CFPB, Lenders Float Deal To Vacate Medical Debt Rule

By Katryna Perera

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has agreed to a proposed consent judgment that would vacate a Biden-era rule banning an estimated $49 billion in medical debt from credit reports, striking a deal with lender trade groups that sued in Texas federal court to block the rule.

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Wartime Law For Gang Removals Barred In Texas, For Good

By Britain Eakin

A Texas federal judge on Thursday permanently blocked the Trump administration from deporting alleged gang members from Venezuela under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, ruling that the gang's activities in the U.S. cannot be regarded as an invasion.

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Girl Says Discord, Roblox Make Kids 'Easy Prey' For Predators

By Catherine Marfin

A 16-year-old girl who alleges she was groomed by a child predator on Roblox and Discord has hit the companies with a product liability suit in Texas, writing that their sites make kids "easy prey for pedophiles."

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'Continuous' Defaults Wipe $20M Gas Plant Verdict, Court Told

By Catherine Marfin

Arrow Field Services LLC has asked the Texas Supreme Court to wipe out a $20 million verdict for its general contractor on a North Dakota natural gas plant because the company "was in continuous default" during the project.

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SEC Drops Case Against Crypto Promoter Ian Balina

By Katryna Perera

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission moved Thursday to drop its suit over cryptocurrency influencer Ian Balina's alleged promotion of so-called SPRK tokens, about a month after Balina's attorneys said the federal regulator planned to walk away from the case.

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TM Dispute Over Flag Football's Governing Body Stays Alive

By Adam Lidgett

A Texas federal judge on Thursday shot down USA Football's bid to escape claims from USA Flag in a simmering feud over the national leadership of flag football within the U.S., saying there are many factual issues that need to be put in the hands of a jury.

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Army Contractor Seeks $1.3M Over Undelivered Cable Sets

By Madeline Lyskawa

A U.S. Army contractor sued a custom cable manufacturer in Texas federal court Thursday, alleging that it is owed more than $1.3 million for specialized cable sets that were never delivered.

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5 Fed. Circ. Clashes To Watch This Month

By Ryan Davis

The Federal Circuit's argument calendar for May includes appeals of two nine-figure patent verdicts — one against Apple and one against Medtronic — and Roku's bid to revive its remote control patent suit at the U.S. International Trade Commission after a loss tied to the commission's domestic industry requirement.

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AT&T Win Is FDIC's Loss On In-House Cases, 5th Circ. Told

By Katryna Perera

A banker challenging the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s use of in-house proceedings to level a fraud judgment against him told the Fifth Circuit that its recent decision overturning a $57 million Federal Communications Commission fine against AT&T confirms that the FDIC cannot rely on a "public rights" exemption to impose fines without a jury trial.

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5th Circ. Keeps NFL Pension Plan's Atty Fee Appeal Afloat

By David Steele

The NFL retirement plan's appeal of a $1.86 million award of attorney fees and expenses to a former player fighting for additional disability benefits will go forward, after a panel of the Fifth Circuit rejected his bid to stop it.

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Brief

Rancher, Counties Drop Suit Over Biden Immigration Policies

By Elliot Weld

A pair of Texas counties and a ranch owner agreed to drop a suit against the U.S. government after they sued last year over Biden-era immigration policies, which they said conflicted with congressional goals of having "zero illegal entries."

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Texas Trucking Co. Hits Ch. 11 With Over $25M In Debt

By Yun Park

Balkan Express, a transportation company based in Fort Worth, Texas, has launched a bankruptcy case with debt exceeding $25 million.

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Rockwall Injury Atty Is New Texas Bar President-Elect

By Lynn LaRowe

State Bar of Texas members have chosen a personal injury attorney based in Rockwall, about 25 miles outside Dallas, as their next president-elect, according to election results announced Wednesday evening.

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Nelson Mullins Lands Porter Hedges Tax Pro In Houston

By Lynn LaRowe

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP announced Thursday that it has fortified its tax controversy and litigation team with a partner in Houston who came aboard from Porter Hedges LLP.

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J&J's Failed 3rd Try Casts Doubt On Use Of 'Texas Two-Step'

A Texas bankruptcy court recently rejected Johnson & Johnson's third attempt to use Chapter 11 to resolve liabilities from allegations of injuries from using talcum powder, suggesting that the U.S. Supreme Court's limitations on nondebtor releases, from 2024's Purdue Pharma ruling, may prove difficult to evade, say attorneys at Cadwalader.

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Series

Teaching College Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Serving as an adjunct college professor has taught me the importance of building rapport, communicating effectively, and persuading individuals to critically analyze the difference between what they think and what they know — principles that have helped to improve my practice of law, says Sheria Clarke at Nelson Mullins.

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Attys Join Nationwide 'Day Of Action' Rallies For Rule Of Law

By Ryan Boysen and Jack Rodgers

Thousands of attorneys gathered at rallies across the country on Thursday to oppose what they called the Trump administration's "assault" on the rule of law — a rare public demonstration for the normally buttoned-down and risk-averse professionals that they said "sounds the alarm of a looming constitutional crisis."

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Analysis

Hair, Makeup, Legal: The Lawyering Behind The Met Gala

By Theresa Schliep

While the red carpet arrivals of the biggest names in the entertainment industry are sure to win the most attention at the Met Gala on Monday, attorneys also play a significant role in advising the brands and celebrities at the center of fashion's biggest night.

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20 Former Federal Judges Launch Group To Defend Judiciary

By Jake Maher

Twenty former federal district and circuit judges on Thursday launched a coalition to speak out about and defend the federal judiciary as political impeachment attempts against judges increase and the federal courts system faces heightened scrutiny.

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Paul Hastings, GenapSys Settle Calif. Legal Malpractice Suit

By James Mills

The legal malpractice suit in which gene sequencing company GenapSys Inc. argued Paul Hastings LLP caused GenapSys' bankruptcy appears to have been settled.

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GOP Seeks To Stop 'Frivolous Lawsuits' With Reconciliation

By Courtney Bublé

The House Judiciary Committee approved along party lines a proposal they say will prevent "frivolous lawsuits" by barring courts from enforcing contempt citations for failure to comply with injunctions if the plaintiff has not posted a bond for litigation costs.

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Senate Panel Delays A Vote On Martin Nomination For US Atty

By Courtney Bublé

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday held off for now a vote to call for a hearing on Ed Martin's nomination for U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, a move Democrats say would allow more time to review his record and, they hope, convince enough Republicans to help them block his nomination.

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Ex-Exec's Claims Against Dechert Still No Good, 2nd Circ. Told

By Pete Brush

A North Carolina trade executive's latest trip to the Second Circuit in his quest to win damages for alleged hacking by a private investigator on Dechert LLP's behalf should end like the others, with a dismissal, defense counsel argued Thursday.

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New Bill Holds Judges Accountable Even After They Retire

By Hailey Konnath

A Georgia Congressman on Thursday introduced legislation that would ensure misconduct complaints against judges would still be investigated, even if the judge has resigned, retired or even died.

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Colo. Judge Resigns Amid Allegations Over Misuse Of Bench

By Thy Vo

A Colorado state judge resigned on Wednesday amid a disciplinary complaint accusing him of misusing his position to help a former client that he exchanged sexual and flirtatious texts with, telling an independent panel in a brief that it no longer needs to hear a disciplinary case against him.

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The Top In-House Hires Of April

By Michele Gorman

Legal department hires over the past month included high-profile appointments at FanDuel's parent company, American Airlines and soda business Swig. Here, Law360 Pulse looks at some of the top in-house announcements from the first full month of spring.

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