Commercial Contracts

  • October 15, 2025

    Texas Panel Asks Why $12M Verdict Higher Than Project Cost

    A Texas appeals panel pushed a developer to justify a roughly $12 million verdict against a construction company given the developer paid around that amount to build the apartment at the center of the suit, asking Wednesday why the developer was entitled to that sum.

  • October 15, 2025

    Intel, Deutsche Telekom Win Renewal Bid For $139M Award

    A Michigan federal judge on Wednesday granted Intel Capital Corp. and Deutsche Telekom AG's bid to renew a decade-old judgment that enforces a roughly $139 million award against one of the founders of a Chinese wireless broadband company.

  • October 15, 2025

    JPMorgan Dinged By Judge For Raising Arbitration Issue Late

    A Washington federal judge hinted on Wednesday that she's likely to stand by her past decision spurning JPMorgan Chase's attempt to force arbitration of a customer's racial discrimination claims, suggesting the bank lost its chance to make the points it's now relying on to persuade the court to reconsider.

  • October 15, 2025

    Smart Thermostat Makers Keep PTAB, ITC Wins At Fed. Circ.

    Causam Enterprises owns the electrical utilities control patent it has accused ecobee and others of infringing with smart thermostats, but the patent is not valid, the Federal Circuit concluded Wednesday in a pair of precedential opinions.

  • October 15, 2025

    Texas Appeals Court Pushes Cigna On Payments To Hospitals

    A Texas appeals court seemed skeptical of Cigna Healthcare of Texas Inc.'s claim that once a patient gets hospitalized, any subsequent treatment should be classified as emergency care, asking Wednesday why Cigna should get to escape a lawsuit claiming it underpaid multiple hospitals.

  • October 15, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Says Anti-SLAPP Motion Wrongly Denied In IP Case

    The Federal Circuit on Wednesday said a California district court wrongly denied several semiconductor manufacturers' anti-SLAPP motion in a case where they are accused of stealing trade secrets, saying in a precedential opinion that filing a patent application is protected activity under the state's law.

  • October 15, 2025

    11th Circ. Sides With Insurer In Fla. Gas Station Pollution Fight

    An insurer for an owner and operator of Florida gas stations owes no coverage for pollution costs stemming from an underground fuel tank leak, the Eleventh Circuit ruled Wednesday, finding the owner failed to properly notify its insurer of a "pollution condition" that could result in an insurance claim.

  • October 15, 2025

    Sysnet Says Ex-Worker Breached Noncompete With New Job

    Cybersecurity company Sysnet North America Inc. has filed suit against one of its former business relationship managers in federal court for allegedly violating the restrictive covenants in his employment contract by taking a job with a "direct competitor."

  • October 15, 2025

    Lender Sues For Access To High-Tech Kiosks After Default

    A company that makes high-tech vending machines that dispense beauty and personal hygiene products has defaulted on a loan and is refusing to turn over credentials to keep the kiosks in operation, according to a suit filed in Massachusetts state court.

  • October 15, 2025

    Phone-Maker Oppo Wants Out Of Apple Trade Secret Case

    Chinese phone-maker Oppo has asked a California federal judge to release it from a case brought by Apple Inc. alleging that a former employee stole trade secrets when he moved to Oppo, saying the suit had no allegation that Oppo received any trade secrets.

  • October 15, 2025

    NY Court Tosses Most Of Ex-Lil Wayne Atty's Contract Claims

    A New York state judge has dismissed most counterclaims a former attorney for Lil Wayne pursued in a fee dispute with his ex-client, but the lawyer may still attempt to collect some funds he claims to be owed by the rap star.

  • October 15, 2025

    Sabre Says British Airways Must Reimburse For UK Digital Tax

    Flight booking giant Sabre sued British Airways over a digital tax bill it says it was required to pay the U.K. on the airline's behalf, claiming the airline was contractually obligated to reimburse Sabre for the expense but has refused.

  • October 15, 2025

    TTAB Denies 'Gasparilla' TM Despite Deal With Other IP Holder

    The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board has rejected a bid to register "Gasparilla" for mugs and clothing, because of potential confusion with "Gasparilla Treasures," concluding in a precedential opinion that a consent agreement offered by the parties was not enough to overcome a likelihood of consumer confusion.

  • October 14, 2025

    Sirius XM Can't Yet Ditch Proposed Class Action Over Pricing

    An Oregon federal judge on Tuesday refused to toss a proposed class action claiming Sirius XM concealed a royalty charge from subscribers, ruling that the subscribers have adequately alleged they did not know about the fee or the true cost of their subscription when they signed up.

  • October 14, 2025

    Exec Tells Fla. Jury He Wanted To Protect Nicklaus Brand

    An executive for the company bearing Jack Nicklaus' name denied making alleged defamatory statements in emails to clients regarding the golf legend's interest in a competing Saudi Arabian league, telling a Florida state court jury on Tuesday that he received contradicting information and wanted to protect the business' brand name.

  • October 14, 2025

    Construction Co. Says Insurer Owes $12M On Military Project

    A construction company sued its subcontractor and an insurance company in North Carolina state court, seeking more than $12 million in damages after the subcontractor allegedly failed to follow through on mechanical and plumbing work at a U.S. Marine Corps air station.

  • October 14, 2025

    Ex-Clear Street Employees Sue Over Retaliation, Defamation

    Four former employees of financial services company Clear Street Management have sued the firm, claiming they were retaliated against as whistleblowers and falsely terminated "for cause" when they attempted to resign over allegations of a toxic workplace.

  • October 14, 2025

    Concrete Co. Can't Challenge $2M Seattle Wage Theft Fine

    A Washington state appellate panel on Monday rejected a concrete subcontractor's appeal of more than $2 million in penalties for wage violations at Seattle construction sites, supporting a city hearing examiner's conclusion that the company was also on the hook alongside the primary contractor.  

  • October 14, 2025

    Texans Say Drinking Water Tainted With PFAS From Military Base

    Residents and local businesses in Lubbock, Texas, are suing 3M, DuPont de Nemours Inc. and others over alleged exposure to so-called forever chemicals that leached into their well water from firefighting foam used on a nearby former U.S. Air Force base and caused a woman's death.

  • October 14, 2025

    USPS Bailed On Wash. Real Estate Deal, Developer Claims

    A developer and its affiliate have claimed in federal court that the U.S. Postal Service violated an agreement to develop a piece of land in Issaquah, Washington, and split the proceeds from its sale.

  • October 14, 2025

    Aetna Dodges Colo. County's $1.1M Suit Over Unpaid Rebates

    A Colorado federal judge has dismissed a county's lawsuit alleging Aetna Life Insurance Co. withheld more than $1 million in pharmacy rebates under an unenforceable early termination clause, agreeing with the insurance company that the clause is valid and enforceable.

  • October 14, 2025

    Enterprise Seeks $358K In Unpaid Masters Tourney Rentals

    Auto rental giant Enterprise alleged in a new lawsuit that a corporate client still owes nearly $358,000 in bills on hundreds of luxury cars rented for the 2025 Masters Tournament, claiming the client reneged on a payment plan after just two installments.

  • October 14, 2025

    Microsoft Bullied OpenAI Into Cloud Deal, Antitrust Suit Says

    A group of ChatGPT subscribers launched a proposed class action in California federal court Monday accusing Microsoft Corp. of inflating prices by forcing OpenAI into a deal that made the software giant the sole provider of computing services for the growing suite of artificial intelligence products.

  • October 14, 2025

    Boston Says Celebrity Chef Moved Money To Skirt Tax Bills

    The city of Boston is accusing celebrity chef Barbara Lynch of intentionally scheming to avoid paying nearly $1.7 million in property taxes by "siphoning off" corporate assets, asking a judge to pierce the corporate veil and hold her liable for the bill.

  • October 14, 2025

    Fighter Wins $5.3M Judgment Against Fla. Promoter

    A Florida state judge on Tuesday approved a $5.3 million final default judgment against a promoter that allegedly failed to pay former Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Jorge Masvidal for a 2024 bout in California.

Expert Analysis

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Relevance Redactions

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    In recent cases addressing redactions that parties sought to apply based on the relevance of information — as opposed to considerations of privilege — courts have generally limited a party’s ability to withhold nonresponsive or irrelevant material, providing a few lessons for discovery strategy, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Opinion

    Section 1983 Has Promise After End Of Nationwide Injunctions

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    After the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down the practice of nationwide injunctions in Trump v. Casa, Section 1983 civil rights suits can provide a better pathway to hold the government accountable — but this will require reforms to qualified immunity, says Marc Levin at the Council on Criminal Justice.

  • Corp. Human Rights Regulatory Landscape Is Fragmented

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    Given the complexity of compliance with nations' overlapping human rights laws, multinational companies need to be cognizant of the evolving approaches to modern slavery transparency, and proposals that could reduce mandatory due diligence and reporting requirements, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Opinion

    Premerger Settlements Don't Meet Standard For Bribery

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    Claims that Paramount’s decision to settle a lawsuit with President Donald Trump while it was undergoing a premerger regulatory review amounts to a quid pro quo misconstrue bribery law and ignore how modern legal departments operate, says Ediberto Román at the Florida International University College of Law.

  • Series

    Playing Soccer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Soccer has become a key contributor to how I approach my work, and the lessons I’ve learned on the pitch about leadership, adaptability, resilience and communication make me better at what I do every day in my legal career, says Whitney O’Byrne at MoFo.

  • Forced Labor Bans Hold Steady Amid Shifts In Global Trade

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    As businesses try to navigate shifting regulatory trends affecting human rights and sustainability, forced labor import bans present a zone of relative stability, notwithstanding outstanding questions about the future of enforcement, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Learning From Failure

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    While law school often focuses on the importance of precision, correctness and perfection, mistakes are inevitable in real-world practice — but failure is not the opposite of progress, and real talent comes from the ability to recover, rethink and reshape, says Brooke Pauley at Tucker Ellis.

  • Recent Decisions Caution Against Broad Indemnity Provisions

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    Two recent decisions in disparate jurisdictions are reminders that businesses and practitioners should be mindful of contractual indemnity rights and draft indemnity provisions that enhance the predictability of enforceability without being overly broad, says Gregory Jaske at Olshan Frome.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From ATF Director To BigLaw

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    As a two-time boomerang partner, returning to BigLaw after stints as a U.S. attorney and the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, people ask me how I know when to move on, but there’s no single answer — just clearly set your priorities, says Steven Dettelbach at BakerHostetler.

  • Tips For US Investors Eyeing Middle East Data Centers

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    While Middle East data center investment presents a compelling opportunity in light of renewed U.S.-Gulf cooperation on artificial intelligence and critical technologies, these projects require a nuanced understanding of regional legal and regulatory regimes, says Haykel Hajjaji at Covington.

  • 4th Circ. Favors Plain Meaning In Bump-Up D&O Ruling

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    The Fourth Circuit's latest denial of indemnity coverage in Towers Watson v. National Union Fire Insurance and its previous ruling in this case lay out a pragmatic approach to bump-up provisions that avoids hypertechnical constructions to limit the effect of a policy's plain meaning, say attorneys at Kennedys.

  • Series

    Playing Baseball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing baseball in college, and now Wiffle ball in a local league, has taught me that teamwork, mental endurance and emotional intelligence are not only important to success in the sport, but also to success as a trial attorney, says Kevan Dorsey at Swift Currie.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Skillful Persuasion

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    In many ways, law school teaches us how to argue, but when the ultimate goal is to get your client what they want, being persuasive through preparation and humility is the more likely key to success, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.

  • Litigation Inspiration: How To Respond After A Loss

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    Every litigator loses a case now and then, and the sting of that loss can become a medicine that strengthens or a poison that corrodes, depending on how the attorney responds, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • The Metamorphosis Of The Major Questions Doctrine

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    The so-called major questions doctrine arose as a counterweight to Chevron deference over the past few decades, but invocations of the doctrine have persisted in the year since Chevron was overturned, suggesting it still has a role to play in reining in agency overreach, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

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