The Legal Intelligencer

Tuesday Public Notices/Calendars

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 06:59:59 EST

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3rd Circuit Judge Bibas Backs Proposal to Curb Over-Sealing of Court Records

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 18:31:46 EST

Under the proposed rule, parties would need to state the interest that supports sealing, the injury that would result from public access and why a less restrictive alternative wouldn't protect that interest. Judges who grant sealing motions would need to identify the "privacy, confidentiality, trade secret, national security or other interest" justifying sealing, among other requirements.

Employer Retaliation Claims Generate $15 Million in Verdicts, Settlements for This Attorney

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 17:34:08 EST

A New Jersey employment lawyer is closing out 2026 with more than $15 million in verdicts and settlements, including four jury trials that produced significant recoveries for workers alleging retaliation.

Ninth Circuit's Reversal of a $140 Million FCRA Verdict Gives Companies a License to Willfully Violate the FCRA

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 23:59:59 EST

The Ninth Circuit reversed a $140 million FCRA verdict against CenturyLink by ruling on the Safeco defense without deciding whether pulling credit reports mid-checkout violates the statute, effectively allowing companies to continue the practice without risk of willfulness liability. Until courts clarify when consumers "initiate" online transactions under the FCRA, businesses can exploit this gap to access credit information during checkout while avoiding the statutory and punitive damages that make privacy enforcement viable.

People in the News—Nov. 9, 2026—Feldman Shepherd, Cipriani & Werner

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 23:59:59 EST

Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig announced that trial attorney Mark A. Schork and paralegal Terri Smith have been honored by the Philadelphia Bar Association as “Bar Stars.

Monday Public Notices/Calendars

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 06:59:59 EST

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Pa. Supreme Court Agrees to Review Scope of LLC Fiduciary Duties

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 16:59:02 EST

The novel case arises amid a lack of case law dictating LLC conduct, with the state's apex court assessing whether fiduciary duties are owed to an expelled founding member and if expulsion breaches those duties.

From ChatGPT to Court Chambers: Penn Program Aims to Build Judicial AI Fluency

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 00:49:12 EST

"We are all, as judges, cognizant of the challenges that AI is posing for us," U.S. District Judge Joshua D. Wolson of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said, while noting that they are "also intrigued by the possibilities that it could help us do our jobs more efficiently."

People in the News—Nov. 6, 2026—Weber Gallagher, Sterlington

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 23:59:59 EST

Weber Gallagher announced that Eve K. Kokolis has joined the firm as a partner in the workers' compensation group.

Title IX at a Crossroads: Deregulation, Contested Oversight and a Student Revolt

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 11:51:59 EST

The Trump administration's rollback of Title IX regulations to 2020 standards, combined with the Office for Civil Rights' shift away from investigating student sexual-misconduct complaints, has sparked nationwide campus protests demanding greater institutional accountability and transparency in handling sexual violence cases.

Friday Public Notices/Calendars

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 06:59:59 EST

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Settlement Administrators, Banks, Seek Dismissal of Racketeering Suits

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 20:07:03 EST

Settlement administrators, banks and fintech companies moved to dismiss novel racketeering and antitrust claims over alleged profits from class action funds, arguing they owed class members no fiduciary duties and that plaintiffs lack standing to sue.

Practical Preemption: How to Evaluate a New Local Ordinance in Pennsylvania

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 15:35:59 EST

Pennsylvania businesses can evaluate whether a new local ordinance is legally enforceable by analyzing state preemption laws, and weighs the practical costs of challenging versus complying with ambiguous ordinances that can take years to resolve in court.

Ronald Castille, Former Chief Justice of Pennsylvania and Phila. DA, Dies at 82

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 15:16:29 EST

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Todd remembered Castille for his legacy of a "commitment to service, duty and the pursuit of justice."

Keches' Phila. Team Joins Ethen Ostroff Law to Expand Trial Bench, Physical Footprint

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 14:46:25 EST

The firm, founded in 2022, has historically focused on referrals. However, in a conversation with Law.com, Ostroff shared that the recent hiring announcement marks a shift from growth driven primarily by marketing and referrals, allowing the firm to keep more complex medical malpractice, products liability and catastrophic injury matters in-house while laying the groundwork for future geographic expansion.

The Evolving Law of Generative AI in Discovery

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 00:44:59 EST

The recent wave of litigation involving generative AI in discovery is clarifying when prompts, responses, and chat histories are protected, revealing that courts distinguish between attorney-directed use and independent client research, between factual material and litigation strategy, and between the confidentiality protections of privilege and the broader shield of work product. While consumer AI platforms may defeat confidentiality under existing privacy policies, work-product protection can survive AI assistance if the materials were created for litigation purposes and not disclosed to adversaries.

People in the News—Nov. 5, 2026—Babst Calland, Ballard Spahr

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 23:59:59 EST

Forrest D. Paul recently joined law firm Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir's Pittsburgh office as an associate in the public sector and real estate, land use, and zoning practice groups.

Sex, Gardening and Defamation: Superior Court Upholds Ruling Against Landscaping Company

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 11:01:59 EST

A homeowner's critical online review of a landscaping company prompted a defamatory response falsely portraying him as a sexual predator, resulting in a $1.5 million judgment affirmed on appeal, with the Pennsylvania Superior Court holding that defamation per se requires only proof of actual harm—not economic loss.

NY's AVOID Act: Will Faster Impleader Deadlines Complicate Construction Litigation?

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:24:59 EST

New York's AVOID Act imposes stricter 90-day deadlines for third-party claims in litigation, aiming to prevent delays but potentially forcing construction defendants to implead additional parties before adequate discovery, which may increase early-stage litigation complexity rather than reduce it.

Thursday Public Notices/Calendars

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 06:59:59 EST

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In ‘Chasing Goodfellas,' a Senior Dechert Lawyer Reflects on His Time Prosecuting the NYC Mob in the ‘70s and ‘80s

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 17:11:19 EST

Ed McDonald played himself in the Oscar nominated film and helped Henry Hill enter the witness protection program in real life.

Dentons US Brings on Veteran Insurance Litigation Team From Faegre Drinker

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 13:02:39 EST

Dentons says the new team—previously based in Faegre Drinker's Philadelphia office—will help its strategic growth in the U.S. The firm has added 100 lateral partners, principals and counsel across key practice areas stateside since 2022.

Interested in Contributing an Article? We Have a New Email for That

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 12:59:59 EST

Attorneys, law firms and legal professionals can submit article ideas and topic proposals to contributedcontent@alm.com, with proposals welcomed on legal practice areas, technology, in-house counsel issues, marketing, and topics for emerging attorneys.

People in the News—Nov. 4, 2026—McNees, Cooper Levenson

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 23:59:59 EST

McNees Wallace & Nurick announced it has partnered with UPMC Pinnacle Foundation to establish a new scholarship fund for the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg, in honor of the firm's late member and healthcare practice chair, Mark Van Blargan.

Rethinking the Variance: What a Century of Zoning Has Taught Us

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 11:52:59 EST

After a century of zoning law, the strict "unnecessary hardship" standard for granting variances should be reconsidered, as it has proven unrealistic and contributed to housing shortages, and suggests zoning boards should be freed to approve developments based on public interest rather than near-impossible hardship requirements.

Wednesday Public Notices/Calendars

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:59:59 EST

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Can an App User Click Away the Right to a Jury Trial? Pa. Courts Are Divided

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 16:20:30 EST

Pennsylvania state and federal courts are taking different approaches to clickwrap arbitration agreements, raising questions about consumers' jury trial rights, federal preemption and whether the state Supreme Court will ultimately resolve the growing legal divide.

If the Legal Department Doesn't Want to Be Viewed as a Cost Center, It Needs to Start Behaving Like It Isn't One

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:59:59 EST

To shed the cost-center identity, legal teams must use technology-driven capacity gains to insert themselves earlier in decision-making processes and position themselves as strategic contributors who shape outcomes rather than just process requests.

Pa. Court Erases Staffing Firm's $9M Share of Crash Verdict, Preserves $3M Delay-Damages Award

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:02:44 EST

The appeal stemmed from a 2024 verdict awarding $15 million to passengers who were killed or injured while being transported to work in a van service provided by Global Staffing Solutions.

People in the News—Nov. 3, 2026—Eisenberg Winkler, Morgan Lewis

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 23:59:59 EST

Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry announced that shareholder Daniel Jeck was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) at its national board meeting in Philadelphia on Oct. 17.

Supreme Court Examines Commentary to US Sentencing Guidelines

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 11:52:59 EST

The Supreme Court heard arguments in Beaird v. United States to determine whether federal judges must apply the Sentencing Commission's commentary when calculating advisory sentencing ranges, potentially overturning 30 years of precedent that gave such commentary authoritative weight.

The Defeat of the Clarity Act: A Lost Battle, But Crypto Won the War

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 11:04:18 EST

Now that the CLARITY Act has stalled in the Senate, crypto rules will come from the SEC and CFTC, and ultimately from the courts. Stinson attorneys Richard Lomuscio and Abby Goldstein discuss what this means for companies and investors.

The Promise and Perils of Using AI to Respond to USPTO Office Actions

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:16:59 EST

To mitigate these risks, practitioners should use AI iteratively as a decision-support tool rather than for generating complete responses, carefully reviewing outputs to ensure arguments are focused and avoid statements that could be used against the patent holder.

Availability of Insurance to Manage PFAS Liability Risks

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:00:59 EST

Companies should investigate policy archives and work with specialized counsel to maximize insurance recovery opportunities for emerging PFAS liabilities.

ExxonMobil Asks Pa. Superior Court to Redo $815.8M Ruling, Challenges Strict Waiver Findings

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 15:41:02 EST

The Pennsylvania Superior Court wrongly used waiver to sidestep the merits when it reviewed challenges to one of the largest compensatory awards in Pennsylvania history, ExxonMobil argued.

People in the News—Nov. 2, 2026—Fine Kaplan

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 23:59:59 EST

Roberta Liebenberg, a senior partner at Fine, Kaplan and Black, received the Complex Litigation Ethics Award at the Complex Litigation Ethics Conference in San Francisco on Oct. 16.

'St. Mary v. Roy': Funding Discrimination?

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 10:59:59 EST

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether religious schools can receive public preschool funding while exempting themselves from Colorado's nondiscrimination policy that protects LGBTQ+ families.

$7.3M Verdict Against Contractor Survives Statutory-Employer Immunity Challenge on Appeal

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 10:57:55 EST

The appellate court denied attempts to shield the general contractor from liability via statutory-employer immunity under the state's Workers' Compensation Act.