Keep your finger on the legal world's pulse

A federal judge in Florida has said President Donald Trump must sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11 or face the possibility of dismissal of his $10bn action against the U.K. news organization. U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett made the order after the BBC’s lawyers complained that Trump was stalling. He was supposed to sit for a deposition on Oct. 16 but canceled it for a “matter of national importance,” which BBC attorney Charles Tobin said was “fake news,” explaining: “He was participating in party politics and supported his candidates in the election, and he prioritized that over his obligations in this proceeding.” Trump’s lawyers had requested that his deposition be conducted between Jan. 11 and Jan. 22. Trump sued the BBC last year, claiming that the outlet produced a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump” in a documentary broadcast immediately before the 2024 presidential election.

 

CNBC

Los Angeles Times

NBC News

The Globe and Mail

Attorney General Todd Blanche has said the Justice Department (DOJ) could intervene in state election verification processes under certain hypothetical “scenarios.” In a Fox News interview, he said: “Yes, of course there's scenarios that we can all come up with hypothetically, you know, some doomsday scenario for example, right? . . . So I don't think it's proper to make any kind of conclusory statements about what's going to happen in the future, because I have no idea what's happening in the future.” Blanche said the DOJ has no intention “to improperly interfere with elections or the state confirmation process or certification process.” He continued: “There's no circumstances that we would ever do that . . . Of course I'm not going to say that. But am I planning my days around the election to be somewhere to not certify? Of course not, no, not at all.”  Blanche accused Democrats of “fearmongering” by claiming the DOJ is trying to intimidate voters.

 

The Hill

The Trump administration has dropped two appeals challenging federal court rulings that blocked proposed changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which provides student debt relief to eligible public-sector and nonprofit employees after ten years of qualifying payments. The administration had sought to give Education Secretary Linda McMahon authority to exclude employers deemed to have a "substantial illegal purpose," potentially affecting organizations supporting undocumented immigrants and transgender youth. Federal judges in Massachusetts and Washington blocked the changes, finding that the rules exceeded the Education Department's authority and raised constitutional concerns over free speech. The Justice Department has now withdrawn both appeals without explanation, leaving the rulings in place.

 

ABC News

Washington Post

President Donald Trump and his family's crypto company are facing a lawsuit that accuses them of "corruptly profiting" from over $2bn in digital currency deals, violating constitutional restrictions on accepting foreign money. The lawsuit, filed by J. Benjamin Greenberg, a shareholder of Circle Internet Group, claims that Trump's dealings with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's national security advisor, constitute illegal foreign emoluments. "What President Trump did is brazenly corrupt. He's made millions from these deals by selling out the American people," said Matt Pelikan, an attorney at Evergreen Legal. The suit seeks a court declaration that Trump's profits violate the Constitution and demands he disclose all foreign crypto emoluments received. Trump's crypto business has thrived since his return to the White House, despite significant losses for investors.

 

CNBC

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez has filed a civil lawsuit against Jeffrey Epstein's former attorney Darren Indyke, former accountant Richard Kahn, and Mr. Epstein's estate, alleging that the two advisers facilitated, financed, and concealed his sex trafficking operation, including activities at his former Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe. The lawsuit seeks damages for survivors of alleged sexual abuse and aims to prevent Mr. Epstein's private trust, which holds more than $100m, from making further payments. The action follows New Mexico's decision in February to reopen its investigation into alleged abuse at the ranch and represents the first law enforcement action against Mr. Indyke and Mr. Kahn, according to the attorney general's office. New Mexico has also established a legislative commission to investigate Mr. Epstein's alleged connections to local officials and has sought access to unredacted federal investigative records. 

 

US News and World Report

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to intervene in its lawsuit against California, in a bid to block the counting of over 20,000 mail-in ballots allegedly cast by non-U.S. citizens. The request comes as U.S. District Judge David Carter prepares to rule on the matter. The DOJ has charged 28 individuals for voting with "illegal and fraudulently obtained ballots," according to Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter. The DOJ's lawsuit follows a demand for California to verify the citizenship of these voters. California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the DOJ's actions, saying: "California's elections are NOT Donald Trump's to control." He emphasized the importance of maintaining free and fair elections in the state, and warned that the DOJ's request could undermine democratic processes.

 

The Hill

Yuni Yan Sobel has joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges as a partner in its U.S. antitrust practice in New York. Sobel specializes in advising clients on intricate transaction structures related to private equity, public company M&A, and restructuring, along with merger clearance strategies and antitrust risk management. Previously, she was a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, where she achieved partnership last year.

 

Bloomberg Law

Ecuadorian opposition leader Luisa Gonzalez has been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the financing of her 2023 presidential campaign. The Prosecutor General's Office said the detention of President Daniel Noboa's left-wing opponent came amid an investigation regarding $500,000 in suspicious spending on political advertising for the campaign. In a statement posted to social media, Gonzalez said that under Noboa, “attacks on freedoms and political persecutions” have become “a permanent reality.” She confirmed her arrest on “an absurd accusation.”

 

Bloomberg

Reuters

A class-action lawsuit has been filed by law ​firm MinterEllison in Australia's Federal Court, the country's second-highest, against Meta Platforms' Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit alleges the social media platforms exposed children to harmful content and kept them addicted through algorithms. It could be the first ⁠in Australia to blame social media for harming ​its users, particularly children and teenagers. "We are aware of ​this claim and we will defend ourselves vigorously," a Meta ‌spokesperson ⁠said.

 

Time.com

News.com.au

Reuters

AMS, A Korn Ferry Company, has released the “Class of 2030: The future of early careers” hiring report, revealing that 81% of employers intend to boost early-career hiring in response to AI's impact on junior roles. Susan Major, Global Managing Director of Early Careers and Campus at AMS, said: “Entry-level hiring is fundamental to the health of any organization. It is how you bring in new skills, fresh thinking and build the talent you are going to rely on in the future. Our research shows employers recognize that . . . The roles themselves are evolving, and that makes investing in young talent even more important. Organizations need to think now about the people and skills they will need to grow and make sure they are creating the opportunities for those capabilities to develop.” The report is based on surveys of over 5,000 candidates and 500 HR leaders across 13 countries.

 

Los Angeles Times