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Commercial Contracts
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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."
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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.
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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.
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March 26, 2024
Insurer Wants $29M Treble Damages Ruling Reversed In NC
An insurer has asked a North Carolina state appeals court to overturn a nearly $29 million ruling penalizing it for failing to defend an employee who crashed a company truck, killing his colleague, citing a policy exclusion for employee injury cases it said the trial court ignored.
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March 26, 2024
Conn. Fertility Doctor Says Law Doesn't Support Distress Claim
A retired fertility doctor facing a lawsuit for allegedly impregnating a patient with his own sperm wants a Connecticut state court judge to dismiss a claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress, arguing that the accusation amounts to medical malpractice and the plaintiff failed to clear a mandatory procedural hurdle.
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March 26, 2024
AI Weapons Detector Faces Investor Suit After Gov't Probes
Evolv Technologies, which makes metal detectors that purportedly use artificial intelligence to detect weapons, is facing a proposed shareholder class action in Massachusetts federal court alleging that false claims about its products' abilities to screen for types of tactical knives and guns led to federal investigations and share declines.
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March 26, 2024
Mitsubishi Seeks $88.9M From Canadian Truck Sellers In US
Mitsubishi's commercial financing arm has asked federal judges in Connecticut, Illinois and New York to issue at least $89 million in judgments against two individuals in Canada, saying the men in question breached promises to stand behind credit lines extended to two companies that sell tractor trailers and lease equipment.
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March 26, 2024
Turf Co. Secures Dismissal Of Funds' Contributions Row
Benefits funds affiliated with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades can't move ahead with their claims that a turf installer didn't pay contributions, a California federal judge ruled, saying the funds didn't include the calculation for payment in their allegations.
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March 26, 2024
Geico Alleges $5.6M Billing Scam Targeted NY Insurance Cos.
The insurance giant Geico has sued a New Jersey man and three medical imaging companies in New York federal court, accusing them of a $5.6 million scheme to submit fraudulent bills for unnecessary or otherwise useless tests on auto accident victims.
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March 26, 2024
Auto Parts Co. Must Continue Shipping To FCA, Judge Rules
A Michigan judge has ordered a Fiat Chrysler supplier to continue delivering parts while a pricing dispute plays out in court, finding that the automaker showed its reputation would suffer if it was forced to idle plants because of a part shortage.
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March 26, 2024
Sony Ducks $500M PlayStation Patent Suit In Del.
A Delaware federal court has sided with Sony in a $500 million patent infringement suit brought by Genuine Enabling Technology LLC over PlayStation consoles, marking a close to the case.
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March 26, 2024
Girardi Fraud Trial Moved To Aug. 6
A California federal judge has agreed to postpone disgraced California plaintiffs attorney Tom Girardi's trial to Aug. 6, setting the proceedings to begin 16 months later than originally required at the outset of the case.
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March 26, 2024
Ill. Judge Needs More Info To OK $57M Chicken Antitrust Fee
An Illinois federal judge overseeing a sprawling antitrust litigation against broiler chicken producers said he couldn't rule on class counsel's renewed bid for a $57 million attorney fee award thrown out by the Seventh Circuit last year without more information on one of the firm's graduated fee arrangements in a similar 2015 antitrust case, which wasn't disclosed in the first go-around.
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March 26, 2024
GM Supplier Deal Missing 'Crucial' Info, Stymying Dismissal Bid
A Michigan federal judge on Monday said it was too soon to consider tossing a South Korean producer's suit alleging a supplier failed to pay for electric-vehicle engineering services to make parts for General Motors, stating too much information is missing about the companies' agreement.
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March 26, 2024
REIT Exec Tells 2nd Circ. To Toss $3.2M Judgment
The co-founder of a real estate investment trust told the Second Circuit to toss the $3.2 million judgment awarded in a former partner's 2014 suit, arguing that related jury instructions were "too confusing and prejudicial."
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March 26, 2024
Ailing Health Co. Steward Owes Attys $600K, Firm Says
A small Boston law firm that represented Steward Health Care System in a variety of cases says the beleaguered healthcare provider has strung it along with promises to pay fees that now total more than $600,000.
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March 25, 2024
Something In The Way Of Nirvana Logo Trial, Judge Told
Counsel for a former record company employee who claims he created Nirvana's "smiley face" logo urged a California federal judge Monday to let him immediately appeal a ruling denying his ownership claim, and argued the band's copyright suit against designer Marc Jacobs over the logo should be delayed in the meanwhile.
Expert Analysis
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5th Circ. Ruling Reminds Attys That CBP Can Search Devices
The Fifth Circuit’s recent Malik v. Department of Homeland Security decision adds to the chorus of federal courts holding that border agents don’t need a warrant to search travelers’ electronic devices, so attorneys should consider certain special precautions to secure privileged information when reentering the U.S., says Jennifer Freel at Jackson Walker.
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Alleged $636M Deal Error Shows Value Of Old-School Methods
Though Proskauer Rose has now settled claims involving a copy-paste error in deal documents that could have resulted in $636 million in damages, the debacle reminds attorneys that classic revision methods using paper copies can help avoid drafting errors and actually save time in the long run, says Richard Leisner at Trenam.
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Avoiding The Ethical Pitfalls Of Crowdfunded Legal Fees
The crowdfunding of legal fees has become increasingly common, providing a new way for people to afford legal services, but attorneys who accept crowdsourced funds must remember several key ethical obligations to mitigate their risks, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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Tornado Cash Saga Presents Thorny Issues For Fintechs
A recent Texas federal court ruling and a U.S. Department of Justice indictment concerning the cryptocurrency mixer service Tornado Cash raise novel and important issues regarding smart contracts that could complicate the development and nature of decentralized crypto projects, as well as the future of fintech business models, say attorneys at Venable.
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4 Ways To Approach The Nuances Of AI Vendor Contracts
There is no immediate road map for negotiating contracts presented by artificial intelligence and machine learning vendors, but a phased approach can be used to direct a customer's diligence and to better assess whether additional contractual terms should be included in these agreements, say Reeya Thakrar and Ira Kalina at Faegre Drinker.
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CFPB, FTC Actions Show Consumer Terms Need Fresh Eyes
Providers of consumer financial products and services should take recent statements and actions from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Trade Commission as an invitation to review their consumer-facing disclosures to ensure that the terms are clear, easy to understand and prominently displayed, say Christina Grigorian and Eric Hail at Katten.
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What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review
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.
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Tech M&A Due Diligence Checklist: Critical IP Areas Of Inquiry
Declining valuations are the backdrop of the current technology M&A landscape worldwide, and intellectual property is a key value driver from the vantage point of a potential acquiror, so when it comes to due diligence for technology acquisitions, there are several pitfalls to avoid, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.
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Tossed FIFA Bribery Convictions May Spur New DOJ Offense
After a New York federal court vacated the bribery convictions of two defendants in the U.S. Department of Justice’s sprawling FIFA probe, prosecutors may continue to pursue foreign commercial corruption through other means, albeit with some limitations, say attorneys at Cleary.
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Series
Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer
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.
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Master Service Agreements Can Mitigate Manufacturing Risks
Terms and conditions of standard contracts between manufacturers and their suppliers may not cover the numerous geopolitical, legal and technical issues that can arise in the manufacturing process in 2023 — so a master service agreement covering everything from payment terms to dispute resolution can be an excellent alternative, says Bryan Rose at Stinson.
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Opinion
Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues
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.
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How To Protect Atty-Client Privilege While Using Generative AI
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.
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How New Lawyers Can Leverage Feedback For Growth
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.
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How Reps And Warranties Insurance Can Aid Sellers In M&A
Amid the current slowdown in the M&A climate, representation and warranty insurance offers sellers a number of advantages, including protection against fraud and possible leverage to insist on a no-seller-indemnity deal, say Alex Leibowitz and Eric Jesse at Lowenstein Sandler.