J&J Talc Plaintiffs Must Back Up Cancer Link Or Risk MDL

By Lauren Berg

Plaintiffs alleging Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer must show they can offer expert opinions on the link between the disease and talc use or risk having their lawsuits tossed, a New Jersey federal judge ruled Wednesday.

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Teen Drops Meta Mental Health Suit Ahead Of Bellwether Trial

By Hailey Konnath

A Florida teenager on Wednesday withdrew his suit claiming that Meta Platforms Inc.'s social media products harm young users' mental health, walking away from the litigation five days before his bellwether trial was set to kick off in Los Angeles.

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Fla. Pastor Sues OpenAI Over ChatGPT Health Advice

By Emily Field

A Florida pastor has sued OpenAI in California state court alleging that ChatGPT gave him dangerous and inaccurate medical advice, often couched with spiritual guidance, causing him to delay care until he suffered a massive pulmonary embolism.

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Insurer Sanctioned For Destroying Opioid Coverage Evidence

By Hope Patti

An Illinois federal court Wednesday sanctioned an insurer in a drug wholesaler's suit seeking coverage for underlying opioid litigation, finding that the carrier intentionally destroyed key emails and underwriting records in order to deprive the wholesaler of that information.

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Kratom Cos. Must Face Conn. OD Liability Claims, Father Says

By Jonathan Capriel

The makers of the Whole Herbs brand of kratom products shouldn't be allowed to trim a lawsuit claiming it's partially liable for the overdose death of a 33-year-old man, the man's father has told a Connecticut state court, saying his suit sufficiently pled all claims and that "there is no such thing as 'good kratom.'"

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10th Circ. Nixes Tractor Injury Verdict Over 'Obvious' Hazard

By Mike Curley

The Tenth Circuit has reversed a jury verdict that favored a farmer who was run over by his own tractor, finding the tractor maker had no duty to warn him of the "open and obvious" hazard of getting out of, and stepping in front of, a moving tractor.

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Altria, Juul Ask 9th Circ. To Nix Antitrust Classes

By Matthew Perlman

Altria and Juul are urging the Ninth Circuit to undo a class certification ruling in an antitrust case over Altria's past investment in the e-cigarette maker, saying the classes include disparate groups of purchasers from across the country.

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Amazon's Deal To End Gambling Suit Draws App Makers' Ire

By Ben Adlin

Developers of casino-style mobile apps sought to intervene Wednesday in Amazon's tentative deal to end consumers' proposed class action accusing the platform of enabling illegal online gambling, arguing that the settlement would leave the developers on the hook for $140 million while forcing Amazon to pay just $2.5 million.

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RI Guardrail Builder Sued Over Conn. Woman's Fatal Crash

By Kia Fatahi

A Rhode Island construction contractor installed defective and "unreasonably dangerous" guardrails on Interstate 95 in Connecticut, which caused a 34-year-old woman to die in a collision and car fire, her estate said in a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Connecticut state court Monday.

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States Seek Win Over Trump Admin In DEI Contracts Dispute

By Madeline Lyskawa

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia are urging a Maryland federal judge to vacate federal agencies' implementation of President Donald Trump's executive order requiring government contractors to agree that they won't engage in "racially discriminatory" diversity, equity and inclusion activities.

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Cessna Maker Wants Cockpit Recording For Fatal Crash Case

By Aaron Keller

Textron Aviation Inc. wants a Connecticut state judge to order the National Transportation Safety Board to release a two-hour-long cockpit voice recording from a Cessna airplane that crashed into an industrial campus shortly after takeoff, saying the full recording is necessary for fair trials in wrongful death and insurance disputes.

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Holland & Knight Hit With $1.2B Malpractice Suit

By Madison Arnold

A real estate firm is accusing Holland & Knight LLP and three attorneys of malpractice in a new complaint filed in Florida state court and is seeking up to $1.2 billion in damages after more than 30 states opened investigations into the company's practices.

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Co. Turned Away Simpson Thacher's Deal Meeting, Jury Told

By Cara Salvatore

A retired Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP partner who handled the fundraising round alleged to have destroyed Patriot National Inc. testified in a Florida state malpractice trial Wednesday that the insurance services company waved off his attempt to present details to the board.

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Brief

Pillsbury Data Breach Suit Voluntarily Dismissed

By Matt Perez

A proposed class action against Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP over a data breach last year has been voluntarily dismissed by the named plaintiffs, following a granted motion to stay in April to discuss mediation.

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DLA Piper Says Deception, Not Bias, Cost Palestinian Atty Job

By Grace Elletson

DLA Piper urged an Illinois federal judge to toss a Palestinian attorney's suit claiming the firm revoked a job offer out of discrimination, arguing it rescinded the offer because she concealed allegations that she assaulted someone at a protest.

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DC Bar Leaders Say DOJ Ethics Suit Encourages Misconduct

By Emily Sawicki

Washington, D.C., attorney regulators continue to garner support in their effort to toss a Justice Department lawsuit over alleged "weaponizing" of executive branch lawyer discipline, with D.C. bar organizations, scores of legal scholars and more than 500 former DOJ attorneys backing the disciplinary authorities.

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Mich. Gets Judge With Blue Slips In 1st For Trump Admin

By Courtney Bublé

The U.S. Senate voted 62-36 on Wednesday to confirm Michael Martin, a longtime federal prosecutor, to the Eastern District of Michigan and Benjamin Flowers, former solicitor general of Ohio, to the Sixth Circuit.

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DOL IG Says Info-Sharing Pacts Lacked Safeguards

By Irene Spezzamonte

U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D'Esposito testified Wednesday before a U.S. House subcommittee that during the Biden administration, the department shared confidential information with plaintiffs' attorneys without notifying the Wage and Hour Division or the Employee Benefits Security Administration.

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Gov't Attys May Face Broader Duty To Report Misconduct

By Alison Knezevich

Attorneys representing the government could face "more demanding" obligations to disclose misconduct by people within their client organizations than attorneys representing private entities, according to an ethics opinion issued Wednesday by the American Bar Association.

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Retired Judges Rip Bid To Ban Foreign-Born Federal Judges

By Courtney Bublé

A group of 58 retired federal judges, appointed by presidents of both parties, on Wednesday came out strongly against recent proposals from Republican lawmakers that would require federal judges to be natural-born U.S. citizens and relinquish any citizenship that is not of the United States.

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US Marshals Can't Make Immigration Arrests In DC Court

By Rae Ann Varona

A D.C. federal judge Wednesday refused to toss a lawsuit from a certified class of immigrants challenging immigration arrests by U.S. marshals in D.C. Superior Court, declaring that the marshals lack authority and necessary training for the arrests.

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Securities Class Action Deals On Target To Hit 6-Year High

By Katryna Perera

The value of class action settlements is on track to reach a six-year high of $4.4 billion, fueled in part by a handful of "mega settlements" and other high-dollar deals, a Cornerstone Research report released Wednesday said. 

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