Commercial Contracts

  • August 19, 2024

    Frost & Sullivan Shouldn't Beat Data Breach Suit, Judge Says

    A magistrate judge on Monday recommended a Texas federal court trim but not toss a putative class action accusing consulting firm Frost & Sullivan Inc. of failing to protect its employees and clients from a data breach last year, rejecting the firm's contention that a former employee lacked standing to sue.

  • August 19, 2024

    T.I. Can't Bar Witness Motivation Questions At Doll IP Retrial

    Rapper T.I. can't block MGA Entertainment from questioning his customer witnesses' motivations to testify at the upcoming intellectual property retrial over the company's L.O.L. Surprise! doll line, and he likewise is barred from raising questions of cultural appropriation in that context, a California federal judge ruled Monday.

  • August 19, 2024

    Judge Suggests Atty, Firm Pay Up For Not Probing IP Claims

    A Florida lawyer who once represented former President Donald Trump and the lawyer's firm should pay $150,000 in attorney fees as a monetary sanction for failing to properly investigate patent claims before suing, a federal magistrate judge has recommended, which is far below the $684,000 the defendants in the case sought.

  • August 19, 2024

    Justices Urged To Refuse Rent-To-Own Co. Fee Suit

    Two consumers suing a rent-to-own furniture store over fees that are allegedly barred under California law urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday not to review a Ninth Circuit decision nixing the company's arbitration bid, arguing that the case is too fact-specific to warrant the court's attention.

  • August 19, 2024

    BankRI Pans 'Overspending' Customer's Account Fees Suit

    One of Rhode Island's largest banks asked a Providence federal judge on Monday to throw out a proposed class action over its consumer fee practices, saying the customer behind the suit is attempting to blame it for fallout from her own "unfortunate practice of overspending."

  • August 19, 2024

    Colo. Justices Won't Hear Cheese Heiress' Appeal

    The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal from a minority owner of a private, $5 billion cheese company in her case against the company's former CEO, who is also her uncle, in her failed billion-dollar suit over alleged shareholder oppression.

  • August 19, 2024

    Canadian Court Won't Yet Enforce $140M Hospital Award

    Webuild SpA has told a Delaware federal court of a Canadian court's decision to wait on enforcing a $140 million arbitral award related to a Chilean hospital project, saying it is relevant to Webuild's bid in Delaware to dismiss a petition seeking to confirm the same award.

  • August 19, 2024

    Ethanol Co. Investors Say $9M Arbitration Award Was Stolen

    Class B members of a Colorado ethanol company claim they have been denied their share of a $9 million arbitration award resulting from an action against the managing entity of the company for allegedly engaging in a pay-to-play scheme with vendors in exchange for those vendors sponsoring a National Hot Rod Association team.

  • August 19, 2024

    UnitedHealthcare Says Humana Can't Access Its Records

    UnitedHealthcare has asked the Texas high court to review a decision requiring it to turn over Medicare plan documents for the state's teachers to a competing insurer, arguing that recent updates to the Public Information Act were too broadly interpreted by a lower appellate court.

  • August 19, 2024

    Fair Use Dooms Santos Suit Over Jimmy Kimmel's Prank Videos

    A New York federal judge said Monday that the fair use exception to copyright law is fatal to former U.S. Rep. George Santos' suit against ABC and Jimmy Kimmel over video clips that the late-night TV show host tricked the ex-congressman into making.

  • August 19, 2024

    Insurer Blames Panda Express Grease For $176K Water Leak

    An insurer demanded Chinese fast food chain Panda Express Inc. repay it more than $176,000 for damages allegedly caused when the restaurant's grease-filled pipes backed up, leaking water into a clothing store covered by the insurer, in a case the eatery moved to Washington federal court.

  • August 19, 2024

    Israeli Co. Sues NC Packaging Firm For Severing $25M Deal

    An Israeli smart packaging company is suing North Carolina-based Sealed Air Corp. for allegedly backing out of a $25 million contract for smart sensors, saying Sealed Air lied about their progress developing the product and invented defects to tank the deal.

  • August 19, 2024

    Doctor Accused Of Taking Connecticut Practice's Patient Data

    An obstetrician-gynecologist took trade secrets including confidential patient information when she left a Connecticut practice, and solicited its employees and "hundreds" of patients to come to her new competing business, according to a lawsuit in state court.

  • August 19, 2024

    Biotech Consultant Sues Ex-Partner To Force $2.5M Share Buy

    Life sciences consulting firm BioPoint is asking a Massachusetts judge to order a former partner to sell back $2.5 million worth of shares in the closely held company following his ouster, according to a lawsuit filed in state court.

  • August 19, 2024

    NC Judge Relocates BorgWarner Supply Chain Fight To Pa.

    Pennsylvania-based supplier Modern Industries Inc. convinced a North Carolina federal judge to transfer a lawsuit against it by auto parts manufacturer BorgWarner Turbo Systems LLC to its home state, where a related case is already pending.

  • August 16, 2024

    The Biggest Texas Rulings Of 2024: A Midyear Report

    Texas has seen a bevy of major decisions, including a $1.4 billion settlement with Facebook over alleged biometric data collection, a ruling banning gender-affirming care for minors, and the conclusion of a long-running securities case against Attorney General Ken Paxton. Here's some of the biggest decisions so far this year.

  • August 16, 2024

    11th Circ. Partially Reverses Rental Car Co.'s Win In Fee Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit has revived a class of consumers' breach of contract claims against a Florida rental car company over allegedly deceptive damaged vehicle costs but affirmed a lower court's finding that the lead plaintiffs did not suffer any actual damages.

  • August 16, 2024

    Receiver Went Too Far In Settling Nate Paul Entity Dispute

    A Texas appeals court found this week that a receiver acted beyond the scope of his authority when he settled a dispute between a lender and an entity associated with embattled real estate developer Nate Paul.

  • August 16, 2024

    Owner Of Elite Baseball Teams Sues Over Broken $1.3M Deal

    The owner of a company that sponsors elite high school baseball teams has accused two companies of failing to pay him the $1.3 million he was owed after selling them his business, according to a suit filed Friday in Texas federal court.

  • August 16, 2024

    Ga. BCBS Fights Hospital Remand Bid In Reimbursement Suit

    A Georgia Blue Cross Blue Shield unit is fighting a California hospital's push to have a lawsuit seeking $905,000 in reimbursements sent back to a Georgia state court, arguing the hospital's state law claims are preempted by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

  • August 16, 2024

    Judge Bounces Bad Bunny Sports Agency Suit To Arbitration

    The sports agency linked to music megastar Bad Bunny must arbitrate its dispute over certification of its agents with the Major League Baseball Players Association, after a Puerto Rico federal judge ruled the union's arbitration language is valid.

  • August 16, 2024

    Off The Bench: WNBA Suit, Olympic Fallout, Swimming Ban

    In this week's Off The Bench, a WNBA star accuses her former team of discrimination for trading her once she became pregnant, questions swirl around the revocation of a U.S. gymnast's Olympic medal, and a BigLaw investigation prompts the University of Notre Dame to suspend its men's swimming program.

  • August 16, 2024

    Pelicans Sue Westgate For Bailing On Sponsorship Deal

    The New Orleans Pelicans sued the marketing arm of Westgate Resorts in Louisiana federal court Friday, alleging the company illegally backed out of a three-year sponsorship deal after just one year.

  • August 16, 2024

    Fla. Advertising Co. Says Pot Cos. Didn't Pay Up For Services

    A Miami advertising agency is suing the cannabis companies behind the Cookies brand, claiming they failed to pay for months of work worth tens of thousands of dollars.

  • August 16, 2024

    Ex-Matterport Worker Sues In Del. Over 'Invalid' Trade Block

    A shareholder of 3D spatial mapping company Matterport Inc. sued the California company in Delaware's Court of Chancery Friday, alleging that when it went public by merging with a special acquisition company in 2021, the company prevented him from trading his shares for six months through an "invalid transfer restriction."

Expert Analysis

  • Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease

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    This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.

  • Series

    Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.

  • A Snapshot Of The Evolving Restrictive Covenant Landscape

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    Rachael Martinez and Brooke Bahlinger at Foley highlight recent trends in the hotly contested regulation and enforcement of noncompetition and related nonsolicitation covenants, and provide guidance on drafting such provisions within the context of stand-alone employment agreements and merger or acquisition transactions.

  • For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill

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    A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • Handling Customer Complaints In Bank-Fintech Partnerships

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    As regulators mine consumer complaint databases for their next investigative targets, it is critical that fintech and bank partners adopt a well-defined and monitored process for ensuring proper complaint handling, including by demonstrating proficiency and following interagency guidance, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Trump's NY Civil Fraud Trial Spotlights Long-Criticized Law

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    A New York court’s recent decision holding former President Donald Trump liable for fraud brought old criticisms of the state law used against him back into the limelight — including its strikingly broad scope and its major departures from the traditional elements of common law fraud, say Mark Kelley and Lois Ahn at MoloLamken.

  • What NAR Settlement Means For Agent Commission Rates

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    If approved, a joint settlement agreement between the National Association of Realtors and a class of home sellers will likely take the onus off home sellers to compensate buyers' agents, affecting considerations for all parties to real estate transactions, say attorneys at Jones Foster.

  • Opinion

    Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea

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    A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.

  • 4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best

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    As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.

  • How 3 Unfolding Cases Could Affect The Energy Industry

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    Three judicial decisions now in the pipeline — Texas' challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's methane regulations, Delaware's climate suit against big energy companies, and a case before the Supreme Court of Texas on royalty lease interpretation — could have important implications for the energy industry, say Michelle Scheffler and Rachael Cox at Skadden.

  • Flexibility Is Key In Hybrid Capital Investment Strategies

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    Flexible or hybrid capital funds have become a solution for some owners adverse to private debt or requiring short-term capital support not otherwise available in the market, but the complexity and possible range of structures available means that principals need to consider how they may work in different scenarios and outcomes, says Daniel Mathias at Cohen Gresser.

  • Contract Negotiation Prep Checklist For In-House Ad Lawyers

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    Barriers for in-house lawyers and procurement professionals persist in media and ad tech contract negotiations — but a pre-negotiation checklist can help counsel navigate nuances and other industry issues that need to be considered before landing a deal, including supplier services, business use cases and data retrieval, says Keri Bruce at Reed Smith.

  • Calif. Ruling Shows Limits Of Exculpatory Lease Clauses

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    A California court's recent decision in Epochal Enterprises v. LF Encinitas Properties, finding a landlord liable for failing to disclose the presence of asbestos on the subject property, underscores the limits of exculpatory clauses' ability to safeguard landlords from liability where known hazards are present, say Fawaz Bham and Javier De Luna at Hunton.

  • Series

    Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.

  • Negotiating Milestones In Pharma Licenses Requires Care

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    For life sciences companies, understanding the unique issues that arise in licensing agreements' milestone payment provisions can increase the likelihood and amount of payments received by the licensor and ensure payments are carefully and closely tied to events that truly drive value for the licensee, say Edward Angelini at Amneal Pharmaceutical and Lori Waldron at Sills Cummis.

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