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Circuit-By-Circuit Guide To 2024's Most Memorable Moments

One judge said a litigant's position would cause "an effing nightmare," and another decried the legal community's silence amid "illegitimate aspersions." Public officials literally trashed one court's opinion, and fateful rulings dealt with controversial politicians, social media and decades of environmental policy. Those were just a few appellate highlights in 2024, a year teeming with memorable moments both substantive and sensational.
January 07, 2025
Wash. Panel Won't Boot Subway Wage Dispute To Arbitration

A Washington state appeals court declined to send to arbitration a former worker's suit accusing a Subway franchisee of failing to provide employees with meal breaks, despite a dissent finding that the worker's wage claims fall under an arbitration pact.
January 07, 2025
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Special Counsel Report

A Florida federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the publication of a report by special counsel Jack Smith regarding his two now-dismissed prosecutions of Donald Trump, after lawyers for the president-elect said Smith was trying to continue a political crusade now that he can no longer pursue criminal charges.
January 07, 2025
Calif. Panel Says Individual PAGA Claims Belong In Arbitration

An arbitration pact that the operator of a restaurant chain in California gave to a worker pushes his Private Attorneys General Act individual claims into arbitration, a state appeals panel ruled, partly flipping a trial court's decision.
January 07, 2025
BREAKING: Trump Can't Halt Sentencing In NY Case, Appeals Judge Says

A New York appellate judge Tuesday declined to freeze proceedings in Donald Trump's criminal hush money case, clearing the way for the president-elect to be sentenced as scheduled on Friday following his guilty verdict and just days before his inauguration.
January 06, 2025
9th Circ. Urged To Extend Freeze On Calif. Social Media Law

Tech trade group NetChoice is pressing the Ninth Circuit to stop California from beginning enforcement of a new social media addiction law on Feb. 1, arguing that the lower court "flouted" precedent when it refused to find that restricting minors' access to personalized feeds violates the First Amendment.
January 06, 2025
High Court Asked To Take Whistleblower Medical Device Row

A former Minerva Surgical Inc. sales representative who says he was mistreated after raising concerns about the safety of certain medical devices wants the U.S. Supreme Court to take up his challenge to an arbitration award given to his former employer in whistleblower proceedings.
January 06, 2025
Clemson, FSU Agreed To 'Sue And Be Sued' In NC, ACC Says

The Atlantic Coast Conference urged North Carolina's top court to allow its lawsuits over grant of rights contracts against Clemson and Florida State universities to stand, saying they can't be dismissed because the colleges agreed to "sue and be sued" as part of doing business in the Tar Heel State.
January 06, 2025
'Golden Rule' Claim Doesn't Fly In $7M Med Mal Verdict Appeal

A Pennsylvania appeals court affirmed a $7 million verdict in a suit accusing healthcare providers of failing to diagnose a man's rectal cancer, rejecting Monday the notion that the plaintiffs' counsel improperly invoked the "Golden Rule" by asking the jury to address a systemic failure.
January 06, 2025
Artist Tells Justices To Protect His 'Stupid Banana'

While a California artist acknowledged to the U.S. Supreme Court that his work of art was just "a stupid banana taped to a wall," he still thinks it deserves copyright protection after an appeals court ruled that it wasn't "strikingly similar" to a more famous banana taped to a wall that debuted at Art Basel Miami over a decade later.
January 06, 2025
NJ Justices Ponder 'Compactness' In Voter Map Dispute

The criteria for "compactness" was the focus of nearly four hours of argument Monday before the New Jersey Supreme Court regarding the question of whether new ward maps in the state's second-largest city were configured in violation of voters' civil rights.
January 06, 2025
Fed. Circ. Revives DEA Agent's Challenge To Promotion Denial

The Merit Systems Protection Board must reevaluate a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent's case alleging a promotion was unlawfully delayed because he took time off for military service, the Federal Circuit said Monday, ruling an administrative judge used the wrong standard to evaluate his claim.
January 06, 2025
5th Circ. Iffy On Humana, Blue Cross Allergy Meds Denials

A Fifth Circuit panel seemed poised Monday to side with an allergy services provider accusing insurance giants Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana of colluding to deny claims and drive the company out of the market.
January 06, 2025
Pa. Licensing Law For Vape-Makers Flawed, Panel Finds

Part of Pennsylvania's law regulating licenses for e-cigarette manufacturers is unconstitutional because it gives legislative power to the state's Department of Revenue, an appellate court has ruled in an issue of first impression.
January 06, 2025
Labcorp Loses Appeal Of Gene-Testing Patent In $372M Case

Labcorp, one of the world's largest chains of clinical lab providers, lost its appeal over a patent tied to a $372 million judgment it is facing in the Western District of Texas, after Federal Circuit judges on Monday upheld an administrative patent board ruling against it two years ago.
January 06, 2025
High Court Must Adopt New Voting Standard, Justices Told

Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen is asking the high court to adopt a standard to measure state courts' interpretations of law on the regulation of federal elections, arguing that the justices have an opportunity to correct an earlier opinion that says plaintiffs can challenge a state election map's constitutionality.
January 06, 2025
Judge Rejects Rape Kit Seller's 2nd Bid To Pause Wash. Ban

A Washington federal judge has denied a request for an injunction pending appeal by a company challenging the state's ban on the sale of "DIY" DNA collection kits for sexual assault survivors, reiterating his prior ruling that the law passes constitutional muster because it regulates conduct and not speech.
January 06, 2025
Pa. Paper Fights NLRB's 'Rare' Injunction Bid At 3rd Circ.

The publisher of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette challenged the National Labor Relations Board's "rare" injunction motion to make it bargain with a union and rescind unilateral changes to healthcare benefits, telling the Third Circuit that the newspaper lawfully asserted an impasse in talks.
January 06, 2025
Pa. Lawmaker's 'Defamatory' Memo Is Deemed Immune

Legislative immunity protects a Pennsylvania state senator from an energy executive's claims that he was defamed with a memo about legislation to close a legal loophole associated with his name, according to a ruling from a state appellate court.
January 06, 2025
DOD Tells DC Circ. It's Pondering New Time-In-Service Regs

The U.S. Department of Defense told the D.C. Circuit that litigation over its scrapped time-in-service requirements for immigrant soldiers to be eligible for naturalization is not moot, because it may issue new requirements — an assertion that soldiers who successfully challenged the policy panned.
January 06, 2025
Chamberlain Hrdlicka Says $700K Award Ignores Civil Rule

Chamberlain Hrdlicka White Williams & Aughtry is asking the Texas Supreme Court to review a $700,000 judgment in favor of a cost-cutting consulting firm, arguing the lower court failed to follow a procedural rule requiring specificity in directed verdict motions.
January 06, 2025
Pa. Panel Permits Stacked UIM Benefits Within Same Policy

A woman severely injured in a motorcycle accident is entitled to underinsured motorist coverage under the same policy that directly covered the motorcycle, the Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled, finding that because she held a separate policy providing underinsured benefits, stacking was permitted under the former policy.
January 06, 2025
DOJ Backs Later 30-Day Window For Removal Appeals

The federal government told the U.S. Supreme Court that a 30-day deadline for noncitizens to challenge removal orders only applies for purposes of judicial review when proceedings in lower tribunals conclude, not when the initial removal orders are issued.
January 06, 2025
Frontier Tests DC Airport Slot Exemptions At DC Circ.

Frontier Airlines Inc. is contesting a decision from federal transportation regulators to exclude the budget carrier from a list of airlines allowed to operate new long-distance flights out of Reagan National Airport, just outside Washington, D.C.
January 06, 2025
7th Circ. Denies Polish Migrant's Removal Appeal Over DUI

A Seventh Circuit panel unanimously rejected a Polish national's attempt to change her immigration status to that of a permanent resident following a 2005 aggravated DUI conviction, saying the Immigration and Nationality Act strips it from reviewing such discretionary determinations.
January 06, 2025
Ex-NFL Pro Abandons 5th Circ. Bid To Renew Benefits Suit

Former Denver Broncos fullback Detron Smith has dropped his Fifth Circuit appeal of a ruling that denied his bid to receive full disability benefits, days before arguments were set in the case.

Editor's Picks

12 Lawyers Who Are The Future Of The Supreme Court Bar

One attorney hasn't lost a single U.S. Supreme Court case she's argued, or even a single justice's vote. One attorney is perhaps "the preeminent SCOTUS advocate." And one may soon become U.S. solicitor general, despite acknowledging there are "judges out there who don't like me." All three are among a dozen lawyers in the vanguard of the Supreme Court bar's next generation, poised to follow in the footsteps of the bar's current icons.
How Reshaped Circuit Courts Are Faring At The High Court

Seminal rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court's latest term will reshape many facets of American society in the coming years. Already, however, the rulings offer glimpses of how the justices view specific circuit courts, which have themselves been reshaped by an abundance of new judges.
Law360's Guide To Biden's Judicial Picks

UPDATED December 20, 2024 | President Joe Biden is shaping the federal judiciary by adding to the courts' professional and demographic diversity — a sharp break from former President Donald Trump, who made the judiciary more homogeneous as the judges confirmed under him were 84% white and 76% male.

Expert Analysis

Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.
Lessons Learned From 2024's Top FMLA Decisions

Last year's major litigation related to the Family and Medical Leave Act underscores why it is critical for employers to understand the basics of when leave and accommodations are required, say attorneys at Dechert.
5th Circ.'s Nasdaq Ruling Another Piece In DEI Policy Puzzle

The Fifth Circuit's recent en banc opinion vacating Nasdaq's board diversity listing rule wades into the hotly debated topic of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at a time when many public companies are navigating the attention that DEI commitments are drawing from activists and shareholders, say attorneys at Debevoise.
Lessons Learned From 2024's Top ADA Decisions

Last year's major litigation related to the Americans with Disabilities Act highlights that when dealing with accommodation requests, employers must communicate clearly, appreciate context and remain flexible in addressing needs, say attorneys at Dechert.
Series

Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.
The 6 Most Significant FCRA Litigation Developments Of 2024

From a key sovereign immunity decision at the U.S. Supreme Court to a ruling on creditworthiness out of the Seventh Circuit, several important Fair Credit Reporting Act cases wound their way through the courts in 2024, each offering takeaways for both plaintiffs and defendants, say attorneys at Shipkevich.
Fed. Circ. In December: A Patent Prosecution History Lesson

Despite relying on two rock-solid principles of patent law, DDR lost its Federal Circuit case against Priceline.com, highlighting how a change in the scope of the invention from the provisional to the nonprovisional application can affect the court's analysis of how a skilled artisan would understand claim terms after reading the prosecution history, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.
An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.
The Securities Litigation Trends That Will Matter Most In 2025

2025 is shaping up to be a significant year for securities litigation, as plaintiffs and defendants alike navigate shifting standards for omission theories of liability, class certification, risk disclosure claims and more, say attorneys at Willkie.
What To Watch For In The 2025 Benefits Landscape

While planning for 2025, retirement plan sponsors and service providers should set their focus on phased implementation deadlines under both Secure 1.0 and 2.0, an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and the fate of several U.S. Department of Labor regulations, says Allie Itami at Lathrop GPM.
Reviewing 2024's Crucial Patent Law Developments

As 2024 draws to a close, significant rulings and policies aimed at modernizing long-standing legal practices or addressing emerging challenges have reached patent law, says Michael Ellenberger at Rothwell Figg.
Contract Disputes Recap: Adjustments, Preclusion, Waivers

Ken Kanzawa at Seyfarth examines three recent decisions from the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals that examine distinctions between requests for equitable adjustments and claims, forum selection and res judicata, and the waiver of penalties for expressly unallowable costs.
The Justices' Securities Rulings, Dismissals That Defined '24

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 securities rulings led to increased success for defendants' price impact arguments, but the justices' decisions not to weigh in on important issues relating to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's pleading requirements may be just as significant, say attorneys at Skadden.
10 Noteworthy CFPB Developments From 2024

In a banner year for consumer finance regulation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau made significant strides in its efforts to rein in Big Tech and nonbank financial firms, including via rules regarding open banking, credit card late fees, and buy now, pay later products, say attorneys at Wiley.
Series

Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.