Washington

  • February 18, 2025

    State AGs Can't Yet Block Musk From Accessing Agency Data

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge on Tuesday denied a motion from 14 state attorneys general for an emergency order to stop Elon Musk and his U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization from accessing data systems at seven federal agencies or enacting mass firings of those agencies' employees.

  • February 18, 2025

    Firm Says Insurer Refused To Repay It For $1.5M Cyber Theft

    A law firm claimed its cyber insurer refused to reimburse it after hackers allegedly stole more than $1.5 million that was supposed to go to an attorney who had teamed up with the firm on a personal injury case.

  • February 17, 2025

    Labor Groups Denied Block On DOGE's Agency Access

    A Washington, D.C. federal judge again declined to block Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing three federal agencies' data, saying worker and consumer advocates haven't shown that the department's agents don't belong.

  • February 15, 2025

    Real Estate Recap: Practice Pivot, Tariff Tax, Lennar's Lawyers

    Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including the latest shifts in real estate law practice, a Big Law leader's predictions for a looming tariff "tax" debate, and a look at the legal talent behind homebuilder Lennar Corp.'s $5.8 billion spinoff.

  • February 14, 2025

    States Move To Block Musk From Taking Over Gov't Agencies

    Fourteen state attorneys general Friday sought an emergency order in D.C. federal court to stop Elon Musk and his U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization from exercising "unprecedented" authority over federal agencies, arguing that as an unelected, unconfirmed official, Musk has "taken the helm" of the federal government in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

  • February 14, 2025

    9th Circ. Judge Pauses At Forest Service's Project Revision

    The U.S. Forest Service pushed back on Friday against a Ninth Circuit judge's point that a restoration project being challenged by a conservation group evolved "quite a bit" after a fire ripped through the area, contending the final plan ultimately prescribed the same changes — just to fewer acres.

  • February 14, 2025

    Judge Partly Certifies Ex-Detainee Class In Debit Card Fee Suit

    A Washington federal judge has partially certified a class of former detainees suing the Central Bank of Kansas City, alleging the bank charged them debit card fees to regain access to their money after they were released.

  • February 14, 2025

    9th Circ. Judge Grills Feds In Immigrant Detention Regs Case

    A Ninth Circuit judge pressed the federal government Friday on its stance that a Washington state law goes too far in setting health and safety benchmarks for a privately run immigration detention center, drawing an "apples-to-apples" comparison with similar rules for contractor-run psychiatric hospitals.

  • February 14, 2025

    NHL, CHL Ask Court to Toss Junior Players' Antitrust Lawsuit

    The National Hockey League has asked a Washington federal court to toss an antitrust lawsuit challenging a rule that dictates where junior athletes can play, arguing that most enforcement of the rule took place in Canada.

  • February 14, 2025

    K&L Gates Continues IP Growth With New Partner In Seattle

    An intellectual property attorney specializing in protecting design rights has moved his practice to K&L Gates LLP's Seattle office after more than 13 years with boutique IP firm Lee & Hayes PC.

  • February 14, 2025

    2nd Judge Blocks Trump Trans Health Order, Chides DOJ Atty

    A Washington federal judge put a second temporary block on President Donald Trump's executive order targeting funding for gender-affirming care for people younger than 19, at a Seattle hearing where the judge said she was extremely frustrated with a federal government attorney's inability to answer questions about the order's discriminatory impact on transgender youth.

  • February 14, 2025

    DOJ Takes Military Bias Dispute With Nev. To 9th Circ.

    The U.S. Department of Justice said it will appeal to the Ninth Circuit after a federal judge tossed its suit accusing the state of Nevada and its public employees retirement system of overcharging service members for pension credits.

  • February 14, 2025

    Judge Leaves Curbs On DOGE Treasury Access After Hearing

    A Manhattan federal judge left in place temporary curbs on sweeping powers handed by President Donald Trump to Elon Musk's government-slashing U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, after 19 states challenged the organization's access to U.S. Treasury payment systems.

  • February 13, 2025

    9th Circ. Panel Doubts SEC's 'Gag Rule' Violates Free Speech

    A Ninth Circuit panel on Thursday appeared to doubt a First Amendment challenge to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's "gag rule" that settling parties cannot deny allegations against them, as each judge noted that the agreements are voluntary.

  • February 13, 2025

    9th Circ. Won't Undo Meta's $725M Privacy Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday affirmed Meta Platforms Inc.'s $725 million settlement resolving privacy claims over the Cambridge Analytica data harvesting scandal, finding that the California district court conducted a full review of the deal's terms before approving it.

  • February 13, 2025

    2 Men Cop To Crypto Mining Fraud Conspiracy, Forfeit $400M

    A pair of Estonians have pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and agreed to forfeit assets worth $400 million in connection with Washington state federal prosecutors' claims that they ran a $577 million cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, the government said Thursday.

  • February 13, 2025

    Wash. Justices Wary Of Pay Transparency Law Stances

    Washington's highest court grilled attorneys on both sides of a debate over state pay transparency law on Thursday, with some justices suggesting the employer's stance put too much onus on workers while another expressed doubt the protections should extend to people who apply for jobs they have no chance to get.

  • February 13, 2025

    US Will Weigh In As Justices Consider $1.3B India Award Suit

    The Trump administration is going to get argument time in front of the justices when the corporate arm of India's space agency faces off against a satellite telecom over the enforcement of a $1.3 billion arbitration award at the nation's highest court.

  • February 13, 2025

    Wash. Justices Say Cops At Jan. 6 Riot Can't Stay Incognito

    The Washington State Supreme Court on Thursday said four Seattle police officers who attended the Jan. 6 "Stop the Steal" mayhem in D.C. can't litigate their privacy claims under John Doe pseudonyms as the justices rejected their claim that their identities should be shielded under the state's public records law.

  • February 13, 2025

    Boeing, DOJ Want More Time To Rework 737 Max Plea Deal

    The U.S. Department of Justice and The Boeing Co. told a Texas federal judge on Thursday that they need another month to rework a plea agreement in the American aerospace giant's 737 Max criminal conspiracy case, saying new senior DOJ officials are still being briefed on a potential new deal.

  • February 13, 2025

    9th Circ. Revives Air Force Guam Munitions Disposal Dispute

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday revived a Guam community group's challenge to the U.S. Air Force's request for a renewed permit to explode expired munitions on the island, finding that the Air Force did not conduct a required environmental review.

  • February 13, 2025

    Old Dominion Worker's Gender-Affirming Care Suit Dropped

    A transgender woman participating in an Old Dominion employee health plan agreed to drop her suit alleging she was wrongly denied gender-affirming care coverage for facial hair removal after a Washington federal judge dismissed the case in January, citing a settlement of the dispute.

  • February 13, 2025

    Maryland Judge Blocks Trump's Orders On Trans Healthcare

    A Maryland federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from restricting gender-affirming care for people under the age of 19 and required the administration to keep in place federal funding for healthcare providers that provide transgender care. 

  • February 13, 2025

    Court Must Curb Elon Musk's 'Limitless' Power, States Say

    Fourteen states filed suit against Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency on Thursday, saying the cost-cutting agency and its leader have been granted unprecedented power over the federal government without Congress' approval.

  • February 13, 2025

    9th Circ. Upholds DEA Denial Of Psilocybin Petition

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday affirmed the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's rejection of a Seattle physician's request to treat terminally ill patients with psilocybin.

Expert Analysis

  • Expect To Feel Aftershocks Of Chopra's CFPB Shake-Up

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    Publications released by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau personnel in the last days of the Biden administration outline former Director Rohit Chopra's long-term vision for aggressive state-level enforcement of federal consumer financial laws, opening the doors for states to launch investigations and pursue actions, say attorneys at Hudson Cook.

  • Opinion

    Inconsistent Injury-In-Fact Rules Hinder Federal Practice

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    A recent Third Circuit decision, contradicting a previous ruling about whether consumers of contaminated products have suffered an injury in fact, illustrates the deep confusion this U.S. Supreme Court standard creates among federal judges and practitioners, who deserve a simpler method of determining which cases have federal standing, says Eric Dwoskin at Dwoskin Wasdin.

  • In-House Counsel Pointers For Preserving Atty-Client Privilege

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    Several recent rulings illustrate the challenges in-house counsel can face when attempting to preserve attorney-client privilege, but a few best practices can help safeguard communications and effectively assert the privilege in an increasingly scrutinized corporate environment, says Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics.

  • Disability Ruling Guides On Cases With Uncertain Causation

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    In Dime v. MetLife, a Washington federal court’s recent ruling in favor of a disability claimant instructs both claimants and insurers on the appropriate standard for establishing and making a disability determination when there is limited medical evidence explaining the disability’s cause, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

  • CFPB's Message To States Takes On New Weight Under Trump

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    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's January guidance to state enforcers has fresh significance as the Trump administration moves to freeze the bureau's work, and industry should expect states to use this series of recommendations as an enforcement road map, say attorneys at Brownstein Hyatt.

  • Series

    Collecting Rare Books Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My collection of rare books includes several written or owned by prominent lawyers from early U.S. history, and immersing myself in their stories helps me feel a deeper connection to my legal practice and its purpose, says Douglas Brown at Manatt Health.

  • Opinion

    Judge Should Not Have Been Reprimanded For Alito Essay

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    Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor's New York Times essay critiquing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for potential ethical violations absolutely cannot be construed as conduct prejudicial to the administration of the business of the courts, says Ashley London at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University.

  • Lights, Camera, Ethics? TV Lawyers Tend To Set Bad Example

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    Though fictional movies and television shows portraying lawyers are fun to watch, Hollywood’s inaccurate depictions of legal ethics can desensitize attorneys to ethics violations and lead real-life clients to believe that good lawyers take a scorched-earth approach, says Nancy Rapoport at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

  • Perspectives

    Accountant-Owned Law Firms Could Blur Ethical Lines

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    KPMG’s recent application to open a legal practice in Arizona represents the first overture by an accounting firm to take advantage of the state’s relaxed law firm ownership rules, but enforcing and supervising the practice of law by nonattorneys could prove particularly challenging, says Seth Laver at Goldberg Segalla.

  • AI Will Soon Transform The E-Discovery Industrial Complex

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    Todd Itami at Covington discusses how generative artificial intelligence will reshape the current e-discovery paradigm, replacing the blunt instrument of data handling with a laser scalpel of fully integrated enterprise solutions — after first making e-discovery processes technically and legally harder.

  • When Innovation Overwhelms The Rule Of Law

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    In an era where technology is rapidly evolving and artificial intelligence is seemingly everywhere, it’s worth asking if the law — both substantive precedent and procedural rules — can keep up with the light speed of innovation, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Likely Doomed CFPB Contract Rule Still Has Industry Pointers

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    While the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's January proposal on consumer financial contract provisions is unlikely to be finalized under the new administration, its provisions are important for industry to recognize, particularly if state attorneys general decide to take up the enforcement mantle, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

  • Imagine The Possibilities Of Openly Autistic Lawyering

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    Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law, who was diagnosed with autism about midway through her career, discusses how the legal profession can create inclusive workplaces that empower openly autistic lawyers and enhance innovation, and how neurodivergent attorneys can navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with disclosing one’s diagnosis.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

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    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

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