White House Says Fight Over Energy Emergency Order Is DOA

By Keith Goldberg

The Trump administration has urged a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency, saying blue states haven't alleged anything that a court can review.

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Brookfield Strikes $83.75M TerraForm Merger Deal

By Jarek Rutz

A proposed $83.75 million settlement has been filed in the Delaware Chancery Court to resolve long-running shareholder litigation accusing Brookfield Asset Management of exploiting minority investors during its 2020 take-private merger with renewable energy company TerraForm Power Inc.

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Judge Won't Certify Class In Antero Gas Royalty Suit

By Keith Goldberg

An Ohio federal magistrate has refused to certify a class of oil and gas royalty owners accusing Antero Resources Corp. of underpaying natural gas royalties, saying individual reviews of the lease agreements are clearly required.

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Fed. Circ. Won't Revive LED Patent After Court's Invalidation

By Dani Kass

A California federal judge properly invalidated claims of a DSS Inc. LED-technology patent, the Federal Circuit determined Monday.

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Reed Smith, Greenberg Traurig Fight Gas Feud Sanctions

By Emily Sawicki

Both Reed Smith LLP and Greenberg Traurig LLP provided nothing more than "zealous advocacy" for their respective clients amid an international petroleum shipping dispute between Eletson Holdings and Levona Holdings Ltd., the two law firms have argued in separate opposition briefs fighting sanctions motions stemming from the matter.

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Shell Sells Jiffy Lube To Monomoy Capital For $1.3B

By Spencer Brewer

A Shell USA Inc. subsidiary announced Monday that it will sell Jiffy Lube International Inc. to Kirkland & Ellis LLP-led Monomoy Capital Partners in a $1.3 billion deal.

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Omni Bridgeway Gets Green Light To Target Albania Assets

By Molly Moses

A Washington, D.C., federal judge agreed to let litigation funder Omni Bridgeway seize assets belonging to the Albanian government as it looks to enforce an arbitral award now worth some $13 million that the country has ignored for years.

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Brief

Trump Admin Wants More Time In Russia Award Fights

By Joyce Hanson

The government has asked a Washington federal judge for additional time to submit its position on questions about jurisdiction under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act in a case where ex-Yukos Oil shareholders are seeking to enforce about $50 billion in arbitral awards against Russia.

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Edison Dodges Investors' Wildfire Mitigation Suit, For Now

By Lauren Berg

A California federal judge tossed a proposed class action alleging the parent company of Southern California Edison misled investors about the effectiveness of the public utility company's wildfire-mitigation measures in the lead-up to last January's devastating fires north of Los Angeles, but allowed investors to rework part of the suit.

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Viridis Chemical Files Ch. 11 Amid Relocation Woes

By Ben Zigterman

Bio-based chemical technology company Viridis has filed for Chapter 11 relief in Texas with more than $17 million in debt, citing cost overruns related to moving its manufacturing plant from Nebraska to Illinois.

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Critical Minerals Biz Goes Public Via $4.7B SPAC Deal

By Jade Martinez-Pogue

Critical minerals company and geothermal energy developer Controlled Thermal Resources Holdings Inc., advised by Duane Morris LLP, on Monday unveiled plans to go public by merging with Greenberg Traurig LLP-advised special purpose acquisition company Plum Acquisition Corp. IV in a $4.7 billion deal.

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Mining Co. Weighs Arbitration With Mozambique Tax Authority

By Kevin Pinner

An Irish mining company said Monday it's considering international arbitration for a dispute with the Mozambique Tax Authority over the agency's imposition of higher royalties during negotiations on renewing an investment agreement.

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Proposed DOL Rule Could Simplify Contractor Classification

If the U.S. Department of Labor's recently proposed rule governing employee versus independent contractor classification is finalized, it would permit energy sector employers to evaluate the nature of the working relationship with a more straightforward and predictable analysis than the 2024 rule's unweighted test, say attorneys at Bracewell.

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How The New Tariff Landscape May Unfold

To replace tariffs formerly imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the administration will rely on a patchwork of statutes, potentially leading to procedural challenges and a complex tariff landscape with varying levels, durations and applicability, says Joseph Grossman-Trawick at King & Spalding.

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2nd Circ. Kazakh Ruling Clarifies RICO Rule, FSIA Exception

The Second Circuit's recent Yerkyn v. Yakovlevich ruling, dismissing a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act claim, demonstrates that RICO's domestic injury requirement is a merits question, and reaffirms the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's commercial activity exception, says Brant Kuehn at Greenspoon Marder.

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Resilience Planning As Nat'l Security Shifts Tech Import Policy

In response to a sustained reorientation of U.S. trade policy around national security considerations, businesses reliant on processed critical minerals must closely monitor diplomatic negotiations and the potential expansion of trade measures, incorporating contingency planning into procurement and long-term investment strategies, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

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Kavanaugh, Jackson Debate High Court Emergency Orders

By Katie Buehler

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh pushed back Monday against critiques that the high court is ruling in favor of President Donald Trump in emergency appeals more often than it did for prior presidents, saying people who believe those allegations have "short" memories. 

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Ex-DLA Piper Atty Alleging Rape Can't Remain Anonymous

By Lauren Berg

A former Boston-based DLA Piper associate cannot use a pseudonym to pursue a lawsuit alleging she was raped by one of the firm's former partners, a Massachusetts judge ruled, noting that she already publicly revealed her identity in a related suit against the accused attorney.

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Employment Law Cases Have Rebounded Except For FLSA

By Max Kutner

Employment law cases overall have bounced back from pandemic-era lows, especially discrimination and disability accommodation suits, though a slump has continued for Fair Labor Standards Act claims, according to a report by legal analytics provider Lex Machina.

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NJ US Atty Trio Booted In 2nd Leadership Ouster

By George Woolston

A federal judge on Monday disqualified the three assistant attorneys overseeing the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, finding the "byzantine" leadership structure is unconstitutional.

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Brief

SCOTUSblog Founder Goldstein To Be Sentenced In June

By Emily Sawicki

SCOTUSblog founder Thomas Goldstein, currently under home confinement in Washington, D.C., after a Maryland jury convicted him on tax evasion and mortgage fraud charges, will face sentencing in June.

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Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court's docket last week featured disputes spanning alleged forged board approvals at a telecom startup, evidence-destruction claims tied to WWE's blockbuster merger with UFC and investor scrutiny of a multibillion-dollar deal between Intel and the U.S. government.

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McGuireWoods Beats Sun Pharma's DQ Bid In NJ Suit

By George Woolston

A New Jersey federal court has denied Sun Pharmaceutical's bid to disqualify McGuireWoods LLP from representing pharmaceutical company Biofrontera in litigation over the alleged breach of a settlement agreement, ruling the firm's continued representation won't harm Sun Pharmaceutical and will avoid significant harm to Biofrontera.

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Lewis Brisbois Renews Bid To Force Paralegal To Arbitrate

By Adrian Cruz

Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP asked a Florida state judge on Friday to have a former paralegal arbitrate her defamation claims that its actions tarnished her reputation and cost her a job at another firm.

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K&L Gates IP Atty Tapped For Wash. Supreme Court Seat

By Rachel Riley

A K&L Gates intellectual property litigator will become the Washington State Supreme Court's first justice of Middle Eastern descent, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said Monday, announcing his pick to replace veteran retiring Justice Barbara Madsen.

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