FDA Withdraws Proposed Talc Cosmetics Testing Rule

By Emily Field

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday pulled back a proposed rule that would have required cosmetics manufacturers to test for asbestos in their talc products, saying it may have unintended consequences beyond those goods.

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Bayer Gets SG's Support In Supreme Court Roundup Appeal

By Hailey Konnath

U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer on Monday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a $1.2 million jury award for a man who claimed that Monsanto's Roundup weed killer caused his cancer, according to a brief filed in response to the justices' request that the government weigh in.

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Analysis

What MDL Judges Can Get Done With A New Civil Rule

By Cara Salvatore

As the first federal procedure rule geared toward multidistrict litigation goes into effect, judges will have a new buffet of best practices to guide them, but little in the way of hand-tying mandates.

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Meta Can't Block 'Disgruntled' Researcher's Depo Responses

By Bonnie Eslinger

A California federal judge overseeing discovery in litigation against social media giants over their impact on youth mental health rejected Meta's bid Monday to block a "disgruntled" former researcher from sharing information it deems attorney-client privileged in an upcoming deposition.

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Exxon Loses Renewed Bid To Nix Conn. Climate Suit

By Ganesh Setty

Connecticut's attorney general can continue to pursue his lawsuit accusing Exxon Mobil Corp. of knowingly deceiving residents about its sustainability efforts and the harmful climate effects of its fossil fuel sales, a Connecticut state court ruled, rejecting the oil and gas giant's renewed attempt at ending the case.

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Brief

Texas Says Shein May Have Sold Unsafe Products

By Spencer Brewer

The Texas Office of the Attorney General has launched an investigation into global retailer Shein US Services LLC Corp. and its affiliates, saying Monday the fast-fashion company may have violated consumer safety laws.

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FCA Says Drivers Lack Standing In Exploding Minivan MDL

By Danielle Ferguson

Fiat Chrysler has urged a Michigan federal judge to toss the remaining claims in sprawling multidistrict litigation over allegations that certain plug-in hybrid minivans are at risk for spontaneous fires, arguing most of the plaintiffs haven't suffered from an actual defect or dealt with financial loss.

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Libertarian Orgs. Tell Justices Cannabis Ban Is Outdated

By Sam Reisman

A pair of libertarian advocacy groups have filed friend-of-the-court briefs urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case challenging the federal prohibition on marijuana, arguing that a 20-year-old precedent wrongly expanded Congress' power to regulate intrastate commerce.

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Why Justices Must Act To End Freight Broker Liability Split

The Sixth Circuit's recent ruling in Cox v. Total Quality Logistics Inc., affirming states' authority over negligence claims against transportation brokers, deepens an existing circuit split, creating an untenable situation where laws between neighboring states conflict in seven distinct instances — and making U.S. Supreme Court intervention essential, says Steven Saal at Lucosky Brookman.

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Series

The Law Firm Merger Diaries: How To Build On Cultural Fit

Law firm mergers should start with people, then move to strategy: A two-level screening that puts finding a cultural fit at the pinnacle of the process can unearth shared values that are instrumental to deciding to move forward with a combination, says Matthew Madsen at Harrison.

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Bonus Spotlight

Sheppard Mullin To Offer Larger Bonuses To Busy Associates

By Kevin Penton

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP associates who labored past 2,000 hours in 2025 can expect to see a little extra in their upcoming bonus checks, according to an internal memo obtained by Law360.

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Hagens Berman Referred To DOJ For Alleged Misconduct

By Emma Cueto

A Pennsylvania federal judge on Tuesday recommended to the U.S. Department of Justice that it investigate powerhouse plaintiffs firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP's conduct in connection with several since-dropped product liability cases that a special master found to be filed in bad faith.

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King & Spalding Atty Dies In Mountain Climbing Accident

By Kelcey Caulder

People at King & Spalding LLP are mourning after an appellate attorney from the firm and a mountain guide fell to their deaths climbing New Zealand's tallest mountain.

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Approach The Bench: Judge Robart On Living Under Threats

By Cara Bayles and Steven Trader

It's been nearly nine years since U.S. District Judge James Robart blocked President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order barring travel from seven Muslim-majority countries, and though the judge has had a long career — including groundbreaking patent and securities decisions — he still occasionally gets recognized as that "so-called judge."

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Twitter Investors Lose Bid To DQ Musk Counsel Spiro

By Katryna Perera

A California federal judge has denied an attempt by Twitter investors to have Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP partner Alex Spiro disqualified from serving as both lead counsel for Elon Musk and a witness in a trial over claims that Musk tried to tank Twitter's stock.

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Dentons Sees Ex-Partner's Appeal Nixed In California

By Caroline Simson

California's highest court has quietly tossed litigation filed by a former Dentons partner who was fired over a $34 million contingency fee due from a Chinese client following an arbitration matter, several months after advising the parties to prepare for oral arguments.

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The Top In-House Hires Of November

By Sue Reisinger

Elon Musk's xAI has a new but familiar general counsel, while several sports groups — including the New York Mets, PGA of America and the SEC college athletic conference — also brought on new legal leaders in November.

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SDNY Head Backs Good Deals For Quick Cooperation By Cos.

By Stewart Bishop

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on Tuesday said he's prepared to offer "real benefits" to corporations facing criminal investigations if they quickly agree to cooperate and compensate victims, ideally in the form of comprehensive, government-wide resolutions.

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Exclusive

14 Ex-Lawmakers Tell USPTO Proposed Rules Violate The Law

By Ryan Davis

A group of 14 former members of Congress, including America Invents Act sponsor Patrick Leahy, has told the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that the agency's proposal to restrict many patent challenges "violates foundational American legal principles and the AIA."

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Monthly Merger Review Snapshot

By Matthew Perlman

The FTC urged a D.C. court to block a deal involving a new heart valve treatment, and courts rejected the commission's monopolization case over Meta's past acquisitions and the agency's challenge of a medical device coatings deal. Here, Law360 looks at the major merger review developments from November.

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2 New Judges Confirmed To NC Federal Court

By Courtney Bublé

The U.S. Senate confirmed two federal judges for North Carolina on Tuesday.

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