6th Circ. Nixes $31.8M Pot Farm Judgment Against Curaleaf

By Sam Reisman

The Sixth Circuit on Thursday reversed a $31.8 million jury judgment against cannabis giant Curaleaf, saying the federal illegality of cannabis precluded federal courts from enforcing contracts that require parties to commit federal crimes.

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

Lilly Owes Nektar $1B If It Breached Rezpeg Deal, Jury Told

By Bonnie Eslinger

Nektar Therapeutics' damages expert told a California federal jury on Thursday that Eli Lilly & Co. could owe the biotechnology company nearly $1 billion if it finds that the pharmaceutical giant breached a license agreement to co-develop Nektar's autoimmune-disease drug Rezpeg.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Huawei Ripped Off Amazon Cloud Platform IP, Jury Hears

By Stewart Bishop

A former engineer for a U.S. subsidiary of Huawei on Thursday testified that she was shocked and upset after a colleague boasted of co-opting patented code used in Amazon's cloud computing platform, the first of several Huawei employees that are expected to take the stand in the Chinese telecommunications company's RICO trial in New York federal court. 

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

JPMorgan Aided Ex-Atty Kossoff's $18.5M Theft, Trustee Says

By Hailey Konnath

The Chapter 7 trustee representing bankrupt firm Kossoff PLLC on Wednesday sued JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, claiming the bank helped the firm's principal steal at least $18.5 million from clients, and it "should be made to account."

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

Princeton Must Face Title IX Claim Tied To Gender Bias

By Carla Baranauckas

A New Jersey federal judge refused to end a former Princeton University student's claims stemming from his expulsion after an investigation into his ex-romantic partner's allegations of violence, finding that a jury could conclude that gender played a role in the outcome.

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

US, Ohio Settle 15-Year Dam Mining Dispute

By Isaac Monterose

The federal government and Ohio have decided to settle their more than 15-year legal battle over the state's authorization of coal mining near a federal dam and reservoir.

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

SpaceXAI Says Alleged Grok Child Porn Maker Must Indemnify It

By Spencer Brewer

SpaceXAI LLC on Thursday accused a Pennsylvania man of using its artificial intelligence tool Grok to generate child sexual abuse material, telling a Texas federal court that the man breached the terms of service agreement and must indemnify the company.

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

Hospitals Say Mich. BCBS Unit Owes For Out-Of-State Care

By Gianna Ferrarin

A Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield unit owes a group of hospitals more than $800,000 in reimbursement for health services they provided to patients covered under out-of-state BCBS plans, the hospitals allege in a complaint in Michigan federal court.

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

Clinical Trial Buyer Says Ex-Owner Breached $100M Deal

By Jarek Rutz

Surge ECN Holdings LLC and ECN Operating LLC have accused the former owner of a clinical trial research network of violating a five-year noncompete and other restrictions tied to a deal worth more than $100 million, alleging he diverted customers, recruited key physicians and used confidential information to build a competing business.

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

EchoStar Says Ex-VP Violated Noncompete In Move To Rival

By Zach Dupont

A former executive vice president of EchoStar Corp. violated his noncompete agreement when he left his role at the company to take a COO position with a rival company just two weeks later, the telecommunication giant alleged in Colorado state court Wednesday.

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

Drone Co., Ex-VP Reach Deal Resolving Pay, Sabotage Claims

By Hayley Fowler

A company that makes emergency response drones and its former vice president of sales have settled a dispute in which the executive alleged he was stiffed on pay and the company accused him of trying to sabotage its business, court records show.

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

Deutsche Bank Says Viks Seek To Delay Norway Case Fight

By Brian Steele

Deutsche Bank AG has urged a Connecticut state court to reject a request by billionaire Alexander Vik and his daughter to hold two trials as they seek an anti-suit injunction, arguing that they are just trying to extend a court-ordered block on litigation in Norway despite a recent appellate decision gutting the rationale for the injunction.

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Nielsen Tells 2nd Circ. Court Altered Terms Of Cumulus Order

By Nadia Dreid

Nielsen is headed back to the Second Circuit after a New York federal court changed the terms of a preliminary injunction that the appellate court had already upheld, the company said, requiring Nielsen to not only unbundle its national radio ratings data from its local offerings but also to provide that data on specific terms.

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

Cold Brew Equipment Co. Owner Must Hand Over Assets

By Benjamin Morse

The founder and minority owner of a cold brew equipment company has agreed to hand over passwords, customer information, software and other company assets to its majority owner in a dispute over control of the business following a 2024 acquisition, according to a Colorado state court filing.

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

Voyager Ruling Maps Out Ch. 11 Exculpation Lessons

Chapter 11 plan proponents drafting exculpation provisions may benefit from contrasting the exculpatory language recently invalidated by a New York federal court in the Voyager Digital Holdings case with successful recent use of these provisions in confirmed bankruptcy plans, say attorneys at Debevoise.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

What Bulk-Power Gear Import EO Means For US Energy Cos.

Though President Donald Trump's recent executive order restricting imports of foreign-produced bulk-power system electrical equipment imposes no immediate obligations on private parties, stakeholders can take near-term steps to mitigate supply chain and contractual risks, as much of the order's ultimate impact will depend on implementing regulations, say attorneys at Orrick.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Series

Juggling And Unicycling Make Me A Better Lawyer

Because I juggle (sometimes with fire) and ride the unicycle, friends and family used to joke that I should join the circus, but I pursued the practice of law instead and learned that my hobbies benefit my profession in several important ways, says Morgan Eddy at Smith Currie.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

ABA Study Shows 20% Of Attys Under Severe Mental Distress

By Tracey Read

About one-fifth of attorneys across the country meet moderate-to-extremely severe symptom thresholds for depression, anxiety and stress, according to the largest-ever study of mental health and well-being in the legal profession.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Mass. Judge Sanctioned Over Handling Of ICE At Courthouse

By Julie Manganis

Massachusetts' highest court on Thursday sanctioned a judge over her handling of a case involving a defendant wanted by immigration agents in 2018, an incident that led to federal charges that were dismissed after the judge agreed to a disciplinary process.

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

Ed Martin Reprimanded Over Unauthorized FBI Contacts

By Courtney Bublé

Last summer, when Ed Martin was still head of the weaponization working group at the U.S. Department of Justice, he was reprimanded after his team communicated with the FBI without authorization, according to recently released emails.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

2 At DOJ Sued Over Conn. Immigration Court Record Access

By Christine DeRosa

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Connecticut has filed suit in Connecticut federal court challenging the Hartford Immigration Court's refusal to provide access to immigration court records.

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

Analysis

Executive Privilege Questions Cloud Congressional Probe Prep

By Phillip Bantz

As corporate leaders brace for the possibility of Democrats retaking control of Congress and launching aggressive investigations into the Trump administration's dealings with a vast array of companies, attorneys say a U.S. Justice Department opinion on executive privilege could complicate the probes.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

DOJ Urges High Court To Revisit 9th Circ.'s Bar Of Nev. US Atty

By Madison Arnold

The Justice Department has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit a recent Ninth Circuit ruling disqualifying the Trump administration's top federal prosecutor in Nevada, calling it a decision that imposes "ongoing confusion" in the executive branch.

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

Jay-Z Can't Undo Buzbee's Win In Rapper's Defamation Suit

By Y. Peter Kang

A California state appeals court has refused to revive claims that Texas attorney Tony Buzbee defamed and extorted music superstar Jay-Z by roping him into a sexual abuse suit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, saying the case was properly thrown out under California's free speech statute.

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