Florida

  • July 10, 2025

    Florida Restaurateur Can't Get Shrimp TM, Fed. Circ. Affirms

    The Federal Circuit on Thursday refused to revive an author and restaurateur's bid to register a trademark for "Yucatán Shrimp" at his Florida eatery named after his crime novels, backing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's finding that the mark would be merely descriptive.

  • July 10, 2025

    Golfer's Defamation Suits Not Up To Par, 11th Circ. Says

    The Eleventh Circuit won't revive a pair of defamation suits by golfer Patrick Reed against media outlets he accused of defaming him by reporting accusations of cheating and criticism of his association with a Saudi Arabia-backed golf organization.

  • July 10, 2025

    Cinemex Theater Co. Gets $2.6M For Operations In Ch. 11

    A Florida bankruptcy judge approved more than $2.6 million to keep a theater company operating in its second Chapter 11 case on Thursday, allowing the funds to pay for critical vendors and goodwill expenses as the business plans another reorganization. 

  • July 10, 2025

    Ex-Bank CEO Depo Blocked On 5th Amendment Concerns

    A Florida federal judge Thursday blocked the deposition of a former Puerto Rican bank CEO in a suit alleging a $28 million fraud while a related criminal case is pending against him, but suggested the plaintiffs move forward requesting other documents and depositions that would not implicate the CEO's Fifth Amendment right.

  • July 10, 2025

    Fla. High Court Revives Ex-Steak 'N Shake Worker's Bias Suit

    The Florida Supreme Court backed the reinstatement Thursday of an ex-Steak 'n Shake worker's disability bias suit claiming he was fired after suffering a back injury, ruling he didn't need to invoke the state's civil rights law in his presuit bias charge to pursue his claims in court.

  • July 10, 2025

    11th Circ. Revives Case Over $3.1M Glassware Verdict Debt

    The Eleventh Circuit has revived a case over $3.1 million in debt resulting from a jury verdict finding that two glass companies had copied the designs of another business, saying a lower court was wrong to find that the infringing companies' bankruptcy had wiped the debt out.

  • July 10, 2025

    11th Circ. Tosses Satellite Co.'s $829K Finder's Fee Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit said Wednesday that a $829,000 award in favor of a satellite technology company should be tossed, writing that a Florida federal court didn't have jurisdiction over the case.

  • July 10, 2025

    Fla. Atty Suspended After Conviction In Embezzlement Case

    The Florida Supreme Court has suspended a lawyer who was found guilty at a June retrial of embezzling from an Orlando law firm where she worked as a paralegal before acquiring her law license.

  • July 10, 2025

    11th Circ. Keeps County Win In Prison Promotion Bias Row

    The Eleventh Circuit kept intact a Georgia district court's decision to toss a county prison counselor's suit claiming she was passed over for promotion because of her gender, ruling Thursday that she lacked evidence to support a discrimination claim.

  • July 10, 2025

    Judge Clears Karol G, Dutch DJ Of Song Ripoff Allegations

    A Florida federal judge has tossed claims from flautist and composer René Lorente alleging Colombian singer Karol G and Dutch DJ Tiësto's song "Don't Be Shy" copied elements of one of his songs, doubting the testimony of Lorente's expert witness.

  • July 10, 2025

    Bitcoin Scammer Hit With 12 Years Over Restitution Failure

    A federal judge in Manhattan slammed a bitcoin fraudster with a 12-year prison term Thursday for allegedly refusing to repay $20 million to an entrepreneur whose cryptocurrency he admitted to stealing, imposing punishment anew at a resentencing over strenuous defense objections.

  • July 10, 2025

    Judge Preserves Meritage Stucco Defect Coverage Claims

    A Texas federal judge largely sided with Meritage Homes in a lawsuit to force AIG to cover $11 million paid out to hundreds of homeowners that complained of construction defects on stucco homes in Texas and Florida.

  • July 10, 2025

    Fla. Can't Enforce Residency Rule On Some Canvassers

    A Florida federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking state officials from enforcing residency and citizenship requirements for paid canvassers aligned with some sponsors and supporters of ballot initiatives, finding the blanket ban violates the First Amendment.

  • July 10, 2025

    Another Atty Sanctioned For Allegedly Hallucinated Case Law

    A Florida judge on Wednesday issued a blistering order against an attorney who became the latest of many to face sanctions over filings with case law suspected of being hallucinated by generative artificial intelligence, ordering him to take AI ethics courses and repay opposing counsel's fees.

  • July 09, 2025

    The Villages' Health Provider Gets Preliminary DIP Funding

    A Florida bankruptcy judge preliminarily approved a $39 million debtor-in-possession financing plan for The Villages Health System LLC, which provides healthcare services to 55,000 residents of the best-known retirement community in America and filed for Chapter 11 protection last week.

  • July 09, 2025

    Florida Court Nixes $5.8M Ruling, Says Loans Not Securities

    Florida's Third District Court of Appeal on Wednesday reversed and remanded a roughly $5.8 million judgment in a dispute regarding loan participation agreements between a commercial lender and an investment firm, saying the agreements weren't securities and were instead "routine commercial transactions."

  • July 09, 2025

    Honduran Woman Gets 21 Months In Prison For Payroll Fraud

    A Florida federal judge sentenced a Honduran woman to nearly two years in prison after she pled guilty to charges in a scheme to pay construction workers off the books to avoid paying payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance premiums, resulting in a roughly $3.1 million loss, according to prosecutors.

  • July 09, 2025

    11th Circ. Rules Against Hotelier In Arbitration Battle

    The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday affirmed a bankruptcy court's annulment of an automatic stay to allow enforcement of an arbitral award issued in a dispute over a failed $250 million hotel conglomerate, rejecting arguments that the order was barred under a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

  • July 09, 2025

    Red States Want In On Youths' Suit Over Trump Energy Orders

    A coalition of Republican states led by Montana asked a federal court Tuesday for permission to intervene in a lawsuit brought by youths challenging President Donald Trump's recently enacted fossil fuel policies.

  • July 09, 2025

    Fla. Man Admits To Insider Trading On Google-ADT Deal

    A Florida man has pled guilty to trading shares of ADT Inc. after learning from a family member about a planned investment in the security company from Google, which ultimately reaped him a profit of more than $314,000.

  • July 09, 2025

    Ticketmaster Deceptive Pricing Suit Moves Forward, For Now

    A lawsuit accusing Ticketmaster and Live Nation of baiting customers to buy event tickets with deceptively low prices can move forward for now, because the entertainment giants challenged the claims with arguments that are better resolved after gathering evidence, a California federal judge said Wednesday.

  • July 09, 2025

    Supreme Court Denies Fla. Bid To Enforce Immigration Law

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday denied Florida's request to lift a block on a state law that criminalizes the entry of unauthorized immigrants into the state, leaving in place a ruling that the law is likely preempted by the federal Immigration and Nationality Act.

  • July 09, 2025

    NJ Justices Disbar Fla. Atty For Misappropriating $100K

    The New Jersey Supreme Court has disbarred a Florida attorney based on Disciplinary Review Board findings that she misappropriated more than $100,000 in client funds.

  • July 09, 2025

    Globa Terra SPAC Raises $152M To Target Agribusiness Deals

    Special purpose acquisition company Globa Terra Acquisition Corp. began trading Wednesday after pricing a $152 million initial public offering, enabling the vehicle to pursue mergers in the agribusiness or water sectors, represented by Paul Hastings LLP.

  • July 09, 2025

    Fla. DJ Challenges FCC's $2.4M Pirate Radio Fine

    A Miami-area DJ is challenging a nearly $2.4 million Federal Communications Commission penalty for running an unauthorized radio station, arguing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision renders the commission's forfeiture process unconstitutional.

Expert Analysis

  • Include State And Local Enforcers In Cartel Risk Evaluations

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    Any reassessment of enforcement risk following the federal designation of drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations should include applicable state and local enforcement authorities, which have powerful tools, such as grand jury subpoenas and search warrants, that businesses would be wise to consider, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Fed. Prosecutor To BigLaw

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    Making the jump from government to private practice is no small feat, but, based on my experience transitioning to a business-driven environment after 15 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, it can be incredibly rewarding and help you become a more versatile lawyer, says Michael Beckwith at Dickinson Wright.

  • And Now A Word From The Panel: MDL Hubs

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    The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation showed a willingness in 2024 to establish new multidistrict litigation proceedings in cities with both less MDL and air traffic, including states that had no other pending MDL proceedings, but the overall number of pending MDL proceedings has dwindled down, says Alan Rothman at Sidley.

  • Service By Token Is Transforming Crypto Litigation Landscape

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    As the Trump administration advocates a new course of cryptocurrency regulation, courts in the U.S. and abroad are authorizing innovative methods of process service, including via nonfungible tokens and blockchain messaging, offering practical solutions for litigators grappling with the anonymity of cyber defendants, says Jose Ceide at Salazar Law.

  • How Importers Can Minimize FCA Risks Of Tariff Mitigation

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    False Claims Act risks are inherent in many tariff mitigation strategies, making it important for importers to implement best practices to identify and report potential violations of import regulations before they escalate, says Samuel Finkelstein at LMD Trade Law.

  • State Securities Enforcers May Fill A Federal Enforcement Gap

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission appears poised to take a lighter touch under the new administration, but state enforcement efforts are likely to continue unabated, and potentially even increase, particularly with regard to digital assets and ESG disclosures, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • Firms Still Have Lateral Market Advantage, But Risks Persist

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    Partner and associate mobility data from the fourth quarter of 2024 shows that we’re in a new, stable era of lateral hiring where firms have the edge, but leaders should proceed cautiously, looking beyond expected revenue and compensation analyses for potential risks, say Julie Henson and Greg Hamman at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • Opinion

    We Must Allow Judges To Use Their Independent Judgment

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    As two recent cases show, the ability of judges to access their independent judgment crucially enables courts to exercise the discretion needed to reach the right outcome based on the unique facts within the law, says John Siffert at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • Series

    Performing Stand-Up Comedy Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Whether I’m delivering a punchline on stage or a closing argument in court, balancing stand-up comedy performances and my legal career has demonstrated that the keys to success in both endeavors include reading the room, landing the right timing and making an impact, says attorney Rebecca Palmer.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From SEC To BigLaw

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    As I adjusted to the multifaceted workflow of a BigLaw firm after leaving the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, working side by side with new colleagues on complex matters proved the fastest way to build a deep rapport and demonstrate my value, says Jennifer Lee at Jenner & Block.

  • Making The Case For Rest In The Legal Profession

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    For too long, a culture of overwork has plagued the legal profession, but research shows that attorneys need rest to perform optimally and sustainably, so legal organizations and individuals must implement strategies that allow for restoration, says Marissa Alert at MDA Wellness, Carol Ross-Burnett at CRB Global, and Denise Robinson at The Still Center.

  • 4 Ways Women Attorneys Can Build A Legal Legacy

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    This Women’s History Month, women attorneys should consider what small, day-to-day actions they can take to help leave a lasting impact for future generations, even if it means mentoring one person or taking 10 minutes to make a plan, says Jackie Prester, a former shareholder at Baker Donelson.

  • Navigating The Growing Thicket Of 'Right To Repair' Laws

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    An emerging patchwork of state laws on the right to repair creates tensions with traditional intellectual property and competition principles, so manufacturers should plan proactively for legal disputes and minimize potential for rival third-party repairs to weaponize state laws, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • A Judge's Pointers For Adding Spice To Dry Legal Writing

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    U.S. District Judge Fred Biery shares a few key lessons about how to go against the grain of the legal writing tradition by adding color to bland judicial opinions, such as by telling a human story and injecting literary devices where possible.

  • Implementation, Constitutional Issues With Birthright Order

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    President Donald Trump's executive order reinterpreting the 14th Amendment's birthright citizenship clause presents unavoidable administrative problems and raises serious constitutional concerns about the validity of many existing federal laws and regulations, says Eric Schnapper at the University of Washington School of Law.

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