NC Panel Nixes Nurse Noncompetes For Being 'Too Broad'

By Abigail Harrison

A medical clinic provider couldn't convince a North Carolina state appeals court to overturn a ruling that noncompete agreements for two former nurses were unenforceable, after a split panel ruled Wednesday that the terms were overly broad and voidable under public policy.

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Basketball Hall Of Fame Denies Bias Claim In Hiring Decision

By Patrick Hoff

The Basketball Hall of Fame denied Wednesday that it had unlawfully passed over a female applicant for a marketing executive position in favor of less qualified male candidates, telling a Massachusetts federal court it had lawful reasons for making the decision.

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Atlantic City Gets Win In Lifeguard Retaliation Suit

By Ganesh Setty

Two lifeguards failed to support their claims that the Atlantic City Beach Patrol retaliated against them for complaining about their work conditions, which allegedly involved dirty stations, a lack of proper equipment and "rampant" sexual exploitation, a New Jersey judge ruled.

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Golden Nugget Casino Seeks To Tap Out Of Wage Suit

By MJ Koo

Atlantic City's Golden Nugget casino moved Wednesday to cash out of a table game dealer's proposed class action alleging its tip pool practices and mandatory rest period policy violated federal and state wage laws, arguing the claims fail on multiple grounds including that a key federal regulation underpinning the lawsuit was vacated.

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Analysis

Circuit-By-Circuit Guide To The US Supreme Court's Term

By Jeff Overley

Federal appeals courts had wide-ranging successes and struggles during the U.S. Supreme Court's recently completed term: One had its best showing in years following its worst showing in years; one felt déjà vu after recently starting to find favor with the justices; and one saw its reputation for independence occupy a rare role in the Supreme Court spotlight.

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Sports Bar Calls Ex-Manager's $431K Atty Fee Bid Gratuitous

By Patrick Hoff

A North Carolina sports bar urged a federal court to slash a former manager's bid for nearly $431,000 in attorney fees following her jury win on a claim that the restaurant's owner sexually harassed her, arguing the worker inflated the total with unnecessary costs and lofty rates.

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Brief

Colo. Judge Finalizes Closed Captioner $500K Wage Deal

By MJ Koo

A Colorado federal judge gave final approval Wednesday to a $500,000 settlement resolving claims that a transcription and closed captioning company failed to pay workers for preparation tasks they performed before their official shift start times.

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Northrop Grumman Denied Calif. Workers Full Pay, Suit Says

By Benjamin Morse

Northrop Grumman shorted California workers by rounding recorded time, automatically deducting 30-minute meal periods and requiring off-the-clock work, according to a proposed class action and California's Private Attorneys General Act suit lodged against the aerospace and defense contractor in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

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Brief

United Airlines Unit, Cleaning Workers Reach OT Settlement

By MJ Koo

A United Airlines Inc. subsidiary and a class of airport cleaning workers have reached an agreement in principle to settle a lawsuit alleging the company failed to properly pay overtime for voluntary shift trades, a Colorado federal court filing shows.

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Pa. Panel Backs Benefits For Giant Eagle Worker Hit By Car

By Matthew Santoni

A Pittsburgh pharmacy technician can get workers' compensation after she was hit by a car during her 15-minute lunch break, since the break was limited enough to fall under the "personal comfort doctrine" in state law, a divided appellate court ruled Wednesday.

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Biz, Benefits Groups Tell 4th Circ. To Nix 401(k) Forfeiture Suit

By Grace Elletson

A trio of business and benefits groups asked the Fourth Circuit to uphold the dismissal of a suit claiming Northrop Grumman improperly used forfeited 401(k) cash to fund its plan contributions, stating it would be "exceedingly odd" for the case to proceed against federal regulations allowing the practice.

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How Litigants Are Testing Conversion Therapy Ruling's Scope

Litigants are already using the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Chiles v. Salazar ruling, which applied strict scrutiny to Colorado’s conversion therapy ban, to challenge laws limiting algorithmic rental pricing, artificial intelligence-based discrimination and anti-union employer speech, and courts must soon decide Chiles’ First Amendment limits, say attorneys at O'Melveny.

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Reel Justice: 'Obsession' And The Importance Of Precision

In “Obsession,” the main character’s failure to define the limits of his wish results in an unexpectedly horrifying outcome, highlighting for attorneys why careful word choice is essential not only in briefs, but also in charging decisions, statutory interpretation and all stages of criminal litigation, says Veronica Finkelstein at Widener-Delaware Law.

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How Does Your Compensation Stack Up? Take Our Survey

Is your compensation keeping pace with the rate of inflation? Do you know what your colleagues made last year? Help Law360 Pulse answer these questions and more in this year's Law Firm Compensation Survey.

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McDermott Atty Denies Pressuring Friend To Alter Testimony

By Rose Krebs

A McDermott Will & Schulte LLP attorney has told a Delaware vice chancellor that he is in "complete shock" and "hurt" by a longtime friend's contention that he pressured him to change his testimony in a Chancery Court case, saying the accusation "is false and without any merit."

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Richards Layton Apologizes For AI Errors In Chancery Case

By Rose Krebs

Richards Layton & Finger PA and one of its attorneys have apologized to the Delaware Chancery Court for submitting a filing with errors generated by artificial intelligence, asking that sanctions not be imposed.

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Feature

In Uber Assault Trial, A Courtroom Tests Truth Face-To-Face

By Hayley Fowler

This is the first in a two-part series about the Virginia Revival Model courtroom in the Charles R. Jonas federal courthouse in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here, judges and attorneys recall how a sexual assault trial against Uber unfolded in a space designed to place focus on the witnesses.

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Colo. Firm Hit With $193K Malpractice Suit Over Fee Bid

By Benjamin Morse

A Colorado law firm and one of its attorneys caused two former clients to lose more than $193,000 in legal fees by failing to submit billing records supporting a fee request after winning an underlying case, according to a malpractice suit filed in state court.

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Baker Donelson Taps Four-Year Shareholder For DC Manager

By Jack Rodgers

Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PC has named a four-year attorney as the managing shareholder of its Washington, D.C., office, who joined the firm in 2022 only a few years removed from a career as a U.S. Department of Justice fraud prosecutor.

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Arnall Golden Brings On Arnold & Porter Litigator In DC

By Emily Johnson

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP has added an Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP partner in the firm's Washington, D.C., office and named him chair of the firm's Foreign Agents Registration Act compliance practice.

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Private Equity Firm Behind MSO Deals Closes $670M Fund

By Emma Cueto

Private equity firm Uplift Investors, which has taken aim at the legal industry through deals between its managed services organization and personal injury law firms, on Thursday announced the close of its debut fund with $670 million in capital commitments.

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Simpson Thacher 'Never' Explained Ill-Fated Deal, Exec Says

By Cara Salvatore

A founder seeking over $100 million from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett over a transaction he says destroyed his insurance services company testified Thursday the law firm provided him no education on various words he wasn't familiar with in the deal.

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Blue-Slip Backed Trump Judge Selections Advance

By Courtney Bublé

The first two judicial nominations of the second Trump administration to receive supportive blue slips from Democratic senators advanced to the Senate floor Thursday.

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Feature

As Law Firms Race To Adopt AI, Cost Concerns Grow

By Phillip Bantz

Pressure is mounting on law firm leaders to dive into the AI waters or watch competitors swim away, but figuring out responsible, cost-effective methods to use high-priced legal tech remains tricky, experts say.

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Goulston Docked Ex-Partners' Pay For Joining Rival, Suit Says

By Julie Manganis

Two Goulston & Storrs PC directors who jumped to Troutman Pepper Locke LLP were stiffed out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation in retaliation for leaving, according to a suit filed Thursday in New York federal court.

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Tillis Might Back Blanche, As AG Pick Met Epstein Survivors

By Courtney Bublé

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday afternoon met with a group of survivors of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said his condition for supporting Blanche's appointment to the permanent position was for the nominee to speak to them face-to-face.

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