Commercial Contracts

  • March 28, 2024

    NBCUniversal, DeLorean Settle 'Back To The Future' TM Suit

    NBCUniversal Media LLC has settled a trademark infringement suit over royalty payments for its use of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car on "Back to the Future" merchandise, according to a notice filed Tuesday in California federal court.

  • March 28, 2024

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen investors target fraudsters who ran a fake film tax scheme, Barclays Bank sue privately owned Russian bank PJSC Sovcombank, easyGroup bring a trademark infringement claim against online casino TGI Entertainment for its "easybet" word sign, and a bioethanol fuel company hit high-profile individuals connected to the collapsed Elysian Fuels scheme. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • March 27, 2024

    No New Trial For Hedge Fund Boss In Forex Rigging Case

    A New York federal judge on Friday refused to acquit or call for a new trial for a U.K.-based hedge fund chief convicted of illegally manipulating a currency exchange rate, rejecting his argument that his alleged conduct lacked sufficient ties to the United States.

  • March 27, 2024

    AI Software Co. Hid Oil Biz Partnership's Collapse, Suit Says

    Executives and directors of artificial intelligence company C3.ai Inc. have been hit with a shareholder derivative suit in California federal court claiming they failed to disclose that the company's partnership with oil company Baker Hughes Co. was falling apart and that its sales team was experiencing high turnover.

  • March 27, 2024

    Energy Co. Origis Exits Investor Suit Over Devalued Shares

    Renewable energy company Origis USA Inc. has escaped a suit by former shareholders after a New York federal judge concluded that the plaintiffs failed to show that the company was privy to an alleged scheme by its now-former CEO to induce them to sell their stakes for considerably less than the $1.4 billion they were later sold for.

  • March 27, 2024

    Texas Appeals Court Nixes Injunction In Bitcoin Mining Dispute

    A Texas state appeals court chucked a temporary injunction Wednesday that would have forced a property owner to keep providing electricity and access to a bitcoin mining company, ruling Thursday that the injunction was lacking in specifics and insufficient under Texas law.

  • March 27, 2024

    Vrbo Host Is Breaking Zoning Regs, Conn. High Court Told

    Some justices of the Connecticut Supreme Court signaled on Wednesday that a lower court may have failed to provide a workable definition of the word "residence" when deciding that a Branford-based zoning board's regulations allowed short-term rentals through services like Vrbo and Airbnb.

  • March 27, 2024

    9th Circ. Urged To Rethink Arbitration Of Cathay Pacific Feud

    A couple left stranded in the Philippines during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic are urging the Ninth Circuit to reconsider its decision ordering them to arbitrate their breach of contract dispute with Cathay Pacific Airways under their pact with a third-party booking site.

  • March 27, 2024

    Citi Can't Arbitrate Anti-Armenian Bias Claims, Court Told

    A California woman has urged a federal court to reject Citibank NA's motion to arbitrate her proposed class action accusing the bank of discriminating against consumers with Armenian surnames, saying it fails because it ignores a ruling in a separate case against Citibank that voided arbitration agreements that don't allow for public injunctive relief.

  • March 27, 2024

    DoorDash, Grubhub Want Docs From NY Restaurant Lobbyists

    DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats have urged a Manhattan federal judge to let them subpoena the trade group executives who allegedly "worked closely" with officials on challenged New York City caps on fees that food delivery apps can charge restaurants.

  • March 27, 2024

    Malpractice Suit Against Texas Magnate's Atty Revived

    A Texas appeals court has revived claims that a longtime family attorney violated his duty as trustee to their fortune by using his position to enrich himself and undercut the heir to a Lone Star State business empire.

  • March 27, 2024

    NC Commissioner Says Insurance Mogul's Argument 'Mistaken'

    The North Carolina insurance commissioner asked the state's Supreme Court on Tuesday to allow him to give his take on a group of insurers' lawsuit against embattled mogul Greg Lindberg that alleges he pilfered the insurance companies as owner, saying if the court lets him submit an amicus brief he'll explain how Lindberg's main argument is "mistaken."

  • March 27, 2024

    PenFed Must Face W.Va. Consumer 'Pay-To-Pay' Fee Action

    Pentagon Federal Credit Union can't duck claims that it is flouting West Virginia law by charging a $5 fee to anyone seeking to make their auto loan payment over the phone after a federal judge declared that the lender and loan servicer is a debt collector.

  • March 27, 2024

    4th Circ. Overturns Fraud Ruling In Suit Over $4.5M Home Buy

    The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday revived fraud claims brought by the buyers of a $4.5 million Virginia home who accuse the seller of lying about licenses and permits for improvements to lure them into the purchase, with the panel concluding a federal district court flubbed decisions on the claims.

  • March 27, 2024

    Smith Gambrell Sued For Keeping $4.6M In Real Estate Row

    Several business entities involved in the failed purchase of a Brooklyn development property contend that Smith Gambrell & Russell LLP is unlawfully refusing to release more than $4.6 million that the firm is holding in escrow, according to a complaint filed in New York state court.

  • March 27, 2024

    Insurer Ducks Coverage Of Florida Law Firm Dispute

    A personal injury law firm involved in a joint venture dispute has no insurance coverage for the litigation, a Florida federal judge has ruled, finding its policy only provided professional services liability, not anything else.

  • March 27, 2024

    Jury Convicts Ex-LA Official Chan In City Hall Bribery Scandal

    A California federal jury on Wednesday convicted former Los Angeles deputy mayor Raymond Chan of racketeering conspiracy, honest services wire fraud and bribery stemming from his role linking corrupt public officials with wealthy developers in the so-called CD-14 Enterprise.

  • March 27, 2024

    6th Circ. Won't Rethink $25M Crash Award Against Nissan

    Nissan North America Inc. still can't offload a $25 million award against it for a fatal crash onto a brake supplier, as the Sixth Circuit panel that ruled against it has said it will not reconsider its ruling, and the full court has declined to take up the matter. 

  • March 27, 2024

    Meta Settles Fired Worker's COVID Vax Religious Bias Suit

    Facebook parent company Meta has agreed to settle a Washington federal suit brought by a former project manager who claimed he was illegally fired after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 because of his religious beliefs.

  • March 27, 2024

    Cannabis Retailer Sues To Revive Union Decertification Bid

    A western Massachusetts cannabis retailer has asked a state court to reinstate an employee's petition to decertify a budding local of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which was dismissed by a state labor board following a settlement of separate prohibited practices complaints.

  • March 26, 2024

    Columbia Beats Bulk Of Students' Ranking Stats Suit, For Now

    A New York federal judge on Tuesday largely threw out Columbia University students' proposed class action claiming the institution intentionally gave inaccurate data to U.S. News & World Report, but he also gave some of the former student plaintiffs the chance to tweak their complaint.

  • March 26, 2024

    Walmart Wins Bid To Ax Capital One Credit Card Agreement

    Walmart can terminate its agreement with Capital One, a New York federal judge ruled Tuesday, agreeing with Walmart that the plain meaning of the contract allows the retail behemoth to ax the agreement if its credit card partner doesn't meet certain customer service standards.

  • March 26, 2024

    Ex-LA Deputy Mayor's Fate In Bribery Trial Goes To Calif. Jury

    Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan connected corrupt public officials to wealthy developers for years as part of the "CD-14 Enterprise" racketeering conspiracy, a federal prosecutor told California federal jurors in closing arguments Tuesday, saying their shared goal was ensuring they "get money, keep power and avoid the Feds."

  • March 26, 2024

    9th Circ. Says Tanker Can't Be Used To Enforce $10M Debt

    The Ninth Circuit affirmed on Monday that a nearly 800-foot crude oil tanker could not be seized to enforce some $10 million in arbitral awards against a defunct gas shipping company, ruling that the plaintiffs couldn't prove the tanker's owner had helped to hide the shipping company's assets.

  • March 26, 2024

    Oil Cos. Say Partner Kept Them In The Dark On New Facilities

    A group of Colorado oil and gas companies have accused a Texas energy company they partnered with of secretly building and running pipelines and other infrastructure to support North Dakota oil and gas wells, cutting the Colorado companies out of their share. 

Expert Analysis

  • Rising Interest Rates Bring Risk For Construction Contractors

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    With rising interest rates causing many construction projects to be slowed or halted, it's important for general contractors to implement safeguard measures against the risk of significant financial losses caused by owner-driven schedule modifications, says Kevin Riexinger at Gfeller Laurie.

  • The 7 Most Notable FCRA Cases Of 2023 So Far

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    Both consumer reporting agencies and furnishers should take note of Fair Credit Reporting Act decisions by federal district and appellate courts so far this year, especially those concerning dispute processing and the distinction between legal and factual inaccuracies, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation

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    Firms seeking to appeal to sophisticated clients and top-level partners should promote mentorship, ensure that attorneys from diverse backgrounds feel valued, and clarify policies about at-home work, says Patrick Moya at Quaero Group.

  • How Rate Exportation Is Shifting Amid Regulatory Trends

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    All banks and their partners, including fintechs, that wish to lend to borrowers in multiple states and charge uniform interest rates should heed regulatory developments across the country and determine how best to mitigate risks in their efforts to offer credit to consumers on a nationwide basis, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • Strategies For Enforcing Arbitral Awards Against Sovereigns

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    When a large project or investment in a foreign country is unexpectedly expropriated by a new government, companies often prevail in arbitration — but if the sovereign refuses to pay up, collecting the arbitral award may require persistence, creativity, and a mixture of hard and soft approaches, say Gabe Bluestone and Jeff Newton at OmniBridgeway.

  • Negotiating Material Escalation In Construction Contracts

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    As material price escalation clauses have remained popular in construction contracts despite an easing of recent supply chain issues, attorneys representing owners should understand key considerations for negotiating such clauses, and strategies to mitigate potential exploitation by contractors, says H. Arthur Black II at Brooks Pierce.

  • Perspectives

    More States Should Join Effort To Close Legal Services Gap

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    Colorado is the most recent state to allow other types of legal providers, not just attorneys, to offer specific services in certain circumstances — and more states should rethink the century-old assumptions that shape our current regulatory rules, say Natalie Anne Knowlton and Janet Drobinske at the University of Denver.

  • Identifying Trends And Tips In Litigation Financing Disclosure

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    Growing interest and controversy in litigation financing raise several salient concerns, but exploring recent compelled disclosure trends from courts around the country can help practitioners further their clients' interests, say Sean Callagy and Samuel Sokolsky at Arnold & Porter.

  • How New Illinois Child Influencer Law Affects Advertisers

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    Although Illinois' recently amended child labor law puts the burden on vloggers to ensure minors under the age of 16 featured in online videos are properly compensated, lack of compliance could reflect negatively on advertisers by association, say Monique Bhargava and Edward Fultz at Reed Smith.

  • 10 Legal Subject Matters Popping Up In AI Litigation

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    The past five years have brought judicial opinions addressing artificial intelligence in many different legal areas, so a study of existing case law is an important first step for in-house counsel addressing how to advise on the uncertainty driving many of the AI legal disputes, says Mark Davies at Orrick.

  • The NIL Legislation Race: CAPCA And The PASS Act

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    Christina Stylianou and Gregg Clifton at Lewis Brisbois compare the College Athletes Protection and Compensation Act and the Protecting Athletes, Schools, and Sports Act — two of the latest bills introduced to federally regulate publicity rights for the name, image and likeness of college student-athletes.

  • Lenders Should Study New York's Biz Loan Disclosure Rules

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    Loan providers will need to dive deep into the detailed rules governing New York state’s new commercial financing disclosure requirements in order to successfully understand and comply with the recently implemented law, say Barry Hester and Gretchen von Dwingelo at BCLP.

  • 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.

  • Keys To Robust AML Programs At Private Funds

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    Attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler explain why hedge funds, private equity funds and venture capital funds should develop risk-based anti-money laundering compliance programs despite not being subject to the Bank Secrecy Act, and offer tips on setting up a program similar to those implemented by financial institutions.

  • 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.

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