CFTC Enforcement Chief Touts Self-Reporting Policy

By Aislinn Keely

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's enforcement chief said Tuesday that the agency plans to give entities a "clear path" to avoiding cases if they self-report issues early but warned the agency plans to staff up to pursue fraud and manipulation, including in burgeoning prediction markets.

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5th Circ. Backs Dismissal Of Boeing 737 Max Criminal Case

By Linda Chiem

The Fifth Circuit on Tuesday declined to compel the U.S. Department of Justice to criminally prosecute Boeing for defrauding safety regulators, saying it lacks jurisdiction to upend the government's $1.1 billion nonprosecution agreement with Boeing, and that prosecutors adequately consulted the 737 Max crash victims' families.

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FBI Fired Agents Over Trump 2020 Election Inquiry, Suit Says

By Bonnie Eslinger

Former FBI agents who say they were illegally fired for working on the investigation into President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss filed a proposed class action in D.C. federal court Tuesday accusing the government of unconstitutional "political retribution."

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Ex-FirstEnergy Execs' Bribe Trial Ends After Jury Hits Impasse

By Cara Salvatore

An Ohio judge on Tuesday dismissed a jury weighing charges that two former FirstEnergy Corp. executives bribed a utility regulator to help secure a controversial $1.3 billion bailout for two of the company's nuclear plants, after the jury reported an impasse following more than a week of deliberations.

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Senate Dems Probe Musk's Alleged Role In CTA Retreat

By Sarah Jarvis

Three Democratic senators have asked U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to provide information on Elon Musk's possible involvement in the rollback of the Corporate Transparency Act, saying the department's moves allow entities tied to the billionaire to operate in obscurity.

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9th Circ. Won't Rethink Apple App Store Injunction

By Dorothy Atkins

The Ninth Circuit on Monday refused Apple's bid to reconsider part of a panel decision in Epic Games Inc.'s favor that largely affirmed an injunction blocking Apple from charging developers "prohibitive" commissions on iPhone app purchases made outside its payment systems, declining to clarify what fees Apple can charge.

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Wash. Gov. Signs Bills Expanding Powers Of State AG

By Elizabeth Daley

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has signed two bills requested by the office of the state attorney general, including one aimed at enhancing its ability to demand document production and testimony in civil matters, allowing prosecutors to seek documents from elected officials and law enforcement agencies.

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Brief

Ga. Lawmakers OK Opening Damages To Fraud Victims

By Chart Riggall

Georgia lawmakers gave final approval to legislation that would allow state securities regulators within the secretary of state's office to force fraudsters to repay damages directly to investor victims.

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SEC Nabs Consent Judgments In Kaman Insider Trades Suit

By Sydney Price

The former head of a Kaman Corp. subsidiary and one of his associates will pay over $165,000 to settle claims they improperly utilized nonpublic information ahead of the aircraft component maker's $1.8 billion sale to a private equity firm.

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Analysis

Defamation Litigation Roundup: Unilever, Afroman, Musk

By Theresa Schliep

In this month's review of defamation fights, Law360 highlights a new suit against Unilever by an ousted member of a Ben & Jerry's board, as well as Afroman's defeat of a case by Ohio police officers after a raid of the comedic rapper's home.

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Lobbyist Blocked Rivera After Tying Him To $50M Oil Deal

By Carolina Bolado

Republican lobbyist Brian Ballard was "exceptionally angry" and blocked former Florida Congressman David Rivera's number after Rivera insinuated Ballard was tied to a $50 million consulting agreement Rivera signed with the U.S. affiliate of Venezuela's state-owned company, Ballard testified Tuesday in federal court.

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Atlanta, Ex-IG Freed From Lobbyist's Bank Subpoena Suit

By Kelcey Caulder

A Georgia federal judge freed the city of Atlanta and its former inspector general from a lobbyist and city contractor's suit accusing them of illegally issuing subpoenas for the lobbyist's bank records to bolster a frivolous corruption probe.

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NC Attys Oppose DOJ Interference In State Ethics Complaints

By Hayley Fowler

A group of North Carolina lawyers is opposing the U.S. Department of Justice's proposed rule allowing the attorney general to review state-level ethics complaints against the department's attorneys, saying such a change would undercut the Tar Heel State's ability to regulate government lawyers.

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5th Circ. Grills Fraudsters Over $158M Healthcare Scheme

By Spencer Brewer

A Fifth Circuit panel pushed back on two men's contention that their convictions in a $158 million healthcare scheme should get thrown out, asking Tuesday how the evidence the jury heard wasn't enough to uphold the convictions.

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Fla. Man Denies Bribing NYPD Bigwig In $11M Contract Push

By Pete Brush

A Florida businessman denied charges in Manhattan federal court Tuesday that he showered Kevin Taylor, former commander of the New York City Police Department's School Safety Division, with cash for pushing city officials to award him an $11 million "panic alert" contract.

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IRS Can Collect $371M From Convicted Ex-Atty, 7th Circ. Says

By Anna Scott Farrell

The Internal Revenue Service can assess and collect restitution against a former attorney who served prison time in connection with $7 billion in tax fraud, making the amount immediately due and payable, the Seventh Circuit ruled, saying it was the first circuit court to address the issue.

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Getting The Most Out Of Learning And Development Programs

Junior associates can better develop the legal, business and interpersonal skills they need for long-term success by approaching their firms’ learning and development programs armed with five tips for getting the most out of these resources, says Lauren Hakala at Reed Smith.

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Feature

Rats, Vapes And Vodka: Strange But True Cases For April Fool's

By Emily Field

A dead rodent in a burrito bowl delivery, a mix-up with vodka seltzer in the wrong cans and the Toys R Us brand taking on a Connecticut vape shop are among Law360's list of strange cases suitable for April Fool's Day.

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Analysis

'Best Judicial System In The World': Alsup Reflects On Career

By Bonnie Eslinger

Before taking inactive status late last year, U.S. District Judge William H. Alsup presided over historic litigation in California's Northern District for 26 years, arriving at his San Francisco chambers every weekday before dawn to prepare for the day's work.

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FTC Backs Florida's Move To Kill ABA's Accreditation Monopoly

By Hailey Konnath

The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday that it supports the Florida Supreme Court's recent decision to end the American Bar Association's longstanding accreditation monopoly, agreeing with the finding that it is "not in Floridians' best interest for the ABA to be the sole gatekeeper" in deciding who sits for the bar exam.

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Blumenthal Presses DHS Chief To Scrap ICE Warrant Memo

By Courtney Bublé

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, is looking for assurances from the newly installed secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, that he will honor his apparent pledge to rescind a policy that allows immigration agents to enter private property without a judicial warrant.

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Habba, Ex-Firm Get Defense Redo In Suit Over Divorce Advice

By Jake Maher

A New Jersey appeals court gave former acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba another chance to pursue an anti-abusive litigation motion against an attorney suing her for malicious prosecution on Tuesday.

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7th Circ. Scolds Ex-Judge For Citing Fake Cases In Brief

By Celeste Bott

A Seventh Circuit panel admonished an attorney and former chief federal immigration judge for submitting a brief citing two nonexistent cases and a false quotation, saying while such errors can be "tell-tale signs" of AI hallucinations, her denial she used AI is "plausible" and the court won't consider further sanctions.

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'Construction Has To Stop!': Judge Blocks Trump's Ballroom

By Dorothy Atkins

A Washington, D.C., federal judge Tuesday granted a historical preservation nonprofit's request for a preliminary injunction halting President Donald Trump's plans to turn the White House's East Wing into an "enormous" 89,000-square-foot ballroom, saying "unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop!"

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Beasley Allen Seeks Stay Of DQ In Federal J&J Talc MDL

By Jake Maher

The Beasley Allen Law Firm asked a New Jersey federal court on Monday to hold off on disqualifying it from talc litigation against Johnson & Johnson while it appeals the disqualification order which it called "unprecedented and incorrect."

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Brief

Moye White, Ex-Landlord Settle $4M Denver Lease Dispute

By Zach Dupont

Days before the start of a bench trial between a Denver landlord and defunct law firm Moye White LLP in state court, the two parties reached a settlement, ending the litigation where the landlord accused the firm of owing almost $4 million.

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