On September 30, 2026, the Second Department issued a decision in Banc of Cal., N.A. v. Plumbing Supply Distrib., LLC, 2026 NY Slip Op. 05510, holding that the plaintiff was not entitled to summary judgment in a foreclosure action
Second Circuit Rules that EFAA Invalidates Arbitration of Non-Harassment Claims in Harassment Cases
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that when the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA) applies to at least one claim in an employee’s lawsuit, the EFAA invalidates a pre-dispute arbitration agreement as
Professional Services Exclusion Found Inappicable
In a coverage dispute between two insurers, the federal district court found the professional services exclusion under one of the insurer’s policies did not apply. The Phoenix Ins. Co. v. Scottsdale Ins. Co., 2026 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 192870 (E.D. N.
Federal Court Orders Rebel Creamery to Redesign Packaging and Disgorge $23.8 Million in Van Leeuwen Trade Dress Case
In a sweet win for frozen dessert brand Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, a New York federal court held that Rebel Creamery intentionally copied Van Leeuwen’s packaging, infringing and diluting its distinctive trade dress, and ordered Rebel to redesign its packaging
Cornell students protest university’s handling of Chi Phi sexual assault allegations, demand president’s resignation
Students at Cornell University gathered at a campus plaza Monday to protest the school’s handling of sexual assault allegations against members of the Chi Phi fraternity. Protesters damaged the university’s main administration building, knocking holes in its glass doors and
Laid Off Because of AI? What Employees Should Know About Severance, WARN Notices and Age Discrimination
The Short Answer
Employers can restructure their businesses and replace roles with technology. However, an AI-driven layoff does not suspend employment law. If your employer terminated your employment as part of an “AI restructuring,” you may still have the right
Parting Ways Professionally: Key Considerations in Drafting Separation Agreements
When it comes to agreements governing an employee’s separation from employment, the fine print matters—and in New York, that print has recently become even finer. Courts across the state have enforced tightened requirements on what employers must do to draft
DOJ Charges Two Former Robinhood Engineers with Trading Crypto Derivatives on Confidential Listing Information
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have filed criminal complaints against two former Robinhood Markets, Inc. engineers, alleging they used confidential information about upcoming cryptocurrency listings on Robinhood Crypto to trade profitably on Hyperliquid, an offshore decentralized
What Does Securities Deregulation Mean for Climate Risk?
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) proposal to rescind its 2024 climate-disclosure rule marked a significant reversal of efforts to surface and standardize information about climate-related financial risk. But underlying that high-profile rollback is a broader trend toward securities deregulation
Contract Claim Cannot be Reframed as a Negligence Claim
On September 30, 2026, the Second Department issued a decision in Board of Educ. of the Blind Brook-Rye Union Free Sch. Dist. v. Kliment Halsband Architects, 2026 NY Slip Op. 05512, holding that a contract claim cannot be reframed