GlobeSt.com - Washington, DC

DOJ Preps for Law Firm EO Battle

Wed, 13 May 2026 15:38:15 EST

The arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C Circuit, represent the next litmus test for how far the Trump administration's battle against law firms in court will go.

Judge's Technical Committee Begins Google Remedies Oversight With Full Staff

Tue, 12 May 2026 17:36:30 EST

The establishment of an experts committee to oversee antitrust remedies in the U.S. Department of Justice's Google search-monopoly case could potentially be replicated in the remedies phase of the Live Nation antitrust case in Manhattan federal court, according to a former Munger, Tolles & Olson attorney who represents clients in high-stakes legal matters.

Anticipating AI-Driven Rise in Demand, Alston & Bird Invests in IP Bench

Tue, 12 May 2026 17:25:35 EST

The firm hired a trio of IP partners from Winston & Strawn earlier this month.

Fernando Laguarda Named General Counsel of UnidosUS

Tue, 12 May 2026 09:56:49 EST

The veteran government lawyer, who previously served as general counsel of AmeriCorps and deputy general counsel of the General Services Administration, takes on a newly created role at the nation's largest Latino civil rights organization.

US Judge Blocks FTC Subpoenas Targeting Gender-Affirming Care Advocacy Groups

Mon, 11 May 2026 14:28:35 EST

"The Society is the latest casualty in some Executive Branch agencies' bid to investigate hospitals, medical providers and charitable organizations that support transgender health," U.S. District Chief Judge James Boasberg wrote in an opinion preventing the Federal Trade Commission from demanding sensitive records from the Endocrine Society as the litigation plays out. Boasberg also granted extraordinary relief to nonprofit plaintiff World Professional Association for Transgender Health in a separate case against the FTC alleging unlawful retaliation.

3rd Circuit Revives Session Replay Suits Against Bass Pro Shops, Offering Roadmap for Standing

Mon, 11 May 2026 14:14:44 EST

So far, plaintiffs raising claims over session replay software have largely stumbled at the standing phase, with courts finding that merely alleging one's online movements have been tracked is not enough to establish a claim.

Wilkinson Stekloff Launches in Miami With Shook, Hardy & Bacon Products Liability Leader

Mon, 11 May 2026 05:59:59 EST

William Geraghty, who will lead the litigation boutique's new Miami office, leaves Shook Hardy just two months after his products liability co-chair Hillary Sastre moved to DLA Piper in Miami.

Antitrust Remedies Order Takes Effect as US Judge Denies Google's Stay Motion

Fri, 08 May 2026 15:41:19 EST

"[T]here is no rule in this circuit that any disclosure of information is an irreparable harm sufficient to warrant a stay," U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta wrote in an order denying Google's partial stay motion. Google unsuccessfully asked Mehta to pause his final judgment requiring Google to share sensitive data with rival search engines and generative AI companies to redress Google's alleged anticompetitive conduct in the general search market.

Trade Court Strikes Down Trump's 10% Global Duties, Rejecting 'Expansive' View of Executive Power to Impose Tariffs

Thu, 07 May 2026 18:24:29 EST

The trade court ruled 2-1 that Trump had unlawfully used Section 122 of the Trade Act to enact a new blanket duty on products entering the United States, finding that Trump failed to identify a "balance-of-payments deficit" that would allow him to wield the trade law's broad tariff-making powers. The decision strikes down the president's second bid to impose global tariffs on his own.

Justice Thomas Becomes Second Longest Serving Supreme Court Justice

Thu, 07 May 2026 15:43:43 EST

Justice Clarence Thomas now sits behind Justice William O. Douglas in the list of longest-serving Supreme Court justices in U.S. history.

Big Law Talent Battle Accelerates in Congressional Investigation Practices

Thu, 07 May 2026 15:28:42 EST

Simpson's recent move has caused ripples in the D.C. talent market and has caught the attention of others, including other New York firms.

Critical Mass With Law.com's Amanda Bronstad: 2nd Bellwether Trial Opens in LA Over J&J Talc, Federal Judge Calls $7.25B Roundup Settlement ‘Mind-Boggling'

Wed, 06 May 2026 10:58:59 EST

This week: The second bellwether trial in the coordinated California state court cases alleging Johnson & Johnson's baby powder causes ovarian cancer opened in Los Angeles Superior Court. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria refused to intervene in a proposed $7.25B settlement in Missouri state court. Find out who was appointed to lead lawsuits against claims administrators such as Epiq and Angeion.

From Boutique to Big League: The Evolution of Trump's Defamation Lawyer

Tue, 05 May 2026 16:28:42 EST

Trump's defamation frontman, Alex Brito, navigates high-stakes defamation litigation under the brightest legal glare.

After 22-Year Run, Award-Winning SEC Enforcement Official Departs for Wilmer

Tue, 05 May 2026 13:32:15 EST

Jason Burt won awards for helping the SEC crack two first-of-their-kind cases—one involving a flash market crash and another in which co-conspirators obtained early access to financial press releases, enabling them to profit by trading on nonpublic information.

Musk Pays Just $1.5 Million to Settle SEC Suit Accusing Him of Underpaying Twitter Investors by $150M

Mon, 04 May 2026 21:37:37 EST

The deal reflects a stark difference in enforcement philosophies between President Joe Biden's SEC chair, Gary Gensler, who brought the case, and Trump's SEC chair, Paul Atkins.

New Mexico Justice Department Wants Meta to Pay $3.7B to Fund Teen Mental Health Programs

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:20:54 EST

Meta attorney Alex Parkinson of Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick told First Judicial District Chief Judge Bryan Biedscheid that the state's proposed abatement fund is an "unprecedented demand for money."

Associate Becomes Kidney Donor to Law Firm Partner

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

After sending out a firmwide plea to find a kidney donor, Thompson Coburn land use partner Bernie Citron got connected with regulatory associate Hope Watson.

Holtzman Vogel Files Amicus Brief Backing DeSantis in CAIR Appeal

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:19:52 EST

The group is suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after he issued an executive order declaring CAIR a foreign terrorist organization.

Senate Weighs 4th DCA Chief Judge Jeffrey Kuntz for High-Stakes Florida Bench

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:37:23 EST

Florida appellate judge Jeffrey Kuntz will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee as his nomination to the federal bench moves into public view.

Critical Mass With Law.com's Amanda Bronstad: SCOTUS Hears Key Roundup Case, 1st Bellwether Trial Opens Over Bard PowerPort

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:41:20 EST

This week: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Monsanto's defense of federal preemption in lawsuits over its Roundup pesticide. The first bellwether trial among more than 3,000 lawsuits over Bard's PowerPort medical devices began in Arizona. Find out who stepped in to represent fertilizer manufacturers, such as Koch Industries and The Mosaic Co., in a string of new antitrust lawsuits.

4 Class Action Suits Say GrayRobinson Waited 13 Months to Inform Victims of Data Breach

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:07:18 EST

The Am Law Second Hundred firm faces two suits in Florida state court and two in federal court over a March 2025 breach that allegedly impacted 65,000 potential class members.

Defendant in Patent Case Secures Preliminary Injunction With Countersuit Litigation Strategy

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:59:52 EST

Quarles & Brady filed a successful motion for a preliminary injunction as part of its countersuit strategy defending a family company's patented nasal adhesive product promoting enhanced breathing for consumers.

Fenwick Recruits 5-Atty IP Group From Winston & Strawn

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

The group consists of partners Krishnan Padmanabhan and Scott Border as well as associates Devin Garrity, Daniel Marzagalli and Christopher Gresalfi.

Read the Indictment: Ex-FBI Director James Comey Faces New Charges, Arrest Warrant

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:23:14 EST

"Threatening the life of the President of the United States is a grave violation of our nation's laws," acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said after a federal grand jury in North Carolina returned an indictment alleging Comey threatened to kill President Donald Trump in a May 2025 social media post.

Finnegan Downsizes, Modernizes Flagship DC Office in Recent Renovation

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:28:40 EST

The firm's 61-year-old headquarters houses some 433 lawyers with room to grow, managing partner James Barney said.

'Remarkable' but 'Unsustainable': Ex-McKinsey CLO Gives Up Government GC Post 6 Months After Confirmation

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:50:50 EST

Pierre Gentin was one of two veteran corporate legal chiefs to take senior roles in Donald Trump's second presidential administration.

Jenner, Greenberg Traurig, and Simpson Among Latest to Add Laterals in DC

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

Greenberg Traurig brought on a six-person team from Holland & Knight to its Washington, D.C., office to expand the firm's lobbying capabilities.

Fed Chair Nominee Secures Key Support as DOJ Closes Powell Probe

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:39:18 EST

"I have been clear from the start: the U.S. Attorney's Office criminal investigation into [Federal Reserve Chair Jerome] Powell was a serious threat to the Fed's independence, and it needed to end before I could support Kevin Warsh's confirmation," U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis said in a social media post after U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro of the District of Columbia closed the Powell probe without bringing charges.

'There Will Never Be Another Like Him': J. Charles “Charlie Gray, GrayRobinson Founding Partner, Dies at 94

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:51:42 EST

Gray founded GrayRobinson in 1970 alongside three other attorneys, was heavily involved within Central Florida's business community and was known as a mentor to his colleagues.

Merck Wins First Trial Over Cosmetic Talc Products Dr. Scholl's, Lotrimin

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:24:35 EST

An Illinois jury in Cook County Circuit Court handed Merck a defense verdict on April 17 after fewer than two hours of deliberations.

On the Move: Ga. Solicitor General Joins Jones Day's Growing Appellate Practice, Maynard Nexsen Adds 'Missing Piece' to Life Sciences Group

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:11:12 EST

Also, a former BakerHostetler team leader moves to Nelson Mullins in Houston, and a Haynes & Boone government contracts pro joins Moore & Van Allen.

Facing Leaks, Supreme Court Moves Forward With Arguments And New Cases

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:32:13 EST

In this podcast edition of Supreme Court Brief, host Jimmy Hoover discusses the latest leak of confidential memos from the Supreme Court, a major new blockbuster First Amendment case, and this week's hearing about the SEC's power to order disgorgement.

NJ Roundup Attorney Defends $7B Accord After Complications With Fed Court Claims Emerge

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:37:58 EST

Seeger, of Seeger Weiss in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, told Law.com that the injunction motion is a “tactic to hijack the settlement in exchange for a better deal for their own Roundup clients.

Covington Helps Save DC Bike Lanes, Upending Trump Administration's Decision

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:03:38 EST

Covington & Burling represented a nonprofit plaintiff pro bono and won a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's effort to remove dedicated bike lanes near the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C.

'It Sets a Very Bad Precedent': Roundup Settlement's Critics Ask Federal Judge to Intervene

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:27:29 EST

Two co-lead plaintiffs' counsel in the Roundup multidistrict litigation filed an injunction motion earlier this month before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, in California's Northern District, to intervene in a $7.25 billion class action settlement preliminarily approved last month by 22nd Judicial District Judge Timothy Boyer in St. Louis, Missouri.

'Loaded Revolver,' Small Businesses Tell Supreme Court That Corporate Disclosure Law Shelved By Trump Is Unconstitutional

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:59:17 EST

Veteran Supreme Court lawyer Paul Clement filed a petition on behalf of small businesses asking the court to review whether Congress exceeded its authority in passing a corporate transparency law designed to crack down on financial crimes.

Big Law PACs Heavily Favor Republicans in '25-'26 Races

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:34:45 EST

Of the 43 Am Law 200-affiliated PACs analyzed by Law.com, 37 firm PACs disbursed more money to Republican campaigns or affiliated PACs than to Democrats.

Gibson Dunn Lifts Four-Partner Appellate Litigation Team Led by Jeffrey Wall From Sullivan & Cromwell

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:43:23 EST

Wall previously served as co-head of Sullivan & Cromwell's appellate litigation practice as well as acting U.S. solicitor general. The group collectively has argued more than 45 cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Big Law Saw Increased Lobbying Revenue in First Quarter of 2026

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:04:04 EST

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Ballard Partners, Holland & Knight, Squire Patton Boggs and K&L Gates saw increased lobbying revenue in the first quarter of this year compared to the last quarter of 2025, according to Lobbying Disclosure Act filings on Monday.

Covington's Client Base Shifts as Tech Sector's Legal Needs Mount

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:30:01 EST

“Six out of the 10 largest clients of the firm are tech industry companies, and we represent 15 out of the top 20 largest tech companies globally by market (capitalization), including four out of the top five," said James Garland, a member of Covington & Burling's management and executive committees.

NJ's Cohen Placitella Among 13 Firms Vying to Lead Talc MDL Following Beasley Allen DQ

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:04:55 EST

The applications by lawyers including W. Mark Lanier, Mikal Watts and Christopher Placitella come after a federal magistrate judge disqualified Beasley Allen, whose principal, Leigh O'Dell, had served as co-lead counsel for 10 years.

Some Texas Lawyers Apply to Lead Talc MDL's Next Phase

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:04:21 EST

'An Inflection Point': 13 Lawyers Apply to Lead Talc MDL's Next Phase

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:37:36 EST

Justices Appear Skeptical of Challenge to SEC's Disgorgement Power, but Press Feds on Where the Money Goes

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:47:11 EST

The case concerns the SEC's ability to force white collar defendants to disgorge their gains in cases where regulators can't clearly identify victims or quantify the money lost. Although several justices seemed to lean in favor of the SEC, others wondered how much disgorgement the government is keeping for themselves.

King & Spalding, Adams & Reese, Ogletree Deakins Are Expanding Their Real Estate Footprint in 3 Cities

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:21:08 EST

King & Spalding has expanded in downtown Los Angeles by 80%. Adams & Reese signed a new lease to grow in its existing Nashville, Tennessee, office, while Ogletree plans to move into a new, larger office in Washington, D.C., next year.

Live Nation Agrees to $9.9M Settlement Resolving DC Consumer Protection Claims

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:52:13 EST

"For at least a decade, Live Nation and Ticketmaster boosted profits by charging predatory, hidden fees," the District of Columbia's attorney general said after reaching a $9.9 million settlement with Live Nation resolving allegations the entertainment giant violated the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act with deceptive "drip pricing" that harmed consumers.

2 Latham Partners Head to Dunn Isaacson Rhee

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

Danielle Conley and Jude Volek both worked in the Biden administration White House before joining Latham.

'Freaking Out'?: Big Law Attorney Donors Shocked by Swalwell Scandal

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:11:42 EST

"No one wants their name associated with [Eric Swalwell] because of these allegations," a legal insider said of the many lawyers who contributed funds to Swalwell's gubernatorial campaign before the California Democrat exited the race following allegations of sexual misconduct.

Winston & Strawn Presses Forward with Hunter Biden Suit, Arguing for Communications with Democratic Donors

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:12:50 EST

The law firm alleges Hunter Biden went to Democratic Party donors to get his outstanding legal fees with the firm paid off, but now is refusing to turn over those communications during discovery.

SEC's Power to Force Fraudsters to Disgorge Gains Returns to U.S. Supreme Court

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:30:11 EST

The justices are expected to review the issue of whether the government must identify victims and their losses in order to secure disgorgement orders.

Eversheds Sutherland Unveils New Atlanta Office, Half the Size of Old Location

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:43:31 EST

“It's natural that you see, in a business environment as vibrant as the one that we see in Atlanta, that law firms will want to be there, said Lino Mendiola, global co-CEO and U.S. chief executive of Eversheds Sutherland.

Orkin Parent Ordered to Release 18,000 Workers From Noncompetes

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:49:33 EST

The Federal Trade Commission hopes its enforcement action has a chilling effect on the pest-control industry, where such agreements are common.

'Deeply Regret Past Support': Big Law Donors React to Swalwell's Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:32:43 EST

"It seems like he did the right thing in terminating his gubernatorial campaign and resigning from Congress," a Susman Godfrey partner said of former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell after several women accused the California Democrat of sexual misconduct.

DOJ Seeks to Revive Pentagon's Novel Media-Escort Policy in Emergency Appeal

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:52:41 EST

"[T]here is nothing improper about a viewpoint-neutral policy that requires an escort for access to the Pentagon," U.S. Department of Justice attorneys wrote in an emergency stay motion asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to pause a trial judge's underlying order that allows plaintiff The New York Times and all credentialed journalists to access the Pentagon unescorted.

'Unacceptably High Temperatures': Goodwin Files Suit Over Office AC in DC

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:35:00 EST

Cooling problems in Goodwin's D.C. office led to above 80-degree temperatures and excessive noise in the building that cost over $800,000 to fix, Goodwin claims in the complaint against WSP USA Buildings.

Trump, Obama Nominees to Hear Law Firm EO Appeals

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:06:06 EST

Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan, Judge Cornelia Pillard and Judge Neomi Rao have been selected to be on the panel that will hear arguments on May 14 in the combined appeals cases, involving Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey, and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.

Jenner & Block's Money Settlement With Ex-Client Sierra Leone Hits Roadblock

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:58:45 EST

A bureaucratic obstacle has prevented plaintiff Jenner & Block from receiving a timely settlement payment from foreign government defendant Sierra Leone that would resolve their $8 million attorney-client international fee dispute if consummated.

DOJ Argues Certain Sections of Law Firm EOs Could Stand if Some Parts Get Invalidated

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:02:41 EST

"There can be no dispute here that the president wants some of the provisions to take effect even if others are enjoined," the DOJ says.

Confirmation Appears Likely Even Though ABA Rated Ex-Jones Day Associate 'Not Qualified'

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:34:06 EST

"The Committee's rating of Ms. [Kathleen] Lane is based on issues with her experience, which is an important component of competence, not her temperament or integrity," the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary wrote in a letter explaining why the ABA rated Lane "not qualified" to serve as President Donald Trump's pick for a Montana federal judgeship.

Former Skadden, Munger Tolles and MoloLamken Partners Launch Boutique

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:59:59 EST

The new firm, Liu Shur Kravis, will focus on representing businesses, organizations, executives and other individuals in high-stakes disputes, investigations and trials.