Washington

  • August 26, 2025

    Google Backers Cite Security, Competition To 9th Circ.

    Trade groups, cybersecurity experts, think tanks and others backed Google with proposed Ninth Circuit amicus briefs arguing that an order affirmed by an appeals panel opening up the Play Store will upend competition and endanger security.

  • August 26, 2025

    USDOT Threatens States With Funding Cuts Over Truck Safety

    The U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday threatened to withhold funds from California, Washington and New Mexico over their apparent failures to enforce federal mandates that all commercial truck drivers be proficient in the English language.

  • August 26, 2025

    Wash. Panel Nixes $5.5M Judgment In Asbestos Cancer Suit

    A Washington appeals panel has thrown out a $5.5 million judgment against Hardie-Tynes Co. Inc. in a suit alleging its predecessor's products contained asbestos that gave a former Navy worker mesothelioma, saying there's no successor liability where the new company did not make products containing the same dangerous substance.

  • August 26, 2025

    Blacklist Suit Blocked By Illegal Biz Ties, Justices Told

    LegitScript has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene against the Ninth Circuit's decision to make it face PharmacyChecker.com's antitrust blacklisting claims, arguing the lower court rulings wrongly allow PharmacyChecker to sue to protect a business focused on facilitating the illegal importation of drugs.

  • August 26, 2025

    Anthropic, Authors Reach Deal In AI Copyright Cases

    Artificial intelligence developer Anthropic said Tuesday it has inked a deal to end copyright litigation from authors who allege that their works were illegally obtained to train the company's large language model, Claude.

  • August 26, 2025

    Clause Not Unconscionable In Jet Damage Row, 9th Circ. Says

    A "limitation of liability" provision that an aircraft services company used in a "landing card" agreement for arriving aircraft wasn't unconscionable under Nevada law, the Ninth Circuit ruled, siding against an insurer demanding that the company reimburse it for damage to a private jet stored at a Las Vegas airport.

  • August 26, 2025

    Wash. Cities Settle Yacht Club's Clean Water Act Suit

    Two Washington cities have tentatively settled a yacht club's federal lawsuit claiming the municipalities muddied the waters of its marina by failing to maintain critical stormwater infrastructure and allowing the discharge of silt-laden runoff.

  • August 26, 2025

    Littler Adds Former NLRB Atty, Corporate Counsel In Seattle

    Littler Mendelson PC has brought on a former National Labor Relations Board attorney and corporate labor counsel as a shareholder in its Seattle office, the firm announced.

  • August 25, 2025

    Trump Admin Agrees To Release Frozen Education Funds

    The Trump administration has agreed to release to a coalition of states the full balance of some $6.8 billion in congressionally appropriated educational program funding, the parties told a Rhode Island federal judge Monday, a little more than a month after the states challenged the funding freeze.

  • August 25, 2025

    Eli Lilly Settles Feud With Clinics Over TM Infringement

    Eli Lilly & Co. has come to terms with two clinics that it sued in Washington federal court for trademark infringement after accusing them of tricking customers into thinking they were buying brand name versions of weight loss medications Mounjaro and Zepbound.

  • August 25, 2025

    9th Circ. Will Hear New Args In $1.3B India Award Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Monday agreed to consider issues left open by the U.S. Supreme Court following its decision earlier this year to revive an Indian satellite communications company's bid to enforce a decade-old $1.3 billion arbitral award against India.

  • August 25, 2025

    Nationstar Loan Payoff Statement Fees OK'd By Wash. Judge

    A Washington federal judge has sided with Nationstar in a proposed class action alleging illegal fees, recognizing the home loan servicer is allowed to charge a "reasonable fee" for expedited delivery of a loan payoff statement upon request.

  • August 25, 2025

    Washington Judge OKs Tenant Class Challenging Lease Terms

    A Washington federal judge certified a class of Washington tenants accusing a landlord for more than 700 U.S. residential properties of having lease provisions, such as service fees, that violate state law.

  • August 25, 2025

    Unions Urge 9th Circ. To Uphold Order Halting Bargaining EO

    The American Federation of Government Employees and other unions defended a lower court injunction halting several federal agencies from enforcing an executive order focused on eliminating labor contracts covering agencies that have "national security" aims, arguing the president's directive was retaliatory.

  • August 25, 2025

    Wash. Judge Clears Feds In Navy Vet's VA Negligence Suit

    A Washington federal judge said Monday that the federal government is not liable for medical malpractice in a U.S. Navy veteran's case blaming a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs psychiatrist for her December 2011 psychotic episode that turned violent, finding the doctor made no missteps when treating her in the weeks before the incident.

  • August 25, 2025

    Texas Wants To Back Trump In Calif. Vehicle Waiver Fight

    Texas has told a federal court that California shouldn't be allowed to adopt vehicle emissions standards that are stricter than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's because other states essentially have to go along with them even if they disagree.

  • August 25, 2025

    Fortive To Pay $3M To Settle Data Breach Suits

    Tech firm Fortive Corp. will pay $3 million to end a class action involving tens of thousands of people whose information was exposed through two ransomware attacks in 2023, according to a settlement agreement given the nod by a Washington federal judge.

  • August 25, 2025

    Epic's 9th Circ. Case Against Apple Draws Amicus Support

    Epic Games has received backing from state enforcers, Microsoft, Spotify and others as the Fortnite developer opposes Apple's Ninth Circuit appeal challenging an order blocking commissions on purchases made outside of Apple's own app payment system.

  • August 25, 2025

    Feds, Wind Farm Backers Duel For Wins In Permitting Fight

    As the Trump administration moves to halt work on multiple offshore wind projects, the government and wind farm backers have blasted each other's bids for quick wins in litigation challenging the stoppage of all federal reviews of wind projects.

  • August 22, 2025

    DOJ Investigation Of NY AG Condemned By AGs Of 21 States

    A coalition of 21 attorneys general Friday issued an open letter saying the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating New York Attorney General Letitia James and condemning the probe as political payback for the financial fraud claims she pursued against President Donald Trump and his New York-based businesses.

  • August 22, 2025

    9th Circ. Blocks Meta's MDL Discovery Against State Agencies

    The Ninth Circuit blocked an order requiring California's attorney general and third-party state agencies to respond to Meta's discovery demands in multidistrict litigation concerning the company's allegedly addictive designs, ruling Friday the attorney general isn't deemed to possess or control the state agencies' records and Meta must obtain them through subpoenas.

  • August 22, 2025

    Boeing Fights Disability Bias Suit Over Ratification Bonus

    A Washington state court should toss allegations that Boeing violated anti-discrimination law by excluding workers on long-term disability leave from a $12,000 contract ratification bonus, the aerospace giant argued, calling the proposed class action claims preempted by Section 301 of the Labor-Management Relations Act.

  • August 22, 2025

    Valve Says Users Can't Arbitrate After It Axed Gamer Clause

    Valve is urging a Washington federal judge to block around 600 users of its video game platform from pursuing arbitration of consumer protection claims, saying the company nixed an arbitration clause from its subscriber agreement after a plaintiffs' attorney abused the previous terms.  

  • August 22, 2025

    Startup Accelerator Backs Epic In Apple Case At 9th Circ.

    Startup accelerator Y Combinator is backing Epic Games as Apple asks the Ninth Circuit to nix an order blocking it from charging commissions on app purchases made outside its payment system, telling the appeals court Apple "blatantly violated" a previous order.

  • August 22, 2025

    Bank Must Produce Records On Prepaid Debit Card Program

    Former inmates accusing Central Bank of Kansas City of charging excessive fees on prepaid debit cards will be allowed to access certain records maintained by the financial service contractors the bank used to administer the cards, a Washington federal magistrate judge determined.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Coaching Little League Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While coaching poorly played Little League Baseball early in the morning doesn't sound like a good time, I love it — and the experience has taught me valuable lessons about imperfection, compassion and acceptance that have helped me grow as a person and as a lawyer, says Alex Barnett at DiCello Levitt.

  • 5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2025

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    Lawyers and their clients must be prepared to navigate an evolving litigation funding market in 2025, made more complicated by a new administration and the increasing overall cost of litigation, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.

  • Predicting Where State AGs Will Direct Their Attention In 2025

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    In 2025, we expect state attorneys general will navigate a new presidential administration while continuing to further regulate and police financial services, artificial intelligence, junk fees and antitrust, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • A Look At Sweepstakes Casinos' Legal Issues In Fla., Beyond

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    Scheduled for trial in Florida federal court this fall, the VGW sweepstakes case underscores the growing urgency for gambling states to clarify and enforce their laws in response to emerging online gaming models, as the expansion of sweepstakes casinos challenges traditional interpretations of gambling regulations, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Rethinking Litigation Risk And What It Really Means To Win

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    Attorneys have a tendency to overestimate litigation risk before summary judgment and underestimate risk after it, but an eight-stage litigation framework can clarify risk at different points and help litigators reassess what true success looks like in any particular case, says Joshua Libling at Arcadia Finance.

  • Mass Arbitration Procedures After Faulty Live Nation Ruling

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    Despite the Ninth Circuit's flawed reasoning in Heckman v. Live Nation, the exceptional allegations of collusive conduct shouldn't be read to restrict arbitration providers that have adopted good faith procedures to ensure that consumer mass arbitrations can be efficiently resolved on the merits, says Collin Vierra at Eimer Stahl.

  • Series

    Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Looking Back At 2024's Noteworthy State AG Litigation

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    State attorneys general across the U.S. took bold steps in 2024 to address unlawful activities by corporations in several areas, including privacy and data security, financial transparency, children's internet safety, and other overall consumer protection claims, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

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    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

  • Top 10 Noncompete Developments Of 2024

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    Following an eventful year in noncompete law at both state and federal levels, employers can no longer rely on a court's willingness to blue-pencil overbroad agreements and are proceeding at their own peril if they do not thoughtfully review and carefully enforce such agreements, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • 5 Advertising Law Trends To Watch In 2025

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    Although advertisers are encouraged by the incoming Trump administration's focus on deregulation, this year could feel like wading through uncharted waters, and decreased federal government regulation may mean increased state regulation, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2025 And Beyond

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    In the year to come, e-discovery will be shaped by new and emerging trends, from the adoption of artificial intelligence provisions in protective orders, to the proliferation of emojis as a source of evidence in contemporary litigation, say attorneys at Littler.

  • 7 Ways 2nd Trump Administration May Affect Partner Hiring

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    President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House will likely have a number of downstream effects on partner hiring in the legal industry, from accelerated hiring timelines to increased vetting of prospective employees, say recruiters at Macrae.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Custodian Selection

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    Several recent rulings make clear that the proportionality of additional proposed custodians will depend on whether the custodians have unique relevant documents, and producing parties should consider whether information already in the record will show that they have relevant documents that otherwise might not be produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • When Judging Product Label Claims, Follow The Asterisk

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    A recurring question in false advertising class actions is whether misleading or ambiguous statements on a product's front label can be cured by information on the back label — but recent decisions from the Ninth Circuit suggest that a front-label asterisk can help alert consumers to seek further clarification, say attorneys at Hunton.

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