The founder of a legal research site that makes government documents public has petitioned Delaware's Court of Chancery to sanction Elon Musk, his X entities and his counsel after a court clerk allegedly removed, at the request of attorneys for the billionaire, a document filed in Twitter Inc.'s battle over Musk's $44 billion takeover.
Law360
Commercial Contracts
FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2024 Law360 iOS App Law360 Android App Follow Law360 on Facebook Follow Law360 on LinkedIn Follow Law360 on Twitter

TOP NEWS

Chancery Urged To Sanction Musk, X, Attys After Doc Delete

By Jeff Montgomery

The founder of a legal research site that makes government documents public has petitioned Delaware's Court of Chancery to sanction Elon Musk, his X entities and his counsel after a court clerk allegedly removed, at the request of attorneys for the billionaire, a document filed in Twitter Inc.'s battle over Musk's $44 billion takeover.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Hertz Tells Chancery Warrant Holders Are Misreading Contract

By Leslie A. Pappas

A pair of investment funds that acquired 9 million warrants from Hertz after its bankruptcy and later sued the car rental company for breach of contract misinterpreted the warrant agreement, and their lawsuit should be dismissed, Hertz said in a response to the complaint brought before Delaware's Court of Chancery.

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

Amazon Contractors Say Partner Broke Deal, Cut Them Out

By Travis Bland

Two owners of an Amazon deliveries contractor have alleged in North Carolina's Business Court that a third partner pushed them out of the company to keep their cut of profits, asking for a court declaration that the third partner violated their business agreement.

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

Patent Atty Seeks Closure Over Ex-Firm's Back Wages

By James Boyle

Discovery in a patent attorney's suit against his former firm, Pittsburgh-based Keevican Weiss & Bauerle LLC, has produced enough evidence to support summary judgment on some of his claims, according to a new motion filed this week in Allegheny County.

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

Calif. Appeals Court Revives Roadside Attraction Challenges

By Tom Lotshaw

A California state appeals court revived two suits targeting San Benito County approvals for a roadside attraction proposed to be built along Highway 101, holding that the Center for Biological Diversity and the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band filed timely challenges to the so-called Betabel Road project.

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

LEGAL ETHICS & MALPRACTICE

Chicken Soup's Atty Wants Out Of $3M Conn. Pet Food Feud

By Ryan Harroff

The Graubard Miller attorney defending Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Inc. in a manufacturer's $3 million contract suit asked a Connecticut state court to let her leave the case, writing in her motion to withdraw that Chicken Soup has refused to cooperate on the case.

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

INSURANCE

Zurich Can't Revive Deductible In Georgia Coverage Suit

By Tom Lotshaw

A Georgia federal judge rejected Zurich American Insurance Co.'s bid to reverse a ruling holding it could and did waive a $2.5 million flood deductible in its coverage row with First Solar Electric LLC over storm damage to a solar farm, holding that the insurer was just "regurgitating" arguments.

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

Insurer Can't Link Secrets Suit To $47M Claim, Ex-Worker Says

By David Minsky

A former worker for British insurance company Beazley urged a Florida federal court Thursday to toss claims alleging trade secrets theft, saying the company's suit doesn't show how he supposedly caused it to incur $47 million in damages from an arbitration case over a Brazilian thermoelectric plant.

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

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Fed. Circ. Backs Penn. Jury Invalidating Sherwin-Williams IP

By Dani Kass

A Pennsylvania federal judge rightfully invalidated claims of several Sherwin-Williams Co. paint coating patents after a jury trial, and properly barred inconsistent assertions from the company, the Federal Circuit held Thursday.

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

SECURITIES & WHITE COLLAR

NY Jury Convicts Int'l Bank Safe Deposit Box Scammer

By Sydney Price

Following a seven-day trial, a New York federal jury in Brooklyn found a member of an alleged organized crime group guilty of stealing millions in cash and goods from European banks.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

LEGAL INDUSTRY

Analysis

How Being A Female Litigator May Aid Harris' Presidential Bid

By Aebra Coe

Female litigators regularly confront implicit biases and double standards when it comes to "their appearance, voice, attire, demeanor and their advocacy," according to the author of an American Bar Foundation research report on first chair trial lawyers.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

'Terrible Decisions': Ex-McElroy Deutsch CFO Gets 5 Years

By Carla Baranauckas

McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP's former chief financial officer was sentenced Friday in a New Jersey state court to five years in prison and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling more than $1.5 million from the firm and failing to pay income tax.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Analysis

How Barrett Became The High Court's Justice To Watch

By Katie Buehler

Justice Amy Coney Barrett has revealed a unique trifecta of caution toward overly broad opinions, devotion to the factual record and concern for the practical effects of court rulings that separates her from the other right-leaning justices and contains the potential to broker more moderate rulings in future terms.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Cadwalader Suing Lloyd's Over Cyberattack Coverage Denial

By Lynn LaRowe

Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP has filed suit against insurer Lloyd's of London in North Carolina state court, alleging the company has failed to reimburse the law firm for expenses related to a November 2022 data breach.

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

Attys Face Sanctions For Fake Citations In Whistleblower Suit

By Rachel Rippetoe

A Virginia federal judge has asked lawyers representing a plaintiff in a whistleblower case to defend why they should not be sanctioned for including seemingly fabricated case sources in a brief objecting to a protective order, questioning whether it was a case of "ChatGPT run amok."

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

Ex-Thompson Hine Atty Says Firm Can't Oppose NY Jurisdiction

By Xiumei Dong

Former Thompson Hine LLP income partner Rebecca Brazzano fired back at efforts by two firm partners to dismiss her lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, contending among other arguments that they waived their right to contest personal jurisdiction by filing another motion that attempts to force arbitration that didn't raise the jurisdiction issue.

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

Cuomo Harassment Document Fight Heads To NY Appeals Court

By Rachel Scharf

A Manhattan judge on Friday allowed both the New York attorney general and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to appeal parts of a decision requiring the state to produce unredacted transcripts of some witness interviews in the sexual harassment investigation that led to Cuomo's resignation.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Rutgers Fights Contempt Bid By Student Who Filed Bias Suit

By Rose Krebs

Rutgers University wants a New Jersey state court to reject a bid by a law school student who filed a discrimination suit against it to hold the school in contempt for moving ahead with disciplinary measures against him, arguing there is "no basis" to grant the request.

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

Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Kevin Penton

Boyden Gray PLLC leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the full Fifth Circuit struck down as unconstitutional the Federal Communications Commission's system for subsidizing telecommunications service for rural and low-income users.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

GC Cheat Sheet: The Hottest Corporate News Of The Week

By Sue Reisinger

What a news week! President Joe Biden started it off by announcing he would not seek re-election, but then said he would push for reform of the U.S. Supreme Court in his remaining time. And the Boeing Co. confirmed it has finalized its agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to one count of criminal conspiracy to defraud, related to safety issues and two fatal plane crashes.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

By Max Austin

This past week in London has seen U.K. band The 1975 face action by Future Sound Asia after its performance in Malaysia resulted in a festival's cancelation, Spectrum Insurance hit by The Motoring Organization following their dispute over information misuse, and a former police constable pursue defamation against a colleague for allegedly instigating a campaign of harassment against her. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Assa Abloy Resolves DOJ Merger Monitor Dispute

By Bryan Koenig

Assa Abloy told a D.C. federal judge that it's agreed "in principle" on how a monitoring trustee will review its compliance with a U.S. Department of Justice merger lawsuit settlement, resolving a simmering dispute over its complaints of an open-ended multimillion-dollar investigation.

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

Georgia Judge Won't Block Prosecutor Oversight Commission

By Kelcey Caulder

A Georgia judge has rejected an attempt to temporarily block a new state commission created to investigate and discipline state prosecutors, finding it doesn't violate Georgia's constitution.

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

Girardi Can't Show Ex-CFO's Spending Habits In Fraud Trial

By Gina Kim

Jurors in Tom Girardi's upcoming fraud trial won't hear details about the spending habits of Girardi Keese's former CFO, who's accused of a "side fraud" that bilked millions without Girardi's knowledge, after a California federal judge agreed with prosecutors Friday that the evidence appears more prejudicial than probative.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Hunter Biden's Attys Made 'False Statements,' Judge Says

By Bonnie Eslinger

The California federal judge overseeing Hunter Biden's criminal tax trial threatened to sanction the presidential son's lawyers Wednesday, saying they made "false statements" in a motion to dismiss that cited a Florida federal judge's order disqualifying the special prosecutor in Donald Trump's classified documents case.

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

Promo that reads Law360 Diversity Snapshot Promo that reads 2024 Rising Stars

LAW FIRMS IN TODAY'S NEWS

AMD Solicitors

Akerman LLP

Archer & Greiner

ArentFox Schiff

Arnold & Porter

Ashby & Geddes

Baker Botts

Bird & Bird

Boyden Gray

Bradley Arant

Briscoe Ivester

Brodsky Fotiu-Wojtowicz

Bruce P. Brown Law

Bryan Cave

Cadwalader Wickersham

Cleary Gottlieb

DLA Piper

Davis Polk

Day Pitney

Ellis & Winters

Figari & Davenport

Geragos & Geragos

Gibbons PC

Girardi & Keese

Glavin PLLC

Goodwin Procter

Graubard Miller

Hausfeld LLP

Haynes & Boone

Heyman Enerio

Hill Dickinson

Hogan Lovells

Hunton Andrews

Javerbaum Wurgaft

Jones Day

Keevican Weiss

Kirkland & Ellis

Kramer Levin

Law Offices of Jeffrey Hellman

Loeb & Loeb

Mazie Slater

McElroy Deutsch

McGuireWoods

Mishcon de Reya

Orrick Herrington

Parker Young

Paul Hastings

Paul Weiss

Penningtons Manches

Prentice Long

Reynolds Porter

Richards Layton

Robbins Alloy

Robinson Bradshaw

Shakespeare Martineau

Sheppard Mullin

Sher Tremonte

Shute Mihaly

Simmons & Simmons

Smith Anderson

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Stewarts Law LLP

Thompson Hine

Ward & Berry

Watson Spence

Wedlake Bell

Wheeler Trigg

Winston & Strawn

Wordley Partnership

COMPANIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

101 LLC

Allergan PLC

Amazon.com Inc.

American Bar Association

American Bar Foundation

Assa Abloy AB

BTG Pactual

Bank of America Corp.

Center for Biological Diversity Inc.

Chevron Corp.

Consolidated Edison Inc.

Delta Air Lines Inc.

Discovery Capital Management LLC

First Solar Inc.

Ford Motor Co.

Forest Laboratories Inc.

Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc.

George Washington University

Government Accountability Project

Grant Thornton LLP

HSBC Holdings PLC

Hertz Global Holdings Inc.

LinkedIn Corp.

MasterCard Inc.

McKesson Corp.

Morgan Stanley

National Association for Law Placement Inc.

Natural Resources Defense Council

Omnitracs LLC

PPG Industries Inc.

QUALCOMM Inc.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Southwestern Law School

Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

Spectrum Brands Inc.

Spectrum Management Holding Co.

Tesla Inc.

The Boeing Co.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Sherwin-Williams Co.

The Valspar Corporation

Twitter Inc.

United Therapeutics Corp.

WNS (Holdings) Limited

Warner/Chappell Music Inc.

Wells Fargo & Co.

Zurich Insurance Group AG

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Companies House

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Delaware Court of Chancery

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Federal Communications Commission

Financial Conduct Authority

Georgia Supreme Court

National Crime Agency

New York State Police

Port of Seattle

Superior Court of Fulton County

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California

U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Labor

U.S. Department of State

U.S. Department of Transportation

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

U.S. Supreme Court

United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia