Judge Tosses DOJ's Antisemitism Case Against Harvard

By Carolyn Muyskens

A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday threw out the Trump administration's suit alleging Harvard University failed to address antisemitism, finding the government lacked evidence of current civil rights violations on campus.

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9th Circ. Says U. Of Wash. Is Immune From Vax Firing Suit

By Rachel Riley

A Ninth Circuit panel declined on Thursday to reinstate former University of Washington employees' claims that they were wrongfully fired after refusing the COVID-19 vaccination on religious grounds, concluding the university qualifies as an arm of the state that cannot be sued for civil rights violations under the relevant federal law.  

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Anti-DEI Group Asks FTC To Probe Law Fellowship Program

By Dorothy Atkins

An advocacy organization against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives filed an antitrust complaint with the Federal Trade Commission Wednesday, accusing Sponsors for Educational Opportunity of engaging in anticompetitive practices by allegedly colluding on DEI metrics and falsely advertising its program.

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Mount Sinai Beats Retaliation Claim But Faces OT Trial

By MJ Koo

A New York federal court tossed a fired Mount Sinai West security supervisor's retaliation claim, ruling that 13 months between his complaint about pay and his termination were too long to establish a causal link, while sending his overtime and weekly wage claims toward trial.

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United Asks Justices To Void 'Destabilizing' Vax Bias Class

By Linda Chiem

United Airlines has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a "destabilizing" Fifth Circuit ruling preserving class certification for workers who sued the airline for religious discrimination after they opposed United's COVID-19 vaccine mandate and were placed on unpaid leave.

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DOL To Pay Atty Fees To End Demographic Data Fight

By Benjamin Morse

The U.S. Department of Labor will pay $225,000 in attorney fees and costs to end a news organization's suit over access to federal contractors' workforce diversity reports, after the Ninth Circuit affirmed an order requiring the data's disclosure, according to a California federal court filing.

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Walgreens Faces Pregnancy Bias Suits From 2 Ex-Workers

By MJ Koo

Two former Walgreens corporate employees sued the pharmacy chain in Illinois federal court, alleging the company fired them both on the same day while they were on approved family leave, targeting them because of their pregnancies in violation of federal and state anti-discrimination and family leave laws.

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Former Colo. Hospital Director Claims Age Discrimination

By Rachel Konieczny

Operators of a Colorado behavioral health hospital discriminated against a 69-year-old former director of the facility by subjecting her to "excessive" scrutiny and retaliating against her for filing a grievance, the employee alleged in Colorado federal court.

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John Deere Workers Fight Bid To Toss Severance Claims

By Benjamin Morse

Former John Deere workers urged an Illinois federal judge Thursday to preserve proposed class claims alleging the company manipulated performance ratings to reduce severance payouts, arguing its severance program is governed by federal benefits law and that they plausibly alleged they were entitled to benefits.

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Brief

GEO Takes Immunity Delay To 10th Circ. In Forced Labor Suit

By Benjamin Morse

Private prison operator GEO Group Inc. has filed a notice of appeal seeking Tenth Circuit review of a Colorado federal judge's failure to rule on its qualified immunity bid in a forced-labor suit by detainees, arguing further delay would effectively deprive it of that protection.

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Brief

NJ Takes Labor Peace Pact Fight In Pot Case To 3rd Circ.

By Sam Reisman

New Jersey cannabis regulators filed a notice Thursday that they would appeal a federal court's recent ruling that a state rule requiring marijuana businesses enter into labor peace agreements with unions in order to secure a license is preempted by federal law.

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CFPB Brass Accused Of 'Sham' Probe Of Union Leader

By Emily Brill

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is conducting a "sham" investigation into an employee who is active in the staff's union, the union's president said, taking the agency's new leader to task for its probe of the data scientist and National Treasury Employees Union local activist.

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7th Circ. Won't Revive Popcorn Shop Worker's Retaliation Suit

By Hailey Konnath

The Seventh Circuit on Thursday refused to resurrect a retaliation suit filed by a former assistant research and development director for Chicago's Garrett Popcorn Shops, finding she failed to back up her argument that a jury erred in siding with her former employer.

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Ohio High Court Reinstates $1.9M Farmworker Injury Verdict

By Mike Curley

The Ohio Supreme Court has revived a $1.9 million verdict in favor of a farmworker over injuries he sustained on the job, finding the appeals court wrongly required that he prove that his employer had deliberately not reattached a safety guard on the tractor that injured him.

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Katz Banks Adds Partner From Sanford Heisler In DC

By Patrick Hoff

Katz Banks Kumin LLP has bolstered its ranks in the nation's capital by adding a former co-managing partner of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight LLP's Washington, D.C., office, bringing on a lawyer whose experience includes government service as well as landing multmillion-dollar recoveries in private lawsuits.

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Series

Going To Hardcore Shows Makes Me A Better Lawyer

While government contracts law and the hardcore scene may seem entirely unrelated, in my experience, both are about community, focus, being prepared for the unexpected and managing chaos, says Isaac Natter at Fluet.

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Are your summer associates prepared for a legal career?

How does your firm shape the summer associate experience and mentor new talent? Invite your summer associates to share their perspectives in this year’s Law360 Pulse Summer Associates Survey.

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Analysis

Can Texas, Nevada Replicate Delaware's Corporate Edge?

By Jarek Rutz

Texas and Nevada have spent the past few years rewriting corporate laws and building specialized business courts in an effort to challenge Delaware's long-standing dominance as the preferred home for U.S. companies. While a handful of high-profile corporations have already made the move, corporate law experts say creating another Delaware will require far more than new statutes and judges.

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Immigration Judge Says Anti-DEI Bias Led To Her Ousting

By Elaine Briseño

A Black immigration judge has sued the U.S. Department of Justice for discrimination, alleging her firing was related to anti-DEI sentiments at the agency that overwhelmingly targeted older, nonwhite women.

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White House, BigLaw Atty Picked For Tenn. Federal Bench

By Jack Karp

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is nominating a White House attorney and former BigLaw associate to serve as a Tennessee federal judge.

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Holland & Knight Loses Bid To Escape GWG Fraud Suit

By Emily Sawicki

Holland & Knight LLP must face adversary claims in Houston bankruptcy court after a Texas federal judge found the trustee for bankrupt life insurance bond seller GWG Holdings Inc. had made a plausible case that the firm and one of its attorneys engaged in a racketeering conspiracy with its ex-chairman.

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Law Student's Race Bias Claim Survives In Kirk Discipline Suit

By Matt Perez

A Texas federal judge on Friday allowed a former Texas Tech law student to proceed with her claim that the university board was discriminatory in disciplining her over comments she made allegedly celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk because non-Black students who spoke about the assassination weren't investigated.

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Roundup

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

By Megan Norcott

The past week in London has seen newly signed Real Madrid footballer Yan Diomandé sued over access to his image rights, Nigel Farage and Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice accuse the NCA of leaking confidential financial information, and a right-wing American journalist hit The Guardian with a libel claim. 

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GC Cheat Sheet: The Hottest Corporate News Of The Week

By Sue Reisinger

Boeing has won dismissal of a Delaware suit brought by pension funds accusing its board of putting profits before safety. And in-house counsel helped pick Latham & Watkins as the leader on an annual list of client service all-stars.

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Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Kevin Penton

Baker Botts LLP and King & Spalding LLP lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the Ninth Circuit enforced an over $2 billion arbitral award issued to a satellite communications company, ruling that the legal concept of an optimal venue for a case doesn't apply in matters concerning the enforcement of international arbitral awards.

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In Case You Missed It: Hottest Firms And Stories On Law360

For those who missed out, here's a look back at the law firms, stories and expert analyses that generated the most buzz on Law360 last week.

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