William Orrick

A federal judge denied a temporary restraining order against Meta in a case where 26 former employees claim they were laid off via AI-generated metrics targeting workers on protected leave, such as maternity or medical leave. The judge ruled that plaintiffs’ harms, including loss of health insurance and equity, are not irreparable but noted potential concerns for four foreign-born workers facing immigration status risks.

Former Meta employees claim they were laid off using AI-driven metrics and seek a temporary restraining order to restore their jobs. A federal judge expressed reluctance to grant the order, citing insufficient evidence of irreparable harm, while Meta denies using AI in the layoffs.

A federal judge is likely to allow a class action lawsuit against Meta over hacked Facebook accounts to proceed, with plaintiffs alleging the company breached terms of service by failing to protect user data and denying access to compromised accounts. The judge ruled that claims of breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith, and unfair competition address prior concerns and can move forward.

Judge William Orrick blocked the Trump administration from cutting federal grants to cities that use diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. The ruling prevents restrictions on funding for cities implementing such policies.

A federal judge halted the Trump administration from enforcing new grant conditions targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and immigration enforcement compliance for federal programs in California and Oregon. The injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge William Orrick, blocks four federal agencies from imposing conditions that could defund public safety, health, and environmental initiatives.

California and Oregon municipalities are seeking to block Trump administration policies that impose grant conditions on public safety, health, and environmental funding, arguing they violate constitutional and legal standards. A federal judge indicated he may grant a preliminary injunction against the Department of Homeland Security and Justice but expressed skepticism about claims against the Interior Department.