Keep your finger on the legal world's pulse
11th February 2026
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THE HOT STORY
U.S. House votes down tariff rule
The House of Representatives has rejected a rule pushed by Republican leaders to prevent votes challenging US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The move could pave the way for Democratic lawmakers to force a vote as soon as today on a resolution blocking Trump’s tariffs on Canada. The votes of three Republicans – GOP Reps. Thomas Massie, Don Bacon and Kevin Kiley – were enough to deal the blow to the administration. Bacon said: “Tariffs have been a ‘net negative’ for the economy and are a significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers, and farmers are paying. Article I of the Constitution places authority over taxes and tariffs with Congress for a reason, but for too long, we have handed that authority to the executive branch. It’s time for Congress to reclaim that responsibility.”
AI TRENDS
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LEGAL TECH
Law firms dip toes into agentic AI
According to Thomson Reuters' 2026 AI in Professional Services Report, law firms and legal departments are increasing their AI use as they contend with concerns over the technology's ROI and impact on the unauthorized practice of law. The report also suggests that although generative artificial intelligence has taken off among professional services organizations in the past year, agentic AI has yet to enjoy such widespread adoption. The adoption of agentic AI appears to be taking a similar trajectory to that of generative AI a few years ago, observed report author Zach Warren.

 
Law
LAWSUITS
Estée Lauder sues Walmart over alleged sale of counterfeit beauty products
Estée Lauder has filed a lawsuit against Walmart in California federal court, accusing the retailer of facilitating the sale of counterfeit beauty products on its online marketplace and failing to adequately vet third-party sellers. The complaint alleges that fake versions of products from brands including La Mer, Le Labo, Clinique, Aveda, Tom Ford, and Estée Lauder were sold on Walmart.com. Items cited include counterfeit Advanced Night Repair serum, Clinique eye cream and La Mer lotion. Estée Lauder said it purchased and tested several products bearing its trademarks and determined they were not authentic. While the listings were operated by third-party sellers, Estée Lauder claims Walmart played an active role in promoting and facilitating the sales. In response to the suit, Walmart said it has “zero tolerance for counterfeit products” and will respond in court.
Autodesk sues Google over Flow
Autodesk has sued Google in San Francisco federal court, alleging Google infringed Autodesk’s “Flow” trademark to market competing AI-enabled software for film, TV, and video game production. Autodesk said it began using Flow in September 2022 for visual effects and production management, then Google launched Flow software in May 2025 targeting the same customers. The complaint claims Google previously said it would not commercialize Flow, but sought trademark protection, including an application in Tonga later used to pursue U.S. rights. Autodesk seeks compensatory and punitive damages and said it is committed to “ensuring fair competition.”
CASES
Kaiser reaches $30m settlement with U.S. Labor Dept
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a settlement with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan to resolve multiple investigations into the company’s failure to provide timely and appropriate access to mental health and substance use disorder services. The agreement resolves claims that Kaiser failed to maintain adequate provider networks for mental health and substance use disorder care, and improperly used patient responses to questionnaires to deny care, the Labor Department said. "We have made many enhancements to our mental health care delivery system and acknowledge there is still work to be done to ensure our interventions and therapies are aligned with our members' expectations and to ensure we achieve the best patient outcomes," Kaiser said in an emailed statement.
UBS moved Ghislaine Maxwell's money after Epstein arrest
Ghislaine Maxwell, who was arrested in 2020 and found guilty in 2021 for her role in helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls, had accounts opened by UBS in 2014, shortly after JPMorgan Chase severed ties with Epstein. Documents from the U.S. Justice Department reveal that UBS managed nearly $19m for Maxwell, despite her being flagged as a "High Risk Client" by JPMorgan. UBS provided her with personal and business accounts, and facilitated significant transactions. The bank has not commented on its decision to take on Maxwell as a client, and there is no evidence of wrongdoing on its part.
FIRMS
Mintz hires five-partner litigation team from Cadwalader
Mintz has expanded its litigation capabilities by hiring five partners from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft. The group is led by Philip Iovieno and includes Nicholas Gravante, who co-led the litigation practice at Cadwalader until they resigned earlier this month to avoid conflicts of interest with clients of the firm’s planned merger partner, Hogan Lovells. Iovieno, who will co-chair Mintz's antitrust practice, said: “This group is widely recognised as one of the most formidable litigation teams in New York.” The new team brings extensive experience in complex disputes, M&A, and financial-sector litigation
REGULATION
EPA to ditch landmark U.S. emissions policy
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to scrap a landmark policy that provides the legal underpinning for rules regulating greenhouse gas emissions. The policy to be repealed is the Obama-era endangerment finding, a scientific conclusion which determined that carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases are supercharging storms, wildfires, drought, heat waves and sea level rise, and are therefore threatening public health and welfare. Bloomberg says a decision to repeal the finding is expected to lay the groundwork for a further unwinding of climate protections in the U.S.
INTERNATIONAL
Italian prosecutors place Delivery Hero’s Glovo unit under judicial control
Italian prosecutors have placed Delivery Hero’s Italian food-delivery business under judicial control as part of a criminal investigation into alleged labor exploitation. A court-appointed administrator will oversee Foodinho, the Milan-based operator of Glovo in Italy, in a move aimed at halting what authorities described as an urgent and ongoing situation. Prosecutors allege that around 40,000 riders were paid compensation that was disproportionate to the work performed and in breach of collective labor rules, with many earning below the poverty threshold despite long hours. Delivery Hero said it is cooperating with judicial authorities.
Tesla files complaint against union member for secret recording
Tesla has filed a criminal complaint against a member of Germany's IG Metall labor union for secretly recording a works council meeting, according to a memo to staff seen by Reuters. The external IG Metall member at the meeting on Tuesday had attended as a guest and then started recording with his computer, Andre Thierig, manager of Tesla's Gruenheide plant near Berlin, said in the memo. IG Metall has said that management favors more obedient labor representation.
OTHER
Italian sports journalists to strike over Olympic opening farce
Journalists from Italy's RaiSport television channel are to stage a three-day strike to protest an error-strewn opening ceremony broadcast by RaiSport director Paolo Petrecca. The journalists said Petrecca’s "disastrous coverage" was "embarrassing." Petrecca welcomed viewers to Rome’s Stadio Olimpico instead of Milan’s San Siro, where Friday’s ceremony was held, before mistaking Kirsty Coventry, president of the International Olympic Committee, for Laura Mattarella, daughter of the Italian president. RaiSport's internal union body representing journalists at the public broadcaster said all journalists would withhold bylines during the Games and then strike for three days once the event is completed. "We have all been embarrassed, no one excluded, and through no fault of our own," it said.

 

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