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The Flemish Region of Belgium on September 14 served a Notice of Default against 3M Belgium and 3M Company alleging the company violated the nation’s Environmental Act and possibly international laws by discharging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or perflourinated chemicals from its industrial facility in Zwijndrecht, near Antwerp, Belguim, causing extensive environmental contamination. The Minister of Justice and Enforcement, Environment, Energy and Tourism of the Flemish Government formally issued today’s notice both in Belgium and at 3M Company’s headquarters in the State of Minnesota.

Only days ahead of the 20th memorial of September 11, President Biden took a bold step toward transparency and accountability unprecedented in the two decades and three preceding administrations since 9/11, signing an executive order today declassifying documents that are expected to provide a window into the extent of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the terrorist attacks.

The Direct Purchaser Plaintiffs’ antitrust claims, which allege that JUUL schemed with global cigarette manufacturer Altria Group, Inc. to tighten its grip on the e-cigarette industry, withstood a motion to dismiss on Aug. 19, 2021.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer appointed Joe Rice as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for multidistrict litigation filed in the Northern District of California against global consulting firm McKinsey & Co., over its alleged role in creating the opioid crisis.

AmLaw Litigation Daily featured Joe Rice and other members of the National Prescription Opiate MDL’s PEC in its Litigators of the Week column July 23, 2021 following the proposed $26 billion settlements that, if approved, would resolve claims against Johnson & Johnson and opioid distributors, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson.

Three more lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by former priest, Father Arthur Fernando, have been filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, The Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, Our Lady Help of Christians School, and the Catholic School Region of Staten Island are defendants in the suits.

Allegations in the suits filed span several decades, ranging from 1969 to 1998. In addition to Senzer, Greenlawn, N.Y.’s Oldfield Middle School, Harborfields Central School District, and the district’s Board of Education are named in the suits and are accused of fostering an environment that allowed the abuse to occur.

This summer, a 7-year-old boy died from a tragic residential elevator accident at a beach rental home in Outer Banks, N.C. The boy suffered fatal injuries after getting caught between the inner and outer accordion doors of the moving elevator, trapping him between the bottom of the car and the upper door frame.

A preliminary $26 billion settlement was announced today with Johnson & Johnson and the nation’s “Big Three” opioid distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson.

Claimants alleging software company Blackbaud Inc. neglected to protect the private information of tens-of-thousands of its clients and millions of people across the globe defeated a motion to dismiss on July 1, 2021.