Keep your finger on the legal world's pulse

A federal judge has vacated President Donald Trump’s policy imposing a $100,000 fee for employers’ H-1B visa applications.  Judge Leo Sorokin said the policy violated the federal Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution. He found that the payment is a tax that Congress had not delegated to the executive branch. “Every day, thousands of people with H-1B visas serve New Yorkers as doctors, teachers, and other skilled workers,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose state was one of 20 that sued to block the fee. “Today a court put an end to this administration’s illegal attempt to destroy this critical program and the many jobs it makes possible,” James said. The Trump administration said it would appeal the ruling.

 

CNBC

Financial Times

Reuters

The Guardian

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Sam Bankman-Fried, the convicted cryptocurrency founder of collapsed exchange FTX, has officially sought a pardon from President Donald Trump after serving nearly three years of his 25-year sentence. The 34-year-old submitted an application to the Justice Department’s Pardon Attorney Office, according to the office’s website, requesting a “pardon after completion of sentence.” In a phone interview with Fox Business, Bankman-Fried said he “absolutely” wanted a pardon from the White House. “It would be obviously, you know, ultimately up to the president, not up to me,” he said.

 

Bloomberg

Financial Times

Politico

Todd Blanche has been nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as attorney general, a role he has held in an acting capacity for over two months. The nomination follows the dismissal of Pam Bondi and comes amid controversy surrounding Blanche's authorization of a so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund, which critics argue could benefit individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6 Capitol invasion. During a recent House subcommittee hearing, Rep. Rosa DeLauro questioned Blanche about potential conflicts of interest, referencing the nearly $10m paid to him by Trump's Save America PAC for legal defense.

 

Bloomberg Law

The Hill

CNBC

Jurist

President Donald Trump will ask the Supreme Court to revive his $475m defamation lawsuit against CNN over the use of the term “Big Lie” in reporting on his claim that the 2020 election was rigged against him. Trump’s lawyers have asked the court for a 60-day extension to file his petition for review of a lower court’s dismissal of the case. The appeal is expected to double down on his claims about the 2020 election. Trump wants the Supreme Court to weigh the broader question of when a jury should determine whether an allegedly defamatory statement would be viewed by the public as opinion or fact, as part of his appeal to revive the suit.

 

Bloomberg Law

South China Morning Post

A strike at Dauch, a major supplier for General Motors formerly known as American Axle, has entered its second week ​with the two sides still unable to reach a deal, according to a local union official. "Unfortunately, we just walked away from the table. The ​company is trying to play games with words and ​not providing anything productive," Josh Jager, bargaining chairman ⁠for Local 2093, said. “General Motors is closely monitoring the situation involving Dauch Corp. at its Three Rivers, Michigan, plant,” GM spokesman Kevin Kelly said in an emailed statement last week. “We are assessing any potential impact while staying closely aligned with our teams.” 

 

Detroit Free Press

Reuters

The Pentagon has reinstated Alibaba, Baidu and BYD to a blacklist of Chinese companies deemed to pose a national security risk to the U.S. after their sudden removal in February. China’s embassy in Washington, DC, condemned the listing of some of the country’s best-known commercial brands as “discriminatory” and an example of the U.S. government “overstretching” the concept of national security. “Chinese companies that do business overseas have been strictly observing laws and regulations of their host countries,” an embassy spokesperson said. “The U.S. should stop its wrong practice and create a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.” Alibaba, China’s biggest e-commerce company, said there was “no basis” for its inclusion on the blacklist. “Alibaba is not a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy,” a company spokesperson said. “We will take all available legal action against attempts to misrepresent our company.”

 

Al Jazeera

Financial Times

The Guardian

Edward Baer has joined K&L Gates as a partner in its asset management and investment funds practice in San Francisco. Baer specializes in advising exchange-traded funds, investment companies, and asset managers on various matters, including compliance and regulatory issues. His expertise covers the entire lifecycle of fund development, from product structuring to governance and ETF trading. Baer previously worked at Ropes & Gray.

 

Bloomberg Law

Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz has promulgated legislation that eases the state’s ability to impose emergency measures amid escalating anti-government protests, led by the national labor union (COB) and former president Evo Morales, that have caused unrest and led to an estimated 10 deaths and 37 injured. Bolivia has witnessed episodes of violence in the past “but none has ever been so prolonged and indefinite, and this has been one of the most violent,” observed Bolivian human rights lawyer Ramiro Orias, program director at the Due Process of Law Foundation in Bolivia. Protesting groups are angry at their exclusion from the government’s decision-making process, among other grievances.

 

Bloomberg

The U.K. government plans to trial AI legal assistants in Crown Courts to address a backlog of 80,000 cases. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, the Justice Secretary, says AI could save thousands of administrative hours. However, the Law Society has cautioned against using AI to reduce court staff, emphasizing the need for thorough evaluation. Ian Jeffery, chief executive of the Law Society, highlighted the importance of maintaining funding and staff integrity in the U.K. justice system, insisting: "Robust safeguards are needed to protect us all." Andrew Thomas, vice-chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, said: "As all lawyers know, the devil is always in the details, and AI tools should not be used without checks and balances."

 

The Daily Telegraph

The Guardian

The Times

U.S. companies are increasing support for LGBTQ causes and Pride Month events in 2026 after several years of retrenchment amid anti-DEI pressure, with firms including Mastercard, American Eagle Outfitters, and Levi Strauss expanding sponsorships, donations and employee participation. Mastercard is funding around 100 employees and executives to take part in Pride events, while American Eagle has increased contributions to LGBTQ organizations and Levi Strauss has launched a Pride-themed clothing collection alongside a $100,000 donation to human rights group Outright International. Pride organisers across the U.S. have also reported stronger corporate backing, with NYC Pride securing more sponsors than last year and improving its financial position after a funding shortfall in 2025. The recovery follows a period in which many companies reduced or withdrew LGBTQ-related support amid political pressure and consumer boycotts linked to DEI initiatives.

 

Bloomberg