Reproductive and gender-affirming care rights were on ballots in several states Tuesday night, as the Idaho electorate rejected a measure that would have overturned its anti-abortion laws, while voters in Nevada and other states passed measures expanding abortion protections.
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2026 Law360 iOS App Law360 Android App Follow Law360 on Facebook Follow Law360 on LinkedIn Follow Law360 on Twitter

TOP NEWS

Abortion Measures Split State Voters In Midterm Election

By Chris Villani

Reproductive and gender-affirming care rights were on ballots in several states Tuesday night, as the Idaho electorate rejected a measure that would have overturned its anti-abortion laws, while voters in Nevada and other states passed measures expanding abortion protections.

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CVS To Split In 2, Unraveling Decade-Old Megamerger

By Al Barbarino

CVS Health said Wednesday that it plans to split into two independent, publicly traded companies, separating its Aetna- and Caremark-led healthcare businesses from its 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, reversing its nearly decade-old combination of the businesses.

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Mass. Justices Doubt Nantucket's Rationale For PFML Denial

By Julie Manganis

Massachusetts' highest court appeared to push back Wednesday on assertions by Nantucket that it cannot implement the state's Paid Family and Medical Leave Act for employees of the island enclave, despite a town meeting vote, because some of its unions have not agreed to bargain over the cost.

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AGs Say Taro's $200M MDL Deal Doesn't Bar Their Claims

By Bryan Koenig

Dozens of state attorneys general urged a Connecticut federal judge Tuesday not to let Taro Pharmaceuticals block a swath of their price-fixing claims with a $200 million settlement it struck with plaintiffs in separate multidistrict litigation, arguing the claims and plaintiffs are too separate to bind one another.

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MVP

MVP: Holland & Knight's Jennifer Weaver

By Danielle Ferguson

Dubbed the "Queen of the False Claims Act" by an opposing counsel, Jennifer Weaver of Holland & Knight LLP convinced the government to drop its investigation into California's Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and successfully defended a Puerto Rican cardiologist against FCA and kickback claims, earning her a spot as one of the 2026 Law360 Healthcare MVPs.

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POLICY & REGULATION

Analysis

Anti-Pot Group Eyes New Repeal Pushes After Mass. Loss

By Sam Reisman

After Election Day, anti-cannabis activists are pledging to bring repeal efforts to other states despite a decisive defeat in Massachusetts, while pro-cannabis industry and consumer-focused groups say they hope to work with a Democrat-controlled Congress to secure federal reform.

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Brief

EU Committees OK Tighter Controls On Drug Inputs

By Jack McLoone

Two European Parliament committees voted Wednesday to advance draft measures they said would strengthen controls on chemicals used to manufacture illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine.

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LITIGATION

Feature

4 Argument Sessions For Benefits Attys To Watch In Nov.

By Kellie Mejdrich

JPMorgan Chase & Co. will defend its win in a 401(k) forfeiture suit at the Ninth Circuit, Aetna will ask the Second Circuit to push a multiemployer health plan's suit into arbitration, and the Tenth Circuit hears from pharmacy benefit managers who want an opioid nuisance battle moved to federal court. Here, Law360 looks at four arguments that benefits attorneys may want to keep an eye on in November.

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Highmark Health Network Hit With Suit Over AI Recording Use

By Gianna Ferrarin

Allegheny Health Network and its parent Highmark Health failed to get informed consent from patients for use of an artificial intelligence-based clinical documentation tool in exam rooms, according to a patient's proposed class action complaint in Pennsylvania state court.

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Anthem Fights Rework Of Neurosurgery Group Antitrust Case

By Matthew Perlman

A pair of Anthem units are pushing back against a Long Island, New York, neurosurgery practice's bid to file an amended complaint accusing the insurer of driving down reimbursement rates, telling a New York federal court the changes fail to fix the problems that resulted in a previous dismissal.

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2nd Circ. Told To Not Expand Antitrust Patent Fraud Standing

By Bryan Koenig

A pharmaceutical industry trade group has backed Bristol-Myers Squibb and its Celgene subsidiary in the Second Circuit, warning that health plans asking the appeals court to reinstate a proposed class action against the companies are seeking to expand who can bring antitrust cases alleging fraudulently obtained patents.

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Pharmacy Worker Says Dosage Machine Cut Off Fingertip

By Jonathan Capriel

A pharmacy worker suffered a "traumatic" finger amputation when a machine that dispenses liquid medication caught her index finger and ripped part of it off, according to a lawsuit in Pennsylvania state court that accuses medical device manufacturer Precision Products Group Inc. of defective design.

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Colo. Co. Accused Of Misusing $400K Loan For HHS Deal

By Rachel Konieczny

A Colorado public benefit corporation breached a loan agreement by failing to use the $400,000 loan for its intended purpose and instead diverting the loan to settle a nearly $600,000 civil penalty with a federal government agency, according to a lender's lawsuit in Colorado state court.

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Walgreens Seeks Sanctions In Investors' Pharma Growth Suit

By Sydney Price

Walgreens has asked an Illinois federal judge to sanction investors and their attorneys in a securities fraud class action, arguing they continued to falsely attribute statements about the company's plans to open hundreds of clinics to a former executive even after a recording showed his statement was taken out of context.

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EXPERT ANALYSIS

What To Expect From Calif.'s Incoming Health AI Laws

California's new statewide ground rules for artificial intelligence in clinical care, set to take effect on Jan. 1, reveal the Legislature's choice to regulate healthcare AI primarily though institutions, rather than direct product regulation, and providers should shape their compliance plans accordingly, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

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Opinion

The Invisible AI Danger That May Undermine Legal Profession

A public database tracking cases involving hallucinations generated by artificial intelligence recently surpassed 2,200 entries, but the bigger risk underlying attorneys’ use of such tools is that they will slowly surrender their judgment to AI and lose analytical skills, says Massachusetts District Court Associate Justice Brian Palmucci.

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LEGAL INDUSTRY

Gibson Dunn Set To Bring On 120 Lawyers From Weil

By Daniel Moritz-Rabson and Marialuisa Taddia

Gibson Dunn is set to hire the U.S. and London-based private funds teams from Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, bringing on 120 attorneys in the largest group move reported since Weil's management committee recommended last week that the firm wind down operations.

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Analysis

Midterm Dem Wins To Scramble Lit Funding Legislative Efforts

By Ryan Boysen

Litigation funders can rest easy, for now, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will need to rethink its approach after last night's midterm elections saw Democrats rout Republicans, scrambling a yearslong effort for federal regulation of litigation finance that's so far relied on Republicans.

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State AG Race Wins Set To Give Dems Control Of Most Offices

By Madison Arnold

Democrats are poised to oversee a majority of state attorneys general offices around the country after Tuesday's elections saw the party hang on to all of its existing seats and flip control of five offices from the Republicans, according to unofficial election results.

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Goldstein Ordered To Pay Trimmed $1M Forfeiture

By Nadia Dreid

Former SCOTUSblog publisher Tom Goldstein was hit with a $1 million forfeiture order Wednesday by a Maryland federal judge in the wake of his tax and mortgage fraud trial, where the appellate advocate was convicted on a dozen charges.

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Analysis

Attys Ensure Voters' 'Right To Be Heard' In Midterm Elections

By James Boyle and Lynn LaRowe

From BigLaw attorneys and solo practitioners to university professors, thousands of attorney volunteers turned out for Tuesday's midterm elections to ensure American voters' ballots would be counted.

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DOJ Says Epshteyn Will Answer ABA Service Motion

By Jared Foretek

Trump advisor Boris Epshteyn will answer for himself why he has allegedly been evading subpoenas in the American Bar Association's legal challenge to the administration's law firm targeting campaign, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Wednesday.

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Holland & Hart Cost Ex-Client $23M Stake In Co., Suit Says

By Zach Dupont

Holland & Hart LLP and two of its attorneys were accused of malpractice in Colorado state court Tuesday by a former client who claims the attorneys failed to inform her that a wealth transfer plan with her then-husband left her iced out of the couple's most valuable asset.

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DOJ Accused Of Unlawfully Ending Crime Victim Agreement

By Tom Lotshaw

The National Crime Victim Law Institute has accused the U.S. Department of Justice in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims of unlawfully terminating a $500,000 cooperative agreement aimed at strengthening legal support for disabled crime victims in the wake of an executive order against diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

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Former DOJ Officials See Mixed Results In Midterm Races

By Chris Villani

The 2026 midterm elections included bids for office by several former U.S. Department of Justice officials and nominees for the federal bench, with one race a dead heat and several others decided as of early Wednesday.

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Dark blue promo that reads 2026 MVPs Dark blue promo that reads 2026 Regional Powerhouses

COMPANIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Abridge

Aetna Inc.

Allegheny Health Network

American Bar Association

American Guild of Musical Artists

Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.

Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Louisiana

Boston Children's Hospital

Boston University

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

CVS Health Corp.

CVS Specialty Inc.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Celgene Corp.

Express Scripts Holding Co.

Google LLC

Highmark Capital Management Inc.

Highmark Health

Humana Inc.

International Legal Finance Association

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

LexisNexis Legal & Professional

LinkedIn Corp.

Marijuana Policy Project

Microsoft Corp.

MinuteClinic

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

Novartis AG

Oak Street Health Inc.

Omni Bridgeway Ltd.

OptumRx Inc.

Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America

RELX PLC

RealPage Inc.

Sandoz International GmbH

Signify Health Inc.

Smart Approaches to Marijuana

Stanford University

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

The Cigna Group

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

The National Cannabis Industry Association

Thomson Reuters Corp.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

VillageMD

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.

LAW FIRMS IN TODAY'S NEWS

Baker Botts

Blank Rome

Campbell Litigation PC

Chestnut Cambronne

Cooley LLP

Covington & Burling

Dugan Law Firm

Foley & Lardner

Gibson Dunn

Goldstein & Russell

Goodwin Procter

Hach Rose Schirripa

Hagens Berman

Harris Beach Murtha

Holland & Hart

Holland & Knight

Holtzman Vogel

Honigman LLP

KP Law PC

Kirkland & Ellis

Latham & Watkins

Levi & Korsinsky

Lowenstein Sandler

Lowey Dannenberg

Lubin Austermuehle

Morgan Lewis

Quinn Emanuel

Reed Smith

Ropes & Gray

Scott & Corley

Segal Roitman

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

Siri & Glimstad

Springer & Steinberg

Susman Godfrey

Troutman

Wachtell Lipton

Weil Gotshal

Williams & Connolly

Woomer & Talarico

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Commonwealth of Kentucky

Connecticut Attorney General's Office

European Commission

European Parliament

European Union

Executive Office of the President

Federal Trade Commission

Health Resources and Services Administration

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Medical Board of California

National Labor Relations Board

New York Attorney General's Office

Office of Justice Programs

Tennessee Department of Health

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Labor

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

U.S. Navy

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

U.S. Senate

U.S. Supreme Court

United States District Court for the District of Colorado

United States District Court for the District of Montana