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WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

FACE OFF – A class action over Facebook’s facial recognition technology can move ahead following the Ninth Circuit’s decision that the social media site’s app could violate plaintiffs’ privacy interests. Amanda Bronstad reports that the appeals court unanimously affirmed class certification in the case alleging that Facebook’s feature called “Tag Suggestions” violates the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. Backed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Facebook had argued that the three plaintiffs, all residents of Illinois, lacked standing to sue because they suffered no harm.

FIRING BACKFIRE – First it was Peter Strzok; now it’s Andrew McCabe suing the DOJ over his ouster from the FBI. As C. Ryan Barber reports, McCabe, a former deputy director of the FBI, and Strzok, a top counterintelligence FBI agent, in separate suits this week claim they were canned at the behest of President Trump, who viewed them as partisan opponents. McCabe was fired just before his long-planned retirement, and was therefore denied retirement benefits. Not suing so far? Former FBI director James Comey, whom Trump also fired, in 2017.

THEY’RE COMING – We at The Morning Minute admit we’re a little paranoid about robots taking over the world. But then there’s this: As Victoria Hudgins reports, two patent applications recently were filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the European Patent Office and the U.K.’s Intellectual Property Office for a food container and light display. Listed as the inventor? An artificial intelligence machine. While lawyers say it’s unlikely the patent offices will allow the patents to remain as is, they note that the situation may spark conversation regarding innovations developed by software.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Federal Judge Blocks Claims That Political Animus Against Kushner Sank $900M Project

Rockefeller University Sues Insurers for Coverage of Past Child Sex Abuse Claims

Cross on County Seal and Flag Not Discriminatory, Third Circuit Says

How I Made Partner: Locke Lord’s Kyle Davis

In-House Cannabis Lawyers Should Help Shape Company Advertising Policies

ABA’s Legal Education Honcho Reflects on a Turbulent Tenure

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

CASH POOR - The Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales has been notified of a significant shortfall in client account money that contributed to the collapse of law firm Cubism, which closed its doors in July. Krishnan Nair reports that as part of its investigation into the collapse, the firm’s administrators are now working with the SRA following the discovery of an unexplained client account shortfall of about $303,000 Sources say the shortfall was a factor leading to the firm’s collapse. The client in question was a major U.K. franchisee of fast-food chain KFC, sources said.

WHAT YOU SAID

“I suppose it would have been a little nice if the folks who thought what we were proposing was a good idea were more willing to say so publicly.”