Cracker Barrel Can't Toss ERISA Tobacco Fee Suit

By Kellie Mejdrich

Cracker Barrel must face a proposed class action alleging that a surcharge on the health plans of workers who used tobacco violated federal benefits law, after a Tennessee federal judge on Wednesday found that an ex-worker sufficiently backed up allegations that a wellness program implementing the fee didn't meet all federal requirements.

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6th Circ. Backs Blue Cross Over Reimbursement Rate Dispute

By Patrick Hoff

The Sixth Circuit on Wednesday upheld Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's defeat of a lawsuit alleging it shortchanged several medical providers despite promising higher reimbursement rates before a La-Z-Boy employee received care, ruling the providers' claims were superseded by federal benefits law.

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Gallagher Knocks Out 401(k) Stable Value Fund Suit

By Kellie Mejdrich

An Illinois federal judge tossed a proposed class action against global insurance brokerage and consulting company Gallagher from ex-workers who claimed they lost millions on a stable value fund in their 401(k) plan, holding that their allegations failed to state a claim for violating federal benefits law.

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Deloitte Can't Shake Leave Bias Suit From Ex-Manager

By MJ Koo

A California federal court has refused to dismiss a proposed class action accusing Deloitte Consulting LLP of penalizing employees through a performance evaluation system that shortchanges the compensation of workers who take parental or pregnancy leave.

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Rising Star: Amazon's Katila Howard

By Kellie Mejdrich

Katila Howard has strengthened employee benefits governance and compliance for Amazon, and helped negotiate a $2 million settlement to end a suit against Whole Foods over an employee 401(k) plan, earning her a spot among the top benefits attorneys under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.

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2nd Circ. Revives Signature Bank Investor Suit Against Execs

By Sarah Jarvis

The Second Circuit on Wednesday revived a shareholder lawsuit over alleged misstatements about Signature Bank's health ahead of its 2023 collapse, finding that a New York federal court was wrong to toss the case because securities fraud claims against the defunct bank do not transfer to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. as the banks' receiver.

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Asurion Fired Manager Over Bias Report, Anxiety, Suit Says

By Kia Fatahi

A technology insurance company fired a Black manager whom it had recognized as "one of the strongest salespeople in the country" after she took medical leave to deal with anxiety exacerbated by alleged retaliation she received for raising concerns about a manager's sexually and racially offensive behavior, according to a complaint filed in Tennessee federal court Wednesday.

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Generac Investors Ask 7th Circ. To Revive COVID Sales Suit

By Katryna Perera

A pension fund has urged the Seventh Circuit to revive a securities class action accusing home generator company Generac Holdings Inc. and its top brass of failing to keep up with a surge in business during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing the lower court erroneously found that the statements challenged by the suit were immaterial.

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Notable Q2 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

After 2026's second quarter, there is more authority rejecting class certification on total loss valuation theories from courts at the federal circuit, federal district and state appellate level — along with a resolution of a novel issue of depreciation on a wildfire claim, says Kevin Zimmerman at BakerHostetler.

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Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Surviving A Long Trial

Most of law school trial advocacy is geared toward the sprint of trying a short case, but beyond managing a cross-examination or closing argument, effectively handling the marathon of a lengthy trial requires the ability to maintain composure, organization and credibility with the jury, says Mihir Elchuri at Hirschler.

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How Does In-House Pay Compare? Take The Law360 Survey

How do in-house salaries vary across industries, roles, and organizational revenue? What compensation tools are companies using to lure top talent? Help Law360 Pulse answer these questions and more in this year's In-House Compensation Survey.

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Trump Taps DOJ Official, ND Solicitor General For Judgeships

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump announced Thursday he's tapping Jesus Osete, a top U.S. Department of Justice official, to serve on the Western District of Missouri and Philip Axt, solicitor general of North Dakota, for the District of North Dakota.

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McGuireWoods Hires Womble Bond Commercial Attys In DC

By Jack Rodgers

McGuireWoods LLP has hired two attorneys from Womble Bond Dickinson who focus their practice on postacquisition disputes, construction litigation and government contract matters, the firm announced Thursday.

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Eastman Among 16 Calif. Attys Disbarred In Q2 2026

By Emily Sawicki

The State Bar of California removed the licenses of 16 attorneys between April and June of this year over a broad spectrum of ethical breaches ranging from the high-profile case of John Eastman attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, to a lawyer found to be in possession of child sex abuse images.

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Mich. Panel Rejects $2.5M Malpractice Suit Over Bank Debt

By Melanie Dorsey

An attorney failed to show a law firm and two lawyers derailed his efforts to settle a PNC Bank debt and caused him to ultimately pay more than $2.5 million, a Michigan appellate court has ruled, upholding the dismissal of his malpractice suit. 

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Man Accused Of Threatening Judge In Mass Shooting Case

By Jack Karp

A Texas man is accused of threatening the state judge and district attorney in a Georgia school shooting case, as well as a federal judge in Alabama, according to an announcement from federal prosecutors.

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CREXi Drops 9th Circ. Challenge To Quinn Emanuel DQ

By Isaac Monterose

Property listing company Commercial Real Estate Exchange Inc. has moved to dismiss its own Ninth Circuit mandamus petition, which challenged a lower court's disqualification of CREXi's counsel, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, from a legal battle against rival CoStar.

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Harris Beach Adds Environmental Atty From Nixon Peabody

By Isaac Monterose

Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC has hired former Nixon Peabody LLP attorney Aaron B. Goldman as a senior counsel on its commercial real estate and environmental teams in New York.

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