Washington

  • May 06, 2024

    Monsanto Says Ruling Undoes $438M School PCB Loss

    Monsanto said Friday that a $438 million judgment in a polychlorinated biphenyls poisoning case at a Washington school should be thrown out, citing a recent state appellate court ruling undoing a $185 million jury verdict in a similar case involving chemical-caused illnesses at the same school campus.

  • May 06, 2024

    Fed Law Doesn't Preempt Colo.'s Kroger Deal Challenge: DOJ

    The U.S. Department of Justice weighed in on Kroger and Alberton's arguments that the Colorado attorney general should not be able to challenge their national merger, arguing instead that states have an important solo role and there is nothing stopping a state court judge from blocking a deal regionally.

  • May 06, 2024

    Amazon Loses Bid To Ship Patent Case From EDTX To Wash.

    An Eastern District of Texas judge has denied Amazon's motion to transfer a two-factor authentication patent suit against it to the Western District of Washington, ruling that the e-commerce giant didn't show that its home base was clearly a more convenient location.

  • May 06, 2024

    9th Circ. Hints Walmart Can't Avoid Jury In Disability Bias Suit

    A Ninth Circuit panel indicated Monday that it doubted Walmart Inc. was being honest when it told a vision-impaired employee seeking to come back from a leave of absence that no jobs were available, with one judge suggesting a jury should decide if the retail giant lied to the worker.

  • May 06, 2024

    GEO Urges Fast End To State Law On Immigration Inspections

    GEO Group Inc. has told a Washington state federal judge that a state law allowing surprise inspections at private immigration detention centers so clearly targets its operations that the court should permanently bar the law now, instead of letting its defense continue.

  • May 06, 2024

    Foreign Grads Settle Suit Against DHS Over Visa Denials

    Dozens of foreign college graduates have settled their suit in Washington federal court accusing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of treating them as accomplices in an alleged visa scam without letting them respond to the allegations, saying DHS has withdrawn its fraud findings relating to the plaintiffs.

  • May 06, 2024

    Redfin To Pay $9.2M To Exit Broker Fee Class Action

    Redfin disclosed to regulators on Monday that it will pay $9.25 million to end claims that it caused home sellers to pay inflated commissions under rules set by the National Association of Realtors, allowing the company to exit a class action that ensnared several brokerage firms.

  • May 06, 2024

    Prof's Free Speech Suit Over Native Land Statement Falls Flat

    A federal judge has tossed a professor's suit alleging the University of Washington violated his First Amendment rights after he opposed including an acknowledgment of Native Americans in his syllabus for a computer science course, saying his stance created a burden for the school.

  • May 06, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    A record $100 million settlement, a fishy Facebook decision, a canceled Amazon delivery and an upended $7.3 billion sale dispute topped the news out of Delaware's Court of Chancery last week. There were also new cases involving Hess, Microsoft and the 2022 World Cup.

  • May 06, 2024

    Amazon Workers Answer Judge's $5.5M COVID Deal Inquiries

    Amazon employees assured a California federal court that their $5.5 million proposed class action deal is fit for approval, giving additional information on the terms and saying the company backed ending the lawsuit accusing the e-commerce giant of failing to pay for time spent undergoing COVID screenings before shifts.

  • May 06, 2024

    Why The Wash. Supreme Court's Docket Has Been Shrinking

    When the Washington State Supreme Court met last month, justices could have decided to set new case law in a dispute over contractual royalty payments or when county governments need to turn over public records. But they passed on those cases and 32 others, taking on just three, part of a decadelong trend that’s seen their annual opinion count fall by half.

  • May 03, 2024

    Meta Asks 9th Circ. To Revisit Predominance In Ad Class Cert.

    Meta Platforms Inc. on Friday asked the Ninth Circuit to take a fresh look at a split panel decision affirming certification of a damages class of potentially millions of advertisers who were allegedly deceived about Facebook's "potential reach" tool, taking issue with the panel majority's "sweeping" interpretation of the predominance requirement.

  • May 03, 2024

    Binance Founder's Sentence Shaped By Plea And Apology

    Binance founder Changpeng Zhao's willingness to cooperate with law enforcement and accept responsibility in court for the crypto exchange's anti-money laundering violations helped the former CEO land a deal with prosecutors that got him a relatively short prison sentence to close out a yearslong investigation.

  • May 03, 2024

    9th Circ. Orders 2nd Look At Stay In PG&E Wildfire Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Friday told a lower court to reconsider its order staying claims PG&E investors brought against officers, directors and others over wildfire liability, saying more factors should have been considered before the stay was granted.

  • May 03, 2024

    Boeing Can't Avoid Pre-Conception Toxic Birth Defect Claims

    A Washington state judge said Friday that the child of two Boeing factory workers can sue the aerospace giant for negligence based on harm he allegedly suffered before he was conceived, allowing him to accuse the company of failing to warn his parents about toxic chemicals they were exposed to on the job.

  • May 03, 2024

    Cash App's Parent Co. Can't Ditch Referral Text Suit

    Block Inc., the parent company of mobile payment service Cash App, can't escape a suit alleging it bombarded cellphone users with "annoying and harassing spam texts," a Washington federal judge ruled, finding the plaintiff has alleged sufficient facts to support a plausible claim for relief under Washington's Consumer Electronic Mail Act.

  • May 03, 2024

    Colo. Jury Hits Berkshire Unit With $7M Monopoly Verdict

    A Colorado federal jury on Friday awarded the rival of a Berkshire Hathaway-owned construction supplier $6.7 million for the larger company's monopolistic practices, hours after a judge scolded the Berkshire company's lawyer because he "crossed a line" during closings.

  • May 03, 2024

    Robbins Geller Attys To Take Stand In $8M Sanctions Dispute

    A petroleum refiner will put current and former Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP attorneys on the stand May 7 in an extraordinary evidentiary hearing testing what the plaintiffs' lawyers knew about an analyst's now-discredited findings as they pursued since-nixed price-fixing claims.

  • May 02, 2024

    DaVita Says Nurses Trying Go Around Wage Rulings

    Nationwide kidney care service provider DaVita Inc. has urged a Colorado federal judge to reject a bid by nurses and technicians to merge their wage class action with another suit, arguing Wednesday the plaintiffs are seeking to "circumvent" earlier rulings limiting the case's reach.

  • May 02, 2024

    Attys Due For Spam Suit Sanction, But Not $750K, Judges Say

    Class counsel's misconduct in helping instigate a spam text suit against stock-trading app Robinhood Financial LLC warranted sanctions, a Washington state appeals court panel ruled Thursday, but the judges said the $750,000 penalty went over the top in deterring the bad behavior.

  • May 02, 2024

    House Seeks FTC Info On Scuttled Amazon-IRobot Deal

    The Republican-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Accountability is launching an investigation into the Federal Trade Commission's purported efforts to block Amazon's purchase of iRobot, according to a Wednesday letter from Rep. James Comer, R-Ky.

  • May 02, 2024

    Microsoft, Activision Seek Del. Court Patch For $68.7B Sale

    Microsoft Corp. and Activision Blizzard petitioned Delaware's Court of Chancery on Thursday for an order validating Activision's already closed but officially "defective" $68.7 billion sale agreement, arguing that the court pointed the two companies to a "solution for missteps in Delaware's General Corporation Law.

  • May 02, 2024

    9th Circ. Backs Game Developer's Win In Sex Harassment Suit

    The Ninth Circuit declined Thursday to reinstate a lawsuit a former employee brought against a video game developer accusing it of subjecting him to lewd jokes and firing him after he complained, saying a lower court didn't err by admitting certain evidence at trial.

  • May 02, 2024

    USAA Wrongly Denied Fire Damage Claim, Wash. Couple Says

    A Washington couple accused their homeowners insurer of unreasonably denying their fire damage claim despite their timely response to all of the insurer's claim inquiries and requests, further accusing the insurer of violating Washington's Consumer Protection Act and Insurance Fair Conduct Act.

  • May 01, 2024

    Monsanto Gets $185 Million Wash. PCB Verdict Overturned

    A Washington state appeals court sided with Monsanto on Wednesday, undoing a $185 million jury verdict for three teachers who claimed they were sickened by PCBs at a Washington school site and ruling the case could be limited by the Evergreen state's 12-year statute of repose for product liability claims.

Expert Analysis

  • 10 Years Of Retail Battles: Unpacking Pricing Litigation Trends

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    A close look at a decade of pricing class actions against retailers reveals evolving trends, plaintiffs bar strategies, and the effects of significant court decisions across states, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

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    Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.

  • How Consumer Product Cos. Can Keep Up With Class Actions

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    Recent cases show California's federal courts and the Ninth Circuit remain the preferred arena for consumers pursuing false advertising and trade deception claims against companies — so manufacturers, distributors and retailers of consumer products should continue to watch these courts for guidance on how to fight class actions, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Series

    Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.

  • Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument

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    Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.

  • Perspectives

    6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Perspectives

    Justices May Clarify Expert Witness Confrontation Confusion

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    After oral arguments in Smith v. Arizona, the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to hold that expert witness opinions that rely on out-of-court testimonial statements for their factual basis are unconstitutional, thus resolving some of the complications created by the court’s confrontation clause jurisprudence, says Richard Friedman at the University of Michigan Law School.

  • Series

    Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

  • Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?

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    Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.

  • 7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond

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    The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.

  • 5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2024

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    Over the next year and beyond, litigation funding will continue to evolve in ways that affect attorneys and the larger litigation landscape, from the growth of a secondary market for funded claims, to rising interest rates restricting the availability of capital, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.

  • Key Issues When Navigating A Tenant's Bankruptcy

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    In light of recent Chapter 11 filings by Rite Aid and WeWork — companies with thousands of commercial leases — practitioners should review issues that can arise when bankruptcy is used to exit a lease, including the consequences of lease rejection and the statutory cap on landlord damage claims for a rejected lease, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • 8 Privacy Law Predictions For 2024

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    As the new year begins, looking back to several of last year's privacy law developments may help companies forecast what to focus on when updating their privacy programs, including children's privacy, so-called dark patterns and the collection of data by connected cars, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • 4 Legal Ethics Considerations For The New Year

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    As attorneys and clients reset for a new year, now is a good time to take a step back and review some core ethical issues that attorneys should keep front of mind in 2024, including approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution and care, and avoiding pitfalls in outside counsel guidelines, say attorneys at HWG.

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