A Houston law firm on Thursday told a Texas state court that an erstwhile legal assistant stole heaps of attorney-client communications that she subsequently misused, including by relaying sensitive emails to a lawyer representing the wife of a firm attorney in the middle of a divorce.
Law360
Commercial Contracts
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2026 Law360 iOS App Law360 Android App Follow Law360 on Facebook Follow Law360 on LinkedIn Follow Law360 on Twitter

TOP NEWS

Firm Says Assistant Stole, Passed On Client Communications

By Spencer Brewer

A Houston law firm on Thursday told a Texas state court that an erstwhile legal assistant stole heaps of attorney-client communications that she subsequently misused, including by relaying sensitive emails to a lawyer representing the wife of a firm attorney in the middle of a divorce.

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

Joe Gibbs Racing Can Fuel Up Suit Against NASCAR Rival

By Abigail Harrison

NASCAR team Joe Gibbs Racing LLC can augment its trade secrets lawsuit against a former competition director and the rival racing company that hired him, after a North Carolina federal court found that the proposed amendments aren't pointless.

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

Valve Seeks Appeal After Judge Lets Steam Arbitrations Roll

By Caroline Simson

Valve will seek interlocutory review of a federal judge's order last month refusing to block hundreds of video game buyers from arbitrating consumer protection claims, the game developer said on Wednesday, citing the Seattle judge's observation during a hearing last month that neither side is "'sitting on comfortable ground.'"

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

Texas Biz Court Lets Southwest Pilots Redo Boeing Claims

By Spencer Brewer

A Texas business court judge said the Southwest Airlines pilots union could continue its suit against The Boeing Co. for alleged economic losses resulting from the grounding of the 737 Max aircraft, but told the union it would have to better articulate the harm Boeing caused.

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

Analysis

Sorsby Gambling Order Deepens NCAA's Existential Crisis

By Alex Lawson

A state court decision allowing Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby to continue playing despite his confession to sports betting has exposed a vulnerability for the NCAA, with courts outstripping the association in setting rules for college sports.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

POLICY & REGULATION

Ed. Dept. Tries New Tack To Scrap K-12 Mental Health Grants

By Ben Adlin

The U.S. Department of Education pressed ahead with its plan to end up to a billion dollars in school mental health grants, arguing Wednesday that a Seattle federal judge's December 2025 injunction barring the discontinuation of the grants shouldn't block the government from canceling the contracts outright.

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

REAL ESTATE & DEVELOPMENT

Panel Tosses NJ Mall's 3rd Bid To Force Parking Garage Build

By Nate Beck

A New Jersey appeals court on Thursday dismissed a shopping center owner's third attempt to force construction of a parking garage imagined in a 2004 plan instead of a nine-story, mixed-use building developers pitched after Newark adopted policies against new parking lots in the area.

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

EMPLOYMENT

Clothing Biz Says Search Firm Didn't Vet CEO Candidate

By Susan Smiley

A Michigan-based bra and activewear company has claimed in an amended complaint filed in Michigan federal court on Thursday that an executive search firm contracted to help hire a new CEO did not properly vet the candidate who was ultimately hired, costing the clothing company "millions of dollars."

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

Workers Hit Chiron Financial With Unpaid Wage Suit

By Emily Brill

Chiron Financial didn't pay 17 of its workers when it was having money trouble, a proposed class action in Texas federal court alleges, seeking to recoup the money that the workers say they're owed.

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

COMPETITION

FTC Wants Zillow-Redfin Deal Presumed Illegal Ahead Of Trial

By Bryan Koenig

The Federal Trade Commission sought Wednesday to further limit Zillow and Redfin's ability to defend a rental listings syndication deal the agency says was a $100 million payoff for Redfin to exit the market, asking a Virginia federal judge to treat the agreement as a presumptively unlawful transaction.

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

NATIVE AMERICAN

Investment Cos. Push To Nix Consumers' Tribal RICO Suit

By Joyce Hanson

A couple of investment firms are asking a North Carolina federal court to toss a proposed consumer class action over a so-called tribal lending scheme that charges annual interest rates as high as 490%, saying the borrowers fail to show they helped manage the short-term loan company.

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

TRANSPORTATION

Automaker Group Wants Wash. Biz Licensing Regs Shut Down

By Rae Ann Varona

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation has urged a Washington federal court to invalidate a pair of state business licensing rules, including one that expanded the definition of "soliciting," saying the regulations are unconstitutional and beyond the authority of the state's licensing department.

Summary Judgment attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Auto Parts Biz Says Freight Co. Duped It Into Container Fraud

By Jack McLoone

A Michigan-based importer and seller of aftermarket auto parts that was stuck with added costs from U.S. Customs and Border Protection related to empty shipping containers has sued its freight-forwarding contractor, claiming it was tricked into facilitating a fraud scheme.

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

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Mexico Beats Bid To Halt Bond Claims In ICSID Dispute

By Joyce Hanson

An international tribunal has declined to grant a request from Texas-based investors that Mexico be ordered to halt the country's alleged wrongful conduct stemming from a dispute over the termination of an oil drilling contract and a related performance bond.

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

EXPERT ANALYSIS

USTR Forced Labor Tariff Plan Pushes Trade Recourse Limits

Tariffs recently proposed by the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, which determined that 60 countries failed to implement adequate forced labor protections, expand the use of existing trade remedies to address global supply chain labor standards, potentially inviting both practical adjustments by businesses and careful legal scrutiny, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

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

Series

Cow Horse Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Moving an unwilling 800-pound cow while riding a horse at high speed is exhilarating, a little unhinged and, at least for me, a surprisingly effective training ground for litigation — both demand focus, preparation over rigid planning and the willingness to act despite fear, says Ashley Zitrin at Glenn Agre.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

LEGAL INDUSTRY

The 2026 Law360 400

By Daniela Porat

Law360 is pleased to announce its list of the 400 largest U.S. firms by headcount.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Kellogg Hansen Bests Susman Godfrey's Associate Pay Hikes

By Andrea Keckley

More litigation boutiques are joining the growing number of firms raising their base salaries for associates, with Kellogg Hansen Todd Figel & Frederick PLLC exceeding the scale Susman Godfrey LLP set earlier this week.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

SDNY US Atty Jay Clayton Picked For DNI After Pulte Pushback

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday he's nominating Jay Clayton, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, to be director of national intelligence.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Widow Sues Podhurst Orseck Over $4M 737 Max Settlement

By Mike Curley

An Indonesian widow is suing Podhurst Orseck PA and one of its attorneys in Illinois federal court, alleging they failed to keep her informed or get her all the money she was entitled to in a $4 million settlement with Boeing over the fatal crash of Lion Air Flight 610.

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

Miss America CEO Wants Ex-Atty Barred From Court

By Emily Lever

The CEO of Miss America and companies linked to the pageant asked a Florida federal court on Thursday to bar their former counsel Carlton Fields from a status conference in their litigation over Miss America's bankruptcy, arguing the firm is not a party and is no longer counsel of record.

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

Immigration Firm Says Attys Fraudulently Poached Clients

By Britain Eakin

A law firm recently accused of running a volume-driven immigration filing mill claimed in a new lawsuit in Ohio federal court that three attorneys and a TikTok personality orchestrated a social media campaign falsely accusing it of visa fraud as a way to poach its clients.

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

Ex-Trump Atty Chesebro Gets Fla. Law License Back

By Madison Arnold

The Florida Supreme Court has reinstated the law license of former Trump campaign attorney Kenneth Chesebro after his conviction in Georgia's election interference racketeering case was eventually cleared by a court order invalidating the charge.

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

Mass. Attys Ding Watchdog's 'Myopic' Public Defense Report

By Julie Manganis

The leader of a group of Massachusetts attorneys who stopped taking court-appointed cases last year over what they say are inadequate hourly rates on Thursday slammed a state inspector general's highly critical report on the state's indigent defense system as "myopic."

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

gray blue promo that reads Law360 400 Promo that reads Law360 Pulse 2026 AI Survey

LAW FIRMS IN TODAY'S NEWS

Ahmad Zavitsanos

Bailey Duquette

Baker & Hostetler

Barnes & Thornburg

Bucher Law PLLC

Carlton Fields

Carter Arnett

Cleary Gottlieb

Cole Schotz

Collins Bargione

Condon & Forsyth

Corr Cronin

Dykema

Ellis & Winters

Elsberg Baker

Foley & Lardner

Frank & Frank Law

Genova Burns

Glenn Agre

Hill Wallack

Holland & Knight

Holwell Shuster

Honigman LLP

Kellogg Hansen

Kelly Guzzo

King & Spalding

Kirkland & Ellis

Kluger Kaplan

Lisinski Law Firm

Lubin Austermuehle

Martin LLP

Milbank LLP

Nelson Mullins

Parker Poe

Pillsbury Winthrop

Podhurst Orseck

Robins Kaplan

Robinson Bradshaw

Shook Hardy

Skadden Arps

Snell & Wilmer

Starr Butler

Sullivan & Cromwell

Susman Godfrey

Taft Stettinius

Troutman

Watts Law Firm

Wick Phillips

Wilson Sonsini

Winston Taylor

COMPANIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Alliance for Automotive Innovation

American Arbitration Association

BlueChip Financial

Candela Corp.

Chiron Financial LLC

Finley Resources Inc.

International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes

Learning Resources Inc.

Lucid Motors

McAfee Inc.

NASCAR Digital Media LLC

National Collegiate Athletic Association

Rivian Automotive LLC

Southwest Airlines Co.

The Boeing Co.

The Florida Bar

TikTok Inc.

Valve Corp.

Varsity Brands LLC

Zillow Group Inc.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Arizona Attorney General's Office

Committee for Public Counsel Services

Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States

Connecticut Attorney General's Office

European Union

Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Housing Finance Agency

Federal Trade Commission

Florida Supreme Court

Mescalero Apache Tribe

Millennium Challenge Corp.

NAFTA

New Jersey Court

New York Attorney General's Office

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

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

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. District & Bankruptcy Courts of Southern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

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

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

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 Michigan

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

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

U.S. Senate

U.S. Supreme Court

Virginia Attorney General's Office

Washington Attorney General's Office

Washington State Department of Licensing

World Trade Organization