Walmart Adds To Visa, Mastercard Swipe-Fee Deal Objections

By Katryna Perera

Walmart has become the latest retailer to object to a proposed new settlement between Visa, Mastercard and a class of potentially millions of merchants to resolve two decades of antitrust litigation, claiming the class plaintiffs and counsel have "sold out their fellow class members."

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Senate Banking Committee Pushes Crypto Markup To 2026

By Aislinn Keely

The Senate Banking Committee anticipates marking up a crypto market structure proposal in the new year as bipartisan negotiations on the bill continue, a spokesperson for committee chairman Tim Scott, R.-S.C, said Monday.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Wells Fargo Bucks CFO's Deposition In Disability Bias Suit

By Hayley Fowler

Wells Fargo wants to block the deposition of its chief financial officer in a senior finance manager's disability bias lawsuit, saying he has no personal knowledge of the claims underpinning her allegations and suggesting that her attorney's "behavior" needs "curtailing."

Memorandum attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Danske Bank Exits DOJ Probation Under $2B AML Deal

By Sarah Jarvis

Danske Bank announced Monday that it has finished a three-year corporate probation imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of a $2 billion settlement over allegations the Danish lender misled U.S. banks about its anti-money laundering controls for high-risk customers in Estonia.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Bank Of South Sudan Fights Enforcement Of $1B Award

By Caroline Simson

The Bank of South Sudan urged a D.C. federal court not to side with Qatar National Bank in a dispute over enforcement of a $1 billion arbitral award that found South Sudan defaulted on a $700 million loan agreement from its civil war era, arguing that the arbitral tribunal lacked jurisdiction.

Brief attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Property Investor Says Florida Real Estate Broker Stole $121M

By David Minsky

A Florida rental properly investor accused a real estate broker in state court of misappropriating more than $121 million intended as investment distributions, saying she used her position as manager of several companies to divert the funds to her own accounts. 

3 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Sen. Tim Scott's Ex-Chief Of Staff Joins Holland & Hart

By Jack Rodgers

Holland & Hart LLP has tapped the former chief of staff for Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., to serve as a senior director of federal affairs in the firm's Washington, D.C., office, according to a Monday announcement.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

10th Circ. Dissent May Light Path For Master Account Access

While the Tenth Circuit's majority in Custodia Bank v. Federal Reserve Board recently affirmed Federal Reserve banks' control over master account access, the dissent raised constitutional questions that could support banks seeking master accounts in future litigation, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Series

The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Integrating Practice Groups

Enacting unified leadership and consistent client service standards ensures law firm practice groups connect and collaborate around shared goals, turning a law firm merger into a platform for growth rather than a period of disruption, says Brian Catlett at Fennemore Craig.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Former DLA Piper Associate Alleges Ex-Partner Raped Her

By Lynn LaRowe

A former Boston-based DLA Piper associate on Monday launched a state lawsuit alleging she was raped at the firm's Delaware office by a former partner purportedly known for heavy drinking and inappropriate workplace conduct toward female subordinates.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Bonus Spotlight

Elsberg Baker Exceeds, Cohen Ziffer Matches Atty Bonuses

By Tracey Read

Trial boutique Elsberg Baker & Maruri PLLC announced Monday that its associates will earn up to $226,250 in extra cash this year.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

'Hardworking' 9th Circ. Senior Judge Sandra Ikuta Dies At 71

By Hailey Konnath

Senior U.S. Circuit Judge Sandra Segal Ikuta of the Ninth Circuit, who has been semi-retired since early November, died on Dec. 7 at the age of 71, exactly one month after assuming senior status, according to the Federal Judicial Center.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

ABA Flags AI Fears: Making Attys 'Worse At Their Jobs'

By Steven Lerner

The erosion of skills for junior associates, deepfakes as evidence in court and the lack of technical knowledge in law firms were among the top fears and challenges listed by the American Bar Association in a new report about artificial intelligence in the legal profession.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ex-US Attys Say Pardons, Loyalty Demands Hurt Rule Of Law

By Adrian Cruz

A bipartisan group of former U.S. attorneys spoke publicly Monday on their concerns regarding the direction the U.S. justice system has taken since the start of the second Trump administration and the potential risks that may pose to the rule of law.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Arbitration Ruling Stands In Morgan & Morgan Class Action

By Chart Riggall

A Georgia federal judge said Monday she won't backtrack on her decision to send a malpractice lawsuit from a former client of Morgan & Morgan PA to arbitration, once again rejecting his arguments that his proposed class claims were exempt from an agreement to arbitrate disputes.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Atty Seeks To Block Law Banning Fee-Sharing With ABS Firms

By Emily Sawicki

The attorney challenging a California law that blocks fee-sharing with out-of-state law firms owned by nonlawyers has petitioned for enforcement of the law to be suspended before it is set to go into effect on Jan. 1.

Motion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Judge Won't Boot Bondi-Appointed Prosecutor In LA

By Emily Sawicki

A federal judge has refused to reconsider his ruling disqualifying Bill Essayli from holding the role of U.S. attorney but allowing him to serve as the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, finding that Essayli's appointment by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi is valid.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Judge Willing To Take 'Heat' For Blocking ICE Arrest, Jury Told

By Nate Beck

A Wisconsin judge was willing to "take the heat" for using a staff hallway to usher an unauthorized immigrant out of her courtroom, a federal jury heard Monday, as a defense attorney argued she can't be found guilty by association just because someone in her courtroom tried to flee immigration agents.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jeff Montgomery

Litigation in Delaware's Court of Chancery sprawled from a dispute over control of banana plantations along Africa's Congo River to a fight over the late musician Prince's estate last week. Along the way, a court ruling rejected a motion for a quick decision favoring Blue Bell Creameries director and officer calls for liability releases in a tainted ice cream saga that dates to 2015.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »