While a London High Court is still hearing testimony on Roman Abramovich’s lawsuit alleging defamation in Catherine Belton’s book from Harper UK, PUTIN’S PEOPLE: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Took on the West, another suit involving the same book has been settled. In the case brought by Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman and Russian banker Petr Aven, Harper UK has “agreed to remove effectively all the material on which the actions are based from future editions of the book,” according to attorney Hugh Tomlinson (who represents the two men, along with Abramovich). A settlement document reportedly indicates, according […]
Legal
DOJ Nominee Kanter Has Been Aiding Authors Advocating for Fairness From Audible
Author Susan May, writing on behalf of Audiblegate, tells supporters by email that various legal moves are planned as part of authors’ continuing efforts for transparency and fairness in how Audible reports and records royalties. Notably, the group’s “legal team” includes Jonathan Kanter — recently nominated to run the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division — alongside Shaoul Sussman at Pearl Cohen. The two “have begun work on a legal memo” that Shaoul says, “will be a detailed paper on how Audible gained market dominance and maintained that control through the illegal breaches of antitrust laws.” They plan to deliver that […]
Former University Employee Sues B&N College for Manager’s Alleged “Racist” Remark, Call to Police
African American Joshua Gagum, a former quality assurance specialist at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina, is suing Barnes & Noble College Booksellers and an unnamed store manager for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and tortious interference. He claims the manager negligently called the police on him when he was performing his normal duties, with proper identification, and asks for damages in “an amount as determined by a jury.” According to the lawsuit, filed in July, the incident in question occurred when Gagum was inspecting a room in the university’s bookstore on January 22, 2019, as part of a […]
Lagardere Under Investigation for Alleged Abuses In Fighting Dissident Shareholder
On Friday, French newspaper Le Monde reported that France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation in April into alleged illegal practices by Lagardere, saying that an investigating judge has been appointed subsequently. Following up on allegations by dissident investor Amber Capital in February, the investigation is said to focus on “misuse of corporate assets, purchase of votes, inaccurate accounts and dissemination of false or misleading information” related to the battle for control of Lagardere. Subsequent to the initiation of the investigation, in late April, Arnaud Lagardere and the principal shareholders in the company reached an agreement to restructure the […]
Biden Administration Bolsters Opposition to Industry Consolidation
President Joe Biden said he will nominate attorney Jonathan Kanter to run the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. As a private attorney, Kanter represented companies — including News Corp. — in legal actions against tech giants including Google and Apple. As the White House statement notes, “Throughout his career, Kanter has also been a leading advocate and expert in the effort to promote strong and meaningful antitrust enforcement and competition policy.” His boutique firm The Kanter Law Group “advocates in favor of federal and state antitrust law enforcement.” That appointment aligns with a sweeping executive order from the White House […]
Legal: Judge Denies Foundry Receiver
Following oral arguments, Judge Joel Cohen denied as moot, without prejudice, the motion to appoint a temporary receiver for Foundry Literary.