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November 14, 2024
NHTSA Fines Ford $165M, Second-Largest Civil Penalty
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday said it has issued Ford Motor Co. a fine of up to $165 million — the second-largest civil penalty in the agency's history — over the carmaker's failure to recall vehicles promptly.
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November 14, 2024
47 AGs Support FCC's Robocall Database Reforms
A bipartisan coalition of 47 attorneys general encouraged the Federal Communications Commission to implement new rules aimed at improving the effectiveness of the Robocall Mitigation Database, or RMD, writing in a comment letter that the database is "currently one of the most important sources of information available for anti-robocall enforcement actions."
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November 13, 2024
Damages Limited In AGs' Generic Drug Price-Fixing Case
A Connecticut federal judge has nixed some claims against Sandoz Inc. and other generic-drug makers in a massive antitrust and unfair trade practices case filed by state attorneys general, finding that a handful of the enforcers cannot seek damages on behalf of their allegedly injured citizens.
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November 13, 2024
A 3M PFAS Win Could Be Hollow, Mich. Justice Suggests
Michigan Supreme Court justices asked Wednesday what it would mean to invalidate the state's regulations on so-called forever chemicals in drinking water, with one justice commenting that winning the case might be of little consequence for 3M, the company that brought the challenge, while undoing protections for the water supply.
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November 13, 2024
Mich. Justices Bore Into Railroad's Telecom Tunneling Dispute
Norfolk Southern emphasized its safety concerns Wednesday during oral arguments before the Michigan Supreme Court as it tried to persuade the justices to reverse a ruling finding a telecommunications company did not need the railway's permission to bury fiber-optic cable underneath its tracks.
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November 13, 2024
Detroit Fire Fee Ruling Concerns Mich. Justice
A Michigan Supreme Court justice on Wednesday said he was troubled by a lower appellate ruling he said seemed to imply that municipalities can work around a state law barring sneaky taxes, in this case by stating a charge for fire prevention services is really just the cost of a permit allowing property owners to do business in Detroit.
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November 13, 2024
Mich. Justice Jokes He's To Blame For PIP Assignment Fights
A Michigan Supreme Court justice joked Wednesday that his 2017 footnote about patients assigning medical claims to healthcare providers was to blame for complicated recent insurance litigation surrounding plaintiffs who sign over their rights but nevertheless sue insurers.
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November 13, 2024
6th Circ. Partially Vacates Insurer's ERISA Disability Suit Win
The Sixth Circuit partially invalidated on Wednesday an insurance company's win in an ex-worker's suit seeking additional disability benefits, directing a lower court to reconsider arguments regarding when to apply a 24-month policy limitation on benefits for total disability caused by a mental health condition.
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November 13, 2024
Detroit Tigers Argue Ex-VP Fired Due To COVID, Not Bias
The Detroit Tigers have asked the court to rule in their favor in a discrimination suit filed in Michigan federal court by a Black former executive who said she was terminated due to her race and age, arguing there were legitimate reasons for workforce reductions amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
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November 13, 2024
Attorneys Seek $983K Fee For Work On $2.95M Benefits Deal
Six attorneys who settled a benefits class action on behalf of about 14,000 employees of an aerospace and auto parts manufacturer asked a Michigan federal judge to approve nearly $1 million in fees, saying this would be a standard payout in light of the $2.95 million settlement.
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November 12, 2024
Judge Sends Malpractice Cap Question To Mich. High Court
A Michigan federal judge has certified questions to the state's Supreme Court asking if caps on noneconomic medical malpractice damages are constitutional, in a case in which a cancer patient's estate was awarded $8.6 million for a missed diagnosis.
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November 12, 2024
Mich. High Court Snapshot: 3M's PFAS Fight, Detroit Fire Fees
The Michigan Supreme Court returns to the bench Wednesday in a packed oral argument sitting, including a major case on the viability of state PFAS regulations in a challenge brought by 3M Co.
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November 12, 2024
6th Circ. Must Revive Pension Data Suit, Kellogg Retirees Say
A group of married Kellogg retirees asked the Sixth Circuit to revive claims that they received less value for their money than single retirees when collecting pensions, saying Kellogg uses outdated data when converting pensions from single-life annuity form.
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November 12, 2024
Teen Says Judge Not Immune After 'Scared Straight' Trial
A Michigan state judge can't claim judicial immunity from a lawsuit alleging he abused his power when he streamed a mock "Scared Straight" trial against a teen after she nodded off during a field trip to the courthouse because the judge had no jurisdiction over her with a fake proceeding, the teen and her mother argued Monday.
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November 08, 2024
Real Estate Recap: Trump, Big 4, Office Demand?
Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including how the next Trump administration could affect commercial real estate, where the Big Four brokers saw traction in Q3 and an interesting anomaly in the distressed office market.
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November 08, 2024
BCBS Hit With $12.7M Verdict In Worker's Vax Mandate Suit
A Michigan federal jury on Friday awarded $12.69 million to a former Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan employee who said she was fired after her employer failed to accommodate her religious beliefs, which she said prevented her from getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
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November 08, 2024
5th Time Not The Charm For 'Stale' Dow Implant Check Fight
The Sixth Circuit has again rejected an appeal from South Korean claimants who sought replacement checks from a Dow Corning breast implant settlement fund, finding in claimants' fifth trip to the appeals court that they missed their window to cash their duly disbursed settlement checks.
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November 08, 2024
Water Utility Hits PVC Pipe Makers With Price-Fixing Suit
A public water utility on Friday hit some of the nation's largest PVC pipe manufacturers with a class action accusing them of using a commodity pricing service to exchange information and illegally fix prices, claiming the companies reaped "historic profits" at the expense of public utilities.
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November 08, 2024
Mich. Court Of Claims Defeats Constitutional Challenge, Again
The Sixth Circuit has rejected Michigan residents' attempt to reopen what the panel called a centuries-old debate about the constitutionality of judges reviewing their colleagues' opinions, upholding the dismissal of residents' claims their lawsuits suffered because of appellate judges' hesitance to disagree with each other.
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November 08, 2024
Special Master Recommends $7.8M For Flint Plaintiffs' Attys
A Special Master has recommended that attorneys representing plaintiffs in the Flint Water Crisis litigation receive $7.8 million in fees for their role in securing a $25 million settlement with Veolia North America finalized last month.
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November 07, 2024
Flagstar Customer Asks 6th Circ. To Revive Overdraft Fee Suit
A Flagstar Bank customer has urged the Sixth Circuit to revive her class claims alleging the bank charged surprise overdraft fees, arguing that a Michigan district court failed to follow the "settled rules" dictating that ambiguous contract terms should be interpreted against the drafter.
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November 07, 2024
JPMorgan Sues Adviser Who Jumped To Morgan Stanley
The broker-dealer arm of JPMorgan has accused a former Michigan-based employee of using its confidential information to lure its customers at her new job at Morgan Stanley's wealth management unit, including a half a dozen clients with nearly $12 million in combined assets who have already jumped ship from JPMorgan.
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November 07, 2024
Net Neutrality Foes See 6th Circ. Clearing Path To End Rules
Recent arguments in the Sixth Circuit over the Federal Communications Commission's controversial net neutrality restrictions didn't give a definitive indication of how judges will decide the issue, but the rule's opponents are buoyed by questions that appeared at times to lean in their favor.
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November 07, 2024
Car Dealer To Pay $5.8M To Investors Over Pot Stock Scheme
A Michigan car dealer accused of selling shares for a largely bogus cannabis company has admitted to violating state securities law and has agreed to return investor money, roughly $5.8 million, according to a consent order issued by an Ohio federal judge.
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November 07, 2024
Property Co. Sues Insurer Over Late Coverage Rights Letter
A company providing management services to homeowners associations accused its insurer in North Carolina federal court of acting in bad faith after it said the insurer only sent it a reservation of rights letter a year into its defense of a fire damage lawsuit.
Expert Analysis
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How Justices Upended The Administrative Procedure Act
In its recent Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court fundamentally changed the Administrative Procedure Act in ways that undermine Congress and the executive branch, shift power to the judiciary, curtail public and business input, and create great uncertainty, say Alene Taber and Beth Hummer at Hanson Bridgett.
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Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Is My Counterclaim Bound To Fall?
A Pennsylvania federal court’s recent dismissal of the defendants’ counterclaims in Morgan v. Noss should remind attorneys to avoid the temptation to repackage a claim’s facts and law into a mirror-image counterclaim, as this approach will often result in a waste of time and resources, says Matthew Selmasska at Kaufman Dolowich.
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Series
Playing Dungeons & Dragons Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Playing Dungeons & Dragons – a tabletop role-playing game – helped pave the way for my legal career by providing me with foundational skills such as persuasion and team building, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.
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Class Action Law Makes An LLC A 'Jurisdictional Platypus'
The applicability of Section 1332(d)(10) of the Class Action Fairness Act is still widely misunderstood — and given the ambiguous nature of limited liability companies, the law will likely continue to confound courts and litigants — so parties should be prepared for a range of outcomes, says Andrew Gunem at Strauss Borrelli.
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3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture
Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.
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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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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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Series
Teaching Scuba Diving Makes Me A Better Lawyer
As a master scuba instructor, I’ve learned how to prepare for the unexpected, overcome fears and practice patience, and each of these skills – among the many others I’ve developed – has profoundly enhanced my work as a lawyer, says Ron Raether at Troutman Pepper.
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Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act
As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.
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Opinion
Expert Witness Standards Must Consider Peer Review Crisis
For nearly two decades, the so-called replication crisis has upended how the scientific community views the reliability of peer-reviewed studies, and it’s time for courts to reevaluate whether peer review is a trustworthy proxy for expert witness reliability, say Jeffrey Gross and Robert LaCroix at Reid Collins.
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How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market
Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.
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Series
Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step
From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Series
Being A Luthier Makes Me A Better Lawyer
When I’m not working as an appellate lawyer, I spend my spare time building guitars — a craft known as luthiery — which has helped to enhance the discipline, patience and resilience needed to write better briefs, says Rob Carty at Nichols Brar.
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Lead Like 'Ted Lasso' By Embracing Cognitive Diversity
The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” aptly illustrates how embracing cognitive diversity can be a winning strategy for teams, providing a useful lesson for law firms, which can benefit significantly from fresh, diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.