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Government Contracts
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September 25, 2024
Baltimore Bridge Wreck: 6 Months Later, Claims Mount
A court deadline to challenge liability limits over Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse shows an intense legal battle brewing as the U.S. government, Maryland and private plaintiffs sharpen their claims for damages against the owner and manager of the cargo ship that slammed into the bridge six months ago.
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September 25, 2024
Developer Says Minn. City Made Rule To Block Mosque
A developer and its Muslim founders claimed in federal court that Islamophobia motivated Lino Lakes, Minnesota, and several of its lawmakers to approve a moratorium that blocked the construction of a mixed-use development project that featured a mosque.
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September 25, 2024
US Steel Clears One Hurdle In $14B Nippon Steel Deal
An arbitration board has sided with U.S. Steel amid its union's challenge to a planned $14.9 billion acquisition by Nippon Steel, clearing one hurdle while Nippon continues fighting on another front for approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.
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September 25, 2024
Fed. Claims Court Won't Toss Abandoned Border Fence Suit
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims refused to throw out a suit filed by California property owners who claimed that the federal government owed them compensation after it abandoned a U.S.-Mexico border fence project on the owners' leased properties, leaving behind construction debris and causing environmental damage.
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September 25, 2024
Cargo Airline Strikes $84K Deal To End DOL Equal Pay Probe
A cargo airline has agreed to pay female workers more than $84,000 in back wages and interest to resolve a U.S. Department of Labor investigation alleging it paid them less than their male counterparts, the federal agency announced.
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September 25, 2024
Pittsburgh Council OKs $500K To Settle Bridge Collapse Suits
The city of Pittsburgh approved handing a Pennsylvania state court $500,000 — the city's maximum liability under state law — so it can bow out of lawsuits brought by people injured in the 2022 collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge.
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September 25, 2024
Watchdog Pans Feds For Sole-Sourcing $5.6M Pavement Deal
The U.S. General Services Administration's internal watchdog faulted the agency for using a preexisting contract to obtain $5.6 million worth of pavement services at border stations along the northern border, saying the work should have been put out for bidding.
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September 24, 2024
Full 9th Circ. Vaporizes First-To-File Precedent For FCA Suits
The full Ninth Circuit on Tuesday overruled circuit precedent and held that the so-called first-to-file rule governing False Claims Act cases is not jurisdictional, meaning that courts can't toss a whistleblower action on jurisdictional grounds rooted in the first-to-file provision.
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September 24, 2024
Helicopter Maker Skirted FAA Requirements, Jury Hears
Fort Worth-based Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. used a former vendor's trade secrets to skirt the need for regulatory approval, a jury heard in Texas state court Tuesday, allegedly avoiding requirements set by the Federal Aviation Administration as the company pulled the rug out from under its old vendor.
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September 24, 2024
Neurosurgeon Deems Judge Newman's Brain 'Entirely Normal'
A third doctor has found that suspended U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman, 97, is not cognitively impaired and that there's no reason to keep her off the bench, according to a report released by her attorneys Tuesday.
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September 24, 2024
Novo Nordisk Tells Sens. Ozempic Costs Are Linked To PBMs
Novo Nordisk's CEO argued Tuesday that the high prices of the company's diabetes and weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy primarily stem from the actions of pharmacy benefit managers, earning support from many members of a Senate committee and frustrating others who wanted more direct answers on the Danish drugmaker's own responsibilities.
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September 24, 2024
Md. Says Shipowner Liable For $2B Baltimore Bridge Rebuild
Maryland said the owner and manager of the cargo ship that slammed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge must be held liable for the estimated $1.7 billion cost of rebuilding the bridge, claiming Tuesday that their negligence has caused "grievous impact" to Marylanders, the environment and the regional economy.
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September 24, 2024
NJ Power Broker Says AG's 'Crime Thriller' Lacks A Crime
Powerful New Jersey businessman George E. Norcross III Tuesday called the Garden State's 111-page indictment alleging he led a scheme to strong-arm the acquisition of waterfront property in Camden through threats of economic and reputational harm a "crime thriller with no crime," and said it must be dismissed.
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September 23, 2024
Judge Grants Ex-Admiral, Contractors Separate Bribery Trials
The Washington, D.C., federal court agreed on Monday to sever a retired Navy admiral's bribery trial from that of the defense contractors he is accused of steering federal contracts toward.
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September 23, 2024
PDVSA Can't Escape Oklahoma Co.'s Expropriation Suit
A D.C. federal judge has ruled that Venezuela's state-owned oil company must face an Oklahoma-based petroleum contract drilling company's lawsuit after its drilling rigs in the country were seized at gunpoint more than a decade ago, saying the drilling company had shown its assets were illegally expropriated.
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September 23, 2024
Helicopter Co. Used Code Names To Oust Supplier, Jury Hears
Under the code name "Project Cicada," Fort Worth-based Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. worked for years to replace California-based digital avionics equipment supplier Rogerson Aircraft Corporation with a competitor, a jury heard in a Texas state court Monday, using Rogerson's trade secrets to prep the rival for the eventual shift.
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September 23, 2024
States, Enviros Urge USPS Vehicle Plan Challenge To Proceed
States and environmentalists have pushed back against the U.S. Postal Service and Oshkosh Defense's efforts to end a lawsuit alleging the USPS' multibillion-dollar delivery vehicle acquisition plan violates environmental law, saying the plan was inadequate and would harm them.
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September 23, 2024
Wash. Agency No Longer Seeking Names In 3M Earplug Case
The Washington state agency that handles child support claims seems no longer interested in seeking information on service members who are expected to receive payments from the 6 billion settlement from 3M Co. over injuries stemming from its Combat Arms Earplugs.
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September 23, 2024
Bio Lab Settles Conn. False-Claims Allegations For $1.73M
Enzo Biochem Inc. and subsidiary Enzo Clinical Labs Inc. will pay nearly $1.73 million to settle accusations that the companies' former Farmingdale, New York, laboratory billed higher rates to the state of Connecticut's Medicaid coffers than it billed to other payers, the state attorney general announced Monday.
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September 23, 2024
Migrant Youth Facility Moves To Ax DOJ's Sex Abuse Suit
Southwest Key asked a Texas federal judge to end the government's suit alleging it failed to protect migrant children from sexual abuse by staffers in violation of the Fair Housing Act, arguing Monday there are different regulations addressing and preventing such misconduct in shelter care facilities that don't include the FHA.
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September 23, 2024
Ex-Conn. Police Chief Demands Atty Fees After Winning Suit
The former chief of police in Newington, Connecticut, is demanding attorney fees after a state court judge dismissed him from a defamation lawsuit brought by the onetime town attorney and other ex-officials, which arose from ethics complaints that the plaintiffs say were full of lies.
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September 20, 2024
GAO Rejects Loper Bright Argument In Army Deal Dispute
The U.S. Government Accountability Office ruled that the U.S. Army could require bidders to recertify their small business status when bidding on a set-aside task order, saying the recent overturning of Chevron deference didn't make the Army's interpretation of a related rule unreasonable.
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September 20, 2024
Army Could Restore Bidder Eligibility For $42M Logistics Deal
The U.S. Government Accountability Office has rejected a protest over the U.S. Army reinstating the eventual awardee of a $42.3 million logistics support deal after initially finding the company's bid unacceptable, saying the Army's discussions with the awardee were reasonable.
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September 20, 2024
Healthcare Co. Slams IHS Action On $13M ER Staffing Deal
A healthcare staffing company is challenging in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims a proposed corrective action by the Indian Health Service on a $13.3 million task order for staffing services at the emergency room of the Pine Ridge Hospital in South Dakota.
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September 20, 2024
Judge Says $116M CIA Deal Protest Is Pot Calling Kettle Black
A contractor protesting the CIA's grant of a $115.8 million deal to a competitor is essentially throwing stones from its glass house, a claims court judge said, finding that both businesses broke the same rules in their proposals.
Expert Analysis
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After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1
The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
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Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers
BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.
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Atmospheric Rivers: Force Majeure Or Just A Rainy Day?
As atmospheric rivers pummel California with intense rainfall, flooding and landslides, agencies and contractors in the state struggling to manage projects may invoke force majeure — but as with all construction risk issues, the terms of the agreement govern, and relief may not always be available, say Kyle Hamilton and Corey Boock at Nossaman.
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Series
Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.
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How Associates Can Build A Professional Image
As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.
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Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age
As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing
When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Wiretap Use In Cartel Probes Likely To Remain An Exception
Although the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division has recently signaled interest in wiretaps, the use of this technology to capture evidence of antitrust conspiracies and pursue monopolization as a criminal matter has been rare historically, and is likely to remain so, say Carsten Reichel and Will Conway at DLA Piper.
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The OIG Report: DOD Review May Cause Contractor Dilemmas
Given a recent Office of Inspector General report finding that the U.S. Department of Defense awarded billions of dollars in contracts without performing the requisite financial responsibility reviews, contractors should prepare for a lengthier, more burdensome process and the possibility of re-review, says Diana Shaw at Wiley.
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Series
Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer
There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.
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Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians
Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Biden Admin Proposals May Facilitate US, UK, Australia Trade
Recent proposals that create exceptions to U.S. export licensing requirements for defense trade with Australia and the U.K. would remove hurdles that have hindered trade among the three countries, and could enable smaller companies in the sector to greatly expand their trade horizons, say Keil Ritterpusch and Grace Welborn at Buchanan Ingersoll.
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Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent
As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.
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9th Circ. Ruling Shows Lies Must Go To Nature Of Bargain
The Ninth Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Milheiser decision, vacating six mail fraud convictions, clarifies that the key question in federal fraud cases is not whether lies were told, but what they were told about — thus requiring defense counsel to rethink their strategies, say Charles Kreindler and Krista Landis at Sheppard Mullin.
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Adopting 7 Principles May Improve Voluntary Carbon Markets
The Biden administration's recently issued joint policy statement on improving the integrity of voluntary carbon markets may help companies using carbon credits to offset their emissions withstand scrutiny by government agencies, the public and investors, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.