Corporate Law

Afternoon Briefs: Bar exam pass rate hits new low in California; Ben & Jerry’s ‘happy cows’ suit tossed

California’s February bar exam pass rate drops to less than 27% The pass rate for California’s February 2020 bar exam was 26.8%, which, according to the Recorder, is a record low. The state’s February 2020 exam was taken by 4,205 people, according to information that the State Bar of California…

May 11, 2020 4:19 PM CDT

What happens to gig workers when a California Assembly bill meets the coronavirus?

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on the underbelly of the United States economy. With many Americans following orders to stay at home, gig workers have moved into the forefront of the marketplace. Delivery workers, truck drivers and other independent contractors are still going out into the world to work and to keep the world working.

May 7, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

Nearly 800 COVID-19 lawsuits have been filed, according to law firm’s tracker

Wondering what kind of lawsuits are being filed in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic? A lawsuit tracker has the answer.

May 4, 2020 4:41 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Justice Thomas speaks in SCOTUS teleconference arguments; courts want rule ideas

Few glitches and 1 surprise in SCOTUS teleconference arguments U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas asked questions during the high court’s first teleconference arguments Monday, something he rarely does. The court followed a new format in which Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. asked the first question, then other justices…

May 4, 2020 3:39 PM CDT

Many law firms that applied for paycheck protection loans are still waiting; Texas lawyer sues

Many smaller law firms applied for loans under the federal Paycheck Protection Program, and many are still waiting.

Apr 29, 2020 12:45 PM CDT

McConnell says COVID-19 aid bill must include liability shield for businesses and hospitals

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that a federal aid bill for state and local governments should make the money contingent on states providing liability protection to businesses and hospitals providing services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apr 29, 2020 10:26 AM CDT

Federal judge sues Allstate, claims insurer is wrongly trying to evict him during pandemic

A federal judge in Brooklyn has filed a lawsuit contending that Allstate is trying to force him and his wife to leave the property that they rented after a fire destroyed their home, despite New York’s moratorium on evictions.

Apr 23, 2020 9:37 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Congress asked for COVID-19 lawsuit curbs; law school cuts pay for staff and faculty

Lobbyists seek COVID-19 lawsuit curbs Lobbying groups for U.S. businesses are asking Congress to curb liability for companies that could face lawsuits in connection with COVID-19. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is suggesting safe harbor from privacy laws for employers who inquire about health status, safe harbor from age and…

Apr 21, 2020 4:09 PM CDT

Lawyer who took off pants at security checkpoint fights bid to be ousted from representing clients

Atlanta lawyer Robert Ward acknowledges that he took off his pants at a security checkpoint at a federal courthouse in Tampa, Florida.

Apr 20, 2020 9:46 AM CDT

Another lawsuit is filed against Zoom over alleged privacy problems

Zoom Video Communications has been hit with a new privacy lawsuit alleging that it failed to protect user data from Facebook and LinkedIn.

Apr 14, 2020 10:04 AM CDT

Lawyer and startup resort to mass filings to fight company bans on class arbitration

A startup called FairShake and a lawyer from Chicago are challenging corporate bans on classwide arbitration by filing a deluge of arbitration claims against companies.

Apr 13, 2020 10:37 AM CDT

Lawyers and Atlanta Opera team up to create covers for N95 masks for local hospital

“We put together this team of attorneys from Carlton Fields and Troutman Sanders to start looking at how we could protect the opera and allow us to mobilize to get as many of these masks produced as possible,” said Micah Forston, managing director of the Atlanta Opera.

Apr 9, 2020 3:17 PM CDT

Some corporate lawyers see pay cuts as coronavirus impacts bottom lines

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting corporate earnings and the compensation of top corporate executives—including some general counsels.

Apr 8, 2020 3:35 PM CDT

Corporate lawyers can help clients change the world—and bill for it—with this growing practice area

Lawyers who practice in the social enterprise and investment impact space say their structures vary depending on the deal, but all agree: This is not pro bono legal work. “It’s no longer about making money or doing good, it’s about making money and doing good,” says Scott M. Curran, founder of Beyond Advisers, a Chicago-based social impact consulting firm.

Apr 1, 2020 3:40 AM CDT

ABA House of Delegates urges legislation protecting marijuana lawyers and banks

The ABA House of Delegates adopted two resolutions urging federal legislation be passed to shield lawyers and banks from criminal liability for providing services to marijuana businesses in states where the drug is legal. Both resolutions were sponsored by the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section and passed overwhelmingly. The…

Apr 1, 2020 12:30 AM CDT