Coronavirus: Law 360 June 29 Briefing
From Media & Entertainment Law360
Monday, June 29, 2020
TOP NEWS
Law Leaders On Managing Through A Crisis — Again
Some law firm leaders are facing their second major crisis while at the helm, after being around for the upheaval of the 2008-09 recession. Here’s what they think is different this time around.
Coronavirus: How Law Firms Are Handling The Downturn
UPDATED June 25, 2020, 12:44 PM EDT | The spreading coronavirus pandemic has upended the legal industry, forcing firms to cut salaries, lay off attorneys and make changes to summer associate programs. Here is a roundup of how law firms are responding.
Berkeley Law Follows Harvard With Fully Online Fall Semester
The Bay Area-based U.C. Berkeley School of Law announced Friday it will follow the lead of its Bay State-based peer Harvard Law School in planning for a fall semester conducted entirely remotely in an attempt to keep students and staff safe amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Court Accused Of Blocking Public Access To Trials Amid Virus
A California court is violating the First Amendment by placing undue restrictions on the public for accessing judicial proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Civil Liberties Union has alleged in California federal court.
9 States With COVID-19 Biz Immunity, And 3 That May Follow
Amid pending efforts to enact legislation at the federal level that would shield businesses from COVID-19 infection suits, at least nine states have taken it upon themselves to pass their own such laws or enact executive orders, while lawmakers in at least three others are contemplating such changes.
Making Antibody Tests Optional Won’t Erase Legal Risks
Although the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s recent edict that businesses can’t force returning employees to take COVID-19 antibody tests doesn’t preclude employers from asking workers to take tests voluntarily, companies risk legal trouble if antibody detection is part of their reopening plan, experts say.
CLOSINGS AND RESTRICTIONS
Coronavirus: The Latest Court Closures And Restrictions
UPDATED June 29, 2020, 2:46 PM EDT | As courts across the country take measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, some are restricting access and altering their procedures. Here is a roundup of changes.
Coronavirus: The Latest EU Court Closures And Restrictions
UPDATED June 29, 2020, 10:43 AM GMT | As courts across the region take measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, some are restricting access and altering their procedures. Here is a roundup of changes.
Houston Federal Courthouse Shuttered Amid COVID-19 Spike
The chief federal judge in Houston has shut down public access to the federal courthouse there effective Monday amid a regional spike in COVID-19 cases, citing the need to protect citizens, court staff and its officers from the spread of the virus.
NJ Extends Virus Precautions As State Courts Start To Reopen
The New Jersey Supreme Court has extended provisions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic while state courts resume in-person proceedings, reflecting the judiciary’s cautious approach to getting back to normal as infections have largely flattened in the Garden State but surged in other parts of the nation.
Outside Pa.’s Big Cities, A Look At Trial Work In The Pandemic
While judges in Pennsylvania’s legal epicenters of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh eye the fall for a potential return to jury trials after courts were largely closed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, a handful of smaller counties are providing a blueprint of sorts after trying cases this month with a slew of new safety measures.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR ATTORNEYS
Debevoise’s Dinallo On Pandemic Reinsurance, Biz Aid Plans
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP partner Eric Dinallo spoke with Law360 about how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted the insurance industry and spawned proposals for a government-backed reinsurance program for pandemic coverage and a federal fund to help businesses defray losses resulting from future pandemics.
COVID-19 IP Catch-Up: Mask Sales & Remote Source Codes
A Texas federal judge authorized a novel way of reviewing source code during the pandemic, mask makers are still bringing trademark suits, and patent litigation between drugmakers in New York is finally ready to go to trial. Here are some recent intellectual property updates tied to the outbreak that you may have missed.
EDTX Judge OKs Special Laptops In Apple Case Due To Virus
Citing the pandemic, an Eastern District of Texas federal judge has given the green light to a novel way to review source code that was specially developed by Apple during its wide-ranging patent dispute with Maxell.
Surveillance Reformers Seize Moment Amid Protests, Virus
A growing movement for police reform and added scrutiny of privacy in the age of COVID-19 have combined to add momentum to the push for limits on government surveillance.
Federal Virus Relief Snags Bedevil Tribes’ Recovery
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s vexed handling of $8 billion in COVID-19 relief has made it harder for tribal governments to cover their health expenses and try to restart their businesses, putting pressure on the department to better advise tribes trying to determine where they can spend the money before an end-of-year deadline, experts say.
Talc Maker Can’t Interview Ex-Jurors After Virus Mistrial
A New Jersey state judge on Friday said American International Industries had failed to show “good cause” why it should be allowed to interview former jurors who heard claims that asbestos in its Clubman talcum powder caused cancer before the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately led to a mistrial in the case.
Chesapeake Energy Looks To Slash $7B In Debt In Ch. 11
Oil and gas driller Chesapeake Energy Corp. hit Chapter 11 late Sunday in Texas, succumbing to months of financial struggles worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic but coming to court with plans to slash $7 billion of debt from its balance sheet.
Texas Oil Driller Lilis Energy Cites COVID-19 For Ch. 11 Filing
Oil and gas production company Lilis Energy Inc. hit Chapter 11 late Sunday in Texas with $251 million in debt, saying it could not withstand the financial pressures of declining energy prices worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
EXPERT ANALYSIS
Virus, Regs Highlight Need For Model State Whistleblower Law
The North American Securities Administrators Association’s recently proposed model state whistleblower law could be a timely weapon against securities misconduct in light of the new and unique opportunities COVID-19 presents for fraudsters, and certain federal registration exemptions that may soon be relaxed, says attorney Patrick McCloskey.
