Michigan

  • April 05, 2024

    Mich. Plaintiffs Bar Prepares For Growth After Policy Shifts

    After decades of the deck stacked against them, Michigan's plaintiffs attorneys are poised to take advantage of a more hospitable environment for personal injury cases and pharmaceutical class actions, though experts caution the learning curve will be steep.

  • April 05, 2024

    Insurer Denies Coverage In Pet Store BIPA Class Action

    An insurer told a Michigan federal court Friday that it didn't have to cover a pet store in an underlying employee proposed class action alleging the store violated Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act because the claims were precluded by the policy and a state statute of limitations.

  • April 05, 2024

    GM Not Liable For Ditching Supplier, Mich. Panel Says

    General Motors did not break promises to a now-defunct supplier by signing a deal with a competitor while an exclusive supply contract was still in effect, a Michigan appellate panel has found.

  • April 04, 2024

    John Eastman Says Inactive Status Hampers Livelihood

    Former Donald Trump attorney John Eastman asked the State Bar Court of California on Wednesday to delay placing him on inactive enrollment while he appeals the recommendation for his disbarment, saying he can't sustain the loss of his livelihood representing clients like Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

  • April 04, 2024

    Coder's Late Expert Report Sank IP Suit, 6th Circ. Rules

    A panel of the Sixth Circuit has refused to revive an industrial control system designer's claims that a former business partner infringed his and his business's copyrighted software, backing a Michigan federal court's decision to exclude a critical expert witness.

  • April 04, 2024

    GRSM50 Accused Of Letting Detroit Hotel Hide Evidence

    Former workers at an upscale Detroit hotel suing over their firings urged a Michigan federal judge on Wednesday to sanction the club and disqualify its attorneys at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP, alleging it is likely they helped withhold documents and try to intimidate witnesses.

  • April 04, 2024

    Great Lakes Fishing Pact Tramples Treaty Rights, Tribe Says

    The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is asking the Sixth Circuit to undo a Great Lakes fishing decree between it and four other tribes and the state of Michigan, arguing the decree was entered without its consent and imposes upon its treaty rights.

  • April 03, 2024

    Mortgage Co. Targeted In News Report Hit With RICO Suit

    United Wholesale Mortgage LLC, its parent company and its CEO were hit with a proposed class action Tuesday in Michigan federal court accusing them of scheming with mortgage brokers to steer borrowers into more expensive loans the same day that Hunterbrook Media, a new journalism and hedge fund outfit, published its first investigative piece focused on the company.

  • April 03, 2024

    UMich Says Law Prof's FMLA Leave Can't Prevent Discipline

    The University of Michigan told a federal judge Wednesday that a law professor's need for medical leave did not mean administrators couldn't discipline her for allegedly walking out on certain teaching responsibilities, rebutting her claims that the university's actions were because of her race or gender.

  • April 03, 2024

    6th Circ. Won't Revive RV Driver's Ford Chassis Warranty Suit

    A Sixth Circuit panel has found that a lower court was correct to rule in favor of Ford Motor Co. in a potential class action claiming it is responsible for fixing alignment issues in recreational vehicles built with the car company's chassis.

  • April 03, 2024

    Hospital Workers' Vax Free Speech Suit Falls Flat At 6th Circ.

    The Sixth Circuit backed the dismissal of two workers' claims that a children's hospital violated their constitutional rights when it rejected their religious objections to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, saying Wednesday they failed to show the hospital was a government actor.

  • April 03, 2024

    14 AGs Urge DOL To Seek More Payroll Info From Contractors

    Contractors performing construction, alteration or repair work on government buildings should have to give the U.S. Department of Labor more detailed information about the deductions they take from workers' wages, a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general told the agency in a letter publicized Wednesday.

  • April 03, 2024

    Amazon Book Scammer Can't Trim Prison Time

    The Sixth Circuit affirmed a 16-year prison sentence Tuesday for a man who scammed Amazon by renting textbooks from the e-commerce giant and then selling them at a profit, ultimately costing Amazon approximately $3.2 million.

  • April 03, 2024

    OpenText Belongs In Merger Suit Coverage Row, Insurer Says

    OpenText belongs in a dispute over coverage for a class action alleging Covisint's shareholders got a bad deal when it merged with OpenText in 2017, Covisint's insurer told a Michigan federal judge, arguing OpenText has a vested interest because it may have indemnification obligations if no coverage exists.

  • April 03, 2024

    Ex-NBA Guard's Health Fraud Perjury Merits Prison, Feds Say

    Manhattan federal prosecutors said a former Detroit Pistons point guard who was convicted on one of two counts over an alleged scheme to defraud the NBA's healthcare plan should be sentenced to 27 to 33 months in prison, claiming he lied during his testimony.

  • April 02, 2024

    Feds Want 2 Years For Culprit In Fake NASA Contracts Plot

    Prosecutors urged a Virginia federal judge to sentence a Michigan man to 25 months in prison Tuesday after he admitted to defrauding investors through fake NASA contracts, seeking a sentence lighter than the guideline range because he spent eight grueling months in a Philippines detention center before he was in U.S. custody.

  • April 02, 2024

    Frat That Allows Women Barred From Using 'Sigma Phi' Name

    A federal judge in Detroit says that a University of Michigan fraternity is breaking the law by continuing to use the Sigma Phi name after the national fraternity excommunicated the group for accepting women.

  • April 02, 2024

    Axle Maker Says It's Getting Shafted On Exclusive Parts Deal

    A Colorado maker of electrically powered axle components says a Michigan heavy-vehicle company broke their exclusivity agreement and is trying to replace the manufacturer with a competitor, according to a complaint removed to Colorado federal court Monday.

  • April 02, 2024

    9th Circ. Urged Not To Create Dormant Commerce Split On Pot

    A Michigan resident and a California lawyer vying for one of Washington state's social equity cannabis licenses are urging the Ninth Circuit not to create a circuit split and to find that regulators' licensing scheme unconstitutionally discriminates against out-of-state players.

  • April 02, 2024

    7th Circ. Won't Revive Parents' Claims in Abbott Formula Row

    The Seventh Circuit upheld on Tuesday the dismissal of parents' claims they were economically harmed from buying infant formula that could have been contaminated with bacteria at an Abbott Laboratories plant, saying their alleged injuries aren't enough to prove standing. 

  • April 02, 2024

    Mich. Warns PFAS Ruling Could Fuel More Agency Challenges

    Michigan has warned the state's high court that an appellate decision invalidating PFAS drinking water limits could pave the way for future litigants to attack state regulations by pointing to imperfect cost estimates, urging the court to revive the PFAS rules.

  • April 02, 2024

    $40M Union Pension Dispute To Head Back To Arbitrator

    A Michigan federal judge stood firm on his decision to send a roughly $40 million dispute between a demolition company and a union pension fund back to an arbitrator, rejecting the company's bid for him to reconsider his opinion.

  • April 02, 2024

    Aretha Franklin's Estate Says Atty Can't Get Unpaid Fees

    A lawyer who claims Aretha Franklin owed him for his work getting her a recording deal declined to participate in oral arguments Tuesday in Michigan appellate court, where the singer's estate told the court he filed his claims years too late. 

  • April 01, 2024

    6th Circ. Judge Warns Of 'Trap' In Medical Malpractice Laws

    The Sixth Circuit has backed an Ohio federal judge's decision to toss a couple's claim against a doctor they say failed to provide proper prenatal care that could have prevented their child's brain damage, with one judge writing separately that the relevant laws can easily "trap unwary litigants" with their requirements.

  • April 01, 2024

    Ford Can Keep Pursuing Narrowed BCBS Antitrust Suit

    A Michigan federal judge has trimmed some of Ford Motor Co.'s time-barred claims alleging Blue Cross Blue Shield engaged in an anti-competitive scheme to drive up prices, but said the auto giant established it had standing to pursue allegations it was injured by market-restricting agreements among insurance licensees.

Expert Analysis

  • AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier

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    Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

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    As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.

  • General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

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    With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

  • Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

  • Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

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    Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • Attorneys, Law Schools Must Adapt To New Era Of Evidence

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    Technological advancements mean more direct evidence is being created than ever before, and attorneys as well as law schools must modify their methods to account for new challenges in how this evidence is collected and used to try cases, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Tips For Litigating Against Pro Se Parties In Complex Disputes

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    Litigating against self-represented parties in complex cases can pose unique challenges for attorneys, but for the most part, it requires the same skills that are useful in other cases — from documenting everything to understanding one’s ethical duties, says Bryan Ketroser at Alto Litigation.

  • Ga. Ruling A Win For Plaintiffs Injured By Older Products

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    The Georgia Supreme Court's recent opinion in Ford Motor Co. v. Cosper gives plaintiffs the assurance that even if they are injured by older products, they can still bring claims under state law if the manufacturer used a design that it knew, or should have known, created a risk of substantial harm, says Rob Snyder at Cannella Snyder.

  • Pro Bono Work Is Powerful Self-Help For Attorneys

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    Oct. 22-28 is Pro Bono Week, serving as a useful reminder that offering free legal help to the public can help attorneys expand their legal toolbox, forge community relationships and create human connections, despite the challenges of this kind of work, says Orlando Lopez at Culhane Meadows.

  • State Regs Sow Discord Between Cannabis, Hemp Industries

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    Connecticut, Maryland and Washington are the latest states choosing to require intoxicating hemp products to comply with the states' recreational marijuana laws, resulting in a widening rift between cannabis and hemp as Congress works on crafting new hemp legislation within the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill, say attorneys at Wilson Elser.

  • Series

    Playing In A Rock Cover Band Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing in a classic rock cover band has driven me to hone several skills — including focus, organization and networking — that have benefited my professional development, demonstrating that taking time to follow your muse outside of work can be a boon to your career, says Michael Gambro at Cadwalader.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'

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    The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.

  • Opinion

    Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform

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    The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.

  • How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing

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    Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

  • Opinion

    Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats

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    Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.

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