Washington

  • May 11, 2026

    Cushman & Wakefield Tries To Sink 401(k) Climate Risk Suit

    Commercial real estate services giant Cushman & Wakefield is looking to shed a former employee's "novel and flashy" proposed class action alleging its retirement plan exposed participants to climate-related financial risk, arguing the suit fails to show the purported risk is tied to actual underperformance by the relevant investment fund.

  • May 11, 2026

    Swedish Health $86M Wage Deal Secures Initial OK

    Seattle-area hospital system Swedish Health Services will pay $86 million to settle a proposed class action claiming its alleged meal break violations and rounding practices led to unpaid wages, according to a state judge's preliminary approval of the deal.

  • May 11, 2026

    9th Circ. Says DHS' English-Only Notice Met Due Process

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had no duty to inform a noncitizen in her native language about her obligation to update her address after moving, the Ninth Circuit ruled, finding that its notice in English sufficed for due process.

  • May 08, 2026

    Real Estate Recap: Biannual Reporting, NDAs, Q1 Spotlight

    Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including attorney insights into the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposal to shift companies to semiannual reporting, how data center backlash is playing out in nondisclosure agreements and the ebbs and flows of asset classes in quarter one.

  • May 08, 2026

    Franchisees Say Jack In The Box Trying To 'Avoid' Calif. Law

    Two Jack in the Box Inc. franchisees have answered the fast-food giant's bid to avoid contributing to a legal settlement over allegedly noncompliant job postings by saying Jack in the Box is attempting to "avoid" a California law that could work against it.

  • May 08, 2026

    Canceled Solar Grants Suit In Wrong Court, Wash. Judge Hints

    A Washington federal judge on Friday hinted that she lacks jurisdiction over a multistate challenge to the federal government's cancellation of a solar energy project grant program, citing recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent indicating that a bid to reinstate the funding would belong in the Court of Federal Claims.

  • May 08, 2026

    9th Circ. Says Kidnapping By Deception Counts, Orders Retrial

    The Ninth Circuit on Friday ordered a new trial for a man convicted of kidnapping and suffocating his girlfriend, saying a judge improperly coerced the jury, while also establishing for the first time that deception can satisfy the "holding" element of federal kidnapping charges.

  • May 08, 2026

    Lummi Nation Seeks To Block Telecom Digging At Burial Sites

    The Lummi Nation is asking a Washington district court for an order that would block a telephone company from continuing to construct a broadband project at a site where Indigenous remains have been unearthed, arguing that they have not been allowed to assess the damage or properly rebury their ancestors.

  • May 08, 2026

    Trump Admin Says Mail-In Voting Suits Are Premature

    The Trump administration asked a Massachusetts federal judge to dismiss challenges to the president's executive order limiting mail-in voting, saying it's premature to challenge the directive before any concrete steps are taken to implement it.

  • May 07, 2026

    Jackson Hewitt Tax Loans Flout Military Credit Law, Suit Says

    A U.S. Navy service member has accused tax preparer Jackson Hewitt Inc. of overcharging military clients for short-term loans tied to tax refunds, claiming in a proposed class action the company's effective interest rates for "refund anticipation loans" exceed what is allowed under the federal Military Lending Act.

  • May 07, 2026

    Blue States Say Trump Admin Can't Duck Energy Order Suit

    Blue states have urged a federal judge to keep alive their lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency, saying every action that's been taken by federal agencies to fast-track nonemergency energy activities flows from that order.

  • May 07, 2026

    Monolithic Must Face Most Nvidia-Linked Investor Claims

    A Washington federal judge has largely denied Monolithic Power Systems Inc.'s bid to dismiss an investor suit accusing it of hiding critical defects in power modules used by its largest customer, Nvidia Corp., rejecting the company's argument that the suit's claims amount to "fraud-by-hindsight."

  • May 07, 2026

    9th Circ. Backs Lead Choice In Super Micro Investor Fraud Suit

    A Ninth Circuit panel has refused to undo a California federal court order rejecting Crain Walnut Shelling's bid to lead a securities class action against Super Micro Computers Inc., concluding Thursday the lower court properly determined other investors had shown the nut processor wasn't fit to spearhead the case.

  • May 07, 2026

    Insurer Needn't Cover Real Estate Co.'s $330K Arbitration Bill

    An insurer is not on the hook for more than $330,000 in defense costs that a commercial real estate company and its manager incurred in arbitration with investors, a Washington federal court ruled Thursday, saying the company failed to show that the costs arose from covered fiduciary duty claims.

  • May 07, 2026

    Live Nation Says Judge Should Decide Shooting Liability

    Live Nation asked a Washington state judge to bifurcate a lawsuit accusing the entertainment giant of failing to prevent a fatal shooting at the 2023 Beyond Wonderland music festival, arguing that it's up to the court to decide whether the company is liable and up to a jury to determine damages.

  • May 07, 2026

    Meta Says Section 230 Bars Wash. Driver's Viral Video Claims

    Meta moved Wednesday to exit a Washington state woman's lawsuit claiming she was maligned online after a secret dashcam video of her texting while driving went viral, contending Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act safeguards the social media giant from liability for posts on its Facebook and Instagram platforms.

  • May 07, 2026

    Judge Wants States To Outline Live Nation Antitrust Remedies

    A New York federal judge asked state enforcers on Thursday to outline the remedies they intend to seek from Live Nation, along with the discovery they expect to need, before deciding a schedule for the next steps in the antitrust case against the major live entertainment company.

  • May 07, 2026

    Bowlers Sue Lucky Strike Over 'Starbucks Of Bowling' Tactics

    Lucky Strike has been engaging in a yearslong anticompetitive scheme to acquire rival bowling alleys across the United States so it can drive up costs and increase its own profits, while diminishing the experience of bowlers, a group of customers has alleged.

  • May 06, 2026

    Amazon Sees What You See On Your Fire TV, Users Claim

    Amazon customers claimed in a proposed nationwide class action Wednesday that the e-commerce giant's Fire TV products illegally capture and analyze everything that users see and hear through their devices, including streamed content, personal photos and security camera streams.

  • May 06, 2026

    Calif. Tribe Can't Get ATF's Cigarette Sales Decision Tossed

    A Ninth Circuit panel determined Wednesday that federal tobacco regulators acted appropriately when placing the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians on a noncompliance list, concluding the tribe's remote cigarette sales to retailers of other tribes count as "off-reservation" activities covered by California state tax and licensing laws.

  • May 06, 2026

    Safeway Hit With Wash. Break Pay, OT Suit

    Safeway Inc. broke Washington state law by denying employees required meal and rest breaks and failing to adequately compensate them for missed or interrupted breaks, a former worker has claimed in a proposed class action filed in King County Superior Court.

  • May 06, 2026

    Igloo's Ads 'Uncool' But Not Unlawful, Split 9th Circ. Says

    It may have been "uncool" for ice chest company Igloo to wrongfully take credit for the first biodegradable cooler, but its claims are not unlawful under the Lanham Act, a split Ninth Circuit ruled Wednesday.

  • May 06, 2026

    Judge Questions OMB Justification For Voiding Grants

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Wednesday pushed back on arguments by the Trump administration that federal agency grants are subject to termination at any time based solely on a change in priorities — a situation, she suggested, that would essentially render any contracts with the government "illusory."

  • May 06, 2026

    Target Workers Fight Walking-Time Suit Dismissal Bid

    Target warehouse workers urged a Washington federal judge to reject the retailer's bid to dismiss a proposed class action claiming employees weren't paid for time spent walking inside a distribution center before and after shifts, arguing they plausibly alleged they were on duty during that time.

  • May 06, 2026

    High Court Rejects Apple's Bid To Pause App Store Ruling

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected Apple's request to pause a mandate in the case from Epic Games that directs a lower court to determine what commission Apple can charge developers for purchases made outside of its app store through links.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Pension Case Offers Entertainment Work Exception Insights

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    A recent Ninth Circuit decision clarified that any amount of entertainment work can satisfy the entertainment industry exception under the Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act, reinforcing that statutory language, rather than evolving business models, dictates withdrawal liability outcomes, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

  • Justices' Ruling Stresses Quick Action Against Absconders

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    Following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding in Rico v. U.S. that a supervised release term is not automatically extended when a defendant absconds, probation officers and prosecutors risk being unable to address later violations if they don't act promptly to secure warrants, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • How Cos. Can Navigate The Patchwork Of AI Safety Bills

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    In the first few months of 2026, state and federal lawmakers introduced hundreds of bills to address the perceived safety risks of artificial intelligence, so companies should assess whether existing or planned services could be scoped into AI safety legislation across jurisdictions, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

  • 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.

  • 6th Circ. Can Extend Insurance Valuation Clarity Beyond Auto

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    In rehearing Clippinger v. State Farm, the Sixth Circuit can align itself with the recent drumbeat of other circuits rejecting class certification of auto total loss claims and set standards that apply to similar claims brought under homeowners and other types of insurance policies, say attorneys at Jackson Walker.

  • 9th Circ. Ruling Clarifies Doc Protection Limits In Gov't Probes

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    The Ninth Circuit's recent decision in Kalbers v. U.S. Department of Justice confirms that Rule 6(e) provides robust protections when documents are in the government's possession only through a grand jury subpoena, emphasizing for companies the importance of careful labeling from the outset of an investigation, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • Spotlight On Legal Battles Over EEOC Subpoena Powers

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    Attorneys at Wilson Elser consider the spate of litigation over the past year, spurred by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s focus on alleged religious discrimination at universities, and corporate diversity, equity and inclusion practices, and how it may affect the attempts to assert privacy rights against the agency's broad subpoena powers.

  • Verdicts Signal Product Liability's Expansion To Digital Realm

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    Last week's landmark verdict in K.G.M. v. Meta Platforms Inc., along with other recent verdicts that apply product liability theories to online services that rely on algorithmic design and user engagement features, make it clear that companies must evaluate digital product design through a litigation lens, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • State Carbon Cost Disparities Are Pivotal In Data Center Siting

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    When choosing U.S. data center locations, developers must carefully consider the patchwork of state and regional carbon emission pricing regimes that are layered on top of the federal permitting framework, creating compliance cost differentials that could add up to billions of dollars, say attorneys at Davis Graham.

  • 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.

  • Keys To Federal Carbon Compliance In Data Center Siting

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    Recent statements from the White House and state governors about making data centers pay for their own power infrastructure have underlined the importance of choosing locations, generation technologies and deal structures to optimize carbon, permitting and compliance costs, say attorneys at Davis Graham.

  • Employment Cases Offer Arbitration Clause Drafting Lessons

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    Two recent federal court decisions granting employers' motions to compel arbitration highlight that companies can improve their chances of avoiding court by approaching arbitration clauses as a series of related drafting choices, anticipating disputes on the arbitral seat, hearing location and governing law, say attorneys at Krevolin Horst.

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