Commercial Contracts

  • July 16, 2025

    PR Consultant Wins Exit From Lively's 'It Ends With Us' Suit

    A New York federal judge Wednesday dismissed a public relations consultant and his company from actress Blake Lively's lawsuit that accuses her "It Ends With Us" co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, of sexual harassment on set and trying to orchestrate a public relations campaign to "destroy" her reputation.

  • July 16, 2025

    Amazon Beats Class Suit Over Prime Video Ads For Good

    A Washington federal judge has permanently ended a proposed class action against Amazon.com Inc. over the introduction of commercials on the company's Prime Video streaming service, reiterating on Wednesday her prior ruling that the company's subscriber terms permitted the change.

  • July 16, 2025

    Ex-Tech Exec Says Ga. Law Can't Hold Her To Trade Secrets

    An ex-vice president of Georgia-based software firm Trinoor LLC said Tuesday that a trade secrets suit from her former company should be thrown out over contradictory language about which state's law ought to govern the spat.

  • July 16, 2025

    Senior Placement Co. Wants Out Of False Ad Suit

    A company that places senior citizens in retirement homes has asked a Georgia federal judge to toss a proposed class action alleging it falsely advertised free services and steered business away from communities that declined to participate in its "pay-to-play" business model, arguing the claims were just "speculation and conjecture."

  • July 16, 2025

    Court Ditches Deutsche Bank Suit Over Lehman Claim Deal

    A New York federal court has dismissed a Deutsche Bank suit claiming a Boston portfolio management firm is demanding unreasonable terms to close the acquisition of $906 million worth of claims in Lehman Brothers' long-running bankruptcy, finding the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the suit.

  • July 16, 2025

    Materials Co. Must Reimburse Chubb For $2.5M Settlement

    A building materials supplier must reimburse two Chubb units for their $2.5 million payment to settle a lawsuit against the supplier over a railcar collision, a North Carolina federal court ruled, further rejecting the supplier's claims that they acted in bad faith and violated the state's deceptive trade practices law.

  • July 16, 2025

    Pac-12, Mountain West At Impasse On Poaching Fees Dispute

    The Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences, fighting in California federal court since last September over millions in fees the Mountain West charged the Pac-12 for luring its members away to rebuild the league, will go back to court after mediation attempts failed.

  • July 16, 2025

    Chemical Co. Claims Partner Duped It With Arbitration Clause

    Petrochemical company Indorama Ventures LLC has accused its Houston-area partner of slipping an arbitration clause into a chemical contract without its consent.

  • July 16, 2025

    Funkadelic Leader Seeks Sanctions In 'Baseless' Royalty Row

    Parliament-Funkadelic bandleader George Clinton again asked a Michigan federal court to sanction the estate of the band's former keyboardist in their royalty row on Tuesday, telling the court the estate is pursuing "frivolous" claims to financially harm the still-touring musician.

  • July 16, 2025

    2nd Circ. Revives TM Suit Over Chinese Speaker Shipment

    The Second Circuit has reinstated a trademark case from speaker manufacturer Altec Lansing over another company's purchase of speakers with Altec's branding from a Chinese company, saying Altec had created a genuine dispute over the nature of the sale.

  • July 15, 2025

    Ga. Judge Sends Online Casino Suit To Arbitration

    A Georgia federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit over money lost on casino-style gambling websites like Luckyland Slots and Global Poker, saying the case can't move forward in the Peach State and must go to arbitration instead. 

  • July 15, 2025

    Former IP Partners' Names Worth $52K, Expert Testifies

    The names of two deceased law partners are worth between $28,000 and $52,000 per year to a Connecticut intellectual property boutique, an expert testified Tuesday during a federal court hearing in a valuation dispute between two of the late lawyers' colleagues.

  • July 15, 2025

    NC Docs Say Practice Duped Them Into Providing Free Labor

    A trio of reproductive and women's health care physicians were enticed to sell their practice by promises of a brighter financial future, only to be forced into providing more than a year of free labor, the doctors say in a complaint designated to the North Carolina Business Court.

  • July 15, 2025

    FDIC Says Farella Braun Can't Get Fees In First Republic Suit

    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has asked a California federal court to toss a more than $50,000 legal fee claim tied to First Republic Bank's collapse, arguing that Farella Braun, the law firm behind the claim, failed to submit a valid written agreement or itemized invoices and its claim is legally insufficient.

  • July 15, 2025

    4th Circ. Won't Rethink Affirmance Of $8M KBR Award

    The Fourth Circuit will not be rethinking its decision rebuff a Kuwaiti construction company's attempt to nix an $8 million arbitral award favoring Kellogg Brown & Root International, the appeals court has ruled.

  • July 15, 2025

    Modoc Nation Suit Against Computer Co. On Hold For Appeal

    An Oklahoma federal judge has paused the Modoc Nation's $14.6 million lawsuit against a computer management company while a former attorney general for the tribe appeals his entitlement to sovereign immunity, ruling that the case will be stayed until the interlocutory appeal is resolved.

  • July 15, 2025

    Deep Sea Mining Co. Gets Suit Over 'Green' Investments Axed

    A New York federal judge has dismissed in its entirety a suit accusing The Metals Co. Inc. of misleading investors about the magnitude of its "green" investments and its private equity backing before going public, finding that the suit's challenged statements were not false when made.

  • July 15, 2025

    Internet Provider Can't Duck Conn. Atty's ID Theft Probe

    Connecticut Trial Firm LLC co-founder Andrew Garza may pursue a bill of discovery against internet service provider NetSpeed LLC as he tries to unmask the person he says stole his identity to open a bank account, a Connecticut state judge has ruled.

  • July 15, 2025

    NC Brewery Accused Of 'Secret' Talks Amid Partnership Rift

    A live music operator accused a brewery during a hearing Tuesday of conducting secret negotiations with competitors and frustrating discovery efforts in a lawsuit over their failed partnership to form an entertainment venue in downtown Asheville, North Carolina.

  • July 15, 2025

    Energy Company Says NJ Real Estate Firms Owe $1.2M

    A Garden State supplier of renewable electricity has alleged in New Jersey federal court that a group of New Jersey commercial real estate firms is refusing to pay more than $1.28 million in energy bills.

  • July 15, 2025

    Ex-Yankee Wants $69K Tacked Onto Moldy Mansion Trial Win

    A retired New York Yankees player is seeking nearly $70,000 in prejudgment interest after a Connecticut federal jury handed him a $222,000 win in his suit that sought to hold his former landlord liable for mold in a Greenwich mansion.

  • July 15, 2025

    NC Justices Urged To Halt Project Tract's Foreclosure Sale

    A North Carolina property owner and other parties urged the state's high court Tuesday to pause foreclosure proceedings for a property that's part of a mixed-use real estate development project, arguing that an entity created by one of the project partners wrongfully increased the owner's related loan debt.

  • July 15, 2025

    Door Maker Defends Landmark Divestiture Order At 4th Circ.

    Steves & Sons Inc. has urged the Fourth Circuit to preserve the first court-ordered divestiture in a private merger challenge, arguing Jeld-Wen's sale of the Pennsylvania factory restored competition in the market for the door skins used to make molded interior doors.

  • July 15, 2025

    5th Circ. Says Media Matters Can Challenge X Suit Venue

    The Fifth Circuit gave left-leaning watchdog Media Matters for America another shot at transferring a business disparagement lawsuit launched by X Corp. to California, saying Tuesday the Texas federal judge overseeing the case didn't do an adequate venue analysis.

  • July 15, 2025

    Trash Hauler Accused Of Blocking Competitor Amid Strike

    A Massachusetts competitor to trash hauler Allied Waste Systems says the company is interfering with its efforts to offer customers an alternative during a strike that is entering its third week, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in state court.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Playing Beach Volleyball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My commitment to beach volleyball has become integral to my performance as an attorney, with the sport continually reminding me that teamwork, perseverance, professionalism and stress management are essential to both undertakings, says Amy Drushal at Trenam.

  • If Elphaba Had Signed A Restrictive Covenant In 'Wicked'

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    Following the recent big-screen release of "Wicked," employers should consider how the tale might have ended if the Wizard of Oz had made Elphaba sign a restrictive covenant agreement, which would have placed clear limitations on her ability to challenge his regime, says Emily Wajert at Sidley.

  • How Law Firms Can Counteract The Loneliness Epidemic

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    The legal industry is facing an urgent epidemic of loneliness, affecting lawyer well-being, productivity, retention and profitability, and law firm leaders should take concrete steps to encourage the development of genuine workplace connections, says Michelle Gomez at Littler and Gwen Mellor Romans at Herald Talent.

  • 5 Keys To Building Stronger Attorney-Client Relationships

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    Attorneys are often focused on being seen as the expert, but bonding with clients and prospects by sharing a few key personal details provides the basis for a caring, trusted and profoundly deeper business relationship, says Deb Feder at Feder Development.

  • Notable Q4 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

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    In a continuation of trends in property and casualty insurance class actions, last quarter insurers struggled with defending the merits and class certification of sales tax and fee suits, and labor depreciation cases, but succeeded in dismissing privacy class actions at the pleading stages, says Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler.

  • Series

    Racing Corvettes Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The skills I use when racing Corvettes have enhanced my legal practice in several ways, because driving, like practicing law, requires precision, awareness and a good set of brakes — complete with the wisdom to know how and when to use them, says Kat Mateo at Olshan Frome.

  • Opinion

    Attorneys Must Act Now To Protect Judicial Independence

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    Given the Trump administration's recent moves threatening the independence of the judiciary, including efforts to impeach judges who ruled against executive actions, lawyers must protect the rule of law and resist attempts to dilute the judicial branch’s authority, says attorney Bhavleen Sabharwal.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

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    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Antitrust In Retail: Rude Awakening For FTC In Tempur Sealy

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    A Texas federal court's recent denial of a Federal Trade Commision order to stop a giant mattress merger because of lack of evidence on market segments shows that such definitions are only a viable path for regulating vertical mergers if antitrust agencies provide adequate documentation, says David Kully at Holland & Knight.

  • How Design Thinking Can Help Lawyers Find Purpose In Work

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    Lawyers everywhere are feeling overwhelmed amid mass government layoffs, increasing political instability and a justice system stretched to its limits — but a design-thinking framework can help attorneys navigate this uncertainty and find meaning in their work, say law professors at the University of Michigan.

  • 10 Issues To Watch In Aerospace And Defense Contracting

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    This year, in addition to evergreen developments driven by national security priorities, disruptive new technologies and competition with rival powers, federal contractors will see significant disruptions driven by the new administration’s efforts to reduce government spending, regulation and the size of the federal workforce, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: February Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses five federal appellate court class certification decisions and identifies practice tips from cases involving breach of life insurance contracts, constitutional violations of inmates and more.

  • Series

    Competitive Weightlifting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The parallels between the core principles required for competitive weightlifting and practicing law have helped me to excel in both endeavors, with each holding important lessons about discipline, dedication, drive and failure, says Damien Bielli at VF Law.

  • Pier Pressure: Contract Takeaways From Pa. Ocean Liner Suit

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    The settlement that resolved the fate of the landmark SS United States ocean liner illustrates important lessons on managing contract disputes, illuminating common trade-offs such as the choice between deferred legal risk and the cost of legal foresight, says Christopher Seck at Squire Patton.

  • Opinion

    Inconsistent Injury-In-Fact Rules Hinder Federal Practice

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    A recent Third Circuit decision, contradicting a previous ruling about whether consumers of contaminated products have suffered an injury in fact, illustrates the deep confusion this U.S. Supreme Court standard creates among federal judges and practitioners, who deserve a simpler method of determining which cases have federal standing, says Eric Dwoskin at Dwoskin Wasdin.

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