Snap Investors' $65M Deal OK'd, But Attys Face 'Cheap' Judge

By Craig Clough

A California federal judge said Thursday he will grant preliminary approval of a $65 million deal to resolve a proposed securities class action against Snapchat, but warned the plaintiffs' side they will "have to see" about the request for 30% of the settlement in attorney fees because he is "notoriously cheap."

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Authors' Attys Seek $300M In Fees After $1.5B Anthropic Deal

By Elliot Weld

The attorneys who represented a group of authors that secured a $1.5 billion settlement with artificial intelligence business Anthropic after claiming the company infringed copyrights by training its models with pirated books have asked the court for $300 million in fees.

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Calif. Judge Tosses Baby Food Experts In Heavy Metals Suits

By Emily Field

A California state judge Wednesday tossed experts in a suit alleging that the presence of heavy metals in Hain Celestial baby foods caused a child's brain damage, finding that a toxicologist couldn't single out exposure from different companies.

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Live Nation Customers Appear Poised For Antitrust Class Cert.

By Craig Clough

Consumers accusing Live Nation of monopolizing the live entertainment industry were in a good position Thursday for class certification after a California federal judge issued a tentative ruling that would approve the request and appeared skeptical of the entertainment giant's arguments at a hearing.

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9th Circ. Won't Revive Google Maps Antitrust Suit

By Bryan Koenig

A Ninth Circuit panel gave short shrift Thursday to app-makers trying to revive a proposed antitrust class action accusing Google of locking out rival maps products, rejecting the appeal because Google doesn't actually bar "the use or display of non-Google maps content to a Google Map."

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Analysis

Appeal Of US Atty Invalidations May Be 'Devastating' To DOJ

By Phillip Bantz

As the list of interim and acting U.S. attorneys found to be unlawfully appointed under President Donald Trump grows, so too does the pressure on his administration to make the next move, which could force a risky strategic decision on whether to push the issue up to the U.S. Supreme Court, experts said.

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Starbucks Hit With Another Suit Over Uniform Reimbursement

By Gina Kim

Starbucks employees sued the coffee giant in California federal court Thursday accusing it of refusing to reimburse them for hundreds of dollars they spent to buy apparel that comply with the company's new uniform requirements and for using their personal mobile devices for work-related matters.

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Supreme Court Allows Texas Redistricting Map To Stay For Now

By Spencer Brewer

The U.S. Supreme Court gave Texas a green light Thursday to adopt its redrawn congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, staying a decision by the lower court that blocked the new maps as the case plays out.

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9th Circ. Says Species' Competing Interests Impact ESA Cases

By Juan-Carlos Rodriguez

The Ninth Circuit has ruled that when a court-ordered injunction would protect one animal or plant covered by the Endangered Species Act but harm another, the court must weigh their "competing" interests before taking action.

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Allstate, Homeowners' $4M Deal OK'd In Overcharge Dispute

By Hope Patti

A California federal court gave final approval to a deal requiring Allstate to pay $4 million to end claims that it overcharged home insurance policy owners by inflating the square footage of their homes.

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Class Cert. Denied In Splenda False Ad Suit

By Emily Field

A California federal judge on Wednesday declined to certify a class of consumers who claim that Splenda falsely advertised that its sweetener packets were "suitable for people with diabetes," partly because the lead plaintiff is prediabetic.

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Analysis

Wheeling & Appealing: The Latest Must-Know Appellate Action

By Jeff Overley

Is the False Claims Act constitutional? Will Mark Zuckerberg be deposed in high-profile privacy litigation? Did a major drugmaker's shenanigans cost investors nearly $7 billion? That's a small sample of the intriguing legal questions we're exploring in this preview of December's top appellate action.

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LA Law Firm Faces Suit Over Alleged Worker Misclassification

By Irene Spezzamonte

A Los Angeles law firm initially promised to pay a former staffer as an employee with an annual salary but suddenly changed his classification to that of an independent contractor and terminated him after he complained, the worker said in a suit in California federal court.

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Former Live Nation Workers See 401(k) Fee Suit Tossed

By Kellie Mejdrich

A California federal judge tossed a suit from two Live Nation ex-workers alleging excessive fees in their employee 401(k) plan, following the Ninth Circuit in August saying the workers hadn't specifically appealed the lower court's holding that the ticket sales company could enforce a class action waiver.

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9th Circ. Says ERISA Preempts UnitedHealth Claims Fight

By Kellie Mejdrich

The Ninth Circuit on Thursday backed a California federal court's decision to toss a medical collector's allegations of underpaid claims and state contract law violations by a UnitedHealth Group unit, agreeing that the Employee Retirement Income Security Act preempted the collector's suit.

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9th Circ. To Decide Agents' Immunity In Fatal Ariz. Shooting

By Joyce Hanson

An Arizona federal judge has agreed to let three U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents pause a lawsuit against them until the Ninth Circuit weighs in on whether they are immune from the suit claiming they wrongfully shot and killed a Tohono O'odham Nation man.

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Crypto Investors Fight To Revive Ripple Suit At 9th Circ.

By Dorothy Atkins

A certified class of investors urged the Ninth Circuit on Thursday to revive allegations Ripple Labs violated securities laws through unregistered sales of digital-token XRP, arguing the lower court misapplied the Ninth Circuit's SEC v. Murphy precedent in granting Ripple summary judgment under a three-year statute of repose.

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Gov't Watchdog To Probe FHFA Mortgage Fraud Referrals

By Grace Dixon

The Government Accountability Office will review whether Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte weaponized mortgage fraud investigations against the president's perceived political opponents and flouted the agency's typical investigation process.

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Prolonged FTC Review Kills $615M Healthcare Staffing Deal

By Matthew Perlman

Talent software and staffing company Aya Healthcare Inc. abandoned its planned $615 million deal for Cross Country Healthcare Inc. on Thursday, citing uncertainty from an ongoing Federal Trade Commission review that was extended by the government shutdown.

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Pharma Cos. Denied Early Win In States' Price-Fixing Suit

By Aaron Keller

Twenty-six pharmaceutical companies failed to secure a quick win on overarching conspiracy claims in an antitrust case by the attorneys general of Connecticut and most other states, with a federal judge finding the "substantial bulk of evidence" points toward a broad industry scheme to fix 98 dermatology drug prices.

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Credit Bureaus Can't Duck Suit Over Excluded Medical Debt

By Bryan Koenig

A California federal judge has found that Equifax, Experian and TransUnion must face key parts of a rejiggered proposed antitrust class action from medical practices and collection agencies targeting the credit reporting agencies' decision to exclude medical debt under $500 from consumer credit reports.

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Sunday Ticket Subscribers Claim NFL Added Late Arguments

By David Steele

The National Football League improperly introduced new arguments into their defense of the decision to dismiss the $4.7 billion verdict in their favor in the Sunday Ticket antitrust trial last year, a group of subscribers told the Ninth Circuit.

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Google Asks 5th Circ. To Transfer Monopoly Suit To Calif.

By Rae Ann Varona

Google on Thursday urged the Fifth Circuit to transfer mobile analytics software company Branch Metric's lawsuit accusing the search giant of monopolizing several markets related to mobile device searches, saying a lower court was wrong to keep the suit in Texas since California is the "clearly more convenient forum."

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LA Fitness Says FTC Can't Expand Online Shopping Law

By Gina Kim

LA Fitness urged a California federal judge to dismiss the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit alleging the gym has burdensome cancellation methods, arguing Wednesday that it fails to state a claim under the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act, which doesn't apply to brick-and-mortar businesses and only regulates online commerce.

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Google Fights Unlockd's Judge Recusal Bid In Antitrust Case

By Christine DeRosa

Google is opposing a move by Unlockd Media seeking the recusal of U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. in an antitrust lawsuit in California federal court, arguing that the judge's close relationship with Google's vice president for litigation and discovery doesn't require him to step away from the case.

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Dem Lawmakers Push Equity-Focused Cannabis Reforms

By Sam Reisman

A group of Democratic Congress members on Thursday unveiled a proposed U.S. House of Representatives resolution urging Congress to push policies strengthening equity in the state-regulated marijuana markets and for the U.S. to encourage international drug reform.

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Oregon Labor Peace Law Unconstitutional, 9th Circ. Told

By Sam Reisman

Cannabis companies that brought a successful challenge to an Oregon state law requiring marijuana businesses to have labor peace agreements told the Ninth Circuit on Wednesday the law was unconstitutional and preempted.

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Ropes & Gray Adds Ex-Meta Lead As AI Strategy Chief

By Matt Perez

Ropes & Gray LLP announced Thursday the hiring of a former senior manager at Meta and onetime attorney at the firm as its first chief of artificial intelligence strategy.

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Kirkland Lands Orrick Litigation Leaders In Philly, LA

By James Boyle

Two attorneys have left their roles as co-leads of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP's complex litigation and alternative dispute resolution practice to join Kirkland & Ellis LLP's Philadelphia and Los Angeles offices, the firm announced Thursday.

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Boies Schiller Lands Former SEC Trial Leader In LA

By Christine DeRosa

Boies Schiller Flexner LLP has grown its securities litigation offerings in California with a former supervisory trial counsel in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Los Angeles Regional Office, the firm said Thursday.

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Gordon Rees Adds Tressler Insurance Pro In Northern Calif.

By James Mills

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP is strengthening its Northern California team, bringing in a Tressler LLP insurance expert as a partner in its San Francisco office.

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Opinion

California Vapor Intrusion Policy Should Focus On Site Risks

As California environmental regulators consider whether to change the attenuation factor used in screenings for vapor intrusion, the most prudent path forward is to keep the current value for screening purposes, while using site-specific, risk-based numbers for cleanup and closure targets, says Thierry Montoya at Frost Brown.

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9th Circ. Ruling Upholds Employee Speech Amid Stalled NLRB

The Ninth Circuit's recent decision in National Labor Relations Board v. North Mountain Foothills Apartments shows that courts are enforcing National Labor Relations Act protections despite the board's current paralysis, so employers must tread carefully when disciplining employee speech, whether at work or online, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

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Series

Preaching Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Becoming a Gospel preacher has enhanced my success as a trial lawyer by teaching me the importance of credibility, relatability, persuasiveness and thorough preparation for my congregants, the same skills needed with judges and juries in the courtroom, says Reginald Harris at Stinson.

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Immigration Lawyers Battle Burnout Amid Deportation Surge

By Daniel Connolly

As the Trump administration carries out a mass deportation campaign across the country, immigration attorneys faced with heavy demand and changing norms are feeling the impact of burnout and stress on their practices and emotions, they told Law360.

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Calif. Agency Hires Ex-DOJ Crypto Enforcement Director

By Sarah Jarvis

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation has brought on a new general counsel who previously served in leadership positions with the U.S. Department of Justice, including director of its cryptocurrency enforcement team.

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Fla. Judge OKs Release Of Epstein Grand Jury Transcripts

By Rae Ann Varona

A Florida federal judge on Friday ordered the release of grand jury transcripts from an investigation of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, citing a newly enacted law that the government said overrides a prohibition on disclosing the documents to the public.

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Bonus Spotlight

Katten Exceeds Market Bonus Scale, Orrick Matches

By Tracey Read

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP has joined a select few law firms that have gone beyond the BigLaw norm for year-end and special bonuses.

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Brief

Holland & Knight Adds Ex-House Speaker's Adviser In DC

By Tracey Read

Holland & Knight LLP has added the former senior policy adviser and counsel to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., as a public policy and regulation practice group partner.

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Roundup

GC Cheat Sheet: The Hottest Corporate News Of The Week

By Michele Gorman

An SEC panel has asked the agency to adopt regulations that could standardize the way publicly traded companies report details about AI use. Meanwhile, the FCC approved AT&T's $1 billion UScellular deal after AT&T became the latest of the big three mobile carriers to agree to do away with diversity, equity and inclusion policies. These are some of the stories in corporate legal news you may have missed in the past week.

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Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Kevin Penton

Gupta Wessler LLP and Block & Leviton LLP lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the Eleventh Circuit revived a proposed class action against NextEra Energy Inc. that seeks to hold the energy company liable for a share price drop that followed political interference allegations involving a subsidiary.

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Mass. IOLTA Panel Says It's Owed Slice Of Residual Funds

By Julie Manganis

A Massachusetts panel that oversees Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts asked the state's highest court Friday to at least partially unwind a $4 million class action settlement, saying a lower court didn't give it a chance to argue for a portion of what it says are "significant" residual funds.

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Judges Beat Ethics Suits For Dropping Retirement Post-Trump

By Jake Maher

A Fourth Circuit judge and two district court judges have defeated ethics complaints from a conservative legal organization alleging they improperly reversed their decisions to take senior status after President Donald Trump was elected.

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Court Staff Attys Settle Claims Of Undermining Colleague

By Julie Manganis

Six months after Massachusetts' highest court revived some of a former Appeals Court staff attorney's claims in a suit alleging two supervisors intentionally undermined him, the parties have reported reaching a settlement in the case.

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