More Healthcare Coverage
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October 31, 2024
Firms' Hiring Strategies Are Evolving In Fight For Top Spot
Competition for top talent among elite law firms shows no signs of slowing down, even amid economic uncertainty, with financially strong firms deploying aggressive strategies to attract and retain skilled professionals to solidify their market position.
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October 30, 2024
Ga. Health Commish 'Overstepped' In Hospital Turf War
The Georgia Court of Appeals has tossed a ruling from the state's Commissioner for the Department of Community Health that would have allowed a metro Atlanta hospital system to open a new radiology center, saying Tuesday that the commissioner overstepped his review powers.
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October 29, 2024
NY Judge Tosses $14B Decongestant MDL
A New York federal judge threw out a streamlined complaint in a multidistrict litigation accusing companies such as Target and Bayer of making and selling ineffective over-the-counter decongestants, finding Tuesday the state claims are expressly preempted, and the proposed class lacks standing on a federal racketeering claim as indirect purchasers.
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October 28, 2024
Gov't Says No Duty To Pay $69M In COVID Testing Claims
The Health Resources and Services Administration has urged the Court of Federal Claims to toss a lawsuit alleging the agency owes a laboratory $69 million in unpaid claims under a COVID-19 program for the uninsured, saying there was no contractual duty to pay.
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October 28, 2024
2nd Circ. Says Medical Fellow Can't Get New Harassment Trial
The Second Circuit said Monday that a former cancer center fellow can't get a new trial in her suit claiming her supervisor promised to advance her career if she gave in to his sexual advances, ruling the compensatory damages award she received on a battery claim was fair.
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October 28, 2024
Transgender Inmate's Suit Meets Skeptical 2nd Circ. Judge
A Second Circuit judge pressed counsel for a transgender inmate Monday to explain how prison officials in Connecticut were supposed to know that their failure to refer the inmate to specific gender dysphoria treatment would constitute cruel and unusual punishment, noting that relevant case law may not have put them on notice.
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October 25, 2024
DC Circ. Could Nix OK Of $8M Equatorial Guinea Award
The D.C. Circuit on Friday appeared willing to consider nixing enforcement of an $8 million arbitral award against Equatorial Guinea issued in a dispute over an ill-fated hospital operating contract, even as the panel spent much of a hearing focusing on the impact of a decade-old U.S. Supreme Court decision.
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October 25, 2024
NJ Ethics Board Faces Contempt Bid In Retaliation Fight
Counsel for a New Jersey health official who claimed his firing during the COVID-19 pandemic was retaliatory asked a court to hold the State Ethics Commission in contempt for stalling discovery under the guise that the state health regulator initiated the termination, despite "well documented" evidence that it was the commission and Gov. Phil Murphy.
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October 23, 2024
Court Denies Fees In 'Objectively Specious' Trade Secrets Suit
A Seattle federal judge has agreed that a dental health insurer litigated an "objectively specious" trade secrets lawsuit against two of its former company officials, but ruled that not enough showed it was pursuing the case "in bad faith."
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October 23, 2024
ICE, Nonprofits End FOIA Row Over Alleged Sterilization Docs
Three nonprofits dismissed their Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement seeking records related to unnecessary and "nonconsensual" gynecological procedures performed on immigrant detainees at an ICE detention center in Georgia, according to a notice filed Wednesday in D.C. federal court.
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October 23, 2024
NC Justices Scrutinize Scope Of Liability Shield In COVID Law
An attorney for a doctor accused of medical malpractice faced sharp questioning Wednesday as North Carolina justices pushed him to define how much protection from liability was granted by an emergency law enacted to safeguard the state's healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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October 22, 2024
IQVIA, Veeva Blast Summary Judgment Bids In Secrets Suit
Life sciences data giant IQVIA Inc. and competitor Veeva Systems Inc. slammed each other's summary judgment bids made public Tuesday in a trade secrets lawsuit in New Jersey federal court, with Veeva arguing that IQVIA's purported trade secrets are hardly confidential and IQVIA saying Veeva's assertions are "a last-ditch effort to avoid liability."
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October 22, 2024
Patent Office Finds Public Engagement Leader
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has tapped a former U.S. Small Business Administration program specialist to head the patent office's recently created section meant to bolster its outreach and communication efforts.
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October 21, 2024
9th Circ. Judge Slams 'Reprehensible' Policy In Jail Death
A Ninth Circuit judge on Monday blasted a healthcare contractor's policy that denied hospital treatment for a woman in a Washington jail who died from a ruptured intestine, but nevertheless questioned if a $24 million punitive damage jury award was excessive.
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October 21, 2024
Weight Loss Clinic Denied Quick Relief In TM Suit
A North Carolina hospital and healthcare provider don't have to stop using the trademarks targeted in a weight loss clinic's infringement suit, a federal judge ruled Monday, finding that the clinic will not suffer significant consequences absent the immediate relief.
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October 18, 2024
Law360 MVP Awards Go To Top Attys From 74 Firms
The attorneys chosen as Law360's 2024 MVPs have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.
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October 18, 2024
Ill. Justices Find Broad COVID Immunity For Health Facilities
The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday read broad immunity into an emergency order that immunized healthcare facilities aiding the state's COVID-19 response, saying the order shields those facilities from ordinary negligence claims during that time, not just ones directly relating to their pandemic care.
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October 18, 2024
What Attorneys Expect From Harris And Trump On Patents
Patents have scarcely been mentioned during the presidential campaign, but attorneys say that positions taken by the candidates suggest Donald Trump would favor stronger patent rights, while Kamala Harris would focus on steps to make drugs and other patented inventions more widely available.
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October 18, 2024
Hospital, Medical Practice Ink $12M Deal In Brain Damage Suit
A New Jersey hospital and other entities sued by the family of a woman who suffered permanent brain damage during childbirth have settled the lawsuit for $11.9 million, with about a quarter of the deal earmarked for attorney fees, according to court documents.
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October 17, 2024
Hospital Can Use TM Fraud Claim As Shield, Not Sword
A North Carolina hospital and healthcare provider can't pursue a trademark fraud counterclaim in a weight loss clinic's infringement dispute but can assert the claim as an affirmative defense, a federal judge ruled.
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October 17, 2024
GAO Finds VA Rightly Canceled Too-High 'Wander System' Bid
The U.S. Government Accountability Office backed a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs decision rejecting a lone bid that came in at more than double the agency's budget for a wander management system at a medical center in Fresno, California.
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October 17, 2024
Feds Drop Marketing Exec's Tricare Fraud Case In Florida
A Florida marketing executive previously convicted in a healthcare fraud scheme and then granted a new trial has had his criminal case dismissed by U.S. attorneys after he alleged prosecutorial misconduct, saying federal officials violated his constitutional rights and fed lies to a grand jury in order to secure an indictment.
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October 17, 2024
Health Co. Must Face State Farm Settlement Interpretation Suit
An automobile-accident-focused healthcare company can't escape State Farm's lawsuit claiming the facility breached a settlement agreement by failing to drop hundreds of personal injury protection suits, a Florida federal court ruled.
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October 16, 2024
Indiana U. Hit With Sex Abuse Claims Over Sports Doc Exams
Indiana University has been accused in a new lawsuit of turning a blind eye to the sexual misconduct of a longtime physician for the IU men's basketball team who allegedly routinely assaulted student athletes.
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October 16, 2024
Pharma Co. Contractor Settles SEC Insider Trading Claim
An information technology consultant for a Massachusetts biopharmaceutical company will pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over $28,000 to resolve claims he immediately dumped shares of his client when he got wind of its yet-to-be announced plans for major layoffs.
Expert Analysis
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Firms Must Offer A Trifecta Of Services In Post-Chevron World
After the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision overturning Chevron deference, law firms will need to integrate litigation, lobbying and communications functions to keep up with the ramifications of the ruling and provide adequate counsel quickly, says Neil Hare at Dentons.
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5 Tips To Succeed In A Master Of Laws Program And Beyond
As lawyers and recent law school graduates begin their Master of Laws coursework across the country, they should keep a few pointers in mind to get the most out of their programs and kick-start successful careers in their practice areas, says Kelley Miller at Reed Smith.
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How Law Firms Can Avoid 'Collaboration Drag'
Law firm decision making can be stifled by “collaboration drag” — characterized by too many pointless meetings, too much peer feedback and too little dissent — but a few strategies can help stakeholders improve decision-making processes and build consensus, says Steve Groom at Miles Mediation.
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Litigation Funding Disclosure Key To Open, Impartial Process
Blanket investor and funding agreement disclosures should be required in all civil cases where the investor has a financial interest in the outcome in order to address issues ranging from potential conflicts of interest to national security concerns, says Bob Goodlatte, former U.S. House Representative for Virginia.
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What NFL Draft Picks Have In Common With Lateral Law Hires
Nearly half of law firm lateral hires leave within a few years — a failure rate that is strikingly similar to the performance of NFL quarterbacks drafted in the first round — in part because evaluators focus too heavily on quantifiable metrics and not enough on a prospect's character traits, says Howard Rosenberg at Baretz+Brunelle.
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Replacing The Stigma Of Menopause With Law Firm Support
A large proportion of the workforce is forced to pull the brakes on their career aspirations because of the taboo surrounding menopause and a lack of consistent support, but law firms can initiate the cultural shift needed by formulating thoughtful workplace policies, says Barbara Hamilton-Bruce at Simmons & Simmons.
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Planning Law Firm Content Calendars: What, When, Where
During the slower month of August, law firms should begin working on their 2025 content calendars, planning out a content creation and distribution framework that aligns with the firm’s objectives and maintains audience engagement throughout the year, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing
Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address
A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union
As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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How Justices Upended The Administrative Procedure Act
In its recent Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court fundamentally changed the Administrative Procedure Act in ways that undermine Congress and the executive branch, shift power to the judiciary, curtail public and business input, and create great uncertainty, say Alene Taber and Beth Hummer at Hanson Bridgett.
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Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Is My Counterclaim Bound To Fall?
A Pennsylvania federal court’s recent dismissal of the defendants’ counterclaims in Morgan v. Noss should remind attorneys to avoid the temptation to repackage a claim’s facts and law into a mirror-image counterclaim, as this approach will often result in a waste of time and resources, says Matthew Selmasska at Kaufman Dolowich.
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Gilead Drug Ruling Creates Corporate Governance Dilemma
If upheld, a California state appellate court's decision — finding that Gilead is liable for delaying commercialization of a safer HIV drug to maximize profits on another drug — threatens to undermine long-standing rules of corporate law and exposes companies to liability for decisions based on sound business judgment, says Shireen Barday at Pallas.