J&J's Beasley Allen DQ Bid Based On 'Innuendo,' Court Told

By Ryan Harroff

A California couple ripped Johnson & Johnson's renewed bid to block two Beasley Allen Law Firm attorneys from representing them in their suit accusing the company of selling carcinogenic talc-based baby powder, arguing the company's opposition is based largely on "innuendo" rather than proof of misconduct by the lawyers.

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Wash. Panel Grills Worker Family On $5M Asbestos Win Basis

By Rachel Riley

A Washington appellate panel seemed skeptical Wednesday that a family's $5.5 million win against an industrial manufacturer could stand when it never made the asbestos-containing equipment at issue in the product liability case, with one judge also remarking the company had raised a "hard argument" on appeal.

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American Airlines Workers Win $18.7M Toxic Uniform Award

By Y. Peter Kang

A California state jury has awarded $18.7 million to five American Airlines flight attendants who blamed their employer and a uniform maker for causing them to suffer injuries due to uniforms made with toxic chemicals.

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3rd Circ. Sends Dow Pollution Suit Back To NJ State Court

By George Woolston

The Third Circuit on Wednesday said New Jersey's lawsuit accusing Dow Chemical Co. of causing widespread groundwater pollution through a product containing a potentially cancer-causing compound should be heard in state court, rejecting the chemical company's argument that it was acting under the direction of the federal government.

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Senate Panel Vets Trump FAA Pick's Aviation Safety Priorities

By Linda Chiem

President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration pledged Wednesday to prioritize air traffic control upgrades, bolster staffing and reinvigorate safety programs, but deflected Democrats' repeated demands that he promise to preserve a 1,500-hour pilot training rule.

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Insurer Says Law Firm Mishandled Pesticide Exposure Suit

By Hope Patti

An insurer is claiming it is owed at least $625,000 from a law firm hired to defend a poultry farm against a suit over toxic pesticide exposure, alleging in federal court that it was forced to settle the suit above policy limits due to the firm's negligence and malpractice.

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Acura Drivers' Attys Get $8.5M In Bluetooth Device Settlement

By Jonathan Capriel

A California federal judge has granted final approval to a deal between a class of Acura drivers and American Honda Motor Co., settling claims over alleged defects in vehicles' Bluetooth hands-free systems and awarding class counsel $8.56 million in attorney fees — an amount reduced from the attorneys' original $10.9 million request.

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9th Circ. Judge Doubts Apple ICloud Buyer's Storage Appeal

By Dorothy Atkins

A Ninth Circuit judge on a panel appeared skeptical Wednesday of an Apple consumer's bid to revive a proposed class action alleging the tech giant shortchanged tens of millions of paying iCloud subscribers out of 5 gigabytes of the storage space, saying the consumer "got exactly what you were promised."

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9th Circ. Doubts Kleenex Ad Fight Belongs In District Court

By Dorothy Atkins

Two judges on a Ninth Circuit panel doubted Wednesday that they have jurisdictional authority to revive a putative class action alleging Kimberly-Clark Corp.'s Kleenex Wet Wipes Germ Removal products mislead consumers about its ability to kill germs, saying repeatedly that the consumers' complaint has not met their burden to establish jurisdiction.

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Gun Groups Sue NJ, Bondi Over Handgun Age Restriction

By Mike Curley

A would-be handgun owner and a pair of firearms groups are suing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, law enforcement officials and Attorney General Pam Bondi in federal court, alleging that state and federal age-based prohibition against owning handguns is unconstitutional.

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Paddle Maker Wants Counterclaims Tossed In Contract Row

By Elaine Briseño

Pickleball paddle producer Joola has urged the Maryland federal court to dismiss the fraud and false endorsement counterclaims in its breach of contract lawsuit against the self-proclaimed U.S. governing body for the sport, arguing the organization has not alleged any real harm.

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Compliance Refresher For 'Made In USA' Labeling Claims

As tariffs reshape the trade landscape, companies hoping to invoke the powerful consumer appeal of “Made in USA” labels must understand the strict rules for making acceptable claims so they avoid the costly legal ramifications and brand damage possible from misrepresenting products as 100% American, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

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Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Appreciating Civil Procedure

If you’re like me, law school’s often complex and theoretical approach to teaching civil procedure may have contributed to an early struggle with the topic, but when seen from a practical perspective, new lawyers may find they enjoy mastering these rules, says Chloe Villagomez at Foster Garvey.

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Analysis

These Firms Are Landing The Most Patent Litigation Work

By Dani Kass

Rabicoff Law LLC reclaimed its status as the most active firm for patent plaintiffs, having filed more than twice as many cases in 2024 as it did in 2023, according to a new report from Lex Machina.

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DOJ Says Newsom Can't Ask Court To Halt Guard Deployment

By Jared Foretek

The Trump administration is telling a California federal judge its decision to federalize the National Guard is unreviewable in court, calling California Gov. Gavin Newsom's effort to stop the takeover "a crass political stunt" in a new filing Wednesday.

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Ex-Copyright Leader Says Firing Risks 'Inoperable' Agency

By Ivan Moreno

The fired leader of the U.S. Copyright Office has asked a D.C. federal judge to block the Trump administration's action while she challenges her termination, arguing that significant functions of the government agency could be rendered "inoperable" without judicial intervention.

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DOJ Legal Policy Chief, Adviser On Judge Selections, Resigns

By Courtney Bublé

Aaron Reitz, a top U.S. Department of Justice official who works on judicial nominations, announced Wednesday he's resigning after being confirmed for the role on March 26.

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DC Circ. Pauses Habeas Order In Alien Enemies Act Case

By Ali Sullivan

The D.C. Circuit has agreed to briefly pause a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to give due process to Venezuelan immigrants deported from the U.S. to a Salvadoran prison under the Alien Enemies Act.

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Analysis

New Patent Cases Rebound As EDTX Seals Top Venue Spot

By Ryan Davis

The number of new patent suits filed in 2024 increased 22.2% over 2023, bouncing back from a historically slow year, and the Eastern District of Texas further cemented its status as the most popular patent venue after a rule change made another Texas district less attractive to plaintiffs.

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Analysis

DOJ's Focus On Cartels Raises Compliance Risks For US Cos.

By Phillip Bantz

U.S. corporations with business interests south of the border are increasingly worried about exposure to terrorism-related criminal charges under the Trump administration for inadvertently working with cartels linked to major business sectors throughout Mexico, from energy and manufacturing to financial services, compliance experts tell Law360.

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JC Penney Blasts Jackson Walker Bid To Escape Fee Dispute

By Lynn LaRowe

J.C. Penney has called on a Texas bankruptcy court to knock down Jackson Walker LLP's bid to escape a fee suit prompted by a yearslong secret romance between a former firm partner and a onetime bankruptcy judge, saying the firm's dismissal bid is "riddled with implausibility, excuse and contradiction."

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Calif. Justices OK More Bar Exam Proposals After Fiasco

By Craig Clough

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday approved more measures to address the widespread problems that arose during the administration of the February bar exam, which includes a provisional license program for applicants who failed or withdrew from the exam. 

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Queens Defenders Ex-Director Charged With Embezzling

By Gina Kim

A former executive director of Queens Defenders and her husband are charged with embezzling $60,000 from the organization and spending it on personal expenses including rent for a penthouse apartment, luxury goods, vacations and teeth-whitening procedures, prosecutors say in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in New York federal court.

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Ex-Judges Urge High Court To Protect Right To Counsel

By Cara Salvatore

A group of six high-profile retired judges urged the Supreme Court to protect criminal defendants' right to consult with counsel during overnight trial recesses, saying a current "patchwork" of practices in this area is bad for judges as well as defendants.

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Trump Presses 2nd Circ. To Federalize Hush Money Appeal

By Stewart Bishop

Counsel for President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged the Second Circuit to take over the appeal of his New York state hush money conviction post-trial, saying a federal judge in Manhattan wrongly denied removal, and the landscape has now changed in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark presidential immunity decision.

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Atty Wants 6th Circ. To Vacate Tenn. 'Gag Order' Rule Decision

By Jack Karp

If the Sixth Circuit does not undo a decision that a Nashville attorney didn't have standing to challenge a since-rescinded Middle District of Tennessee rule concerning lawyers' "extrajudicial statements," it could "be all but impossible" for lawyers to challenge similar court rules in the future, the attorney said Wednesday.

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