Telecommunications

  • May 10, 2024

    2nd Circ. Says Subway Texts Don't Trigger Autodial Law

    A divided Second Circuit panel upheld the dismissal of a suit claiming that the sandwich chain Subway illegally spammed consumers' phones with automated texts, finding that a Connecticut federal judge was right in ruling that the marketing campaign didn't use an autodialer as defined by federal law.

  • May 10, 2024

    Benefits Groups Urge High Court To Take Up AT&T 401(k) Suit

    Several benefits groups urged the U.S. Supreme Court to hear AT&T's request to overturn a Ninth Circuit ruling that upended its win in retirement plan participants' class action accusing it of mismanaging their 401(k), saying allowing the decision to stand would redefine prohibited transactions.

  • May 10, 2024

    Casa Systems Strikes Deal For Ch. 11 Cash Collateral

    Casa Systems Inc. said Friday it was ready to submit a cash collateral order for the Delaware bankruptcy court's approval, after the debtor, its unsecured creditors committee and an ad hoc group of secured lenders reached a settlement to use that cash under terms acceptable to all three parties.

  • May 10, 2024

    Ex-Pillsbury Communications Leader Joins Dickinson Wright

    Dickinson Wright PLLC announced that a longtime Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP attorney who previously served as chair of the firm's communications practice has joined its Washington, D.C., office as a member.

  • May 09, 2024

    Amazon Shakes Wash. Suit Premised On Calif. Wiretap Claims

    A Washington federal judge has tossed a putative class action accusing Amazon.com Inc. of unlawfully recording chat conversations with consumers, finding that the plaintiff couldn't sustain a suit containing only California claims because the e-commerce giant's usage agreement makes clear that Washington law governs such disputes. 

  • May 09, 2024

    Maryland Enacts Data Privacy, Kids' Digital Safety Laws

    Maryland's governor on Thursday signed data privacy legislation that strictly limits the personal information that companies can collect from consumers and a separate bill to boost online safeguards for children that's modeled after a California bill that's currently embroiled in a constitutional challenge. 

  • May 09, 2024

    Justices Asked To Weigh In On $1.3B India Award Fight

    Shareholders of an Indian satellite communications company are pressing the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify the analysis of a highly technical jurisdictional question as they look to revive their bid to enforce a $1.3 billion arbitral award against a state-owned division of India's space agency.

  • May 09, 2024

    Bally Sports Parent Seeks OK For Renewed DirecTV Deal

    The parent company of sports network operator Bally Sports has asked a Texas bankruptcy judge to approve renewed multiyear contracts with DirecTV, saying the revenue from the deal is a "critical component" of its post-Chapter 11 business plan.

  • May 09, 2024

    Avid Can't Escape Spoofing Suit From 48 States, Judge Says

    A suit from nearly 50 states accusing Avid Telecom of allowing billions of illegal robocalls can proceed to discovery after an Arizona federal judge ruled Wednesday that more fact-finding would be needed to determine whether the company should be considered a common carrier.

  • May 09, 2024

    AT&T Appeals $57M Fine For Selling Customer Location Data

    AT&T is appealing a $57 million fine from the Federal Communications Commission on allegations it failed to protect customer location data, calling the agency order an "abuse of discretion."

  • May 09, 2024

    Mobile Carriers Pay $10M To End 50 AGs' Deceptive Ad Claims

    A coalition of nearly all the country's state attorneys general on Thursday announced $10.25 million in settlements that AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have agreed to pay to end a multistate probe into the wireless carriers' allegedly misleading advertising practices.

  • May 08, 2024

    Apple Judge Skeptical Tech Giant Complying With Epic Order

    The California federal judge overseeing Epic's antitrust suit against Apple reacted skeptically Wednesday to an Apple executive's claim that it has fully complied with her order aimed at allowing app developers to send users to outside payment platforms, saying some of Apple's new rules appear to "stifle competition."

  • May 08, 2024

    Tribes And Groups Urge 9th Circ. To Uphold TikTok Ban Pause

    Free speech and internet advocacy groups, as well a Native American nonprofit and two tribes, are urging the Ninth Circuit to uphold a lower court's decision that blocks Montana from banning social app TikTok, arguing that First Amendment protections include such media platforms.

  • May 08, 2024

    Alaska Comm. To Pay $5.3M To Settle Bidding Violation Claims

    Alaska Communications Systems Holding Inc. on Wednesday agreed to pay nearly $5.3 million and implement compliance measures to resolve a Federal Communications Commission investigation into the telecommunications provider's bidding and rate setting processes for rural medical patients.

  • May 08, 2024

    Arendi Seeks Revival Of Google, Oath IP Rows At Fed. Circ.

    Arendi SARL has urged the Federal Circuit to revive its two data system patent lawsuits alleging infringement by Google and Oath Holdings, arguing in part that the lower court erred when it failed to find the patents eligible.

  • May 08, 2024

    DLA Piper, Cooley Lead Software Firm Silvaco's $114M IPO

    Electronic design automation software company Silvaco Group Inc. on Wednesday priced an $114 million initial public offering at the top of its range, represented by DLA Piper and underwriters' counsel Cooley LLP.

  • May 08, 2024

    Mont. Tribe Says Feds Must Sign Law Enforcement Contract

    The Northern Cheyenne Tribe has accused the U.S. government of failing to provide the tribe with adequate law enforcement services, urging a Montana federal judge to order it to sign a tribal self-determination contract with an annual funding amount of at least $325,829.

  • May 08, 2024

    CBD Retailer Wants To Avoid Privacy Suit

    CBD retailer Charlotte's Web Inc. has urged a California federal judge to toss a woman's suit accusing it of secretly recording conversations of those who visit its website, saying the lead plaintiff didn't even use the allegedly wiretapped chat functions and therefore can't have been harmed.

  • May 08, 2024

    Coordinators Resist Bid To Open 800 MHz Assignments

    The Association of American Railroads is warning the Federal Communications Commission not to accept a proposal from the wireless industry that would remove frequency coordinators' requirement to concur with one another when operating in bands below 800 MHz reserved for business and industrial purposes.

  • May 07, 2024

    Google Founder And CEO Eyed In Texas Deposition Push

    Texas and allied states have pressed a Texas federal judge not to release Google co-founder Sergey Brin and CEO Sundar Pichai from sitting for depositions in a suit alleging the tech company illegally dominated the online advertising market.

  • May 07, 2024

    Apple's $490M Investor Deal Needs 'A Little Bit More Work'

    A California federal judge refused Tuesday to preliminarily approve Apple's $490 million deal to end investors' class action alleging they were misled about iPhone sales in China, saying that while key terms are "satisfactory," the plan needs "a little bit more work," like fixing a "convoluted" notice to investors.

  • May 07, 2024

    Commerce Revokes Huawei Export Licenses

    The U.S. Department of Commerce has revoked active export licenses for Chinese technology giant Huawei, an agency spokesperson confirmed Tuesday, the same day the company's Intel-powered Matebook X Pro 2024 laptop hit the international market.

  • May 07, 2024

    New IPad Buyers And Complaint OK'd In Amazon-Apple Suit

    Two new iPad buyers filed an amended antitrust complaint Tuesday over the Amazon-Apple pact restricting iPhone and iPad sales to approved vendors after a Washington federal judge overrode defense arguments that the named plaintiff swap is too late and replaces an unsuitable class representative.

  • May 07, 2024

    NTIA To Dole Out $420M For Open RAN Development

    The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is putting another $420 million toward the radio equipment needed to develop open radio access networks, which many have pointed to as the solution for pivoting away from Chinese-made technology due to security concerns.

  • May 07, 2024

    Hytera Sanctions Show Strength Of Antisuit Injunctions

    The Seventh Circuit's decision upholding $1 million a day in sanctions against Hytera Communications for violating an order to drop trade secrets and copyright litigation in China highlights the difficulty for lawyers when working alongside Chinese courts, while affirming to patent attorneys how powerful antisuit injunctions can be.

Expert Analysis

  • What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review

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    Courts often subject parties using technology assisted review to greater scrutiny than parties conducting linear, manual document review, so parties using large language models for document review should expect even more attention, along with a corresponding need for quality control and validation, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Tips For Camp Lejeune Attorneys To Mitigate TCPA Suit Risks

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    To retain and assist Camp Lejeune clients, it is vital to understand best practices to avoid violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which has been at the center of recent lawsuits against attorneys seeking to reach veterans and their families affected by the toxic water exposure at the Marine Corps base, says Libby Vish at SimplyConvert.

  • 7th Circ. Ruling May Steer ADA Toward Commuter Issues

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    Employers faced with commuting-accommodation requests from employees who do not require on-site modifications under the Americans with Disabilities Act should consider the Seventh Circuit's recent reopening of a lawsuit alleging unlawful refusal of a night-vision-challenged worker's request to extend a shift change, says Robin Shea at Constangy.

  • Series

    Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My role as a baron in a living history group, and my work as volunteer corporate counsel for a book series fan association, has provided me several opportunities to practice in unexpected areas of law — opening doors to experiences that have nurtured invaluable personal and professional skills, says Matthew Parker at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

  • 7 Ways Telco Operators Can Approach Lead Cable Claims

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    A recent spotlight on the telecommunication industry shows that companies in the field have known for decades that lead-wrapped cables proliferate in their vast networks, which is likely to provoke prolonged and costly legal battles — but seven best practices can efficiently resolve claims and minimize damage, say consultants at AlixPartners.

  • Opinion

    Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues

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    Nonlawyer, private-equity ownership of law firms can benefit shareholders and others vulnerable to governance issues such as disparate interests, and can in turn help resolve agency problems, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.

  • New FCC Broadband Label Rules Should Be Read Carefully

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    A recent order from the Federal Communications Commission clarifies standardized broadband label requirements that are pending final approval — and while compliance should be manageable, the rules impose new risk, particularly with regard to speed and latency disclosures, say Craig Gilley and Laura Stefani at Venable.

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

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    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

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    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.

  • Bracing For Rising Cyber-Related False Claims Act Scrutiny

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    Two recent cyber-related False Claims Act cases illustrate the vulnerability of government contractors, including universities, obliged to self-attest compliance with multiple controls, signal the importance of accurate internal controls and underline the benefits of self-disclosure, say Townsend Bourne and Nikole Snyder at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Australia

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    Clive Cachia and Cathy Ma at K&L Gates detail ESG-reporting policies in Australia and explain how the country is starting to introduce mandatory requirements as ESG performance is increasingly seen as a key investment and corporate differentiator in the fight for global capital.

  • Key Takeaways For Email Marketing From Experian Settlement

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    The Federal Trade Commission's recent enforcement action against Experian is a good reminder for companies to assess email marketing practices for compliance with the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act, including misleading header information, deceptive subject lines and opt-out requirements, says Terese Arenth at Moritt Hock.

  • Deepfakes Remain A Threat Ahead Of 2024 Elections

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    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

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    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.

  • How 2nd Circ. Ruling Fortifies Plaintiff Standing Arguments

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    The Second Circuit's recent Bohnak v. Marsh & McLennan decision marries the concepts in TransUnion and McMorris — touchstones of Article III standing — and will bolster the standing arguments of plaintiffs who seek damages based on intangible injuries or the risk of future harms, say Raphael Janove at Pollock Cohen, Samantha Holbrook at Shub & Johns and Andrew Ferich at Ahdoot & Wolfson.

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