Meta, Google Rest In Bellwether Social Media Harm Trial

By Craig Clough

Meta Platforms and Google rested their defense Wednesday in a landmark California bellwether trial accusing their social media platforms of harming children, with the cases-in-chief ending in a somewhat anticlimactic manner as jurors were shown videotaped depositions after weeks of dramatic live testimony and attorney theatrics.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

$600M IP Award, Quinn Emanuel Contempt Faulted On Appeal

By Ryan Davis

The Federal Circuit on Wednesday vacated a verdict against the maker of Norton antivirus software for infringing Columbia University patents and reversed a contempt ruling against Norton's former law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP that had caused the judgment to grow to just over $600 million.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Microsoft Backs Anthropic In DOD Security Risk Label Row

By Madeline Lyskawa

Microsoft has thrown its support behind Anthropic's bid to block the Trump administration from enforcing an order designating the artificial intelligence company a supply chain risk to national security, saying an injunction would avoid disrupting the military's use of advanced AI.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Intel Caved To Feds' 'Extortionary' Stock Demand, Suit Says

By Lauren Berg

Intel Corp.'s board gave the federal government $11 billion worth of stock in response to the Trump administration's "extortionary threats," according to a newly unsealed lawsuit brought by a shareholder who says the board lacked authority to issue the U.S. Department of Commerce a 9.9% company stake.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Squires Adds Domestic Industry, Biz Size To Denial Analysis

By Dani Kass

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires will take into account the domestic impact of invalidating a patent and how big the patent owner is when deciding whether to discretionarily deny Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions, according to a memorandum issued Wednesday.

Memorandum attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Analysis

Trump Cybercrime Order Creates New Compliance To-Do List

By Phillip Bantz

President Donald Trump's recent executive order calling for a coalition of government agencies to combat cybercrime is far more forceful than efforts under prior administrations, according to white collar lawyers, who tentatively applaud the proposal while warning it could raise new compliance risks.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Sens. To Examine US Plans For Global Spectrum Talks

By Christopher Cole

With global talks over managing the airwaves set for next year, senators overseeing U.S. radio spectrum policy will focus a hearing next week on how the U.S. can get a leg up on using the airwaves to fuel economic growth.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Md. Gov't Agencies Oppose Talkie's FCC Preemption Bid

By Nadia Dreid

A Maryland-based internet service provider was not up front with the Federal Communications Commission about the details surrounding a permitting dispute when it came to the agency to ask it to preempt local regulations and allow it to move forward with a new utility pole and attachments without them, an Old Line State county says.

3 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Fed. Circ. OKs Dropbox, Box Inc. Wins In Patent Challenges

By Adam Lidgett

The Federal Circuit on Wednesday declined to breathe new life into a pair of data management patents Dropbox and Box Inc. challenged at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board after being sued in federal district court for infringement.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

NHK Wants Seagate Antitrust Case Paused For High Court Bid

By Matthew Perlman

NHK Spring is asking the Ninth Circuit to pause an antitrust case from Seagate Technologies over the alleged fixing of hard drive component prices while the Japanese manufacturer petitions the U.S. Supreme Court for review.

Motion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Fidelity Gets Initial OK On $2.5 Million Data Breach Deal

By Bonnie Eslinger

A Massachusetts federal judge on Wednesday granted preliminary approval to Fidelity Investments' $2.5 million deal to end a putative class action claiming the financial services giant didn't protect the personal information of more than 155,000 account holders during a "preventable" 2024 data breach.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Comcast, Peacock Escape Irish Co.'s Patent Suit, For Now

By Lauren Berg

A Delaware federal judge on Wednesday dismissed an Irish technology company's lawsuit alleging Comcast and its subsidiaries, NBCUniversal and Peacock TV, offer video streaming and network monitoring services that infringe four of its patents, saying the complaint does not adequately allege infringement, but gave the plaintiff an opportunity to rework the suit.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

DNA Testing Co. Can't Shake Suit Over Genetic Data Sharing

By Allison Grande

A Massachusetts federal judge refused to release Nebula Genomics Inc. from a proposed class action accusing it of illegally sharing its customers' genetic information with Meta and other third parties through online tracking tools, finding that the parties' choice-of-law agreement didn't extend to the plaintiff's genetic privacy allegation. 

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Apple Affiliate Can't Unravel Classes After Wage Verdict

By Benjamin Morse

An Apple-affiliated repair company cannot undo five classes in a wage and hour suit that snagged a nearly $840,000 win for employees, a North Carolina federal judge ruled Wednesday, rejecting arguments that a recent Fourth Circuit ruling undermined the court's earlier decision.

3 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Photobucket Can't Escape AI Training Suit

By Rachel Konieczny

A proposed class action alleging image hosting website Photobucket used billions of photographs uploaded by users for biometric data and training image generators can largely move forward, but one named plaintiff must arbitrate her claims, a Colorado federal judge ruled.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Sales Agents Showed Insurance Co. Willfully Flouted FLSA

By Irene Spezzamonte

Sales agents supported their claims that an insurance marketing and sales organization willfully violated the Fair Labor Standards Act, a New Jersey federal judge ruled, applying a longer statute of limitations to the workers' claims for unpaid wages.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

GreenSky, Ex-Workers Settle Wage Claims Amid Arbitration

By Chart Riggall

GreenSky LLC told a Georgia federal court Wednesday it's reached a settlement in a wage suit from former customer service employees a month after the fintech company won a bid to force the suit into arbitration.

Notice attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Students Certified As Class In Conn. Intimate Photos Breach

By Brian Steele

A Connecticut state judge has certified an issue class of prep school students who allege that a former IT employee snooped through their electronic devices and accessed their "intimate" photos and videos, also appointing Faxon Law Group LLC and Silver Golub & Teitell LLP as co-lead class counsel.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

OpenAI Wants 'Parallel' ChatGPT Murder-Suicide Suit Tossed

By Y. Peter Kang

OpenAI has asked a California federal judge to dismiss a suit alleging ChatGPT encouraged a man to murder his mother and then commit suicide, saying the case filed by the perpetrator's estate largely mirrors a "parallel" state court action lodged earlier by the mother's estate.

Motion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Uber Argues It Doesn't Have Same Duty To Safety As Taxi Cos.

By Jonathan Capriel

Uber can't be held liable for the alleged sexual assault of a passenger by a North Carolina driver, the company told the California federal court overseeing multidistrict litigation over similar claims, arguing that it is a technology company and therefore doesn't have the same duty to ensure passenger safety as a taxi company.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Archer Aviation Seeks ITC Probe Of Rival Joby's Air Taxis

By Jack McLoone

Electric air taxi company Archer Aviation accused rival Joby Aviation of using imported materials that infringe Archer's patents, asking the U.S. International Trade Commission to investigate these claims while the companies also do battle in California federal court.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Texas Drone Defense Co. Says Execs Diverted IP to Rival

By José Luis Martínez

Dallas-area Delta Black Aerospace Inc. has accused its former executives and a minority shareholder company of orchestrating a scheme to divert intellectual property and licensing rights tied to military drone technology to a new startup.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Brief

Wisconsin Bell, Feds Settle 17-Year-Old FCA Suit For $55M

By Nadia Dreid

Wisconsin Bell will pay $55 million to end long-running False Claims Act whistleblower claims accusing the company of overcharging public schools and libraries for internet services paid for by the government under the federal E-rate program, bringing almost 18 years of litigation to an end.

Settlement attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Brief

Apple Resolves Patent Case Over Coding Co.'s Technology

By Elliot Weld

Apple Inc. and Advanced Coding Technologies LLC have told a Texas federal judge that they've resolved the latter company's infringement claims over patents that cover ways of encoding and decoding data.

Motion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Level Equity raises $293.5M For Its Software-Focused Fund

By Jade Martinez-Pogue

Middle-market private equity shop Level Equity Management LLC on Wednesday revealed that it closed its third fund above target after securing $293.5 million in total capital commitments.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

4th Circ. Expands Online Data Privacy Rules In CSAM Appeal

By Parker Quinlan

The Fourth Circuit has ruled that law enforcement officers are barred under the Fourth Amendment from opening and viewing private files stored on an online cloud database without a warrant, applying existing case law from physical files to electronically stored documents.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Uber Must Fork Over Internal Docs In FTC Subscription Fight

By Dorothy Atkins

A California magistrate judge ordered Uber to produce numerous internal documents to the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday in litigation accusing the ride-share giant of enrolling consumers into its paid subscription service without consent, after the FTC accused the company of stonewalling discovery and producing only 72 documents totaling 179 pages.

Brief attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Orrick Lands Gunderson Dettmer Tech Transactions Pro

By James Mills

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is boosting its transactions team with a Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP technology transactions ace as a partner in its Silicon Valley office, the firm announced on Wednesday.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Clifford Chance Names New Houston Office Leader

By Lynn LaRowe

Following the departure of Clifford Chance LLP's Houston office managing partner last month, the firm has selected a replacement from within its corporate bench, a partner who has been with the Magic Circle firm since it opened in Texas nearly three years ago.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Spencer Fane Hires Transactions, Banking Partners In D.C.

By Jack Rodgers

Spencer Fane LLP has hired two attorneys in Washington, D.C., who focus their practices on consumer financial matters, financial services and compliance-related issues, the firm announced Tuesday.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

MoFo Private Equity Atty Joins Greenberg Traurig In Miami

By Adrian Cruz

Greenberg Traurig LLP announced Wednesday that a Miami-based private equity attorney has joined the firm's corporate practice from Morrison Foerster LLP.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Structuring Water Agreements For Data Center Development

For developers of artificial intelligence data centers, water use is now a threshold feasibility and financing variable amid a regulatory landscape with a state-driven push for transparency and federal push to streamline pathways for AI-related infrastructure, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Patent Eligibility Bulletin: Steps To Consider As USPTO Shifts

Recent memoranda from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, along with some of the first patents issued under Director John Squires, indicate a recalibration of the subject matter eligibility landscape, signaling a renewed emphasis on concrete technological improvements and a potentially pro-AI stance, say attorneys at Banner Witcoff.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Why The NCUA's Stablecoin Moment Matters

The National Credit Union Administration, a historically conservative federal agency, recently proposed a detailed stablecoin licensing framework, confirming that the proposition of building a regulatory architecture within the banking industry has moved well past "whether" and firmly into "how," says Stephen Aschettino at Fox Rothschild.

Proposed Rule attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ex-DOJ Atty Who Said 'This Job Sucks' Running For Congress

By Courtney Bublé

The former federal government lawyer detailed to Minnesota to help with immigration cases who last month told a federal judge "this job sucks" says she is running for Congress in the state.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Feature

Exxon Cements Texas As Delaware's Emerging Rival

By Spencer Brewer

Last year, Vinson & Elkins partner Katherine Frank fielded about one call a week from companies thinking about redomiciling in Texas. Speaking to Law360 the day after ExxonMobil announced its plan to reincorporate in the Lone Star State due to its business-forward courts and policies, Frank said the callers fell into three categories.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Firm Probed In $4B LA Sex Abuse Deal Hit With UPL Charges

By Rachel Rippetoe

A co-founder of the Los Angeles personal injury firm facing investigation for its involvement in a record $4 billion sex abuse settlement against Los Angeles County was hit with disciplinary charges by the California State Bar, alleging the firm illegally practiced law outside the state.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

3 Attys Escape Ford's 'Retaliatory' Lemon Law RICO Suit

By Linda Chiem

A California federal judge has shut down Ford Motor Co.'s revised racketeering lawsuit accusing three attorneys affiliated with Knight Law Group LLP of orchestrating a massive fraudulent legal billing scheme, saying the attorneys' underlying conduct in pursuing lemon law litigation is shielded by First Amendment protections.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Judges, Lawmakers Urge 4th Circ. To Affirm Halligan Ruling

By Ryan Boysen

Members of Congress and former federal judges have urged the Fourth Circuit to affirm that Lindsey Halligan was not properly appointed as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, saying the episode exemplifies why there are guardrails against installing political loyalists as federal prosecutors.

5 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

VA, DOJ Cut Deal To Make Attys Mental Health Guardians

By Mark Payne

Under a new initiative, attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice will serve as legal guardians for some homeless veterans, the Trump administration announced on Wednesday, though some veterans advocates expressed concern that the new program could involuntarily coerce veterans experiencing mental health issues into institutional care.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »