Florida

May 16, 2025
Judge Questions Federal Jurisdiction In Boies Schiller Case

Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and other defendants have pulled into Florida federal court a lawsuit alleging they distributed confidential information related to a law firm, but a federal judge said Thursday she is "unconvinced" that the matter belongs in federal court.
May 15, 2025
11th Circ. Urged Not To Rush Appeal Of Fla. Migrant Law Block

Immigration organizations have told the Eleventh Circuit there is no need to expedite Florida's appeal of an injunction blocking a state law criminalizing the entry of unauthorized immigrants because the state has produced no practical reason to speed up the appeal.
May 15, 2025
Investor Makes Deal With PE Fund In Fla. Suit Alleging Fraud

A Texas accountant has lodged a federal complaint alleging a Florida-based CEO of a private equity fund and two executives refused to return $1 million of his life savings after buying securities that produced virtually no income, although the parties on Thursday struck a tentative deal to have the lawsuit tossed.
May 15, 2025
Durbin Says White House Skirting Blue-Slip Process For Noms

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, raised concerns Thursday that the White House is not fully complying with the practice of giving both home state senators a de facto veto over nominees for U.S. attorney and district judgeships.
May 15, 2025
Lennar Workers Should Arbitrate 401(k) Suit, Judge Says

Current and former Lennar Corp. employees should have to individually arbitrate a proposed class action claiming the construction company loaded its 401(k) plan with excessive fees and lackluster investment options, a Florida federal magistrate judge recommended, finding the plan's arbitration provision doesn't conflict with federal benefits law.
May 15, 2025
Apple Accused Of False IPhone AI Promises In 50-State Suit

Apple pulled a bait-and-switch on phone buyers when it promised that new artificial intelligence features would be available on the iPhone 16, despite knowing it hadn't yet developed those features, according to a sprawling proposed class action that brings claims under consumer protection laws in all 50 states.
May 15, 2025
Greenberg Traurig, Loeb Guiding $1.7B Acuren, NV5 Deal

Acuren Corp. said Thursday it will acquire NV5 Global Inc. in a cash-and-stock deal worth about $1.7 billion, combining two companies that serve key roles in infrastructure and industrial markets.
May 15, 2025
Fla. High Court Won't Rule On Condo Insurance Dispute

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday declined to wade into a dispute between a Miami condominium and its insurer over a claim for damage caused by Hurricane Irma, leaving in place an appellate ruling that the association provided sufficient notice to the insurer that it intended to add or reopen its damage claim.
May 15, 2025
Curaleaf And Ex-VP In Settlement Talks, Court Told

Curaleaf has tentatively agreed to drop a lawsuit against a former executive it accused of stealing confidential records to share with a rival cannabis firm, according to a notice filed in Florida federal court.
May 15, 2025
Fla. Aircraft Parts Broker Pleads Guilty To Fraud Conspiracy

An aircraft parts broker has pled guilty to fraud conspiracy in Florida federal court, admitting to netting $375,000 in a scheme involving the falsification of invoices to divert sales from his employer and use its inventory to fulfill orders through his Tennessee-based company.
May 15, 2025
Fla. Atty Suspended For 2 Years For Fracturing Wife's Nose

Florida's highest court on Thursday suspended the law license of an Orlando-based attorney over fracturing his wife's nose for two years, rejecting a recommendation of only 90 days after finding that his conduct "reflects adversely on his continued fitness to practice" in the legal profession.
May 15, 2025
11th Circ. Upholds Fla. Atty's COVID Relief Fraud Conviction

The Eleventh Circuit upheld the 75-month sentence given to a Florida lawyer for a COVID-19 loan fraud scheme, finding that the lower court did not err by admitting a co-conspirator's testimony about a threat the attorney allegedly made.
May 14, 2025
Florida Appeals Court Says Pastor's Testimony Is Privileged

A Florida appeals court on Wednesday reversed convictions for a man found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor after finding that his pastor's testimony should not have been allowed at trial because it was protected by the clergy communications privilege.
May 14, 2025
Fla. Court Rules Trust Wasn't Entitled To Jury Trial Over $8.9M

A Florida state appeals court ruled Wednesday that a charitable trust wasn't entitled to a jury trial in a lawsuit alleging Brown Brothers Harriman Trust Co. improperly withheld and invested $8.9 million, saying the complaint falls "within the exclusive jurisdiction of equity."
May 14, 2025
RJ Reynolds Can Keep Trial Win In Engle Case, Court Says

A Florida appeals court on Wednesday affirmed a verdict in favor of R.J. Reynolds in an Engle progeny suit over a longtime smoker's death, saying counsel's failure to use all their juror challenges invalidates an argument that a juror was unfairly selected.
May 14, 2025
HUD Allocates $1.1B For Tribal Affordable Housing Initiatives

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will allocate more than $1.1 billion in Indian Housing Block Grant funding to support affordable housing efforts in Native American tribal communities, HUD announced Tuesday.
May 14, 2025
FCC Cuts Deal With Fla. Pirate Radio Operator

The Federal Communications Commission has cut a deal with a man it accused of running an unauthorized radio station in Broward County, Florida, which requires him to pay a small fine and stop the illegal broadcasts in exchange for avoiding a stiffer penalty.
May 14, 2025
Fla. Court Won't Let State High Court Weigh Taking Query

An en banc Florida appellate court on Wednesday refused to certify the city of Marathon's question about a factor for determining whether a taking happened to the state's high court.
May 14, 2025
Shaky Docs Undermine SEC's $2M Trial Win, 11th Circ. Told

A South Florida financial adviser accused of funneling investors into the $500 million Par Funding fraud scheme urged the Eleventh Circuit on Wednesday to order a do-over of a civil trial that ended with him being required to pay more than $2 million to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
May 14, 2025
11th Circ. Won't Reopen White DOD Worker's Race Bias Suit

The Eleventh Circuit refused to revive a commissary worker's lawsuit claiming the U.S. Department of Defense threatened to suspend her over a Black colleague's false accusations that she'd used a racial slur, ruling Wednesday that she failed to show the agency proposed the discipline because she's white.
May 14, 2025
BofA, Fla. Woman End Suit Over Imposter's $2M Grab

Bank of America has settled a suit accusing the bank of failing to protect a 67-year-old Florida woman's accounts as she fell victim to a sophisticated social engineering scam by a person posing as a Federal Trade Commission investigator who stole $2 million.
May 14, 2025
Fla. High Court Asked If Parents Can Dispute Kids' Abortions

A Florida appellate court on Wednesday upheld a decision denying a 17-year-old to terminate her pregnancy without her father's consent, but certified a question of great public importance on whether parents have due process rights under the state's maturity and best-interest judicial waiver procedures.
May 14, 2025
Farm Groups Fight Further Delay In H-2A Wage Rule Suit

Farm groups on Wednesday countered the Trump administration's bid to further halt litigation challenging a Biden-era H-2A wage rule, telling a Florida federal judge there's no need to delay further for the U.S. Department of Labor to get familiarized with the case.
May 14, 2025
Trump's Unorthodox US Atty Picks May Face Learning Curve

While some of President Donald Trump's picks for U.S. attorney fit the typical mold — former federal prosecutors and BigLaw alums — others lack the type of court experience that can be crucial for effective office management and earning the respect of judges, experts say.
May 14, 2025
Insurer Blamed For Unpaid $3.2M Horse-Related Theft Deal

A show horse company that said an equestrian and his associate stole prize money, horse sale proceeds and valuable stallion semen blamed an insurer for covering protracted underlying litigation in bad faith, telling a Florida federal court that nothing was left for an eventual $3.2 million settlement.

Expert Analysis

Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

Experiencing a crash-landing on a recent flight underscored to me how much difference empathy makes in times of crisis or stress, including during mediation, says Eydith Kaufman at Alternative Resolution Centers.
Series

Being An Artist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

My work as an artist has highlighted how using creativity and precision together — qualities that are equally essential in both art and law — not only improves outcomes, but also leads to more innovative and thoughtful work, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.
How Judiciary Can Minimize AI Risks In Secondary Sources

Because courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence and other safeguards do not address the risk of hallucinations in secondary source materials, the judiciary should consider enlisting legal publishers and database hosts to protect against AI-generated inaccuracies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.
How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment

Ambitious attorneys can sometimes experience career enmeshment — when your sense of self-worth becomes unhealthily tangled up in your legal vocation — but taking the time to discover and realign with your core personal values can help you recover your identity, says Janna Koretz at Azimuth Psychological.
11th Circ. Ruling Offers Refresher On 'Sex-Plus' Bias Claims

While the Eleventh Circuit’s recent ruling in McCreight v. AuburnBank dismissed former employees’ sex-plus-age discrimination claims, the opinion reminds employers to ensure that workplace policies and practices do not treat a subgroup of employees of one sex differently than the same subgroup of another sex, say attorneys at Bradley Arant.
Lawyers With Disabilities Are Seeking Equity, Not Pity

Attorneys living with disabilities face extra challenges — including the need for special accommodations, the fear of stigmatization and the risk of being tokenized — but if given equitable opportunities, they can still rise to the top of their field, says Kate Reder Sheikh, a former attorney and legal recruiter at Major Lindsey & Africa.
Opinion

Judicial Committee Best Venue For Litigation Funding Rules

The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules' recent decision to consider developing a rule for litigation funding disclosure is a welcome development, ensuring that the result will be the product of a thorough, inclusive and deliberative process that appropriately balances all interests, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.
The Strategic Advantages Of Appointing A Law Firm CEO

The impact on law firms of the recent CrowdStrike outage underscores that the business of law is no longer merely about providing supplemental support for legal practice — and helps explain why some law firms are appointing dedicated, full-time CEOs to navigate the challenges of the modern legal landscape, says Jennifer Johnson at Calibrate Strategies.
Navigating Fla.'s Shorter Construction Defect Claim Window

In light of recent legislation reducing the amount of time Florida homeowners have to bring construction defect claims, homeowners should be sure to understand their rights and responsibilities regarding maintenance, repairs and inspections set forth in developer-drafted documents, say Brian Tannenbaum and Nicholas Vargo at Ball Janik.
Series

Beekeeping Makes Me A Better Lawyer

The practice of patent law and beekeeping are not typically associated, but taking care of honeybees has enriched my legal practice by highlighting the importance of hands-on experience, continuous learning, mentorship and more, says David Longo at Oblon McClelland.
What To Know About New Employment Laws In Fla.

Florida employers should familiarize themselves with recent state laws, and also federal legislation, on retirement benefits, teen labor and heat exposure, with special attention to prohibitions against minors performing dangerous tasks, as outlined in the Fair Labor Standards Act, say Katie Molloy and Cayla Page at Greenberg Traurig.
Opinion

Legal Institutions Must Warn Against Phony Election Suits

With two weeks until the election, bar associations and courts have an urgent responsibility to warn lawyers about the consequences of filing unsubstantiated lawsuits claiming election fraud, says Elise Bean at the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy.
How Cos. Can Build A Strong In-House Pro Bono Program

During this year’s pro bono celebration week, companies should consider some key pointers to grow and maintain a vibrant in-house program for attorneys to provide free legal services for the public good, says Mary Benton at Alston & Bird.
Series

Home Canning Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Making my own pickles and jams requires seeing a process through from start to finish, as does representing clients from the start of a dispute at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board through any appeals to the Federal Circuit, says attorney Kevin McNish.
An Update On Legal Issues In The Drone Market

Marialuisa Gallozzi and Alex Slawson at Covington examine recent developments in the legal issues surrounding the growing drone market, including possible First Amendment protections, Fourth Amendment surveillance, and litigation involving criminal and civil penalties, evidentiary pursuits, and insurance.