Oil Giants Can't Move Chicago's Climate Suit, 7th Circ. Says

By Rae Ann Varona

The Seventh Circuit on Wednesday kept the city of Chicago's climate deception suit against BP, Shell and other oil giants in Illinois state court, saying the oil companies could not lean on their fuel production for the federal government to remove the case to federal court.

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Limetree Refinery Cos. Reach $35M Deal In Toxic Leak Action

By Rick Archer

Affiliates of the former operator of a U.S. Virgin Islands oil refinery have reached a $35 million settlement of proposed class action claims from local residents concerning water contamination from oil releases five years ago.

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Adani Denies $10B Offer Led To DOJ Dropping Case

By Stewart Bishop

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, the chairman of multinational conglomerate Adani Group, on Wednesday told a Brooklyn federal judge that his offer to invest $10 billion in the U.S. had nothing to do with a U.S. Department of Justice decision to drop criminal charges claiming he and others orchestrated a $250 million bribery to secure solar energy contracts and deceive investors.

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CIT Judge Says Order Incoming For Next Tariff Refund Phase

By Dylan Moroses

The U.S. Court of International Trade judge overseeing U.S. Customs and Border Protection's development of a duty refund system for tariffs struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court forecast new directions for the government as it prepares another phase of its tariff refund system, according to an order published Wednesday.

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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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Russia Sanctions Bill Goes Too Far On Tariff Power, Dems Say

By Jack McLoone

A reworked version of a bipartisan bill aimed at sanctioning Russia over the war in Ukraine wrongly places too much tariff power in the hands of President Donald Trump, some leading congressional Democrats said.

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Brief

Canada, Brazil Sign Customs Coordination Pledge

By Dylan Moroses

Brazil and Canada signed a new agreement to exchange information and collaborate on addressing cross-border customs matters, according to a joint statement.

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Pa. Energy Co. Accused Of 'Massive' Leak Into Neighborhood

By P.J. D'Annunzio

Pennsylvania-based Monroe Energy LLC has been hit with a putative class action in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas alleging that its negligence in maintaining a gasoline storage facility resulted in a "massive" spill that contaminated the properties of nearby residents.

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1st Circ. Says Sending GE PCB Suit To State Court Was Error

By Mike Curley

A First Circuit panel has reversed an order remanding to state court a woman's suit over General Electric Co.'s alleged improper disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, saying the trial court wrongly concluded that GE couldn't take advantage of the federal officer removal statute.

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Texas Appeals Court Flips $9M Misrepresentation Verdict

By Spencer Brewer

A Texas appellate court reversed a $9 million verdict awarded to an energy engineering and construction company, saying the construction company failed to show economic harm beyond the loss of a contractual benefit and therefore its negligent misrepresentation claim was barred.

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Ex-Senate Committee Chief Counsel Rejoins Hunton

By Jack Rodgers

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has rehired a former Republican chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, who started her career with the firm as an environmental law associate before its 2018 merger.

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Energy Regulatory Pro Returns To Baker Botts In Texas

By Christine DeRosa

Baker Botts LLP has welcomed back the former co-chair of its energy regulatory practice group in the Lone Star State following a stint in-house.

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Troutman Adds Norton Rose Corporate Energy Pro In Houston

By Lynn LaRowe

Troutman Pepper Locke LLP announced Wednesday that it has added a former Norton Rose Fulbright attorney in Houston who brings decades of experience structuring and negotiating energy-sector deals.

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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 4-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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