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WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

 

NEXT STEP - Jurors now will move on to phase two in the Monsanto MDL bellwether case after finding yesterday that Roundup weed killer was a “substantial factor” in causing a Northern California man’s cancer. Ross Todd reports that in the trial’s second phase, which starts today, jurors will consider evidence regarding what the company knew about the herbicide’s carcinogenic properties, the company’s interactions with regulators and potential damages. Tuesday's verdict is a big blow to Monsanto parent company Bayer AG, which last year was hit with a $289 million verdict in a Roundup case outside MDL.

IRKED - A federal judge in D.C. has chided government attorneys for delaying the implementation of her court order that reinstates Obama-era rules regarding employee compensation information. Erin Mulvaney reports that Judge Tanya Chutkan on Tuesday told DOJ and EEOC lawyers to provide her with a timeline for their plans to comply with her March 4 order pertaining to annual reporting of pay data based on gender, race and ethnicity from employers with more than 100 workers. “I am not in the business of running the EEOC nor do I want to set an unrealistic deadline. I can, but I don’t think you want me to do that,” the judge said.

POWER STRUGGLE - Technology is transforming financial services, and meanwhile federal and state regulators are fighting each other for control of fintech. MP McQueen talks with Manatt’s global payments partner Anita Boomstein who unpacks the complicated situation.

EDITOR’S PICKS

 

2nd Circuit Blocks Reed Smith's Pursuit of $6.75M in Attorney Fees

$475M Lawsuit Alleges Danske Bank's Inaction Created 'Enormous Scandal'

Kirkland M&A Whiz Sorabella Jumps to Gibson Dunn

Bad Influence: How to Protect Your Brand When an Endorser Gets Mired in Scandal

Report: Pharmaceutical and Financial Services Have Most Mature Use of E-Discovery Tech

You're Invited! An Insider's Tour of Lean Adviser Tools

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

 

NEW GIG - U.K.-based Pinsent Masons is launching a flexible lawyer operation and has recruited former Axiom Asia head Kirsty Dougan to serve as its managing director in Hong Kong. John Kang reports that Dougan was one of Asia’s early adopters of the flexible lawyering model, opening her own company, Asia Counsel, in Hong Kong with former Citigroup investment banker Serena Wallace-Turner in 2009.

WHAT YOU SAID

“You’re going to get bombarded by financial advisers and friends and family coming out of the woodwork.”

— JASON KURLAND, PARTNER AT RIVKIN RADLER IN NEW YORK, WHO REPRESENTS PEOPLE WHO HAVE WON THE LOTTERY.