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Compliance
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August 21, 2024
How AI Could Shake Up Federal Evidence Rules
Judges, lawyers and academics say it's only a matter of time before the breakneck development of artificial intelligence collides with a cautious, slow-moving judicial system and gives rise to a thorny array of evidentiary issues. They're just not sure what to do about it.
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August 21, 2024
FTC Can't Stop $8.5B Merger, Handbag Cos. Say
The owners of Coach and Michael Kors urged a New York federal court not to pause their planned $8.5 billion merger, saying a challenge from the Federal Trade Commission ignores the hundreds of options consumers have when shopping for handbags.
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August 21, 2024
Calif. AG Secures Rite Aid Deal Ensuring Pharmacy Access
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced a settlement with Rite Aid Corp. that will allow his office to oversee any changes in ownership of the company's retail pharmacy outlets across the state.
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August 21, 2024
6th Circ. Rules Man Can Pay Restitution To Himself
The Sixth Circuit ruled that a Kentucky man who pled guilty to defrauding his mother can pay $332,000 in restitution to her estate even though he is the sole beneficiary, disagreeing with a lower court judge who tried to amend the judgment after her death so the money would go to the federal Crime Victims Fund.
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August 21, 2024
Alaska Seeks Pause In Mining Row Suit With EPA
The state of Alaska is calling on a district court judge to pause litigation accusing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of unlawfully prohibiting development of the Pebble mineral deposit in the southwestern region of the state, while the agency attempts to withhold documents from the public.
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August 21, 2024
BofA Gag Clause Suit Heads For 9th Circ. After 2nd Dismissal
A group of consumers who sued Bank of America for allegedly using improper nondisparagement clauses in its online service agreements moved Tuesday to take their case to the Ninth Circuit after a California federal judge threw it out for a second time last month.
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August 21, 2024
Ex-Venezuelan Oil Employee Pleads Guilty To Sanctions Plot
The former procurement head at Petróleos de Venezuela SA, Venezuela's state-owned oil company, pled guilty to conspiring to obtain millions of dollars' worth of U.S. aircraft parts for the business, in violation of U.S. sanctions.
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August 20, 2024
Gulf Spill Review 'Underestimated' Enviro Risks, Court Says
A National Marine Fisheries Service review of the effects of oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico violates federal law, a Maryland federal judge ruled, agreeing with the Sierra Club and other environmental groups that the agency underestimated the risks to endangered and threatened marine species.
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August 20, 2024
Mango Markets Crypto Platform Voting On SEC Settlement
The entity behind cryptocurrency exchange Mango Markets appears to be gearing up to propose a settlement to resolve an inquiry from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission after a more than $100 million exploit on the trading platform drew regulators' attention.
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August 20, 2024
Feds Say Chevron Doesn't Change Auto Standards Litigation
The federal government told the D.C. Circuit that the U.S. Supreme Court's opinion axing federal agency deference doesn't aid Republican-led states' and industry's attempt to undermine tighter greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles.
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August 20, 2024
FDIC Challenged Over 'Kafkaesque' Enforcement Proceeding
A former small business financier battling Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. enforcement claims has asked a D.C. federal court to issue an emergency order staying the agency's "Kafkaesque" administrative proceeding against him, arguing that it deprives him of his constitutional right to a jury trial.
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August 20, 2024
9th Circ. Revives Google Chrome Users' Data Privacy Suit
The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday reversed the dismissal of a proposed class action accusing Google of surreptitiously collecting Chrome users' data, finding that the lower court had relied on the incorrect standard in determining whether a "reasonable" consumer would think they had consented to the disputed practice.
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August 20, 2024
USDOT Floats Vehicle-To-Everything Deployment Plan
The U.S. Department of Transportation is setting out an aspirational timeline for vehicle-to-everything infrastructure deployment, saying it wants to see the technology deployed on 50% of the nation's highways by 2031.
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August 20, 2024
SF Police Can't Sue Navy Over Toxic Shipyard, 9th Circ. Says
A group of San Francisco police officers cannot pursue their suit alleging the U.S. Navy misled the city into leasing a former naval shipyard that was not properly decontaminated following its use during the Cold War, which led to the officers suffering health problems, the Ninth Circuit ruled Tuesday.
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August 20, 2024
Ex-Goldman Analyst's Stepbro Ducks Prison For Inside Trades
A Long Island man on Tuesday was spared time in prison for his role in an insider scheme in which he traded on tips gleaned from his stepbrother and ex-Goldman Sachs analyst, largely due to his prompt cooperation with the FBI.
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August 20, 2024
Energy Department Says Dishwasher Case Lacks Jurisdiction
The U.S. Department of Energy says anyone who wants to challenge a new rule governing how efficiently household appliances need to manage water usage must do so in a circuit court, claiming a Texas federal court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.
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August 20, 2024
FCC Says No To 8 Nonprofit Stations In Texas
The Federal Communications Commission says it is not approving eight applications for new low power FM stations because the Christian entities that applied for them appear to actually all be part of the same organization, which does not qualify as an educational nonprofit.
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August 20, 2024
Utah Tells Justices Feds Must Relinquish Land In State
The federal government is unconstitutionally hoarding and profiting from public lands in Utah, and the state is missing out on economic and development opportunities that are rightfully its own, it told the U.S. Supreme Court in a proposed lawsuit filed Tuesday.
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August 20, 2024
US Sanctions Ex-Haitian President Over Drug Trafficking
The Biden administration on Tuesday sanctioned a former president of Haiti, claiming he abused his position to facilitate drug trafficking.
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August 20, 2024
EPA Urges DC Circ. To Uphold Particulate Matter Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is defending its decision to ratchet down a fine particulate matter air pollution standard, telling the D.C. Circuit that states and industry groups challenging it aren't seriously questioning the scientific support for the change and misread the Clean Air Act to argue that the agency overstepped.
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August 20, 2024
Ex-SEC Senior Counsel, AUSA Joins Tech Co. As CCO
A former assistant U.S. attorney with senior counsel experience at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has joined technology company Tools For Humanity, a startup co-founded and chaired by OpenAI head Sam Altman, as deputy general counsel and chief compliance officer.
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August 20, 2024
IRS Fee Hikes Threaten Tax Justice For Small Businesses
The Internal Revenue Service is expected to continue raising the cost for private letter rulings that clarify tax matters and provide taxpayer certainty, prompting concerns among tax professionals that economic justice may become unattainable for small businesses unable to bear these escalating costs.
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August 20, 2024
LOT Polish Airlines Objects To DOJ-Boeing 737 Max Plea Deal
LOT Polish Airlines has urged a Texas federal judge to reject Boeing's plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, saying the deal deprives restitution to airline customers that incurred millions in losses because Boeing defrauded regulators about the 737 Max 8's development.
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August 20, 2024
Texas Judge Blocks FTC's Impending Ban On Noncompetes
A Texas federal judge on Tuesday permanently blocked the Federal Trade Commission's looming ban on noncompete agreements in employment contracts, setting aside the regulation with a conclusion that it's beyond the agency's authority.
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August 20, 2024
Split SEC Adopts PCAOB Rules On Auditor Liability
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved Tuesday to hold accountants to a higher standard when auditing public companies, which the majority said provided a necessary and long-awaited update to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's rules while detractors argued it could dissuade people from working in the industry.
Expert Analysis
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NLRB Ruling Highlights Rare Union Deauthorization Process
A recent National Labor Relations Board decision about a guard company's union authorization revocation presents a ripe opportunity for employees to review the particulars of this uncommon process, and employer compliance is critical as well, say Megann McManus and Trecia Moore at Husch Blackwell.
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Cannabis Biz Real Estate Loan Considerations For Lenders
Now that cannabis sales are legal in some states, real estate lenders are interested in financing the land used by cannabis companies, but because cannabis sales are still illegal under federal law, lenders must make adjustments for cannabis-adjacent transactions, say Mark Levenson and Jeffrey Wendler at Sills Cummis.
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New State Carbon Capture Laws: Key Points For Developers
Multiple states have introduced or expanded legal frameworks for carbon capture and sequestration this year, and while there are some common themes, many of these state laws include unique approaches and requirements — which developers and investors should be aware of when considering potential projects and investment risks, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.
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E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents
Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Enron Law Is Still Threat To Execs After Justices' Jan. 6 Ruling
While the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Fischer v. U.S. decision is a setback for prosecutors’ obstruction charges against Jan. 6 defendants, it also represents a strong endorsement of the post-Enron Sarbanes-Oxley Act’s original purpose, serving as a corporate compliance reminder for executives, say Michael Peregrine and Ashley Hoff at McDermott.
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Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.
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How To Deploy AI In A Dangerous Threat Landscape
Businesses are feeling immense pressure to deploy generative artificial intelligence tools to accelerate profits and demonstrate their technological superiority to investors and consumers, and there are a few steps they can take when using AI tools to mitigate liability risks, say B. Stephanie Siegmann and Julianna Malogolowkin at Hinckley Allen.
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Calif. Out-Of-State Noncompete Ban Faces Several Hurdles
California's attempt to bolster its noncompete law has encountered significant procedural and constitutional challenges, and litigating parties must carefully analyze not only the restrictive covenants contained in their agreements, but also the forum-selection and choice-of-law provisions, say Jennifer Redmond and Gal Gressel at Sheppard Mullin.
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How 3 Recent High Court Rulings Could Shape Fintech Policy
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decisions in Jarkesy, Loper Bright and Corner Post provide fintech companies with new legal strategies to challenge regulatory actions, but agency reactions to these rulings and inconsistent judicial interpretations could bring compliance challenges and uncertainties, says Amy Whitsel at FS Vector.
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What Cos. Should Note In DOJ's New Whistleblower Pilot
After the U.S. Department of Justice unveiled a new whistleblower pilot program last week — continuing its efforts to incentivize individual reporting of misconduct — companies should review the eligibility criteria, update their compliance programs and consider the risks and benefits of making their own self-disclosures, say attorneys at Skadden.
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Motion To Transfer Venue Considerations For FCA Cases
Several recent decisions highlight the importance for practitioners of analyzing as early as possible whether a False Claims Act case warrants a change of venue, and understanding how courts weigh certain factors for defendants versus whistleblowers, say Ellen London at London & Stout, and Li Yu and Corey Lipton at DiCello Levitt.
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A Primer On EU's Updated Human Substance Regulations
The European Union's updated standards regarding quality and safety of substances of human origin meant for human application carry significant implications for companies that work with cells and tissues, and U.S. companies active in the EU market should pay particular attention to the import and export rules, say Geneviève Michaux and Georgios Symeonidis at King & Spalding.
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Series
After Chevron: New Lines Of Attack For FCA Defense Bar
Loper Bright has given defense counsel new avenues to overcome the False Claims Act elements of falsity and scienter, as any FCA claim based upon ambiguous statutory terms can no longer stand solely on agency regulations to establish the statute's meaning, which is itself necessary to satisfy the FCA's basic requirements, says Elisha Kobre at Bradley Arant.
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CFPB's Medical Debt Proposal May Have Side Effects
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recent proposal to prevent medical debt information from appearing on consumer reports and creditors from basing lending decisions on such information may have initial benefits for some consumers, but there are potential negative consequences that should also be considered, say attorneys at Cooley.
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New NHTSA Fuel Economy Rule Adds Compliance Complexity
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recently announced final rule on new corporate average fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks will create challenges for manufacturers, which must also comply with the EPA's multipollutant rule and California's zero-emission vehicle programs, say Joanne Rotondi and Hannah Graae at Hogan Lovells.