DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

March 20 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google has denied intentionally destroying evidence in the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit over the company's search business, in a response to the government's bid for sanctions in federal court. The Justice Department last month alleged Google failed to preserve certain internal corporate "chat" communications. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment on Monday. Mehta last year denied an earlier Justice Department bid for sanctions against Google over claims it was shielding too many documents from review. The case is United States v. Google LLC, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, No.

WASHINGTON, March 20 - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a traveling Christian evangelist's free-speech challenge to a University of Alabama requirement that he obtain a permit before handing out religious pamphlets and preaching from a sidewalk adjacent to its campus. Keister, founder of a Pennsylvania-based group called Evangelism Mission, regularly visits U.S. university campuses in hopes of spreading his Christian message to students, according to court filings. School officials told Keister he needed a permit for a public-speaking event, prompting him and his companion to leave. Following losses in lower courts, Keister's appeal in 2018 was turned away by the U.S. Supreme Court, prompting him to file an amended civil rights suit against school officials the next year. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, in recent years has taken an expansive view of religious rights, though this case came to the justices as a free speech dispute.

March 17 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday revived a lawsuit by Uber Technologies Inc (UBER.N) and subsidiary Postmates Inc claiming a California law that makes it more difficult for them to save money by treating workers as independent contractors is unconstitutional. In a major win for the gig economy, which heavily relies on contractors, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the state must face claims that the law improperly singles out "gig economy" companies while exempting other industries. Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New YorkOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

NEW YORK, March 17 (Reuters) - Former President Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll have agreed to a single trial on whether Trump defamed the former Elle magazine columnist by denying he raped her in the mid-1990s. Carroll has been pursuing separate lawsuits over those statements, with the first scheduled for trial on April 10. Carroll sued again three years later after Trump called the rape claim a "hoax," "lie," "con job" and "complete scam" in a social media post. Both sides proposed asking that court on April 17 to defer any decision until the trial is over. The cases are Carroll v. Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, Nos.

Diners said this forced them to pay artificially high prices for meals they ordered elsewhere. In response, the companies said that by accepting the terms of use for their platforms, diners agreed to arbitrate their claims individually and not pursue a class action in court. The diners' claims "are based solely on purchases made directly from restaurants or from non-defendant meal-delivery platforms," Kaplan wrote. Grubhub, Uber Eats, Postmates and their respective lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Grubhub is owned by Netherlands-based Just Eat Takeaway.com (TKWY.AS), while Uber Eats and Postmates are owned by Uber Technologies Inc (UBER.N).

March 16 (Reuters) - U.S. shareholders of Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.S) sued the Swiss bank on Thursday, claiming that the bank defrauded them by concealing problems with its finances. The proposed class action accuses Credit Suisse of deceiving investors by failing to disclose that it was suffering from "significant" customer outflows, and that it had material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting. Credit Suisse declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Camden, New Jersey. Turner, the named plaintiff, sued on behalf of holders of Credit Suisse's American depositary shares from March 10, 2022, to March 15, 2023. The case is Turner v Credit Suisse Group AG et al, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, No.

March 16 (Reuters) - A U.S. bankruptcy judge declined to delay the $1.3 billion sale of crypto lender Voyager Digital to Binance.US, saying Voyager customers should not be forced to wait out a challenge by the Department of Justice that is unlikely to succeed. The government can "can step in at any time" if it believes illegal transactions are happening, but has not presented any evidence that Voyager's crypto transactions are illegal, Wiles said. They argued that the protections could rubber stamp crypto transactions that might be illegal under U.S. securities laws. Binance.US has agreed to pay $20 million in cash to Voyager, and take on crypto assets deposited by Voyager customers. Reporting by Dietrich Knauth in New York; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] New York State Attorney General Letitia James speaks at a news conference after former U.S. President Donald Trump's White House chief strategist Steve Bannon arrived to surrender, in New York, U.S., September 8, 2022. REUTERS/Caitlin OchsNEW YORK, March 16 (Reuters) - New York's attorney general urged a state judge to reject Donald Trump's bid to delay her civil fraud case against him, and said the former U.S. president might use his 2024 White House run as an excuse for further delay. Arthur Engoron, the judge who oversees the case, has scheduled a March 21 hearing to consider the trial schedule. James sued Trump, three of his adult children, the Trump Organization and others last September, following a three-year probe. Trump, a Republican, has called James' case a partisan witch hunt.

Companies Credit Suisse Group AG FollowMarch 16 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.S) was sued on Thursday by shareholders in the United States who accused the Swiss bank of concealing problems with its finances. The lawsuit in the federal court in Camden, New Jersey said Credit Suisse made false or misleading statements or failed to disclose that it suffered from "significant" outflows in its fourth quarter, and material weaknesses in its internal controls. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Visa credit and debit cards are seen in this picture illustration taken August 2, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit TessierMarch 15 (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a $5.6 billion antitrust class-action settlement with more than 12 million retailers that accused Visa Inc (V.N) and MasterCard Inc (MA.N) of improperly fixing credit and debit card fees. The operators and the companies both claimed to have been injured after accepting Visa and MasterCard for gas sales. The settlement resolved claims that Visa and MasterCard overcharged retailers on interchange fees, or swipe fees, when shoppers used credit or debit cards, and barred retailers from directing customers toward cheaper means of payment. Settling retailers would be barred from bringing further claims from within the 15-year class period, and for five more years after the settlement became final, court papers show.

Companies Morgan Stanley FollowMarch 15 (Reuters) - The top U.S. markets regulator on Wednesday proposed a suite of new policies designed to harden the financial system against hacking, data theft and systems failure. The three rule proposals together govern how broker-dealers address hacking incidents and protect consumer data, and how stock exchanges, transaction clearing houses and others deemed critical to national economic security gird themselves against system failure and cyber-intrusion. Broker-dealers, securities exchanges and others would also be required to maintain cybersecurity risk policies and notify the SEC "immediately" of "significant" incidents. Gensler, in prepared remarks, called the proposal "the first explicitly to address cybersecurity practices for the majority of these market entities." A similar proposal last year for investment firms called for confidential notice within 48 hours, drawing objections that this could hinder efforts to respond to hacking incidents quickly.

"Tesla needs to open up its ecosystem and allow competition for the servicing of Tesla [vehicles] and sales of parts," said plaintiffs lawyer Matthew Ruan of Freed Kanner London & Millen, who filed one of the proposed class actions. The proposed class in both cases would include anyone who has paid Tesla for repairs or parts since March 2019. Ruan said the potential class includes hundreds of thousands of Tesla owners and lessees, so damages could total hundreds of millions of dollars. Tesla joins other major vehicle makers facing "right to repair" antitrust litigation over alleged exclusionary conduct. Read more:Harley-Davidson hit with class actions over 'right to repair' restrictionsU.S. FTC settles with Weber grills over 'right to repair'FTC votes to make 'right to repair' a priority, drops 1995 merger policyReporting by Mike ScarcellaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Companies Morgan Stanley FollowMarch 15 (Reuters) - The top U.S. markets regulator announced a package of proposed policies on Wednesday designed to harden the financial system against hacking, data theft and systems failure. Broker-dealers, securities exchanges and others would also be required to maintain cybersecurity risk policies and notify the SEC "immediately" of "significant" incidents. Gensler, in prepared remarks, called the proposal "the first explicitly to address cybersecurity practices for the majority of these market entities." A similar proposal last year for investment firms called for confidential notice within 48 hours, drawing objections that this could hinder efforts to respond to hacking incidents quickly. Reporting by Douglas Gillison; Editing by Leslie Adler and Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Companies Conocophillips FollowWASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - Six environmental groups filed a lawsuit on Tuesday over the Biden administration's approval of ConocoPhillips' (COP.N) Willow oil and gas project in Alaska, which they claimed could be a stepping stone to more development in an ecologically sensitive region. Trustees for Alaska, the Alaska Wilderness League, the Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society and other groups said the U.S. Interior Department approved Willow on public lands on the north coast of the state despite acknowledging and failing to mitigate "known harms" to Arctic communities, public health, wildlife and climate. The Interior Department on Monday approved three drill pads for Willow after saying last month it was concerned about the greenhouse gas emissions. The Interior Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the suits.

[1/5] Guo Wengui (also known as Miles Kwok) holds a news conference with Steve Bannon in New York, New York, U.S., November 20, 2018. Guo, 52, was charged with 11 criminal counts including securities fraud, wire fraud and concealment of money laundering, after "lining his pockets with the money he stole," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams in Manhattan said in a statement. They will propose a "robust bail package," according to Tamara Giwa, a federal public defender who represented Guo at Wednesday's hearing. Bannon is not accused of wrongdoing in Guo's criminal case. It said it also seized assets purchased with proceeds from Guo's alleged fraud, including a Lamborghini Aventador, and wants Guo to forfeit the yacht.

March 14 (Reuters) - The special prosecutor handling the case against actor Alec Baldwin in the 2021 "Rust" movie set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins announced on Tuesday she is stepping down, as Baldwin's lawyers had sought. The decision by special prosecutor Andrea Reeb came a month after Baldwin's attorney filed a motion to remove her because she is also a representative in the state legislature. The Baldwin team argued it violates the state constitution for a legislator to serve in another branch of government. "I will not allow questions about my serving as a legislator and prosecutor to cloud the real issue at hand." Gutierrez-Reed has blamed the shooting on potential sabotage, Baldwin's lack of firearms training, and a failure by Halls and Baldwin to call her onto set for extra firearm checks.

The hearing in Raleigh took place after the state Supreme Court's conservative justices agreed to reconsider a 2022 ruling that found partisan redistricting, or gerrymandering, was unlawful under the state constitution. In the same elections, Republicans flipped two Democratic seats on the court, installing a 5-2 conservative majority that weeks later made the extremely unusual decision to rehear the redistricting case. Several conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the Republicans' arguments, while the court's two Democrats expressed skepticism. The Supreme Court's conservative justices appeared to agree during oral arguments in December. But after the North Carolina court's decision to rehear the case, the U.S. Supreme Court asked the various parties in the case to weigh in on whether the court still has jurisdiction over the matter.

[1/3] A security guard walks in the ATM lobby of a Signature Bank branch in New York City, U.S., March 13, 2023. The proposed class action against Signature and its former chief executive officer Joseph DePaolo, chief financial officer Stephen Wyremski and chief operating officer Eric Howell was filed in the federal court in Brooklyn. Silicon Valley Bank is the largest. On Sunday, U.S. regulators decided to make Signature and Silicon Valley Bank depositors whole regardless of how much they held in their accounts. The case is Schaeffer v Signature Bank et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No.

Companies Amgen Inc FollowMarch 14 (Reuters) - Amgen Inc (AMGN.O) has been sued in a proposed class action accusing the drugmaker of waiting too long to tell investors it might owe the Internal Revenue Service $10.7 billion in taxes and penalties. In a complaint filed on Monday night in Manhattan federal court, a Detroit-based pension fund said Amgen artificially inflated its stock price by concealing the dispute over its international tax strategy between July 2020 and April 2022. Though Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, it is considered a foreign country for corporate tax purposes. 149 Pension Fund, said Amgen's share price fell 6.5% on Aug. 4, 2021, and 4.3% on April 28, 2022, because the company waited until those dates to disclose its potential liabilities. 149 Pension Fund v. Amgen Inc, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

The new court agreed along party lines to rehear the redistricting case, as well as a case in which the previous Democratic majority struck down a Republican-backed voter identification law. In court filings, Republican lawmakers argue that redistricting is inherently political and should be left to legislators, rather than judges. Last year's redistricting decision also prompted North Carolina Republicans to turn to the U.S. Supreme Court in what has become a high-profile case. The Supreme Court's conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the Republicans' argument during oral arguments in December. But after the North Carolina Supreme Court's decision to rehear the case, the U.S. Supreme Court asked the various parties in the case to weigh in on whether the court still has jurisdiction over the matter.

REUTERS/Gaelen MorseCompanies Norfolk Southern Corp FollowMarch 14 (Reuters) - The state of Ohio sued Norfolk Southern (NSC.N) Tuesday over the Feb. 3 derailment of a freight train that released over a million gallons of hazardous materials and pollutants into the environment around the town of East Palestine. Since the Ohio derailment caused cars carrying toxic vinyl chloride and other hazardous chemicals to spill and catch fire, Norfolk Southern has been under pressure over a number of train derailments. Last week, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw was sharply questioned at a U.S. Senate hearing and will appear at another March 22 rail safety Senate hearing. Those suits claim Norfolk Southern was negligent and has created a nuisance for residents, among other claims for liability. Last week, Norfolk Southern agreed to create a new first responders training center and expand a training program in Ohio.

REUTERS/Bing GuanMarch 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will announce an executive order on Tuesday that reinforces background checks for gun buyers in what the White House is promoting as the most comprehensive policy the president can enact without Congress. In a country with more than 40,000 gun deaths per year, Biden is betting that voters will embrace more proactive gun control. The Biden administration is pointing to public opinion polls that show a majority of Americans support background checks. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last year found 84% of respondents supported background checks for all firearms sales and 70% backed red flag laws. Some gun rights advocates oppose background checks, saying they infringe on constitutional rights to possess arms while failing to stop criminals from getting them.

March 14 (Reuters) - Shares of Uber Technologies (UBER.N) and Lyft Inc (LYFT.O) rose in premarket trading on Tuesday following a California court's ruling on treating drivers as independent contractors rather than employees, removing some future regulatory risks for the rideshare companies. A three-judge panel of the state appeals court on Monday reversed a lower court ruling in 2021 that the ballot measure, known as Proposition 22, was unconstitutional. Jefferies analysts estimate Lyft, DoorDash (DASH.N) and Uber have potentially avoided a hit of between $20 million and $170 million to their 2024 core earnings. Uber has dominated the rideshare and food delivery space thanks to massive scale, flexibility and presence in multiple global markets, crushing rivals Lyft and DoorDash. Shares of Lyft, which on Monday hit a record low, were up 6% in premarket trading.

"Meta's discovery gluttony confirms its request of eBay is not worthy of the burden Meta seeks to impose," eBay's lawyers told the California court. EBay's Quinn Emanuel attorneys derided Meta as a "litigant that has completely disregarded the bounds of reason and proportionality" in seeking information from third parties. A representative from eBay and its attorneys at Quinn Emanuel did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawyers for eBay contend the company doesn't compete with Meta on social networking but does face off over the Facebook Marketplace e-commerce service. The case is Federal Trade Commission v. Meta Platforms Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

Companies Rite Aid Corp FollowWASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Monday sued Rite Aid Corp (RAD.N), accusing the pharmacy chain of missing red flags as it illegally filled hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids. Rite Aid pharmacists were accused of filling prescriptions for controlled substances despite clear signs it was wrong. The Justice Department also said Rite Aid intentionally deleted some pharmacists' internal warnings about suspicious prescribers, such as "cash only pill mill??? Rite Aid is one of the country's largest pharmacy chains, with more than 2,330 stores in 17 U.S. states. The case is U.S. ex rel White et al v Rite Aid Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, No.

Search resuls for: "Law Firm Leaders Express The Benefit Of Strategy"

25 mentions found