Mass. Inspector General
Eugenia M. "Genie" Carris, a veteran federal public corruption prosecutor, has jumped to the Massachusetts inspector general's office as general counsel, the agency announced Monday.
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July 08, 2024
1st Circ. Nominee Cut Teeth As 'Victim-Centered' Prosecutor
Maine Superior Court Justice and First Circuit nominee Julia Lipez spent most of her legal career prosecuting federal human trafficking cases, an experience former colleagues say demonstrates her sense of fairness and a sharp focus on the well-being of victims.
Expert Analysis
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Sorting Circuit Split On Foreign Arbitration Treaty's Authority
A circuit court split over whether the New York Convention supersedes state law barring arbitration in certain disputes — a frequent issue in insurance matters — has left lower courts to rely on conflicting decisions, but the doctrine of self-executing treaties makes it clear that the convention overrules state law, says Gary Shaw at Pillsbury.
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Series
Whitewater Kayaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Whether it's seeing clients and their issues from a new perspective, or staying nimble in a moment of intense challenge, the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking transcend the rapids of a river and prepare attorneys for the courtroom and beyond, says Matthew Kent at Alston & Bird.
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Cannabis Ruling Lights Path For Bankruptcy Protection
A recent Massachusetts bankruptcy appellate court ruling in Blumsack v. Harrington leaves the door open for those employed in the cannabis industry to seek bankruptcy relief where certain conditions are met, but rescheduling marijuana as a Schedule III drug may complicate matters, say Jane Haviland and Kathryn Droumbakis at Mintz.
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This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener
As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.
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Blocked JetBlue-Spirit Deal Illustrates New Antitrust Approach
The U.S. Department of Justice’s recent successful block of a merger between JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines demonstrates antitrust enforcers’ updated and disparate approach to out-of-market benefits versus out-of-market harms, say Lisa Rumin and Anthony Ferrara at McDermott.
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What Minority Biz Law Ruling Could Mean For Private DEI
A Texas federal court’s recent decision to strike down key provisions of the Minority Business Development Act illustrates the wide-reaching effects of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision across legal contexts, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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What Bankruptcy Deadline Appeal May Mean For Claimants
If the Third Circuit reverses a recent appeal made in In re: Promise Healthcare, litigation claimants within the circuit will not be able to rely on the proof of claim process to preserve the claim — but if the court affirms, the U.S. Supreme Court may need to step in to resolve the circuit split on this issue, say attorneys at DLA Piper.
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Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease
This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.
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Opinion
Aviation Watch: Not All Airline Mergers Hurt The Public
The U.S. Department of Justice's actions to block recent attempted airline mergers have been touted as serving the interests of the consumers — but given the realities of the deregulated air travel market, a tie-up like the one proposed between JetBlue and Spirit might have been a win for the public, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.
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Series
Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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Opinion
Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
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4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
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Series
Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer
Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.
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Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.