The U.S. Department of Labor can't avoid a Black former litigator's lawsuit alleging he was subjected to racist language from white employees, given a low bonus and fired after unwarranted internal investigations, with a D.C. federal judge ruling Monday his race-based claims are detailed enough to stay in court.
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DOL Must Face Black Ex-Atty's Racial Bias, Retaliation Suit

By Patrick Hoff

The U.S. Department of Labor can't avoid a Black former litigator's lawsuit alleging he was subjected to racist language from white employees, given a low bonus and fired after unwarranted internal investigations, with a D.C. federal judge ruling Monday his race-based claims are detailed enough to stay in court.

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X Escapes Former Twitter Security Head's Firing Suit

By George Woolston

A New Jersey federal judge has sent a former Twitter security chief's suit claiming he was fired for protesting massive budget cuts to arbitration, ruling that the claims fail under the provisions of the company's arbitration agreement.

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Yellow Fights Teamsters' Call For 10th Circ. To Nix Claims

By Beverly Banks

The Tenth Circuit should not pay mind to arguments from the Teamsters about upholding a lower court's dismissal of Yellow Corp.'s $137 million suit against the union, the company is arguing, doubling down on its claims that it was not required to exhaust the grievance process under a contract.

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FedEx Wants To Sanction 'Cavalier' Attys Behind OT Litigation

By Brian Dowling

FedEx on Monday asked a Massachusetts federal judge to dismiss one of a handful of overtime lawsuits brought by drivers working for intermediate employers as a sanction to the lawyers for rushing to file the "ocean of claims" to harass it and drain its pockets through endless litigation.

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Consulting Firm Says Insurer On Hook For $7.6M Deal

By Jennifer Mandato

A consulting firm told an Illinois federal court that its insurer must reimburse it for a $7.6 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice relating to a lawsuit accusing the firm of allowing personal information to be compromised, maintaining that the litigation fell within its policy's scope.

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ByteDance Says Ex-Worker Can't Avoid Counterclaims

By Adam Lidgett

TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, says a former engineer shouldn't be able to dodge its counterclaims in a dispute stemming from his termination, arguing that just because he wants to drop his allegations doesn't mean those counterclaims are moot.

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Apple Accused Of Gagging Workers, Spying On Their IPhones

By Lauren Berg

A manager at Apple claims the tech giant is stomping on employees' rights by forbidding discussion of coworkers' compensation and encouraging the use of personal iPhones at work so that it can snoop on workers, according to a lawsuit lodged Monday in California state court.

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DISCRIMINATION

Temple U., Cancer Center Say Prof's Bias Suit Short On Facts

By Patrick Hoff

Temple University and its cancer research center said a Pennsylvania federal court should toss most of a professor's lawsuit claiming she was denied opportunities after rejecting the advances of the center's eventual director, arguing her allegations were based on subjective beliefs rather than actual harassment.

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Co-Worker's Affair Isn't Harassment, Research Co. Tells Court

By Grace Elletson

A clinical research company urged a Georgia federal judge to toss a former employee's suit claiming the business failed to take action when a co-worker made sexual comments about her father and began an affair with him, arguing the conduct isn't protected by federal civil rights law.

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Ohio Patrol Trims But Can't Ax Ex-Cop's $2.7M Bias Verdict

By Grace Elletson

An Ohio federal judge on Monday trimmed a $2.7 million verdict handed to a gay former cop who said she was forced to resign out of animosity for her sexual orientation, finding that while some of her damages needed to be capped, there wasn't any need for a new trial.

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Ex-Worker Accuses Ga. Trucking Co. Of Disability Bias

By Kelcey Caulder

A former Hub Group Trucking Inc. employee has sued the company in Georgia federal court, alleging managers and co-workers discriminated against her after she suffered an accident requiring her to work with a light duty accommodation.

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Ex-Parexel Worker Says Vax Rule Lacked 'Informed Consent'

By Julie Manganis

A former employee of clinical research firm Parexel International says the company's COVID-19 vaccine requirement was a breach of contract because she and other workers did not have the option of giving informed consent for what she calls an "experimental medical treatment," according to a lawsuit filed in Massachusetts state court.

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WAGE & HOUR

Brief

EBay Didn't Pay Manual Workers Weekly, Suit Says

By Elliot Weld

Online retail giant eBay Inc. failed to pay manual workers at a Queens, New York, warehouse on a weekly basis as required under state and federal labor law, according to a suit filed in federal court.

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Va. Utility Co. Settles Worker's COVID Leave Suit

By Emmy Freedman

A Virginia utility company reached a deal to resolve a former worker's lawsuit alleging he was fired after asking to use federal medical leave due to complications from COVID-19, according to a filing in federal court.

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BENEFITS

Mich. Justices To Mull Immigrant Org.'s Workers' Comp Fight

By Carolyn Muyskens

The Michigan Supreme Court said Monday it would review whether a one-year filing deadline bars an immigrant legal aid organization from forcing the state to stop denying workers' compensation benefits based on immigration status.

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Worker's Case Threatens 'Sea Change,' Conn. Justices Hear

By Brian Steele

If the Connecticut Supreme Court sides with a workers' compensation claimant who is challenging a benefits determination, it would "create a sea change" that makes claims "drastically more expensive," the state's mental health agency told the justices Monday.

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TRADE SECRETS

Pot Co. Says Ex-Director Shared Secrets With Ex-Partner

By Mike Curley

Cannabis cultivator Curaleaf Inc. and a subsidiary are suing a former director of operations, accusing him of sharing confidential information with a former business partner, among other alleged contract breaches.

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WORKER SAFETY

Warehouse Didn't Know Slabs Would Kill Workers, Panel Says

By Danielle Ferguson

The estates of employees who died while moving stone slabs at a Michigan warehouse didn't prove the workers' employer deliberately put them in harm's way or knew the way the materials were stored could cause their deaths, a state appellate panel has determined, upholding the dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the estates.

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PEOPLE

BakerHostetler Adds Litigation Duo From Dallas Boutique

By Emily Johnson

Two former name partners at litigation boutique Carter Arnett Bennett & Perez PLLC have joined BakerHostetler in Dallas, strengthening its labor and employment and litigation practices with a combined three decades of experience, the firm announced Monday.

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Weil Adds Banking And Finance, Exec Comp. Pros In NY

By Rose Krebs

Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP announced Monday that it has added two attorneys to its New York office, one to bolster its banking and finance practice and the other to strengthen its executive compensation and benefits group.

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EXPERT ANALYSIS

Args In 2 High Court Cases May Foretell Clarity For Employers

Mary Anna Brand at Maynard Nexsen examines possible employment implications of two cases argued before the Supreme Court this fall, including a higher bar for justifying employees as overtime exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and earlier grants of prevailing party status for employee-plaintiffs seeking attorney fees.

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Disentangling Various Forms Of Workplace Discrimination

Pay inequity can be missed where it exists and misidentified due to incorrect statistics, leaving individuals to face multiple facets of discrimination connected by a common root cause, meaning correct identification and measurement is crucial, says Daniel Levy at Advanced Analytical.

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7 Ways To Prepare For An I-9 Audit Or Immigration Raid

Because immigration enforcement is likely to surge under the upcoming Trump administration, employers should take steps to ensure their staff is trained in employment eligibility verification requirements and what to do in the event of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement I-9 audit or workplace raid, say attorneys at Littler.

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What Lawyers Can Learn From High School AI Suit

A pending Massachusetts lawsuit regarding artificial intelligence use in an academic setting underscores the need for attorneys to educate themselves on AI technology and tools that affect their clients so they can advise on establishing clear expectations and limits around the permissible use of AI, say attorneys at Hinckley Allen.

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California Supreme Court's Year In Review

Attorneys at Horvitz & Levy highlight notable decisions on major questions from the California Supreme Court's last term, including voter initiatives, hostile work environment and the economic loss rule.

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LEGAL INDUSTRY

Bonus Spotlight

Mid-Law Firm Seward & Kissel Matching Milbank Bonus Scale

By Tracey Read

Seward & Kissel LLP, a Mid-Law firm with offices in New York and Washington, D.C., has joined the bonus bandwagon for associates by matching the year-end and special cash rewards set by Milbank LLP, according to media reports.

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The Top In-House Hires Of November

By Sue Reisinger

Legal department moves in the last month included high-profile announcements at CSX Corp., Cohen & Steers Inc. and Pershing Square Holdings Ltd., including two general counsel joining boards of directors. Here, Law360 Pulse looks at some of the top in-house appointments from November.

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Jackson Walker 'Extinguished' Privilege Over Judge Romance

By Lynn LaRowe

An Oregon federal judge has said Holland & Knight LLP lawyers must turn over documents regarding their advice to Jackson Walker LLP on how to handle the "debacle" of a former firm partner's intimate relationship with a former bankruptcy judge, finding Jackson Walker has "utterly extinguished" any claim to attorney-client privilege.

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Analysis

Biden's Pardon Is Another Blow To Special Counsel Probes

By Phillip Bantz

President Joe Biden's pardon of his son over the weekend marks the latest example of a special counsel investigation fizzling and raises doubts over the future use of such probes, which can drag on for years and cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

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NC Judge Is 2nd To Reverse Senior Status Plans After Election

By Courtney Bublé

A second federal judge appointed by a Democratic president has reversed his decision to take senior status in the wake of former President Donald Trump's win in the 2024 presidential election.

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Senate Sends Calif. Judge To Federal Bench

By Courtney Bublé

The U.S. Senate voted 48-43 on Monday evening to confirm California Superior Court Judge Anne Hwang to a federal judgeship in the Central District of California.

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Girardi Won't Get New Fraud Trial Despite Memory Claims

By Rae Ann Varona

A California federal judge on Monday denied Tom Girardi's bid for a new trial after a jury found he misappropriated $15 million worth of client settlement funds, standing by a prior assessment that the disbarred attorney was "exaggerating" symptoms of mild cognitive impairment.

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Hagens Berman Sued For Slice Of Atty Fee From Effexor Deal

By Rae Ann Varona

A pharmaceutical reseller's in-house counsel and founder lodged a breach of contract suit against Hagens Berman in Mississippi federal court, accusing the law firm of refusing to pay him his share of a $13 million attorney fees award stemming from an antitrust class settlement with Pfizer Inc. unit Wyeth.

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Ex-BigLaw Atty Who Killed Wife Faces Depo Over Settlement

By Jack Karp

Former Fisher Phillips partner Claud "Tex" McIver, who is serving a prison sentence for killing his wife, is set to be deposed as soon as Tuesday as part of the legal battle in Georgia state court over who is entitled to the settlement of the wrongful death suit brought by his wife's estate.

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Promo that reads Associate Salary and Bonus Tracker with a photo of hundred-dollar bills above Promo that reads Law360 Pulse Leaderboard

LAW FIRMS IN TODAY'S NEWS

Abell Eskew

Arenson Dittmar

Baker & Hostetler

Barrett Law Group

Blake & Uhlig

Carter & Civitello

Carter Arnett

Cheeley Law Group

Cozen O'Connor

Davis Polk

Delahunty & Edelman

Deutsch Atkins

Fish & Richardson

Fisher & Phillips

Fox Rothschild

Freeman Mathis

Fried Frank

Gaslowitz Frankel

Gibson Dunn

Greenberg Traurig

Hagens Berman

Herzfeld Suetholz

Hinckley Allen

Holland & Knight

Horvitz & Levy

Ihrie O'Brien

Jackson Walker LLP

Jones Day

Joseph Greenwald & Laake

Kasowitz Benson

Katten Muchin

Latham & Watkins

Law Offices of John C. Camillus

Lichten & Liss Riordan

Linklaters LLP

Littler Mendelson

Mayer Brown

Maynard Nexsen

McGovern Weems

Milbank LLP

Morgan Lewis

Mowery Youell

Nassiri & Jung

Norton Rose

Ogletree Deakins

Outten & Golden

Pullman & Comley

Quinn Emanuel

Robin Frazer Clark PC

Rusty Hardin & Associates

Schulte Roth

Secrest Wardle

Seward & Kissel

The Kirby G. Smith Law Firm

Thompson Hine

Uebler Law

Weil Gotshal

Wheeler Trigg

White & Case

Willis Spangler

Windels Marx

COMPANIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Advanced Analytical Consulting Group

American Bar Association

American Civil Liberties Union

American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan

Ameriprise Financial Inc.

Apple Inc.

Bank of America Corp.

Boston College

ByteDance Ltd.

CNA Financial Corp.

CSX Corp.

Cohen & Steers, Inc.

Connecticut Business & Industry Association Inc.

Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association

Corporate Legal Operations Consortium

Curtiss-Wright Corp.

FCA US LLC

FarmSTAND

FedEx Corp.

First Advantage Corporation

Fordham University

Fox Chase Cancer Center

General Mills Inc.

Guidehouse Inc.

Hawaiian Holdings Inc.

Hub Group Inc.

Instagram Inc.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

JAMS Inc.

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

LinkedIn Corp.

Michigan Association for Justice

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center

National Employment Law Project

National Immigration Law Center

New York University

PAREXEL International Corp.

PG&E Corp.

Pershing Square Capital Management LP

Pfizer Inc.

Philo Inc.

Photronics, Inc.

Sales Inc.

Snap Inc.

Temple University

TerrAscend Corp.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.

TikTok Inc.

Twitter Inc.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Uber Technologies Inc.

United Farm Workers

Yellow Corp.

eBay Inc.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

California Supreme Court

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Federal Judicial Center

Federal Trade Commission

Food and Drug Administration

Georgia Court of Appeals

Georgia Supreme Court

Homeland Security Investigations

Internal Revenue Service

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Michigan Supreme Court

National Labor Relations Board

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Ohio Attorney General's Office

Social Security Administration

U.S. Attorney's Office

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Labor

U.S. District & Bankruptcy Courts of Southern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts

U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

U.S. Senate

U.S. Supreme Court

United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles