Transportation

February 18, 2025
Plaintiffs Atty Flags 'Worst' Parts Of Georgia's Tort Reform

A ban on proposing damages amounts to juries in order to "anchor" them, and easier access to two-phase trials, are the worst parts of a proposed "sweeping" tort reform package being pushed heavily by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, according to a prominent plaintiffs attorney.
February 14, 2025
Demise Of Humphrey's Executor Could Sow Chaos At FERC

The Trump administration's quest to expand the president's firing authority over members of independent agencies paints a target on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that would create instability within the energy industry if at-will removal of commissioners becomes a reality.
February 14, 2025
Old Permits Irrelevant To Pollution Controls, Texas Justices Say

The Texas Supreme Court said that previous emissions permits have no bearing on the definition of the best available pollution control technology for new projects, weighing in on a Fifth Circuit dispute over a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Port Arthur, Texas.
February 14, 2025
EPA Fires Hundreds Of Employees, Cuts Millions In Contracts

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday kept up the pace of cuts to staffing and spending, firing 388 probationary workers and canceling $60 million in contracts related to diversity, equity and inclusion and environmental justice programs.
February 14, 2025
NTSB Probes Faulty Helicopter Data In DC Collision

The National Transportation Safety Board said that the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in last month's deadly midair collision over the Potomac River may not have heard crucial instructions from air traffic controllers and may have been getting inaccurate readings from the cockpit's altimeters.
February 14, 2025
Ford Hit With $2.5B Punitive Verdict In Truck Roof Deaths Suit

A Georgia federal jury hit Ford Motor Co. with a $2.5 billion punitive damages verdict a day after jurors found the automaker liable for the wrongful death of a couple who died in a rollover wreck of their Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup.
February 14, 2025
Illinois Vs. The Internet: IP Suits Over Online Sales Stir Debate

Brands have unleashed a torrent of lawsuits across the U.S. that group dozens of online sellers into a single complaint for allegedly peddling counterfeit products, with Chicago emerging as the preferred venue for the litigation and inspiring a local federal judge to declare it has become "Illinois vs. The Internet."
February 14, 2025
Mich. Panel Decides Where The Sidewalk Begins In Fall Suit

The city of Detroit must face a premises liability case from a resident who fell on a portion of crumbled curb, a Michigan state appeals court has said, finding the curb should be considered part of the sidewalk and therefore under the city's jurisdiction to maintain.
February 14, 2025
Nonprofit Not Covered For Palestine Protest Suit, Insurer Says

An insurer said it has no duty to defend or indemnify a social justice organization against a proposed class action concerning a Chicago protest in support of Palestine, telling a New York federal court the allegations against the Westchester County foundation don't fall within its policies' scopes of coverage.
February 14, 2025
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

This past week in London has seen Spice Girls star Mel B's ex-husband bring a defamation claim against the publisher of The Sun, a hotel sue a former director convicted of embezzling its funds for breach of fiduciary duty, and comedian Russell Brand face a sexual abuse claim. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.
February 13, 2025
Trump Picks Atty Who Worked At Apple To Head NHTSA

President Donald Trump has tapped Jonathan Morrison, an attorney with an automotive background who most recently worked at Apple Inc., to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a recent U.S. Senate filing.
February 13, 2025
Bus Co. Sues NYC For 'Frivolous' Migrant Busing Suit

Roadrunner Charters told the Southern District of New York that New York City's complaint seeking $708 million from it and 16 other charter bus companies for transporting migrants from Texas to New York was "unprecedented and frivolous," and violated its constitutional rights.
February 13, 2025
Tesla, Objector Appeal $730M Chancery Board Pay Deal

Tesla Inc. and a stockholder objector have appealed a Delaware Court of Chancery approval of the return of more than $730 million in director stock, option and grant awards to the company that would resolve a suit accusing the electric-car maker's board of raking in "outrageous" compensation packages that cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars.
February 13, 2025
Exec Cops To Conspiring To Overbill Gov't In Station Project

A former executive for a masonry contractor involved in the multimillion-dollar restoration of Philadelphia's historic 30th Street Station has admitted to a scheme that involved bribing an Amtrak employee to overcharge the federal government $2 million for the project, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Philadelphia said Thursday.
February 13, 2025
Boeing, DOJ Want More Time To Rework 737 Max Plea Deal

The U.S. Department of Justice and The Boeing Co. told a Texas federal judge on Thursday that they need another month to rework a plea agreement in the American aerospace giant's 737 Max criminal conspiracy case, saying new senior DOJ officials are still being briefed on a potential new deal.
February 13, 2025
NY State Says Nothing New In Seneca Nation's Thruway Suit

The state of New York is asking a federal district court to dismiss a challenge by the Seneca Nation over a portion of thruway that runs through its reservation, arguing that nothing could have possibly changed in the 14-year dispute over the validity of a 1954 easement.
February 13, 2025
Spirit Airlines Ch. 11 Plan Releases Need More Consideration

A New York bankruptcy judge said Thursday the Chapter 11 plan of budget air carrier Spirit Airlines met the conditions for approval, but also told the parties he needed more time to consider the third-party releases proposed in the plan and whether they were consensual.
February 13, 2025
Mass. Auto Telematics Data Law Not Preempted, Judge Says

A Boston federal judge's dismissal of an auto industry group's challenge to a Massachusetts vehicle telematics data law centered on a limited interpretation of the statute's reach and the lack of a clear conflict with federal laws, according to an order unsealed Thursday explaining the decision.
February 13, 2025
Cruise Co.'s Bid To Force Spa Worker Into Arbitration Fails

A Florida federal judge denied Norwegian Cruise Line's bid to force a masseuse's negligence and unseaworthiness lawsuit into Bahamian arbitration, saying the company isn't a signatory to her underlying employment agreement and that it failed to establish an exception to send the case out of court.
February 13, 2025
EPA Boss Says Biden Admin Wrongly Ceded Control Of $20B

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new leader said Thursday that $20 billion Congress appropriated for an EPA grant program had been inappropriately transferred outside the agency and is lacking adequate supervision — a claim disputed by a Biden-era official.
February 13, 2025
Colo. Ends Deal With Medicaid Ride Co. Over Blown Deadline

Colorado on Wednesday terminated a contract with a company that provides transportation for state Medicaid members after the company sued to invalidate its suspension from the program, with the state citing a failure to complete driver background checks and other requirements on time.
February 13, 2025
Miami Judge Won't Move Suit Over I-95 Crash That Killed 4

A Miami judge ruled Thursday that she would not move a lawsuit over a multivehicle pileup that killed four people to Indian River County court, after finding that the trucking company and driver had failed to show that Miami is a substantially inconvenient forum for them.
February 13, 2025
Willkie-Led Defense Firm Karman Prices Upsized $506M IPO

Shares of Karman Holdings Inc. soared in debut trading Thursday after the defense and space systems firm priced an upsized $506 million above its marketed range, raising money for Karman and its private equity shareholders, represented by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and underwriters' counsel Latham & Watkins LLP.
February 13, 2025
Nissan-Honda Merger Talks End After Honda Pivots On Terms

Nissan and Honda said Thursday they are terminating merger discussions that could have created a global car-making powerhouse, with Nissan disclosing that the talks were ceased after Honda proposed an alternative structure that would have made Honda the parent.
February 13, 2025
Amtrak Worker Admits Role In $11M Healthcare Fraud

An Amtrak employee has pled guilty in Newark federal court in New Jersey to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud as part of a scheme that cost Amtrak $11 million, acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Expert Analysis

Key Trends In PFAS Regulation And Litigation For 2025

The critical policy milestones for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances expected in 2025 will not only shape the trajectory of PFAS regulation, but also set key precedents for environmental accountability, potentially reshaping the corporate approach to these "forever chemicals" for decades to come, say attorneys at MG+M.
UPS Penalty Demonstrates Goodwill Impairment Red Flags

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent $45 million penalty against UPS for withholding reports of goodwill impairment should warn investors to watch for the telltale signs of companies inflating their worth by delaying tests that would reveal similar declines in the value of intangible assets, say attorneys at Labaton Keller.
Series

Coaching Little League Makes Me A Better Lawyer

While coaching poorly played Little League Baseball early in the morning doesn't sound like a good time, I love it — and the experience has taught me valuable lessons about imperfection, compassion and acceptance that have helped me grow as a person and as a lawyer, says Alex Barnett at DiCello Levitt.
7 Employment Contracts Issues Facing DOL Scrutiny

A growing trend of U.S. Department of Labor enforcement against employment practices that limit workers' rights and avoid legal responsibility shines a light on seven unique contractual provisions that violate federal labor laws, and face agressive litigation from the labor solicitor, says Thomas Starks at Freeman Mathis.
5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2025

Lawyers and their clients must be prepared to navigate an evolving litigation funding market in 2025, made more complicated by a new administration and the increasing overall cost of litigation, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.
High Court Unlikely To Expand FSIA In Holocaust Asset Fight

Not surprisingly for a court where the majority are strict textualists, the U.S. Supreme Court justices appear poised to rule in favor of Hungary in Republic of Hungary v. Simon, reaffirming the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act as a narrow exception to jurisdiction, say attorneys at Lewis Baach.
The Fed. Circ. In 2024: 5 Major Rulings To Know

In 2024, the Federal Circuit provided a number of important clarifications to distinct areas of patent law – including design patent obviousness, expert testimony admissions and patent term adjustments – all of which are poised to have an influence going forward, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.
Rethinking Litigation Risk And What It Really Means To Win

Attorneys have a tendency to overestimate litigation risk before summary judgment and underestimate risk after it, but an eight-stage litigation framework can clarify risk at different points and help litigators reassess what true success looks like in any particular case, says Joshua Libling at Arcadia Finance.
How DOGE's Bite Can Live Up To Its Bark

All signs suggest that the Department of Government Efficiency will be an important part of the new Trump administration, with ample tools at its disposal to effectuate change, particularly with an attentive Republican-controlled Congress, say attorneys at K&L Gates.
Proactively Managing Tariff Impacts On Megaprojects

President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs may compound the complexity, duration and risks associated with financing and building large-scale infrastructure projects — so owners and contractors should plan to take possible tariff-related cost and schedule overruns into account when drafting contracts, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.
New York Climate Superfund Law May Face Preemption Fight

New York state's new climate superfund law highlights a growing trend of states supplementing their climate litigation efforts with legislative initiatives — but it will likely encounter the same federal preemption questions raised about state and local lawsuits seeking redress for climate harms, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.
Series

Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.
Looking Back At 2024's Noteworthy State AG Litigation

State attorneys general across the U.S. took bold steps in 2024 to address unlawful activities by corporations in several areas, including privacy and data security, financial transparency, children's internet safety, and other overall consumer protection claims, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
Opinion

A Federal Insurance Mandate For Private Aviation Is Overdue

A recent private plane crash in California that killed two people and injured 19 others spotlights the dangers of such occurrences — and serves as a reminder that because there is no federal requirement for general aviation pilots to carry insurance, the victims of these accidents are often unable to obtain fair compensation, says Timothy Loranger at Wisner Baum.
Updated FWS Regs Will Streamline Right-Of-Way Permitting

Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's final rule covering rights-of-way across lands administered by the service will bring increased up-front fees and stricter permit terms and conditions, it also provides a clearer application process and should reduce permitting delays and total costs, say attorneys at Holland & Hart.