4th Circ. Judge Doubts DOJ Can Be Kicked From FCA Suit

By Madeline Lyskawa

A Fourth Circuit judge appeared unconvinced Wednesday by an attorney's claim that the U.S. Department of Justice should have been disqualified from representing the federal government in a whistleblower suit brought by a man incarcerated for defrauding the U.S. Department of Defense.

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Firehawk Defense Hits $1.4B Valuation After Latest Funding

By Jade Martinez-Pogue

Defense technology company Firehawk Defense on Wednesday revealed that it reached a $1.4 billion valuation after closing its latest funding round with more than $150 million in tow.

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Judge Hellerstein, Gruff Moderator Of Major Cases, Dies At 92

By Pete Brush

Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, a former litigator and sometimes impatient Manhattan federal jurist who presided over decades of high-profile cases that often came under close appellate scrutiny, died Wednesday at the age of 92.

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Analysis

DOJ's New Comey Case May Get Stuck In Procedural Weeds

By Phillip Bantz

The Justice Department's last-minute attempt to stop the statute of limitations from expiring in the criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey over a decade-old allegation has raised an "open legal question" that could clarify procedural law and determine whether the prosecution moves forward, experts say.

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Brief

DOD Contractor Owes $1.2M In Whistleblower Suit, Jury Says

By Zach Dupont

An ex-employee of a U.S. Department of Defense contractor won a $1.2 million award after a Colorado federal jury found the contractor liable for wrongful discharge and violations of the Defense Contractor Whistleblower Protection Act, according to the final judgment, entered Wednesday. 

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Satellite Co. Asks Fla. Court To End $15M Finder's Fee Suit

By David Minsky

A satellite technology company asked a Florida state court on Wednesday to once and for all end a lawsuit alleging it owes $15 million in finder's fees for help with sourcing funders, arguing the complaint was already considered and rejected by federal courts. 

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Q&A

U. Of Buffalo Prof Skeptical Of SpaceX-Tesla Merger Benefits

By Al Barbarino

Elon Musk made headlines when he said on Oct. 20 that a merger between SpaceX and Tesla, the two multitrillion-dollar companies he leads, would be a "good idea." But not everyone sees it that way. 

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GAO Marketplace Ruling Untangles FAR Overhaul Conflicts

The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently ruled that the U.S. Army’s solicitation for a professional services acquisition marketplace was sufficiently clear, guiding agencies on integrating Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul deviations with existing rules, and underscoring why contractors must challenge material ambiguities before proposals are due, say attorneys at Greenberg Traurig.

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Midterm Elections Outlook For Financial Services

A change in congressional control after the upcoming midterm elections could bring about slower regulatory approvals, intensified oversight and shifting enforcement priorities for the financial services industry, say attorneys at Covington.

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3 Strategies To Reduce AI Sycophancy In Legal Work

The tendency of generative artificial intelligence models to tell users what they want to hear can reinforce attorneys’ confirmation bias when testing the strength of arguments, and it can’t simply be prompted away — but a few practices can help mitigate it, says Michael Ott at Ice Miller.

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Weil's Demise Sparks Shock, Reflection In The Legal World

By Alison Knezevich and Andrea Keckley

The stunning collapse of Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP is the talk of BigLaw this week, as those in the industry grapple with how the powerhouse Wall Street firm could implode so quickly.

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'Leadership Vacuum' Preceded Weil's Collapse

By Daniel Moritz-Rabson and Aebra Coe

A series of leadership failures and strategic missteps preceded the precipitous downfall of Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, sources told Law360 Pulse.

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Lessons From The Past For Weil's Final Curtain Call

By Rick Archer

Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP leaders may have every reason to agree to an out-of-court wind-down, but dissolving such a storied law firm, which announced Wednesday it intends to shut down following an exodus of attorneys, is not as simple as a handshake among partners, experts said in interviews with Law360 on Wednesday.

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Weil's Collapse Ends Firm's Long Run As Bankruptcy Leader

By Alex Wittenberg

Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP helped pioneer modern bankruptcy practice and earned hundreds of millions of dollars leading many of the biggest Chapter 11 cases in U.S. history. Its collapse this week marks a stunning end to that legacy and reflects major changes in how law firms function today, attorneys told Law360.

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Troutman, Baker McKenzie Report Data Breaches

By Lynn LaRowe

Troutman Pepper Locke LLP and Baker McKenzie experienced data breaches last month as a result of social engineering attacks, according to notices submitted this week to the attorneys general offices in California and Texas.

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Morgan & Morgan Seeks To Block Celebrity Ad Ban In Florida

By Ryan Boysen

Personal injury giant Morgan & Morgan PA has asked a Florida federal court for a preliminary injunction to block a Sunshine State bar rule that forbids celebrity endorsements in attorney advertisements.

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