Tort Law

Lawyers suing Johnson & Johnson in baby powder suits seek privileged attorney-client communications

Co-lead counsel in a lawsuit filed last month against Johnson & Johnson are asking a judge to allow access to communications among some top in-house lawyers in a bid to show that the company abused the bankruptcy process in litigation over talcum powder alleged to cause cancer.

Jun 24, 2024 10:52 AM CDT

Survivors of Tulsa Race Massacre can’t get reparations under nuisance law, top Oklahoma court says

Updated: The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre on behalf of two survivors who are 109 and 110 years old.

Jun 13, 2024 8:57 AM CDT

Woman who says she inspired ‘Baby Reindeer’ is suing Netflix for $170M

A woman who says she was identified online as the basis for the character of a stalker in the popular Netflix series Baby Reindeer is suing the streamer and the show’s creator. She is seeking $170 million over a portrayal she says was inaccurate and distressing.

Jun 7, 2024 1:00 PM CDT

Judge tosses lawyer’s defamation suit against ex-mayor for alleged crude and insulting statements

Then-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was acting within the scope of her official duties when she allegedly questioned a lawyer’s legal abilities and bragged that she has the "biggest d- - - in Chicago,” according to a Cook County, Illinois, judge.

Jun 7, 2024 9:15 AM CDT

In concurrence confession, appeals judge says ChatGPT research ‘less nutty’ than feared

Judge Kevin Newsom of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Atlanta tried using ChatGPT to research the ordinary meaning of “landscaping,” and he’s not afraid to admit it.

Jun 6, 2024 9:09 AM CDT

Judge denies dueling requests for sanctions in Elon Musk defamation case

A Texas judge has denied a bid for sanctions claiming that BigLaw partner Alex Spiro “brazenly” appeared at a deposition for Tesla CEO Elon Musk without pro hac vice permission and then acted in “an obnoxious manner.”

Jun 3, 2024 8:56 AM CDT

Supreme Court rules for NRA in First Amendment suit over official’s alleged ‘pressure tactics’

Updated: The First Amendment prevents government officials from using their power to selectively punish or suppress speech that the government disfavors, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a lawsuit by the National Rifle Association.

May 30, 2024 10:46 AM CDT

After controversial lavatory-camera defense, this law firm won’t be representing airline in suit

Updated: Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker is no longer representing American Airlines in a lawsuit filed on behalf of a 9-year-old girl after the law firm argued that she was negligent for using a “compromised lavatory.”

May 28, 2024 1:07 PM CDT

Family members sue networks after learning of loved ones’ deaths by seeing bodies on TV

Family members of a California couple who died in the 2022 McKinney wildfire have sued two television networks for broadcasting images of their loved ones’ bodies.

May 23, 2024 12:30 PM CDT

Judge allows unjust enrichment suit for use of cancer patient’s ‘immortal’ cells

A federal judge in Maryland has ruled that the estate of Henrietta Lacks can proceed with its lawsuit alleging that a pharmaceutical company unjustly profited from use of her “immortal” cells.

May 21, 2024 10:29 AM CDT

Top artificial intelligence insurance tips for lawyers

To better advise artificial intelligence decisions, lawyers should know the benefits, shortcomings and best practices of incorporating insurance into AI risk management.

May 10, 2024 1:52 PM CDT

As judgment preservation insurance gains steam, appellate decision leaves insurers ‘on the hook’ for millions

A federal appeals court’s April 30 reversal of a $1.6 billion judgment for a software maker “has sent ripples through the growing judgment preservation insurance industry,” according to a Bloomberg Law story.

May 8, 2024 2:07 PM CDT

Clark Hill was ‘duped by an obvious scam,’ costing its client $1.1M, suit alleges

Hackers posing as a client persuaded law firm Clark Hill to send $1.1 million from a lawsuit settlement to the wrong bank account, according to an April 22 suit.

Apr 30, 2024 11:57 AM CDT

Bail Project doesn’t have duty to control behavior of people after it posts bond, appeals court says

A group that bailed out criminal defendants isn’t liable for posting bond for a man who was later accused of crashing a stolen car into a vehicle driven by a teenage girl, causing her death, the Kentucky Court of Appeals has ruled.

Apr 24, 2024 9:21 AM CDT

Lawyer seeking sanctions ‘descended into schoolyard antics’ at deposition, Quinn Emanuel says

Alex Spiro, a partner with Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, may have given some responses that "were pointed at times" during a deposition of his client Tesla CEO Elon Musk. But it was in response to the opposing lawyer’s "insults, shouting, interruptions and violations" of a court order, according to the law firm’s opposition to a sanctions motion.

Apr 22, 2024 11:09 AM CDT