Commercial Contracts

  • March 07, 2024

    Caliber Says Ex-Exec's Terms With Predecessor Still Apply

    Caliber Home Loans Inc. has urged a Dallas federal court to reject a former executive's bid to trim a lawsuit accusing him of raiding the company's workforce when he defected for a competitor, arguing that a contract breach claim still stands even though he worked for a predecessor when he signed the contract at issue. 

  • March 07, 2024

    USA Swimming Wants Watchdog Org To Pay For Probe Case

    USA Swimming filed a lawsuit in Colorado state court Thursday against a sports nonprofit seeking indemnification for a Washington lawsuit over allegedly false sexual misconduct accusations against a minor swimmer, arguing that the nonprofit should have to pay for the litigation because it bungled an investigation into the misconduct allegations.

  • March 07, 2024

    IP Forecast: 2nd Circ. To Consider Whether Seltzer Is Beer

    The Modelo brand will head to the Second Circuit next week to argue that a Manhattan jury erred when it found that Corona's flavored seltzer is just about the same as beer in light of a contract that the companies entered. Here's a look at that case — plus all the other major intellectual property matters on deck in the coming week.

  • March 07, 2024

    Axos Bank Sued Over Money Market Account Reclassification

    Axos Bank has been hit with a proposed class action in California federal court, alleging that it reclassified customers' high-yield money market accounts into lower-yield investment accounts without informing them.

  • March 07, 2024

    Builder Wins $2.7M For Marriott Mudslide Repair Work

    A Colorado federal judge has awarded a construction company more than $2.7 million in damages for cleanup and repair work at a Brazilian Marriott hotel and resort, concluding after a four-day August bench trial the hotel giant was liable for not paying up as agreed.

  • March 07, 2024

    Caribbean Resort Developer Says Partner Undermined Project

    An Aspen, Colorado, developer of a Caribbean golf resort has accused one of his partners in Colorado state court of violating a non-compete provision by working on similar projects that were located too close to the luxury development.

  • March 07, 2024

    Anadarko Keeps Win In Colo. Oil Biz Lease Fight

    A Colorado appellate panel on Thursday rejected an oil and gas production company's claims that an Anadarko Petroleum subsidiary wrongfully terminated nearly two dozen leases, with the judges finding the agreements could be terminated upon written notice "for any reason or for no reason at all."

  • March 07, 2024

    CenturyLink Cut From Suit Blaming Utilities For Road Delays

    The city of Sammamish, Washington, has quietly dropped CenturyLink from a state court lawsuit accusing it, Comcast and other companies of causing millions of dollars in roadwork delays by failing to move their infrastructure in a timely manner.

  • March 07, 2024

    Conn. AG Probing If NY Real Estate Co. Duped Homeowners

    New York real estate company EasyKnock Inc. is under investigation for allegedly deceiving homeowners seeking home equity loans into entering sale-leaseback arrangements and then jacking up those families' rent once the transaction is complete, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced Thursday.

  • March 07, 2024

    American Airlines Says Frequent Flier Suit Belongs In Texas

    American Airlines said Texas is the proper forum for a proposed class action in California alleging it improperly terminated customers' frequent flyer accounts and wiped out the value of the miles they accrued, saying AAdvantage program membership decisions are made in its Fort Worth headquarters.

  • March 07, 2024

    Ohio Justices Split On University's Immunity In Refund Fight

    The Republican majority of the Ohio Supreme Court has said an intermediate appellate court needs to decide if Ohio State University can claim discretionary immunity in a former student's tuition refund suit, with three Democrat justices dissenting to say the majority's decision undercuts the trial court's statutory authority.

  • March 07, 2024

    5th Circ. Won't Revive Owner Suit Over Litigation Funding Co.

    The Fifth Circuit has affirmed a decision saying that, based on Texas law, no valid profit-sharing contract exists between parties who formed a business to provide pre-settlement medical advancement loans to litigants.

  • March 07, 2024

    Brothers Add $3B In Punitive Damages To $7B Real Estate Win

    A Los Angeles jury on Thursday hit a real estate tycoon with $3 billion in punitive damages after finding that he froze his brothers out of their lucrative partnership, bringing the estimated value of the total verdict to roughly $10 billion, according to attorneys. 

  • March 06, 2024

    Vape Co. Is Denied Atty Fees After Subsidiary Loses Case

    A vape and lifestyle brand headed by Instagram celebrity Dan Bilzerian that was hit with a $1.6 million judgment in a contract dispute can't get back its attorney fees, a Nevada federal judge has ruled, saying a party actually has to win money to recover expenses.

  • March 06, 2024

    Wash. High Court Takes Up Nu Skin Distributor Dispute

    The Washington State Supreme Court will review whether a contract clause forces Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. distributors to go to Utah to settle claims that the multilevel marketing company harms consumers and violates a Washington law against pyramid schemes.

  • March 06, 2024

    Mistrial Bid Fails After $7B Sibling Rivalry Real Estate Verdict

    A California judge denied a motion for a mistrial Wednesday from a man who a jury found wrongly froze his brothers out of their multibillion-dollar real estate empire, finding the court did not err in limiting the defense's closing arguments for violating a discovery order.

  • March 06, 2024

    'Larger' Airlines Didn't Help Flyers, DOJ Tells 1st Circ.

    The U.S. Department of Justice has assailed American Airlines for pressing its appeal over its since-nixed Northeast Alliance with JetBlue, telling the First Circuit that just because the deal made the airlines "larger" doesn't mean it helped consumers as the airline claims or that a district court gave potential benefits short shrift.

  • March 06, 2024

    6th Circ. Orders Do-Over For Insurer's $3.3M Recoupment Row

    A Sixth Circuit panel on Tuesday revived a Chubb unit's bid to recoup costs from two other insurers after it helped windshield repair company Safelite pay for its defense against a competitor's suit, saying the lower court must conduct an analysis to determine whether the other carriers were prejudiced by late notice.

  • March 06, 2024

    Choice Can Confirm Award Over $61M In Franchisee Claims

    Choice Hotels has been ordered to pay a roughly $780,000 arbitration award after dozens of South Asian franchisees earlier fought the hotel chain's bid to arbitrate their claims that a vendor kickback scheme cost them $61 million.

  • March 06, 2024

    Co. Says Chubb Unit Must Cover $5M Merger Dispute Defense

    A holding company subsidiary of Banco Santander told a Delaware federal court that a Chubb unit must contribute to $5 million in legal expenses the company has incurred in defending itself in an underlying class action brought by minority shareholders who objected to a merger with another subsidiary.

  • March 06, 2024

    Fla. Judge Relieves Insurer Of $1M Construction Defect Row

    An insurer has no obligation to defend or indemnify a general contractor or subcontractor in an over $1 million faulty construction dispute, a Florida federal judge ruled, finding that the subcontractor's policies contained an unambiguous "residential construction" exclusion that clearly barred coverage.

  • March 06, 2024

    Sewer Deal Kept On Ice During Appeal In Philly Suburb's Ch. 9

    A Philadelphia bankruptcy judge Wednesday rejected a utility's latest effort to lift the automatic stay triggered by the City of Chester's Chapter 9 bankruptcy, which has delayed a $276.5 million sewer sale, saying it would require her to answer questions that are on appeal from a similar motion she nixed last year.

  • March 06, 2024

    Power Co. Can't Escape Explosion Fraud Claim

    An infrastructure supply company can't toss a fraud claim brought by an industrial company's insurers in a suit seeking to recoup $18.7 million in damages for a manufacturing facility explosion, an Ohio federal court ruled, finding that the carriers can bring both a breach of contract claim and a fraud claim.

  • March 06, 2024

    Texts Constituted Contract In $7.7M Fertilizer Fight, Judge Says

    A Florida federal court ordered a global fertilizer seller to pay a Brazilian client $7.7 million, finding that the company breached an agreement that was partially negotiated over WhatsApp to sell 45,000 metric tons of ammonium sulfate.

  • March 06, 2024

    DC Circ. Sticks By FERC In Nebraska Utility Charge Fight

    The D.C. Circuit stood by its early January decision backing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's rejection of a Lincoln, Nebraska, public utility's proposal to recover costs from customers located in the same area as its generation and transmission source.

Expert Analysis

  • Mallory Ruling Leaves Personal Jurisdiction Deeply Unsettled

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    In Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway, a closely divided U.S. Supreme Court recently rolled back key aspects of its 2017 opinion in Daimler AG v. Bauman that limited personal jurisdiction, leaving as many questions for businesses as it answers, say John Cerreta and James Rotondo at Day Pitney.

  • NY, NJ Regs Give Clarity To Cannabis Investors, Ancillaries

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    Proposed laws and regulations in New York and New Jersey would clarify some previously murky legal waters, thus expanding the ability of investors, lenders and ancillary service providers to work with marijuana business in these states, say David Waxman and Heidi Urness at McGlinchey Stafford.

  • What Revised FTC Guides Mean For Influencer Campaigns

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    The Federal Trade Commission’s recent updates to its endorsement guides will affect influencer campaigns in several key ways, including how and when influencers should make disclosures, and how companies should manage campaigns, says Gonzalo Mon at Kelley Drye.

  • IP Toolbox Is Crucial In AI-Powered Drug Discovery

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    The era of using artificial intelligence for drug research and development demands a new kind of vigilance around intellectual property rights, as drug discovery companies embark on collaborations with large pharmaceutical companies, say Sonal Agarwa and Shabbi Khan at Foley & Lardner.

  • 5 Ways Firms Can Rethink Office Design In A Hybrid World

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    As workplaces across the country adapt to flexible work, law firms must prioritize individuality, amenities and technology in office design, says Kristin Cerutti at Nelson Worldwide.

  • How To Avoid Flopping When Flipping Fla. Real Estate

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    As land prices rise, Florida real estate developers are increasingly contracting to flip property to other purchasers for a profit, and they should carefully consider the unique risks and issues associated with the different forms that the process can take, says Gary Kaleita at Lowndes.

  • New Law Will Upend Washington's CBD Industry

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    Though many questions remain on a Washington law set to go into effect this month that will require retailers to obtain licensure to sell federally legal CBD, the statute’s economic impacts are sure to be enormous, says Jack Scrantom at Harris Bricken.

  • Opinion

    Bar Score Is Best Hiring Metric Post-Affirmative Action

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    After the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling striking down affirmative action admissions policies, law firms looking to foster diversity in hiring should view an applicant's Multistate Bar Examination score as the best metric of legal ability — over law school name or GPA, says attorney Alice Griffin.

  • Ghosting In BigLaw: How To Come Back From Lack Of Feedback

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    Junior associates can feel powerless when senior colleagues cut off contact instead of providing useful feedback, but young attorneys can get back on track by focusing on practical professional development and reexamining their career priorities, says Rachel Patterson at Orrick.

  • Would Biden Airline Service Order Raise 'Major Questions'?

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    President Joe Biden's recent pledge to require airlines to compensate passengers for delays and cancellations could run afoul of the U.S. Supreme Court's recently expounded "major questions" doctrine — but that will depend on what kind of action the administration takes, and how federal courts choose to apply the doctrine, says Roger Clark at Signature Resolution.

  • Steps To Success For Senior Associates

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Adriana Paris at Rissman Barrett discusses the increased responsibilities and opportunities that becoming a senior associate brings and what attorneys in this role should prioritize to flourish in this stressful but rewarding next level in their careers.

  • Legal Profession Must Do More For Lawyers With Disabilities

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    At the start of Disability Pride month, Rosalyn Richter at Arnold & Porter looks at why lawyers with disabilities are significantly underrepresented in private practice, asserting that law firms and other employers must do more to conquer the implicit bias that deters attorneys from seeking accommodations.

  • Collaborative Cos. Should Consider Relational Contract Model

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    Though containing similar components to a traditional contract, relational contracts include relationship-building elements to help guide disputes and keep interests aligned, and can help companies establish strong, long-lasting partnerships built on trust, collaboration and mutual success, say attorneys at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Opinion

    Appellate Funding Disclosure: No Mandate Is Right Choice

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    The Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules' recent decision, forgoing a mandatory disclosure rule for litigation funding in federal appeals, is prudent, as third-party funding is only involved in a minuscule number of federal cases, and courts have ample authority to obtain funding information if necessary, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.

  • A Clearer Path To Speedy Guaranty Litigation In NY Courts

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    Recent cases indicate that New York's Appellate Division, First Department, is shifting its stance regarding when agreements with both monetary and nonmonetary obligations qualify for expedited litigation, and highlight best practices for drafting guarantees and notes, say Joshua Kopelowitz and Bansari Sheth at Fox Rothschild.

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