Marriott Gets Trim Of Worker's Tobacco Health Fee Suit

By Kellie Mejdrich

A Maryland federal judge on Tuesday refused to completely toss a Marriott worker's proposed class action alleging the hotel giant's $15 weekly health fee on employees who use tobacco violated federal benefits law, but trimmed the dispute of some claims as insufficiently backed up. 

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Prudential Beats Accidental Death Benefits Exception Suit

By Patrick Hoff

Prudential Insurance and an aviation company defeated a lawsuit alleging they unlawfully denied death benefits to the wives of two pilots who died in a 2024 plane crash, with a federal judge rejecting the widows' argument that the insurance policy's aviation exception was unenforceable.

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Brief

Alerus, Telecom Co. Settle Fight Over ESOP Sale

By Grace Elletson

A telecommunications business and employee stock ownership plan trustee Alerus Financial have agreed to settle a suit claiming workers were shortchanged in a $7.2 million sale of company shares, according to a California federal court filing.

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Ex-NFL Player Sues Disability Benefits Plan Over Denial

By Kia Fatahi

A former National Football League player who reportedly suffered brain injuries from nearly two decades of playing the sport hit the league's disability benefit plan with a lawsuit Tuesday, telling a Maryland federal judge that the plan wrongfully denied his application for total and permanent disability benefits despite his own doctor's diagnosis.

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Black & Decker Retiree Seeks Cert. In BlackRock ERISA Suit

By Gina Kim

A former Black & Decker employee who alleged the company failed to trim underperforming BlackRock investment funds from its 24,000-member retirement plan urged a Connecticut federal judge to grant class certification, arguing Monday common questions predominate over individualized issues, since the core allegations involve the defendant's administration of the plan. 

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Rising Star: Holland & Knight's Monica Perkowski

By Kellie Mejdrich

Monica Perkowski of Holland & Knight LLP has excelled in defending large employers against federal benefits lawsuits, including helping secure dismissal of an employee health plan suit against GardaWorld Cash Service Inc., earning her a spot among the top benefits attorneys under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.

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Brief

Alaska Airlines Gets Initial OK For $500K Military Leave Deal

By Benjamin Morse

Alaska Airlines Inc. has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a class action accusing it of denying vacation accrual to pilots during qualifying military leaves, according to a Washington federal judge's preliminary approval order.

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BofA Loses Bid To Exit COVID-Era Calif. Benefits Card MDL

By Lauren Berg

A California federal judge largely denied Bank of America's bid for an early win in multidistrict litigation over allegations the bank mishandled reports of unauthorized ATM transactions on unemployment benefits cards issued during the pandemic, according to an opinion unsealed Tuesday.

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Pa. Justices Find 'Loophole' For Out-Of-State Pension Credit

By Matthew Santoni

A public school teacher can claim credit in Pennsylvania's pension system for her years of service in Arizona because of an apparent "loophole" that doesn't bar such carryovers if the employee has cashed out their other state pension, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

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At DC Circ., Pharma's Latest Pricing Loss Has Silver Linings

By Jeff Overley

The pharmaceutical industry's far-flung crusade against Medicare's new negotiation powers suffered a fresh setback Tuesday as the D.C. Circuit joined sister circuits in upholding the landmark pricing program, but the defeat contained consolation prizes that will fuel further litigation.

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Colo. House Aide Says Dem Lawmakers Forced Her Out

By Benjamin Morse

A former Colorado House legislative aide accused three Democratic lawmakers in state court of violating her constitutional rights by retaliating against her for criticizing the handling of her medical leave and refusing to perform campaign work, allegedly creating conditions that forced her to resign.

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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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White House Aims To Shield Advisers Behind Law Firm EOs

By Emily Sawicki

The Trump administration and Justice Department "strongly object" to an Aug. 3 discovery order requiring them to name individuals involved in drafting and approving executive orders targeting law firms, amid their repeated refusal to hand over certain communications in a suit brought by the American Bar Association.

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Ex-DOJ Atty Says Trump's University Probes Were Political

By Hailey Konnath

Trump administration officials forged ahead with investigations into Harvard, Columbia and other universities despite its own lawyers raising legal concerns and, in some cases, finding "little to no factual predicate justifying opening them," according to a whistleblower disclosure from a former U.S. Department of Justice lawyer made public Tuesday.

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Troutman Sidelined Associate After Heart Attack, Suit Says

By Patrick Hoff

Troutman Pepper Locke LLP derailed an associate's career because he took medical leave to recover from a heart attack and spoke up about senior attorneys' fraudulent billing practices, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in New Jersey federal court.

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Trump Names 9 Judicial Picks Across 6 States

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump announced nine nominees Tuesday for judicial spots in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Alaska. 

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Bot Errors Doom Expert's Credibility In Tainted-Supplement Suit

By Rachel Riley

A Washington federal judge Tuesday disposed of a U.S. Army nurse's lawsuit claiming supplement maker Thesis Nootropics sold products tainted with amphetamines, concluding that a key expert destroyed his credibility by submitting a report containing bot-generated false citations — much like errors for which the plaintiffs' counsel was recently sanctioned.

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Big Tech, PTAB Attys Urge Justices To Fix USPTO Power Grab

By Dani Kass

The Federal Circuit's refusal to curb the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director's power over instituting Patent Trial and Appeal Board challenges has allowed leaders to "wreak havoc" without accountability, top tech companies have warned the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Quill & Arrow Says Ford Can't Rehash Lemon Law Fee Fights

By Linda Chiem

Quill & Arrow LLP has asked a California federal judge to dump a "retaliatory" lawsuit alleging the personal injury firm saddled Ford Motor Co. with high-priced legal bills for work purportedly handled by virtual assistants overseas or nonlawyers, saying the automaker is trying to chill product liability litigation.

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​​​​​​​Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court last week tackled disputes involving multibillion-dollar mergers, corporate oversight, founder control, SPAC litigation, commercial contracts and attorney fees.

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