2nd Circ. Asks If Ex-UConn Dept. Head Broke School Rules

By Brian Steele

A Second Circuit panel sounded skeptical Thursday about a former University of Connecticut department head's claim that racial animus led to his forced resignation, appearing to lean more toward the argument that he misused state funds while carrying on an inappropriate relationship with his secretary.

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

Court Wrong To Upend Worker's $2M Win, Wash. Justices Say

By Grace Elletson

The Washington Supreme Court found Thursday that a lower appeals court was too quick to nix a Latino county employee's $2 million verdict on claims he was suspended for calling out race bias, ruling the county's concerns about a set of jury instructions didn't warrant canceling the award.

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

Brief

11th Circ. Won't Revisit Delta Pilots' Military Bias Suit

By Patrick Hoff

The Eleventh Circuit declined to rethink the dismissal of a suit alleging Delta forced out two pilots because they took military leave, leaving in place a panel's conclusion that they resigned over investigations into whether they misused their sick leave.

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

Worker's FLSA Retaliation Claim Should Survive, Judge Says

By Benjamin Morse

A North Carolina federal magistrate judge has recommended keeping alive a former Durham finance worker's claim that the city retaliated against her for complaining about unpaid overtime, while finding that her state constitutional claims should be tossed.

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

EEOC, Seafood Wholesaler Reach Deal To End Sex Bias Suit

By Kelcey Caulder

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the operators of a seafood wholesaler have reached a settlement to end the agency's suit alleging the company refused to hire women for warehouse jobs based on the assumption that they couldn't lift heavy stock.

Court Document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ex-Colo. Film Commissioner Says Age Bias Led To Firing

By Benjamin Morse

Colorado's former film commissioner hit the state's economic development office with an age bias and retaliation suit, alleging he was forced out at age 79 after initiating the effort to bring the Sundance Film Festival to Colorado and raising concerns about a nearly $748,000 accounting error.

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

Discount Airline Settles Military Workers' Leave Benefits Suit

By Grace Elletson

A budget airline has agreed to settle a proposed class action in Minnesota federal court claiming the business violated federal law by failing to contribute cash into workers' retirement funds when they took military leave.

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 »

Braidwood Files New Challenge To ACA Birth Control Mandate

By Kellie Mejdrich

For-profit healthcare company Braidwood Management and several individuals sued the government in Texas federal court to challenge no-cost contraception coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act, arguing that the court should enjoin enforcement of the policy because it burdened their faith in violation of federal religious freedom law.

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 »

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 »

Bank Alleges Former VP Took Trade Secrets To Competitor

By Julie Manganis

Massachusetts regional bank Salem Five on Thursday accused a former vice president for institutional banking of printing hundreds of documents containing confidential and trade secret information before departing for an identical role at a competitor in April.

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

Pasco Bank Ex-CEO Alleges He Was Fired For Going To OCC

By Emilie Ruscoe

The First National Bank of Pasco faces accusations it retaliated against its CEO by firing him after he made a whistleblower report about suspected compliance issues at the bank to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

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

CFTC Eyes Faster 30% Whistleblower Awards In Small Cases

By Katryna Perera

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is looking to amend its whistleblower rules to align with those of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and to establish an immediate minimum 30% payout for whistleblower awards of $5 million or less.

Proposed Rule attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Amazon Reaches Deal To End Workers' Genetic Privacy Suit

By Patrick Hoff

Amazon has agreed to end a lawsuit alleging that it violated Illinois genetic privacy law by seeking information about job applicants' family medical history, according to a federal court filing.

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

Winston & Strawn Employment Partner Joins Davis Wright

By Adrian Cruz

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP announced Thursday that an experienced employment attorney has joined the firm's Los Angeles office after a lengthy stint with Winston & Strawn LLP.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

3 New Pay Transparency State Laws Raise Compliance Risks

Wage transparency measures taking effect in Delaware, Maine and New Jersey add a layer of complexity to the hiring landscape and highlight the need for employers to develop thorough compliance strategies while navigating the laws' ambiguities, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

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 »

More BigLaw Raises Predicted Despite Silence After Milbank

By Alison Knezevich

While boutiques make up many of the law firms that have quickly matched Milbank LLP's recently announced associate raises, recruiters told Law360 Pulse this week that they predict more BigLaw firms will eventually reveal their own salary hikes.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Analysis

Insider Trading Defense May Draw On 'Varsity Blues' Playbook

By Chris Villani

After enlisting a crew of experienced attorneys, defendants charged in an insider trading case allegedly involving deal information stolen from huge law firms are preparing to use a strategy that could take some cues from the "Varsity Blues" case in the same Boston courthouse.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Q&A

JAMS Chief Executive Says Mass Arbitrations On The Rise

By Kellie Mejdrich

Mediation giant JAMS says it has seen a major upswing in mass arbitrations in employment and other contexts, as plaintiff-side firms develop new ways of responding to language requiring out-of-court dispute resolution by companies. CEO Kimberly Taylor and veteran JAMS mediator Robert Meyer spoke to Law360 about mediation trends, with a specific focus on employee benefits disputes.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Atty Faces Sanctions Over Fake Quotes In Taco TM Fight

By Brian Steele

A Connecticut attorney could be sanctioned for including fake case quotes and misrepresentations of the law in court filings that seek dismissal of a trademark case against a taco restaurant, a federal judge said Friday in questioning whether the documents were sullied by artificial intelligence.

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

Analysis

3 Things To Know As Judge Stares Down Impeachment Push

By Kelcey Caulder

The scandal that could cost U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross her job also threatens to cause courthouse chaos in the form of recusal motions, bids to reopen suits and uncertainty for clerks. Here, Law360 looks at three things to know about the calls to impeach the judge and their potential fallout.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Texas Court Urged To Keep Judge Romance Suit Alive

By Adrian Cruz

In multiple filings, EJS Investment Holdings LLC has asked a Texas federal judge to reject attempts by former U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones and other parties to dismiss its proposed class action over his secret romance with a former Jackson Walker LLP partner.

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

'Poor Lawyering': Walmart Flub Haunts Class Attys At 9th Circ.

By Jeff Overley

Amid warnings of a chilling effect on plaintiffs counsel, a Ninth Circuit panel Friday scrutinized six-figure sanctions against attorneys whose false advertising suit targeting Walmart Inc. collapsed because of crucial fine print in an avocado oil receipt.

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

No Amici In Comey Seashell Threat Case, Judge Says

By Craig Clough

A North Carolina federal judge on Friday said she will not allow any amici to weigh in on former FBI Director James Comey's criminal charges alleging he threatened President Donald Trump with a social media post, finding the parties are "ably represented" by counsel and public input is not needed.

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

Ill. Judge Decries Grand Jury 'Turmoil,' Tosses Fraud Charges

By Lauraann Wood

An Illinois federal judge agreed Friday to dismiss fraud charges against two men ahead of an evidentiary hearing probing recent grand jury misconduct claims, but cautioned that "getting rid" of the case may not have prosecutors' desired effect, as such allegations continue causing "turmoil" throughout the district court.

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

Deluge Of Video Evidence Overwhelms Criminal Cases

By Brandon Lowrey

Surveillance cameras and police body cameras are creating a flood of video evidence that can help prosecutors and defense attorneys build strong cases. But many have been struggling with the technical and logistical challenges that come with the sheer volume of footage.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Roundup

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

By Laura Stewart Liberty

The past week in London has seen the FCA bring a claim against a fund manager it accused of providing investment services despite having been banned, an Ardmore unit sue a contractor two days before the construction group's collapse, and shipping and cruise giant MSC hit back at an entertainment company following separate intellectual property litigation in the U.S. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Roundup

GC Cheat Sheet: The Hottest Corporate News Of The Week

By Sue Reisinger

Elon Musk and SpaceX's legal team blasted off today with the largest IPO in history, with shares priced at $150 each at opening before briefly topping $176. And a new study shows investors have approved 11 of 17 companies' requests to move their incorporation from Delaware to Texas so far this proxy season.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Kevin Penton

Kirkland & Ellis LLP leads this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after a Los Angeles jury in a bellwether trial cleared Johnson & Johnson of any liability in the deaths of three women from ovarian cancer.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

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.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »