Keep your finger on the legal world's pulse
18th July 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
California sues Trump administration over loss of high-speed rail funding
A lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California by state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta one day after the Federal Railroad Administration pulled some $4bn in federal grants for the state's ambitious but much-delayed high-speed rail project. California Governor Gavin Newsom said the termination of the grants amounted to "petty, political retribution, motivated by President Trump's personal animus toward California and the high-speed rail project, not the facts on the ground." Reuters notes that the funding cancellation is the latest confrontation between Trump and a Democratic governor who is widely viewed as a leading contender for his party’s 2028 White House nomination.
LAW
Trump orders officials to release Epstein court documents
President Donald Trump says he has ordered the Justice Department to produce additional documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval," he said. Trump also said he would sue The Wall Street Journal over an article alleging that a "bawdy" birthday greeting bearing his name was sent to Epstein in 2003, before the late financier was charged with sex crimes. He accused the newspaper of publishing a “false, malicious and defamatory” report.
LAWSUITS
Meta investors settle $8bn lawsuit with Zuckerberg over Facebook privacy
Mark Zuckerberg has agreed to settle a multibillion dollar lawsuit with a group of shareholders over how top executives and directors at Meta handled repeated privacy violations by Facebook. The shareholders were seeking $8bn in damages. It is unclear how much they agreed to settle for. The settlement was announced on Thursday by a lawyer for the shareholders, just before the trial was about to enter its second day in a Delaware court. Meta declined to comment on the settlement. The Meta shareholders had alleged that Zuckerberg's actions led to the Cambridge Analytica scandal in which the data of millions of Facebook users was leaked and used by a political consulting firm.
Judge dismisses FBI agents' lawsuits
U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb in Washington has thrown out lawsuits brought by FBI agents seeking to prevent President Donald Trump's administration from publicly identifying those who worked on the probe into the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. Cobb found that the risk of Justice Department leadership disclosing the names of FBI agents is "too speculative" to allow them to sue. "They do not plausibly allege that Defendants are about to engage in any of the conduct agents are worried about," Cobb wrote.
Boeing and Alaska Airlines settle lawsuit
Boeing and Alaska Airlines have reached a settlement in one of the lawsuits stemming from a midflight blowout incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 in January 2024. The case, representing three Oregon residents, was the first to conclude legally. The plaintiffs had initially sought $1bn in damages. Daniel Laurence, an attorney representing 51 passengers in a trial set for January, said: “The important thing is that we're driving ahead and that we will be holding the defendants' feet to the fire here.” The National Transportation Safety Board's final report indicated that the blowout was due to improper installation of bolts, leading to ongoing litigation against both companies. Further trials are scheduled for March and September 2026, as more claims are anticipated.
Jane's Addiction bandmates sue each other over onstage fight
Members of Jane's Addiction, including guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins, and bassist Eric Avery, have filed lawsuits against singer Perry Farrell in Los Angeles Superior Court following an onstage altercation during a Boston concert, which led to the cancellation of their reunion tour and a planned album. The bandmates are seeking at least £10m, claiming Farrell's behaviour was erratic and culminated in an assault. Their lawsuit states: “With a series of swift blows, [Farrell] single-handedly destroyed the name, reputation, trademark, and viability of the Band.” In response, Farrell and his wife have counter-sued, alleging that Navarro and his bandmates engaged in a bullying campaign against him. Both lawsuits include claims of assault, battery, and emotional distress.
CASES
Court clears HSBC exec of fraud
A U.S. appeals court has overturned the 2017 fraud conviction of Mark Johnson, a former HSBC executive who served two years in jail for "front-running" a $3.5bn currency trade for Cairn Energy. The Manhattan appeals court ruled that Johnson's conviction was compromised due to a subsequent Supreme Court decision that discredited the fraud theory used in his case. The court expressed "grave doubt" about whether Johnson could have been convicted under an alternative fraud theory. Johnson, in his fifties and British, previously led HSBC's foreign exchange cash trading desk.
EMPLOYMENT LAW
Trump executive order creates new classification of non-career federal workers
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order which creates a new classification of non-career federal employees called Schedule G workers to help with political and policy priorities. Schedule G employees will be non-career workers and expected to depart the federal government after the term of the president who appointed them, according to the order signed by Trump. “The Congress has recognized that effective Government administration requires excepting some positions from the competitive service based on their confidential, policy-determining, policymaking, or policy-advocating character,” the order states. “There is, however, no excepted service schedule for noncareer positions of a policymaking or policy-advocating character.”
CORPORATE
Public markets ‘under threat’ from listings slump, exchange bosses say
The World Federation of Exchanges has said the rise of private capital has undermined the traditional role of stock markets, which are “under threat” after a slump in global stock listings. In an open letter to regulators, policymakers and the investment industry, the umbrella group for exchanges around the world said: “Companies are staying private longer or bypassing public markets entirely. Investors are looking elsewhere. And, as a result, the fundamental role of public markets in supporting innovation, job creation, and equitable wealth distribution is under threat.” The group added: “We will launch a multi-year campaign to investigate and address the structural causes of public market decline, beginning with an urgent focus on the IPO drought.”
RISK
Wells Fargo suspends all travel to China
Wells Fargo has suspended all travel to China after a banker was blocked from leaving the country, Reuters reports. The move follows Chenyue Mao, a Shanghai-born and Atlanta-based managing director at the banking giant, being subjected to an exit ban after she recently entered China. "We are closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible," Wells Fargo said. A White House official said they could not comment on the reports of Mao being refused permission to leave China.
INTERNATIONAL
Mexico levies administrative fines on U.S.-sanctioned financial institutions
A Mexican regulator has imposed administrative fines on three local financial institutions but the government said that despite U.S. sanctions on CIBanco, Intercam Banco and Vector Casa de Bolsa for alleged money laundering, there was no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing. "If we have conclusive information that proves illicit activities of these three financial institutions, we will act with the full force of the law," the finance ministry said, adding: "However, to date we have no such information."
OTHER
Global economy may do better in second half of year, OPEC says
In a monthly report, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said the world economy may perform better than expected in the second half of the year despite trade conflicts. "India, China, and Brazil are outperforming expectations so far, while the United States and the Eurozone are experiencing a continued rebound from last year," OPEC said in the report. "With this, the second-half 2025 economic growth may turn out better than currently expected."

 

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