Public Policy

  • May 30, 2024

    Kalshi Says Elections Aren't Games In Voting Wager Hearing

    A D.C. federal judge on Thursday tried to weigh whether gambling on elections can be considered "gaming" in predictions market Kalshi's challenge to a U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission order blocking it from offering election-based futures contracts.

  • May 30, 2024

    Gov't Broadband Rules Must Not Deter Providers, NTIA Told

    Small to medium-size internet providers could shy away from the federal government's massive broadband expansion program if rules requiring low-cost internet service end up being too heavy-handed, industry groups told the U.S. Department of Commerce.

  • May 30, 2024

    Healthcare Data Co. Says Blocked Access Could Kill Patients

    A healthcare data company asked a Maryland federal court on Thursday to stop a rival from blocking access to nursing home patient records it said are needed to identify potential complications that could lead to hospitalization or death.

  • May 30, 2024

    Feds Overly Constricted Extrusion Exclusion, Importer Says

    The U.S. Department of Commerce misinterpreted language outlining a carveout from duties on aluminum exclusions from China to make it overly restrictive, according to an importer calling for a speedy decision from the U.S. Court of International Trade.

  • May 30, 2024

    Wash. Tribe Gets Partial Win Against Feds Over Wildfires

    A Court of Federal Claims judge partly denied Thursday the U.S. government's bid to toss claims by a tribe in Washington state over massive fires that destroyed forests on reservation land, saying a money-mandating source of law entitles the tribes to compensation.

  • May 30, 2024

    9th Circ. Reopens Mandatory Security Check Wage Fight

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday largely revived a proposed wage class action by a subcontractor who sought to be paid for undergoing mandatory security checks and vehicle inspections at a solar project site, following the California Supreme Court's ruling that found the time to be compensable as "hours worked."

  • May 30, 2024

    3 Things To Watch In SF's High Court Water Standards Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court has granted San Francisco's request that it review the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's decision to incorporate narrative pollution standards in a Clean Water Act permit, throwing into question the use of a common permitting feature.

  • May 30, 2024

    Ex-FTX Auditor Must Face SEC's Independence Rules Suit

    The former auditor of Sam Bankman-Fried's defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX must face the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's claims it violated auditor independence rules while collecting $3 million in fees from clients, a Florida federal judge has ruled, finding the agency's allegations establish severe recklessness.

  • May 30, 2024

    Only One Landlord Allowed To Duck DC RealPage Suit

    One of several landlords that stands accused by the District of Columbia of using property management platform RealPage to fix the price of rentals has managed to convince a D.C. Superior Court judge to kibosh the claims against the real estate investment trust permanently.

  • May 30, 2024

    X Corp. Aims For 'Jugular' In Defamation Suit, Watchdog Says

    Media Matters for America says X Corp. shouldn't be allowed to target the left-leaning media watchdog's "financial jugular" by accessing its donor lists or its most sensitive financial documents, asking a federal judge Wednesday to reject the social platform's attempt to force production of the documents in a defamation suit.

  • May 30, 2024

    Okla. Tribes Say Bills Won't Deter Poultry Biz From Polluting

    The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes says two bills working their way through the Oklahoma Legislature don't go far enough to deter the poultry industry from polluting and threaten to undo decades of progress toward improving water quality.

  • May 30, 2024

    FCC Lifts Freeze On TV Stations Changing Channels

    Class A and low-power television stations will now be able to change the channel with the Federal Communications Commission's blessing, something the agency has announced it is willing to give under the right circumstances for the first time in 14 years.

  • May 30, 2024

    FAA Caps 737 Max Production Amid Boeing Safety Plan Fixes

    The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday it will continue to limit Boeing's production of 737 Max jets as the company presses ahead with overhauling its safety culture under an FAA-mandated corrective action plan following January's midair blowout aboard an Alaska Airlines flight.

  • May 30, 2024

    Colo. Justice Says Outside Watchdog Key For Judicial Ethics

    A Colorado Supreme Court justice said Thursday that third-party oversight of judges' conduct was crucial to maintaining the public's trust in the legal system, speaking as part of an American Bar Association panel that touched on recent controversies, including those involving U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and his wife.

  • May 30, 2024

    Full 9th Circ. Won't Rehear Immigration Attys' Privacy Row

    The full Ninth Circuit on Thursday declined a request from a filmmaker and two immigration attorneys to rehear a panel decision finding that a purportedly covert government surveillance program tracking journalists and advocates tied to a migrant caravan didn't harm them.

  • May 30, 2024

    UPenn Retools Fight Against Defamation Suit Over Email

    An email addressing how an anthropology professor handled the remains of the 1985 MOVE house bombing victims cannot be considered defamatory because it was rooted in personal perspectives and not facts, the University of Pennsylvania told a federal court Wednesday.

  • May 30, 2024

    Ex-Chicago Mayor Dodges Atty's Lawsuit Over Zoom Tirade

    An Illinois judge tossed a lawsuit brought by a former in-house attorney for the Chicago Park District accusing former Mayor Lori Lightfoot of unleashing a profane tirade laced with crude, insulting and defamatory comments during a Zoom call.

  • May 30, 2024

    Ill. Made 'Big Concession' In 3M PFAS Suit, 7th Circ. Judge Says

    A Seventh Circuit judge observed Thursday that the state of Illinois made a "big concession" in its suit accusing 3M of polluting local waters with toxic "forever chemicals" when the state said 3M could avoid liability if Illinois can't prove contamination came exclusively from a particular facility.

  • May 30, 2024

    Judge Rejects 'Audacity' Of Suspended Jurist's Reelection Bid

    A Michigan state judge said Thursday he was surprised election officials hadn't already disqualified a suspended Detroit judge who had the "audacity" to run again despite being barred from the bench for six years, saying he intended to end her candidacy.

  • May 30, 2024

    Here's What Comes Next After Trump's Conviction

    Donald Trump's forthcoming appeal of his historic conviction Thursday in the New York hush money case could include challenges to the state's evidence and jury instructions, but it's unlikely the case will be resolved before Election Day.

  • May 30, 2024

    Divided FTC Won't Delay Kroger-Albertsons In-House Case

    The Federal Trade Commission's three Democrats refused Wednesday to delay the agency in-house challenge to Kroger's $24.6 billion purchase of Albertsons, blaming the grocery giants for their scheduling challenges and drawing a sharp dissent from the FTC's two Republicans.

  • May 30, 2024

    NCAA Loses Bid To Sink Reggie Bush Defamation Suit

    The NCAA has failed in its bid to get an early toss of the defamation suit filed by 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, with an Indiana court ruling a dismissal is premature at this point because the former running back has met the pleading standards.

  • May 30, 2024

    DOJ's Kanter Says AI Cos. Could Exploit Creators

    The head of the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, Jonathan Kanter, said Thursday that a lack of competition between artificial intelligence companies could allow them to exploit writers, artists and other content creators.

  • May 30, 2024

    FTC, Novant Ask To Delay In-House Trial On Merger Challenge

    The Federal Trade Commission and Novant Health have asked to postpone an upcoming administrative hearing over the nonprofit's proposed purchase of two North Carolina hospitals, a purchase that regulators are concerned will dampen competition in the region, according to a notice filed in federal court.

  • May 30, 2024

    FCC Subsidy Reforms Could Be Drafted On Capitol Hill Soon

    A working group on Capitol Hill studying a potential overhaul of the Federal Communications Commission's subsidy regime could produce draft reforms soon, but a big stumbling block will be how to expand contributions to the fund, telecom experts say.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    Why Supreme Court Should Allow Repatriation Tax To Stand

    If the U.S. Supreme Court doesn't reject the taxpayers' misguided claims in Moore v. U.S. that the mandatory repatriation tax is unconstitutional, it could wreak havoc on our system of taxation and result in a catastrophic loss of revenue for the government, say Christina Mason and Theresa Balducci at Herrick Feinstein.

  • For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill

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    A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • High Court's Jan. 6 Rioter Case May Have Wide Ripple Effects

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    The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear oral arguments in Fischer v. United States, a case that will determine whether a law enacted after the Enron scandal can be used to prosecute Jan. 6 rioters, and could affect the government’s ability to charge those who impede a range of official proceedings, say Brook Dooley and Sara Fitzpatrick at Keker Van Nest.

  • How Export Controls Are Evolving To Address Tech Security

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    Recently proposed export control regulations from the U.S. Department of Commerce are an opportunity for stakeholders to help pioneer compliance for the increasing reliance on the use of outsourced technology service providers, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • HHS Opioid Rule Generally Benefits Providers And Patients

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    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' newly effective rule, the first substantial change to opioid treatment programs and delivery standards in over 20 years, significantly expands access and reduces stigma around certain medications, though the rule is narrow in scope and does have some limitations, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • 5th Circ. Clarifies What Is And Isn't A 'New Use' Of PFAS

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    The Fifth Circuit's March 21 decision in Inhance Technologies v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, preventing the EPA from regulating existing uses of PFAS under "significant new use" provisions of the Toxic Substances Control Act, provides industry with much-needed clarity, say Joseph Schaeffer and Sloane Wildman at Babst Calland.

  • Handling Customer Complaints In Bank-Fintech Partnerships

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    As regulators mine consumer complaint databases for their next investigative targets, it is critical that fintech and bank partners adopt a well-defined and monitored process for ensuring proper complaint handling, including by demonstrating proficiency and following interagency guidance, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Trump's NY Civil Fraud Trial Spotlights Long-Criticized Law

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    A New York court’s recent decision holding former President Donald Trump liable for fraud brought old criticisms of the state law used against him back into the limelight — including its strikingly broad scope and its major departures from the traditional elements of common law fraud, say Mark Kelley and Lois Ahn at MoloLamken.

  • Opinion

    New Mexico Fire Victims Deserve Justice From Federal Gov't

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    Two years after the largest fire in New Mexico's history — a disaster caused by the U.S. government's mismanagement of prescribed burns — the Federal Emergency Management Agency must remedy its grossly inadequate relief efforts and flawed legal interpretations that have left victims of the fire still waiting for justice, says former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas.

  • Opinion

    $175M Bond Refiled By Trump Is Still Substantively Flawed

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    The corrected $175 million bond posted by former President Donald Trump on Thursday to stave off enforcement of the New York attorney general's fraud judgment against him remains substantively and procedurally flawed, as well as inadequately secured, says Adam Pollock of Pollock Cohen.

  • Opinion

    Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea

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    A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.

  • Opinion

    Streamlined Mine Regulation Is Key For The Energy Transition

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    Mining is essential for obtaining the critical minerals required for a transition to greener energy and transportation technologies, but inefficient permitting processes are making it harder to mine these essential materials that will enable a more environmentally sound future, says Scot Anderson at Womble Bond.

  • 2 Recent Suits Show Resiliency Of Medicare Drug Price Law

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    Though pharmaceutical companies continue to file lawsuits challenging the Inflation Reduction Act, which enables the federal government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, recent decisions suggest that the reduced drug prices are likely here to stay, says Jose Vela Jr. at Clark Hill.

  • 4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best

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    As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.

  • A Look At Recent Challenges To SEC's Settlement 'Gag Rule'

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    Though they have been unsuccessful so far, opponents of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's so-called gag rule, which prevents defendants from denying allegations when settling with the SEC, are becoming increasingly vocal and filing more challenges in recent years, say Mike Blankenship and Regina Maze at Winston & Strawn.

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