Aerospace & Defense

  • June 05, 2024

    Federal Judges Facing Scrutiny For Clerk-Hiring Boycotts

    The federal judiciary must take a look at its judges' hiring practices in the wake of some jurists' public refusal to hire students from certain law schools over on-campus political activity over the Israel-Hamas war, a nonprofit government watchdog said Wednesday.

  • June 05, 2024

    'Miracle Worker': Menendez's Wife Was Given New Car, Jurors Told

    U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's wife received a $67,000 Mercedes-Benz convertible thanks to the efforts of two of the congressman's associates, one of whom she called a "miracle worker," jurors heard Wednesday in the government's bribery case in New York federal court.

  • June 04, 2024

    House DHS Budget Bill Takes Aim At Biden Priorities

    The House Appropriations Committee released a $64.8 billion funding bill for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for next fiscal year, with a bevy of priorities and policy riders aimed at countering or undoing Biden administration immigration priorities.

  • June 04, 2024

    DOD, Supplier End Long-Running Dispute Over $8B Food Deal

    The Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals has tossed all remaining claims in a long-running dispute over Supreme Foodservice GmbH's roughly $8 billion contract to provide food to U.S. troops, after the company and the Defense Logistics Agency jointly agreed to end the case.

  • June 04, 2024

    Pharma Cos. Tell Justices Feds Support Remanding Terror Suit

    Pharmaceutical companies urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to heed the federal government's suggestion to throw out a D.C. Circuit ruling holding them potentially liable for allegedly financing terror attacks against U.S. servicemembers through contracts with the Iraqi government.

  • June 04, 2024

    Northrop Fights Retirees' 9th Circ. Bid For New Judge

    Northrop Grumman has asked the Ninth Circuit to keep a proposed ERISA class action in U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II's courtroom, arguing it would be inappropriate to accept the retirees' bid to move the case before a different judge after two appellate court panels overturned Judge Wright's previous dismissals in the matter.

  • June 04, 2024

    Garland Defends DOJ Integrity, Demurs On Justices' Ethics

    Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday defended the Department of Justice's independence, deflecting questions about ethics scandals at the U.S. Supreme Court and rejecting Donald Trump's "conspiracy theory" that federal prosecutors were the real force behind his recent conviction.

  • June 04, 2024

    White House Threatens Veto Over Policy Riders In VA Bill

    The White House has threatened to veto a $147.5 billion bill funding military construction and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, citing partisan policy proposals it said would harm minority groups and risk patient safety at VA medical facilities.

  • June 04, 2024

    Alaska Airlines Passengers Drop Boeing 737 Blowout Suit

    A group of passengers has agreed to drop claims against The Boeing Co., supplier Spirit AeroSystems and Alaska Airlines over the Jan. 5 mid-flight door plug blowout on a Boeing 737, according to a stipulated dismissal notice filed in Washington state court.

  • June 04, 2024

    Aircraft Engine Co. Aims To Sink Suit Of Its Former Attorney

    An aircraft engine manufacturer sued by its former attorney over what she said was a malicious lawsuit against her for leaving to represent plaintiffs suing the company has asked a federal judge to toss her Dragonetti Act case.

  • June 03, 2024

    Defense Cos. Seek Looser Export Controls In AUKUS Rule

    Defense companies and industry groups have urged the State Department to expand export licensing exemptions included in a proposed rule intended to help implement the AUKUS agreement or risk undermining the intent of the trilateral defense cooperation deal.

  • June 03, 2024

    IT Co. Says Blank Space Wrongly Cost It $10B Army Deal

    An Ohio information technology company urged the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to have the U.S. Army reinstate its eligibility for a pending $10 billion U.S. Army procurement, saying it shouldn't have been booted for an empty pricing spreadsheet cell.

  • June 03, 2024

    No Sanctions For 'Fraudulent' Signatures In 3M Earplug MDL

    A Florida federal judge has decided against sanctioning two law firms that signed documents in place of their clients but chastised their lawyers' "obviously improper" act, which could have cut their clients out of their share of the $6 billion settlement in the 3M combat earplugs multidistrict litigation.

  • June 03, 2024

    Ex-Official Says Menendez Sparked Fear Of Ag Industry 'Harm'

    A former U.S. Department of Agriculture official conceded under cross-examination Monday that a phone call he received from U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez about an acquaintance's certification business for meat exported to Egypt was like dozens he received from lawmakers advocating for their constituents, but he said it still left him worried for the industry. 

  • June 03, 2024

    Sens. Say DOD Risks Security With Reliance On Microsoft

    Lawmakers told the U.S. Department of Defense that they want information on a reported plan to require an expensive Microsoft software upgrade for department components, expressing concern the Pentagon will risk security by increasing dependence on the technology company.

  • May 31, 2024

    Judge Axes Class Claims In Navy Federal Discrimination Suit

    A Virginia federal judge has cut claims and denied class certification in a suit accusing Navy Federal Credit Union of racial lending discrimination, saying the statistical evidence from media reports does not establish intentional discrimination.

  • May 31, 2024

    Intelsat Worries Over Reg Fee Spike For FCC Space Bureau

    Satellite network provider Intelsat is calling on the Federal Communications Commission to slow down with fee increases for its new Space Bureau, telling the commission in a series of meetings that rate changes proposed in March would bring about massive hikes for the industry.

  • May 31, 2024

    Ex-GOP Candidate Sues Air Force Over Records Disclosure

    A former Republican U.S. House candidate alleged in a new lawsuit in D.C. federal court that the U.S. Department of the Air Force illegally disclosed her confidential military records to a Democratic-linked research firm in the run-up to election day, contending the disclosure violated the federal Privacy Act.

  • May 31, 2024

    Former Navy Vice Chief Indicted On Bribery Charges

    Retired U.S. Navy Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Robert Burke and the co-CEOs of a Navy contractor, Yongchul "Charlie" Kim and Meghan Messenger, have been indicted over an alleged bribery scheme to steer contracts to the executives' company, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.

  • May 31, 2024

    Mountain Of Messages Dominates Week 2 In Menendez Trial

    The wife of U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez asked her "handsome senator" husband for a favor that allegedly furthered a bribery scheme, coached him on what to say to Egyptian officials, and let an attorney use her phone to make a deal with him, jurors learned during the second week of trial in the government's corruption case.

  • May 31, 2024

    Gov't Contracts Of The Month: Health, Spacecraft And Bombs

    The U.S. Defense Health Agency unveiled contracts worth tens of billions of dollars in May, including a scrutinized $43 billion medical staffing vehicle, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration added $6 billion to a spacecraft deal. Here, Law360 looks at some of the most noteworthy government contracts over the last month.

  • May 30, 2024

    Jury Awards Electric Jet Startup $72M In Boeing IP Case

    A Washington federal jury said Thursday that The Boeing Co. should pay Zunum Aero Inc. $72 million for misappropriating the electric jet startup's trade secrets and souring a deal with a potential investor, in an award partially subject to trebling under state law.

  • May 30, 2024

    FAA Caps 737 Max Production Amid Boeing Safety Plan Fixes

    The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday it will continue to limit Boeing's production of 737 Max jets as the company presses ahead with overhauling its safety culture under an FAA-mandated corrective action plan following January's midair blowout aboard an Alaska Airlines flight.

  • May 30, 2024

    Judge Finds US Owns Fla. Island In Long-Running Dispute

    A federal judge ruled that the government owns a vacant island off the harbor of Key West, Florida, in rejecting a developer's long-running claim to title, finding that the U.S. Navy has used the site as a buffer from forces such as hurricanes and private development.

  • May 30, 2024

    Judge Exits Military Families' Suit Over Fatal Osprey Crash

    A California federal judge recused himself from the wrongful death lawsuit launched by the families of the U.S. Marines killed when a Bell-Boeing-made V-22 Osprey went down, a recent court filing shows.

Expert Analysis

  • Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories

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    The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.

  • Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Mexico

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    ESG has yet to become part of the DNA of the Mexican business model, but huge strides are being made in that direction, as more stakeholders demand that companies adopt, at the least, a modicum of sustainability commitments and demonstrate how they will meet them, says Carlos Escoto at Galicia Abogados.

  • Key Takeaways From DOJ's Recent FARA Advisory Opinions

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    The U.S. Department of Justice recently published several redacted advisory opinions on the Foreign Agents Registration Act, clarifying its current thinking on when a person or entity is required to register as a foreign agent under the statute, and when they may qualify for an exemption, says Tessa Capeloto at Wiley Rein.

  • The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms

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    In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

  • Contracts Disputes Recap: Be Mindful Of Termination Clauses

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    Edward Arnold and Sarah Barney at Seyfarth examine three recent rulings — one from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and two from the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals — that highlight the termination clause as one of the most potent remedy-granting contract clauses.

  • Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary

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    The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Best Practices For Defense Tech Startup Financing

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    Navigating the expanding and highly regulated defense technology sector requires careful planning and execution, starting at incorporation, so startups should prepare for foreign investor issues, choose their funding wisely and manage their funds carefully, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier

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    Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Looking For Defense Contract Appeal Trends In Annual Report

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    A deep dive into the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals annual report for the 2023 fiscal year reveals increases in the number of cases filed, pending motions and expedited or accelerated cases, while the board disposed of fewer cases than in prior fiscal years, say Scott Flesch and Alexandra Prime at Miller & Chevalier.

  • A Closer Look At The Sen. Menendez Indictment

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    Attorneys at Dowd Bennett analyze the latest charges filed against Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and four co-defendants — from bribery to acting as a foreign agent — potential defenses that may be mounted, and broader lessons for white collar attorneys.

  • Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

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    As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.

  • Deal Over Jets Stranded In Russia May Serve As Blueprint

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    In the face of a pending "mega-trial" over leased airplanes held in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, a settlement between leading aviation lessor AerCap Holdings NV and NSK, the Russian state-controlled insurance company, could pave the way for similar deals, say Samantha Zaozirny and Timeyin Pinnick at Browne Jacobson.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: South Korea

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    Numerous ESG trends have materialized in South Korea in the past three years, with impacts ranging from greenwashing prevention and carbon neutrality measures to workplace harassment and board diversity initiatives, say Chang Wook Min and Hyun Chan Jung at Jipyong.

  • SolarWinds Ushers In New Era Of SEC Cyber Enforcement

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent lawsuit against software company SolarWinds Corp. and its chief information security officer is the first time the SEC has ever filed suit over scienter-based fraud involving cybersecurity failures, illustrating that both companies and CISOs need to be extra cautious in how they describe their cybersecurity practices, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

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