Keep your finger on the legal world's pulse

Meta Platforms, TikTok and YouTube will face scrutiny in a trial in California Superior Court, Los Angeles County this week in what Reuters says is a test case for thousands of other lawsuits seeking damages for social media harms. The plaintiff is a 19-year-old woman from California, identified as K.G.M., who alleges the apps fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts and is seeking to hold the tech companies liable. The companies say a federal law that largely exempts platforms from legal liability for the material that users post shields them in this case. A verdict against the companies would put a crack in that defense, which has protected them from lawsuits for decades, Reuters notes.

 

Reuters

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Writing for Bloomberg Law, Jodi Swick and Jarrett Ganer of McDowell Hetherington consider the increasing number of filings "that look polished on the surface . . . [but] the analytical reasoning - or lack of it - reveals that the arguments were assembled by an AI tool rather than developed through a trained advocate’s independent judgment." The authors write: "An AI-drafted brief isn’t merely lazy. When filed without meaningful attorney involvement, it undermines the very premise of qualified legal representation."

 

Bloomberg Law

According to a recent Gallup Workforce survey, 12% of American workers use artificial intelligence (AI) daily in their jobs. The survey, which included over 22,000 participants, revealed that about 25% use AI frequently, while nearly half do so at least a few times a year. This marks a significant increase from 2023, when only 21% reported using AI occasionally. Workers in technology and finance sectors lead in AI adoption, with many citing improved efficiency.

 

AP News

U.S. News

Former Citigroup managing director Julia Carreon is suing the bank over claims its human resources department pushed her out after she was sexually harassed by Andy Sieg, who oversees the bank's wealth management unit and is one of Citigroup's top executives. Carreon, who left the bank in August 2024, claimed in the lawsuit that the lender’s “weaponized” HR department sought to force her out. “With the help of HR and Citi’s discriminatory and sexually harassing culture, Sieg poisoned Carreon’s reputation within Citi and ultimately forced her to leave the firm,” the complaint said. Citigroup said in a statement: “This lawsuit has absolutely no merit and we will demonstrate that through the legal process.”

 

Bloomberg

Financial Times

Investment News

Reuters

Around 31,000 registered nurses and healthcare professionals are on strike at Kaiser Permanente's facilities in California and Hawaii. The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) has accused Kaiser management of undermining contract negotiations and intimidating workers. The strike will impact over two dozen hospitals and hundreds of clinics. Kaiser said it has been negotiating for over seven months and noted that not all unions are participating in the strike. UNAC/UHCP previously filed a charge against Kaiser for unfair labor practices.

 

U.S. News

In an open letter coordinated by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, chief executives from some of the state’s largest employers have called on federal, state and local officials to pull back from further confrontation following the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, and work together on a negotiated solution. The letter was signed by top executives of Minnesota’s largest companies and large hospital systems, including Land O’ Lakes, Hormel, U.S. Bancorp, Mayo Clinic and 3M. “Every CEO . . . they want to have a peaceful environment for their employees,” said Bill George, the former chief executive of Medtronic, whose current chief signed the letter. “The larger issue for CEOs,” George added, is that the unrest in Minneapolis “is going to have a very negative effect on their growth, on their innovation and particularly their ability to recruit people from around the country and around the world.”

 

New York Times

Federal judges have declined to grant injunctions sought by DoorDash, Uber, and Instacart to block new New York City laws that require food delivery apps to offer customers the option to tip workers. U.S. District Judge George Daniels said the laws "advance the city's goals of enhancing cost transparency" and protecting delivery workers, while also rejecting Instacart's claim regarding state legislation prohibiting such mandates. The companies, which contend that the tipping requirements may harm their business, plan to appeal the decisions. DoorDash has voiced concerns about "tipping fatigue" among customers.

 

Bloomberg

Reuters

Google has agreed to pay $68m to settle a lawsuit alleging its voice-activated assistant violated user privacy by recording private conversations. The preliminary class action settlement, filed in California, awaits approval from a U.S. district judge. Users claimed Google Assistant misinterpreted their speech, leading to unwanted targeted ads. Although Google denied any wrongdoing, it opted to settle to avoid litigation risks. Apple previously settled a similar case for $95m.

 

Reuters

BBC News

The Guardian

Buffalo, New York, headquartered Merchants Insurance Group has filed a federal civil action under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to stop an alleged extensive insurance fraud operation targeting New York's construction industry. "Insurance fraud has consequences beyond the immediate parties involved. It doesn't just affect insurance companies - it hurts everyone who depends on a fair system,” observed Charles Makey, president and CEO of Merchants Insurance Group.

 

Insurance Business Magazine

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial for alleged crimes against humanity. The court dismissed defence claims regarding his frail health, citing a report from independent medical experts. The judges stated that Duterte can effectively exercise his procedural rights. His lead lawyer, Nick Kaufman, expressed disappointment, claiming the defence was not allowed to present its own medical evidence. Duterte faces a confirmation of charges hearing on February 23, where the strength of the prosecution's allegations will be assessed.

 

Saudi Gazette

AlJazeera

South China Morning Post

Oil majors operating the Karachaganak field in Kazakhstan have lost an international arbitration case in London and are liable to pay compensation to the country's government. The arbitration ruling upheld the government's position that the companies recovered unapproved cost overruns and other expenses that should not have been recoverable through the field's production sharing agreement. The court has yet to determine the specific amount to be paid by the Karachaganak partners, who include Chevron, Lukoil PJSC and KazMunayGas National Co.; external legal advice suggests it could be between $2bn and $4bn.

 

Bloomberg