Pentagon 'Punishing' Anthropic Would Be Illegal, Judge Says

By Bonnie Eslinger

A California federal judge considering Anthropic's request to block the U.S. Department of Defense from labeling it a supply chain national security risk said Tuesday that it looks like the government is "punishing" Anthropic for bringing public attention to their contract fight, a move that would violate the First Amendment.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Gulf Reinsurance Plan Could Help China, Lawmaker Says

By Gianna Ferrarin

The ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee sought more information about the U.S. International Development Finance Corp.'s plan to provide up to $20 billion in maritime reinsurance in the Persian Gulf region, expressing concern that China could be the proposal's "greatest direct beneficiary."

Letter attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

SDNY Reaches $318M Deal For Victims Of Iran-Linked Terror

By Ganesh Setty

Hundreds of terror attack victims with judgments against Iran will now receive $318 million as part of a settlement stemming from the federal government's forfeiture action against a 36-story Midtown Manhattan office tower linked to the Iranian government.

Settlement attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Judicial Conference Backs Latest Judge Newman Suspension

By Jack Karp

The federal judiciary on Tuesday upheld the latest extension of Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman's suspension and the decision not to transfer her case to another circuit, finding neither to be unconstitutional.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

EU, Australia Reach Major Free Trade Deal, Cut Tariffs

By Jack McLoone

The European Union and Australia on Tuesday agreed to terms of a free trade deal that would nearly zero out tariffs on trade between them following eight years of negotiations.

4 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Rubio Says He Didn't Know Of Friend's Venezuelan Oil Deal

By Carolina Bolado

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would not have met with an old friend, former Rep. David Rivera, to discuss a government transition in Venezuela had he known Rivera's company had a contract with a subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Rubio told jurors Monday.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Latvian Gets 28 Months For Shipping Avionics To Russia

By Craig Clough

A Latvian national was sentenced to 28 months in prison by a Kansas federal judge for helping Russians evade U.S. export controls issued after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war and obtain U.S. avionics equipment, according to a filing Monday.

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

No Trade Secrets In Allegedly Stolen Docs, Ex-Employee Says

By Ganesh Setty

A field engineer accused by his former employer of stealing competitively sensitive information urged a Virginia federal court to toss its claims under federal and state trade secrets laws, saying the government contractor failed to identify particular trade secrets.

Motion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Minn. Says Feds Must Share ICE Shootings Evidence

By Hailey Konnath

The state of Minnesota and Hennepin County on Tuesday asked a D.C. federal court to block the Trump administration from withholding evidence related to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and the nonfatal shooting of another Minnesotan at the hands of federal agents, calling its noncooperation "unprecedented."

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Brief

Citibank Wins Order To Arbitrate Military Lending Case

By Elaine Briseño

A North Carolina federal judge paused a military consumer lawsuit against Citibank NA over misleading information about interest and fees after the Fourth Circuit determined that the arbitration agreements were enforceable.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Changes Coming To The SBIR And STTR Programs

Legislation recently approved by Congress to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs includes changes focused on national security that would improve transparency but also increase applicants' administrative burdens, slow the awards process and likely increase litigation, say attorneys at Fluet & Associates.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Warren Grills Fed's Ex-BigLaw Supervision Chief On Conflicts

By Lauren Berg

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on Wednesday asked former Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP veteran Randall Guynn, a recent addition to the Federal Reserve, to explain how he is dealing with potential conflicts of interest stemming from his previous role chairing the BigLaw firm's financial institutions group.

Letter attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Winston & Strawn Wants Hunter Biden To Respond In Fee Row

By Lynn LaRowe

Winston & Strawn LLP has asked the D.C. Superior Court to force Hunter Biden to fully respond to interrogatories in its lawsuit against the former president's son over unpaid legal bills, after Biden conducted an incomplete "hand search" of documents at issue.

Motion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

MyPillow CEO's Attys Face New Sanctions Over Latest Errors

By Lauren Berg

Two attorneys for MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and his media company are in hot water once again as a Colorado federal judge on Wednesday ordered them to explain why they shouldn't be sanctioned for citation errors, after she previously sanctioned them for errors produced by generative artificial intelligence.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Fla. Appeals Panel Turns Poetic In Warning About AI Misuse

By Madison Arnold

A Florida state appeals court on Wednesday admonished a pro se litigant for using AI-hallucinated case citations in his ultimately unsuccessful appeal of a lower court ruling enforcing a settlement agreement with an investment company, with the panel citing an AI-generated limerick to get its point across.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ramey, EscapeX Ask Justices To Review Sanctions Challenge

By Adam Lidgett

EscapeX IP and its attorney William Ramey III want the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Federal Circuit's decision backing $255,000 in fees and sanctions for what a California federal judge found to be a frivolous patent suit against Google.

Petition attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Analysis

ICE Builds Out Detention Centers, And The Suits Pile Up

By Grace Dixon

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's surging need for detention space — fueled by increased funding and a rapid escalation in enforcement activity — has sparked litigation from local lawmakers and advocacy groups concerned by the agency's full-throttle approach and perceived disregard for surrounding communities.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Trade Court Nom Regrets Past Tweets Critical Of GOP Sens.

By Courtney Bublé

Kara Westercamp, associate counsel to the president, who was nominated for the U.S. Court of International Trade, said Wednesday she regretted her past social media posts critical of Republican senators.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Official Says DOJ Watching Essential Patent Antitrust Cases

By Ryan Davis

A U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division official said Wednesday the agency is closely monitoring antitrust disputes over standard essential patents, aiming to ensure that proper analyses of market power are undertaken and that most patent suits are exempted from causing antitrust liability.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

DOJ Agrees To Settle Flynn's Fla. Suit Over False Prosecution

By David Minsky

Retired Army general Michael Flynn reached a financial settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday in his Florida federal lawsuit claiming he was wrongly prosecuted for allegedly lying to the FBI during its investigation into whether Donald Trump coordinated with Russia during the 2016 election.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »