Michigan

  • September 16, 2024

    Telecom Installer To Pay Workers $600K To End DOL Probe

    A Michigan-based fiber optics installer will pay $594,000 in back pay and damages to 63 workers whom the U.S. Department of Labor says the company misclassified as independent contractors, the agency announced Monday.

  • September 16, 2024

    EEOC Says Healthcare Co.'s Leave Refusals Breach ADA

    A company that provides healthcare services to the elderly violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by refusing to grant additional leave to workers when their Family and Medical Leave Act time off expired, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a new lawsuit.

  • September 16, 2024

    Michigan Powerhouse: Bodman

    Bodman PLC continues to burnish its reputation as one of Michigan's leading law firms, chalking up recent wins defending a town against lead-contamination lawsuits and negotiating settlements for University of Michigan insurers in the wake of the school's landmark $490 million sexual abuse settlement.

  • September 13, 2024

    The 2024 Regional Powerhouses

    The law firms on Law360's list of 2024 Regional Powerhouses reflected the local peculiarities of their states while often representing clients in deals and cases that captured national attention.

  • September 13, 2024

    NFL QB Faces New Assault Claims, NCAA's NIL Woes Grow

    In this week’s Off The Bench, NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson is once again accused of sexual assault, and a group of former University of Michigan football players sue the NCAA for more than $50 million in NIL-related damages. In case you were sidelined this week, Law360 is here to catch you up on the sports and betting stories that had our readers talking.

  • September 13, 2024

    Trio Of BigLaw Mergers Expected To Drive More Deal Talks

    After months of a relatively steady pace of law firm mergers and acquisitions, the trio of proposed BigLaw tie-ups announced in recent days will likely spur more firms toward entertaining similar deal talks, experts say. Here, Law360 offers a snapshot of the proposed deals.

  • September 13, 2024

    Makers Of Paragard Say Time Ran Out On Claims In 236 Suits

    Teva Pharmaceuticals and The Cooper Cos. pressed an Atlanta federal judge to pare back multidistrict litigation over alleged defects in the Paragard IUD by dismissing untimely claims across 236 complaints.

  • September 12, 2024

    FCC Tells 6th Circ To Affirm Net Neutrality

    The Federal Communications Commission told the Sixth Circuit the agency acted well within the law when it reimposed net neutrality limits on broadband providers and urged the court to reject industry claims that the commission's authority to regulate high-speed internet service is a "major question" that only Congress may address.

  • September 12, 2024

    Corp. Disclosure Law Kills Community Boards, Nonprofits Say

    The Community Associations Institute and other groups have sued the U.S. Department of the Treasury over the Corporate Transparency Act, arguing the law should not apply to them, violates constitutional rights and will lead to mass resignations from their community leadership boards.

  • September 12, 2024

    6th Circ. Says Food Transporter Illegally Shuttered Warehouse

    A bulk food delivery contractor for grocery giant Kroger violated federal labor law when it closed its Louisville, Kentucky, terminal after a union representation election and fired employees, the Sixth Circuit has ruled, upholding a National Labor Relations Board decision.

  • September 12, 2024

    Senate Preps Vote On 6th Circ. Nom Opposed By Tenn. GOP

    The U.S. Senate is set to vote Monday on the nomination of Kevin Ritz to join the Sixth Circuit bench despite strong objection from the senior senator from Tennessee, one of the circuit's four states.

  • September 12, 2024

    Dem Lawmakers Target Predatory Sports Betting With New Bill

    Two Democratic lawmakers on Thursday proposed federal sports betting legislation aimed at addressing what they called a "public health crisis," saying it will force operators to comply with federal standards in three areas: advertising, affordability and artificial intelligence.

  • September 12, 2024

    CFTC Can't Pause Decision To Allow Election Betting

    A D.C. federal judge on Thursday refused to stay a ruling that found the Commodity Futures Trading Commission overstepped its bounds by blocking an online trading platform from allowing users to place bets on the outcome of U.S. congressional elections.

  • September 12, 2024

    Accuracy, Security Top Firms' Concerns As AI Use Rises

    Most law firms are using artificial intelligence tools for routine tasks over the coming year or plan to use them, but lawyers are concerned about the accuracy and security of the technology, an industry survey revealed on Thursday.

  • September 11, 2024

    Litigation Spending To Rise As Cases Grow More Aggressive

    A substantial number of large companies are expecting to increase their litigation spending by double digits next year in the face of more complex and hard-fought cases — and they are more open to bringing in new legal talent to navigate the matters, according to a report released Thursday. 

  • September 11, 2024

    The Firms That Handle The Most Trade Secrets Work

    Gordon Rees remains the most active law firm representing plaintiffs in trade secrets disputes, according to a new report by Lex Machina analyzing a three-year period from 2021 to 2023, while Littler Mendelson continues to lead the pack on the defendants' side during that same timeframe.

  • September 11, 2024

    Split 6th Circ. Backs SEC Win In Proxy Adviser Rule Change

    A divided Sixth Circuit has upheld the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's decision to partially undo Trump-era rules governing proxy advisers, creating an apparent split with the Fifth Circuit on whether the agency's regulatory actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act.

  • September 11, 2024

    Mich. State Resisted Releasing Larry Nassar Docs, AG Says

    Michigan State University unnecessarily withheld thousands of documents during an investigation into the school's handling of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, and when the documents were eventually provided, they did not offer any newly revealing information, the state's attorney general said in closing the probe Wednesday.

  • September 10, 2024

    80 Hospitals Sue HHS Over 'Part C Days' Payment Rule

    Scores of hospitals in Texas, California, Ohio, and other states sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday in a District of Columbia federal court over denied appeals that had sought additional Medicare payments for inpatient services.

  • September 10, 2024

    42 AGs Back Call For Social Media Warning Label Law

    A bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general urged Congress on Tuesday to introduce warning labels on social media platforms in a bid to tackle risks posed to young people's mental health.

  • September 10, 2024

    Call Center Worker Says She Was Stiffed Boot-Up Time Pay

    A customer service call center worker filed a proposed class and collective action claiming she was denied wages for boot-up time, according to a complaint filed in Michigan federal court.

  • September 10, 2024

    GM Can't Arbitrate Claims Engines Were 'Engineered To Fail'

    General Motors LLC cannot arbitrate class claims that certain engines were "engineered to fail," an Ohio federal judge has ruled, citing recent Sixth Circuit guidance on when a party waives the right to resolve disputes out of court.

  • September 10, 2024

    Ex-Michigan Football Stars Hit NCAA With $50M NIL Suit

    A group of former University of Michigan football players are seeking more than $50 million in damages through a proposed class action filed Tuesday that alleges a decades-long scheme by the NCAA and Big Ten Network to unlawfully exploit athlete names, images and likenesses for commercial gain.

  • September 09, 2024

    Judge Won't End Mich. Dam Flooding Suit Before Discovery

    A Michigan judge said Monday it would be premature to free the state from liability for two dams' collapse before further discovery, telling government lawyers he would be reversed "in a nanosecond" if he ended the suit so soon.

  • September 09, 2024

    Mich. Judge Denies Injunction Bid In NLRB Constitutional Row

    An auto parts maker didn't prove the company would be harmed when facing an unfair labor practice proceeding before National Labor Relations Board officials with allegedly unconstitutional removal protections, a Michigan federal judge ruled Monday, while greenlighting a delay to the agency case pending an appeal. 

Expert Analysis

  • Ga. Ruling A Win For Plaintiffs Injured By Older Products

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    The Georgia Supreme Court's recent opinion in Ford Motor Co. v. Cosper gives plaintiffs the assurance that even if they are injured by older products, they can still bring claims under state law if the manufacturer used a design that it knew, or should have known, created a risk of substantial harm, says Rob Snyder at Cannella Snyder.

  • Pro Bono Work Is Powerful Self-Help For Attorneys

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    Oct. 22-28 is Pro Bono Week, serving as a useful reminder that offering free legal help to the public can help attorneys expand their legal toolbox, forge community relationships and create human connections, despite the challenges of this kind of work, says Orlando Lopez at Culhane Meadows.

  • State Regs Sow Discord Between Cannabis, Hemp Industries

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    Connecticut, Maryland and Washington are the latest states choosing to require intoxicating hemp products to comply with the states' recreational marijuana laws, resulting in a widening rift between cannabis and hemp as Congress works on crafting new hemp legislation within the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill, say attorneys at Wilson Elser.

  • Series

    Playing In A Rock Cover Band Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing in a classic rock cover band has driven me to hone several skills — including focus, organization and networking — that have benefited my professional development, demonstrating that taking time to follow your muse outside of work can be a boon to your career, says Michael Gambro at Cadwalader.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'

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    The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.

  • Opinion

    Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform

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    The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.

  • How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing

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    Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

  • Opinion

    Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats

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    Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.

  • How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies

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    Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.

  • AGs' Distaste For Food Bill May Signal Other State Issues

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    States' recent opposition to a proposed federal law that would block them from regulating out-of-state agricultural production could affect issues beyond this narrow debate, such as the balance of state and federal regulatory power, reproductive rights post-Dobbs, and energy production and water use, say Christopher Allen and Stephen Cobb at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial

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    Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.

  • Autonomous Vehicles Must Navigate Patchwork Of State Regs

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    With only modest action by the federal government on the autonomous vehicle regulatory front in 2023, states and localities remain the predominant source of new regulations affecting AVs — but the result is a mix of rules that both help and hinder AV development and adoption, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times

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    As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • Federal Policies Keeping Autonomous Vehicles In Slow Lane

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    In the first installment of this two-part article, attorneys at Faegre Drinker examine recent federal regulations and programs related to autonomous vehicles — and how the federal government's failure to implement a more comprehensive AV regulatory scheme may be slowing the progress of the industry.

  • Calif. Law Tests Noncompete Prohibitions' Potential Reach

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    California’s newly enacted law, which voids employee restrictive covenants, whether signed in or out of the state, has the potential to upend typical agreement negotiations, and highlights ongoing questions concerning how California's worker protections fare in other jurisdictions, says Sarah Tishler at Beck Reed.

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