New Jersey

June 27, 2024
Menendez Met Alleged Briber Pre-Gold Price Search, Jury Told

An FBI cell tower expert told Sen. Robert Menendez's bribery jury Thursday that the phones of the senator, his wife and co-defendant developer Fred Daibes all pinged in the same location minutes before the senator did a web search for "how much is one kilo of gold worth."
June 27, 2024
Insurers Call Rite Aid Ch. 11 Opioid Deal Unfair

Counsel for bankrupt drugstore chain Rite Aid told a New Jersey bankruptcy judge Thursday that it hopes to reach an agreement with at least some of its insurers on payments into an opioid settlement fund before closing arguments in its Chapter 11 plan confirmation Friday.
June 27, 2024
EPA's State Smog Pollution Plan Down, Not Out Yet

The U.S. Supreme Court flexed its muscles menacingly at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday and blocked it from implementing an important air pollution control plan for several states, but experts say it's too early to completely write off the rule in question.
June 27, 2024
Live Nation Tries To Push DOJ's Antitrust Suit Out Of NY

Counsel for Live Nation Entertainment and subsidiary Ticketmaster on Thursday told a skeptical Manhattan federal judge that the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust case belongs in D.C. federal court, where the green light was given for the companies' 2010 merger.
June 27, 2024
Titanic Purdue Ruling Shifts The Balance Of Power In Ch. 11

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Sackler family's liability shield in the Chapter 11 plan of Purdue Pharma LP not only eliminates a key tool to resolve mass tort liabilities through bankruptcy, it gives claimants more leverage and fundamentally changes the insolvency landscape in future cases, experts tell Law360.
June 27, 2024
Rec Sports Co. Wants Proof Behind Trade Secret Theft Claims

A recreational sports club that was accused of receiving a competitor's confidential customer information has demanded that its accuser produce its evidence, telling a New Jersey federal judge that it is "mystified" by the allegations.
June 27, 2024
Hospitals' Charity Care Does Not Equal Taking, NJ Panel Rules

A New Jersey appellate panel Thursday rejected a group of Garden State hospitals' challenge to a lower court's finding that a state requirement to treat patients regardless of the patient's ability to pay does not amount to constitutional taking, ruling that they failed to show evidence of physical taking of hospital property.
June 27, 2024
Ex-Deputy Mayor Of Newark Pleads Guilty In Bribery Scheme

A former deputy mayor of Newark, New Jersey, has admitted in federal court that he conspired with two business owners in a bribery scheme involving the acquisition and redevelopment of various city-owned properties, federal prosecutors said.
June 27, 2024
Feds Back Debevoise Bid To Avoid Cognizant Trial Testimony

The U.S. Department of Justice would like a New Jersey federal court to throw out a subpoena compelling trial testimony from a Debevoise & Plimpton LLP partner regarding an investigation into an alleged bribe the government believes two former Cognizant Technology Solutions executives supplied to an Indian company.
June 27, 2024
Lowenstein Pro Bono Head On Guiding NJ Public Interest Law

Law360 Pulse caught up with Alexander Shalom, head of the Lowenstein Center for Public Interest as of the beginning of June, to discuss his plans for the influential pro bono center’s future and his reflections on his time at the ACLU-NJ.
June 27, 2024
Supreme Court Freezes EPA's 'Good Neighbor' Rule

The U.S. Supreme Court stayed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan to reduce cross-state pollution Thursday, finding several states and industry groups challenging it in court will likely prevail on the merits.
June 27, 2024
Justices Nix 3rd-Party Liability Releases In Purdue Ch. 11 Plan

The U.S. Supreme Court shot down the validity of nonconsensual third-party releases in an opinion issued Thursday in the case of bankrupt drugmaker Purdue Pharma LP, potentially exposing the Sackler family members who own the company to personal liability for the company's role in the opioid crisis.
June 26, 2024
Menendez Pals 'Generous,' Jeweler Says In Joke-Filled Testimony

A jeweler who helped Sen. Robert Menendez's wife sell gold bars that were supposedly bribes testified Wednesday the codefendants who gave Menendez the bars have always been generous, salting his testimony with so many droll comments that the New York federal judge — who initially bantered back — eventually gave a special instruction reinforcing that the trial is "very serious."
June 26, 2024
3rd Circ. Won't Revive Distillery Investor's RICO, Secrets Case

The Third Circuit on Wednesday agreed that the main investor of a Pennsylvania distillery can't revive his federal racketeering or trade secret claims against a former business partner and others related to the craft liquor business.
June 26, 2024
State Data Privacy Law Patchwork: Midyear Report

States jumped on the consumer data privacy law bandwagon at a brisk clip in the first half of 2024, although it remains unclear if this push will be enough to encourage Congress to finally enact a nationwide framework this year.
June 26, 2024
Ed Tech Co. Can't Beat Investor Suit Over Bot-Inflated Classes

A New Jersey federal judge has ruled that confidential witness testimonies, among other things, "paint an unmistakable picture" that education tech company GSX Techedu Inc. used "bots" to inflate its online class enrollment numbers, in refusing to dismiss a suit against the company that demands recompense from certain executives for stock price drops.
June 26, 2024
NJ, Pa. Apartment Co. Accused Of Migrant Discrimination

A Guatemalan immigrant who has received protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program accused a real estate development and management company of alienage discrimination on Wednesday after she was informed that the company could not accept her housing applications without a valid permanent resident card or visa.
June 26, 2024
NJ Cos. Can't Toss Contamination Claim In Green Groups' Suit

A New Jersey federal judge won't let NL Industries Inc. and a subsidiary escape claims by two environmental groups under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, saying it's undisputed that the companies are considered persons who handled hazardous waste.
June 26, 2024
NJ Shore Town Asks Court To End Bar's Teen Night

A Garden State beach town asked a New Jersey federal judge to put an end to a popular bar's Teen Night after the establishment said it will continue to hold the twice-weekly events despite a borough ordinance banning them, claiming the events lead to raucous and illegal behavior.
June 26, 2024
NJ Panel Tosses Malpractice Suit Over COVID-19 Death

A New Jersey appellate panel on Wednesday dismissed medical malpractice claims against a nursing home and doctor who discharged a patient without waiting for the results of her COVID-19 test, which turned out to be positive, an omission that preceded the death of her husband from the virus.
June 26, 2024
CSAA Seeks Exit From Conn. Atty's $1.4M Transfer Scam Case

The insurance company covering a Connecticut attorney accused of helping steal $1.4 million from a development company via a fraudulent bank transfer is seeking to drop its coverage on the grounds that the attorney's alleged actions were intentional and criminal, and therefore not insured.
June 26, 2024
A Picture Of Office Sector Distress

This five-part series from Law360 Real Estate Authority explores distressed office buildings in Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Dallas and New York City in an illustration of how the stressors facing the asset class are playing out across the country.
June 25, 2024
3rd Circ. Says Smith & Wesson Can't Sidestep NJ Subpoena

The gunmaker Smith & Wesson must comply with a subpoena from New Jersey to produce advertising materials requested in a consumer fraud case brought by the state, a divided Third Circuit panel ruled Tuesday.
June 25, 2024
After Rahimi Win, Feds Set Sights On Felon Gun Ban

In a bid to capitalize on last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding a federal law that prohibits domestic abusers from possessing firearms, the U.S. solicitor general has called on the justices to next tackle a slew of constitutional challenges to the separate, sweeping ban on people convicted of felonies owning guns.
June 25, 2024
Ex-SEPTA Surveillance Unit Head Gets 37 Months For Bribery

A former director of video surveillance for a Pennsylvania transportation authority was sentenced Monday for his role in a bribery and extortion scheme in which he exchanged inside information for thousands of dollars, concert tickets and a future job.

Expert Analysis

4 Legal Ethics Considerations For The New Year

As attorneys and clients reset for a new year, now is a good time to take a step back and review some core ethical issues that attorneys should keep front of mind in 2024, including approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution and care, and avoiding pitfalls in outside counsel guidelines, say attorneys at HWG.
2 Cases Highlight NJ Cannabis Employment Law Uncertainties

More than two years after its enactment, the employee protections and employer obligations in New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act remain unsettled, and two recent lawsuits draw attention to the law's enforceability and its intersection with federal law, say Ruth Rauls at Saul Ewing and David White at Seton Hall.
What The Law Firm Of The Future Will Look Like

As the legal landscape shifts, it’s become increasingly clear that the BigLaw business model must adapt in four key ways to remain viable, from fostering workplace flexibility to embracing technology, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.
4 PR Pointers When Your Case Is In The News

Media coverage of new lawsuits exploded last year, demonstrating why defense attorneys should devise a public relations plan that complements their legal strategy, incorporating several objectives to balance ethical obligations and advocacy, say Nathan Burchfiel at Pinkston and Ryan June at Castañeda + Heidelman.
After Headwinds, 2024 May See Offshore Wind Momentum

Despite skyrocketing raw material costs, conflicting state and federal policies, and other setbacks for the offshore wind sector in 2023, the industry appears poised for growth in the coming year, with improving economics, more flexible procurement procedures and increasing legislative support, say Emily Huggins Jones and Ben Cowan at Locke Lord.
Law Firm Strategies For Successfully Navigating 2024 Trends

Though law firms face the dual challenge of external and internal pressures as they enter 2024, firms willing to pivot will be able to stand out by adapting to stakeholder needs and reimagining their infrastructure, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Consultants.
The Most-Read Legal Industry Law360 Guest Articles Of 2023

A range of legal industry topics drew readers' attention in Law360's Expert Analysis section this year, from associate retention strategies to ethical billing practices.
Attorneys' Busiest Times Can Be Business Opportunities

Attorneys who resolve to grow their revenue and client base in 2024 should be careful not to abandon their goals when they get too busy with client work, because these periods of zero bandwidth can actually be a catalyst for future growth, says Amy Drysdale at Alchemy Consulting.
In The World Of Legal Ethics, 10 Trends To Note From 2023

Lucian Pera at Adams and Reese and Trisha Rich at Holland & Knight identify the top legal ethics trends from 2023 — including issues related to hot documents, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — that lawyers should be aware of to put their best foot forward.
The Key Laws Retailers Should Pay Attention To In 2024

2024 promises to be another transformative year for retailers as they navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, particularly surrounding data privacy and sustainability laws, meaning companies should make it a practice to keep track of new legislation and invest in compliance efforts early on, say attorneys at Benesch.
What WeWork's Ch. 11 Filing Means For Landlords

WeWork’s recent Chapter 11 filing in New Jersey has the potential to be one of the most consequential cases in the real estate industry in many years, and presents a number of issues for landlords, including unexpired leases, assumption, assignment and more, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.
How Attorneys Can Be More Efficient This Holiday Season

Attorneys should consider a few key tips to speed up their work during the holidays so they can join the festivities — from streamlining the document review process to creating similar folder structures, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
Top 10 Whistleblowing And Retaliation Events Of 2023

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and federal and state courts made 2023 another groundbreaking year for whistleblower litigation and retaliation developments, including the SEC’s massive whistleblower awards, which are likely to continue into 2024 and further incentivize individuals to submit tips, say attorneys at Proskauer.
The 4 Top Philadelphia Commerce Court Opinions Of 2023

Four 2023 rulings from the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas — including decisions on judicial privilege, stay requests, sheriff's sales and the appointment of a receiver — highlight the court's commitment to stringent standards and address evolving challenges in commercial litigation, say Jonathan Hugg and Sarah Boutros at Eckert Seamans.
5 Trends To Watch In Property And Casualty Class Actions

In 2023, class action decisions have altered the landscape for five major types of claims affecting property and casualty insurers — total loss vehicle valuation, labor depreciation, other structural loss estimating theories, total loss vehicle tax and regulatory fees, and New Mexico's uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage sale requirements, say Mark Johnson and Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler.