Washington

  • May 22, 2026

    Real Estate Recap: $69B Merger, West Palm Beach, Congress

    Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including a $69 billion merger in the residential sector, a dramatic transformation in Florida's West Palm Beach, and the landmark housing bill creating strange bedfellows in Congress.

  • May 22, 2026

    9th Circ. Judges Skeptical Of Roblox Arbitration Timing

    An email that Roblox Corp. sent to opposing counsel asking for an account username and saying that it was seeking to compel arbitration after it lost a bid to dismiss a parent's suit could be "damning" for the popular gaming company, a Ninth Circuit judge suggested on Friday.

  • May 22, 2026

    States Seek Ticketmaster Sale As Live Nation Wants New Trial

    State enforcers say they want a federal court to split up Live Nation and Ticketmaster following a New York federal jury verdict that Live Nation had harmed competition by monopolizing ticket sales for large concert venues, even as the concert promotion giant sought to undo the verdict against it or to be granted a new trial.

  • May 22, 2026

    Nexstar Says It Needs Tegna Deal To Compete With Big Tech

    Nexstar Media Group Inc. told a California federal court it needs to merge with Tegna Inc. to compete more effectively, especially with streaming services owned by the Big Tech giants, as it faces a challenge to the deal from state enforcers and DirecTV.

  • May 22, 2026

    Microsoft To Pay $250M To End Activision Merger Suit

    Microsoft Corp. has agreed to pay $250 million to exit a lawsuit accusing it of shortchanging Activision Blizzard Inc. investors by rushing through a $75.4 billion deal to buy the video game company.

  • May 22, 2026

    Jury Clears Boeing In LOT Polish Airlines' 737 Fraud Suit

    A Seattle federal jury on Friday cleared Boeing of fraud allegations in LOT Polish Airlines' $153 million lawsuit claiming the aerospace giant misrepresented the safety of the 737 Max in order to sell leases on the jets, which were later grounded globally after two deadly crashes.

  • May 22, 2026

    Former BakerHostetler Crypto Expert Launches New Boutique

    The head of BakerHostetler's digital and innovative markets team, who has represented Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, has left the firm after more than seven years to launch a new boutique.

  • May 22, 2026

    World Cup Trafficking Raises Alarm For More Than Just Banks

    An unusual Trump administration notice exhorting financial institutions to be on guard for human trafficking activity during the 2026 FIFA World Cup could create compliance challenges not just for banks but an array of other industries, experts told Law360.

  • May 21, 2026

    FTC Wins Partial Ruling On Doxo's Online Signup Practices

    Online bill pay service Doxo violated federal law by failing to disclose the terms of its doxoPLUS subscription before obtaining customers' payment information, a Washington federal judge ruled Thursday, granting the Federal Trade Commission a partial win in its suit accusing the company of duping consumers into paying hidden fees.

  • May 21, 2026

    9th Circ. Says Judge Overstepped In Fluoride Risk Case

    A Ninth Circuit panel scrapped a ruling that directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take action to address potentially unsafe levels of drinking water fluoridation, concluding a California federal judge improperly commandeered the case.

  • May 21, 2026

    9th Circ. Revives Guatemalan Father-Daughter Duo BIA Cases

    A divided Ninth Circuit panel has revived a Guatemalan father and daughter's bids for protection from removal from the United States, finding on Thursday that the father faced extreme persecution in the Central American country when a family member repeatedly shot at their home in a drunken rage in an attempt to force them out.

  • May 21, 2026

    9th Circ. Told To Reject J&J Unit's $442M Antitrust Appeal

    Cardiac catheter refurbisher Innovative Health urged the Ninth Circuit to reject the appeal from Johnson & Johnson's Biosense Webster unit seeking to upend its $442 million antitrust judgment, saying the lower court rightly found that Biosense forced hospitals to avoid refurbished catheters in favor of its own.

  • May 21, 2026

    IQ Data Targets Ex-Renters For Bogus Debts, Tenant Says

    A former Washington state apartment renter has accused collections agency IQ Data International Inc. of trying to extract money from tenants after they move out for debts they do not owe, according to a proposed class action the company removed to Seattle federal court on Wednesday.

  • May 21, 2026

    Live Nation Reaches Deal With Families Of Slain Concertgoers

    Entertainment giant Live Nation will settle a lawsuit from the families of two concertgoers slain in a 2023 shooting at the Beyond Wonderland music festival, the families announced in a Washington state court filing Wednesday ahead of a trial set to begin June 1.

  • May 21, 2026

    Hermès Urges 9th Circ. To Back Toss Of Birkin Antitrust Case

    Hermès asked the Ninth Circuit to affirm the dismissal of a suit from shoppers alleging the company illegally ties the sale of its iconic Birkin handbags to other expensive luxury items, saying the plaintiff's case reflects "a fundamental misunderstanding of tying law."

  • May 21, 2026

    Nexstar Asks 9th Circ. To Narrow Tegna Merger Block

    Nexstar urged the Ninth Circuit to narrow a preliminary injunction preventing it from fully integrating with Tegna Inc. that was issued in a challenge to the broadcasters' $6.2 billion merger by state enforcers and satellite provider DirecTV.

  • May 21, 2026

    2nd Circ. Agrees Amazon Not Liable In Fur Import Evasion

    A U.S. fur company couldn't show that Amazon willfully ignored a 15-year scheme carried out by foreign fur sellers to avoid certain tariffs and import fees, a Second Circuit panel found, affirming the dismissal of a False Claims Act suit against the company.

  • May 21, 2026

    Zillow In FTC Case Says Redfin Debt Forced Noncompete Deal

    Zillow has answered a complaint in Virginia federal court from federal authorities over a deal to pay Redfin $100 million to stop competing on multifamily listings, arguing that the syndication deal came as the smaller competitor faced no other path to increase its apartment listings and dig itself out of debt.

  • May 20, 2026

    Jack In The Box Can't Dodge Franchisees' Indemnity Claim

    A Washington state judge Tuesday denied Jack in the Box Inc.'s effort to sidestep liability for job postings that allegedly violated a Washington pay transparency statute, ruling that two franchisees suing the fast-food giant adequately stated an equitable indemnity claim under California law.

  • May 20, 2026

    Amazon Rebuffs Lost Doc Allegations In COVID Pricing Case

    Amazon called on a Washington federal judge Tuesday to deny two consumers' bid for sanctions against it in a proposed class action over alleged price-gouging on the e-commerce platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the plaintiffs are trying to dodge major legal hurdles by leveling baseless claims of failure to preserve evidence.

  • May 20, 2026

    Live Nation Can't Split Festival Shooting Trial Into 2 Phases

    A Washington state judge denied Live Nation's effort to split an upcoming trial over a 2023 music festival shooting into separate liability and damages phases, siding with victims' family members who argue they would be unfairly prejudiced by bifurcating the case.

  • May 20, 2026

    Anker Unit Says Rival Lied About IP To Block Amazon Sales

    The U.S. subsidiary of Chinese electronics giant Anker Innovations Ltd. has urged a Washington federal court to preserve the company's ability to sell robotic vacuum cleaners on Amazon.com, claiming another Chinese seller is using baseless patent infringement allegations in a bid to scrub its products from the online marketplace.

  • May 20, 2026

    Antivax Health Workers Fight Uphill At 9th Circ. Over Firings

    Two Ninth Circuit panelists cast doubt Wednesday on an attempt by a group of former University of Washington employees to revive claims that they were wrongfully fired after they refused COVID-19 vaccination on religious grounds, with one judge remarking that unvaccinated workers "make the risk worse" in a healthcare setting.

  • May 20, 2026

    9th Circ. Tough On HP 401(k) Forfeiture Suit Revival Bid

    The Ninth Circuit appeared reluctant Wednesday to revive a suit alleging that HP Inc. violated federal benefits law by using forfeited 401(k) funds to defray employer-side contribution obligations, with judges questioning whether plan participants backed up allegations that the tech company hadn't been sufficiently loyal or prudent.

  • May 20, 2026

    9th Circ. Questions Jack Daniel's TM Win Over 'Bad Spaniels'

    A Ninth Circuit panel on Wednesday questioned whether Jack Daniel's proved that any mark beyond its name was famous enough to support a tarnishment ruling against VIP Products' poop-themed "Bad Spaniels" dog toy, while pressing both sides on whether courts should compare the parties' marks alone or also consider the toy's bottle-like design and crude humor.

Expert Analysis

  • Why Justices Seem Skeptical Of Curbing SEC Disgorgement

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    Sripetch v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission presents an opportunity for the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify the disgorgement limits it set six years ago in Liu v. SEC, with recent oral arguments suggesting the court sees disgorgement as an equitable remedy akin to unjust enrichment, say attorneys at Hueston Hennigan.

  • Series

    Officiating Football Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Though they may seem to have little in common, officiating football has sharpened many of the same skills that define effective lawyering in management-side labor and employment: preparation, judgment, composure, credibility and ability to make difficult decisions in real time, says Josh Nadreau at Fisher Phillips.

  • Fresenius Ruling May Shift Anti-Kickback Enforcement

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    The Ninth Circuit's recent decision in Fresenius v. Bonta suggests that businesses have a First Amendment right to donate to certain charities, even if those donations are motivated by economic self-interest, potentially calling into question years of Anti-Kickback Statute proceedings against pharmaceutical manufacturers for making similar donations, says Jonah Knobler at Patterson Belknap.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: How To Draft Pleadings

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    Most law school graduates step into their first jobs without ever having drafted a complaint, answer, motion or other type of pleading, but that gap can be closed by understanding the strategy embedded in every filing, writing with clarity and purpose, and seeking feedback at every step, says Eric Yakaitis at Haug Barron.

  • What Employers Should Know About Wash. Noncompete Ban

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    Washington state recently passed one of the most expansive prohibitions on noncompetes in the country, marking a significant shift in the state's approach to restrictive covenants and requiring employers to carefully assess how this change will affect their current and future agreements, say attorneys at Cozen.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On ESI Control

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    Several recent federal court decisions have perpetuated a split over what constitutes “control” of electronically stored information — with judges divided on whether the standard should turn on a party's legal right or practical ability to obtain the information, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • 2 Discovery Rulings Break With Heppner On AI Privilege Issue

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    While a New York federal court’s recent ruling in U.S. v. Heppner suggests that some litigants’ communications with AI tools are discoverable, two other recent federal court decisions demonstrate that such interactions generally qualify for work-product protection under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, says Joshua Dunn at Brown Rudnick.

  • Series

    Isshin-Ryu Karate Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My involvement in martial arts, specifically Isshin-ryu, which has principles rooted in the eight codes of karate, has been one of the most foundational in the development of my personality, and particularly my approach to challenges — including in my practice of law, says Kaitlyn Stone at Barnes & Thornburg.

  • CFTC Chair's Speech Hints At Innovation-Friendly Policies

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    Remarks made by Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Michael Selig at the Futures Industry Association's conference last month provided the most comprehensive articulation of his regulatory agenda and signaled a shift in the CFTC's regulatory posture, including a rare focus on agency coordination and support for digital asset innovation, say attorneys at Willkie.

  • 'Made In America' EO May Not Survive Section 230

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    President Donald Trump's recent executive order to combat fraudulent "Made in America" claims in advertising directs the Federal Trade Commission to deem online marketplaces' failure to verify third-party origin claims as unlawful, but such a rule would likely run into Section 230's publisher immunity doctrine, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

  • CFTC Actions Show Prediction Market Insider Trading Risks

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    It is a myth that insider trading law does not apply in prediction markets, as the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's recent enforcement actions illustrate that it has full authority to pursue such cases federally — and intends to, says attorney Gregg Goldfarb.

  • Prepping For White House's Proposed AI Framework

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    The artificial intelligence legislative framework issued by the White House last month reframes the policy landscape, creating a number of near-term developments for companies to track as congressional committees attempt to convert the framework into legislative text, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Opinion

    Apple Discovery Fight Could Revive DOJ's Antitrust Appetite

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    Winning discovery disputes in the ongoing federal antitrust litigation over Apple’s app store practices is a huge opportunity for the Justice Department to return to its once-vigorous pursuit of product tying by tech monopolies, catch up with foreign competition regulators and establish clear standards for digital markets, says Ediberto Roman at Florida International University.

  • Opinion

    State Bars Need To Get Specific About AI Confidentiality

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    Lawyers need to put actual client information into artificial intelligence tools to get their full value, but they cannot confidently do so until state bars offer clear, formal authority on which plan tiers of the three most popular generative AI tools are safe to use when sharing specific client details, says attorney Nick Berk.

  • What Justices' Review Of Guam Case Will Mean For Permitting

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    In U.S. Department of the Air Force v. Prutehi Guahan, the U.S. Supreme Court will address whether a federal agency's permit application is a final decision that courts can review — a question whose answer could reshape the timing and strategy of environmental litigation across the federal permitting landscape, say attorneys at Foley Hoag.

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