NY Power Plant Hits Chapter 11 After Nixing Revamp Plans

By Clara Geoghegan

Danskammer Energy, a Hudson Valley power plant operator, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware, nearly two years after it pulled the plug on redevelopment plans that faced legal challenges and community pushback.

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Fed. Circ. Pauses Trade Court's Limited Block Of Global Tariffs

By Dylan Moroses

The Federal Circuit halted a U.S. Court of International Trade ruling prohibiting the government from collecting temporary global tariffs on two retailers and the state of Washington while it considers whether those duties are lawful, according to an order Thursday.

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4th Circ. Unswayed By Groups Seeking Pipeline Work Pause

By Abigail Harrison

In a pair of published opinions filed Thursday, a Fourth Circuit panel explained its late-April decision to refuse to curb construction on an interstate gas pipeline project pending review of state water quality certifications, after the judges found environmental groups were unlikely to prevail on the merits.

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Feds Illegally Axed Enviro Justice Grant Funds, Judge Says

By Linda Chiem

A South Carolina federal judge said Thursday that the Trump administration unlawfully terminated a $2.8 billion environmental and climate justice grant funding program that was authorized by Congress in 2022's Inflation Reduction Act.

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Analysis

Fed. Circ. Won't Trade Detailed Verdicts For Efficiency

By Dani Kass

The Federal Circuit has again faulted U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap's use of jury verdict forms that collapse all infringement allegations down to checking simply "yes" or "no," a decision attorneys say complicates how to present more individualized patent information without additional trial time.

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North Dakota, DOJ Settle DAPL Case For Verdict Amount

By Cara Salvatore

The state of North Dakota announced Thursday it has settled its claims that the federal government failed to control Dakota Access pipeline protesters for $27.8 million, the full amount of an earlier bench verdict.

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Venezuela Turns To Greenberg Traurig In Citgo Sale Appeal

By Caroline Simson

Venezuela has tapped heavyweight lawyers from Greenberg Traurig LLP as its new counsel in a Third Circuit appeal challenging a Delaware judge's order greenlighting the nearly $6 billion sale of Citgo to satisfy billions of dollars of the country's debt.

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Shell Says Enviro Group Can't Delay Handing Over AI Prompts

By Gina Kim

Shell Oil told a Connecticut federal judge Wednesday an environmental advocacy group can't delay turning over artificial intelligence prompts its expert witness might've used to craft her opinions in their Clean Water Act dispute and the generated outputs, arguing that "AI is not entitled to any special, unwritten discovery rules."

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Kan. AG Can't Try To Stop Shale Oil Claims From Local Gov'ts

By Bryan Koenig

A New Mexico federal judge refused Thursday to let Kansas' attorney general intervene in multidistrict litigation accusing U.S. shale oil producers of conspiring with OPEC to inflate oil and fuel prices, concluding that the enforcer has no grounds or authority to try to block the claims from local governments.

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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.

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Brief

Quinn Emanuel Settles International Oil Feud With Ex-Client

By Emily Sawicki

Quinn Emanuel and a Mexican oil company told a Miami federal court they have reached a settlement in a bitter dispute stemming from the firm's representation of the company amid a New York bankruptcy, resolving claims in U.S., Mexican and Singaporean courts.

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KKR, Partners Back Helix AI Infrastructure Venture With $10B

By Nate Beck

Private equity firm KKR, the Kuwait Investment Authority and Texas-based power generation company Vistra said Thursday they've launched a $10 billion company to deliver infrastructure needed for hyperscalers to meet demand for artificial intelligence technology.

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3 Firms Guide AI Power Provider ZincFive's $752M SPAC Deal

By Nate Beck

ZincFive, a company providing nickel-zinc batteries for data center and artificial intelligence markets, said Thursday it will go public using a special purpose acquisition company merger valuing the enterprise at $752 million, advised by Cooley LLP, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC and Latham & Watkins LLP.

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Conn. Asks FERC To Scrap 'Unjust' Electric Co. Grid Bonuses

By Aaron Keller

Eversource Energy and Avangrid units were named Thursday in a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission complaint by three Connecticut agencies plus the state attorney general, alleging in-state ratepayers are incorrectly being charged millions for the utilities' once-voluntary participation in a regional transmission grid.

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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.

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Mayer Brown Adds McGuireWoods Energy Pro In Houston

By Lynn LaRowe

Mayer Brown LLP announced Thursday that it has added a Houston-based partner to its projects and infrastructure and global energy practices who came aboard from McGuireWoods.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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'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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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