Commercial Contracts

  • December 18, 2025

    NY Appeals Court Lets $62M PDVSA Bond Feud Proceed

    A New York appeals court on Thursday rejected a bid by Venezuela's state-owned oil company to find that service of a lawsuit over a roughly $62 million defaulted bond was insufficient under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, ruling that the company had waived its right to be served in compliance with the act.

  • December 18, 2025

    Top Trade Secrets Decisions Of 2025

    The Ninth Circuit clarified the rules of engagement in trade secrets disputes with guidance on when confidential information must be precisely detailed during litigation, and jurors delivered a $200 million verdict against Walmart over product freshness technology. Here are Law360's picks for the biggest trade secrets decisions of 2025.

  • December 18, 2025

    Monarch Overhyped 'Driver-Optional' Tractors, Ex-Dealer Says

    A Washington farm supply store sued California-based Monarch Tractor — which bills itself as the maker of "the world's first autonomous tractor" — in Seattle federal court Thursday, claiming the company's MK-V vehicles "did not perform as represented and were unable to operate in the autonomous manner represented."

  • December 18, 2025

    Wash. Justices Say Open Gov't Law Covers Seattle Contractor

    The Washington State Supreme Court has reinstated a citizen suit seeking information related to downtown Seattle's Metropolitan Improvement District, recognizing in a Thursday opinion that the district's private nonprofit management entity DBIA Services is analogous to a government agency and thus subject to the state's public records law.  

  • December 18, 2025

    Coffee Contractual Dispute Will Be Arbitrated, NY Judge Says

    A New York federal judge ordered the parent company of a Colombian coffee supplier to arbitrate a dispute over its soured relationship with the U.S. arm of a Swiss coffee merchant despite not signing an underlying arbitration agreement, ruling that the pact could be enforced based on an agency theory.

  • December 18, 2025

    Settlement Admin, Bank Conspiracy Suits Consolidated In DC

    A group of putative class actions alleging a wide-ranging kickback scheme between three of the largest settlement administration companies in the country and banks that was designed to juice administration fees while diminishing class action payouts has been consolidated in D.C. federal court.

  • December 18, 2025

    Ex-NFL Player Can't Keep $1.9M Atty Fees, 5th Circ. Rules

    Former NFL player Michael Cloud was not owed attorney fees by the NFL's retirement plan from his attempt to attain disability benefits, the Fifth Circuit said Thursday, dealing Cloud another defeat after a previous court victory was reversed.

  • December 18, 2025

    Vegas Sun Wants Justices To Revive Protective Pact

    The Las Vegas Sun wants the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a Ninth Circuit decision that nixed an agreement protecting it from the Las Vegas Review-Journal's alleged plan to drive it out of business, arguing that the old pact with the more conservative paper was valid even without express government approval.

  • December 18, 2025

    Agita Over Piglets At Party Got Pharma Exec Axed, Suit Says

    The U.S. arm of a Danish pharmaceutical company pushed out a director after he expressed concerns about using baby pigs for a photo op at the company's anniversary party knowing the animals would be euthanized after, a new federal lawsuit alleges.

  • December 18, 2025

    LinkedIn Data Access Settlement Rejected In Antitrust Case

    A California federal court refused to approve a settlement requiring LinkedIn to stop conditioning access to its data interface on rivals agreeing not to use the data for a competing professional social network, a deal that included no damages but up to $4 million in attorney fees.

  • December 18, 2025

    Boies Schiller Must Face Fla. Fee Suit, Court Told

    In pushing back on a bid to toss a Florida state court lawsuit against Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and related defendants, a pharmaceutical mass tort law firm and other parties said the lawsuit outlines a clear breach of a nondisclosure agreement and interference with existing business relationships, making the complaint legally sufficient under Sunshine State law.

  • December 17, 2025

    Avis Did Not Waive Arbitration In Traffic Fines Suit: 3rd Circ.

    The Third Circuit has concluded that Avis did not waive its right to arbitrate a long-running class action over traffic fines incurred during a rental with certain members of the class by continuing to litigate the dispute years after incorporating an arbitration clause in its rental agreement.

  • December 17, 2025

    Nvidia Settles Valeo's Suit Over Stolen Driving Assist Code

    Nvidia Corp. has settled automotive tech supplier Valeo's lawsuit that accused the artificial intelligence chipmaker of using trade secrets a former Valeo engineer stole before joining Nvidia and later accidentally left on his screen during a videoconference call with Valeo.

  • December 17, 2025

    $2.75M Award Partly Revived In OxyLife Employment Dispute

    A Florida state appeals court ruled Wednesday that a lower court wrongly erased a $2.75 million jury award for two former executives at home medical equipment company OxyLife in their employment dispute with the company, but ordered the award reduced to reflect the valuation evidence presented at trial.

  • December 17, 2025

    10th Circ. Panel Restores $2.9M FINRA Award Against Adviser

    A Tenth Circuit panel on Wednesday reinstated a $2.9 million Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitration award against a financial adviser who allegedly undermined a firm she worked for, ruling that she waived any objections she had to arbitrating with the plaintiffs before FINRA.

  • December 17, 2025

    Bank Deserves Sanctions In Jail Debit Card Suit, Court Told

    A class of formerly incarcerated people who've accused the Central Bank of Kansas City of charging excessive fees on prepaid debit cards told a Washington federal judge that the bank should face sanctions for failing to sort and hand over documents required for compliance with an August court order.

  • December 17, 2025

    EFF Loses Fed. Circ. Appeal Over Patent Case Intervention

    The Federal Circuit on Wednesday tossed the Electronic Frontier Foundation's challenge to a Texas federal court's denial of its bid to intervene in a now-settled patent dispute between Entropic and Charter Communications, agreeing the digital rights nonprofit waited too long.

  • December 17, 2025

    Korean Food Chain Stole Family Spring Roll Recipe, Suit Says

    Korean food conglomerate CJ Group has been accused of stealing a family spring roll recipe that dates to the 1950s and marketing its versions as knockoff frozen spring roll products in a suit seeking $100 million in damages.

  • December 17, 2025

    Co-Owner Of Cannabis Dispensary Says Partner Stole Funds

    A co-owner of a cannabis retailer in North Carolina has accused his business partner of stealing from the business and blocking his access to the company's financial records in a newly designated state business court complaint.

  • December 17, 2025

    DOJ Weighs In On Apple Watch Antitrust Claims

    The Justice Department filed a statement of interest in the private smartphone monopolization case against Apple to urge the court to reject several arguments supporting the tech giant's bid to nix claims that it restricts the capabilities of competing smartwatches.

  • December 17, 2025

    Zurich Owes $130M For Helene Damage, NC Mining Co. Says

    A quartz mining company has sued a Zurich insurer to recover $130 million for property damage and business interruption losses stemming from Hurricane Helene, saying the insurer has stonewalled for over a year and improperly tried to limit coverage to $28 million.

  • December 17, 2025

    6th Circ. Revives NJ Drivers' Wage Action Against Hub Group

    Two drivers alleging that logistics company Hub Group misclassified them as independent contractors have no connection to Tennessee, the Sixth Circuit ruled, departing from a Tennessee federal court's decision that found their suit under New Jersey law couldn't stand.

  • December 16, 2025

    Digital Marketing Co. Ibotta Seeks To Ditch Suit Over IPO

    Digital consumer discount company Ibotta Inc. and its brass and underwriters seek to shed a consolidated proposed investor class action alleging the company misled investors in the lead-up to its 2024 initial public offering, arguing that it properly disclosed certain risks that later purportedly affected trading prices for its shares.

  • December 16, 2025

    American Bridge Hit With $4.8M Sanction For Discovery Abuse

    A Washington state judge has slapped American Bridge Co. with $4.8 million in monetary sanctions and found the steel subcontractor and its counsel at Smith Currie Oles LLP on the hook for additional legal fees for "widespread discovery abuses" throughout a court battle with a general contractor over delays in a Seattle convention center project.

  • December 16, 2025

    Judge Blocks T-Mobile From Using Tool To Scrape AT&T Data

    A Texas federal judge blocked T-Mobile from using a price tool to scrape data from AT&T's website, saying that without a temporary restraining order T-Mobile would likely continue to enter into AT&T's password-protected software without permission.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Preparing For Corporate Work

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    Law school often doesn't cover the business strategy, financial fluency and negotiation skills needed for a successful corporate or transactional law practice, but there are practical ways to gain relevant experience and achieve the mindset shifts critical to a thriving career in this space, says Dakota Forsyth at Olshan Frome.

  • Strategizing For Renewable Energy Project Success In Texas

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    The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has long been a key market for renewable energy projects, but rising financial and regulatory uncertainty means that developers and investors must prepare for inflation and policy risks, secure robust insurance coverage, and leverage tax equity transferability to ensure success, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • A Cold War-Era History Lesson On Due Process

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    The landmark Harry Bridges case from the mid-20th century Red Scare offers important insights on why lawyers must be free of government reprisal, no matter who their client is, says Peter Afrasiabi at One LLP.

  • Series

    Improv Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Improv keeps me grounded and connected to what matters most, including in my legal career where it has helped me to maintain a balance between being analytical, precise and professional, and creative, authentic and open-minded, says Justine Gottshall at InfoLawGroup.

  • How BigLaw Executive Orders May Affect Smaller Firms

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    Because of the types of cases they take on, solo practitioners, small law firms and public interest attorneys may find themselves more dramatically affected by the collective impact of recent government action involving the legal industry than even the BigLaw firms named in the executive orders, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • 4th Circ. Health Data Ruling Opens Door To State Law Claims

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    In Real Time Medical v. PointClickCare, the Fourth Circuit recently clarified that state law claims can rest in part on violations of a federal law that prohibits electronic health information blocking, expanding legal risks for health IT companies and potentially creating exposure to a range of competitive implications, say attorneys at BCLP.

  • Opinion

    Lawsuits Shouldn't Be Shadow Assets For Foreign Capital

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    Third-party litigation financing amplifies inefficiencies from litigation and facilitates national exposure to foreign influence in the U.S. justice system, so full disclosure of financing arrangements should be required as a matter of institutional integrity, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

  • How To Accelerate Your Post-Attorney Career Transition

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    Professionals seeking to transition to nonattorney careers may encounter skepticism as nontraditional candidates, but there are opportunities for thought leadership and to leverage speaking and writing to accelerate a post-attorney career transition, say Janet Falk at Falk Communications and Evgeny Efremkin at Toronto Metropolitan University.

  • 5 Key Licensing Considerations For AI Innovations

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    As businesses increasingly integrate artificial intelligence technology into their operations, they must prepare to address complex intellectual property challenges and questions surrounding licensing AI-based innovations, which require careful consideration of ownership, usage rights and regulatory compliance, says Lestin Kenton at Sterne Kessler.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Be An Indispensable Associate

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    While law school teaches you to research, write and think critically, it often overlooks the professional skills you will need to make yourself an essential team player when transitioning from a summer to full-time associate, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • Series

    Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Leadership To BigLaw

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    The move from government service to private practice can feel like changing one’s identity, but as someone who has left the U.S. Department of Justice twice, I’ve learned that a successful transition requires patience, effort and the realization that the rewards of practicing law don’t come from one particular position, says Richard Donoghue at Pillsbury.

  • How The CRE Industry Is Adapting To Tariff Uncertainty

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    Amid uncertainty about pending tariffs and their potential ripple effects, including higher material costs, supply chain delays and tighter margins, commercial real estate industry players are focusing on strategic planning and risk mitigation, says Daniel Diaz Leyva at Day Pitney.

  • Law Firm Executive Orders Create A Legal Ethics Minefield

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    Recent executive orders targeting BigLaw firms create ethical dilemmas — and raise the specter of civil or criminal liability — for the government attorneys tasked with implementing them and for the law firms that choose to make agreements with the administration, say attorneys at Buchalter.

  • Firms Must Embrace Alternative Billing Models Or Fall Behind

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    As artificial intelligence tools eliminate inefficiencies and the Big Four accounting firms enter the legal market, law firms that pivot from the entrenched billable hour model to outcomes-based pricing will see a distinct competitive advantage, says attorney William Brewer.

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