Featured Stories
Pillsbury: DOJ's First Declination Under New CEP Provides Further Transparency on How It Works
NEW YORK, July 14 -- Pillsbury, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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DOJ's First Declination Under New CEP Provides Further Transparency on How it Works
In an article published in Law360, Pillsbury partners Mark Krotoski and Matthew Rabinowitz discuss several key reasons why the DOJ's National Security Division's first enforcement policy declination under its new Corporate Enforcement Policy (CEP) by is significant for corporations.
The authors state that the DOJ's decision to decline to prosecute global company Robert Bosch GmbH for alleged violations of the Export Control
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NEW YORK, July 14 -- Pillsbury, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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DOJ's First Declination Under New CEP Provides Further Transparency on How it Works
In an article published in Law360, Pillsbury partners Mark Krotoski and Matthew Rabinowitz discuss several key reasons why the DOJ's National Security Division's first enforcement policy declination under its new Corporate Enforcement Policy (CEP) by is significant for corporations.
The authors state that the DOJ's decision to decline to prosecute global company Robert Bosch GmbH for alleged violations of the Export ControlReform Act, confirms its uniform, department-wide corporate enforcement policy is "not merely aspirational" but is operational and outcome-determinative. It delivers on the DOJ's promise of uniformity and predictable incentives across different components.
They also emphasize that this case proves a full criminal declination is achievable even for significant national security violations, provided the company meets the required standards.
To secure a declination, the authors note, a company must be prompt and proactive, engaging the DOJ through voluntary self-disclosure before the misconduct is independently detected by the government.
However, is not enough to have an "on-paper" compliance policy, the authors caution. They stress that companies must devote effective resources, training, and personnel to successfully detect, escalate, and remediate issues and secure a declination.
Read the full article here (https://www.law360.com/articles/2495225/lessons-from-the-doj-s-1st-enforcement-policy-declination).
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Original text here: https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/news-and-insights/dojs-first-declination-new-cep-provides-transparency.html
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Morgan Lewis Bolsters White Collar Litigation and Healthcare Capabilities With Former US Attorney's Office Section Chief in Chicago
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 14 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Morgan Lewis, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Morgan Lewis Bolsters White Collar Litigation and Healthcare Capabilities with Former US Attorney's Office Section Chief in Chicago
CHICAGO: Morgan Lewis continues to strengthen its global trial and investigations team with the addition of Heidi Manschreck, who joins the firm as a partner in Chicago. Heidi has spent nearly two decades in government service, most recently serving as chief of the Healthcare Fraud Section in the US Attorney's Office for the Northern
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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 14 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Morgan Lewis, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Morgan Lewis Bolsters White Collar Litigation and Healthcare Capabilities with Former US Attorney's Office Section Chief in Chicago
CHICAGO: Morgan Lewis continues to strengthen its global trial and investigations team with the addition of Heidi Manschreck, who joins the firm as a partner in Chicago. Heidi has spent nearly two decades in government service, most recently serving as chief of the Healthcare Fraud Section in the US Attorney's Office for the NorthernDistrict of Illinois. A highly experienced trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor, she further enhances the firm's capabilities in healthcare-related investigations and enforcement matters, white collar litigation, and high-stakes disputes.
"Heidi will bring a compelling combination of public service, courtroom capability, and leadership within the US Attorney's Office," said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. "Her experience leading complex healthcare fraud and financial crime investigations provides a valuable perspective on the legal, regulatory, and operational issues organizations face when responding to government scrutiny."
Heidi has served in a series of senior roles at the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, including as chief of the Healthcare Fraud Section, criminal healthcare fraud coordinator, deputy chief of financial crimes, and assistant US attorney. In these roles, she investigated and prosecuted a variety of fraud matters involving healthcare providers, medical equipment companies, and other businesses. Before joining the US Attorney's Office, Heidi served as a trial attorney in the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice.
"Clients facing government investigations and parallel litigation exposure increasingly need counsel with firsthand prosecutorial experience and the ability to navigate highly sensitive matters," said Troy Brown, leader of Morgan Lewis's global litigation practice. "Heidi's addition reflects our continued investment in healthcare and white collar litigation and further broadens the experience available to clients across our litigation platform."
Heidi joins Morgan Lewis at a time of continued growth across the firm's litigation and investigations platform. Since the start of 2026, the firm has welcomed 15 litigation partners in the United States, EU, and United Kingdom, including IP litigation partner Matthew Rizzolo in Washington, DC; class action litigation partners Brian Buckley and Melissa Lawton in Seattle and Los Angeles, respectively; financial services litigation partners Matthew Martel and Joseph Sconyers in Boston; employment litigation partners Benjamin Davis, Chris Pardo, and James LaRocca in Miami, Boston, and New York, respectively; complex commercial litigation partners Shawn Regan in New York and Torsten Kracht and Mike Edney in Washington, DC; and trade litigation partners Marie-Agnes Nicolas and Anne Gaustad-Hanken in Paris and Paul Feldberg in London.
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Original text here: https://www.morganlewis.com/news/2026/07/morgan-lewis-bolsters-white-collar-litigation-and-healthcare-capabilities-with-former-us-attorneys-office-section-chief-in-chicago
John Nadolenco Receives Four Consecutive "Leader of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys" Recognition From LABJ
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 14 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Mayer Brown, a law firm, issued the following news:
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John Nadolenco receives four consecutive "Leader of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys" recognition from LABJ
LOS ANGELES - John Nadolenco, managing partner of Mayer Brown's Los Angeles office, has been named to the Los Angeles Business Journal's (LABJ) "Leaders of Influence: Litigation & Trial Attorneys" list for the fourth consecutive year.
The recognition, which honors some of the region's most accomplished litigators and trial attorneys, underscores John's professional
... Show Full Article
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 14 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Mayer Brown, a law firm, issued the following news:
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John Nadolenco receives four consecutive "Leader of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys" recognition from LABJ
LOS ANGELES - John Nadolenco, managing partner of Mayer Brown's Los Angeles office, has been named to the Los Angeles Business Journal's (LABJ) "Leaders of Influence: Litigation & Trial Attorneys" list for the fourth consecutive year.
The recognition, which honors some of the region's most accomplished litigators and trial attorneys, underscores John's professionalachievements and the impact of his work within the Los Angeles legal community.
John is a distinguished lead trial counsel whose courtroom advocacy spans jurisdictions nationwide and who has built an exceptional record securing favorable outcomes for clients facing significant financial exposure.
LABJ lauded several of John's recent successes, including his role as lead trial counsel for the entire automaker industry in a landmark constitutional challenge to a Massachusetts ballot initiative mandating vehicle data sharing, his instrumental work for GM in the Chevrolet Bolt EV battery litigation, where key dismissals and other strategic victories preceded a favorable class action settlement, and his complete trial victory for Karma Automotive in a trade secrets dispute.
His recent trial successes also include a jury victory for Yale University in a first-of-its-kind ERISA fiduciary duty case, underscoring his ability to defeat claims that threaten multimillion-dollar losses across complex commercial, constitutional, class action, and fiduciary litigation.
View the complete list of honorees here (https://labusinessjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-LOI-Litigators_opt-v2.pdf).
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Original text here: https://www.mayerbrown.com/en/news/2026/07/mayer-brown-advises-bnp-paribas-bbva-mexico-natixis-and-scotiabank-mexico-in-project-financing-for-data-center-expansion
Hughes Hubbard Ranks in Top 25 on American Lawyer's 2026 Pro Bono Scorecard
NEW YORK, July 14 -- Hughes Hubbard and Reed, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Hughes Hubbard Ranks in Top 25 on American Lawyer's 2026 Pro Bono Scorecard
Recognition reflects the firm's longstanding commitment to public service.
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Hughes Hubbard has been recognized among the nation's leading law firms for its commitment to pro bono service, ranking No. 21 on The American Lawyer's 2026 National Pro Bono Scorecard.
The American Lawyer's 2026 National Pro Bono Scorecard evaluates Am Law 200 firms based on average pro bono hours and participation rates; in 2025, Hughes Hubbard's
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, July 14 -- Hughes Hubbard and Reed, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Hughes Hubbard Ranks in Top 25 on American Lawyer's 2026 Pro Bono Scorecard
Recognition reflects the firm's longstanding commitment to public service.
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Hughes Hubbard has been recognized among the nation's leading law firms for its commitment to pro bono service, ranking No. 21 on The American Lawyer's 2026 National Pro Bono Scorecard.
The American Lawyer's 2026 National Pro Bono Scorecard evaluates Am Law 200 firms based on average pro bono hours and participation rates; in 2025, Hughes Hubbard'sU.S. lawyers averaged nearly 85 hours of pro bono service, with nearly 56% contributing more than 20 hours.
"This recognition reflects the dedication of our lawyers to serving clients and communities in need," said Neil Oxford, chair. "Pro bono work remains a cornerstone of our firm, and we are proud to support individuals and organizations that might otherwise lack access to legal representation," added Robb Patryk, managing partner.
Among the firm's notable pro bono achievements in 2025, Hughes Hubbard secured a two-and-a-half-year sentence reduction for a federal inmate under Amendment 821 to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and successfully defended a Salvadoran man's claim to U.S. citizenship before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
The firm has continued that momentum in 2026, joining The Legal Aid Society and others in filing a class action lawsuit challenging New York State's public assistance shelter allowance schedule on behalf of low-income New Yorkers facing housing insecurity.
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Original text here: https://www.hugheshubbard.com/news-insights/news/hughes-hubbard-ranks-in-top-25-on-american-lawyer-s-2026-pro-bono-scorecard
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Advises BTG Pactual on Acquisition of HSBC Uruguay
NEW YORK, July 14 -- Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer advises BTG Pactual on acquisition of HSBC Uruguay
Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has advised Banco BTG Pactual (BTG), one of the largest investment banks in Latin America, on the successful completion of its acquisition of 100% of the share capital of, and of additional capital instruments issued by, HSBC Uruguay.
The completion of the acquisition of HSBC Uruguay is part of BTG's Latin America strategy. HSBC Uruguay offers a wide range
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, July 14 -- Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer advises BTG Pactual on acquisition of HSBC Uruguay
Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has advised Banco BTG Pactual (BTG), one of the largest investment banks in Latin America, on the successful completion of its acquisition of 100% of the share capital of, and of additional capital instruments issued by, HSBC Uruguay.
The completion of the acquisition of HSBC Uruguay is part of BTG's Latin America strategy. HSBC Uruguay offers a wide rangeof financial products and solutions in the Wealth & Personal Banking, Investment Banking, and Corporate Lending & Business Banking segments, catering to diverse client needs.
The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer team was led by Corporate partners Mark Bardell and Laura Hulett, supported by senior associates Marcelo Valenca, Mehdi Tedjani and Erika Joseph and associate Lucy Kelly. The wider team across the firm's TMT, Employment, Pensions and Incentives, Finance and Tax practices included partners Nick Pantlin, Hayley Brady, Mark Ife, Nick Wright, Casey Dalton and Amy Geddes, of counsel Terence Lau, senior associates James Hollis, Christopher White and William Garton and associate Isha Goel.
Partner Mark Bardell said: "We are delighted to have seen this transaction through to a successful completion for BTG, a long-standing client of our firm. This deal further strengthens BTG's position across Latin America and reflects our team's expertise in advising leading global financial institutions on complex cross-border transactions."
The transaction completed on 10 July 2026, following receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
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URL: Banco BTG Pactual
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Original text here: https://www.hsfkramer.com/news/2026-07/hsf-kramer-advises-btg-pactual-on-acquisition-of-hsbc-uruguay
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Fisher Phillips Issues Insight: Religious Accommodation Requests For Weekends Off Are Surging - Practical Strategies For Retail Employers
ATLANTA, Georgia, July 14 -- Fisher Phillips, a law firm, issued the following insight on July 13, 2026:
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Religious Accommodation Requests For Weekends Off Are Surging: Practical Strategies For Retail Employers
Retail employers are facing a sharp rise in requests for Saturdays and Sundays off as a religious accommodation, just as the legal standard for denying those requests has gotten tougher and the EEOC has made the issue an enforcement priority. This combination is forcing retail leaders to solve a problem that does not have an easy formula: the law requires every accommodation request
... Show Full Article
ATLANTA, Georgia, July 14 -- Fisher Phillips, a law firm, issued the following insight on July 13, 2026:
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Religious Accommodation Requests For Weekends Off Are Surging: Practical Strategies For Retail Employers
Retail employers are facing a sharp rise in requests for Saturdays and Sundays off as a religious accommodation, just as the legal standard for denying those requests has gotten tougher and the EEOC has made the issue an enforcement priority. This combination is forcing retail leaders to solve a problem that does not have an easy formula: the law requires every accommodation requestto be evaluated individually, but retail staffing typically runs on standardized models often built across hundreds of stores. This Insight lays out why both large and small retailers are seeing this surge now and provides practical strategies for building a legally compliant process.
Why is This Happening Now?
Two forces are converging to create an unusually dangerous dynamic for retail employers:
* Supreme Court Raised Bar for Employers: First, the Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Groff v. DeJoy raised the bar for denying a religious accommodation under Title VII. Employers used to be able to deny a request by showing it would cost more than a trivial amount. After Groff, the standard is "substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of the business." That's a meaningfully higher bar that has made it harder for employers to say no and easier for employees to win when they sue.
* EEOC Prioritizes Religion: Second, the EEOC has made religious accommodation an enforcement priority. We flagged this shift when Andrea Lucas was named Chair of the EEOC. Our analysis of her early priorities noted she was already vowing to focus on "protecting workers from religious bias and harassment," and a companion Insight that same week warned employers that religious accommodation requests might need to be considered anew. Those warnings became policy once the agency regained its full quorum in late 2025 and specifically named expanded religious rights enforcement among the top developments. Indeed, just last month the EEOC released a new National Enforcement Plan that specifically highlighted claims involving the application or scope of the Supreme Court's Groff decision.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The numbers tell that story clearly:
* The EEOC tripled its religious discrimination lawsuit filings between fiscal year 2024 (only 4 were filed) and fiscal year 2025 (where we saw 11 filed). This might seem like a low figure, but it's worth noting that overall litigation from the EEOC has been trending downward for the past decade, so this jump stands out.
* Monetary recoveries for religious workers jumped 146% from FY 2024 to FY 2025, from $19 million to $46.8 million.
Case in Point
A recent EEOC lawsuit spells out exactly why this risk is real for your organization. The agency just sued Dolgencorp LLC, the operator of Dollar General stores, in March after it claims a Georgia location demoted an assistant store manager because of his Sabbath observance. The lawsuit alleges that the employee had worked the accommodated schedule successfully for months before a new store manager unwound it. Litigation is ongoing.
Some Risky Employer Practices After Groff
Looking at legal decisions and EEOC guidance over the past several years, some patterns emerge when it comes to analyzing what excuses will not fly when it comes to turning down a religious accommodation request involving days off.
* Pointing to overtime costs as a reason to deny accommodation requests is not automatically a winning argument. The Supreme Court was explicit that infrequent OT payments, on their own, are not enough to establish undue hardship.
* A coworker's general dislike of accommodating a colleague's schedule is not enough either.
* Nor is the impact on coworkers if it does not translate into a real impact on business operations.
* A blanket "we already have enough accommodations at this location" policy is also not a substitute for an accommodation analysis.
Potential Reasons to Deny an Accommodation Request
Instead, the employer has to show any burden created by the proposed accommodation request is substantial in the context of its own particular business. The Supreme Court was clear that this analysis has to account for the nature, size, and operating cost of the specific employer, so what counts as substantial for a five-person store may not be substantial for a 200-location chain. Here are some factors that carry more weight in this analysis:
* A documented, recurring coverage gap in a safety-critical or licensed role. If the accommodation would leave a shift without anyone certified to operate specific equipment, or below a legally required staffing minimum, that's a concrete operational fact, not a generalization.
* A conflict with a binding obligation to a third party, such as a collective bargaining agreement's seniority provisions or a contractual staffing commitment, where honoring the accommodation would require violating that separate obligation.
* A pattern across multiple simultaneous accommodations at the same location that, taken together, genuinely cannot be resolved through swaps, cross-training, or flexible scheduling - but only after you can show you actually tried those tools first and documented why they fell short for this specific combination of requests.
* A measurable, specific cost tied to your particular business, not a hypothetical or occasional one. A single-location retailer with a thin margin and no bench of cross-trained staff is in a different position than a national chain with scheduling flexibility across a district - and the analysis has to reflect that real difference.
Practical Accommodation Tools Before Saying No
Let's say you have determined that an employee's request for weekends off will not be reasonable under the individualized circumstances at play. Before you inform your worker they're out of luck, retailers should consider several other options, even if they are not ultimately used:
* Voluntary shift swaps and substitutions, which courts and the EEOC have long treated as a reasonable accommodation when structured properly.
* Installing flexible scheduling software (including ones harnessing AI tools) that can surface coverage gaps and identify willing trade partners faster than a manager working a printed schedule.
* Cross-training that widens the pool of employees who can cover a given shift, reducing how concentrated the impact of any one accommodation becomes.
* Lateral transfer to a comparable role or location with a schedule that better fits the employee's observance, where one exists and if the employee is open to it.
Building an Accommodation Intake Process
An overall fix is building a process that lets your company consistently handle individualized assessment without leaving it to whichever manager happens to be on shift when the request comes in.
* Standardize the intake. A short, consistent request form capturing which days are needed, how often, and whether there is any flexibility (some employees need every Saturday off, others can work occasionally and trade) turns a vague conversation into something the company can actually evaluate and compare.
* Centralize the tracking. When HR or legal can see accommodation requests across a district, not just at one store, the company can spot a brewing concentration problem early and plan around it, rather than discovering it the week a schedule breaks.
* Define an escalation point. When multiple requests collide at one location, there should be a clear, documented person or team who reviews the combined picture, not a store manager improvising under pressure.
Manager Talking Points
Your district and regional managers need to understand the legal shift in posture since Groff, which can be summarized simply:
* Before, a manager could reasonably say "unless someone can cover your shift, we can't redo the schedule."
* Now, the first response should be "let's talk about this," followed by a real conversation about alternatives before anyone reaches for a denial.
In other words, the post-Groff standard rewards employers acting with specificity and usually punishes those operating off generalizations.
A few principles worth putting in front of every DM and RM:
* Multiple requests at one store do not, by themselves, justify denying any of them.
* "We've already accommodated enough people" is not a legal standard and should not be treated as one internally.
* Every denial needs documented, specific, business-grounded reasoning, not a general sense that the schedule is getting harder to manage.
* When in doubt, escalate before denying. A quick conversation with HR or legal is far cheaper than an EEOC charge.
A Quick Note on State and Local Law
Everything above addresses the federal Title VII standard, but a growing number of states and local municipalities impose their own religious accommodation requirements, some of which are more protective than federal law. Always check state and local rules before finalizing a scheduling policy or denying a request.
Conclusion
We will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as warranted. Make sure you are subscribed to Fisher Phillips' Insight System to get the most up-to-date information direct to your inbox. If you have questions, contact your Fisher Phillips attorney, the authors of this Insight, or any attorney on our Retail Industry Team.
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Related People
Brian Balonick
Regional Managing Partner
412.822.6633
bbalonick@fisherphillips.com
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LaKisha M. Kinsey-Sallis
Partner
813.769.7510
lkinsey-sallis@fisherphillips.com
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Frank F. Martinez
Partner
212.899.9966
fmartinez@fisherphillips.com
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Original text here: https://www.fisherphillips.com/en/insights/insights/religious-accommodation-requests-for-weekends-off-are-surging
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
First Hawaiian Inc. to Acquire TriCo Bancshares
NEW YORK, July 14 -- Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson LLP, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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First Hawaiian, Inc. to Acquire TriCo Bancshares
Fried Frank is advising Evercore as financial advisor to First Hawaiian, Inc. (First Hawaiian), parent company of First Hawaiian Bank, on its agreement to acquire TriCo Bancshares (TriCo), parent company of Tri Counties Bank, in an all-stock transaction.
On a combined basis, the company will have approximately $34 billion of assets and be the sixth largest bank headquartered in the Western US.
The combined bank is expected
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, July 14 -- Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson LLP, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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First Hawaiian, Inc. to Acquire TriCo Bancshares
Fried Frank is advising Evercore as financial advisor to First Hawaiian, Inc. (First Hawaiian), parent company of First Hawaiian Bank, on its agreement to acquire TriCo Bancshares (TriCo), parent company of Tri Counties Bank, in an all-stock transaction.
On a combined basis, the company will have approximately $34 billion of assets and be the sixth largest bank headquartered in the Western US.
The combined bank is expectedto leverage its strong capital position, liquidity profile and credit quality to deliver enhanced earnings and generate long-term value to shareholders. For more on the transaction, read the companies' press release (https://www.fhb.com/en/about-us/newsroom/2026-press-release/news-release/071326).
This transaction is a continuation of Fried Frank's work advising Evercore as financial advisor on complex transactions, which includes the firm most recently advising Evercore as financial advisor to Iridium on its agreement to be acquired by Rocket Lab and to Globalstar's special committee on Globalstar's agreement to be acquired by Amazon.
M&A and private equity partners Philip Richter and Roy Tannenbaum are leading Fried Frank team, which includes M&A and private equity associate Lama Kahiel.
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This communication is for general information only. It is not intended, nor should it be relied upon, as legal advice. In some jurisdictions, this may be considered attorney advertising. Please refer to the firm's data policy page for further information.
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URL: Evercore
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Original text here: https://www.friedfrank.com/news-and-insights/first-hawaiian-inc-to-acquire-trico-bancshares-13079
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
