Aerospace & Defense

  • March 11, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    Delaware's Court of Chancery became a hot topic in New Orleans last week as litigators and judges at an annual convention acknowledged the First State's corporate law preeminence is under scrutiny. Back home, the court moved ahead on disputes involving Meta Platforms, Abercrombie & Fitch and Donald Trump.

  • March 08, 2024

    Biden Administration Must Use Border Wall Funds, For Now

    A Texas federal judge on Friday ordered the Biden administration to use funds Congress specifically designated for the Southwest border wall to continue construction, issuing a preliminary injunction and finding that Texas and Missouri could face substantial harm to their state budgets without the injunction.

  • March 08, 2024

    Feds Slam Trump's Immunity Bid In Classified Docs Case

    The Special Counsel's Office has taken aim at former President Donald Trump's various attempts to dodge criminal allegations in Florida that he mishandled classified documents, in particular criticizing his "frivolous" presidential immunity argument as nothing more than a delay tactic.

  • March 08, 2024

    Trump 'An Existential Threat' To Rule Of Law, Attys Warn

    Former President Donald Trump represents an "existential threat" to democracy and the rule of law, legal experts said Friday at a conference on white collar crime in San Francisco.

  • March 08, 2024

    Judge Sweeps Aside 9 Protests To CBP's $900M Support Deals

    The federal claims court cleared U.S. Customs and Border Protection's decision to deny nine bidders spots on $900 million support deals, finding reasonable the agency's assessment that their past work wasn't similar enough to the requested artificial intelligence development services.

  • March 08, 2024

    DOJ Eyes FCPA For New Whistleblower Rewards Program

    U.S. Department of Justice officials on Friday signaled a renewed emphasis on fighting foreign corruption, saying its planned whistleblower rewards program should prove useful in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases against private companies, and warned companies against running afoul of new rules barring the sale of personal data to foreign adversaries of the U.S.

  • March 08, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Argues Judge Newman's Ethics Law Challenge Fails

    A D.C. federal judge must reject suspended U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman's challenge to the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, as her constitutional arguments are too limited, the Federal Circuit Judicial Council said Friday.

  • March 08, 2024

    Aircraft Parts Co. AeroCision Begins Ch. 11 Liquidation

    AeroCision, a troubled supplier of airplane components, has informed Delaware's bankruptcy court its Chapter 11 liquidation plan has gone into effect, distributing remaining assets of the business after it went on the auction block late last year.

  • March 08, 2024

    CFIUS Rules May Need Review Amid 'Exponential' Growth

    Foreign direct investment-related enforcement and penalty processes in the U.S. could use a review amid "exponential" growth in FDI regimes across the globe, greater awareness of national security risks, and increased U.S. outreach to foreign partners, a U.S. Treasury Department official said Friday. 

  • March 08, 2024

    Big Shift Unlikely In Cybersecurity Regs, Despite Concerns

    The U.S. Department of Defense is unlikely to significantly alter its cybersecurity proposals for contractors, despite calls from its private industry base for more flexibility and clarity.

  • March 07, 2024

    Judges Say Facing Threats And Vitriol Now Part Of The Job

    Federal judges spoke Thursday about the challenges of the profession in the 21st century, describing how they've either received threats or know of warnings against colleagues, with one jurist saying she received 11 death threats during her first three months on the bench.

  • March 07, 2024

    11th Circ. Urged To Restore Qui Tam Over Small Biz Contracts

    The U.S. Department of Justice argued Thursday in support of reinstating a qui tam lawsuit against two companies that gained control of a small Florida construction business, telling the Eleventh Circuit that they were not qualified for a government program that awards contracts to firms owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

  • March 07, 2024

    Shipbuilder Says Navy Ended Deal in Bad Faith, Seeks $150M

    A Louisiana shipbuilder accused the U.S. Navy of doing everything it could to thwart the company's success on a craft-building deal, telling a Court of Federal Claims judge it deserved at least $150 million for the Navy's alleged bad faith.

  • March 07, 2024

    US Soldier Charged With Selling Military Secrets To China

    A U.S. Army intelligence analyst with the rank of sergeant sold an array of sensitive and classified military secrets to China in exchange for $42,000, according to a Tennessee grand jury indictment unsealed on Thursday. 

  • March 07, 2024

    Claims Court Backs VA Redo Of Eyewear Deal Over Errors

    A Court of Federal Claims judge tossed an eyewear manufacturer's bid to be reinstated to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs optometry deal, saying the VA was allowed to cancel the award in light of calculation errors the agency made.

  • March 07, 2024

    DOI, Tribe Want More Time To Solve Truckee River Water Row

    A Nevada federal judge has agreed to keep a Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe suit over Truckee River water diversions on hold for six more months as the tribe and the U.S. Department of the Interior work to resolve their dispute.

  • March 07, 2024

    Investor Sues In Del. Over Space Co.'s Lockheed Bid Block

    The board members of satellite maker Terran Orbital Corp. are protecting their power and infringing on shareholders' rights by adopting "an unreasonable and overbroad poison pill" in response to Lockheed Martin Corp.'s recent $606 million takeover attempt, a stockholder alleges in a new Delaware Chancery Court complaint.

  • March 06, 2024

    SpaceX Hit With Employee's Sex Bias, Retaliation Claims

    A SpaceX employee claims the astronautics company paid her less than male colleagues, slow-walked a promised promotion and retaliated against her when she reported her manager's sexual abuse, according to a lawsuit filed in California state court.

  • March 06, 2024

    Garland On AI Crime, And A Taylor Swift Tune For DOJ

    U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday told a group of lawyers gathered in San Francisco that the U.S. Department of Justice is ramping up its hiring of computer scientists to fight artificial intelligence-driven crime and also revealed which Taylor Swift song he thought should be the department's anthem.

  • March 06, 2024

    Ex-Google Software Engineer Stole AI Secrets, Feds Say

    A former Google software engineer was arrested Wednesday on accusations he illegally downloaded alleged trade secrets involving machine learning and taking them to startups he was involved with in China, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • March 06, 2024

    Treasury Sanctions Ship Owners It Says Enable Houthi Attacks

    The Department of Treasury says it's taking new action against Iranian commodity shipments, targeting ship owners in Hong Kong and the Marshall Islands with sanctions for moving Iranian goods that officials say help to fund Houthi attacks on container ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

  • March 06, 2024

    DOJ Says Another Korean Co., Officer Behind Bid-Rig Scheme

    A second South Korean company and its CEO allegedly defrauded the Pentagon in a scheme to rig bids and fix prices for subcontract work on U.S. military installations in South Korea, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

  • March 06, 2024

    Experts Urge 'Transformational' Change To DOD Budgeting

    An expert panel urged the U.S. Department of Defense on Wednesday to make a "transformational change" to its budgeting and resource allocation processes, saying the DOD's current processes limit effective and timely responses to changing needs and technologies.

  • March 06, 2024

    Judge Rejects Equity Challenge To Virgin Orbit Ch. 11

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Wednesday told Virgin Orbit LLC shareholders that she wouldn't retract confirmation of the satellite launch company's Chapter 11 liquidation plan, because Virgin Orbit appropriately sought approval even if the scheme left equity holders without hope of recoveries.

  • March 06, 2024

    Sidley Adds 11-Year Wiley Rein Leaders To DC Group

    Sidley Austin LLP has hired two members of Wiley Rein LLP's leadership, one of whom joins to help co-lead its global arbitration, trade and advocacy practice, the firm announced Wednesday.

Expert Analysis

  • 9th Circ. Ruling Shows Int'l Arbitration Jurisdictional Snags

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    While the Ninth Circuit sidestepped the thorny and undecided constitutional question of whether a foreign state is a person for the purposes of a due process analysis, its Devas v. Antrix opinion provides important guidance to parties seeking to enforce an arbitration award against a foreign sovereign in the U.S., say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Opinion

    Congress Needs Better Health Care Fraud Data From DOD

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    The U.S. Department of Defense does not collect enough data to prevent health care and service contractor fraud and waste, so Congress should enact benchmarks that the DOD must meet when gathering and reporting data, enabling lawmakers to make better-informed decisions about defense appropriations, says Jessica Lehman at Verizon.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Elrod On 'Jury Duty'

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    Though the mockumentary series “Jury Duty” features purposely outrageous characters, it offers a solemn lesson about the simple but brilliant design of the right to trial by jury, with an unwitting protagonist who even John Adams may have welcomed as an impartial foreperson, says Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Elrod.

  • Contract Disputes Recap: Nonmonetary Claims, Timeliness

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    Bret Marfut and Stephanie Magnell at Seyfarth look at recent decisions from the U.S. Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims that shed light on the jurisdictional contours of the Contract Disputes Act and provide useful guidance on timely filings and jurisdiction over nonmonetary claims.

  • Aviation Watch: Osprey Aircraft May Face Tort Claims

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    A recent U.S. Marine Corps Command report found that the cause of a 2022 Osprey crash was a problem known to the manufacturer and the military for over 10 years — and the aircraft may now be on its way to a day of reckoning in the tort liability arena, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.

  • 4 Business-Building Strategies For Introvert Attorneys

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Introverted lawyers can build client bases to rival their extroverted peers’ by adapting time-tested strategies for business development that can work for any personality — such as claiming a niche, networking for maximum impact, drawing on existing contacts and more, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

  • Opinion

    FinCEN Regs Must Recognize Int'l Whistleblower Realities

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    In drafting regulations to implement an anti-money laundering whistleblower program, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network must follow the mandates laid out in the White House’s global anti-corruption strategy to protect and compensate whistleblowers in extreme danger worldwide, says Stephen Kohn at Kohn Kohn.

  • Opinion

    3 Ways Justices' Disclosure Defenses Miss The Ethical Point

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    The rule-bound interpretation of financial disclosures preferred by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — demonstrated in their respective statements defending their failure to disclose gifts from billionaires — show that they do not understand the ethical aspects of the public's concern, says Jim Moliterno at the Washington and Lee University School of Law.

  • FAA Drone Guidance Clears Air On Scope Of Authority

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    The Federal Aviation Administration's new guidance outlines robust federal preemption in aviation safety and airspace efficiency, including drones, while delineating roles for state and local governments, and this fact sheet will likely be a helpful resource for state and local lawmakers, industry, courts and others, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • How US Investment Regulation May Shift Under Biden Order

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    Attorneys at Ropes & Gray explore potential prohibitions, notification requirements and covered transactions under President Joe Biden's recent executive order, which marks an unprecedented expansion of U.S. regulation of investment activity.

  • 5 Compliance Mistakes To Avoid When Entering A New Market

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    As many companies move their value chains out of China or expand to new markets for other reasons, they should beware several common compliance pitfalls — such as insufficient due diligence and one-size-fits-all training — to avoid reputational, financial and legal damage, says Alexandra Wrage at TRACE International.

  • Where Biden's Outbound Investment Effort May Be Headed

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    The president’s recent executive order on outbound investment describes prohibited transactions and a notification process, but the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s actions suggest upcoming regulations will leave investors with the risky determination of whether investments are prohibited or require notification, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Caregiver Flexibility Is Crucial For Atty Engagement, Retention

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    As the battle for top talent continues post-pandemic, many firms are attempting to attract employees with progressive hybrid working environments — and supporting caregivers before, during and after an extended leave is a critically important way to retain top talent, says Manar Morales at The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.

  • Strike Force Actions Underscore Foreign Risks For Tech Cos.

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    As recent prosecutions demonstrate, a multiagency strike force is ramping up enforcement of trade secret theft and export control violations, and companies will need to be proactive in protecting their sensitive technologies from foreign adversaries, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

  • Questions To Ask Before Drafting Proposals With AI

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    Before federal contractors adopt AI tools to simplify their proposal writing, they should ask questions about how a given AI tool’s model was developed, and consider the procedures they will need to avoid cookie-cutter submissions and ensure accuracy, privacy and security, among other practical and legal considerations, say attorneys at Wiley.

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