Court Lets Stand Exxon Win In Decade-Old Securities Case

By Spencer Brewer

A Texas federal judge denied a motion by a class of Exxon Mobil Corp. investors seeking a new trial in a 10-year-old securities class action claiming the energy giant misled shareholders, saying Wednesday that the company's closing arguments did not prejudice the jury.

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Wash. Officials Immune To Energy Code Suit, 9th Circ. Says

By Rae Ann Varona

The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday refused to revive a building industry coalition's lawsuit challenging Washington state regulations that discourage natural gas appliances in new construction, holding in a published opinion that the government officials the coalition sued are "shielded by sovereign immunity."

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Nuclear Energy Firm HGP Going Public Via $1.2B SPAC Deal

By Jade Martinez-Pogue

Energy infrastructure developer HGP Intelligent Energy LLC has unveiled plans to go public by merging with special purpose acquisition company Meshflow Acquisition Corp. in a deal that boasts a pro forma equity value of roughly $1.2 billion and was built by three law firms.

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Analog, Alif Ink $1.4B Deal Steered By Wachtell And DLA Piper

By Al Barbarino

Analog Devices said Wednesday it has agreed to acquire Alif Semiconductor for $1.35 billion in cash, with Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and DLA Piper advising on the transaction. 

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Great Britain To Briefly Cancel VAT On Domestic Electricity

By Kevin Pinner

The United Kingdom will cancel value-added tax on electricity for domestic purposes in Great Britain from October through March, according to HM Revenue & Customs.

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Mich. To Revisit Line 5 Tunnel Permits After High Court Ruling

By Melanie Dorsey

Michigan environmental regulators will reconsider permits issued in July for Enbridge Energy LP's proposed Line 5 tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac after the Michigan Supreme Court found earlier this year that a separate state approval of the project relied on an improperly narrow environmental review, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Wednesday. 

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3rd Circ. Vacates Approval For NJ Pipeline Project

By Carla Baranauckas

The Third Circuit has vacated New Jersey's approval of a water quality certification for Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC's proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement project, ruling that the state unlawfully deferred requirements for monitoring and corrective action and failed to explain how the project would meet water quality standards.

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Enviro Groups Challenge BLM's Colo., Wyo. Oil Lease Sales

By Rachel Konieczny

Two environmental advocacy nonprofits accused the Bureau of Land Management and related agencies of flouting federal law by authorizing the leasing of "environmentally sensitive public lands" in Colorado and Wyoming for oil and gas development, according to a lawsuit filed in Colorado federal court.

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Chevron, Insurers Settle $52M Iran Oil Seizure Dispute

By Elaine Briseño

Three insurers have reached a settlement with Chevron over whether their separate marine cargo and war risk policies covered nearly $52 million worth of crude oil the Iranian military seized in retaliation for U.S. economic sanctions.

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Conn. Regulator GC Admonished To Abide By Records Law

By Brian Steele

The Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission admonished the general counsel for the state's utility regulator on Wednesday, warning attorney Scott Muska to properly handle public records requests according to state law.

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Ex-Nikola CEO's Pardon Doesn't Let Him Beat Investor Suit

By Katryna Perera

The presidential pardon Nikola founder Trevor Milton received for his criminal conviction on securities fraud charges does not bar him from facing similar civil claims alleging he and the electric-vehicle startup exaggerated the viability of the company's prospects, an Arizona federal judge ruled.

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Ford Says DOT Concern Over China Tech 'Wrongheaded'

By Jack McLoone

Ford Motor Co. pushed back on U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's "profound concern" over what he said was too close of a relationship between it and a Chinese battery manufacturer, saying the claims are unfounded and don't mesh with other administration stances.

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Mexico Owes $15.9M For Closing Quarry Site, Tribunal Says

By Caroline Simson

An international tribunal has determined that Mexico violated international law when it partially shut down limestone quarrying by a unit of U.S.-based construction aggregates company Vulcan Materials Co., an award made public on Wednesday said.

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Unpacking Texas' New Grid Reliability Rules For Data Centers

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ recently effective technical and compliance obligations, designed to prevent data centers and other large energy customers from causing cascading outages when they go offline, will challenge facilities to develop equipment and protocols to help protect the grid, says Casey Bell at Balch & Bingham.

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ABA Study Shows 20% Of Attys Under Severe Mental Distress

By Tracey Read

About one-fifth of attorneys across the country meet moderate-to-extremely severe symptom thresholds for depression, anxiety and stress, according to the largest-ever study of mental health and well-being in the legal profession.

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Mass. Judge Sanctioned Over Handling Of ICE At Courthouse

By Julie Manganis

Massachusetts' highest court on Thursday sanctioned a judge over her handling of a case involving a defendant wanted by immigration agents in 2018, an incident that led to federal charges that were dismissed after the judge agreed to a disciplinary process.

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Akerman Brings On Troutman Debt Finance Pro In LA

By Christine DeRosa

Akerman LLP announced Thursday it has added an experienced debt finance attorney from Troutman Pepper Locke LLP to its corporate practice group in Los Angeles.

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Legal Network TerraLex Names Norton Rose Exec As CEO

By James Boyle

Florida-based legal network TerraLex has tapped a former executive at Norton Rose Fulbright to serve as the company's CEO.

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AI-Native Approach Offers Chance To Rethink In-House Depts.

By Jake Maher

Artificial intelligence is giving corporate legal departments the opportunity to rethink how work is divided between outside counsel and in-house attorneys, but the pace of change in technology and demands to adapt from corporate heads remain challenges, in-house leaders said this week at an industry event.

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Analysis

Executive Privilege Questions Cloud Congressional Probe Prep

By Phillip Bantz

As corporate leaders brace for the possibility of Democrats retaking control of Congress and launching aggressive investigations into the Trump administration's dealings with a vast array of companies, attorneys say a U.S. Justice Department opinion on executive privilege could complicate the probes.

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2 At DOJ Sued Over Conn. Immigration Court Record Access

By Christine DeRosa

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Connecticut has filed suit in Connecticut federal court challenging the Hartford Immigration Court's refusal to provide access to immigration court records.

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DOJ Urges High Court To Revisit 9th Circ. Bar Of Nevada US Atty

By Madison Arnold

The Justice Department has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit a recent Ninth Circuit ruling disqualifying the Trump administration's top federal prosecutor in Nevada, calling it a decision that imposes "ongoing confusion" in the executive branch.

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Ed Martin Reprimanded Over Unauthorized FBI Contacts

By Courtney Bublé

Last summer, when Ed Martin was still head of the weaponization working group at the U.S. Department of Justice, he was reprimanded after his team communicated with the FBI without authorization, according to recently released emails.

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