Michigan

  • May 09, 2025

    6th Circ. Ruling Shows Toughening On ERISA Fiduciary Suits

    A recent Sixth Circuit decision that backed the dismissal of a proposed class action against an auto parts maker demonstrates how appellate courts are raising the bar for cases alleging breaches of fiduciary duty under federal benefits law, experts say.

  • May 09, 2025

    Souter's Clerks Remember Him As Humble, Kind And Caring

    Former clerks of retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter are heartbroken over the death of a man many of them remember more for his conscientiousness, humility, kindness and disdain for the spotlight than for his undeniable brilliance as a jurist.

  • May 09, 2025

    Vaping Co. Reaches Deal In Infringement Suit Against Rival

    Florida-based e-cigarette manufacturer VPR Brands has come to terms with the rival it slapped with a patent infringement lawsuit last year for allegedly making and selling vapes that infringe its patented "electronic inhaler" atomizer system.

  • May 09, 2025

    Hiker And 'Raconteur': Atty Recalls 50-Year Bond With Souter

    Behind a towering legal legacy was a man who loved to hike mountains, could recall details of things he read decades ago and was always there for those he cared about, a New Hampshire attorney said as he reflected on a lifelong friendship with U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter.

  • May 09, 2025

    A Look At David Souter's Most Significant Opinions

    The retired Justice David Souter defied simple definition, viewed as a staunch conservative until he co-wrote an opinion upholding abortion rights in 1992. He did not hew to partisan lines, but reshaped the civil litigation landscape and took an unexpected stand in an extraordinarily close presidential election.

  • May 09, 2025

    Justice Souter Was An Unexpected Force Of Moderation

    Justice David Souter, who saw the high court as a moderating force apart from the messiness of politics, subverted the expectations of liberals and conservatives alike during his 19 years on the bench.

  • May 09, 2025

    Retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter Dies At 85

    Retired Justice David H. Souter, who served on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1990 to 2009, has died at 85, the court announced Friday. 

  • May 08, 2025

    Class Attys Awarded $15M In $50M GM Faulty Fuel Pump Deal

    A Michigan federal judge has given the final stamp of approval to a $50 million settlement resolving a class action that accused General Motors of selling diesel-powered trucks with defective fuel pumps, and awarded the consumers' lawyers $15 million in fees.

  • May 08, 2025

    6th Circ. Says BlueCross Can't Nix NH Fertility Benefit Probe

    The Sixth Circuit said Thursday that it was fair game for New Hampshire to challenge BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's decision to deny a worker's claims for fertility treatment on the basis that it violated state law, ruling the insurance company can't shield itself from enforcement under federal benefits law.

  • May 08, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Questions 'Kist' And 'Sunkist' Mark Differences

    The Federal Circuit on Thursday grappled with whether a trademark tribunal relied on enough evidence to conclude that "Kist" and "Sunkist" were dissimilar marks in the soft drink market, questioning if Kist's use of red lips on packaging sent to distributors was enough to distinguish its brand from its competitor.

  • May 08, 2025

    6th Circ. Seems Open To Reviving Ex-Ford Worker's Bias Suit

    The Sixth Circuit appeared skeptical Thursday of Ford Motor Co.'s arguments that a fired Muslim and Middle Eastern employee had not laid out sufficient facts to keep his bias and retaliation lawsuit alive, indicating plaintiffs needn't meet a high bar in the early stages of a case.

  • May 08, 2025

    Delta Passenger Sues Over Hot Water Spill Incident

    A Delta Air Lines Inc. passenger burned by hot water midflight says flight attendants brushed off her pain instead of seeking medical assistance, and that the beverage served was "excessively hot," according to a lawsuit filed in Michigan federal court on Thursday.

  • May 08, 2025

    6th Circ. Eyes Reviving Kellogg, FedEx Mortality Table Suits

    The Sixth Circuit on Thursday appeared open to reviving suits against Kellogg and FedEx from married pensioners who alleged their employers' outdated actuarial assumptions shortchanged their joint-and-survivor benefits, with multiple judges seeming to doubt a lower court's assertion that employers had unfettered latitude when choosing what data to use.

  • May 08, 2025

    Gotion EV Battery Plant Opponents Meet Skeptical 6th Circ.

    A Sixth Circuit panel appeared unswayed Thursday by the argument that a district court can't order a town to support an electric vehicle battery components factory, though the judges also probed whether the company really faces irreparable harm if its plans don't come to fruition.

  • May 07, 2025

    Glove Box Warranty Supports Arbitration In EV Suit, FCA Says

    An attorney for FCA US LLC told a Michigan federal judge Wednesday that agreements in so-called glove box warranties are enough to send a class action alleging the automaker knowingly sold certain electric vehicles with defective batteries to arbitration, while a lawyer for the consumers said such a request is "unprecedented."

  • May 07, 2025

    Mich. Justices Mull 'Straddle Policies' In No-Fault Cases

    The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday considered whether insurance policies that straddle the date no-fault reforms went into effect should be subjected to post-reform increased limits for liability and scheduled medical care reimbursement rates.

  • May 07, 2025

    Couple Stands By RICO Claims On Mich. Marijuana Regulator

    A Michigan couple urged a federal judge to preserve their racketeering and nuisance claims against a cannabis company and state regulator, arguing that all activities connected to a neighboring cannabis facility remain illegal under federal law.

  • May 07, 2025

    6th Circ. Seems Hesitant To Revive UMich Law Prof's Bias Suit

    The Sixth Circuit appeared skeptical Wednesday about reopening a Black University of Michigan Law School professor's suit alleging she was unlawfully disciplined after she complained about race discrimination, with the panel questioning if she adequately refuted the school's nondiscriminatory reasons for its action.

  • May 07, 2025

    Mich. Justices May Avoid Double Jeopardy In Contempt Case

    The Michigan Supreme Court puzzled Wednesday over whether an attorney must undergo a second contempt trial for what a judge described as rude comments, with the chief justice suggesting the court could rule on other grounds and avoid deciding if double jeopardy applies.

  • May 07, 2025

    6th Circ. Skeptical Of US In Tax Court Deadline Case

    Sixth Circuit judges expressed skepticism of the U.S. government's claim that the 90-day deadline to petition the U.S. Tax Court is inflexible, with one judge saying during oral arguments Wednesday in a woman's case challenging the rule that the U.S. Supreme Court seemed to back her.

  • May 06, 2025

    Mars Dog Food Has Dangerous Vitamin D Levels, Suit Says

    Mars Petcare's Pedigree brand of kibble is falsely marketed as a "100% Complete & Balanced" diet for pets despite containing dangerous levels of vitamin D that leads to vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, according to a recently filed proposed class action in Tennessee federal court.

  • May 06, 2025

    Benton Harbor Must Face Lead Contamination Mass Tort

    A Michigan city's officials must face claims that they failed to protect children from drinking lead-contaminated tap water, a split Sixth Circuit said Tuesday, finding the city's conduct plausibly violated the children's constitutional rights.

  • May 06, 2025

    6th Circ. Upholds Michigan's Dead Voter Removal Process

    Michigan takes "more than reasonable" measures to remove deceased voters from its voter rolls, the Sixth Circuit said in a published opinion Tuesday, affirming a district court decision that the state's system meets the level of effort required by the National Voter Registration Act.

  • May 06, 2025

    Mich. Judge Urges Contract Suit Settlement After $32M Verdict

    A Michigan federal judge on Tuesday granted a pot farm's bid for prejudgment interest on a $31.8 million verdict in its contract dispute against two Curaleaf units, but declined to sanction the units and said it was advisable for both sides to reach a settlement in post-judgment proceedings.

  • May 06, 2025

    Mich. Judge To Extend Order Restoring Student Visa Records

    A Michigan federal judge said Tuesday she would extend an April order restoring foreign students' terminated visa records after the students said they feared the administration could reverse course without a court order protecting their legal status.

Expert Analysis

  • Comparing Antitrust Outlooks Amid Google Remedy Review

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    As the U.S. Justice Department mulls potential structural remedies after winning its recent case against Google, increased global scrutiny of Big Tech leaves ex post and ex ante antitrust approaches ripe for evaluation, say Nishant Chadha at the Indian School of Business and Manisha Goel at Pomona College.

  • Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being

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    As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.

  • Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

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    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

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    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

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    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.

  • Tips For Employers As Courts Shift On Paid Leave Bias Suits

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    After several federal courts recently cited the U.S. Supreme Court's Muldrow decision — which held that job transfers could be discriminatory — in ruling that paid administrative leave may also constitute an adverse employment action, employers should carefully consider several points before suspending workers, says Tucker Camp at Foley & Lardner.

  • How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment

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    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.

  • Lawyers With Disabilities Are Seeking Equity, Not Pity

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    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

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    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

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    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.

  • Series

    Beekeeping Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • Opinion

    Legal Institutions Must Warn Against Phony Election Suits

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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.

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