Commercial Contracts

  • April 16, 2025

    AT&T Gets $450M 'Twinning' Patent Suit Tossed Again

    A New York federal judge has held that it is only fitting that she rule twice on a motion to dismiss a $450 million patent lawsuit against AT&T over so-called twinning phone technology, deciding yet again that the patent is not inventive enough to be worth anything.

  • April 16, 2025

    Mont. Tribes Want DOI To Come Through With Police Funding

    Two Montana tribes have told a federal judge in the state that the U.S. Department of the Interior has frozen their law enforcement budget at what it was 28 years ago and that now the government owes the tribes millions of dollars.

  • April 16, 2025

    Texas Oil Cos. Seek Pass-Through Pollution Claims Coverage

    Oil and gas companies told a Texas federal court on Wednesday that their insurer must pay to defend them against pass-through claims in connection with underlying pollution lawsuits thanks to a purchase and sale agreement they entered into with another company.

  • April 16, 2025

    Ex-Twitter Worker Can't Add Claims To Age Bias Suit

    A former Twitter employee leading a conditionally certified collective action on behalf of his fellow workers aged 50 and older who were fired after Elon Musk took over the company cannot amend the complaint to add new claims, a California federal judge ruled Tuesday.

  • April 16, 2025

    Auto Supply Chain Tariffs Chart Tricky Compliance Landscape

    The compliance landmines created by the Trump administration's sweeping new tariffs have sparked a scramble among the automotive supply chain to renegotiate contracts and stockpile inventory to blunt the financial impacts in the short term, but long-term strategies are still being ironed out, experts say.

  • April 16, 2025

    Cannabis Co. Drops Back Taxes Case Against 2 Payroll Firms

    A Washington cannabis company has dropped claims against a pair of payroll services providers accused of leaving the cannabis company with a $172,500 tax bill after failing to pay the Internal Revenue Service on its behalf.

  • April 16, 2025

    9th Circ. Won't Revive Ex-Beach Boy Guitarist's Royalty Fight

    The Ninth Circuit refused to reinstate a former Beach Boys guitarist's suit that sought to revoke his royalty agreements with Universal Music Group since they were based on physical record sales and didn't contemplate the evolution of digital streaming, ruling Wednesday the contracts only paid for physical record sale royalties.

  • April 16, 2025

    Colo. Lawyer Says Disbarred Atty Won't Give Settlement Info

    A Colorado firm that agreed to take over a case from a disbarred attorney has sued her and the client, accusing them of refusing to state how much he is owed from a confidential settlement that ended the underlying employment case.

  • April 16, 2025

    Justices Urged To Deny Insurers' Tribal Jurisdiction Challenge

    The Suquamish Tribe told the U.S. Supreme Court it shouldn't hear a group of insurers' bid to litigate COVID-19-related property insurance claims outside tribal court, arguing the Ninth Circuit correctly held that the insurers' coverage of tribal property sufficiently established tribal jurisdiction.

  • April 16, 2025

    Mass. High Court Revives BU Contract Suit Against Architect

    Massachusetts' highest court ruled Wednesday that a six-year limit on tort claims due to design defects in a construction project under a Boston University athletic field doesn't apply to a contract dispute between the school and an architectural firm that explicitly agreed to cover such costs.

  • April 16, 2025

    Greek IT Co.'s Suit Over Leaked Patent Info Gets Tossed

    A New York federal judge has tossed a Greece-based technology company's suit alleging Ladas & Parry LLP sent proprietary information to a third party while the company had an attorney-client agreement with the firm.

  • April 16, 2025

    Locke Lord Escapes Refinery's Suit Over $2.5M Loss

    A New Jersey state appeals court said Wednesday Locke Lord LLP's office in the state isn't a strong enough tie to establish jurisdiction in an oil company's legal malpractice suit over the company's $2.5 million loss connected to a North Dakota refinery project.

  • April 16, 2025

    Google's $100M AdWords Deal Gets Initial Approval

    A California federal judge said Wednesday he'll preliminarily approve Google's $100 million settlement that would resolve advertisers' long-running certified class action alleging the tech giant overcharged for advertisements through its AdWords service, saying the 14-year-old litigation was hard fought, but the settlement appears to be fair.

  • April 16, 2025

    Jack Nicklaus Granted $1M In Damages After NIL Win

    Jack Nicklaus was granted $1 million Wednesday by a New York state court judge for damages incurred as a result of a preliminary injunction that prevented the golf legend from signing new commercial deals during now-dismissed litigation over the use of his name, image and likeness.

  • April 16, 2025

    UnitedHealthcare Owes $1M Medicare Shortfall, Hospital Says

    UnitedHealthcare owes Connecticut's Danbury Hospital more than $1 million after bungling local Medicare Advantage cost calculations and refusing to correct its payment errors after the hospital provided notice of the problem, the healthcare facility alleged in a state court lawsuit.

  • April 15, 2025

    Biogen, Genentech Head To June Trial Over MS Drug Royalties

    A California federal judge on Tuesday denied Biogen's bid for summary judgment in a high-stakes contract fight with Roche Holding AG subsidiary Genentech over patent royalties on multiple sclerosis drug sales, saying during a hearing that there's a material dispute over the contract's language and the case will be tried in June.

  • April 15, 2025

    Google Failed To Pay $2M In Commissions, Ex-Sales Rep Says

    A former Google Cloud unit salesperson alleged the company blocked him from receiving $2 million in commissions after he landed a $35 million contract with Otis Elevator and fired him while he underwent cancer treatment to avoid paying out nearly $3 million in life insurance benefits.

  • April 15, 2025

    9th Circ. Nixes JustAnswer Arbitration Bid In Membership Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday denied website JustAnswer's bid to force into arbitration a putative class action accusing it of trapping customers into expensive subscriptions, ruling that no contract requiring arbitration was formed between JustAnswer and individuals who were allegedly roped into recurring subscriptions costing up to $60 per month.

  • April 15, 2025

    Seller Of NC Concrete Co. Cements Midtrial Victory

    A North Carolina federal judge has cut short a jury trial in which the former owner of a concrete business in the state was accused of manipulating financial records to sell her company, siding with the defense in a directed verdict after the plaintiffs rested.

  • April 15, 2025

    Expeditors' IT Shutdown Suit Nudged Toward Mediation

    A Washington federal judge said Tuesday a sporting gear company's cybersecurity claims against a logistics contractor will likely survive, but suggested the parties try mediation instead of going straight to trial because it will be "next to impossible" for jurors to set aside their preconceived notions about the internet.

  • April 15, 2025

    Apple Sued By Wash. IPhone Buyers Over Missing Repair Info

    Apple Inc. "deceptively" omits information on its iPhone packaging that's required under Washington state law, including warranty terms and the costs to repair the phone, according to a proposed consumer class action filed in California federal court.

  • April 15, 2025

    Japan Orders Google To Stop Android Licensing Practice

    Japan's competition enforcer became the latest global authority to take on Google's Android licensing practices Tuesday, ordering the search giant to stop requiring phone manufacturers and mobile carriers to preinstall its apps on their devices.

  • April 15, 2025

    Meta Used Pirated Data To Evaluate Licensing, Authors Say

    A group of bestselling authors accusing Meta Platforms of copyright infringement allege the tech company downloaded databases with millions of pirated books not just to train its large language models, called Llama, but also to see whether it could develop them without licensing content, according to a newly unredacted summary judgment motion.

  • April 15, 2025

    Kinder Morgan Must Face $100M Texas Storm Billing Dispute

    A Texas state appeals court said Tuesday that Kinder Morgan must face a suit over $100 million in invoices stemming from a February 2021 winter storm that caused a power crisis in the state, finding that the company hadn't shown it was forced to reduce gas supplied to a customer at the height of the storm.

  • April 15, 2025

    Financial Adviser Fights Ex-Employer's Bid To Pierce Privilege

    A financial adviser accused of stealing clients by his ex-employer Wealth Enhancement Group LLC has urged a Connecticut state judge to reject the company's bid to get his communications with legal counsel at Spencer Fane LLP, saying it relies on an "expansive and unfounded reading" of the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege.

Expert Analysis

  • Likely Doomed CFPB Contract Rule Still Has Industry Pointers

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    While the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's January proposal on consumer financial contract provisions is unlikely to be finalized under the new administration, its provisions are important for industry to recognize, particularly if state attorneys general decide to take up the enforcement mantle, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

  • Imagine The Possibilities Of Openly Autistic Lawyering

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    Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law, who was diagnosed with autism about midway through her career, discusses how the legal profession can create inclusive workplaces that empower openly autistic lawyers and enhance innovation, and how neurodivergent attorneys can navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with disclosing one’s diagnosis.

  • What To Expect From Trump's Deputy Labor Secretary Pick

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    President Donald Trump's nominee for deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, Keith Sonderling, has a track record of prioritizing clear guidance on both traditional and cutting-edge issues, which can provide insight into what employers can expect from his leadership, say attorneys at Littler.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

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    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

  • Gas Contract Fight Holds Lessons On Force Majeure Clauses

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    Ongoing litigation over gas deliveries during Winter Storm Uri underscores the need for precision and foresight when negotiating force majeure clauses in contracts — particularly in the energy sector, where climate-related disruptions and market volatility are inevitable, but often unpredictable, say attorneys at Spencer Fane.

  • Art Fraud Cases Highlight Importance Of Due Diligence

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    Recent high-profile art fraud cases provide a helpful reminder that a healthy skepticism can prevent prospective buyers from becoming victims, and that lawyers can take steps to help safeguard their clients, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • Series

    Adventure Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Photographing nature everywhere from Siberia to Cuba and Iceland to Rwanda provides me with a constant reminder to refresh, refocus and rethink the legal issues that my clients face, says Richard Birmingham at Davis Wright.

  • A Deep Dive Into Singapore's New Int'l Arbitration Rules

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    The latest revisions to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre's rules, effective as of Jan. 1, contain numerous innovative and industry-leading updates, including new rules on coordinated and emergency procedures, and third-party funding, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • What Vinyl Acetate's Prop 65 Listing Means For Cos.

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    California's recent move to add vinyl acetate to the Proposition 65 list of carcinogens, with enforcement starting later this year, will have sweeping compliance and risk implications for businesses in the retail, food and beverage, paint, adhesive, industrial manufacturing, and personal care product industries, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • 5 Ways To Create Effective Mock Assignments For Associates

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    In order to effectively develop associates’ critical thinking skills, firms should design mock assignments that contain a few key ingredients, from messy fact patterns to actionable feedback, says Abdi Shayesteh at AltaClaro.

  • Trump Likely To Prioritize Trade, Customs Fraud Enforcement

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    With the evasion of tariffs and duties a probable focus for the U.S. Department of Justice and its partners under President Donald Trump, businesses should carefully monitor supply chains to avoid enforcement targeting, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.

  • Recent Suits Show Antitrust Agencies' Focus On HSR Review

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's suit this month against KKR for inaccurate and incomplete premerger filings, along with other recent cases, highlights the agency's increasing scrutiny of Hart-Scott-Rodino Act compliance for private equity firms, say attorneys at Willkie.

  • The 7th Circ.'s Top 10 Civil Opinions Of 2024

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    Attorneys at Jenner & Block examine the most significant decisions issued by the Seventh Circuit in 2024, and explain how they may affect issues related to mass arbitration, consumer fraud, class certification and more.

  • Private-Bidding Compliance Lessons From Siemens Plea Deal

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    Siemens Energy’s recent wire fraud conspiracy guilty plea shows that U.S. prosecutors are willing and able to police the private, domestic bidding market to protect the integrity of the competitive marketplace, and companies will need a robust compliance program to mitigate these risks, say attorneys at Foley Hoag.

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