Keep your finger on the legal world's pulse
22nd September 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
H-1B workers overseas race to U.S. following Trump order
Workers on H-1B visas from India and China were forced to abandon their travel plans and race back to the U.S. at the weekend after President Donald Trump imposed new visa fees. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Friday that companies would have to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B worker visas. Urgent memos to employees were sent by tech companies and banks, advising them to return before a deadline of 12:01 a.m. EDT on Sunday (0401 GMT), and instructing them not to leave the country. Reuters reports that Trump's proclamation on Friday had set off alarm bells among employers even though a White House official on Saturday, addressing some of the confusion over who would be affected, sought to clarify that the order applied only to new applicants and not to holders of existing visas or those seeking renewals.
TECHNOLOGY
AAA-ICDR to launch AI-powered arbitrator for dispute resolution
The American Arbitration Association-International Center for Dispute Resolution (AAA-ICDR) is to launch a generative artificial intelligence-powered arbitrator in November. Initially, the AI arbitrator will manage document-only construction cases. However, starting in 2026, it will handle a wider range of case types and subject matters. “With our AI arbitrator, we set out to create a solution that can emulate human judgment, and with human arbitrator validation can provide a whole new path to dispute resolution,” said Diana Didia, EVP and chief technology and innovation officer of the AAA-ICDR. “By drawing on nearly a century of ADR expertise and our experience bringing innovative AI solutions to alternative dispute resolution, we built a platform that delivers consistent, transparent results where human legal reasoning is the foundation for the AI’s functionality.” 
LAW
Trump nominates Halligan for prosecutor role
President Donald Trump has nominated Lindsey Halligan as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, following the resignation of Erik Siebert amid political pressure to charge New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump said that Halligan “will be Fair, Smart, and will provide, desperately needed, JUSTICE FOR ALL!” This nomination comes as Trump urges Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue investigations against his political opponents, particularly James, who is under scrutiny for alleged mortgage fraud. The Justice Department's investigation has yet to yield incriminating evidence. Halligan, who has been part of Trump's legal team, previously worked on the FBI's investigation into classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
CASES
Amazon prepares for FTC civil trial
A civil trial is to begin this week brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against Amazon regarding the practices it uses to attract consumers to sign up for its signature Prime service, and to steer them away from leaving. The FTC alleges the company tricked people into signing up for the service without their knowledge or consent, including by obscuring details about billing and the terms of free trials. It also said that Amazon has created a labyrinth to make it hard to cancel, requiring customers to navigate four webpages and choose from 15 options to cancel a Prime membership. The company streamlined the process in April 2023, ahead of the filing of the criminal complaint. Amazon denies the allegations, saying it has always been transparent about Prime’s terms and offers straightforward ways for customers to back out of their memberships.
EMPLOYMENT LAW
Disney's 'historic' wage settlement approved
The Walt Disney Co. is set to pay back tens of thousands of Disneyland employees following a $233m class-action settlement approved by Orange County Superior Court Judge William Claster. The settlement, described as "absolutely historic" by attorney Randy Renick, resolves a seven-year legal battle over the application of Anaheim's living wage law, which mandates higher pay for employers receiving city tax subsidies. The agreement affects 51,000 workers and marks a significant victory for labor unions who campaigned for fair wages. Payments are expected to begin within 60 days, with custodial worker Rafael Rendon anticipating over $8,000. Lisa Phillips, a labor history professor, noted the settlement could be "game-changing" for wage theft accountability.
LG Energy Solution admits using ESTA to bypass visa rules for U.S. workers
Documents reveal that LG Energy Solution was employing workarounds for U.S. visa restrictions long before President Donald Trump's administration intensified immigration enforcement, which led to the detention of hundreds of the Korean company's workers. The company advised employees to utilize the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to bypass the high rejection rates of B-1 business visas. Following the recent immigration raid at a battery plant in Georgia, LG has called for clearer visa guidelines to facilitate smoother business operations in the U.S.
LAWSUITS
IRS leader sues over alleged misconduct
Holly Paz, Commissioner of the Large Business and International Division at the IRS, has filed a lawsuit against the IRS and the Treasury Department in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaint alleges violations of the Privacy Act, claiming that officials are "unlawfully leaking information" from her records to third parties, including the media. Paz, along with another IRS official, was placed on administrative leave on July 29th amid an investigation into their conduct against Republicans. This case, Holly Paz v. IRS, highlights ongoing concerns about the IRS's treatment of political groups, reminiscent of past controversies involving the agency.
REGULATION
Investors and banks likely to help set any new timeline for public company reporting
Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Paul Atkins has said investors and banks are likely to help set any new timeline for public company reporting as regulators press ahead following President Donald Trump's call for U.S. companies to be allowed to report earnings every six months instead of on a quarterly basis. "For the sake of shareholders and public companies, the market . . . can decide, you know, what the proper cadence is," Atkins told CNBC, adding "Investors . . . will demand that sort of information at the cadence that's appropriate to what the company's doing and what it's up to." Atkins said that banks "will have something to say" for companies with debts, issuances and other similar issues. He did not indicate any timeline for the change.
Dogecoin ETF begins trading in ‘watershed moment’ for pro-crypto SEC
Rex-Osprey, a partnership between Rex Shares and Osprey Funds, has launched the first U.S.-listed spot ETFs providing direct exposure to XRP and dogecoin. The joint venture’s ETFs were filed under the Investment Company Act of 1940, bypassing traditional Securities and Exchange Commission approval delays. The Financial Times observes that dogecoin is an asset originally created as a joke with no fundamental value or use case.
CYBERSECURITY
Nigerian-based phishing websites seized by Microsoft
Microsoft has seized nearly 340 websites linked to a Nigerian-based phishing service called Raccoon0365, which has reportedly stolen over 5,000 user credentials and generated around $100,000 in cryptocurrency since its launch in July 2024. The service, which operates through a private Telegram channel, enables users to impersonate trusted brands and trick victims into entering their Microsoft login details on fake pages. Microsoft’s assistant general counsel, Steven Masada, highlighted the accessibility of such cybercrime tools, observing: "Cybercriminals don’t need to be sophisticated to cause widespread harm."
APPOINTMENTS
Akin adds Linklaters pair
Akin has announced the hiring of Ron Erlichman and Nick Atwood, both formerly of Linklaters, to bolster its energy and infrastructure legal team. Erlichman, who will be based in Akin's New York office, previously served as co-head of Linklaters' energy & infrastructure practice in the Americas. Atwood, located in Washington, D.C., also brings expertise in the development, financing, acquisition, and sale of energy and infrastructure projects.
OTHER
U.K.'s MI6 turns to dark web for spies
MI6, the U.K.'s foreign intelligence agency, is launching a dark web portal named Silent Courier to recruit informants. The initiative aims to gather sensitive information on global instability and terrorism. "Today we're asking those with sensitive information on global instability, international terrorism or hostile state intelligence activity to contact MI6 securely online," MI6 chief Richard Moore said as he formally announced the plans in a speech in Istanbul on Friday. "Our virtual door is open to you," Moore said.

 

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