Seyfarth Shaw LLP

July 8, 2026 – Seyfarth Shaw LLP continues the strategic growth of its Corporate department with the addition of Kristin Rice-Gonzalez as a partner in the firm’s Chicago office. Rice-Gonzalez is the 12th Corporate partner to make a lateral move to Seyfarth since the start of 2025 – and the fourth since the beginning of 2026. She follows Robert Giacchetti (Boston), Jeffrey Cash (Dallas), and Daniel Valsamopoulos (New York), who joined…

June 30, 2026 – Seyfarth Shaw LLP has further bolstered its Labor & Employment practice with Steven Moore, a nationally recognized L&E litigator, as a partner based in its San Francisco office. Moore brings to Seyfarth a nationally recognized employment litigation practice, a substantial book of business, and deep experience with high‑stakes wage and hour class and collective actions. He has built a reputation as an accomplished trial lawyer with…

For years, employers have operated in a compliance environment where even well-designed, neutral policies could create liability based solely on statistical disparities. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s 2026 National Enforcement Plan (as discussed in our prior alert) and the Department of Justice’s recent legal interpretation together signal a meaningful shift: federal enforcement is now anchored in intent, not outcomes. For employers, this brings greater clarity and predictability. But it should…

Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology is facing increasing legal scrutiny as courts, regulators and individuals attempt to examine and expose the various ways in which license plate data is captured, collected, shared and used. Recent disputes over ALPR technology have shifted away from issues of public safety and toward whether the private sector businesses and governmental organizations, among others, that utilize ALPR adequately disclose its use and sharing, as well…

A recent federal court decision in favor of Clover Health has quickly evolved from an insurer-specific dispute into one of the most significant Medicare Advantage (“MA”) regulatory developments in recent years. On May 27, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia held that CMS improperly calculated Clover’s 2026 Star Rating and ordered the agency to set aside and recalculate the rating. The court held that CMS…

Take It or Leave It is the only law firm podcast focused exclusively on workplace leaves, absence management, and accommodations. Host Josh Seidman, Employment attorney and leader of Seyfarth’s Leave of Absence Management & Accommodations team, explores the latest legal developments, forecasts new laws, identifies workplace trends, and offers practical, business-oriented considerations within the leave, absence management, and accommodations space. Follow us on:           Episode 48: Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Has…

June 22, 2026 – Seyfarth Shaw LLP has further bolstered its Labor & Employment practice with the move of noted labor lawyer Matthew Huntsman to the Am Law 100 firm as a partner in its expanding Dallas office. Huntsman is the fourth partner to move to Seyfarth in Dallas so far this year. Jonathan Bull, Jeff Cash, and Deborah Ryan all joined the firm’s Dallas office in lateral moves in…

On May 7, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a 60-day notice proposing to amend Form AR-11, Alien Change of Address. The proposal would significantly expand the scope of information that foreign nationals must provide when reporting a change of address. The new form includes a requirement to list the “Alien’s” employer. The public comment period is open until July 6, 2026.  The impact on employers is nuanced…

Seyfarth Synopsis: In late May 2026, the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance and the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a new Question and Answer (Q&A) addressing how its drug testing regulations apply considering the recent rescheduling of certain marijuana products under federal law. The Q&A provides important clarification for employers with safety-sensitive employees subject to DOT regulations—and reinforces that,…

Seyfarth’s launch of its Miami office has generated widespread media attention across leading legal, business, and international publications, reinforcing the significance of the firm’s strategic expansion into a key US–Latin America business hub. Coverage included feature stories in Law360, Daily Business Review (American Lawyer/Law.com), International Employment Lawyer, and Latin Lawyer. Other coverage included Latinvex, Global Legal Chronicle, Global Legal Post, Corporate Counsel Business Journal, and Europe Says, among others. Collectively, the coverage highlights the firm’s continued investment in…

Seyfarth Synopsis: The Washington State Human Rights Commission recently adopted a resolution reaffirming its commitment to protecting Jewish Washingtonians from violence, threats, intimidation, discrimination, and harassment. That effort, however, was quickly overshadowed by remarks from a commissioner that many viewed as invoking longstanding antisemitic tropes. The incident has raised questions about the credibility of an agency tasked with enforcing civil rights—and whether it can maintain public trust when concerns about…

Seyfarth Synopsis: With the 2026 New York State legislative session complete, several employment-related bills have passed both chambers, and now await possible consideration by Governor Hochul. The 2026 New York State legislative session, which concluded in early June, saw a number of bills that passed both the Assembly and Senate and may become law. The ultimate fate of the bills, however, remains in flux, as it is uncertain whether they…

Seyfarth Synopsis: The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) recently upheld a $1.4 million jury verdict in Robinson v. Marshfield in favor of a fire chief who alleged retaliation after complaining that his niece, a probationary firefighter, was being discriminated against on the basis of her gender. On appeal, the town challenged the lower court’s blending of pretext and mixed-motive instructions to the jury, when only a pretext instruction was warranted.…

CRE Enters a Selective Cycle as Growth Becomes More Targeted Seyfarth’s real estate team provides a bird's-eye view of the current state of commercial real estate throughout the country—highlighting which markets and major asset types are active, slowing down, or experiencing shifts. Seyfarth’s Take: What to Know ✔ Opportunities: Data centers remain the primary growth engine, with continued acceleration in Texas, the Midwest, and key coastal markets. Industrial has stabilized…

For many California employers, immigration enforcement no longer appears as a dramatic but rare worksite event. Recent enforcement activity has required employers to shift from a reactive posture to one that is proactive and compliance focused. Even as public attention shifts, the intersection of California and federal law continues to create meaningful risk for employers that do not approach this area with care. California employers, along with employers in Oregon,…

Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Court of Appeal affirmed summary judgment for an employer on claims for disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, and failure to engage in the interactive process because the employer did not know, and could not reasonably have inferred, that the employee had a disability. The Court emphasized that erratic or unusual behavior alone is insufficient to impute knowledge of a disability unless the disability is the only…

Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Supreme Court has resolved a circuit split, holding “last mile” drivers transporting goods within a single state can, but do not necessarily, fall within the transportation worker exemption under section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act. As a result, such workers may be allowed to bypass mandatory arbitration agreements governed by the FAA. Flowers Foods, Inc. v. Brock stems from a proposed class action filed in…

This significant development may have wide-ranging impacts, as Adjustment of Status is a pathway available to family, employment-based, and investment-based (EB-5) immigrants and organizations. On Friday, May 22, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Memorandum (Memorandum) that could meaningfully affect how Adjustment of Status applications (Adjustment) are adjudicated moving forward, though USCIS implementation details remain limited and operational impacts are still developing. While the Memorandum does not…

Seyfarth Synopsis: The New York Legislature has passed legislation (S3460) that would significantly expand employee access to personnel records. The bill would require employers to provide current and former employees with copies of their personnel records within five business days of a written request, notify employees when negative information is added to their files, and comply with new recordkeeping and anti‑retaliation obligations. Both chambers of the New York Legislature have passed…

Seyfarth Synopsis:  On May 14, 2026, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed SB 26‑189, which replaces the state’s previous AI law with a streamlined framework focused on transparency and disclosure. Effective January 1, 2027, the new law imposes targeted obligations on developers and deployers of automated decision‑making technology used in consequential decisions (including employment processes), requiring advance notice, post‑decision disclosures, and certain consumer rights. The law centralizes enforcement with the Colorado…

Overview On May 13, 2026, the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) published guidance regarding organizational expense management and alignment considerations between limited partners (LPs) and general partners (GPs). ILPA’s The Alignment Gap: Rethinking Costs in Private Equity Fund Formation addresses existing market practices in which LPs typically bear organizational costs, while GPs retain discretion over the related processes and service providers. Background Organizational expenses -  legal, administrative, and compliance costs…

Today's guest, Dr. Larry Richard, practiced as a trial attorney for 10 years before earning a PhD in organizational psychology. Today, he is a leading expert on why lawyers behave the way they do. For over 30 years, Dr. Richard has been researching how lawyers behave and why. He founded LawyerBrain LLC, which advises the leaders of major law firms on the human side of running a practice—things like culture, leadership,…

Tuesday, May 19, 20263:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mountain12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific About the Program Recent developments in background screening, fair hiring laws, and the use of artificial intelligence in employment decisions continue to create significant compliance challenges for employers nationwide. Expanding Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) theories, increased regulatory scrutiny, and evolving state and local fair chance…

Seyfarth Synopsis: The “Anti‑Waiver of Employment Rights Act” (S4424‑A) would broadly invalidate contractual provisions waiving or limiting employees’ rights under the New York Labor Law and Human Rights Law. The law—if signed by the Governor—would significantly expand employee protections in New York and may expose existing agreements to challenge. Both chambers of the New York Legislature have passed the “Anti‑Waiver of Employment Rights Act.” The legislation would establish that rights under…

By: Dawn M. Lurie and Selene Malench* On May 15, USCIS updated its guidance related to Somalia noting: “When completing the Expiration Date (if any) fields on Form I-9, input ‘as per court order’ in Section 1 and ‘July 1, 2026,’ in Section 2 along with a note in the ‘Additional Information box.’ This update revises our prior blog post on the status of TPS EAD extensions. With this change, all…

Cal/OSHA’s Draft Workplace Violence Standard: What Employers Should Know | Workplace Safety and Environmental Law Alert Blog Skip to content

Seyfarth Synopsis: Connecticut has enacted amendments to its longstanding prohibition on “stay‑or‑pay” agreements that expand the law’s application to all employers and reinforce restrictions on agreements requiring repayment as a condition of employment. While the core prohibition remains unchanged, the expanded coverage reflects a broader national trend limiting the use of such arrangements. Employers should evaluate their existing agreements and consider whether state‑specific or national compliance strategies are appropriate. Connecticut has…

Seyfarth Synopsis: Oklahoma has enacted new amendments to its medical marijuana law that further define employer rights and obligations in the workplace. Under Oklahoma’s amended law, employers are required to apply zero‑tolerance drug and alcohol standards to applicants for and employees in safety‑sensitive positions. The amendment eliminates the employer’s “reasonable belief” standard from the definition of “safety‑sensitive” and appears to  define positions as safety‑sensitive only where the job involves one…

Seyfarth Synopsis: Connecticut has enacted significant changes across multiple areas of employment law. Key developments include expanded pay transparency requirements, a broad prohibition on “stay‑or‑pay” agreements, new wage and hour notice obligations, and enhanced employee protections. Many of the provisions take effect October 1, 2026. Connecticut has enacted a broad workforce bill that expands existing employment protections and introduces new compliance obligations in a range of subject areas. While many provisions build…

By: Kyle D. Winnick, Robert S. Whitman, and Joseph E. Abboud Seyfarth Synopsis: The Second Circuit held that courts must dismiss out-of-state plaintiffs from FLSA collective actions unless the defendant is “essentially at home” in the forum state or consents to the suit in that venue. In a significant decision that will affect the scope of FLSA collective action litigation, the Second Circuit has held that courts may not adjudicate…

May 6, 2026 – Seyfarth Shaw LLP continues to expand its real estate offerings and transactional New York practices with Megan Vallerie rejoining the firm as a partner in New York. Vallerie had previously been with Seyfarth from 2016 to 2022, the last three as a partner in the Real Estate department. She is the 16th lawyer to return to Seyfarth since the beginning of 2025 and the fifth “boomerang”…

Seyfarth Synopsis:  On 4/20/2026, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council issued guidance and Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) Overhaul revisions to implement Executive Order 14398, dated March 26, 2026. As explained in a previous legal update, the Order directs federal agencies to adopt a contract clause under which contractors must agree not to engage in “racially discriminatory DEI activities” among other requirements. To implement these provisions, the Order further directs the…

Washington employers in certain industries face expanded compliance obligations following amendments to RCW 49.60.515, which took effect on January 1, 2026. The revised statute strengthens protections for isolated workers by expanding requirements for provision of a panic button, training, documentation, reporting, and enforcement, and by authorizing significant civil penalties for noncompliance. Covered Employers and Covered Work The amended law applies to employers operating hotels and motels, retail establishments, security companies,…

2025 saw a series of developments take place in the Singapore employment law landscape. This article provides a summary of the key developments over the past year. For the full version of this article, please click here. 1 January: The Platform Workers Act came into effect, enabling, amongst other things, platform workers to obtain financial compensation should they get injured in the course of work. Click here to read more. 1 January:…

Maine’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program is entering its final implementation phase, triggering immediate compliance and readiness considerations for employers. Benefits begin: Employees become eligible for PFML benefits effective May 1, 2026. Applications open: Employees may submit PFML applications as of March 30, 2026, for leave beginning on or after May 1. With the benefit start date approaching and applications now being accepted, Maine employers should promptly review…

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has put health care front and center in its enforcement agenda. On March 20, 2026, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson announced the creation of a “Healthcare Task Force” to align the agency’s competition and consumer‑protection work. The move reflects a core FTC concern: consolidation, exclusionary conduct, and deceptive practices are raising prices, weakening quality, and restricting access to care—especially for rural patients, seniors, and veterans. Chairman…

As discussed in our prior alert on President Trump’s Executive Order, Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors, the President directed the Department of Labor (“DOL”) to clarify ERISA fiduciary duties and responsibilities when offering alternative investments in participant-directed defined contribution plans. The DOL has now taken a significant step toward implementing that directive with the release of a long-awaited proposed regulation titled Fiduciary Duties in Selecting Designated Investment…

Washington State has long taken a skeptical view of noncompetition agreements—and that skepticism is now on the brink of becoming a complete ban. Both chambers of the Legislature have approved Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 1155, and the bill now awaits Governor Bob Ferguson’s signature, which is widely expected. If signed, the law will dramatically reshape Washington’s restrictive covenant landscape. It would also position Washington State within a growing national trend to…

Seyfarth Synopsis: In a recent Massachusetts Superior Court decision, the Court held that there is no individual liability or aiding and abetting claim under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA). In Laughlin v. Binstar, Inc., et al., Binstar’s former CEO claimed that the company and its board members and investors violated the PFMLA by contacting him and asking him to perform work during his protected medical leave.…

Law360 published a feature story on Seyfarth’s continued growth in Dallas, highlighting the addition of three prominent lateral partners, Deborah Ryan, Jonathan Bull, and Jeff Cash, whose additions strengthen the firm's real estate, corporate, and environmental capabilities. In the article, Amy Simpson, managing partner of the Dallas office, emphasized how the three new hires align with the firm’s strategic momentum, noting: “Adding three highly regarded transactional partners in Dallas is a significant step as we continue to invest in this important…