Legal Tech
Legal technology products, platforms, tools, and vendor/market developments
OpenAI and Anthropic Researchers Clash with Leadership Over AI Safety
OpenAI and Anthropic researchers challenge leadership on AI safety amid security incidents and a high-profile antitrust lawsuit, impacting AI governance and compliance.
NM Jury Finds Facebook Liable for Massive Privacy Violations, $40B Penalty Looms
A New Mexico jury ruled Facebook breached privacy laws affecting 43M users; potential $40B penalty could reshape tech data risk.
California's SB 574 mandates strict AI review and limits for lawyers, arbitrators
California's SB 574 requires lawyers to verify AI-generated legal content and restricts arbitrators' AI use, impacting legal practice and arbitration starting 2027.
California fines AV operators blocking emergency responders over 30 minutes
California law Senate Bill 1246 penalizes autonomous vehicle operators for obstructing emergency services, setting new compliance standards effective July 2028.
Hawaii Supreme Court Upholds $222M Attorney Fee Cap in Maui Fire Settlement
Hawaii Supreme Court rules lawyers can keep $222 million in fees from $4 billion Maui wildfire settlement, setting key precedent for disaster cases.
Sixth Circuit Rejects Federal Preemption Over State Sports-Betting Laws
The Sixth Circuit ruled that sports-event contracts are not swaps under the CEA, affirming states' rights to regulate sports betting in Ohio and Tennessee.
Relativity Reveals AI Partnerships, $170M R&D Boost, and Platform Rebrand
Relativity announced AI partnerships, rebranded its cloud platform, and committed $170M to R&D at RelFest Chicago 2026.
California AG Sues Trump Over $810M Federal Fund Cancellation
California AG Rob Bonta leads a multistate lawsuit against Trump's cancellation of $810 million in federal funds, challenging executive authority over appropriations.
UK Shifts Privacy Power to Board-Led Information Commission
The UK's data regulator ICO becomes the Information Commission with a new board, relocating HQ to Manchester, reshaping legal compliance.
X Appeals to Ninth Circuit to Revive Data-Scraping Suit vs. CCDH
X appeals dismissal of its data-scraping lawsuit against CCDH, raising key free speech and platform liability issues for legal professionals.
Senator Marsha Blackburn Sues Jack Smith Over Phone Record Seizure
Senator Marsha Blackburn filed a lawsuit against Special Counsel Jack Smith alleging unconstitutional seizure of her phone records during Trump's 2020 election probe.
California enacts refundable tax credits to support local media jobs
Governor Newsom signed legislation establishing refundable employment tax credits for local news organizations in California to support journalism jobs through 2031.
Staten Island Judge Invalidates NYC’s Pied-à-Terre Tax Rollout
Staten Island judge halts NYC's pied-à-terre tax rollout targeting luxury second homes amid legal and implementation issues.
Google Debuts Gemini 4 Argon AI with 1M-Token Output for Legal, Cybersecurity
Google launches Gemini 4 Argon AI with up to 1 million tokens per output, boosting legal and cybersecurity workflows with deep reasoning.
86% of Americans Back Independent AI Safety Rules, Quinnipiac Finds
A Quinnipiac poll shows 86% of Americans want independent AI safety standards, highlighting trust issues and legal governance challenges.
Third Circuit: AI training on copyrighted works isn't fair use
The Third Circuit rules AI training using copyrighted content for competing products violates copyright law, impacting legal tech and IP law.
Offit Kurman Sues Actionstep Over Failed Software Integrations
Offit Kurman filed a lawsuit in August 2023 alleging that Actionstep's software failed promised integrations, impacting firm operations.
Third District Court Rejects OLC’s CFPB Funding Interpretation
The Third District Court ruled against the Office of Legal Counsel’s view on CFPB funding, affirming the agency’s financial independence and regulatory authority.
Clio Buys Learned Hand to Boost AI Use in U.S. Courts
Clio acquired judicial AI startup Learned Hand to enhance judicial workflows and case management in major U.S. courts.
Secondary OFAC Sanctions Pose Growing Risks for Non-US Firms
Recent US Treasury enforcement shows heightened risks of secondary OFAC sanctions for global companies dealing with Iran and sanctioned entities.