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Massachusetts
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March 14, 2024
Mass. Lobstermen Win Case Fighting Feds' Fishing Closure
A Massachusetts federal judge ruled Thursday that the National Marine Fisheries Service illegally closed a 200-square-mile swath of ocean to protect the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales, backing a legal challenge by a lobster fishing industry group.
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March 14, 2024
Cannabis Cos. Say Federal Position On Pot Is Irrational
The federal ban on marijuana is plainly irrational and negatively affects operators in state-regulated cannabis markets, depriving them of their constitutional rights, a group of marijuana companies told a Massachusetts federal judge on Friday.
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March 14, 2024
Mass. High Court Says Tufts Win In Tenure Case 'Premature'
Tenured professors at Tufts University whose salaries were slashed under a newly enacted requirement that they bring in at least half their income through research grants will have another chance to prove those pay cuts undermine academic freedom, Massachusetts' highest court said Thursday.
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March 14, 2024
NLRB Certifies Dartmouth Men's Basketball Player Union
Dartmouth College must bargain with its men's basketball team after the National Labor Relations Board certified the players' recent landmark vote to unionize with the Service Employees International Union on Thursday, but a legal challenge looms.
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March 14, 2024
Most States Fall Short In Disclosing Justices' Finance Reports
The vast majority of state supreme courts make it exceedingly difficult for the public to get information about justices' financial entanglements, and the information they do give out is often scant at best, according to a report released Thursday.
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March 14, 2024
Ex-Mass. Pol Says Federalism Bars COVID Fraud Cases
A former Massachusetts state senator charged with collecting CARES Act-funded unemployment benefits while being paid for consulting work said in a motion filed Thursday that the 10th Amendment prohibits the federal government from prosecuting him for actions that occurred at the state level.
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March 14, 2024
Feds Seek 20 Mos. For Aegerion Fraud 'Puppet Master'
A pharmaceutical sales representative who gloated about being a "puppet master" for false insurance claims for Aegerion's cholesterol drug should serve 20 months in prison, the U.S. government has told a Boston federal judge.
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March 13, 2024
Mass. Gov. Announces Pardon Plan For Marijuana Possession
Massachusetts Gov. Maura T. Healey has announced plans for sweeping pardons of misdemeanor cannabis possession convictions, following the directive of President Joe Biden, who urged state executives to follow his lead in pardoning low-level marijuana offenses.
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March 13, 2024
Ex-NFLer Faced Racism As School Superintendent, Suit Says
A former NFL player was subjected to racism as the first Black superintendent of schools in Wayland, Massachusetts, and was forced out of his job when he took steps to address it, according to a suit filed Wednesday in state court.
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March 13, 2024
IRobot, SharkNinja Settle Last Of Roomba Patent Fight
IRobot and SharkNinja have reached a settlement in principle to resolve what remains of a long-standing patent dispute related to the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner.
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March 13, 2024
Mass. Justice Presses AG On Fast-Track Bid For Zoning Case
A Massachusetts high court justice on Wednesday expressed concerns about the state attorney general's aggressive bid to fast-track the enforcement of a divisive housing law to the full court as soon as May.
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March 13, 2024
Patriots Owner Flags $2M Lien On 'Useless' Skydiving Facility
The real estate business of New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft asked a Massachusetts judge to discharge a $2 million mechanic's lien on a defunct indoor wind tunnel and skydiving attraction at a shopping center next to the football team's stadium.
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March 12, 2024
Walgreens, Kenvue Unit Sued Over Benzene In Acne Products
Walgreens, Kenvue unit Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. and Genomma Lab face a trio of proposed consumer fraud class actions in California federal court by customers who alleged their acne treatment products contain unsafe levels of benzene, but that each of the companies failed to disclose its presence in their labeling.
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March 12, 2024
Roberto Clemente's Family Appeals Puerto Rico TM Loss
The family of the late MLB Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente is asking the First Circuit to revive trademark claims against Puerto Rico for the unauthorized use of the former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder's image on license plates and vehicle registrations.
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March 12, 2024
Harvard Data Fraud Report To Be Released In Libel Case
A Harvard Business School's internal investigative report concerning data fraud allegations against a suspended professor will be made public in a defamation lawsuit against the school, a federal district judge ordered Tuesday.
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March 12, 2024
GE Aerospace Plans $650M Manufacturing Investment
GE Aerospace said Tuesday it plans to invest $650 million into its manufacturing facilities and supply chain this year to bolster support for its commercial and defense customers.
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March 12, 2024
AT&T Offloaded Pensions In Risky Annuity Deal, Suit Says
AT&T shirked its fiduciary duty and put 96,000 workers' retirement savings in jeopardy by transferring pension obligations to a "risky" annuity provider, according to a proposed class action filed in Massachusetts federal court.
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March 11, 2024
Fed. Circ. OKs Boston Drug Developer's Patent Win
A Boston-area biotech developer that has yet to bring a product to market persuaded the Federal Circuit on Monday to affirm a finding by an administrative patent board last year that stripped a smaller Chinese rival of a patent covering a way of using a type of sulfonic acid to potentially treat Alzheimer's disease.
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March 11, 2024
Mexico Says High Court Long Shot Not Worth Halting Gun Suit
The Mexican government asked a Boston federal judge to keep its lawsuit against gun manufacturers moving along while the companies float what they referred to as "sky is falling" arguments to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging a First Circuit ruling that they are not immune from claims they aid and abet drug cartel violence.
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March 11, 2024
Entire Deadspin Staff Cut After Site's Sale To European Firm
All existing employees of sports blogging site Deadspin have been laid off after finding out Monday that the blog's owner, private equity-backed G/O Media Inc., has agreed to sell the site to European firm Lineup Publishing for an undisclosed price.
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March 11, 2024
FTC, 10 States Sue 'Sham' Women's Cancer Fund
The Federal Trade Commission and 10 state attorneys general have filed a federal complaint against a Pennsylvania-based cancer charity fund, calling the foundation a "sham" that deceived donors out of $18 million over five years.
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March 11, 2024
Most Claims Trimmed In Ford Faulty Transmission Suit
A Massachusetts federal judge has thrown out the bulk of a suit alleging Ford Motor Co. knowingly sold vehicles with a faulty transmission system, while allowing breach of implied warranty, fraudulent concealment and state law claims to proceed.
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March 11, 2024
SEC Can't Rely On 'Flawed' Ruling To Avoid Retrial, Atty Says
A Connecticut lawyer facing retrial in a securities fraud case told the First Circuit that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission can't lean on a summary judgment finding that was also flawed.
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March 08, 2024
Dartmouth Hoops Union Could Touch Off Legal Madness
A recent vote by the Dartmouth College men's basketball team to form a union could set the stage for the next round of litigation in shaping the rights of collegiate athletes, but experts told Law360 some steep obstacles could stand in the way of a breakthrough ruling that turns student athletes into full-fledged employees.
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March 08, 2024
Mass. Bar Agency Seeks Name Revision Due To Slavery Link
The state agency that regulates attorney conduct in Massachusetts is proposing a name change that would replace an archaic word seen by some as tainted by an association with slavery.
Expert Analysis
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How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing
Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.
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Why Standing Analysis Is Key In Data Breach Mediation
Amid a growing wave of data breach class action litigation, recent legal developments show shifting criteria for Article III standing based on an increased risk of future identity theft, meaning parties must integrate assessments of standing into mediation discussions to substantiate their settlement demands in data breach class actions, says Abe Melamed at Signature Resolution.
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Opinion
Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats
Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.
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How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies
Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.
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Series
Mass. Banking Brief: The Notable Compliance Updates In Q3
Among the most significant developments in the financial services space in the third quarter of the year, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court handed down a stunning endorsement of the state's fiduciary duty rule, and banking regulators continued their multiyear crackdown on unregistered entities, say attorneys at Mintz.
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AGs' Distaste For Food Bill May Signal Other State Issues
States' recent opposition to a proposed federal law that would block them from regulating out-of-state agricultural production could affect issues beyond this narrow debate, such as the balance of state and federal regulatory power, reproductive rights post-Dobbs, and energy production and water use, say Christopher Allen and Stephen Cobb at Cozen O'Connor.
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Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial
Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.
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Cos. Must Show Discretion In Public Statements When Sued
A recent securities class action ruling in Massachusetts federal court against software company Pegasystems shows that a boilerplate public denial of a lawsuit's merits can form the basis for a claim that the statement was false or misleading, underscoring the need to use discretion when responding to pending claims, say Brian Kearney and Stephen Kastenberg at Ballard Spahr.
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Autonomous Vehicles Must Navigate Patchwork Of State Regs
With only modest action by the federal government on the autonomous vehicle regulatory front in 2023, states and localities remain the predominant source of new regulations affecting AVs — but the result is a mix of rules that both help and hinder AV development and adoption, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.
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Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times
As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.
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Alleged $636M Deal Error Highlights Ethics Considerations
Adelman v. Proskauer, a malpractice suit that allegedly arose from a cut-and-paste error resulting in potential damages of $636 million, presents an intriguing juxtaposition of facts and legal issues — and practical ethical considerations for transactions attorneys, says Richard Leisner at Trenam Law.
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Federal Policies Keeping Autonomous Vehicles In Slow Lane
In the first installment of this two-part article, attorneys at Faegre Drinker examine recent federal regulations and programs related to autonomous vehicles — and how the federal government's failure to implement a more comprehensive AV regulatory scheme may be slowing the progress of the industry.
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Mass. Ruling Shows Value Of Additional Insured Specifics
A Massachusetts court’s recent D.F. Pray v. Wesco Insurance decision demonstrates that blanket additional insured endorsements can create issues with personal jurisdiction, so those named as additional insureds should require their lower-tier contractors to use specific endorsements, say Thomas Dunn and Sheya Rivard at Pierce Atwood.
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5th Circ. Ruling Reminds Attys That CBP Can Search Devices
The Fifth Circuit’s recent Malik v. Department of Homeland Security decision adds to the chorus of federal courts holding that border agents don’t need a warrant to search travelers’ electronic devices, so attorneys should consider certain special precautions to secure privileged information when reentering the U.S., says Jennifer Freel at Jackson Walker.
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Alleged $636M Deal Error Shows Value Of Old-School Methods
Though Proskauer Rose has now settled claims involving a copy-paste error in deal documents that could have resulted in $636 million in damages, the debacle reminds attorneys that classic revision methods using paper copies can help avoid drafting errors and actually save time in the long run, says Richard Leisner at Trenam.