North Carolina

  • June 22, 2026

    No Trial For Splenda Maker, Scientist In Defamation Suit

    Splenda maker TC Heartland LLC and the scientist whom it accused of defamation were sent packing from North Carolina federal court Monday, after a judge found neither had offered evidence to overcome the other's First Amendment right to talk about scientific research.

  • June 22, 2026

    4th Circ. Says Allied Need Not Cover 'Beer Olympics' Injury

    A man who claims that he was paralyzed in an auto crash caused by alcohol provided to guests at a "Beer Olympics" party cannot recover from the host homeowners' insurance provider, the Fourth Circuit ruled on Monday, saying the policy's motor vehicle exclusion bars coverage.

  • June 22, 2026

    Fire Chiefs Must Face Union President's Retaliation Claims

    Two men who served as fire chief in the city of High Point, North Carolina, must face a firefighter's claims that they retaliated against him for speaking up about workplace issues in his capacity as union president, a North Carolina federal judge ruled, denying the men's motion for summary judgment.

  • June 22, 2026

    Judge Slashes 'Excessive' Atty Fee Bid In PHH Mortgage Deal

    A North Carolina federal judge granted the green light to a $1.5 million settlement to resolve claims from borrowers alleging PHH Mortgage Corp. sent notice of default letters containing "false threats" to speed up loan foreclosure, but reduced the attorney fees by nearly half, calling the requested amount "excessive."

  • June 22, 2026

    Lowe's $10M Coverage Clash With Chubb Unit Heads To Trial

    A federal jury will decide whether a Chubb unit was wrong to refuse to pay $10 million as part of a wrongful death settlement following a fatal crash involving a Lowe's employee after a North Carolina judge Monday found there are disputed issues of material fact in the case.

  • June 22, 2026

    States Defend Live Nation Jury Verdict In Antitrust Case

    State enforcers have urged a New York federal court to reject Live Nation's bid to upend a jury verdict finding the company monopolized key parts of the live entertainment industry, telling the court the jury carefully considered ample evidence and should not be second-guessed.

  • June 18, 2026

    Asbestos Spinoff Battles Bid For Trustee Takeover In Ch. 11

    The chief legal officer of Georgia-Pacific spinoff Bestwall admitted Thursday that the company is exploring more bankruptcy filings, but denied the contention by asbestos claimants waiting on settlements that it's going to abandon the nearly 9-year-old Chapter 11 case.

  • June 18, 2026

    German Co. Defends Audio Patents In Dispute With Lenovo

    A German nonprofit research organization tried Wednesday to persuade a North Carolina federal court not to hand Lenovo and its subsidiary Motorola a pretrial win, arguing that the organization's asserted patents for wireless audio communications are inventive and offer specific technical solutions.

  • June 18, 2026

    Blackstone's LivCor Cuts $7M Rent-Fixing Deal With 9 States

    Blackstone subsidiary LivCor LLC has agreed to pay North Carolina, California and seven other states $7 million in penalties to resolve allegations against it in a sprawling antitrust lawsuit alleging major landlords used software company RealPage to fix rent prices, according to documents filed in North Carolina federal court Thursday.

  • June 18, 2026

    Skadden, Troutman Lead First Carolina Bank's $69M IPO

    First Carolina Financial Services, a community bank with branches in several southeastern states, began trading its shares on Thursday after pricing a $69 million initial public offering below its target range, guided by Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP and underwriters' counsel Troutman Pepper Locke LLP.

  • June 18, 2026

    DirecTV, AGs Tell 9th Circ. Not To Curb Nexstar-Tegna Block

    DirecTV and a coalition of state attorneys general urged the Ninth Circuit not to narrow a district court preliminary injunction blocking Nexstar's purchase of Tegna, arguing the only way to preserve competition while the case proceeds is a full block, not one restricted to 31 overlapping broadcast markets.

  • June 18, 2026

    NC Legislators OK 90% Property Tax Break For Builders

    North Carolina would allow local governments to create specialized districts and provide significant tax exclusions for developers to incentivize new property improvements under a bill now on the governor's desk.

  • June 18, 2026

    Otter Tail To Pay $30M To Settle PVC Price-Fix Claims

    Otter Tail has agreed to pay $30 million to resolve certain claims in litigation alleging it and two subsidiaries conspired with other polyvinyl chloride pipe producers to fix prices, the company said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

  • June 18, 2026

    BofA Exits Biden-Era OCC Order Over Pandemic Relief Lapses

    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has terminated a 2022 consent order with Bank of America NA over its handling of prepaid unemployment benefit cards during the COVID-19 pandemic, closing out a key part of a Biden-era joint enforcement action against the bank.

  • June 18, 2026

    Liberty Mutual Says It's Owed $1.5M In School Bond Row

    Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. told a North Carolina federal court that a construction company owes about $1.5 million for losses Liberty incurred in connection with the contractor's work on a school construction project for which Liberty executed bonds.

  • June 18, 2026

    5 Big ERISA Litigation Developments From 2026's First Half

    The U.S. Supreme Court's acceptance of a petition challenging Intel's 401(k) investment lineup and a Fourth Circuit ruling unraveling a class of Genworth Financial retirement plan participants headlined the court developments that caught benefits attorneys' attention in the first six months of 2026. Here, Law360 looks at those and other noteworthy ERISA decisions.

  • June 18, 2026

    Wells Fargo Must Face Finance Manager's Bias Claims At Trial

    Wells Fargo has lost its bid for summary judgment in a finance manager's disability bias lawsuit, with a North Carolina federal judge ruling that a material dispute remains over whether she suffered an adverse action for her retaliation and discrimination claims.

  • June 17, 2026

    Mental Health Co. To Face Wage Class Damages Trial

    A North Carolina federal judge ruled Wednesday that the mental healthcare company JMJ Enterprises LLC must face a second-phase damages trial after a jury found in February in favor of a collective of employees claiming that the company willfully broke federal and state wage laws by underpaying workers at group homes.

  • June 17, 2026

    NC County Liable For Highest PFAS Levels In State, Suit Says

    A grassroots environmental group asked a North Carolina federal court to prohibit a county from polluting local waters with forever chemicals, contending that the county knows that thousands of residents are imperiling their health by drinking PFAS-laden water but has refused to do anything about it.

  • June 17, 2026

    4th Circ. Won't Revive Journalists' Social Media Bias Suits

    The Fourth Circuit refused Wednesday to reopen lawsuits alleging two journalists were fired by a U.S.-funded Middle Eastern media network because they're Iraqi, concluding they couldn't overcome the organization's explanation that the employees violated its social media policy requiring neutrality.

  • June 17, 2026

    NC Biz Court Narrows Fight Over Flopped Development Deal

    A private lender and its top brass have shaved a host of claims from a dispute with the part-owners of a real estate development project that never got off the ground, with a North Carolina Business Court judge finding that many of the allegations against them were too "thin" to advance.

  • June 17, 2026

    NC Clinic, School District Must Face COVID Vax Challenge

    A North Carolina state appeals panel issued its second opinion in a lawsuit from the mother of a teenager who alleged he was vaccinated for COVID against his will, finding Wednesday that she adequately put forward constitutional claims and can pursue allegations against a school district and medical society clinic in trial court.

  • June 16, 2026

    Nationwide Aims To Decertify 50K ERISA Class Ahead Of Trial

    Nationwide urged an Ohio federal judge to cut down a class of 50,000 401(k) plan participants who claimed the company mismanaged a fund in its retirement plan, pointing to a recent Fourth Circuit ruling that said defined contribution plans require too many individual assessments to earn class certification.

  • June 16, 2026

    Oral Arguments In Comey, James Appeal Set For September

    The Fourth Circuit has scheduled in-person oral arguments for the Trump administration's appeal of the dismissals of indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James for Sept. 15-18.

  • June 16, 2026

    4th Circ. Says Dutch Insurer Isn't Lindberg Fraud Victim

    A split Fourth Circuit panel denied a bid for over €215 million ($249 million) in restitution from insolvency experts for a bankrupt Dutch insurer, after finding they didn't link the criminal conduct of convicted insurance mogul Greg Lindberg to the harm the company and its policyholders suffered.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Alpine Skiing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Skiing has shaped habits I rely on daily as an attorney — focus, resilience and the ability to remain steady when circumstances shift rapidly — and influences the way I approach legal strategy, client counseling and teamwork, says Isaku Begert at Marshall Gerstein.

  • Justices' Geofence Ruling May Test 4th Amendment's Future

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    When the U.S. Supreme Court decides in Chatrie v. U.S. whether law enforcement may use geofence warrants to compel Google to disclose location history data, the ruling is likely to become an important statement about the future of Fourth Amendment law in data-driven investigations, says Duncan Levin at Levin & Associates.

  • What A Court Doc Audit Reveals About Erroneous Filings

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    My audit of 1,522 court documents from last month found that over 95% contained at least one verifiable error, with fewer than 1% showing clear indicators of artificial intelligence use — highlighting above all else that lawyers may want to focus most on strengthening their review processes, says Elliott Ash at ETH Zurich.

  • Justices May Hesitate To Limit Courts' Arbitration Review

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    Based on Monday's argument in Jules v. Andre Balazs, the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to preserve federal jurisdiction over arbitral award enforcement stemming from actions originated in federal court, a holding that would markedly limit the court's 2022 Walters v. Badgerow decision, says Ashwini Jayaratnam at DarrowEverett.

  • Series

    Ultramarathons Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Completing a 100-mile ultramarathon was tougher, more humbling and more rewarding than I ever imagined, and the experience highlighted how long-distance running has sharpened my ability to adapt to the evolving nature of antitrust law and strengthened my resolve to handle demanding, unforeseen challenges, says Dan Oakes at Axinn.

  • Getting The Most Out Of Learning And Development Programs

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Junior associates can better develop the legal, business and interpersonal skills they need for long-term success by approaching their firms’ learning and development programs armed with five tips for getting the most out of these resources, says Lauren Hakala at Reed Smith.

  • Considering The Risks That Arise When IP Outlives Its Owner

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    Federal and state court decisions show that the statutory regime for each category of intellectual property promises continuity after the owner's death, but the law does not provide a succession framework for how those rights are to be exercised, says Erin Daly at Daly Law & Strategy.

  • Opinion

    AI Presents A Make-Or-Break Moment For Outside Counsel

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    The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence by corporate legal departments is forcing a long-overdue reset of the relationship between inside and outside counsel, and introducing a significant opportunity to shed frustrating inefficiencies and strengthen collaboration for firms willing to embrace the shift, says Intel Chief Legal Officer April Miller Boise.

  • Using Liability Forecasts In Financial Reports Vs. Bankruptcy

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    Understanding the differences of scope, time frame and stakes between liability forecasts drawn up for financial reports versus those used in bankruptcy litigation is crucial for attorneys seeking to leverage economic analysis to ask the right questions, and strengthen their compliance and courtroom strategies, says Jorge Gallardo-García at Bates White.

  • Series

    Watching Hallmark Movies Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I realize you may be judging me for watching, and actually enjoying, Hallmark Channel movies, but the escapism and storylines actually demonstrate qualities and actions that lead to an efficient, productive and positive legal practice, says Karen Ross at Tucker Ellis.

  • 5 Tips For Navigating Your Firm's All-Attorney Summit

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Law firm retreats should be approached strategically, as they present valuable opportunities to advance both the firm's objectives and attorneys' professional development through meaningful participation, building and strengthening internal relationships, and proactive follow-up, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

  • Duke Energy Settlement Raises Key Antitrust Questions

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    The recent federal court settlement in Duke Energy v. NTE Carolinas II comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's failure to address a Fourth Circuit decision in the matter, calling into question the core purpose and effect of antitrust laws, say attorneys at Clifford Chance.

  • Series

    Coaching Soccer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Coaching youth soccer for my 7-year-old son's team has sharpened how I communicate with clients, prepare witnesses, work within teams and think about leadership, making me a more thoughtful and effective lawyer in many ways, says Joshua Holt at Smith Currie.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: The Human Element

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    Law school teaches you to quickly apply intellect and logic when handling a legal issue, but every fact pattern also involves a person, making the ability to balance expertise with empathy critical to the growth of relationships with clients, colleagues and adversaries, says Rachel Adcox at Adcox Strategies.

  • Why Prediction Market Regulation Is At Major Inflection Point

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    As prediction markets experience tremendous growth and rapid mainstream adoption, regulators have begun to exercise enforcement authority to ensure market integrity and protect participants, though forthcoming guidance will shed light on how aggressively the agencies will police the fast-changing landscape, say attorneys at Latham.

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