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June 25, 2024
DC Council OKs Tax Hikes On High-End Property, Payroll
Washington, D.C., would impose a special tax rate on high-end residential properties, boost the premium for the district's paid leave program and make other tax and spending changes under legislation passed Tuesday by the district council.
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June 25, 2024
Pot Cos. Push Back On Calif. City's Bid To Toss $5.4M Fee Suit
Six cannabis companies are fighting the California city of Cudahy's bid to dismiss a suit alleging that the city reneged on a promise to waive $5.4 million in fees accrued during the COVID-19 shutdowns, saying the motion largely disputes allegations that the court has to accept as true under a motion to dismiss.
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June 25, 2024
EU Opens Microsoft Case, Unappeased By Teams Unbundling
European Union antitrust authorities opened a formal complaint against Microsoft on Tuesday over the company's bundling of its Teams communications program with its Office 365 suites, calling out as insufficient the disconnection of the services Microsoft initiated last year to appease enforcers.
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June 25, 2024
Ore. Tax Court Affirms $13M Valuation For Lowe's Retail Outlet
The Oregon Tax Court affirmed the $13.4 million tax valuation of a Lowe's home improvement warehouse, rejecting the company's argument that the property should be valued as if it did not have a lease in place.
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June 25, 2024
Advance Auto Parts Hit With 4 Data Breach Suits
Advance Auto Parts Inc. has been hit with four proposed class action complaints over a recent data breach that one suit says exposed more than 1 million people's private information, some of which has purportedly already gone up for sale on the dark web.
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June 24, 2024
5th Circ. Won't Revive Texas' Homemade Gun-Silencer Fight
The Fifth Circuit refused Friday to revive a challenge by Texas residents and attorney general against federal laws regulating the manufacturing of firearm silencers, finding the residents lack standing, since vague intentions to make silencers aren't enough to establish injury, and the state can't voluntarily litigate its residents' personal claims.
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June 24, 2024
Pet Toy Maker Says It Never Inked Parent Co. Licensing Deal
Pet toy maker Kong has told a Colorado federal judge that it never gave a parent company permission to use its trademark for a line of large animal toys, claiming in motions that the company used the Kong brand anyway and deleted social media accounts with evidence of the infringement.
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June 24, 2024
Apple, Amazon Assail Hagens Berman's Class Rep 'Charade'
Apple and Amazon.com blasted Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP for trying to "have it both ways" in an antitrust suit over a pact between the companies restricting Amazon iPhone and iPad sales to approved vendors, arguing the firm cannot withdraw its original named plaintiff without forcing him to testify.
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June 24, 2024
Bid To Undo $71M Christmas Tree Patent Verdict Rejected
A Minnesota federal judge on Monday rejected a posttrial motion by Polygroup Ltd. seeking to overturn a $71.4 million judgment against it for infringing rival Willis Electric Co Ltd.'s artificial Christmas tree patent, saying the company failed to show that the verdict was against the clear weight of the evidence.
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June 24, 2024
Illinois, Other States Back FTC Bid To Affirm Intuit Ad Ruling
Illinois, along with 20 other states and the District of Columbia, defended the Federal Trade Commission in tax software giant Intuit's Fifth Circuit constitutional challenge to the agency's findings that the company engaged in deceptive advertising, saying in an amicus brief that the FTC's conclusion was correct.
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June 24, 2024
Mars Beats Dove Chocolate False Ad Suit At 9th Circ.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal Monday of a proposed class action claiming that a Mars subsidiary falsely advertised its Dove dark chocolate products as being made without using child slave labor or contributing to rainforest deforestation, finding that the candy packages' "Rainforest Alliance Certified farms" labeling isn't misleading.
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June 24, 2024
Missed Forecasts 'Not Fraud,' Advance Auto Tells Investors
Advance Auto Parts Inc. and its top brass are looking to exit a proposed class action alleging they misled investors about the failure of a new pricing strategy and purposefully inflated the impact of price reductions, saying that missed forecasts and accounting errors "are not fraud."
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June 24, 2024
Gucci Goods Sourced From Mistreated Reptiles, Suit Says
Gucci and parent company Kering Americas are facing a proposed class action in Illinois state court by a former sales associate who accuses the luxury retailers of falsely claiming that their exotic-skin goods are humanely sourced, even though an investigation purportedly revealed that at least two Kering-owned tanneries were subjecting crocodiles and pythons to abusive slaughtering practices.
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June 24, 2024
Tax Preparers Win Recommendation For Class Cert. In OT Suit
A group of tax preparers have met the requirements to form a class in a suit accusing their former employer of failing to pay overtime, a New York federal magistrate judge said, rejecting the employer's argument that their request for class status came too late.
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June 24, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Amendments to Delaware's General Corporation Law topped the news out of the Court of Chancery again last week, as the hotly contested measure sailed through the state's legislature. Tesla and its shareholders continued their tug-of-war over attorney fees for Chancery litigation about Elon Musk's pay package, and new cases were filed involving biotechs, car rental companies, workout platforms, telecom towers, and a cargo ship fire in Brazil.
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June 24, 2024
Fragrance Co. Fined €15.9M For Deleting WhatsApp Messages
The European Commission fined International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. €15.9 million ($17 million) on Monday, after enforcers said a senior employee deleted WhatsApp messages during an investigation of potential anti-competitive activity in the fragrance industry.
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June 24, 2024
Google's Brin, Pichai Must Face Texas Ad Tech Depos
Google CEO Sundar Pichai is bound for the deposition chair for four hours of testimony while company co-founder Sergey Brin is facing two and a half hours after a Texas federal judge refused Friday to spare the executives from a state enforcer antitrust lawsuit targeting the search giant's digital advertising placement technology.
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June 24, 2024
CSG Ups Purchase Price For Vista's Kinetic Group To $2B
Marking the latest update in its bid to scoop up Vista Outdoor Inc.'s various businesses, Czech defense company Czechoslovak Group AS has raised its proposal to purchase Vista's sporting products division to $2 billion, a $90 million increase over the original price lobbed by the defense company back in October.
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June 24, 2024
2nd Circ. Reopens Insider Trading Suit Against Hedge Fund
The Second Circuit on Monday revived a lawsuit accusing hedge fund Raging Capital Management LLC of profiting off its position as a corporate insider of 1-800-Flowers, rejecting arguments that a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturned circuit precedent allowing shareholders to sue beneficial owners who partake in short-swing trading.
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June 24, 2024
Paper Bag Imports Found To Have Harmed US Industry
The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that paper shopping bags from eight countries harmed the domestic industry, providing the final green light for the U.S. Department of Commerce to enact countervailing and anti-dumping duties on the products.
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June 24, 2024
Blumenauer Predicts Cannabis Rescheduling Before Year-End
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., a longtime champion of cannabis reform in Congress who is retiring this year, told cannabis attorneys on Monday that he was optimistic marijuana would be moved to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act before the end of the year.
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June 24, 2024
Justices Won't Hear Objections To $2.67B BCBS Deal
The U.S. Supreme Court refused on Monday to review Home Depot's challenge of a $2.67 billion settlement in antitrust litigation targeting Blue Cross Blue Shield, along with a separate challenge of the attorney fees awarded for the deal.
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June 21, 2024
Under Armour To Pay $434M To End Securities Fraud Claims
Under Armour Inc. has agreed to shell out $434 million to put to rest claims it inflated stock prices by hiding declining demand for its products, investors announced Friday, reaching a deal just weeks before a jury trial was set to kick off in Maryland federal court.
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June 21, 2024
Nike Misled Investors On Sales Strategy, Ore. Class Suit Says
Nike and two executives were hit with a proposed class action lawsuit in Oregon federal court over securities law violations, with a Florida-based pension fund alleging stock value declined as the shoe corporation continued to mislead investors on the success of a change in sales strategy.
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June 21, 2024
Live Nation Investor Sues Leaders Over DOJ Antitrust Claims
Live Nation's executives and directors were hit with a shareholder derivative lawsuit Friday in California federal court that seeks damages in the wake of the U.S. Department of Justice's allegations that the company monopolized concert promotion and ticket sales following its 2010 merger with Ticketmaster.
Expert Analysis
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How States Vary On The Fireman's Rule And Its Applicability
A recent decision by the Indiana Court of Appeals, reviving a firefighter’s suit, is illustrative of changes in the application and interpretation by state courts and legislatures of the Fireman’s Rule, which bans first responders from recovering for injuries sustained on the job, says Shea Feagin at Swift Currie.
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Perspectives
6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice
An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.
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Series
ESG Around The World: Canada
In Canada, multiple statutes, regulations, common law and industry guidance address environmental, social and governance considerations, with debate over ESG in the business realm potentially growing on the horizon, say attorneys at Blakes.
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Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga
Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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9 Contractual Issues Tech Startups Should Be Wary Of
Technology startups often overlook relatively simple but crucial contracting steps that are essential to owning and protecting their intellectual property, and the consequences of this will almost always surface at some point, typically in connection with a key investment or other significant transaction involving the business, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.
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5 AI Risks For Corporate Boards To Examine
Whether companies are building their own artificial intelligence technology or leveraging third-party tools, their directors should get educated on certain legal issues and business risks to ensure the adoption of policies that foster responsible use of generative AI, say James Gatto and Tiana Garbett at Sheppard Mullin.
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3 Areas Of Focus In Congressional Crosshairs This Year
Companies must prepare for Congress to build on its 2023 oversight priorities this year, continuing its vigorous inquiries into Chinese company-related investments, workplace safety and labor relations issues, and generative artificial intelligence, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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NY CRE Lenders Need Clarity On Foreclosure Standing
Recent contradictory New York case law regarding issues of standing in commercial real estate litigation creates confusion for borrowers and lenders alike, and should be addressed by courts in advance of the anticipated onslaught of commercial mortgage-backed securities foreclosures, say Christopher Gorman and John Muldoon at Rosenberg & Estis.
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Series
Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer
After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.
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3 Key Class Action Trends To Use As Guidance In 2024
Telephone Consumer Protection Act, privacy and false advertising class actions saw significant shifts last year — including a trend toward expanding the application of preexisting laws to current technologies — that businesses should keep in mind to navigate the class action landscape in 2024, say attorneys at Mintz.
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Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?
Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.
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Time To Step Up PFAS Due Diligence In Cross-Border M&A
Regulations in the U.S. and EU governing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances will likely evolve to become global standards out of necessity and scale, so PFAS due diligence — particularly for buyers, sellers, and lenders and investors involved in multijurisdictional mergers and acquisitions — will be essential in 2024, say attorneys at Shipman & Goodwin.
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Bill Could Pave Path To 'Safer' Banking For Cannabis Industry
The Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation, or SAFER, Banking Act, which was recently passed by a U.S. Senate committee, creates potential for financial inclusion of legally operating cannabis businesses and could promote recognition of the disconnect between federal laws and services unavailable to the industry, says Mark Bell at Stinson.
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How 4 State AGs Are Shaping Data Privacy Compliance
As the landscape of state data privacy laws continues to grow across the nation, understanding how state attorneys general — such as in California, Colorado, Connecticut and Virginia — are thinking about these laws is critical to begin forecasting how enforcement will play out, say Michelle Kallen and Daniel Echeverri at Jenner & Block.
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7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond
The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.