Transportation

  • August 29, 2024

    Don't 'Handcuff' NLRB By Halting ULP Case, Agency Says

    A Michigan federal court should not "handcuff" the National Labor Relations Board by greenlighting an injunction to stop unfair labor practice proceedings against an auto parts maker, the board contended, fighting back against claims that there are constitutional concerns with the agency.

  • August 29, 2024

    Auto Tech Org. Pushes FCC To Speed Up Smart Car 5G Rules

    The 5G Automotive Association is asking the Federal Communications Commission to push the gas and schedule a vote on rules that would bring advanced vehicle communications technology to the 5.9 gigahertz band.

  • August 29, 2024

    8th Circ. Won't Revive O'Reilly Auto Parts 401(k) Fee Suit

    The Eighth Circuit refused Thursday to reopen a proposed class action claiming O'Reilly Automotive Inc. let its $1.1 billion employee retirement plan be saddled with excessive investment management and record-keeping fees, ruling workers leading the suit hadn't provided meaningful comparisons by which to measure the plan's costs.

  • August 29, 2024

    CFPB Notches Default Win Against Ga. Auto Loan Servicer

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has scored a default judgment against a Georgia-based auto loan servicer accused of a slew of unlawful business practices, including using kill switches to shut off borrowers' cars and double charging them for insurance premiums.

  • August 29, 2024

    Ga. School District Settles Wage Docking Suit With Bus Driver

    A Georgia school district has agreed to settle a lawsuit with a bus driver who alleged she was forced to work practically without pay for three months after the district docked her wages to recoup the workers' compensation benefits she had received, according to a notice filed Wednesday.

  • August 29, 2024

    Trucker Urges Justices To Back Wide RICO Scope In CBD Case

    A commercial truck driver who alleges he lost his job after consuming products containing THC is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm a Second Circuit ruling that the civil racketeering statute applies to personal injuries when they upset a person's employment.

  • August 29, 2024

    Feds Ask The Supreme Court To Reverse NEPA Railway Ruling

    The U.S. Surface Transportation Board has told the U.S. Supreme Court that the D.C. Circuit was wrong to revoke the agency's approval of a rail line to transport crude oil from Utah, saying the appeals court went beyond what the law requires for environmental reviews.

  • August 29, 2024

    5th Circ. Got Biofuel Ruling Right, Refiners Tell Justices

    The U.S. Supreme Court shouldn't review a Fifth Circuit decision vacating the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's denial of small refiners' requests for exemptions from their renewable-fuel program obligations, the refiners told the justices Wednesday.

  • August 29, 2024

    Albright Boots $8B EV Trade Secrets Suit For Improper Venue

    U.S. District Judge Alan Albright tossed out a $7.8 billion trade secrets dispute between two electric vehicle companies, adopting a federal magistrate judge's recommendation that the case should be handled in Israel where he said both companies and the majority of the individuals related to the matter already are.

  • August 29, 2024

    GM Can't Shake Off Shuddering-Transmission Class

    General Motors must face class allegations that it knowingly sold vehicles with defective transmissions that cause the vehicles to shake and shudder while being driven, a Sixth Circuit panel ruled Wednesday, finding no reason to undo class certification for the drivers.

  • August 29, 2024

    4th Circ. Says CSX's Norfolk Southern Case Came Too Late

    The Fourth Circuit ruled Thursday that CSX's antitrust case against Norfolk Southern over "exclusionary" fees charged by a Virginia switching line they jointly own was filed outside the statute of limitations.

  • August 29, 2024

    9th Circ. Says Trucking Group's Brief Is Too Late In AB 5 Row

    The Ninth Circuit declined to take up a California trucking industry group's bid to upend a lower court decision that rejected their challenge to the Golden State's independent contractor classification law, known as A.B. 5, saying the group failed to file an opening brief on time.

  • August 28, 2024

    Feds Say Multimillion-Dollar 'Surge' Scheme Bilked Uber Riders

    New York federal prosecutors on Wednesday accused two men of leading a yearslong scheme that allowed hundreds of Uber drivers to use illicit apps, including some named Screwber and FakeGPS, to manipulate the rideshare market and gain millions of dollars from riders in fraudulent surge fees.

  • August 28, 2024

    Utah Counties Tell Justices DC Circ. Took NEPA Too Far

    A coalition of seven Utah counties called on the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to upend a D.C. Circuit decision revoking federal approval of a rail line to transport crude oil from Utah, arguing the ruling saddles the U.S. Surface Transportation Board with "endless make-work far outside its wheelhouse."

  • August 28, 2024

    5th Circ. Says Aviation Treaty Can't Apply To Airline Injury Suit

    The Fifth Circuit has ruled in a matter of first impression that an international treaty governing in-flight injuries does not create personal jurisdiction over an airline in the U.S. because the treaty lacks the necessary language to establish such a case's correct venue.

  • August 28, 2024

    Injured Driver Asks 6th Circ. To Revive Hyundai Car-Theft Suit

    An Ohio motorist who was injured in a crash involving a stolen Hyundai vehicle driven by a teenager told the Sixth Circuit on Wednesday that the automaker must be held liable for knowingly selling defective theft-prone vehicles, and ineffectively combating a viral TikTok trend that launched a car-theft "epidemic."

  • August 28, 2024

    2nd Circ. Affirms Ex-GE Engineer's Espionage Conviction

    A General Electric Co. engineer convicted of conspiracy to commit economic espionage lost his bid Wednesday to undo his conviction, with a three-judge panel on the Second Circuit affirming the judgment of the New York district court.

  • August 28, 2024

    Ford Buyers Fight Arbitration Bid In Faulty Transmission Case

    A class of car buyers who claim Ford Motor Co. sold vehicles with bad transmission systems asked a Massachusetts federal judge to deny the carmaker's bid to arbitrate some of the claims, arguing Ford is trying to "dramatically expand the scope" of arbitration agreements with dealerships.

  • August 28, 2024

    Instacart Can Arbitrate Driver's Suit, But 2nd Circ. To Weigh In

    A New York federal judge shipped to arbitration a driver's lawsuit alleging that Instacart misclassified him as an independent contractor but said the Second Circuit can weigh in on whether the Federal Arbitration Act's exemption applies that allows cases from transportation workers to stay in court.

  • August 28, 2024

    Taliban And Iran Ordered To Pay $144.7B For 9/11 Attacks

    A New York federal court issued judgments requiring the Taliban and the Iranian government to pay $144.7 billion to thousands of people who were directly injured or lost loved ones in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

  • August 28, 2024

    The Biggest Enviro Cases To Watch In 2024: Midyear Report

    Environmental attorneys can expect to see several developments in pending litigation during the remainder of 2024, including two cases that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear about Clean Water Act regulations for San Francisco and the extent of the federal government's authority as part of environmental reviews for projects. Here are some of the biggest cases to watch in the rest of 2024.

  • August 28, 2024

    Judge Stays Enbridge's Bid For Quick Win In Pipeline Fight

    Enbridge Energy's bid for a quick win in its challenge to Michigan over the company's Line 5 pipeline must wait until Michigan officials' appeal of a ruling to the Sixth Circuit that seeks to overturn an immunity order is resolved, a federal district court judge said.

  • August 28, 2024

    Detroit Car Service Slams Rival's 'Metro Cars' TM Actions

    A Detroit chauffeuring business said it's being unfairly accused of flouting a court order and infringing a competitor's "Metro Cars" trademark despite doing all it can to scrub the phrase from its web presence, calling a recent contempt motion a disingenuous money grab.

  • August 28, 2024

    Pa. Justices To Mull 'Click-Through' Arbitration Agreements

    The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania will review a ruling that so-called "click-through" terms of service for apps and online forms don't give users adequate notice that they are often waiving their rights to a jury trial, according to an order issued Tuesday.

  • August 27, 2024

    Wells Fargo Says 'Good Faith' Efforts Ax Investors' Bias Suit

    Wells Fargo & Co. urged a California federal judge Tuesday to toss a derivative lawsuit filed by a putative class of shareholders claiming the bank's board of directors failed to address its discriminatory lending and hiring practices, saying there's evidence of "good-faith" efforts to monitor compliance in those areas.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence

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    The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.

  • To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef

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    To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • EPA Heavy-Duty Vehicle GHG Rules Face Bumpy Road Ahead

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    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for owners and operators of heavy-duty vehicles are facing opposition from both states and the transportation industry, and their arguments will mirror two pending cases challenging the EPA's authority, says Grant Laizer at Adams and Reese.

  • Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?

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    Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.

  • Aviation Watch: Mostly Smooth Landing For New FAA Law

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    The recently signed Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act enhances air safety in several key ways, including strengthened passenger rights and cockpit voice recorder requirements, but an expansion of slot exemptions at Reagan National Airport is a notable misstep, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.

  • After Years Of Popularity, PAGA's Fate Is Up In The Air

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    The last two years held important victories for plaintiff-side employment attorneys in California Private Attorneys General Act litigation at the trial and appellate court levels, but this hotbed of activity will quickly lose steam if voters approve a ballot measure in November to enact the California Fair Pay and Employer Accountability Act, says Paul Sherman at Kabat Chapman.

  • 3 Recent Decisions To Note As Climate Litigation Heats Up

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    Three recent rulings on climate-related issues — from a New York federal court, a New York state court and an international tribunal, respectively — demonstrate both regulators' concern about climate change and the complexity of conflicting regulations in different jurisdictions, say J. Michael Showalter and Robert Middleton at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: May Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses four notable circuit court decisions on topics from automobile insurance to securities — and provides key takeaways for counsel on issues including circuit-specific ascertainability requirements and how to conduct a Daubert analysis prior to class certification.

  • Perspectives

    Trauma-Informed Legal Approaches For Pro Bono Attorneys

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    As National Trauma Awareness Month ends, pro bono attorneys should nevertheless continue to acknowledge the mental and physical effects of trauma, allowing them to better represent clients, and protect themselves from compassion fatigue and burnout, say Katherine Cronin at Stinson and Katharine Manning at Blackbird.

  • Fed. Circ. Scrapping Design Patent Tests Creates Uncertainty

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    The Federal Circuit last week discarded established tests for proving that design patents are invalid as obvious, leaving much unknown for design patent applicants, patentees and challengers, such as what constitutes analogous art and how secondary references will be considered and applied, say attorneys at Sterne Kessler.

  • Series

    Playing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My deep and passionate involvement in playing, writing and producing music equipped me with skills — like creativity, improvisation and problem-solving — that contribute to the success of my legal career, says attorney Kenneth Greene.

  • How Attys Can Avoid Pitfalls When Withdrawing From A Case

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    The Trump campaign's recent scuffle over its bid to replace its counsel in a pregnancy retaliation suit offers a chance to remind attorneys that many troubles inherent in withdrawing from a case can be mitigated or entirely avoided by communicating with clients openly and frequently, says Christopher Konneker at Orsinger Nelson.

  • Using A Children's Book Approach In Firm Marketing Content

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    From “The Giving Tree” to “Where the Wild Things Are,” most children’s books are easy to remember because they use simple words and numbers to tell stories with a human impact — a formula law firms should emulate in their marketing content to stay front of mind for potential clients, says Seema Desai Maglio at The Found Word.

  • Opinion

    NEPA Final Rule Unlikely To Speed Clean Energy Projects

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    A recent final rule from the White House Council on Environmental Quality purports to streamline federal environmental reviews to accelerate the construction of renewable energy infrastructure — but it also expands consideration of climate change and environmental justice, creating vast new opportunities for litigation and delay, says Thomas Prevas at Saul Ewing.

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