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Washington
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May 30, 2024
Enviro Groups Launch Fresh Alaska LNG Fight In 9th Circ.
Environmental groups on Thursday petitioned the Ninth Circuit to overturn federal approvals for the Alaska liquefied natural gas project covering impacts on endangered and threatened species, the latest court challenge lodged against the $43 billion project.
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May 29, 2024
Amazon Shouldn't Escape BIPA Suit, Judge Recommends
A Washington federal magistrate judge on Wednesday recommended that the court should not toss a suit alleging Amazon.com Inc. collected facial scans of teens playing a popular video game without proper disclosures or consent, saying the plaintiff sufficiently alleges that Amazon knowingly obtained the data and disseminated it.
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May 29, 2024
9th Circ. Revives Bulk Of Walmart Worker's Disability Bias Suit
The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday reversed most of a district court's ruling in favor of Walmart on claims by a vision-impaired employee that the retail giant didn't let him return to work after a medical leave of absence, saying the employee presented evidence suggesting Walmart lied about the reasons why he couldn't return.
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May 29, 2024
Microsoft's Post-Merger Layoffs Cited In I-Told-You-So Appeal
A private group of gamers is pointing to Microsoft's recent layoffs of 1,900 Activision and XBox employees as evidence of market harms stemming from Microsoft Corp.'s acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc., as the group seeks to revive a private antitrust suit challenging the merger in the Ninth Circuit.
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May 29, 2024
Wash. Panel Ends Quest Diagnostics' COVID Coverage Quest
Quest Diagnostics' insurers don't owe the medical testing lab COVID-19-related business loss coverage, a Washington appeals court said, ruling the company failed to show that the presence of the virus resulted in physical loss or damage to its property.
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May 29, 2024
9th Circ. Rejects Objections To $23M Monsanto Roundup Deal
The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday affirmed a district court's approval of a $23 million MDL settlement to resolve claims that Monsanto failed to warn buyers of the carcinogens in its Roundup weed killer, finding there was no indication of collusion as argued by Missouri-based objectors.
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May 29, 2024
Wash. Man Charged With Threatening To Kill Judge
A Washington man is charged with intimidating a judge on allegations he threatened to kill Asotin County Superior Court Judge Brooke Burns, as well as her dog, Motley, after she oversaw his guilty plea to charges alleging he made threats to shoot up an elementary school and a county fair parade.
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May 29, 2024
9th Circ. Affirms Dismissal Of Doctor's Military Bias Suit
An Arizona hospital defeated a doctor's discrimination lawsuit for the second time, with the Ninth Circuit upholding an Arizona federal judge's decision to toss the doctor's claims that the hospital showed bias against his military status by not renewing his contract after he deployed.
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May 28, 2024
Amazon Can't Duck FTC's Prime Subscription Suit
Amazon cannot escape the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit alleging the e-commerce giant tricks consumers into enrolling in its Prime service and makes it difficult for members to cancel subscriptions, a Seattle federal judge ruled Tuesday, saying the commission has adequately alleged Amazon's Prime terms were not "clearly and conspicuously disclosed."
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May 28, 2024
Judge Hints Amazon Can't Avoid BIPA Suit For Stored Data
A Washington federal judge pushed back Tuesday against Amazon's claims it cannot be sued for data that merely passed through its servers, noting that Illinois' biometric privacy law doesn't just create liabilities for the original data collector.
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May 28, 2024
Boeing Jury Urged To Reject Electric Startup's $200M IP Ask
Counsel for Boeing Co. told a jury to reject Zunum Aero Inc.'s claim it deserves nearly $200 million for alleged trade secrets misappropriation, saying during closing arguments Tuesday that Zunum wants to shift blame away from its own failures.
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May 28, 2024
Wash. Justices Doubt Atty's Response In Disbarment Case
Washington State justices were skeptical Tuesday of an appeal from an attorney facing disbarment who asserts that he did nothing wrong in response to misconduct allegations including that he embezzled from investors in a failed venture to build a cannabis industrial park.
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May 28, 2024
Agribiz Pushes Ninth Circ. To Reverse Land Swap Decision
A global agribusiness with operations in Idaho has again asked the Ninth Circuit to reverse a lower court's "misguided" holding under the National Environmental Policy Act that favored the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in their challenge to a U.S. Department of the Interior land transfer.
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May 28, 2024
Microsoft, OpenAI Beat Overstuffed Privacy Suit, For Now
A California federal judge threw out, for now, consumers' suit alleging their privacy was violated by Microsoft Corp. and OpenAI LP's products, slamming the complaint as "excessive" and packed with "unnecessary and distracting allegations" to the point it's "nearly impossible" to determine the adequacy of the claims.
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May 28, 2024
27 States Urge Fed. Circ. To Back Idaho 'Patent Troll' Law
Attorneys general from 27 states, along with tech industry lobbying groups, have thrown their support behind Micron Technology Inc.'s argument in its fight at the Federal Circuit that Idaho's law barring "bad faith" allegations of patent infringement is constitutional.
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May 28, 2024
States, Greens Want Judgment Over USPS' New Vehicle Plan
Environmentalists and a coalition of 17 states called on a California federal judge to grant them judgment in litigation alleging the U.S. Postal Service violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it decided to replace its aging delivery fleet with "gas-guzzling vehicles."
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May 28, 2024
Capital One Is The Latest To Face 'Refer A Friend' Text Suit
Capital One Financial Corp. faces a proposed class action in Seattle federal court alleging it violated a Washington state law barring advertising texts in connection with the "refer a friend" texts it prompted existing customers to send to their own personal contacts.
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May 28, 2024
Apple Affiliate Says 'Biased Witnesses' Merit Verdict Reversal
An Apple-affiliated repair company is taking another shot at escaping claims of wage and hour violations in a multistate wage class action, asking a North Carolina federal judge for a directed verdict or new trial based on what the company characterized as insufficient evidence.
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May 28, 2024
Healthcare Tech Co. To Pay $1.5M To End Class Wage Claims
A healthcare software consulting company agreed to a $1.5 million deal resolving claims it violated Washington state wage law by requiring its software training staff to work up to 80 hours and seven days a week, according to a motion to approve the deal filed in federal court.
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May 28, 2024
Kroger, Albertsons Must Give FTC Texts, Written Notes
Claims from a pair of multibillion-dollar grocery giants that a discovery request will pose financial burden held no sway over a Federal Trade Commission in-house judge who last week ordered Kroger and Albertsons to produce text messages and handwritten notes from key employees as part of the agency's merger challenge.
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May 28, 2024
Apple Denied Appeal Of Cert. In App Store Monopoly Suit
The Ninth Circuit on Friday rejected Apple's interlocutory appeal of an order certifying a class of millions of App Store users who allege antitrust violations, paving the way for discovery to proceed as the case heads toward a trial currently set for February 2026.
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May 28, 2024
Chancery Speeds Microsoft Query Over $68.7B Activision Deal
Microsoft Corp. is entitled to a quick court declaration on whether its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc. in October was valid, and a pension fund shareholder that challenged the deal has a right to be involved in the process, Delaware's Court of Chancery said Tuesday.
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May 28, 2024
9th Circ. Won't Touch IRS Bid For Tax Liability On Bookie
A bookie who pled guilty to helping run an illegal sports gambling ring out of Peru can't escape his ensuing $100,000 tax liability under a Ninth Circuit ruling that declined to expunge his conviction after he argued the taxes are disproportionately punishing.
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May 28, 2024
High Court Won't Hear Pilot HOA's Rail Easement Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a request from an Alaska homeowners association made up of pilots to review a Ninth Circuit decision giving a railroad control of an easement cutting into an airstrip for an airplane-centric subdivision.
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May 28, 2024
Justices Will Review EPA's 'Vague' SF Water Pollution Regs
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to review the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's decision to set "vague" and "generic" pollution prohibitions for San Francisco, as opposed to numerical standards.
Expert Analysis
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FDA's Recent Litigation Records Are Strong, But Imperfect
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has notched its share of litigation wins in recent years thanks to a number of key advantages, but the FDA has been less successful in certain highly visible arenas, Jonathan Berman and Colleen Heisey at Jones Day.
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Starbucks Raise Ruling Highlights Labor Law Catch-22
A National Labor Relations Board judge recently ruled that Starbucks violated federal labor law when it gave raises to nonunion employees only, demonstrating that conflicts present in workforces with both union and nonunion employees can put employers in no-win situations if they don't consider how their actions will be interpreted, say attorneys at Duane Morris.
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How Clients May Use AI To Monitor Attorneys
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Artificial intelligence tools will increasingly enable clients to monitor and evaluate their counsel’s activities, so attorneys must clearly define the terms of engagement and likewise take advantage of the efficiencies offered by AI, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.
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Series
The Pop Culture Docket: Judge D'Emic On Moby Grape
The 1968 Moby Grape song "Murder in My Heart for the Judge" tells the tale of a fictional defendant treated with scorn by the judge, illustrating how much the legal system has evolved in the past 50 years, largely due to problem-solving courts and the principles of procedural justice, says Kings County Supreme Court Administrative Judge Matthew D'Emic.
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Series
Performing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer
The discipline of performing live music has directly and positively influenced my effectiveness as a litigator — serving as a reminder that practice, intuition and team building are all important elements of a successful law practice, says Jeff Wakolbinger at Bryan Cave.
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Aviation Watch: Pilots Face Mental Health Catch-22
The recent case of an Alaska Airlines pilot who attempted to crash an airliner in flight highlights the dilemma facing federally licensed cockpit personnel who need psychological help, yet could lose their jobs if they seek it — but a long-running program may provide a solution, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.
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Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct
The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.
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Opinion
Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave
To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.
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9th Circ. Ruling May Expand Short-Swing Profit Exemption
The Ninth Circuit’s recent dismissal of a shareholder derivative suit in Roth v. Foris Ventures LLC provides boards of directors with greater latitude to approve certain securities transactions under the the Securities Exchange Act’s Section 16(b) short-swing profits rule, say John Stigi and John Mysliwiec at Sheppard Mullin.
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Series
Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.
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What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance
Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories
The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.
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Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.
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An Overview Of Circuit Courts' Interlocutory Motion Standards
The Federal Arbitration Act allows litigants to file an immediate appeal from an order declining to enforce an arbitration agreement, but the circuit courts differ on the specific requirements for the underlying order as well as which motion must be filed, as demonstrated in several 2023 decisions, says Kristen Mueller at Mueller Law.
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The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms
In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.