SpaceX, Tesla Special Committees Review Potential Merger

By Al Barbarino

After billionaire Elon Musk said earlier this week that a SpaceX and Tesla Inc. merger would be a "good idea," SpaceX confirmed in a filing that its board formed a special committee to evaluate a potential combination, while Tesla said it formed its own special committee to explore "deepening Tesla's relationship" with SpaceX.

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Ex-Chief Pilot Wants Out Of Norwegian, Boeing 737 Max Spat

By Linda Chiem

Boeing's former chief technical pilot has asked a Washington federal judge to quash a subpoena demanding that he sit for a deposition in a contract dispute between a group of Norwegian Air subsidiaries and Boeing over a series of 737 Max jet purchase deals.

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Goodyear Can't Get Redo On Toss Bid In Nicotine Fee Suit

By Kellie Mejdrich

An Ohio federal judge rejected Goodyear's bid for a redo on its motion to dismiss a suit from workers who challenged a nicotine fee in their employee health plan, holding Friday that a judge's decision in another dispute against grocery chain Meijer didn't change his analysis.

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Boeing Worker Says She Was Pushed Into Sex With Manager

By Rachel Riley

A Boeing employee claims her supervisor cornered her into a sexual relationship with a senior manager, who cut off contact when she got pregnant and refused to have an abortion, according to a lawsuit filed against the aerospace giant in Washington state court.

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NASCAR Team Fights Rival's Inspection Bid In Secrets Row

By Alex Lawson

NASCAR powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing is pushing a North Carolina federal judge to deny a rival team's bid to inspect its premises as part of a simmering trade secrets dispute, emphasizing the competitive threat posed by the request.

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Ill. Panel Backs Defense Win In Nissan Car Defect Crash Suit

By Y. Peter Kang

An Illinois appellate court on Friday affirmed a defense verdict in a suit alleging a defective Nissan vehicle caused a fatal crash, saying the trial court properly barred a failure-to-warn claim against the automaker.

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Uber Accused Of Negligently Hiring Driver Who Raped Woman

By David Aaro

Uber Technologies Inc. negligently hired a driver with a lengthy criminal history who sexually assaulted a passenger just days before Christmas, according to a lawsuit filed in Georgia federal court.

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Term Lender Raises Concerns About Brightline Ch. 11 Loan

By Vince Sullivan

A term loan lender in the Chapter 11 case of Florida regional rail company Brightline Holdings has raised concerns about the unusual postpetition lending package in the bankruptcy, contending creditors should be informed about how the financing flows to the debtors and about changes to a cap on funds made available to them.

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Canada, Turkey Announce Partnership For Boosting Trade

By Jack McLoone

Canada and Turkey are working toward growing the economic ties between the two countries, including through a free trade agreement, their leaders announced, as Canada continues to look to build new international trade relationships and expand its existing ones.

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Burford Affiliate Fights For Stay In Suit Over Alleged Fraud

By Caroline Simson

A German Burford Capital affiliate is pressing a Delaware federal court to keep on hold a German claims aggregator's lawsuit over an allegedly fraudulent arbitration agreement, disputing the latter company's argument that a London tribunal has confirmed that the matter belongs in court.

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Brief

USTR Extends Pause On Chinese Maritime Tariffs, Port Fees

By Dylan Moroses

The U.S. will suspend upcoming port fees on Chinese ships and tariffs on Chinese port cranes and other maritime equipment until January, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a notice Friday.

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Feds Want Grant Ruling Foiling Priorities Stayed For Appeal

By Tom Lotshaw

The Trump administration asked a Massachusetts federal judge to pause a decision declaring that a grant termination clause does not allow agencies to scrap awards not aligned with its new priorities, claiming it is likely to prevail in a First Circuit appeal.

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4 Steps For Cos. Amid Russia Sanctions Law Uncertainty

Russian companies, their U.S. subsidiaries and businesses with Russian commercial relationships should take concrete steps to determine their exposure under ambiguous provisions of legislation that recently expanded the scope of U.S. sanctions, notwithstanding an Oct. 16 executive order waiving most of its restrictions, say attorneys at Wilk Auslander.

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Weil PE Pro Declines Executive Partner Seat Amid Turmoil

By Marialuisa Taddia

Ramona Y. Nee has decided not to become executive partner at Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, days after merger talks with Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP ended and amid departures on both sides of the Atlantic, sources close to the firm told Law360 Monday.

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Former Willkie Partner, Wife Owe $14.5M Tax Debt, Gov't Says

By Zak Kostro

A former Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP partner and his wife owe the U.S. more than $14.5 million in unpaid taxes, penalties and interest, according to a complaint filed in Manhattan federal court that seeks to enforce federal tax liens against their New York home to settle the debt.

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Morgan & Morgan Can't Pursue Ad Ban Suit, Fla. Bar Says

By Madison Arnold

The Florida Bar has pushed back against Morgan & Morgan PA's lawsuit alleging that a rule banning the use of a celebrity's voice or image in lawyer advertising violates the First Amendment, arguing that the personal injury giant lacks standing to bring the case.

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Burns & Levinson Malpractice Claims Revived On Appeal

By Julie Manganis

Massachusetts' intermediate-level appeals court Monday reinstated legal malpractice claims brought by a youth soccer league against defunct Boston law firm Burns & Levinson LLP alleging a firm partner failed to provide a heads-up about a federal visa fraud investigation.

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Trump Plans To Nominate SC Governor's Counsel To Bench

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump plans to nominate William Grayson Lambert, chief legal counsel for South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, for a judgeship on the District of South Carolina.

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Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court last week approved a $250 million settlement of litigation over Microsoft Corp.'s acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc., while Albertsons Cos. Inc. accused Kroger Co. of rejecting changes that could have saved their $24.6 billion merger, and the Delaware Supreme Court ordered Verisk Analytics Inc. to keep pursuing a $2.35 billion acquisition.

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Ex-Prosecutors Start Group Targeting Corruption, ICE Abuses

By Ryan Boysen

A new group led by former federal prosecutors claims the rule of law "is on life support" because the Trump administration's U.S. Department of Justice has fallen down on the job, and says it will investigate alleged political corruption to build the cases the DOJ "would have brought in ordinary times."

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2nd Circ. EFAA Ruling Shifts Employer Litigation Strategy

In Diaz-Roa v. Hermes Law, the Second Circuit recently held that, under the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, employers can't carve out nonharassment claims and send them to arbitration, which has implications for discovery, litigation costs and resolution strategy in EFAA-covered disputes, say attorneys at Krevolin Horst.

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Empery Faces Limited Restrictions In ATG Proxy Fight

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court ruled Monday that Empery Digital Inc. must provide activist investor ATG Capital Opportunities Fund LP five business days' notice before taking certain major corporate actions while the parties fight over a disputed board seat, rejecting broader restrictions that could give ATG outsized influence over the company's operations.

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Analysis

Whistleblower 'Gold Rush' Might Strain DOJ, Experts Warn

By Phillip Bantz

A new federal program offering cash for tips that result in criminal fraud charges is poised to set off a whistleblower "gold rush" that could uncover more fraudsters, but might also invite a high number of low-quality claims that burden businesses and strain limited U.S. Department of Justice resources, experts say.

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Feature

Dugout Divided: Foley & Lardner Clients Clash In World Series

By Chris Villani

The World Series matchup between Foley & Lardner LLP clients, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays, has pitted partners against one another as the firm enjoys a good-natured intrasquad rivalry during the Fall Classic.

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Detroit Sued For $10M Over Ex-Cop's Alleged Serial Rapes

By Melanie Dorsey

A woman who says a former Detroit police officer kidnapped and raped her at gunpoint in 2005 has filed a proposed class action seeking more than $10 million from the city, alleging officials ignored warnings about the officer and allowed nearly 12,000 sexual assault evidence kits to go untested, concealing his identity for two decades.

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