Afternoon Briefs: BigLaw firm requires tests for unvaccinated; Florida will fine social media for candidate bans
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BigLaw firm requires COVID-19 tests for unvaccinated
Lawyers and staff members at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom who don’t get vaccines will have to test negative for COVID-19 within 48 hours of their return to the office. The law firm hopes to formally reopen its U.S. offices Sept. 13 under a flexible policy that allows lawyers to work remotely two days a week. Above the Law thinks Skadden is the first BigLaw firm to require COVID-19 testing for the unvaccinated before entering the office. According to Reuters, the unvaccinated will have to get “continually tested.” (Above the Law, Reuters)
Florida will fine social media for candidate bans
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that fines social media companies as much as $250,000 per day if they permanently ban candidates for state political office from their platforms. The law also bars companies from removing content from some journalistic enterprises. DeSantis said the new law will protect Floridians from “Silicon Valley elites.” Critics said the law could violate the tech companies’ First Amendment rights, as well as their protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. (The New York Times, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
Law firm reports system hack
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll has said it detected an unauthorized access of some of its computer systems in January. The law firm disconnected the systems from the network and began an investigation with third-party forensic specialists. To date, there is no evidence that the accessed information has been or will be misused, the law firm said. A review concluded that “only a small subset of Cohen Milstein’s servers and cases were potentially impacted,” the firm told Law360 and Reuters in a statement. (Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll announcement, Law360, Reuters)
