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Government Contracts
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March 21, 2024
DOL Says Prevailing Wage Rule Hasn't Hurt Construction Orgs
The U.S. Department of Labor asked a Texas federal court to dismiss construction industry trade organizations' bid to unwind a 2023 rule revising prevailing wage methodologies for federal construction projects, saying the groups failed to assert viable injuries.
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March 21, 2024
GAO OKs Trade Compliance In Defense Container Deal
The U.S. Government Accountability Office backed the Defense Logistics Agency's reliance on a contractor's certification that containers it was tapped to ship would use South Korean materials, rejecting a protester's contention the agency should have suspected materials would instead come from China.
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March 21, 2024
El Paso Says US Can't Weigh In On Tribal Land Suit
El Paso, Texas, is fighting the federal government's bid to back the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in its land ownership suit, arguing that the government is trying to force a school district to exchange land with the tribe for a promise it won't file aboriginal rights' claims in the area.
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March 21, 2024
Army's Rush For New Strykers Backfired, GAO Says
The U.S. Army introduced risks to a program meant to increase the lethality of Stryker combat vehicles by ordering more than 260 upgraded vehicles without first reviewing whether the contractor was ready to produce them, a federal watchdog has reported.
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March 21, 2024
VA May Have Acted In Bad Faith On $30M Debt Collection Deal
The U.S. Civilian Board of Contract Appeals refused to toss a $29.6 million appeal accusing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of hampering a contractor's efforts to collect funds from outside insurers, saying the VA may have acted in bad faith.
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March 21, 2024
Hospital Operator Alecto Healthcare Gets OK For Ch. 11 Plan
A Delaware bankruptcy judge agreed to give hospital operator Alecto Healthcare Services LLC the all-clear on the company's Chapter 11 reorganization plan, saying the scheme was fair, achievable and made appropriate provisions for disposable income.
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March 21, 2024
Fla. High Court Won't Take Up Gambling Compact Challenge
The Florida Supreme Court refused Thursday to take up a challenge by two casino operators over the state's gambling pact with the Seminole Tribe, declaring the petition — which says the governor exceeded his authority in signing the pact — is the improper vehicle for assessing the constitutionality of the pact.
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March 21, 2024
6th Circ. Judge Doubts Challenge To $39B Student Debt Relief
A Sixth Circuit judge was skeptical Thursday that two libertarian think tanks had shown the Biden administration's plan to wipe out billions of dollars in student loan debt puts them at a disadvantage to recruit indebted lawyers, saying the groups didn't fully explain who they were competing against.
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March 21, 2024
Government Contractor Wants Out Of Exit Pay Suit
A government contractor said federal law doesn't cover its policy giving employees a bonus upon retirement, but workers lodging a lawsuit against the company weren't eligible for the payments anyway, urging a North Carolina court to toss the suit.
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March 20, 2024
Bridge Repair Workers Get Partial Cert. In Conn. OT Suit
A Connecticut federal judge has conditionally certified a boat captain's federal wage claims against a government subcontractor specializing in bridge projects, reasoning he sufficiently pled a violation of overtime pay policy, while declining to greenlight sub-collectives under New Jersey and Pennsylvania laws.
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March 20, 2024
Philly Charter School Exec Convicted Of Embezzlement
A nonprofit executive was convicted Wednesday in Pennsylvania federal court on all 18 counts of siphoning funds from a tax-exempt educational and housing organization to live lavishly, while the same jury found a colleague guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud but absolved him of other charges.
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March 20, 2024
Republican Bill Targets Colleges Hiring Unauthorized Workers
Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., have introduced legislation to prevent universities that receive federal funding from hiring unauthorized immigrants.
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March 20, 2024
How The Supreme Court Could Narrow Chevron
After hours of oral argument in a closely watched administrative law case, it appeared that some U.S. Supreme Court justices could be open to limiting the opportunities for lower courts to defer to federal agencies' legal interpretations in disputes over rulemaking — and legal experts said there are a number of ways they could do it.
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March 20, 2024
Breaking Down Each State's Climate Priority Policies
Forty-five states have now completed climate action plans outlining how they'll advance federal climate goals through policy and programs in coming years, with most focusing at least in part on real estate development as a way to reduce emissions.
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March 20, 2024
Intel, Commerce Dept. Forge $8.5B Logic Chip Partnership
A proposed $8.5 billion partnership between the federal government and Intel Corp. could yield thousands of jobs and up to $100 billion in logic chip facility expansion and modernization in four states.
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March 20, 2024
Senators Want More Scrutiny For Defense M&A Deals
Two U.S. senators are calling on the Pentagon to shift the way it reviews defense industry mergers and dedicate more staff to the task, saying that contractor consolidation is jeopardizing national security and diminishing returns for taxpayer dollars.
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March 20, 2024
Law360 Announces The Members Of Its 2024 Editorial Boards
Law360 is pleased to announce the formation of its 2024 Editorial Advisory Boards.
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March 20, 2024
US Chamber's Litigation Funding Concerns Spur 2 State Laws
Amid concerns from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce about third-party litigation funding, including from potentially hostile foreign entities, state legislatures in Indiana and West Virginia have recently passed bills imposing restrictions on the practice.
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March 19, 2024
Texas Energy Co. Should Put Service Before Price, Court Hints
Texas Supreme Court justices questioned an electricity provider about its argument that the Public Utility Commission of Texas' policy setting price caps during extreme events goes against state law, asking if the agency should prioritize competition over keeping "the lights on" during oral arguments Tuesday.
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March 19, 2024
Contractor Can't Refute GSA Audit Power, Gov't Tells DC Circ.
The federal government urged the D.C. Circuit to uphold a lower court ruling that the General Services Administration had the authority to audit a Crowley Government Services Inc. military transportation contract, saying the ruling leaned on a clear interpretation of an underlying statute.
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March 19, 2024
LA Councilman's Wife Tells RICO Jury Of Vegas Cash Wads
Former Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar's wife got into a disagreement with him once over a wad of cash he brought back from a trip to Las Vegas with a billionaire developer, she testified Tuesday to a federal jury considering racketeering charges against another former city official, Raymond Chan.
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March 19, 2024
GEO Fights Wash. Bid For State Inspectors' Entry Into ICE Jail
GEO Group is pushing back against Washington state's request for a preliminary injunction forcing the private prison operator to let inspectors into a Tacoma-area immigrant detention facility, saying the suit is likely to flop, especially given a federal judge's recent decision to partially suspend the state law regulators have relied upon to get inside.
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March 19, 2024
5th Circ. Won't Rehear Ex-Raytheon Worker's Firing Suit
The Fifth Circuit on Tuesday refused to rehear an engineer's claims that he was fired by Raytheon for flagging issues with a defense system, keeping intact its ruling that national security concerns barred the retaliation case.
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March 19, 2024
Immunity Ruling Doesn't Apply To CACI, Iraqi Ex-Detainees Say
Former detainees at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison fought to preserve their claims against a Virginia-based defense contractor they claim is complicit in their torture, saying the company's reliance on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to establish immunity lacks merit.
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March 18, 2024
'Brazen' Text By LA Pol Surfaces In Raymond Chan RICO Trial
A former lobbyist received a "brazen" text from then-Los Angeles City Councilmember Jose Huizar in 2018 seeking a bribe from his developer client, according to testimony heard on Monday by a Los Angeles federal jury considering racketeering and bribery charges against another former city official, Raymond Chan.
Expert Analysis
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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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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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Contract Disputes Recap: Avoid Pleading Errors' Harsh Effects
Zachary Jacobson and Stephanie Magnell at Seyfarth examine three recent cases that illustrate the severe consequences different pleading errors may have on a government contractor's ability to pursue a contract dispute, sometimes forever precluding relief regardless of the merits of a claim.
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Not To Be Outpaced: How The 2024 NDAA Addresses China
Both the House and Senate versions of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act include numerous provisions aimed at strengthening U.S. deterrence and competitive positioning vis-à-vis China, while imposing significantly more disruptive burdens on government contractors and their suppliers than in prior years, say attorneys at Covington.
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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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Bracing For Rising Cyber-Related False Claims Act Scrutiny
Two recent cyber-related False Claims Act cases illustrate the vulnerability of government contractors, including universities, obliged to self-attest compliance with multiple controls, signal the importance of accurate internal controls and underline the benefits of self-disclosure, say Townsend Bourne and Nikole Snyder at Sheppard Mullin.
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Corporate Compliance Lessons From FirstEnergy Scandal
Fallout from a massive bribery scheme involving Ohio electric utility FirstEnergy and state officeholders — including the recent sentencing of two defendants — has critical corporate governance takeaways for companies and individuals seeking to influence government policymaking, say attorneys at Wilson Sonsini.
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Twitter Legal Fees Suit Offers Crash Course In Billing Ethics
X Corp.'s suit alleging that Wachtell grossly inflated its fees in the final days of Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition provides a case study in how firms should protect their reputations by hewing to ethical billing practices and the high standards for professional conduct that govern attorney-client relationships, says Lourdes Fuentes at Karta Legal.
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Self-Disclosure Lessons From Exemplary Corp. Resolutions
With scant examples of corporate resolutions in the wake of U.S. Department of Justice self-disclosure policy changes last fall, companies may glean helpful insights from three recent declination letters, as well as other governmental self-reporting regimes, say Lindsey Collins and Kate Rumsey at Sheppard Mullin.
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ABA's Money-Laundering Resolution Is A Balancing Act
While the American Bar Association’s recently passed resolution recognizes a lawyer's duty to discontinue representation that could facilitate money laundering and other fraudulent activity, it preserves, at least for now, the delicate balance of judicial, state-based regulation of the legal profession and the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.
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8 Ways Life Sciences Cos. Can Adapt To The Social Media Era
As pharmaceutical and medical device companies harness the powerful promotion potential of social media, they must navigate legal, regulatory and reputational risks that can be particularly challenging due to the complex framework of rules that apply to the life sciences industry, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Bid Protest Spotlight: Unfair Advantage, Buy American Waiver
In this month's bid protest roundup, James Tucker at MoFo offers takeaways on one decision that considers unfair proposal development advantages in the context of an employee's access to nonpublic information in a prior federal government position, and another decision that reconsiders a contract award based on an inadequately supported waiver of Buy American Act restrictions.
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Prevailing Wage Rules Complicate Inflation Act Tax Incentives
Nicole Elliott and Timothy Taylor at Holland & Knight discuss the intersection between tax and labor newly created by the Inflation Reduction Act, and focus on aspects of recent U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of the Treasury rules that may catch tax-incentive seekers off guard.
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Law Firm Professional Development Steps To Thrive In AI Era
As generative artificial intelligence tools rapidly evolve, professional development leaders are instrumental in preparing law firms for the paradigm shifts ahead, and should consider three strategies to help empower legal talent with the skills required to succeed in an increasingly complex technological landscape, say Steve Gluckman and Anusia Gillespie at SkillBurst Interactive.