Paramount Snags Win Over Ex-CBS Manager Bonus Case

By Irene Spezzamonte

A former CBS News station manager failed to show that her bonus was promised as part of her wages, a Maryland federal judge said Wednesday, agreeing with Paramount that the bonuses were discretionary.

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

Anthropic Judge Says Deal Notices Downplay Opt-Out Avenue

By Elliot Weld

A California federal judge has ordered changes to the notice emails being sent to members of a class of writers who secured a $1.5 billion settlement of copyright infringement claims against artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, saying the current wording does not give "equal dignity" to the option of opting out of the settlement versus filing a claim.

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

29 AGs Want Social Media Addiction Fight Decided In 1 Trial

By Dorothy Atkins

A coalition of 29 state attorneys general Wednesday urged a California federal judge presiding over social-media addiction multidistrict litigation to consolidate state law claims into a single jury trial, while Meta's counsel argued that there's no case law precedent for such a single trial and it would be prejudicial.

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

Libby Parent Accuses OpenAI Of Infringing TM With Sora App

By Hailey Konnath

OverDrive Inc., the company behind the popular library app Libby, has accused OpenAI's Sora app of infringing its student library app Sora, claiming that it damages the integrity of its brand and could confuse and harm the children who use its collection of ebooks, audiobooks and read-alongs.

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

Use-Of-Force Limits 'Overbroad,' 7th Circ. Says, Halting Order

By Lauraann Wood

The Seventh Circuit pressed pause Wednesday on an "overbroad" injunction a Chicago federal judge entered to curb allegedly excessive force federal immigration officials have used against press and peaceful protesters, but cautioned the parties not to read too deeply into its holding.

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

Influencer Says 'Alt-Right' Label In Review Defamed Him

By Ronan Barnard

A conservative American author urged a London judge on Wednesday to rule that a review of a Mumford & Sons album in The Observer newspaper had defamed him by referring to him as an "alt-right agitator."

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Texas Judge Cements VidStream's $105M Trial Win Against X

By Dani Kass

A Texas federal judge has locked in VidStream LLC's $105 million infringement trial victory against X Corp. and topped it off with an additional $67 million in interest, but he shot down a series of requests for more damages and relief.

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

Mich. Judge Questions AG's Role In Roku Privacy Suit

By Danielle Ferguson

A Michigan federal judge on Wednesday questioned the state attorney general's authority to pursue privacy violation claims against Roku Inc. on behalf of residents and children, saying that such allegations can also be brought as a private class action.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Calif. Privacy Agency Targets Data Brokers With 'Strike Force'

By Allison Grande

The California Privacy Protection Agency is stepping up its oversight of the data broker industry, revealing Wednesday that it is establishing a dedicated "strike force" within its enforcement division to monitor whether these companies are meeting registration requirements and properly handling consumers' personal data.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Sinclair Sanctioned For Failing To Preserve Texts In Ads MDL

By Lauraann Wood

An Illinois federal judge sanctioned Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. on Tuesday over the company's failure to preserve text message data from more than 50 company-issued cellphones for discovery in multidistrict litigation targeting an allegedly illegal advertising price-fixing scheme.

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

Live Nation Looks To End DOJ's Antitrust Case

By Matthew Perlman

Live Nation told a New York federal court there's no need for a trial in the antitrust case from the U.S. Department of Justice and a contingent of states because enforcers have not shown that it has monopoly power over any live entertainment market or that it hurt competition.

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

YouTube's 'Nelk Boys' Can't Nix Crypto Fraud Claims

By Emilie Ruscoe

The influencers behind the YouTube channel "Nelk Boys" must face civil fraud and conspiracy claims stemming from a $23 million offering and sale of digital assets, in a lawsuit a buyer has brought alleging they largely failed to make good on delivering certain perks they promised purchasers.

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

Calif. Dems File Bill To Expand Tribal Internet Service

By Christopher Cole

Two California Democrats have introduced legislation aiming to explicitly include tribal lands under the Communications Act to make sure they can gain access to federal support for broadband connectivity in rural areas.

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

La. Gets Access To BEAD Funds, 17 Other State Plans Get OK

By Nadia Dreid

Louisiana has become the first state to gain access to Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program funds, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which said it has also given the green light to 17 other states and territories' final plans.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

4 Groups Urge FCC To Reject Charter, Cox Merger

By Christopher Cole

Four public interest groups petitioned the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday to block the $34.5 billion merger agreement between cable giants Charter and Cox.

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

Nexstar Asks FCC To Waive Ownership Cap In Tegna Takeover

By Christopher Cole

TV station giant Nexstar has asked the Federal Communications Commission to sign off on its pending acquisition of Tegna Inc. even though the $6.2 billion deal would breach existing FCC limits on national media ownership.

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

Consumers Say No Arbitration In Online Gambling Feud

By Joyce Hanson

Consumers embroiled in a dispute with several online casino game operators have pressed an Illinois federal judge to reconsider his order compelling arbitration, saying he looked to the wrong law when determining whether an arbitration agreement was void.

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

The Future Of Gen AI Training Amid Reddit Data Scraping Suit

Reddit's lawsuit against Perplexity AI is not framed as a classic copyright infringement fight, demonstrating that even when companies avoid fair use claims, the path by which training data is obtained is legally consequential, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

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

4chan's US Lawsuit May Affect UK Online Safety Law Reach

4chan and Kiwi Farms’ pending case against the Office of Communications in a D.C. federal court, arguing that their constitutional rights have been violated, could have far-reaching implications for the extraterritorial enforcement of the U.K. Online Safety Act and other laws if successful, say lawyers at Taylor Wessing.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Bonus Spotlight

BigLaw Begins To Fall In Line With Cravath Bonuses

By Aebra Coe

Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, McDermott Will & Schulte LLP and Dechert LLP are among the law firms following the lead of Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP on year-end associate bonuses this week, with at least five large firms matching the market leader within a day of Cravath's Tuesday announcement.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Troutman Owes $3.7M In Atty Fees After $1M Malpractice Loss

By Jake Maher

Troutman Pepper Locke LLP must pay $3.7 million in attorney fees to a healthcare tech company that won on malpractice claims against the firm in 2024 after six years of litigation and an eight-day bench trial, a New Jersey state judge has ordered.

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

Dissent Accuses Redistrict Ruling Of 'Judicial Misbehavior'

By Spencer Brewer

A Fifth Circuit judge denounced the judge who penned a federal court order blocking Texas' newly redrawn congressional map, saying in a Wednesday opinion the order blocking the redistricting amounts to the "most blatant exercise of judicial activism" he had ever seen.

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

Halligan Says Grand Jury Never Saw Final Comey Indictment

By Jared Foretek

U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan acknowledged Wednesday that the full grand jury in the James Comey case never saw or voted on the final version of the indictment that was handed up to the court in the case. An attorney for Comey said the clarification was grounds for dismissal.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Alaska Senator Pushes For Better Vetting After Judge Scandal

By Courtney Bublé

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said on Wednesday that after a federal judge in his state resigned in disgrace last year, he decided he had to revamp his selection process for judicial nominees.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Pillsbury Asks 2nd Circ. To Guard $4M Client Fee From SEC

By Aaron Keller

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP on Wednesday urged the Second Circuit to allow it to keep a $4 million advance payment retainer from the since-convicted former CEO of a bankrupt cybersecurity company, but the law firm conceded it should have clarified its rights after the government sought an asset freeze.

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

Latham DQ'd From Sleep Apnea Device Co.'s Patent Fight

By Madison Arnold

A Delaware federal court has disqualified Latham & Watkins LLP from representing the creator of a sleep apnea implant in its patent dispute after the firm served as counsel to the rival's underwriters, saying the "appearance of impropriety is glaring."

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

The House's Plan B For Repealing Provision On DOJ Lawsuits

By Courtney Bublé

If the Senate does not take up a bill to repeal a provision in the government funding package allowing senators investigated by former special counsel Jack Smith to sue for damages, a Republican House member is already making contingency plans.

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

Justices Told Presidential Firing Limits Is An 'Originalist' Idea

By Katie Buehler

A bipartisan collection of current and former government officials has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a 90-year-old ruling that empowers Congress to prohibit the president from firing certain agency officials at will, claiming the precedent has roots that date back to the country's founding and reflects key separation of powers principles.

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