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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

DEFINING SUCCESS - After getting smacked around in the early going, plaintiffs in pandemic-related business interruption insurance cases are on a roll recently. And a pair of October rulings out of North Carolina that saw the trial judge whip out a dictionary to determine the meaning of "direct physical loss" in the insurer's policy may have handed policyholders their biggest win yet—one that could definitively change the trajectory of similar litigation nationwide. In this week's Law.com Litigation Trendspotter column, we look at why this recent case has insurance defense lawyers sweating.

LAYOFFS WON'T LET UP - In this week's Law.com Barometer newsletter, Christine Simmons writes that, after an initial spate of layoffs in the spring and summer, another wave, affecting mostly staff, is barreling through the industry this fall. In roughly the last two months, layoffs have been confirmed at a dozen big firms. And what's worse, they're happening quietly, with many firms attempting to keep the moves under wraps, which experts say is a bad move. John Lamar, a principal at search firm The Alexander Group, said firms would be better served by going public when they lay off employees. Externally, he said, an announcement reassures clients that business will continue as usual. Internally, clear messaging kills rumors. "If it's not addressed, people are wondering: 'Am I next?'"  To receive the Law.com Barometer directly to your inbox each week, click here.

TRANSACTION DECLINED? - Maybe Visa can't buy everything. The global payments technology company and financial services company Plaid Inc. were hit with an antitrust lawsuit Thursday in California Northern District Court. The court case was brought by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, which seeks to stop Visa's acquisition of Plaid. Counsel have not yet appeared for the defendants. The case is 3:20-cv-07810, United States v. Visa Inc. et al. Stay up to date on major litigation nationwide with Law.com's Legal Radar.

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