Keep your finger on the legal world's pulse

Alston & Bird has been identified as one of the firms interested in potentially merging with Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, sources say. Cadwalader, which is reported to have engaged Davis Polk to work on the legal aspects of a tie-up, has been in merger talks following departures to firms including Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Proskauer Rose. “As every top firm does, we regularly evaluate our strategy to further capitalize on our market-leading strengths for our clients,” Cadwalader said in a statement. “We have been approached by many top-tier firms for years, and that continues.”

 

Bloomberg Law

Law

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Unions representing federal workers have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the inclusion of a "loyalty question" in over 1,700 job postings since October. The American Federation of Government Employees, along with other unions, argues that this question, which asks applicants how they would support the President's Executive Orders, violates free-speech rights and undermines the nonpartisan nature of federal employment. "This isn't just illegal, it also harms our members and all Americans by depriving them of opportunities to serve their country," said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. The lawsuit claims that the question's inclusion is arbitrary and breaches the Privacy Act.

 

U.S. News

President Donald Trump has appointed Andrea Lucas as chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in a move that signals a vote of confidence for her efforts to stamp out diversity programs and prioritize religious rights in the workplace. Trump elevated Lucas to acting chair of the agency in January and concurrently fired two Democratic commissioners, clearing the way to establish a Republican majority. Lauren Khouri, senior director of workplace equality at the National Women's Law Center, said: “Andrea Lucas was handpicked by Trump to lead the EEOC and his mission of weaponizing the agency to attack hardworking people across the country . . . Lucas has a history of abandoning workers at every turn and leaving them without protection, including women workers, transgender and nonbinary workers, and workers of color."

 

U.S. News

Starbucks workers are preparing to strike on November 13th, coinciding with the company's Red Cup Day, unless a contract agreement is reached. The union, Starbucks Workers United, indicated that workers in at least 25 cities plan to participate, with more locations potentially joining if progress is not made. Barista Lupe Gutierrez emphasized the importance of standing up, saying: “We’re not going to stop because we’re scared.” Currently, around 550 of Starbucks' 10,000 U.S. stores are unionized. Starbucks has expressed disappointment over the strike plans, asserting that it already offers competitive pay and benefits. Chief partner officer Sara Kelly noted that the union's proposals, including a 65% pay increase, are not serious. Jasmine Leli, a barista and strike captain, highlighted the disparity in pay, commenting: “Our fight is about actually making Starbucks jobs the best jobs in retail.”

 

Chicago Sun Times

USA Today

Reuters

Epic Games, the developer of the hit title Fortnite, has reached a "comprehensive settlement" with Google, potentially concluding a five-year legal battle over the Google Play Store for Android apps. The agreement, filed in a San Francisco federal court, aims to enhance competition on the Android platform. Epic chief executive Tim Sweeney described the settlement as an “awesome proposal.” The specific terms remain sealed and require approval from U.S. District Judge James Donato. The settlement follows a ruling that deemed Google's Android app store an illegal monopoly. The agreement also proposes to reduce in-app transaction fees to between 9% and 20%.

 

US News and World Report

Delaware Chancery Judge Morgan Zurn has denied Pfizer's request to temporarily block Novo Nordisk's bid to acquire obesity start-up Metsera, saying its objections to the deal do not warrant a delay. Pfizer has matched Novo's offer for Metsera, and the company intends to continue pursuing its claims through the ongoing litigation process and parallel antitrust litigation. Novo said it agreed with the court's decision and that its bid is in the best interest of the Metsera shareholders. Pfizer contends Novo's bid is inferior and unlikely to survive regulatory review.

 

Bloomberg

Fierce Biotech

The IRS is actively recruiting 24 criminal investigators to support President Donald Trump's initiative to enhance law enforcement in Washington, D.C. These new hires will initially work with the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force for up to one year before returning to the IRS. The task force, established by executive order on March 28th, aims to intensify law enforcement efforts, particularly in enforcing federal immigration laws. Although the IRS was not originally part of the task force, the Trump administration has encouraged applications from various agencies, including the IRS. The move follows a challenging year for the IRS's criminal enforcement division, which has faced scrutiny over its investigations and legal challenges regarding data sharing with the Department of Homeland Security.

 

Tax Notes

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is removing Joe Allen from his role as acting inspector general, according to three anonymous sources. The change comes as FHFA's director, Bill Pulte, has become a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump. Pulte has initiated a hotline for mortgage fraud and has made criminal referrals against several Trump critics, including New York Attorney General Letitia James. The FHFA has not commented on Allen's removal, and it remains unclear if he will continue in his other role within the agency: he also serves as chief counsel of the FHFA's inspector general's office.

 

U.S. News

Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport has told the Wall Street Journal that the cybersecurity company has cleared a U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) antitrust review of its acquisition by Google parent Alphabet. The deal, valued at about $32bn, will integrate Wiz into Google's cloud unit, enhancing the company's cybersecurity solutions to help businesses mitigate critical risks.

 

Reuters

Wall Street Journal

Multinational law firm Goodwin Procter has announced a new policy requiring staff to work in the office at least four days a week, starting next year. Global managing partner Mark Bettencourt and chief operating officer Mary O'Carroll communicated the decision in a memo, stressing the need for "connectivity, collaboration, learning, and showing up with and for each other with intention." While staff can still work remotely on Fridays, most employees in Europe and Asia have already returned to a five-day office week.

 

The Times

Brian Lee has rejoined Baker Botts as a partner in its corporate and emerging companies/venture capital practices in Palo Alto. His expertise lies in mergers and acquisitions, venture financing, and advising technology sector companies on market strategies and operational challenges. Previously, Lee was with BRV Capital.

 

Bloomberg Law

Former Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is on trial on charges of alleged bribery related to public works contracts from her administration. The case, known as the "Notebooks" scandal, involves Fernandez and 86 other former officials who are accused of accepting bribes from businesses in exchange for lucrative government contracts. "Today another show trial begins,” Fernandez wrote on X. She has been under house arrest since June due to a separate fraud conviction. The trial, which is being conducted virtually via Zoom, is expected to last until the end of the year, with potential appeals prolonging the final resolution.

 

U.S. News

The Louvre has spent too much on new artworks and not enough on security in recent years, France’s state auditor has said. Pierre Moscovici, the head of the French Court of Auditors, France's highest audit institution, said in a highly critical report on Thursday that last month's heist was a "deafening wake-up call" for museum security, which had been moving at a "woefully inadequate pace." 

 

France 24

Financial Times