Law/Legal
Here's a look at documents from law firms and legal groups
Featured Stories
McDonald Hopkins Issues Commentary: OCR Announces 11th and 12th Risk Analysis Initiative Enforcement Actions
CLEVELAND, Ohio, March 10 -- McDonald Hopkins, a law firm, issued the following commentary on March 9, 2026 by counsel Rick Hindmand:
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OCR announces 11th and 12th Risk Analysis Initiative enforcement actions
Recently, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced two HIPAA settlements, one with a substance use disorder (SUD) provider and one with a software company.
These settlements were OCR's 11th and 12th enforcement actions in its Risk Analysis Initiative and follow a 6 month gap in announced settlements after 16 resolution agreements
... Show Full Article
CLEVELAND, Ohio, March 10 -- McDonald Hopkins, a law firm, issued the following commentary on March 9, 2026 by counsel Rick Hindmand:
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OCR announces 11th and 12th Risk Analysis Initiative enforcement actions
Recently, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced two HIPAA settlements, one with a substance use disorder (SUD) provider and one with a software company.
These settlements were OCR's 11th and 12th enforcement actions in its Risk Analysis Initiative and follow a 6 month gap in announced settlements after 16 resolution agreementswere announced from January to August 2025 with covered entities or business associates featuring failure to conduct an accurate and thorough assessment of the potential security risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of electronic protected health information (ePHI). This assessment is commonly referred to as "risk analysis."
Settlement with SUD provider Top of the World Ranch Treatment Center
On February 19, 2026, OCR announced its settlement with Illinois SUD provider Top of the World Ranch Treatment Center (TWRTC) which resolved OCR's investigation of TWRTC's 2023 breach report of unauthorized access to ePHI though a workforce member's email account resulting from a successful phishing attack. OCR found evidence that TWRTC failed to conduct an accurate and thorough risk analysis to determine the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI.
In the email announcing the settlement OCR Director Paula M. Stannard stated: "In a time where health care providers and other HIPAA regulated entities are facing unprecedented cybersecurity threats, compliance with the HIPAA Risk Analysis provision is more essential than ever" and "Covered entities and business associates cannot protect electronic protected health information if they haven't identified potential risks and vulnerabilities to that health information."
This settlement was announced a mere 3 days after the February 16, 2026 enforcement date for the 42 CFR Part 2 final rule and the launch of a new civil enforcement program for the confidentiality of SUD patient records under 42 C.F.R. Part 2. The Resolution Agreement and Corrective Action Plan, however, were dated June 2025 and were under HIPAA.
Settlement with software company MMG Fusion
In the past week, OCR announced its settlement with software company MMG Fusion, LLC (MMG), which helps oral healthcare professionals market, manage and grow their practices and provides software that communicates with patients.
The settlement resolved an investigation that began in 2023 relating to an unreported security incident and posting of PHI on the dark web. OCR determined that MMG violated HIPAA rules by impermissibly disclosing PHI, failing to conduct an accurate and thorough risk analysis, and failing to notify affected covered entities of the breach.
The Resolution Agreement and Corrective Action Plan were dated June 30, 2025, although the settlement was announced yesterday.
In the email announcing the settlement OCR Director Paula M. Stannard emphasized the importance of timely breach notification as well as risk analysis: "When a breach occurs, business associates must notify affected covered entities without unreasonable delay and within 60 calendar days of discovery" and "This timeliness is crucial for a covered entity to meet its own breach notification obligations, such as timely notification to HHS and to individuals. As hacking becomes more ubiquitous, HIPAA Security Rule requirements, such as the need to have an accurate and thorough HIPAA risk analysis, are imperative for strengthening cybersecurity before a breach occurs."
Cybersecurity safeguards
OCR has provided the following recommendations to mitigate or prevent cyber-threats:
* Identify where PHI is located in the organization, including how ePHI enters, flows through, and leaves the organization's information systems.
* Integrate risk analysis and risk management into the organization's business processes
* Periodically conduct and update risk analysis
* Develop and implement a risk management plan to address the identified risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of ePHI
* Ensure that audit controls are in place to record and examine information system activity
* Implement regular review of information system activity
* Implement procedures to authenticate users so that only authorized users are accessing ePHI
* Encrypt ePHI (both in transit and at rest) to guard against unauthorized access to ePHI
* Incorporate into the organization's overall security management process lessons learned from incidents
* Provide workforce members with regular HIPAA training that is specific to the organization and to each workforce member's job duties.
It is also important to be prepared to investigate, mitigate and report breaches of ePHI and then respond to any investigations or litigation. OCR's repeated emphasis on risk analysis highlights the importance of risk analysis (as well as managing related security risks) in safeguarding the confidentiality and security of ePHI and, in the event of a breach or related investigation or litigation, minimizing harm and potential exposure.
For more information on this or related topics, don't hesitate to get in touch with attorney Rick Hindmand or your McDonald Hopkins healthcare attorney.
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Rick Hindmand
Counsel
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Original text here: https://www.mcdonaldhopkins.com/insights/news/ocr-announces-risk-analysis-initiative-enforcement-actions
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Lewis Rinaudo Cohen Speaks at the NYC Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference
NEW YORK, March 10 -- Cahill Gordon and Reindel, a law firm, issued the following news on March 9, 2026:
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Lewis Rinaudo Cohen Speaks at the NYC Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference
Lewis Rinaudo Cohen, co-chair of the CahillNXT Digital Assets and Emerging Technology practice, will speak at the New York City Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference on March 18, 2026. The annual event brings together legal practitioners, regulators, academics, and industry leaders to discuss key developments shaping the ever-evolving digital asset landscape.
Lewis will moderate and serve as lead
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NEW YORK, March 10 -- Cahill Gordon and Reindel, a law firm, issued the following news on March 9, 2026:
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Lewis Rinaudo Cohen Speaks at the NYC Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference
Lewis Rinaudo Cohen, co-chair of the CahillNXT Digital Assets and Emerging Technology practice, will speak at the New York City Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference on March 18, 2026. The annual event brings together legal practitioners, regulators, academics, and industry leaders to discuss key developments shaping the ever-evolving digital asset landscape.
Lewis will moderate and serve as leadpanelist for "DeFi, Stablecoins and the Rise of Digital Money" from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The panel will examine the implications of the GENIUS Act, exemptions under the Clarity Act, and guidance from the President's Crypto Taskforce, and how these developments are reshaping markets and raising critical questions around regulation, security, and systemic risk.
To learn more about this event and register, click here (https://www.nycbar.org/cle-offerings/crypto-conference/).
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Original text here: https://www.cahill.com/news/events/2026-03-18-lewis-rinaudo-cohen-speaks-at-the-nyc-bar-association-annual-crypto-conference
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
In Corporate Counsel, Alexander Simkin Discusses Rise of Greenwashing Litigation
BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 10 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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In Corporate Counsel, Alexander Simkin Discusses Rise of Greenwashing Litigation
Litigation partner Alexander Simkin is featured in a new Corporate Counsel article (https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2026/03/09/greenwashing-suits-continue-to-climb-despite-uncertainty-over-how-theyll-fare/) examining the continued rise of greenwashing lawsuits targeting companies accused of making misleading environmental claims.
Alex notes that "all industries are at risk," adding that "anyone
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 10 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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In Corporate Counsel, Alexander Simkin Discusses Rise of Greenwashing Litigation
Litigation partner Alexander Simkin is featured in a new Corporate Counsel article (https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2026/03/09/greenwashing-suits-continue-to-climb-despite-uncertainty-over-how-theyll-fare/) examining the continued rise of greenwashing lawsuits targeting companies accused of making misleading environmental claims.
Alex notes that "all industries are at risk," adding that "anyonewho's in a consumer-facing industry is probably at a heightened risk." He highlights the technology sector as an area of growing exposure, predicting that enforcers and plaintiffs will increasingly scrutinize the environmental impact of data centers powering artificial intelligence models.
The article also examines a pending U.S. Supreme Court case that could reshape greenwashing litigation by addressing whether federal environmental law preempts state-level claims. As for risk mitigation,
Alex advises companies to "tell the truth," emphasizing that "as long as companies are not making statements that are misleading or confusing to their customers, they should be safe."
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Original text here: https://www.ropesgray.com/en/news-and-events/news/2026/03/in-corporate-counsel-alexander-simkin-discusses-rise-of-greenwashing-litigation
Paul Hastings Welcomes Leading Securities Litigators in San Francisco and New York
LOS ANGELES, California, March 9 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Paul Hastings, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Paul Hastings Welcomes Leading Securities Litigators in San Francisco and New York
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SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK - Paul Hastings today announced that leading securities litigation partners Daniel Laguardia and Patrick Hein have joined the firm in San Francisco. Laguardia, who also practices in New York, will serve as co-chair of Securities Litigation.
Joining from A&O Shearman, where Laguardia previously held various leadership positions, the pair expands Paul Hastings'
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, March 9 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Paul Hastings, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Paul Hastings Welcomes Leading Securities Litigators in San Francisco and New York
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SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK - Paul Hastings today announced that leading securities litigation partners Daniel Laguardia and Patrick Hein have joined the firm in San Francisco. Laguardia, who also practices in New York, will serve as co-chair of Securities Litigation.
Joining from A&O Shearman, where Laguardia previously held various leadership positions, the pair expands Paul Hastings'Securities Litigation team in Northern California and further enhances the firm's broader capabilities for public company clients and financial institutions.
"Daniel and Patrick's client relationships and combined extensive trial experience in both federal and state courts throughout the country will further strengthen our premier litigation platform and deepen our capabilities in Northern California and New York," said firm Global Managing Partner Sherrese Smith. "Their addition highlights our commitment to attracting top litigators and enhances our ability to handle a broader range of disputes across key industries, positioning us to gain market share and driving strategic growth on both coasts and throughout the country."
Consistently recognized as a litigation star by Chambers USA, Legal 500 and Benchmark Litigation, Laguardia represents individuals, corporations and financial institutions. He has extensive litigation experience across a broad spectrum of substantive areas, including securities and complex financial products, financial markets, mergers & acquisitions disputes, shareholder actions, distressed debt and bankruptcy issues, and commercial contracts, and he has achieved a strong record of success for clients in trial and appellate courts.
Laguardia also regularly counsels clients on pre-dispute situation management, risk control, high-exposure transactions, compliance and board governance. He conducts internal investigations for clients and board committees and provides guidance on corporate compliance, governance structures and controls. His clients intersect financial, manufacturing and technology sectors.
"Paul Hastings offers a premier platform to continue representing clients in their most complex and high-stakes matters," said Laguardia. "I'm excited to join a firm with such a strong commitment to excellence in securities litigation and to work alongside so many talented colleagues who share my dedication to achieving exceptional results for clients."
Hein, a former federal prosecutor with a proven trial record, focuses on matters ranging from bet-the-company civil cases to highly sensitive white collar investigations, including securities, Lanham Act, antitrust, unfair competition, and other commercial disputes in federal and state courts in California and cross-border litigation for clients navigating multijurisdictional issues. He also represents companies and individuals before the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and other regulators.
Before returning to private practice, Hein served for eight years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York, including as deputy chief of the Business and Securities Fraud Section and as a senior member of the DOJ's FIFA Corruption Task Force.
"Clients facing highly consequential litigation matters need a firm with global reach, a deep bench and sophisticated regulatory proficiency," said Hein. "Paul Hastings offers that platform, and I am thrilled to contribute my trial experience and government insight to help clients navigate their most critical regulatory and litigation challenges."
About Paul Hastings
With widely recognized elite teams across 17 core practices, Paul Hastings is a premier law firm with a culture of excellence focused on providing intellectual capital and superior execution globally to the world's leading investment banks, asset managers and corporations.
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Original text here: https://www.paulhastings.com/news/paul-hastings-welcomes-leading-securities-litigators-in-san-francisco-and-new-york
Gibson Dunn Secures Major U.K. Supreme Court Win on International and English and Welsh Arbitration Law
LOS ANGELES, California, March 9 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Gibson Dunn Secures Major U.K. Supreme Court Win on International and English and Welsh Arbitration Law
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Gibson Dunn has secured a major victory for Border Timbers Ltd in the U.K. Supreme Court on an important point of international and England and Wales law.
The U.K. Supreme Court dismissed an appeal from Zimbabwe against Border Timbers after the country was found to have expropriated the company's assets in an arbitration award in 2015 that ordered Zimbabwe
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, March 9 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Gibson Dunn Secures Major U.K. Supreme Court Win on International and English and Welsh Arbitration Law
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Gibson Dunn has secured a major victory for Border Timbers Ltd in the U.K. Supreme Court on an important point of international and England and Wales law.
The U.K. Supreme Court dismissed an appeal from Zimbabwe against Border Timbers after the country was found to have expropriated the company's assets in an arbitration award in 2015 that ordered Zimbabweto pay $125 million.
The Supreme Court held that, as Zimbabwe was a signatory of the 1965 Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes, it had waived its adjudicative immunity and submitted to the jurisdiction of English and Welsh courts in respect of the enforcement of the ICSID award. The Supreme Court also clarified the law in an important respect by explaining that Lord Goff's widely referenced speech in Ex. p. Pinochet (No. 3) [2000] 1 AC 147 adopted "an unnecessarily narrow view of what may constitute an express waiver of immunity."
Gibson Dunn partner Christopher Harris KC, Global Co-Chair of the firm's International Arbitration Practice Group and its Judgment and Award Enforcement Practice Group, was lead counsel for Border Timbers.
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Original text here: https://www.gibsondunn.com/gibson-dunn-secures-major-u-k-supreme-court-win-on-international-and-english-and-welsh-arbitration-law/
Debevoise Launches STAAR 2.0 to Help Clients Scale Their AI Adoption
NEW YORK, March 9 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Debevoise and Plimpton, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Debevoise Launches STAAR 2.0 to Help Clients Scale Their AI Adoption
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Next generation tool built on Legora's AI Portal platform
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP announced the launch of STAAR 2.0, an enhanced version of its award-winning* client-facing AI platform designed to help in-house legal and compliance teams evaluate, govern, and deploy artificial intelligence quickly and responsibly. STAAR 2.0 is built with Legora's Portal architecture, which converts the knowledge gained from
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, March 9 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Debevoise and Plimpton, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Debevoise Launches STAAR 2.0 to Help Clients Scale Their AI Adoption
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Next generation tool built on Legora's AI Portal platform
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP announced the launch of STAAR 2.0, an enhanced version of its award-winning* client-facing AI platform designed to help in-house legal and compliance teams evaluate, govern, and deploy artificial intelligence quickly and responsibly. STAAR 2.0 is built with Legora's Portal architecture, which converts the knowledge gained fromfive years of advising over 100 clients on complex AI-related regulatory, compliance, and transactional matters into a practical, searchable workspace.
Using STAAR 2.0, in-house teams can quickly and effectively draft guidance, update policies, prepare trainings, and assess the risk of specific AI use cases without having to create these materials from scratch. STAAR 2.0 provides a cost-effective tool that enables clients and their in-house lawyers to advance their AI initiatives with grounded, legally sound outputs. Blackstone, Capital One, Evercore, GSK, and New York Life are participating in the early adopter beta phase, which runs through August 31, 2026.
"STAAR reflects our view that the efficiencies created by AI should be shared directly with our clients," said Avi Gesser, Co-Chair of the firm's Data Strategy & Security Group and head of the Debevoise AI Practice. "STAAR 2.0 is the result of thousands of hours of legal work on AI issues and allows clients to query that body of experience using AI, to see whether Debevoise has addressed a given issue before, and if so, how."
STAAR 2.0 creates a network effect by giving clients access to aggregated guidance and best practices developed for other subscribers. By drawing on guidance developed for other clients and STAAR subscribers, users gain visibility into how peers are addressing similar AI challenges, can benchmark their approaches against emerging market standards, and apply the firm's prior work to new issues with greater speed and efficiency. In short, STAAR 2.0 effectively positions in-house legal teams to become stronger and more sophisticated enablers of AI adoption while continuing to exercise sound risk management.
STAAR, the firm's Suite of Tools for Assessing AI Risk, is an award winning platform intended to help clients deploy AI efficiently and responsibly.
* Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Award, North America, 2025
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Original text here: https://www.debevoise.com/news/2026/03/staar-to-help-clients
Debevoise Announces New Leadership Structure Across Global Finance Practice and Addition of Leveraged Finance Partner Mayer Steinman
NEW YORK, March 9 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Debevoise and Plimpton, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Debevoise Announces New Leadership Structure Across Global Finance Practice and Addition of Leveraged Finance Partner Mayer Steinman
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Debevoise & Plimpton LLP today announced a new leadership framework across its global finance platform, appointing partners to lead its Leveraged and Corporate Finance, Fund Finance and Structured Finance practices. The enhanced structure reflects the firm's continued focus on serving private equity sponsors and managers, corporates and lenders
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, March 9 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Debevoise and Plimpton, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Debevoise Announces New Leadership Structure Across Global Finance Practice and Addition of Leveraged Finance Partner Mayer Steinman
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Debevoise & Plimpton LLP today announced a new leadership framework across its global finance platform, appointing partners to lead its Leveraged and Corporate Finance, Fund Finance and Structured Finance practices. The enhanced structure reflects the firm's continued focus on serving private equity sponsors and managers, corporates and lenderswith distinct capabilities across the full spectrum of global finance.
Ryan Rafferty and Scott Selinger have been appointed Co-Chairs of the Leveraged and Corporate Finance practice. Thomas Smith and Ramya Tiller have been appointed Co-Chairs of the Fund Finance practice. Pierre Maugue has been appointed Chair of the Structured Finance practice. The firm also announced that Mayer Steinman has joined as a partner in the Leveraged and Corporate Finance practice.
Presiding Partner Peter Furci said, "Clients are turning to us for distinct capabilities and global coverage across leveraged finance and fund and structured finance. We have organized our platform to match that demand. These appointments recognize the leaders who have built strong, differentiated practices and position us for continued growth."
The firm's Leveraged and Corporate Finance practice advises sponsors and corporate borrowers on acquisition financings, syndicated loans, direct lending transactions and high yield offerings. The appointment of Mr. Rafferty and Mr. Selinger as Co-Chairs, including Mr. Selinger's leadership of Liability Management and Special Situations, reflects the firm's focus on providing integrated capital solutions to clients pursuing new investments, executing major financing initiatives and addressing complex liability management and distressed situations.
The appointments of Mr. Maugue, Mr. Smith and Ms. Tiller reflect the firm's continued investment in its global fund finance and structured finance platforms. As demand for fund and structured finance grows, Debevoise advises asset managers on financing solutions across the capital structure, including at the manager, fund and asset level. Mr. Maugue, a pioneer who has been active in the collateralized fund obligations market since 2019, will focus on advising clients on complex financing solutions that provide liquidity and capital solutions for sponsors and investors. Mr. Smith and Ms. Tiller lead the fund finance practice across the firm's global platform.
Deputy Presiding Partner Nicole Mesard said, "These appointments reflect the global reach and breadth of our finance practice. Each of these individual practices operates in a distinct market with its own clients and products. At the same time, our sponsors and asset managers often need coordinated advice across the capital structure. This structure gives each team focused leadership while maintaining close coordination across the capital structure."
Mr. Steinman joins the Leveraged and Corporate Finance practice with significant experience advising private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers and financial institutions on U.S. and cross-border acquisition and other leveraged financing transactions, including second-lien and asset-based financings, debt restructurings and liability management transactions.
Matthew Kaplan, Chair of the Corporate Department, said, "Mayer is a strong addition to our finance bench. His experience across acquisition and other leveraged financings strengthens a practice that plays a critical role in our corporate, private equity and asset management work."
Mr. Steinman said, "Debevoise has a well-established global finance platform and a leading private capital client base. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advise sponsors, borrowers and lenders on complex financing transactions."
Prior to joining Debevoise, Mr. Steinman worked in the New York office of another international law firm. He received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 2009 and his B.A. in accounting from Yeshiva University in 2005.
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Original text here: https://www.debevoise.com/news/2026/03/debevoise-announces-new-leadership-structure
