Worldwide: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

The False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions are among the federal government’s most important tools for identifying and pursuing alleged fraud involving Medicare, Medicaid, federal health care programs and other government funds. The statute permits a private individual, known as a relator, to bring a False Claims Act action “for the person and for the United States Government” in the name of the government.

The Mortgage Bankers Association has filed a federal lawsuit challenging New Jersey's disparate impact discrimination rules, arguing they lack constitutional safeguards and conflict with federal law. The complaint asserts the rules impose unrecoverable compliance costs on lenders and create operational burdens by requiring different policies across states.

Article I, section 10 of the Washington State Constitution guarantees Washington residents access to the courts. That right does not mean that a person has unlimited access.

Under Washington State law, failing to act in a timely manner at any stage of a lawsuit, from pre-suit initiation through active litigation to post-judgment proceedings, can carry severe procedural and substantive consequences. These consequences range from the absolute bar of a claim or defense to monetary sanctions, evidentiary exclusions, dismissal of the action, and the loss of the right to appeal or collect on a judgment.

Organizations are increasingly turning to AI tools to streamline the preparation of corporate meeting minutes, but this technological shift brings both promising efficiencies and significant legal risks. From privilege concerns to data security vulnerabilities, the gap between AI-generated transcripts and carefully curated official records raises critical questions about governance, liability, and best practices.

When legal issues arise, many New Jersey businesses default to a "no comment" stance, believing silence protects them from liability. However, this approach can allow allegations to go unanswered, critical deadlines to pass, and manageable disputes to escalate into costly litigation. Understanding when silence serves your interests versus when it creates unnecessary risk is essential for protecting your business.

A federal court granted Disney's motion to compel arbitration in an antitrust class action, allowing the company to invoke fuboTV's subscriber terms of service after acquiring a 70% stake in the streaming platform. The ruling demonstrates how corporate mergers can fundamentally alter litigation strategy by enabling non-signatories to enforce arbitration agreements containing "future affiliates" provisions.

In VDPP, LLC v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., the Federal Circuit addressed whether a non-practicing entity that licenses its patent through settlement agreements must ensure those licensees comply with patent marking requirements under 35 U.S.C. § 287(a). The court's ruling clarifies that patent owners cannot avoid marking obligations simply because they don't manufacture products themselves...

Director Squires issued written opinions in two recent PTAB proceedings examining critical threshold questions about prior art qualification. One case explored whether sufficient evidence supported an earlier invention date to antedate prior art, while the other determined if a reference was publicly accessible before the patent's priority date.

States across the country are expanding anti-SLAPP protections, with nine states enacting or strengthening laws since 2025. Most have adopted the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (UPEPA), giving defendants new tools to seek early dismissal of lawsuits.

A federal court has awarded Blake Lively over $400,000 in attorneys' fees and costs under California's new anti-SLAPP statute after dismissing a defamation claim brought against her for speaking out about workplace harassment. This landmark ruling marks the first fee award under California Civil Code section 47.1, which protects communications about sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation—raising critical questions about the financial risks employers face when responding to workplace allega

Over the last few weeks, a lawsuit brought by a former JPMorgan Chase banker alleging sexual harassment and assault against the bank and a senior executive within its leveraged finance division has made headlines. The salacious complaint alleges that the executive subjected the plaintiff to sexual harassment, sexual assault, and retaliation during his employment. It also alleges that the bank defamed the plaintiff when it made derogatory claims about him to others in the financial services industry post-employment.