Coronavirus: Law360 Afternoon Briefing Thu May 21 2020
By Law360 From Media & Entertainment
TOP NEWS
The New Normal In SDNY Will Include ‘Lots Of Plexiglass’
As the COVID-19-stricken greater New York City area inches toward reopening for business, a platoon of workers at the Southern District’s federal courthouses is readying a transformation that will include enhanced social distancing for jurors, controlled access and clear barriers to shield workers and trial witnesses.
Judges Prefer Zoom And WebEx As Courtrooms Go Virtual
Zoom and WebEx are the online platforms of choice for judges throughout the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the National Judicial College’s polling of hundreds of judges.
Women Justices Cut Off More, Spoke Less In Phone Hearings
Women justices participating in the U.S. Supreme Court’s first-ever teleconference hearings were interrupted significantly more often than their male colleagues and were given less overall speaking time, according to a report published Tuesday.
Texas Supreme Court Justice Tests Positive For COVID-19
Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann said Thursday that she has tested positive for COVID-19.
Coronavirus: How Law Firms Are Handling The Downturn
UPDATED May 21, 2020, 11:41 AM 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.
BakerHostetler, Kramer Levin Shorten Summer Programs
BakerHostetler and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP are among the latest law firms to adjust their summer associate programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on Wednesday confirming they had reduced this year’s programs to four weeks and five weeks, respectively.
CLOSINGS AND RESTRICTIONS
Coronavirus: The Latest Court Closures And Restrictions
UPDATED May 21, 2020, 2:13 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 May 21, 2020, 4:11 PM 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.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR ATTORNEYS
4 Things To Know About Plan To Speed COVID-19 Patent Apps
A new U.S. Patent and Trademark Office program will prioritize the examination of COVID-19-related patent applications from small businesses, and while it could result in patents issuing very quickly, applicants need to make sure the program makes sense for their invention. Here are the top things to consider.
Apple, Google Launch COVID-19 Exposure Notification Tool
Apple and Google released software Wednesday that could allow governments across the globe to help track the spread of COVID-19 with smartphone apps that would alert users who come in close contact with someone who tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
NY Judge Won’t Require In-Person Testimony In IP Bench Trial
A New York federal judge said Wednesday she won’t require witnesses to testify in person in an upcoming July bench trial over a patent dispute between two drugmakers involving the nighttime urination medication Nocdurna, noting that many witnesses in the case are older people who are skittish about traveling.
House Set To Approve Flexibility For PPP Small-Biz Loans
The House is expected to vote next week on a narrow bipartisan bill that would give more flexibility to small businesses that receive forgivable loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, removing certain requirements and extending several deadlines.
USDA Says $19B Virus Aid Program Won’t Cover Hemp Yet
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has denied hemp farmers initial access to $19 billion in emergency coronavirus aid, though the agency said Wednesday the crop could become eligible if its price is severely impacted by the pandemic.
Virus Pushes Green Growth To Insolvency Filing In Canada
Long-struggling cannabis company Green Growth Brands received insolvency protection from a Canadian court Wednesday, telling the judge it was pushed to financial ruin by the COVID-19 pandemic.
States Join Bid For Virus Delay In Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy
Two dozen states and the District of Columbia have joined calls for a New York federal court to push back the cutoff date for filing claims in the bankruptcy of Purdue Pharma LP, citing the obstacles created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Fed. Judge Remands COVID-19 Coverage Case To State Court
A Pennsylvania federal judge quickly sent a Pittsburgh restaurant’s lawsuit seeking coverage for coronavirus-related losses back to state court Tuesday, reasoning that there weren’t any state court rulings on similar claims the federal court could rely on.
Tesla Drops Suit Against Calif. County Over Lockdown Order
Tesla Inc. dropped its lawsuit against Alameda County in California federal court on Wednesday, 11 days after filing the suit, which alleged that the county made an unconstitutional “power grab” when it initially prevented the electric car manufacturer from reopening its Fremont, California, plant.
EXPERT ANALYSIS
7 Steps To Romancing The Virtual Classroom
For professors, trainers, lawyers, students and businesses grappling with the unexpected challenges of distance learning, trial attorney and teacher James Wagstaffe offers best practices for real-time online instruction.
Contingent Fees A Great Option For Cos. During Downturn
In-house counsel may assume that “elite” law firms will turn up their noses at the idea of contingent fees, but such arrangements, whether pure or hybrid, are offered by many firms — even to defendants — and may be the answer to tight litigation budgets, say attorneys at Fish & Richardson.
What COVID-19 Means For The M&A Insurance Market
Alvin Reynolds and Richard French at Atlantic Global Risk address the impact of COVID-19 on M&A insurance market dynamics, policy terms and claims, and explain new applications to support distressed transactions.
No Joy In Mudville For Minor League Baseball
While the possibility of Major League Baseball resuming games in July is certainly welcome news, the pandemic has thrown a beanball at the minor league clubs and the thousands of employees who depend on them for their livelihoods, says Kenneth Jacobsen, director of the sports law program at Temple University Beasley School of Law.
