Law360 Coronavirus: Your June 3 Briefing
From Media & Entertainment Law360
Wednesday June 3 2020
TOP NEWS
White House Lawyer Confirmed As Virus Relief Watchdog
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed a White House lawyer to monitor billions, possibly trillions, in pandemic relief, with just one Democrat joining Republicans to approve the former General Services Administration watchdog.
3 Qualities That Help Law Firms Thrive In Times Of Crisis
As the legal industry grapples with the upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic, law firms that possess certain characteristics will not only survive but thrive in this time of massive uncertainty. Here is a look at three of those qualities.
Counsel Who Care: How Attys Are Helping During A Crisis
As coronavirus cases have spread, law firms across the nation have been stepping up to help, from providing pro bono legal assistance to fundraisers and donations.
Coronavirus: How Law Firms Are Handling The Downturn
UPDATED June 3, 2020, 11:28 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.
Judge’s COVID-19 Quandary: How Many Inmates Is Too Many?
A Massachusetts federal judge would like to know approximately how many U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees a state jail can hold while maintaining social distancing protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, asking both the government and a class of inmates to weigh in during a hearing Wednesday.
Sens. Unveil Privacy Bill To Regulate Contact Tracing Apps
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced legislation that would limit how apps used as part of efforts to trace the spread of COVID-19 can sweep up users’ data, including by mandating that people be able to consent to their information being collected and delete that data later.
Coronavirus Regulations: A State-By-State Week In Review
While the nation’s collective consciousness largely shifted this week from the COVID-19 pandemic to rage over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, state leaders grappling with sometimes violent protests still continued to map out life after the coronavirus.
CLOSINGS AND RESTRICTIONS
LA Courts To Launch New Remote Appearance System
The Los Angeles County Superior Court announced Tuesday that it is deploying a new court-developed remote appearance system for civil suits and other matters, available beginning the week of June 22 to attorneys and self-represented litigants to help fight the COVID-19 health crisis.
Coronavirus: The Latest Court Closures And Restrictions
UPDATED June 3, 2020, 1:53 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 3, 2020, 12:04 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 ATTORNEYS NEED TO KNOW
4 Highlights As Senators Eye FDA Actions On COVID-19
Senate Finance Committee members Tuesday grilled U.S. Food and Drug Administration leaders for easing access to an unproven medication sold by a banned drugmaker for COVID-19 treatment and explored ways to reduce American reliance on overseas drug production. Here are four highlights from a contentious hearing.
6th Circ. Won’t Make Exceptions For COVID-19 Release Bids
A Sixth Circuit panel affirmed a Michigan federal judge’s decision to toss an elderly and sickly inmate’s emergency motion for compassionate release Tuesday, saying in a published opinion that it would not prioritize COVID-19-related requests as it would compromise the orderly processing of applications for early release.
Virus, Volume Slow Release For Arrested Protesters In NYC
The coronavirus pandemic is slowing arraignments and prolonging custody for hundreds of New Yorkers arrested during citywide demonstrations protesting the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by Minneapolis police, attorneys told Law360.
AGs Say Walmart Employees Need More Virus Protections
A dozen U.S. attorneys general are pushing Walmart to beef up protections for its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying they have received reports of stores with people too close to one another and locations not being properly cleaned.
Manhattan Prison Can Fix COVID-19 Concerns, Judge Says
A federal judge on Tuesday urged counsel for inmates suing the Metropolitan Correctional Center over COVID-19 concerns to work on a settlement with the Manhattan prison, saying alleged missteps are within its power to fix and indicating a preference not to issue injunctions.
Mass. Inmate Testing Plan Helps Sink COVID-19 Release Case
Massachusetts’ top court denied a plea Tuesday to depopulate prisons due to COVID-19 risks, saying the state’s offer to test every inmate and its thoughtful response to the pandemic undermine claims that officials have acted with deliberate indifference to the crisis.
ICE Tells Senate It Lacks Testing Policy For Deportations
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not routinely test detained immigrants for COVID-19 before transferring them to detention centers or even deporting them to other countries, an agency official confirmed to a Senate panel on Tuesday.
Privacy Board Member Questions Plan To Check Fliers’ Temps
A member of a federal privacy oversight board is pressing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for more details about reported plans to check commercial airline passengers’ temperatures to screen for COVID-19, warning the global pandemic “is not a hall pass to disregard the privacy and civil liberties of the traveling public.”
EXPERT ANALYSIS
Studying The Post-Pandemic Juror By Generation
A close look at the life experiences unique to baby boomers, Generation X, millennials and others can offer valuable insight into how the pandemic could shape jurors’ opinions in very different ways depending on their birth cohort, say trial consultants at JuryScope.
How To Avoid A Legal Mess When Disinfecting Workplaces
As companies plan for increased cleaning and disinfection to prevent outbreaks of COVID-19 in the workplace, they must make sure their product usage is consistent with both federal and local rules and guidance, say attorneys at Orrick.
Mortgage Servicers Will Bear Brunt Of CARES Act Relief
The CARES Act provides assistance to some borrowers who do not need help, and requires the wrong entities — mortgage servicers — to finance a large portion of this assistance, says Greg Halm at Berkeley Research Group.
