Analysis

4 Argument Sessions Benefits Attys Should Watch In October

By Kellie Mejdrich

Former Intel workers' bid to convince the U.S. Supreme Court to revive their suit alleging shoddy retirement plan investments tops the list of oral arguments slated for October that benefits attorneys may want to keep an eye on. Here's a look at that case and three others teed up for argument this month.

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6th Circ. Blocks 100s Of Opioid MDL Cases Targeting PBMs

By Jeff Overley

The Sixth Circuit on Friday overturned a pivotal decision in multidistrict opioid litigation that had dramatically expanded claims against the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers, saying the MDL's presiding judge "clearly abused" his authority by belatedly allowing hundreds of new cases in one fell swoop.

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Justices Seek Worker's Input On ERISA Arbitration Denial

By Grace Elletson

The U.S. Supreme Court has asked a 401(k) plan participant to reply to investment management company Capital Group's bid for review of a split Ninth Circuit ruling that refused to kick to arbitration her suit alleging underperforming proprietary offerings in the company's retirement plan.

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Macy's Worker Ends Suit Over Voluntary Benefit Fees

By Grace Elletson

A worker has ended his suit claiming Macy's let insurance brokers of supplemental health benefits overcharge employees in commission fees, costing them millions of dollars, according to a New York federal court filing.

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Advisory Co. Says Ex-Worker Stole Client Data Via AI Notes

By Zach Dupont

A former employee of a compensation, benefits and business risk advisory firm used an unapproved artificial intelligence note-taking app to record confidential client meetings before leaving for a competitor and taking company trade secrets with her, the company said in a complaint filed in Colorado federal court.

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5 Supreme Court Cases To Watch This Fall

By Katie Buehler

The U.S. Supreme Court will convene Monday to begin its 2026 October term, which includes several cases that could determine the future of climate change tort litigation, expand religious freedoms and parental rights, and grant states authority to require proof of citizenship when individuals register for presidential elections using state forms. 

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Roberts Wants Less Talk. Supreme Court Attorneys Disagree.

By Katie Buehler

Near the end of last term, Chief Justice John Roberts voiced his frustration with the U.S. Supreme Court's lengthening oral argument sessions and suggested the justices might tweak their format over the summer. But as the new term begins Monday, the court has yet to announce any changes, and advocates see little need for improvement.

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Up First At High Court: Climate Torts & Munitions Disposal

By Katie Buehler

The U.S. Supreme Court will begin its new term on Monday, when the justices consider whether state courts have the authority to hear climate change lawsuits that seek to hold fossil fuel companies liable for local damages caused by greenhouse-gas emissions and whether federal courts can hear constitutional challenges to veterans benefits laws.

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Parler Ex-CEO Wins $11M Over Ouster From Social Media Site

By Cara Salvatore

A jury in Nevada found Friday that Parler co-founder John Matze is owed nearly $11.1 million, including $250,000 in punitive damages, for the stake he was stripped of after billionaire business partner Rebekah Mercer and others allegedly changed the social media company's constitution to get rid of him.

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NY-Presbyterian Can't Nix Union Funds' Antitrust Suit

By Taylor Bowie

A New York federal judge ruled three union benefit funds can pursue an antitrust suit against New York Presbyterian Hospital without first proving it holds a large market share in the city, rejecting the hospital's motion to toss the suit on Friday.

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Ex-Legg Mason Worker Keeps 401(k), Leave Claims Alive

By Benjamin Morse

A former Legg Mason product marketing employee can move forward with claims that she was wrongly denied 401(k), stock purchase, paid time off and vacation benefits despite being labeled a temporary worker, a New York federal judge ruled, while tossing her claim for severance benefits.

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Teva Ruling Creates Medicare Drug 'Chaos,' Full DC Circ. Told

By Dorothy Atkins

The federal government asked the full D.C. Circuit on Friday to reconsider a panel ruling allowing Teva to challenge Medicare's rules for deciding which drugs qualify for price negotiations, arguing the decision invites litigation that could create drug-pricing "chaos" and cause drug prices to quickly leap by more than 550%.

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Analysis

Judge Clevenger's Intellect Defined His Time On Fed. Circ.

By Dani Kass

Newly retired Federal Circuit Judge Raymond Clevenger has an "exceptionally keen intellect" that allowed him to spot holes or new paths in cases that the parties or fellow panel members hadn't explored, his former colleagues told Law360.

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Sotomayor Warns Judges: Don't Scare Your Jurors

By Brandon Lowrey

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Monday criticized an Alabama trial court judge who frightened a pool of prospective jurors by ordering the arrest of a latecomer to jury selection, saying in a statement accompanying a denial of certiorari in the case that fear can undermine a defendant's right to an impartial jury.

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Quinn Emanuel Seeks $750K After Defeating Buzbee Suits

By Lynn LaRowe

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP is seeking nearly $750,000 in attorney fees after defeating claims in Texas state court that it conspired with rapper Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter to retaliate against prominent Houston plaintiffs attorney Tony Buzbee and two of his former clients.

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9th Circ. Pauses Rogoff's Return As Seattle US Atty

By Jack Karp

The Ninth Circuit has put on hold a Washington federal judge's decision to reinstate Roger Rogoff as Seattle's top federal prosecutor, a post Rogoff held for less than an hour before he was fired by President Donald Trump.

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Jackson Walker Deal Stalled By Standing Issue, Trustee Says

By Lauren Berg

The U.S. Trustee's Office told a Texas federal judge that its settlement with Jackson Walker LLP to disgorge fees from cases touched by scandal is on ice while a bankruptcy judge examines the watchdog's standing to seek such relief.

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Eckert Seamans Says Data Breach Harm Is Only Speculative

By James Boyle

Pittsburgh-based law firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC told a Pennsylvania federal judge on Friday a pair of proposed class actions claiming damages from a data breach at the firm have not made specific complaints of actual harm caused by the breach and should be dismissed.

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